International Journal of Public Health最新文献

Objectives: An analysis of men's perceptions of the role of three health behaviours (smoking avoidance, physical activity, and diet) in relation to the subjective threat of lung, prostate, and colorectal cancers, with adoption of the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM).

Methods: The study was conducted using a survey questionnaire by Computer Assisted Web Interviewing on a representative sample of 1,000 male Polish citizens aged 18-65.

Results: Prostate cancer was considered the most likely and most severe type of cancer. A healthy diet was the intervention that was considered the most effective and the one most likely to be implemented for colorectal cancer. Respondents perceived smoking avoidance to be the most effective intervention, while considering this to be the least feasible strategy to implement for lung cancer. In all of the behaviours, the Indifferent group was the most numerous. Belonging to the EPPM groups was mainly associated with educational level, financial situation, and self-assessed health status.

Conclusion: The need to implement interventions aimed at: increase the perceived risk of smoking in the context of lung cancer incidence, increase men's self-efficacy in smoking avoidance and reduce the level of perceived losses from undertaking a healthy diet and smoking avoidance.

Objective: The prevalence of hypertension has increased worldwide over the last decades. No data are available on the prevalence and correlates of hypertension and elevated blood pressure among young adults in Syria. This study aimed to measure the prevalence of hypertension and elevated blood pressure among university students and to identify the associated sociodemographic characteristics, and behavioral risk factors.

Methods: This study was designed as a cross-sectional investigation with 1,100 subjects randomly selected from the students of Aleppo and Al-Wataniya universities. Risk factors, and measurement data were collected using a questionnaire. Hypertension was categorized according to ACC/AHA guidelines.

Results: Out of 1,100 undergraduate university students, men made up 70.2% of the total respondents. The age of the participants ranged from 18 to 30 years with a mean age of 21 (±1.82). The prevalence of elevated blood pressure and hypertension was 27.7% and 15.9% respectively. The main common risk factors for elevated blood pressure and hypertension were sex, age, smoking, stress and BMI. Family history was only associated with hypertension.

Conclusion: The prevalence of hypertension among undergraduate students was higher than in other countries which calls for urgent policy actions targeting this age group for early prevention of hypertension.

Objectives: To examine cancer mortality rates in Colombia by ethnic groups (Indigenous, Rom, Raizal, Afro-Colombian, and Mestizo) and assess trends from 2011 to 2022.

Methods: National vital statistics from death certificates and the Colombian census data were used. Crude and direct age-standardized mortality rates were determined by ethnicity for the study period, by year, sex, and cancer type and Joinpoint analysis was conducted to examine trends.

Results: Age-standardized cancer mortality of Mestizos (60.1 per 100,000 population) was lower than in Rom and Raizales (557.3 and 77.7 per 100,000), and higher than for Afro-Colombians and Indigenous (37.2 and 20.0 per 100,000). Indigenous people in Colombia had greater proportions of individuals under 45 dying of cancer than Mestizos (18.7% vs. 9.7%, p-value = <0.01). Compared to the Mestizo population, Raizales and Afro-Colombians experienced disproportionately higher age-standardized mortality rates due to prostate cancer (26.6/100,000 and 8.6/100,000 vs. 8.1/100,000), and for Raizales and Rom breast cancer (14.0/100,000 and 103.2/100,000 vs. 9.1/100,000).

Conclusion: The disparities in cancer mortality in ethnic minorities in Colombia call for investigating cancer etiology and access to care among the Rom and the Raizal populations.

Objectives: Cross-national differences in long-term trends in social inequalities in adolescents' mental health remain poorly understood, as does the impact of societal changes. We tested (1) whether the association between family socioeconomic status and psychological and somatic complaints changed between 2002 and 2022, (2) the extent to which these trends varied across countries, and (3) whether changes in income inequality, schoolwork pressure, and internet activity within countries were related to these trends.

Methods: Using data from 903,344 adolescents across 32 countries from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study between 2002 and 2022, we employed multilevel models to investigate the research questions.

Results: We observed a nonlinear increase in psychological and somatic complaints over time. On average, social inequalities in both outcomes remained stable across countries, although the trends varied from one country to another. Only income inequality explained the differences between countries in these trends. In countries where income inequality increased over time, social inequalities in psychological complaints became smaller.

Conclusion: Our study highlights ongoing global disparities in adolescents' mental health problems, urging for more effective health policies.

Objectives: Exclusive breastfeeding is a critical public health strategy known to reduce infant mortality and morbidity, and to enhance maternal and child health outcomes. This study explores the psychosocial factors affecting exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) among first-time mothers in Ghana, highlighting the challenges faced by first-time mothers in maintaining EBF for the recommended 6 months.

Methods: The study utilized an exploratory qualitative research design to gain in-depth understanding of first-time mothers' experiences with EBF, utilizing semi-structured interviews at the Salaga Municipal Hospital postnatal clinic.

Results: The study found stressors affecting mothers' exclusive breastfeeding practices, including lactation issues, infant positioning issues, and physical discomfort. Strong family support was found to be crucial for encouraging and sustaining EBF practices.

Conclusion: Psychosocial factors significantly influence exclusive breastfeeding among first-time mothers. Strategies include addressing lactation issues, providing infant positioning education, alleviating physical discomfort, and enhancing family support systems.

Objectives: To describe objective social wellbeing in relation to social cohesion.

Methods: A literature search that sought to understand the contribution of social cohesion in the community as a means of achieving social wellbeing in the UK, published in the last 10 years.

Results: Social cohesion is widely associated with community assets, trust, and a sense of belonging at neighbourhood level. Segregation of sub-groups and "incivilities" can lead to reduced social connectedness and wellbeing. Wider multicultural engagement over time, may be beneficial for social cohesion. Evidence suggests that sufficient facilitation through facilities and services improve social relations and wellbeing and create more cohesive communities. A particular focus is needed on potential minorities within otherwise cohesive communities.

Conclusion: Social cohesion relates to community resilience and the experience of social connectedness at community level. These features can protect vulnerable groups from exclusion and may have other benefits to health and wellbeing.

Objectives: Physical activity and costs have been consistently related each other, but mostly in cross-sectional investigations. This study aims to investigate the relationship between changes in physical activity level and changes in healthcare costs among older diabetic adults in an 8-year follow-up study.

Methods: The study followed 151 diabetic adults ≥50 years of age, for a period of 8 years, who were patients of Basic Health Care Units in the city of Bauru (Brazil). Medical records were consulted to obtain information on healthcare costs. Physical activity level was assessed through an interview. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, and linear regression.

Results: Participants who increased leisure-time physical activity from 2010 to 2018 accumulated less healthcare costs from 2020 to 2018. The magnitude of the relationship was small (r = -0.233 [95% CI: -0.379 to -0.076]).

Conclusion: In summary, among diabetic patients, to increase leisure-time physical activity from 2010 to 2018 was inversely related to the amount of healthcare costs spent over the same period of 8 years.

Objectives: This study examines the covert promotion of e-cigarettes, specifically Juul, on the video live-streaming platform Twitch, focusing on the content and platform-specific dynamics that may influence its effectiveness.

Methods: This qualitative case study of a non-gaming Twitch stream included data from influencer conversations, viewer comments and visual elements. Thematic analysis, coding, and categorisation were conducted using ATLAS.ti.

Results: The livestream, which attracted over ten thousand viewers, featured three friends vaping and discussing their personal experiences with Juul. Themes included curiosity, device sharing, and smoking cessation benefits. The stream fostered a casual, engaging atmosphere, with viewers interacting extensively with the influencers and also other viewers. Despite suspicions of industry sponsorship, viewers reacted positively and even joked about the sponsorship. Several viewers, including those who claimed not to smoke, expressed interest in Juul.

Conclusion: The study highlights concerns about the promotion of harmful commodities on Twitch, where strong community engagement, monetary incentives, and a lack of specific content policies create a conducive environment for such practices. This underscores the need for greater scrutiny and regulation of e-cigarette promotions on the platform.

Objectives: Sleep health and other lifestyle behaviours are gaining increasing attention in public health, particularly for cancer prevention, but a comprehensive assessment is lacking.

Methods: The study included 380,042 UK Biobank participants. A healthy sleep score was constructed based on five sleep factors: chronotype, sleep duration, insomnia, snoring, and daytime dozing. A healthy lifestyle score was constructed based on four lifestyle factors: smoking, alcohol consumption, diet and physical activity. The effect of healthy sleep and lifestyle on cancer risk was examined by Cox proportional hazard models.

Results: Both healthy sleep and lifestyle patterns were significantly associated with a reduced risk of overall cancer and specific cancer sites. Participants with healthy sleep and lifestyle patterns had a lower risk of overall cancer (HR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.68-0.77), liver cancer (HR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.31-0.90), bladder cancer (HR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.47-0.79), lung cancer (HR = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.19-0.27), and colorectal cancer (HR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.66-0.96) compared to those with unhealthy patterns.

Conclusion: Our findings highlight the importance of public health education and interventions to improve sleep and other lifestyle behaviours for cancer prevention.

Objective: Data on disability in refugees is lacking, hindering effectiveness of humanitarian response. We investigated disability condition in refugees, identifying possible mechanisms that affect their health.

Methods: The Washington Group Short Set - Enhanced was used to identify people at risk experiencing disability. Data on migration routes were collected and the relationship with functioning limitations was explored.

Results: 483 refugees (58.18% males - 41.82% female) were interviewed. 23.8% were found to have a disability, with a higher risk for those who travelled along the central Mediterranean route OR (95% CI) 2.08 (1.33-3.24). Affect domain represented the main weight for disability (28.16%), followed by mobility limitation (8.28%). People who travelled across the central Mediterranean route were found to have a high risk of developing anxiety problems OR (95% CI) 2.19 (1.33-3.6), while people who crossed the Balkan route had a higher risk of mobility limitation OR (95% CI) 3.03 (1.23-7.44).

Conclusion: This study provides the first available data on disability among refugees in Italy, revealing a high prevalence of disability and a significant association with migration routes. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted health and rehabilitation interventions to address the specific vulnerabilities of this population.