International Journal of Public Health最新文献

Objectives: This study aims to analyze the demands of older people for care services and to evaluate and position care facilities to accommodate the requirements of healthy aging.

Methods: Data on the demand for care services in Chengdu were collected. Fuzzy-set qualitative comparison analysis was used for demands analysis. Probabilistic linguistic term sets were used to assess and position facilities. Finally, the recommendations methods were provided by different demands of older people.

Results: There were four paths to produce the high demands for care services of older people. Among the six types of services, medical services, psychological counseling, and nursing services had the greatest impact, while diet conditions had the least. The older people with clear demands can select facilities by the first recommendation method, while those with unclear demands can choose from four types of facilities: recommended, non-recommended, suitable for forward-thinking customers, and suitable for concerned customers.

Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into older people, care facilities, and governments. The older people can choose suitable facilities by their demands, while facilities can enhance service quality accordingly. Governments can allocate resources efficiently and promote healthy aging.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of cervical lesions in married women with low socioeconomic status, and the related risk factors to provide evidence for the development of cervical cancer prevention strategies.

Methods: Descriptive analysis was employed to estimate the prevalence of cervical lesions. Univariate analysis and binary logistic regression were used to investigate the association between the related variables and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN).

Results: Among 142,677 women aged 35-64 years, 787 (0.55%) cervical lesions were detected. Being in the age group of 35-44 years, high or technical secondary school level education, living at higher level regions of economic development, and abnormal leucorrhea were associated with increased risk of cervical lesions. Menopause was found to be protective.

Conclusion: Married women with lower socioeconomic status had a lower prevalence of cervical lesions but had a higher prevalence of cervical cancer. Those aged 35-44 years, with high or technical secondary school level education, living at higher level regions of economic development, with abnormal leucorrhea, and who were pre-menopausal were at higher risk for cervical lesions.

Objectives: In Nigeria, telemedicine is underutilized despite unacceptable age-related childhood mortality indices. This study identifies the barriers, prospects, and benefits of telemedicine utilization in paediatric care in Nigeria.

Methods: A convergent parallel approach of mixed methods design. Electronic questionnaires were used to obtain data from 57 and 50 mothers in an urban and a rural healthcare facility, respectively, in Abuja, Nigeria. Audio-recorded semi structured in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants, including a paediatrician, an ICT expert, and a matron. The qualitative data were analyzed via an inductive thematic analysis.

Results: Telemedicine awareness was greater among urban respondents (p < 0.000). It was seen as inferior to physical consultation, and lack of awareness, cost of service, with resource constraints were barriers to utilization. Respondents unaware of telemedicine were 0.27 times less willing to pay for the services (p = 0.017). Themes generated include resource constraints, standard operating procedures, and possible advantages.

Conclusion: Telemedicine is beneficial in terms of patient convenience and physical workspace decongestion. Public awareness and resource availability will enhance telemedicine utilization in paediatric care.

Objectives: The European Climate and Health Responder Course aimed to enhance health professionals' knowledge, confidence, and preparedness to address climate-related health challenges.

Methods: The course was delivered as a synchronous, online program targeting health professionals across diverse fields. Data on participant demographics, engagement, and knowledge improvement were collected through pre- and post-course surveys and course completion metrics. Statistical analysis measured changes in participants' confidence and preparedness across targeted outcomes.

Results: Of the 4,407 individuals who registered for the course, 21% completed the course, with the majority of them being from Europe and from academic and research institutions. The longitudinal survey revealed significant improvements in participants' self-perceived outcomes across the three target domains from pre-course levels: communication, professional applicability, and self-efficacy.

Conclusion: The pilot European Climate and Health Responder course highlights both the strong demand for and the effectiveness of climate change and health education for health professionals. The global interest further highlights the need for expanded climate-health education beyond the European Region.

Objectives: Skin diseases account for 1.79% of the global disease burden, though their impact may be underreported due to limited research. Raising awareness about early detection is essential, but tools to measure this are scarce. This study aimed to develop and validate a questionnaire assessing community awareness and early detection of common skin diseases, including leprosy, in Indonesia.

Methods: The questionnaire was drafted in English, translated into Bahasa Indonesia, and tested for face validity, content validity, and internal consistency. A pilot test with 25 participants and a field test with 680 participants were conducted. Results were analyzed using Cronbach alpha and descriptive methods.

Results: The final questionnaire comprised 17 questions on skin disease: common knowledge, intentions on prevention and health-seeking behavior. Validity and internal consistency were confirmed during pilot testing, and no participants in the field test reported confusion. The Cronbach alpha score exceeded 0.70, confirming strong internal consistency.

Conclusion: This validated questionnaire can assess public awareness of early skin disease detection. It is available for international adaptation and may help improve early detection and prevention in Indonesia's healthcare system.

Objectives: This study examines how different measures of socioeconomic status (SES) across childhood and adulthood relate to frailty in older age.

Methods: Data came from the Lausanne cohort 65+ (Lc65+), a population-based study of approximately 4,500 older adults followed over 20 years. SES measures included education in young adulthood, occupational class in midlife, and specific early old-age factors: perceived income, wealth, financial strain, and receipt of financial subsidies. Frailty trajectories over a 10-year period were assessed using Fried's frailty phenotype and group-based trajectory modeling. Logistic regression models adjusted for sex, age, cohort, living situation, marital status, and number of children.

Results: Lower education, occupational class, financial strain, and financial subsidies in older age were each independently associated with higher frailty risk at ages 65-70. Financial strain and financial subsidies in early old age increased odds of medium- (aOR, 1.48-1.69) and high-frailty (aOR, 2.07-2.28) trajectories.

Conclusion: SES across the life course strongly correlates with frailty in early old age. Early interventions and financial protection policies in older age could help mitigate frailty risk and SES-related frailty inequalities.

Objectives: To describe the prevalence and distribution of perceived need for mental healthcare among adults in Germany and examine its association with more objective indicators of need as well as mental health literacy.

Methods: We used data from 6,558 adults randomly sampled from a health insurance company as well as nationally representative survey data from 10,676 adults. Prevalence estimates were calculated, also by sex, age and education. Bivariate and multivariate associations between perceived need and sociodemographic characteristics, psychopathological symptoms, functional impairment and F-diagnoses as well as mental health literacy were examined.

Results: Approximately one-sixth of adults perceived a need for mental healthcare in the previous 12 months. Perceived need was associated with female sex (bivariate association only), younger age, high educational attainment, psychopathological symptoms, mental health-related functional impairment and mental health literacy. Those with perceived need were also twice as likely to have a documented F-diagnosis than those without.

Conclusion: Perceived need should be monitored within mental health surveillance to inform healthcare planning from a patient perspective and address the mental health treatment gap.

Objectives: This study aims to establish a multicenter database to evaluate Parkinson's disease in the MENASA region in the context of expert care.

Methods: The CGD-PD consortium includes 20 institutes from 9 MENASA countries. The database collects comprehensive data from PD patients.

Results: Initial data from participating sites showed significant heterogeneity in patient demographics, clinical characteristics, and healthcare management within the MENASA area. Descriptive analyses will include patient demographics and treatment methods, while multilevel regression models will explore correlations across care levels, environmental factors, and health outcomes. The results are anticipated to reveal region-specific patterns and gaps in the management of Parkinson's disease.

Conclusion: The CGD-PD database will be instrumental in addressing the gap in PD research in the MENASA region, ultimately improving the quality of life for PD patients.