Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health最新文献

Objectives: In this review, the primary objective was to comprehensively summarize and evaluate the themes and analytical strategies of studies that used data linkage methods to examine the healthcare engagement of individuals with self-harming and suicidal tendencies. Additionally, the review sought to identify gaps in the existing literature and suggest directions for future research in this area.

Methods: This review utilized the PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus databases. Employing a scoping review methodology, 27 papers were analyzed.

Results: One particularly common data source is the routine information collected by government agencies. However, some studies supplement this data with newly collected information. Compared to other research methods, data linkage offers the advantage of incorporating participants from diverse backgrounds into the analysis. Most relevant studies using data linkage methods have primarily focused on identifying socio-demographic correlates of self-harm, suicide deaths, and healthcare interactions. Additionally, some studies have used cluster analysis to identify patterns of healthcare utilization within affected populations. Certain papers have employed unique methods to measure self-harm and healthcare interactions, while one study utilized a moderator analytical approach.

Conclusions: Data linkage offers a promising approach for researching the dynamics between self-harm, suicide, and healthcare contact. A notable challenge, however, is the focus of most studies on the associations between socio-demographic factors and the risks of self-harm and suicide.

Since the detonation of the first atomic bomb during World War II, geopolitical issues and armed conflicts have reminded us of the threat posed by nuclear weapons in the short, medium, and long term. The potential consequences include millions of deaths and severe injuries from blast, heat, and acute ionizing radiation. Whatever the country, in the post-acute stage of a nuclear attack, the first challenge for health and rescue personnel will be gaining access to affected populations amidst destroyed infrastructure, hazardous radioactivity, and limited health facilities and medical supplies. Subsequently, the focus will shift to providing timely and appropriate treatment for survivors, addressing environmental damage, and combating malnutrition. Beyond the immediate human toll, the destruction of city infrastructure and the loss of centuries of cultural heritage are also at stake. Governments and health systems must prepare for these scenarios, although any medical or mitigation response may prove inadequate to halt the devastating impact of a failed disarmament or nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Scientists should raise awareness about the dire consequences of nuclear warfare and the realities of a post-nuclear era.

Objectives: Church leaders are important to the success of faith-based health promotion interventions through the role modeling of health behaviors. However, clergy may be at a higher risk of chronic disease than their congregants and their health is understudied. This study examined church leaders' health-related behaviors, differences in health behaviors by socio-demographic characteristics, and associations between health behaviors and church-level implementation of an ecological intervention.

Methods: Pastors (n=93) and church coordinators (n=92) reported body mass index (BMI), self-rated health, fruit and vegetable consumption (F&V), and physical activity (PA) at baseline and 12 months post-training in the intervention. Church coordinators reported program implementation for their church. Socio-demographic differences and associations between changes in health behaviors and program implementation were tested with regression models. Changes in health-related variables were examined using paired t-tests and McNemar's test.

Results: Pastors (40.9% women, 41.9% Black/African American) had a mean BMI of 30.0 kg/m2; 23.7% met F&V guidelines and 45.2% met PA guidelines. Black/African American pastors were less likely to meet F&V guidelines and had lower self-rated health than their counterparts. Pastor PA improved over time, but pastor health behaviors were not associated with program implementation. Church coordinators' (94.6% women, 39.1% Black/African American) mean BMI was 27.8 kg/m2; 27.2% met F&V guidelines and 62.0% met PA guidelines. Black/African American church coordinators had higher BMIs and lower self-rated health than their counterparts. Church coordinator F&V intake improved over time; self-rated health was positively associated with PA program implementation.

Conclusions: This study underscores the need for preventive interventions for church leaders.

Objectives: Lonely death is defined as "a person living in a state of social isolation, disconnected from family, relatives, and others, who dies from suicide, illness, or other causes". This study investigated the characteristics of individuals who die alone in Korea.

Methods: We constructed a database of lonely death cases by linking data from the Korea Crime Scene Investigation Unit of the Korea National Police Agency with National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) records. A descriptive analysis was performed to evaluate the demographics, underlying diseases, and healthcare utilization patterns among lonely death cases.

Results: Among the 3122 individuals identified as lonely death cases, 2621 (84.0%) were male and 501 (16.0%) were female. The most common age group was 50-59 years (n=930, 29.8%). The NHIS covered 2161 individuals (69.2%), whereas 961 individuals (30.8%) were enrolled in Medical Aid (MA). The highest number of lonely deaths occurred in Seoul areas, with 1468 cases (47.0%). Mood disorders were diagnosed in 1020 individuals (32.7%), and various alcohol-related diseases, including alcoholic liver disease, were also observed. Outpatient visits increased leading up to death but declined in the final 3 months, while hospitalizations decreased and emergency room visits slightly increased.

Conclusions: Most lonely death cases involved male in their 50s, with a disproportionately high number of MA beneficiaries compared to the general population. Many of these individuals also experienced mental health issues or alcohol-related disorders. Preventing social isolation and strengthening social safety nets are critical to reducing the occurrence of lonely deaths.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify factors associated with life satisfaction by developing machine learning (ML) models to predict life satisfaction in older adults living alone.

Methods: Data were extracted from 3112 older adults participating in the 2020 Korea Senior Survey. We employed 5 ML models to classify the life satisfaction of older adults living alone: logistic Lasso regression, decision tree-based classification and regression tree (CART), C5.0, random forest, and extreme gradient boost (XGBoost). The variables used as predictors included demographics, health status, functional abilities, environmental factors, and activity participation. The performance of these ML models was evaluated based on accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and area under the curve (AUC). Additionally, we assessed the significance of variable importance as indicated by the final classification models.

Results: Out of the 1411 older adults living alone, 45.3% expressed satisfaction with their lives. The XGBoost model surpassed the performance of other models, achieving an F1-score of 0.72 and an AUC of 0.75. According to the XGBoost model, the five most important variables influencing life satisfaction were overall community satisfaction, self-rated health, opportunities to interact with neighbors, proximity to a child, and satisfaction with residence.

Conclusions: Overall satisfaction with the community environment emerged as the most significant predictor of life satisfaction among older adults living alone. These findings indicate that enhancing the supportiveness of the community environment could improve life satisfaction for this demographic.

Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic led to various intensities of lockdowns, affecting lifestyles globally. This study investigates the impact of partial lockdown versus total lockdown on adult physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted from April 2020 to October 2020, with 493 participants included in the analysis.

Results: The analysis revealed no significant differences in total PA or total sitting time between partial lockdown and total lockdown scenarios. However, moderate physical activity (MPA) significantly decreased during total lockdowns, with more pronounced reductions among females than males. Notably, a positive correlation was found between household area and MPA, suggesting that larger living spaces may encourage more PA. A negative correlation was observed between sitting time and MPA during both types of lockdown.

Conclusions: Total lockdown conditions were associated with a significant decrease in MPA, highlighting sex disparities in PA responses. Living space size emerged as a crucial factor in maintaining PA levels during restricted conditions. This study emphasizes the need to consider environmental and demographic factors in public health strategies during prolonged periods of restricted movement.

Objectives: Second-hand tobacco smoke (SHS) is a risk factor for adverse health outcomes, particularly among pregnant women. This study aimed to address the research gap concerning the prevalence and correlates of SHS exposure at home and in public settings among non-smoking pregnant women in India.

Methods: The dataset from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (2016-17), India, was utilised to evaluate the prevalence of SHS exposure in pregnant women both at home and in public spaces. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to identify the determinants of SHS exposure among this population.

Results: The prevalence of SHS exposure at home was 36.9%, while exposure outside the home was 26.5%. Among non-smoking pregnant women, 10.0% were exposed to SHS on public transport. The risk of SHS exposure at home was significantly higher in the North (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 5.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.45 to 11.60), Central (aOR, 4.46; 95% CI, 1.98 to 10.02), and Northeast (aOR, 4.18; 95% CI, 1.78 to 9.81) regions compared to the South. Pregnant women aged 25-34 (aOR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.39 to 0.93) and those aged 35 and above (aOR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.27 to 0.86), as well as those with secondary (aOR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.30 to 0.85) or higher education (aOR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.15 to 0.58), had lower odds of SHS exposure at home. For SHS exposure outside the home, the North region (aOR, 2.53; 95% CI, 1.19 to 5.36), employment status (aOR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.13 to 3.47), and belonging to scheduled tribes (aOR, 3.20; 95% CI, 1.25 to 8.21) were associated with higher odds.

Conclusions: The prevalence of SHS exposure among pregnant non-smoking women was notably high both at home and in external environments.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of subjective socioeconomic status and social capital on self-rated health and quality of life among a minority group in Iran.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 800 individuals from a minority group in Iran. The sampling method was clustering, and data collection was conducted using a questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 18 and Stata version 8.

Results: The results of logistic regression analysis revealed that subjective socioeconomic status (odds ratio [OR], 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34 to 1.61), belonging and empathy (OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.15), and trust (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.13) significantly impacted the quality of life. Additionally, the logistic regression analysis for factors influencing self-rated health demonstrated significant effects for the age group of 31-50 years (OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.38 to 0.91), gender (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.46 to 0.92), academic education (OR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.22 to 3.26), subjective socioeconomic status (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.16 to 1.38), chronic disease (OR, 4.52; 95% CI, 2.49 to 8.19), belonging and empathy (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.11), and participation (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.24).

Conclusions: The findings indicate that bonding social capital significantly influences health levels and quality of life. Focusing on delegating local responsibilities to community members and striving to promote participation in health programs, along with increasing the socioeconomic status of minority groups, can effectively improve their health and quality of life.

Objectives: This cross-sectional study investigated the association between the utilization of 8 antenatal care (ANC) visits and delivery in a healthcare institution in the Philippines, using data from the 2022 National Demographic and Health Survey.

Methods: A sample of women who had given birth within the past 3 years was selected for analysis (n=4452). The association between ANC utilization and institutional delivery was assessed using logistic regression models, covariates by relevant socio-demographic factors, and childbirth history.

Results: We found that 97.2% of respondents who completed ANC opted for institutional delivery. A higher proportion of rural residents did not undergo institutional delivery than urban residents (12.9 vs. 6.9%). The group aged 20-24 years had the highest coverage (92.8%), and the group aged 40-44 years had the lowest. Higher education levels, employment, and greater wealth were associated with higher institutional delivery rates. Divorced or widowed mothers (85.1%) and grand multiparous mothers had lower rates than other groups. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed a significant positive association between ANC utilization and institutional deliveries after adjusting for covariates (adjusted odds ratio, 2.486; 95% confidence interval, 2.485 to 2.487; p<0.001).

Conclusions: ANC visits were associated with deliveries in institutions in the Philippines. Policymakers should promote ANC by ensuring 8 World Health Organization-recommended visits, strengthening programs, conducting community outreach, addressing access barriers, and integrating maternal health services to increase institutional births and improve maternal and infant health.