Journal of Public Health Research最新文献

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and mental health disorders (MHD) are respectively the first and second most prevalent diseases in high-income countries and the two most relevant causes of disability worldwide. The close association between the two conditions has been known for a long time and research has been able to document how the co-morbidity between cardiovascular disorders and mental health disorders is a negative prognostic factor for both conditions. This strong connection and the relevance of the impact of the association have led to define a new branch of cardiology, known as behavioral cardiology. The aim of the new branch is just to study the nexus CVD-MHD in order to prevent or decrease the burden of MHD on CVD and vice versa. This review describes the epidemiological evidence of the relationship between MHD on CVD at the state of the art among clinical research.

Background: This study aimed to measure differences among informal caregivers, users, and mental healthcare workers (MHW) regarding job/organizational satisfaction and perceptions of respect for rights in the mental health services of one region of Italy.

Methods: A sample of 100 caregivers, 240 MHW, and 200 users completed the "Well-Being at Work and Respect for Human Rights Questionnaire" (WWRR) in community mental health centers in Sardinia.

Results: Caregivers reported higher satisfaction toward MHW on perceiving respect for human rights among users (5.2 ± 1.0 vs 5.1 ± 1.1, p < 0.0001) and health professionals (5.3 ± 0.8 vs 4.5 ± 1.3, p < 0.0001) and organization well-being (5.1 ± 1.2 vs 3.9 ± 1.3, p < 0.0001); toward users about respect of rights of MHW (5.3 ± 0.8 vs 4.9 ± 1.2, p < 0.0001) and both toward users and MHW on dissatisfaction on resources (p < 0.0001). Caregivers strongly highlighted insufficient resources for services.

Conclusion: Despite caregiver satisfaction, resource deficiencies signal a critical juncture in Italian mental health care. Continued cuts in healthcare spending, especially in mental health, raise concerns for future outcomes.

Background: Consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is a risk factor for several cardiovascular diseases and mortality, with potential physiological mechanisms including elevated serum cholesterol levels.

Objectives: To analyze the association between hypercholesterolemia and the isolated and simultaneous consumption of UPFs in older adults.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional epidemiological study conducted with 1322 Brazilian older adults (mean age of 70.4 years; 55.0% females) from the state of Roraima. The data was obtained from the Department of Epidemiological Surveillance of the State of Roraima. Hypercholesterolemia was diagnosed based on nosology criteria. Food consumption patterns were assessed using a nationally standardized instrument comprising four categories of UPFs. Binary logistic regression models were employed to explore potential associations.

Results: The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia was high (54.4%, 95% CI 51.7-56.6). While the simultaneous consumption of all UPFs types was lower (15.2%), over half of the older adults reported consuming at least one type of UPFs (71.8%). Isolated consumption of UPFs was associated with approximately twice the odds of hypercholesterolemia. Older adults who consumed two (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.26-2.43), three (OR 2.28, 95% CI 1.58-3.29), or all four types of UPF (OR 6.65, 95% CI 4.35-9.44) had a higher likelihood of having hypercholesterolemia.

Conclusions: Isolated consumption of UPFs is a risk factor for hypercholesterolemia, which can increase up to sixfold when older adults consume multiple UPFs simultaneously. Prioritizing nutritional education and raising awareness regarding the reduction of UPFs consumption is crucial.

Background: Ocular trauma is the leading cause of monocular blindness in children. This study aimed to identify and compare pediatric ocular injuries at two national university hospitals: Benha University Hospital (BUH) and South Valley University Hospital (SVUH) while evaluating the predictive utility of the Ocular Trauma Score (OTS) for post-traumatic permanent visual infirmity.

Design and methods: This multicenter observational study enrolled children under 18 years at BUH and SVUH Ophthalmology Departments from May 31 to December 31, 2022. Comprehensive medical histories and detailed data on eye trauma were obtained, with each undergoing thorough eye examinations at the initial presentation and during the 6-month follow-up period. The final visual outcome was permanent visual infirmity that was defined as the Best Corrected Visual Acuity in the better eye worse than 3/60 or near vision worse than N6 according to the International Classification of Diseases 11.

Results: The study included 120 cases evenly distributed between the two hospitals, with a mean age of 10.03 (±3.30) years, 74.17% male and 51.67% urban residents. Blunt, sharp, and foreign objects were the most common causes (39.17%, 33.33%, and 11.67%, respectively). Closed-globe injuries prevailed at BUH (83.33%) than SVUH (40.0%). Most injuries were accidental and outdoors, with an average interval of 9.93 (±23.57) hours to seek medical care. Lack of education, open-globe injuries, poor initial visual acuity, longer intervals from admission to intervention, and lower OTS were associated with visual impairment.

Background: Early detection of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is important because it enables clinicians to initiate effective treatment, preventing loss of kidney function, and delaying or avoiding progression to kidney failure. This study was aimed to assess knowledge, attitude, and practices towards prevention and early detection of CKD and associated factors.

Methods: Institution based cross-sectional survey was done at Adama Hospital Medical College, Ethiopia, between November 24/2021 and December 24/2021 among 190 hypertensive patients. Data were entered into EpiData version 4.2.0.0 and analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.

Result: The level of good knowledge, positive attitude, and good practice was 40.5%, 53.7%, and 47.4%, respectively. Government employed (AOR = 3.30, 95%CI: 1.38, 7.90), having an average monthly income of ≥3000 ETB (61.43 US dollars) (AOR = 2.95, 95%CI: 1.31, 6.66), and having a duration of ≥4 years since diagnosis of hypertension (AOR = 2.37, 95%CI: 1.11, 5.06) were factors significantly associated with good knowledge. Government employed (AOR = 2.56, 95%CI: 1.12, 5.87), having duration of hypertension ≥4 years since diagnosis (AOR = 2.16, 95%CI: 1.07, 4.36) were factors significantly associated with positive attitude. Government employed (AOR = 4.16, 95%CI: 1.38, 12.58), having an average monthly income of ≥3000 ETB (61.43 US dollars) (AOR = 6.74, 95%CI: 2.93, 15.52), having good knowledge towards prevention and early detection of CKD (AOR = 2.57, 95%CI: 1.14, 5.80) were significantly associated with good practice.

Conclusions: The level of good knowledge, positive attitude, and good practice towards was low. Educational programs on these issues are required to minimize the burdens.

Background: Approximately 50% of infertility cases are attributed to male factors. Acupuncture has long been employed as a complementary therapy to enhance male infertility treatment outcomes. This study aimed to assess the impact of electroacupuncture (EA) therapy on sperm motility and TMSC in male infertility patients.

Design and methods: This randomized clinical trial involved 30 male infertility patients divided into 2 groups. Consecutive sampling was utilized among men diagnosed with infertility at the Fertility Clinic Sekar, Dr. Moewardi General Hospital, Surakarta. Both groups underwent assessments of sperm motility and TMSC before and after the intervention. The first group received Coenzyme Q, while the second group received Coenzyme Q + EA.

Results: The Qoenzyme Q + EA group exhibited no significant difference in motility levels before treatment, with an average motility of 41.40% ± 13.33 and a TMSC level of 33.59 × 10⁶ ± 27.91. Post-treatment, motility remarkably increased by 56.40% ± 11.78, and the TMSC level rose by 78.63 × 10⁶ ± 58.38 in the Qoenzyme Q + EA group. Conversely, the Qoenzyme Q pre-treatment group had an average motility of 48.07% ± 15.77 and a TMSC level of 30.20 × 10⁶ ± 34.82. After Coenzyme Q treatment, a significant decrease in motility by 42.80% ± 18.03 and TMSC level by 28.22 × 10⁶ ± 15.16 was observed.

Conclusion: Combining Coenzyme Q + EA had a more significant impact on sperm motility and TMSC levels than Coenzyme Q alone. These findings underscore the differential effects of Coenzyme Q + EA and Coenzyme Q on sperm motility and TMSC levels, suggesting potential therapeutic implications for male reproductive health. Future studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to validate and expand upon these results.

Background: Happiness is among the fundamental concepts in mental health that have an impact on different aspects of university students. In this study, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of happiness among university students in Vietnam and to identify the factors influencing happiness.

Design and methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on undergraduate students in 8 universities and colleges in Hanoi, Vietnam. Happiness was measured using the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), and we used imputed Poisson regression to evaluate associations between happiness and associated factors.

Results: Among 9120 participants students (95.1% response rate), the prevalence of "happier group" was 80.9% (95% CI: 80.1-81.7). In the multivariable regression models, factors associated with being "less happy" on SHS were the perceived financial burden, year in university, academic motivation profile, and self-reported depression and anxiety.

Conclusions: University healthcare providers should pay attention to these associated factors while designing mental health care programs to promote happiness among university students.

Background: Dengue fever, a neglected tropical disease, exhibits a total seroprevalence of 27% in Sudan. During the recent outbreak, medical students actively participated in health education and community outreach programs. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of medical students regarding Dengue Fever (DF) during its current outbreak in Sudan.

Design and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving medical students from more than 15 Sudanese universities, encompassing 11 states. Data collection took place between October 23 and November 10, 2023, utilizing a Google Form questionnaire. A convenient sampling technique was employed to reach students due to its accessibility and feasibility during the ongoing conflict in Sudan. Correlation and regression analyses were used to identify predictors of KAP and establish associations between KAP domains and socio-demographic factors.

Results: Of 694 medical students, 11% reported a previous infection with DF. Among the participants, 58% demonstrated good knowledge, 74.1% exhibited a positive attitude, and less than half (46.7%) demonstrated good preventive practices. There was a positive correlation between knowledge and attitude levels with the practice level (p < 0.001). Gender, age, and previous DF infection emerged as significant predictors (p < 0.05) of the overall KAP level in multiple logistic regression.

Conclusions: Our study revealed a commendable level of knowledge and attitude but a suboptimal level of practice regarding DF among medical students. This inadequacy in practice, particularly among medical students who are expected to set an example, is concerning and warrants further investigation.

Dissemination and implementation science (D&I) can help bridge the gap between research and practice by addressing how to facilitate and maintain pre-existing evidence-based interventions (EBIs) in various contexts within different fields, including that of breast cancer screening and treatment. Yet, despite the availability of D&I frameworks and strategies, there is a lack of studies exploring knowledge transfer dissemination and implementation models, strategies, and frameworks in the setting of breast cancer care. There is a need for studies that create guidelines and roadmaps built on theoretical foundations of D&I research to scale up successful D&I of strategies, frameworks, and protocols proven to cater to the needs of all breast cancer patients when seeking screening and treatment services. The Arksey and O'Malley (2005) York methodology was used as guidance for this review: (1) identifying research questions; (2) searching for relevant studies; (3) selecting studies relevant to the research questions; (4) charting the data; (5) collating, summarizing, and reporting results. Most cited barriers (n = 46) sorted into the category of "Recruitment, Measurement, and Delivery Challenges." The predominant ERIC strategy, featured in a noteworthy 84% of studies, was "Tailor strategies" (#16), which belongs to the "Adapt and tailor to context: culture, language, data analysis, collection" domain. This study can guide researchers, physicians, and community workers in improving accessibility, affordability, and quality of breast cancer screening and adequate follow-up opportunities through D&I strategies and models improving the reach and sustainability of evidence-based programs in at-risk female populations.

Background: social support is important for adaptation in chronic diseases, such as diabetes and depression, because it favors recovery and adherence to treatment. Introducing its evaluation in the follow-up of diabetic patients can reduce complications derived from secondary non-adherence. Aims: to establish social support in diabetic patients and its correlation with depressive symptoms. Methods: a cross-sectional analytical study nested in a cohort of 173 recently diagnosed diabetic patients (<6 months) in Colombia over 18 years of age, treated in a cardiovascular risk program in 2022. The Chronic Illness Social Support Inventory was used. Results: Most of the participants were women (77.5%); single(83.8%), age (mean = 62.6 years (SD 12.3)); glycemia (mean = 146.4 (SD 65.5)), glycosylated hemoglobin (mean = 7.6 (SD 1.7)). Cronbach's α coefficient for the general scale of the social support instrument was 0.9859. The mean social support was 168.5 (SD 37.4), range 38-228. The total social support score was normally distributed (Shapiro Wilk p > 0.05). The correlation between domains was statistically significant. The PHQ9 total score was significantly associated with the domains of Personal Interaction and Guide but did not significantly correlate with the overall social support score. The respondents who were at risk of developing depression were referred for treatment. Conclusions: findings suggest that perceived social support may play a significant role in the prevention and treatment of depression in diabetic patients. It is desirable that health professionals consider evaluating and enhancing social support to improve their mental health. More research is needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of this relationship.