Perspectives in Public Health最新文献

Introduction: While the current evidence base indicates that reading for pleasure facilitates many wellbeing related outcomes such as relaxation and escapism, little research has focused on the interplay between reading and wellbeing in detail. This review explores the evidence on reading for pleasure initiatives with a view of developing a theoretical understanding of the context and potential underlying causal mechanisms which support or inhibit wellbeing in adults.

Method: We conducted a realist review whereby data collation, extraction, synthesis and analysis were conducted iteratively. The literature searches were conducted in January to February 2022 and May 2023.

Results: In total, 43 papers were included. The literature highlighted seven interlinked mechanisms underlying reading for pleasure interventions at the level of the individual and as groups. These included reconnecting with reading, space away from daily stressors, perspective taking to enhance empathic abilities, creating and reawakening memories, intellectual stimulation, collective meaning-making and a conducive environment.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that reading for pleasure enhances processes such as feelings of positivity, self-understanding, empathic relations, which impact upon a reader's salutogenic assets such as self-efficacy, emotional intelligence, and connectedness.

Introduction: Inflation and rising living costs are significant global issues impacting vulnerable groups, including informal caregivers. While it is known that informal caregiving may pose potential negative health effects, social inequalities associated with it are not well understood.

Aim: This study aims to explore the material deprivation - specifically housing and food insecurity - faced by informal caregivers and the harmful effects this can have on health to inform future actions.

Methods: We conducted a scoping review to explore the impact of material deprivation on informal caregivers' health and well-being. We performed literature searches in databases including CINAHL, PubMed, SocINDEX, and Web of Science, along with hand searches, focusing on studies from the last 20 years.

Results: The searches yielded 15 articles, mainly from the United States. The evidence shows that caregivers are more likely to report hunger, household food insecurity, and lower incomes than non-caregivers. They also experience household material, bill-paying, and healthcare hardships and have an increased risk of homelessness and child poverty. Some of these issues were further reported to affect their health.

Conclusions: To tackle the social vulnerabilities caregivers face, robust national policies and healthcare practices that recognise and support informal caregivers and further in-depth research are needed.

This feature is a call to action for researchers: RIchmond and Beltran-Alvarez provide important insight to researchers in the area of climate change, public health, and health systems. The article details how they can design research which integrates perspectives of both community and health system level stakeholders to ensure that any strategies they implement consider the intersection between these important groups.

This manuscript explores the critical intersection of healthcare governance and environmental sustainability in Malaysia, addressing policy driven strategies that can enhance the implementation of green healthcare initiatives. The authors' analysis highlights the progress, gaps, and challenges in policy execution, particularly in areas such as Net-Zero Energy Building (NZEB) adoption, green clinical practices, and crosssectoral collaborations within ASEAN.

Aim: In recent years, dengue outbreaks in major urban areas have increased, a trend associated with rising temperatures. This study aims to analyze the incidence of dengue cases in metropolitan Lima during the 2023-2024 period and evaluate their relationship with urban heat islands (UHIs), linked to vegetation cover and distribution.

Methods: This ecological study evaluated how some environmental factors (vegetation, solid waste, and poverty) could contribute to the distribution and increase of cases in 2023 and 2024 in the 43 districts of metropolitan Lima. Both years of study corresponded to epidemiological week 18. The data were obtained from the Dengue Daily Situation Room of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) of the Ministry of Health. We evaluate the spatial distribution of dengue cases by UHI and zones. A negative binomial model adjusted for poverty and population density was used to determine the association.

Results: The most elevated UHIs occurred in the districts of Lurigancho, Ate, Pachacamac, San Juan de Miraflores, and Villa María del Triunfo. The northern zone of Lima had the highest number of dengue cases in the first 15 epidemiological weeks. Higher dengue cases were observed in elevated UHI in both years. Dengue was inversely correlated with vegetation in 2024 (p ⩽ .05). Compared to the incidence of cases in 2023, the incidence in 2024 was approximately twice in the more elevated UHI category (incidence rate ratio (IRR): 3.05; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05-8.80), suggesting that dengue infections are increasing in districts with high UHI and lower green areas, adjusted for poverty and population density.

Conclusions: In metropolitan Lima, our research has revealed that the higher the presence of UHI, the higher the number of dengue cases in both 2023 and 2024, and urban vegetation could decrease the number of cases. These findings underline the importance of considering environmental factors in dengue-prevention strategies in urban areas.

In this manuscript, Matkovic et al. highlight the links between planetary health and public health for wide range of stakeholders, including EUPHA members, educators, researchers, health practitioners, other public health professionals, policy makers, and the general public. Moreover, the authors offer direction and support for public health education, research, policy and practice on the topic of planetary health.

Aims: Dengue fever, transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, presents a wide clinical spectrum ranging from mild febrile illness to severe manifestations such as dengue hemorrhagic fever. It poses a substantial global health concern, with India significantly contributing to its burden. Factors such as rapid urbanization, population density, and favorable climatic conditions facilitate its spread, particularly in states like Odisha. This study aimed to estimate the financial burden imposed by dengue on households in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, and to explore the coping strategies adopted by these households to address the financial burden of dengue.

Methods: A case-based cross-sectional study was conducted between May and July 2022 in Bhubaneswar, part of Khordha District. A total of 200 laboratory-confirmed dengue patients were enrolled. Quantitative data on sociodemographic details, health facility choices, and expenditure specifics were collected using structured questionnaires. In-depth interviews were conducted with a subset of patients and caregivers to understand the broader socioeconomic impact. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, and linear regression.

Results: Majority of patients were urban residents, predominantly males aged 21-40 years. Private healthcare incurred significantly higher costs than government facilities (INR 21,859 versus INR 1225). The average out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) was INR 5567, disproportionately affecting females, older age groups, higher-income individuals, and married participants. Most households (93%) utilized savings, while only 3% relied on health insurance as a coping strategy.

Conclusion: Dengue fever inflicts a considerable financial and emotional toll on households in Odisha. The findings underscore the urgent need to strengthen public health infrastructure, increase awareness of financial protection schemes, regulate private healthcare costs, and integrate psychosocial support into dengue management strategies.

This short report examines the harmful health impacts of heatwaves in low- and middle-income countries across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and underscores the urgent need to advance climate adaptation strategies in these vulnerable regions. Given the increasing frequency and severity of heatwaves due to climate change, the authors' work highlights the gaps in current heat-health policies, the disproportionate burden on vulnerable populations, and the necessary steps for strengthening public health resilience in SSA.