Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health最新文献

Dengue is a significant public health concern in tropical countries. This study explored the short-term associations between monthly climatic variables and dengue incidence. Dengue cases and weather parameters from 2001 to 2023 were collected in Can Tho City, a central province of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. A quasi-Poisson regression with a distributed lag linear model was employed to determine the associations. A total of 32 265 dengue cases were collected. Of these cases, 53.7% were male, and 64.1% were under 15. Each 5% increase in relative humidity was associated with a 19.3% increase in dengue cases. Each 1°C increase in average temperature was associated with a 13.8% increase in dengue cases. Rainfall showed a negative effect, with each 5 mm increase in rainfall decreasing cases by 1.3%. Wind velocity showed no significant impact. The study demonstrated that relative humidity and temperature are key predictors for dengue forecasting and prevention.

Malaysia's aging population faces a growing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), with obesity as a key modifiable risk factor. While body mass index (BMI) is commonly used to assess obesity, the waist-hip ratio (WHR) may better capture central adiposity, which increases with age-related changes in body composition. This study examined the associations between BMI and WHR with hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and multimorbidity among 2,137 older Malaysians from the 2022 Malaysia Aging and Retirement Survey. Multivariable logistic and ordinal regressions showed that both BMI and WHR were significantly associated with all NCD outcomes after adjusting for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. The findings highlight the critical need to routinely include both BMI and WHR in health screenings, emphasizing central adiposity as a key focus in public health strategies.

This study investigated the impact of economic growth and unemployment on obesity within the Obesity Kuznets Curve (OKC) framework across 15 post-Soviet countries using annual data from 1991 to 2016. Employing the Augmented ARDL (A-ARDL) cointegration test for the first time in this context, the study reveals cointegration in nine countries, with the OKC hypothesis validated for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan. Initial economic growth increases obesity rates, but beyond specific GDP thresholds, healthier lifestyles emerge. The FADF-SB unit root test confirms variable stationarity at varying levels. Findings also highlight unemployment's diverse regional effects: a negative impact in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan but a positive one elsewhere. The Fourier Toda-Yamamoto test identifies bidirectional causality between GDP and obesity in Kyrgyzstan and varying causal relationships in other countries. These results emphasize the complex interplay between economic and health factors, informing policies to address obesity trends in transitioning economies.

Typhoid fever is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. This review assessed the efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of the tetanus toxoid conjugate typhoid vaccine (Vi-TT) in children and adolescents. Randomized controlled trials involving Vi-TT in individuals under 18 were included. Eligible studies were screened, and quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias-2 tool. Meta-analysis was conducted with RevMan Web. Four trials with 111 481 children found the risk of blood culture-confirmed typhoid fever after Vi-TT to be 0.18 compared with nontyphoid vaccines. Adverse event rates were similar, with a serious adverse event risk of 0.82 within six months. Seroconversion was 58.04 times higher at 28 days and 21.80 times higher after 18 months postvaccination, respectively). One trial had a high risk of bias, so sensitivity analysis was performed with and without it. GRADE assessment showed strong evidence that Vi-TT reduces typhoid risk without significant safety concerns. Seroconversion declined over time but remained significantly higher after 18 months. This concludes that Vi-TT is safe and effective for children and adolescents, and is recommended for vaccination in endemic areas.

The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the prevalence of periodontal disease in South Pacific Island countries. A literature search was conducted using Scopus, Medline (via PubMed and Ovid), databases, and Google Scholar. The inclusion criteria for the review were the studies that reported on periodontal disease in the 1- to 85-year age group, excluding data from Australia, New Zealand, and protectorates of the United States and France. The findings from the studies were synthesized, noting the demographics, periodontal disease assessment methods, and main outcomes. The initial search yielded 475 relevant articles. After further screening for eligibility, a total of nine articles were included in this systematic review. In the studies included, the population ranged from 185 to 7966 participants with the age range of 1 to 64 years. The studies were heterogeneous, with each study utilizing different criteria to assess periodontal disease. Notably, the latest study eligible for inclusion was published in 2012. The prevalence of periodontitis ranged from 20% to 100%, with greater prevalence in the age group of 40 years or older. The findings from this review highlighted the need for regular prevalence studies to inform public health policy makers and develop strategies to manage periodontal disease proactively.

Despite effective screening tools, colorectal cancer (CRC) screening uptake remains low in Malaysia. We aimed to determine whether a locally contextualized patient navigation programme could improve adherence to and reduce the psychological impact of screening colonoscopy. A pilot study determined barriers to colonoscopy adherence. The navigation programme was developed (phase 1), and navigators trained (phase 2). Fifty-two average-risk patients with positive immunochemical faecal occult blood tests were randomized to the patient navigation programme (intervention) or standard care (control) (phase 3). The primary outcome was adherence to colonoscopy. Secondary outcomes, assessed pre-colonoscopy and post-colonoscopy, used the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) scores. Navigated patients were 2.4 times more likely to complete colonoscopy (P < .001), had significant reduction in anxiety (P < .001) and depression (P = .008) while general wellbeing was better (P < .001) compared with controls. This culturally contextualized navigation programme is effective in improving adherence to colonoscopy, with reduction in anxiety, depression and general psychological distress. Wider implementation should be considered in national CRC screening strategies to improve effectiveness.

This study explored reasons for the shift toward outpatient care in India between 2014 and 2017-18. The study used the most recent unit-level data from health surveys conducted by the National Sample Survey for the years 2017-18 and 2014. It is based on the uniform 15-day recall period for utilization of inpatient and outpatient care. Multivariate decomposition analysis was used to identify the contribution of covariates that explain this shift in utilization from inpatient to outpatient care in India. Decomposition analysis suggests that most of this shift is attributable to the change in the coefficient of explanatory variables (98%). The age and nature of diseases accounted for more than 40% of this shift. The age of the patient and non-communicable diseases are the two most significant drivers of the shift toward outpatient care between 2014 and 2017-18.