Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health最新文献

Drawing on previous research, this study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 vaccines on the Delta variant within the context of the Maldives. Using a retrospective design, the study analyzed comprehensive COVID-19 case data from multiple sources, including the Health Protection Agency (HPA), covering the initial reported cases until the end of December 2021. Notably, the data revealed a surge in Delta variant cases three months after administering the first vaccine dose to more than two-thirds of the population, suggesting a single dose was insufficient against Delta variant. However, following the administration of the second dose and additional restrictions, a gradual decline in COVID-19 cases was observed. These findings underscore the importance of implementing the World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended preventive measures in conjunction with vaccination, particularly when cases begin to rise, as supported by studies from other countries.

Undiagnosed hypertension is a major public health threat due to its association with premature death. This study examined the association between factors of health service utilization with undiagnosed hypertension among middle-aged (40-59 years) and older adults (≥60 years) with elevated blood pressure in Malaysia. A cross-sectional analysis of 2838 adults from the Malaysia Ageing and Retirement Survey Wave-1 revealed an undiagnosed hypertension proportion of 55.9%, higher in middle-aged (63.8%) than older adults (45.5%). Obesity, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and regular medical check-ups reduced the odds, while perceived good health increased the odds of undiagnosed hypertension in both age groups. Ethnicity, smoking status, and recent headaches also influenced undiagnosed hypertension in age-specific patterns. Overall, health service utilization emerged as a significant factor of undiagnosed hypertension in both age groups. Targeted health education and regular community hypertension screenings are crucial, particularly for low-risk or seemingly healthy adults, to mitigate the burden of undiagnosed hypertension.

This time-stratified case-crossover study evaluated the association between short-term exposure to ambient air pollution and psoriasis. A total of 107 462 psoriasis cases between 2002 and 2016 were retrieved from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate the association between air pollutants (O₃, CO, NO₂, SO₂, PM_2.5, and PM₁₀) and psoriasis with each interquartile range (IQR) increase. Consistent associations for psoriasis for each IQR increase in NO₂ and CO exposure were noted at lag 0 both in single-pollutant and multiple-pollutant model. Exposure on lag 0 had the highest odds ratio (OR), decreasing consecutively from lag 1 to lag 3. Both NO₂ and CO had a stronger influence among men, older patients (>60 years old), and patients with chronic disease. Short-term NO₂ and CO exposure was associated with psoriasis. This link might provide insights into how air pollution, at least in part, affects the epidemiology and pathogenesis of psoriasis.

Child stunting in Indonesia remains a major public health issue, affecting physical and cognitive development. This study examined the impact of maternal factors (sociodemographic characteristics and pregnancy history) and breastfeeding practices on stunting in children aged 6 to 23 months, using data from the 2022 Indonesian Nutritional Status Survey (SSGI) of 87 722 children. Chi-square tests were employed to examine relationships between the study variables and child stunting. Multinomial logistic regression was then used to assess the associations. Key findings highlighted the importance of maternal education, adequate antenatal care, and the prevention of low birth weight in addressing child stunting. Children of mothers with no education had a 50% and 26.4% higher risk of severe and moderate stunting, respectively, than those with tertiary education. Lack of antenatal care was associated with an 82.8% and 16.0% higher risk of severe and moderate stunting, respectively, compared to those with four or more visits. Low birth weight significantly increased the odds of severe and moderate stunting by 242.3% and 125.9%, respectively. Breastfeeding practices, such as early initiation, showed no significant link to stunting. These findings emphasize the need for targeted maternal health interventions to reduce stunting, particularly by improving education, antenatal care, and birth outcomes.

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the major public health issues in Bhutan. This study aimed to evaluate epidemiology of TB and predictors of poor treatment outcomes in Sarpang District, Bhutan. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using TB case-based surveillance data of Sarpang District from 2005 to 2021. The outcome of interest was poor treatment outcome. The potential predictors were analyzed using logistic regression. A total of 1704 TB cases were analyzed in this study. The poor outcome in this study was 6.6% with 2.6% deaths due to TB. The patients older than 65 years (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.58) and sputum non-conversion in the second month with acid-fast bacilli results of scanty (AOR = 3.08), 1+ (AOR = 7.12), and 2+ (AOR = 21.05) were the significant predictors of poor treatment outcome. Therefore, older age and sputum non-conversion in the second month should be given priority.

The objectives of this survey were to describe the health of older Mongolians and compare those living in rural areas, urban apartment areas, and urban ger areas in the capital, Ulaanbaatar. A population-based random sample survey of 975 people aged 60 years and older was conducted in 2017 to 2018. Data were collected using methods of the World Health Organization's Study on global AGEing and adult health. The most common chronic self-reported health conditions were hypertension (65%), arthritis (40%), and angina (23%). Most (80%) reported they were satisfied with life and the mean World Health Organization Quality of Life score on a scale of 0 to 100 was 70.6, which is relatively high. There was a higher prevalence of activities of daily living (ADLs) disability in rural areas, with 17% reporting severe difficulty with at least one ADL. High levels of disability in rural areas suggest the need for improved health and social services, including housing, for older people living outside Ulaanbaatar.

The workplace is an important setting for improving population psychological health. This study aimed to identify priority industries and populations in Australia with highest adverse effects of psychological distress. The study included 5834 workers aged 18 to 64 years who participated in the 2020 to 2021 National Health Survey. Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the prevalence of psychological distress by industry, age group, and gender. Productivity losses were analyzed using negative binomial regression. Increased odds of experiencing distress were found for younger workers 18 to 29 years (odds ratio [OR] = 2. 45) and female workers (OR = 1.52). Industry of employment did not impact distress once age and gender were accounted for (P = .956). Being highly/very highly distressed resulted in a mean of 21.56 more distress-related loss days per year (0.78 vs 22.34) compared with low/moderate distress. Targeted and tailored workplace intervention programs for these groups are required to build a healthy and productive future workforce.

There are limited data on pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission despite its high mortality rate. The objectives of our study were to determine the prevalence of culture-confirmed PTB requiring ICU admission and the trend in prevalence before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on all patients aged ≥18 years with culture-confirmed PTB requiring ICU admission in a Malaysian tertiary academic medical center from 2015 to 2021. The linear-by-linear association test was performed to determine if the trend in prevalence was significant. The overall prevalence of culture-confirmed PTB requiring ICU admission was 8.0% (139/1736). Between 2015 and 2021, the prevalence increased by 5.8% from 1.6% (5/312) to 7.4% (16/215). This study demonstrated an overall low but increasing trend in the prevalence of culture-confirmed PTB requiring ICU admission. Disruption in TB services during the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted the prevalence trend.

Antidepressant use is common in women. However, characteristics associated with duration of use remain unclear. We conducted a descriptive study using data from the 1973-1978 and 1946-1951 birth cohorts of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health linked to antidepressant dispensing records from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, July 2012 to December 2019 to examine use patterns and their associated characteristics. Early discontinuation and prolonged antidepressant use were common, a significant deviation from current guideline recommendations. There were 5553 episodes of antidepressant use in 4416 women, with a mean estimated duration of first-time use of 664 days. One in four women had only one prescription filled, while 32% continued treatment beyond two years, with 14% continuing use at five years. Age and previous antidepressant use impacted duration of use, with a shorter average duration of use and a higher proportion of discontinuation for each subsequent episode after the first prescription.