Battle For Health Research Articles

Life can’t be too sweet: the effects of sugar-sweetened beverage labelling on the government’s health battle

Singapore’s recent mandatory labelling regulations for sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) aim to guide consumer choices towards healthier options, which mandates labels on SSBs regarded as less healthy and encourages voluntary labelling for healthier SSBs. We focus on market competition between two SSB firms under different labelling schemes. Surprisingly, we find that mandatory labelling increases the consumption of less-healthy SSBs while reducing healthier SSBs consumption when the health risk is low. This counterintuitive result is attributed to the revelation of the lower-than-expected health risk, triggering a heterogeneity-reducing effect that heightens competition and price sensitivity. The lower retail price of less-healthy SSBs increases the demand. The heterogeneity-reducing effect also enables voluntary labelling of healthier SSBs to alleviate the adverse impact of mandatory labelling on consumer surplus and social welfare. Additionally, the imposition of SSB taxes effectively reduces consumption but challenges consumer surplus and compromises the efficacy of mandatory labelling.

The unseen strains: mental health battles of Indian journalists amid Covid-19-induced economic uncertainty

ABSTRACT Amidst dealing with the health hazards of working during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, many Indian newspaper journalists lost jobs, faced abrupt salary cuts or were forced to go on unpaid leaves leading to mental health challenges that turned into traumatic experiences for some. Qualitative research method was employed to collect data, through semi-structured interviews where consenting participants recollected, narrated and described their traumatic experiences. The authors identified a cohort (n = 37) of Indian newspaper journalists using the purposive sampling method. The study uncovers the details of the emotional distress and traumatic experiences and noted the coping strategies that demonstrated the resilience of many Indian newspaper journalists in the face of a crisis. This study revealed how sudden pandemic-related layoffs, lack of communication and the ineffectiveness or absence of a collective representation body, like journalist unions, aggravated the mental health challenges for many newspaper journalists in India. Findings highlight how mental health challenges at workplaces can be mitigated with support and interventions by qualified mental health professionals, and other mental health support systems.

Living the Lesson: Personal Health Battles and Health Literacy in Vulnerable Groups

Living the Lesson: Personal Health Battles and Health Literacy in Vulnerable Groups

The antibiotic crisis: On the search for novel antibiotics and resistance mechanisms.

In the relentless battle for human health, the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has emerged as an impending catastrophe of unprecedented magnitude, potentially driving humanity towards the brink of an unparalleled healthcare crisis. The unyielding advance of antibiotic resistance looms as the foremost threat of the 21st century in clinical, agricultural and environmental arenas. Antibiotic resistance is projected to be the genesis of the next global pandemic, with grim estimations of tens of millions of lives lost annually by 2050. Amidst this impending calamity, our capacity to unearth novel antibiotics has languished, with the past four decades marred by a disheartening 'antibiotic discovery void'. With nearly 80% of our current antibiotics originating from natural or semi-synthetic sources, our responsibility is to cast our investigative nets into uncharted ecological niches teeming with microbial strife, the so-called 'microbial oases of interactions'. Within these oases of interactions, where microorganisms intensively compete for space and nutrients, a dynamic and ever-evolving microbial 'arms race' is constantly in place. Such a continuous cycle of adaptation and counter-adaptation is a fundamental aspect of microbial ecology and evolution, as well as the secrets to unique, undiscovered antibiotics, our last bastion against the relentless tide of resistance. In this context, it is imperative to invest in research to explore the competitive realms, like the plant rhizosphere, biological soil crusts, deep sea hydrothermal vents, marine snow and the most modern plastisphere, in which competitive interactions are at the base of the microorganisms' struggle for survival and dominance in their ecosystems: identify novel antibiotic by targeting microbial oases of interactions could represent a 'missing piece of the puzzle' in our fight against antibiotic resistance.

Our Hidden Enemy: Ultra-Processed Foods, Inflammation, and the Battle for Heart Health.

Over the past few decades, we have witnessed unprecedented growth in new data that has fundamentally changed our traditional understanding of the progression of atherosclerotic plaques, as well as our strategies for preventing cardiovascular diseases, especially atherosclerosis. It was once believed that atherosclerosis was primarily caused by abnormal lipid buildup in the vessel intima, leading to plaque growth and luminal stenosis, with or without rupture. This perspective has now evolved to encompass more complex pathways, wherein the accumulation of abnormal products of oxidation and inflammation are the most likely factors mediating the growth of atherosclerotic plaques. The review aims to provide a comprehensive and detailed exploration of the relationship between ultra-processed foods, chronic inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, insulin resistance, and the role of the gut microbiota. It touches on several important aspects of modern diet and health.

The (Black) Struggle That Must Be: Black Masculinity, Black College Athletes, and Black Mental Health Through a Looking Glass

In this article, the author describes their mental health struggles tied to Black Masculinity as a (former) Black athlete. In particular, the author focuses on the stigma surrounding mental health in the Black community and the ways in which Blackness, Black masculinity, and mental health battles emulate the (Black) struggle that must be. The author attempts to highlight the complicated nature of mental health struggles, specifically the ways in which suicide is handled in the world of sport and the ways in which the narrative can have juxtaposed racial frameworks. The author moves into and through their own personal experiences with mental health as a Black man, both in present tense and including personal journal entries, to make sense of “the (Black) struggle that must not be ignored.”

Troops on the Front Line of a Health Battle: Filipino Nurses’ Lived Experiences in the Pandemic

Troops on the Front Line of a Health Battle: Filipino Nurses’ Lived Experiences in the Pandemic

Feeling right about the Civil War: the Union’s battle for emotional health

ABSTRACT Civil War combat trauma remains a subject of interest to scholars studying the social and psychological changes that the war wrought upon American society. The focus has largely been on the South, but if we look northwards we find that combat trauma was too often masked by victory. But soldiers cannot singlehandedly delineate the contours of the emotional landscape of the wartime North. By locating combat trauma within the emotional nexus of non-combatant communities during and after the war, we can better understand the long-term effects of the Civil War on the development of America as a nation.

Growing amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: The interplay among transformational leadership in government, public trust, and posttraumatic growth

Individuals may experience positive changes or gain growths after struggling with traumas or challenging circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess potential levels of posttraumatic growth (PTG) of the general public during the COVID-19 pandemic and PTG's associations with perceptions of transformational leadership in local government and public trust. The data of a probability sample of 1011 community-dwelling adults (61.2% females; Mean age = 41.2 years, SD = 15.8) in Macao, China, were collected via a telephone poll survey. Multiple regression analyses were conducted and a bootstrapping approach was utilized to test the hypothesized moderating effects and mediating effects of trust in local government on the association between perceived transformational leadership and PTG, respectively. Results showed that about half of the respondents reported at least a medium level of PTG. Whereas perceived transformational leadership in the Macao local government was positively associated with four individual aspects of PTG (i.e., appreciation of life, new possibilities, personal strength, and relating to others) as well as the overall PTG, while controlling for the demographic variables, trust in the local government showed no moderating or mediating effects in these associations. Our findings suggest the value of governments’ transformational leadership in promoting people's PTG in the face of public crises such as COVID-19. More transformational leadership behaviors, such as attending to citizens’ personal needs and conveying an inspirational vision, in government are called for to bring about greater positive responses from individuals and ensure social vitality and resilience during this long-term public health battle.

The California battle for health and safety for domestic workers

This article reflects on the legislative campaign of the California Domestic Worker Coalition, including Hand in Hand: The Domestic Employers Network, to end the exclusion of household workers (nannies, personal attendants and cleaners) from occupational health-and-safety requirements. It discusses the strategies and arguments deployed, and analyses the rationale of the governor, who vetoed the bill in 2020 in the name of the home as a private space impossible to regulate. Foregrounding the voices of domestic workers, it highlights their understanding of caring labour and determination to organise for change, seen in the winning of an amended bill in 2021.

Black Fungus: A Lethal Communal Issue After Winning the Life Battle Against COVID-19

The authors aimed to give a quick reference guide for humanity about the new threat even after the COVID-19 health battle i.e., the Black fungus also baptized as Mucormycosis infection. After recovering from COVID-19, patients with diabetes mellitus and patients who have undergone steroidal treatment are more prone to black fungus infection. This review gives quick information about various types of Mucormycosis infections, risk factors, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of black fungus. The things that can be and cannot be done to eradicate the black fungus. Any sign of black nasal mucosa/sputum, fever, headache, hazy/blurred/double vision with eye pain, loss of one side sensation on face and loss in the sensation while chewing, etc., then it should not be neglected and immediately intimated to the health professionals and get treated. If black fungus is unidentified early stages and untreated in time, the patients may lose their facial/neck parts as a part of cleaning surgery. The study concludes that by maintaining hygienic conditions, health checkups, and doctors’ advice one can fight and eradicate the black fungus.

Social media in health care: Exploring its use by health-care professionals in Greece

ABSTRACT The lockdown restrictions that have emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic have reshaped the way people live, work, and interact with each other. At the same time, it changed the way health-care professionals and national health-care systems around the world are fighting in this battle for public health. Social media (SoMe) have played their informational role in this fight with almost one-third of the world’s population being active users of social media platforms. Contemporary health-care systems have tried to find ways to engage more actively with SoMe as Internet users are increasingly searching for health information on social media platforms. As a result, new demand-side levers arise in the health-care sector along with new opportunities and risks for the stakeholders. Our study looked into the responses of 173 health-care professionals in Greece. SoMe are here to stay and the majority of health-care professionals embrace them in their professional lives. Quality in health information and the work context of Greek health-care professionals in our cohort contribute to attitudes and perceptions of social media use in health care.

Influencers, Brands, and Pivots in the Time of COVID-19

Influencers, Brands, and Pivots in the Time of COVID-19

Evaluation of the Resistance Profile of Bacteria Obtained From Infected Sites of Dogs in a Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Brazil: A Retrospective Study

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance profile of bacterial species isolated from infected sites of canines. All samples were collected from canine patients who received clinical or surgical care at the veterinary teaching hospital between March 2016 and November 2017. The samples were analyzed in a private pathology laboratory. A descriptive analysis of 295 antimicrobial susceptibility test reports was performed. Staphylococcus spp. (104/295 [35.25%]), Escherichia coli (100/295 [33.90%]), Proteus spp. (44/295 [14.92%]), Pseudomonas spp. (25/295 [8.47%]), and Klebsiella spp. (20/295 [6.78%]) were more frequently isolated, and a high incidence of multidrug resistance was observed (69,83% [206/295]). Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. accounted for 33% (33/100) of the Staphylococcus strains. Enterobacteriaceae cefotaxime resistance constituted 22.82 ± 4.49% and Enterobacteriaceae imipenem resistance constituted 5% (1/20) for Klebsiella spp., 5% (5/100) for E coli, and 6.82% (3/44) for Proteus spp. Pseudomonas spp. strains accounted for 8% (2/25) of imipenem resistance and 45.45% (10/22) of polymyxin B resistance. Our findings revealed a high rate of multidrug-resistant bacteria involvement in the infectious process of dogs. From the perspective of the One Health scenario, our results showed alarming data, given the high risk of resistant-strain dissemination between animals, owners, and healthcare professionals. There is an urgent need for strategies to control and prevent the evolution of new multidrug-resistant bacteria in veterinary hospitals. It is also crucial to understand and emphasize the role of veterinary professionals in this public health battle.

The Essential Role of Technology in the Public Health Battle Against COVID-19.

Technology has played an important role in responding to the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and subsequent COVID-19 pandemic. The virus's blend of lethality and transmissibility have challenged officials and exposed critical limitations of the traditional public health apparatus. However, throughout this pandemic, technology has answered the call for a new form of public health that illustrates opportunities for enhanced agility, scale, and responsiveness. The authors share the Microsoft perspective and illustrate how technology has helped transform the public health landscape with new and refined capabilities - the efficacy and impact of which will be determined by history. Technologies like chatbot and virtualized patient care offer a mechanism to triage and distribute care at scale. Artificial intelligence and high-performance computing have accelerated research into understanding the virus and developing targeted therapeutics to treat infection and prevent transmission. New mobile contact tracing protocols that preserve patient privacy and civil liberties were developed in response to public concerns, creating new opportunities for privacy-sensitive technologies that aid efforts to prevent and control outbreaks. While much progress is still needed, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted technology's importance to public health security and pandemic preparedness. Future multi-stakeholder collaborations, including those with technology organizations, are needed to facilitate progress in overcoming the current pandemic, setting the stage for improved pandemic preparedness in the future. As lessons are assessed from the current pandemic, public officials should consider technology's role and continue to seek opportunities to supplement and improve on traditional approaches.

Meeting Student Needs Through After-School Yoga

This article explores how physical educators can help students fight mental health battles through the use of an after-school yoga program.

Understanding SARS CoV-2 biology to win COVID-19 battle

This review highlights the main findings on the biology of SARS CoV-2 and the strategies to combat COVID 19 pandemic. Since the initial outbreak in China on December 2019, the international scientific community joined efforts in an unprecedent public health battle. In late May 2020, 5 204 508 cases and 337 687 deaths have been reported by World Health Organization, with higher number of cases in Europe and Americas. SARS-CoV-2 was described as a novel variant from the coronavirus family and its genome was sequenced within a few months while COVID 19 quickly spread worldwide. The main cell receptor (angiotensin converting enzyme 2) was identified as involved in the invasion of host cells. As a result of the findings from cell biology, immunology and clinical studies, the pathogenesis of the virus started to be understood but it has been not fully elucidated so far. While a massive effort for the development of a vaccine is on course, preventive protocols for infection control have been proposed. Many studies on the discovering of effective therapeutic protocols have been developed, particularly on the redirection of already approved substances, but no gold standard treatment was established until now. An overview on the envisioned socioeconomic and politic impacts suggest that our society will be transformed after COVID 19 pandemia. As a result, deep changes in science, politics, socioeconomic and healthcare priorities shall appear in post-pandemia agenda.KEYWORDSCovid-19; Pandemic; SARS-CoV-2; Coronavirus. Key-words: COVID 19, pandemia, SARS-CoV-2, coronavirus.

Outside the Military "Bubble": Life After Service for UK Ex-armed Forces Personnel.

Military personnel who have seen active service can be affected by their experiences. Much of the literature on the mental and physical health battles faced by men and women who leave the Armed Forces is dominated by research in the United States (US) (1), and is particularly focused on exposure to deployment, combat conditions, and effects on mental health. Research in the United Kingdom (UK) tends to focus on depression or alcohol misuse and the impact these issues have on currently serving personnel. This study aimed to present UK veterans' first-hand experiences related to military service, access to and use of mental healthcare and interventions, and the impact of transition on the military family. Semi-structured interviews explored experiences of 30 participants (27 male, 3 female). Participants ranged in age from 26 to 92 years (M = 53.33), and across multiple war cohorts (from WWII to Iraq and Afghanistan). Data were analyzed using Thematic Analysis and Narrative Analysis. Findings show meaning-making from experiences of transition across veteran cohorts. Main themes were reasons for leaving Armed Forces, life outside the military, and mental health concerns after service. Subordinate themes additionally focused on evaluation of identity and mental health service provision. Future clinical research should include the experiences of UK serving personnel and the effects of pre-and post-military adversity, alongside the impact of deployment experiences. Interventions designed to address transition into life after service are discussed.

School counselling key in mental health battle says Children's Commissioner

The children's commissioner wants to see more funding and incentives for in-school counselling and other low-level mental health support

Materialism and dialectics of epidemic prevention and control: only by respecting science can we do more with less

The epidemic caused by COVID-19 has been highly concerned by the international community including World Health Organization (WHO). This is an ongoing battle for human life and health. We should always remember and learn lessons from the past, which could be promoted to all over the country, even the world. Many phenomena and problems in the work of epidemic prevention, control and treatment are worthy of our deep reflection. We should use scientific approach and dialectical materialism to make a practical and realistic summary. The purpose is to win the battle as soon as possible, and more importantly, to avoid repeating the same mistakes and prevent pestilence before it happens.