Cross-sectional Study Research Articles

Effect of astigmatism and spherical equivalent correction on contrast sensitivity

AIM: To investigate the effect of astigmatism and spherical equivalent (SE) correction on contrast sensitivity (CS). METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 103 visually normal subjects aged 18 to 36y with bilateral regular astigmatism in range of 1.00 diopter cylinder (DC) to 4.00 DC and normal best-corrected visual acuity (20/20) were recruited. Binocular CS was assessed by linear sine-wave gratings at 1.5, 3, 6, 12, and 18 cycles per degree (cpd), before correction of astigmatism, after full correction of astigmatism by cylindrical spectacle lenses, and after SE of refractive error. The repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni test were used to compare the effects of astigmatism correction on logCS. RESULTS: Totally 39 patients were male and 64 patients were female with the mean age of 28.25±5.38y. The average degree of astigmatism in right and left eye was 2.03±0.83 and 2.10±0.78, respectively. Increases in uncorrected astigmatic power correlated with decreases in the logCS, especially at high spatial frequencies. A statistically significant difference in logCS was found between these three cases: before correction of astigmatism, after SE of refractive error, and after full correction of astigmatism by cylindrical spectacle lenses at all frequencies (P<0.001), except at 18 cpd. At 18 cpd, there was no statistically significant difference between logCS before and after SE of refractive error (P=1.0). Also, there was no statistically significant difference in mean CS between with-the-rule (WTR) and against-the-rule (ATR) astigmatism, before correction of astigmatism, after correction of astigmatism with cylindrical lenses, and after SE of refractive error. CONCLUSION: Binocular astigmatism defocus decreases CS depending on the degree of astigmatism power; correction of this will improve patent's quality of vision. Although high astigmatism refractive error (more than 2.00 DC) that is fully corrected by cylindrical spectacle lenses doesn't increase the CS to the maximum value, especially at higher spatial frequencies (12 and 18). Also SE refractive error effects on improving CS in low astigmatism power (less than 2.00 DC), especially at lower spatial frequencies.

Public knowledge about and attitudes toward organ donation, and public barriers to donate in Jordan: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND Organ donation is a critical issue that is receiving greater attention worldwide. In Jordan, the public’s knowledge about and attitudes toward organ donation play a significant role in the availability of organs for transplantation. AIM To assess the public knowledge about and attitudes toward organ donation in Jordan. METHODS A cross-sectional design was used to collect data from 396 Jordanian citizens via an online self-reported questionnaire. RESULTS Overall, 396 participants were recruited. Of the entire sample, 93.9% of the participants had heard about and had sufficient knowledge about organ donation but they had limited knowledge about brain death. The most common source of information about organ donation was social media networks. Females were found to score significantly higher than males for attitude. Those who had thought about organ donation or registered their names to donate scored significantly higher in terms of attitudes to donation than their counterparts who had not. The most common reasons for limited organ donation practices in Jordan were a lack of awareness programs and insufficient knowledge in society. CONCLUSION Greater public understanding of organ donation appears to be associated with more positive attitudes toward organ donation. Most participants responded positively regarding their attitude toward organ donation as they believed that this action could give another person a chance to live. Moreover, most agreed that they would donate their organs after their death. Otherwise, the participants had limited general knowledge about brain death, and most had not registered their names to donate their organs. These findings indicate the need for public awareness campaigns and educational programs to encourage more people to become organ donors.

Prevalence of refractive errors in school-aged and preadolescent children in Colombia

AIM: To describe the distribution of refractive errors by age and sex among schoolchildren in Soacha, Colombia. METHODS: This was an observational cross-sectional study conducted in five urban public schools in the municipality of Soacha. A total of 1161 school-aged and pre-adolescent children, aged 5-12y were examined during the school year 2021-2022. Examinations included visual acuity and static refraction. Spherical equivalent (SE) was analysed as follows: myopia SE≤-0.50 D and uncorrected visual acuity of 20/25 or worse; high myopia SE≤-6.00 D; hyperopia SE≥+1.00 D (≥7y) or SE≥+2.00 D (5-6y); significant hyperopia SE≥+3.00 D. Astigmatism was defined as a cylinder in at least one eye ≥1.00 D (≥7y) or ≥1.75 D (5-6y). If at least one eye was ametropic, children were classified according to the refractive error found. RESULTS: Of the 1139 schoolchildren included, 50.6% were male, 58.8% were aged between 5 and 9y, and 12.1% were already using optical correction. The most common refractive error was astigmatism (31.1%), followed by myopia (20.8%) and hyperopia (13.1%). There was no significant relationship between refractive error and sex. There was a significant increase in astigmatism (P<0.001) and myopia (P<0.0001) with age. CONCLUSION: Astigmatism is the most common refractive error in children in an urban area of Colombia. Emmetropia decreased and myopia increased with age.

The Predictive Roles of Hope and Social Support in Academic Stress

This study investigates the relationships among hope, academic stress, and social support in university students. It first assesses the levels of hope and academic stress and then explores their relationship. Additionally, the study examines how various forms of support—emotional, tangible, informational, and appraisal—affect academic stress and evaluates the predictive power of these factors. Employing a cross-sectional design, university students were selected through stratified random sampling. Measurement tools included the Adult Hope Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. Data analysis revealed that participants exhibited moderate levels of hope and social support while experiencing moderate academic stress. Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression analyses indicated negligible and statistically non-significant correlations between social support types and academic stress, with minimal impacts from emotional (r = -0.04, p = .154), tangible (r = 0.01, p = .325), informational (r = -0.02, p = .438), and appraisal support (r = 0.01, p = .476). The regression analysis showed that social support types explained only a small variance in academic stress (R² = .018, Adjusted R² = -.013), suggesting the influence of other critical factors in stress management. These findings highlight the situational nature of the relationships between hope, social support, and academic stress, underscoring the need for further research to identify effective strategies for supporting students during stressful periods. Keywords: Hope, Social Support, Academic Str

The Role of Gender in Agricultural Development and Food Security: The Case of Halaba and Gedeo Areas of Southern Ethiopia

Although the role of gender play a great role in the livelihoods of greater portion of rural households in the study area, the participations level on the activities of the agricultural production is little focused. This study, therefore was designed to assess gender participation and integration constraints in Gedeo and Alaba Zones in southern Ethiopia. The study was designed in cross sectional design. The data were collected in two zones, 3 woredas, and 8 rural kebeles. Samples who randomly selected were 86 men and 69 women farmers a total 155 farmers were selected so as to collect the required data through triangulation of different tools, which are key informants interview, focus group discussion and household survey and the data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, participation index scoring and ordered logit analysis. Based on the data analysis result frequency of men and women participation in selected agricultural practices were computed. There were six gender participation factors evaluated in descriptive statistical tools, based on the respondents, 118(76.2%) respondents believed that community norm can affect the participation of gender in agricultural practice and 1(0.6%) respondent believed that cultural norms couldn’t affected by community norm. The average task share of the household is 30%, 15%, 43% and 12% for men, boy, women and girl, respectively. Women and men performed larger share of the gender role in rural household as compared to boys and girls. The reproductive work of women in the household covered 67% of the total household care work. Generally the gender participation index was 73.8 which indicated that the gender participate on all agricultural activities but concerning to women it needs effort to amend the factors affecting women participation. Even though the gender role of boys and girls in selected agricultural commodities is very low, they were highly engaged in their academic persuasions in school and at home. According this statistical result household members spent agricultural labor hour in differently, as converted this labor share in to daily labor hours indicated that women, men, boys, and girls are spending 10, 7, 4 and 3 hours per day on average, respectively. Results obtained from the ordered logit model indicated that institutions, awareness level, opportunities to agricultural extension, credit access, education level and land size showed positive significant relationship with their gender participation in farming activities Women are just as efficient agricultural producers as men and can achieve similar yields when given access to resources, including training and services. Therefore, increasing the opportunities for women and youths can have a powerful impact on productivity and agricultural-led growth and are recommended for better rural development.

Assessment of bacteriological contamination in coin currency in circulation

: The primary aim of this study was to identify the bacterial contaminants present on Indian currency coins, characterize the different types of bacteria isolated, and assess the antimicrobial resistance patterns of the bacteria within the Nagpur region of Maharashtra, India. Determining the isolation and identification of the various pathogens on coin surfaces is essential for addressing the potential spread of diseases through handling currency.: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology at Indira Gandhi Government Medical College & Hospital, Nagpur, spanning from 2015 to 2024. We collected 120 currency coin samples aseptically from individuals across various occupational groups. The culture and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns were analyzed following standard operating procedures.: A total of 50.83% of the coins exhibited bacterial contamination, with . identified as the most frequently isolated organism at 13.33%. The highest levels of contamination were found in lower-value coins. Notably, there was a significant decrease in coin contamination during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, likely due to a rise in online monetary transactions. The isolated bacteria demonstrated strong sensitivity to several antibiotics, including Ampicillin, Amikacin, Gentamicin, Ciprofloxacin, Ceftazidime, Cefotaxime, Doxycycline, and Ceftriaxone.: The present study finds that Indian currency coins often harbor pathogenic bacteria, especially enteropathogens, which play a significant role in the spread of diseases. It is essential to raise public awareness about the importance of maintaining good personal hygiene when handling coins. By practicing proper hand hygiene and adhering to sound sanitary practices, individuals can greatly reduce the risk of infection, particularly those who handle both food and money at the same time.

Prevalence of multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacilli (MDR-GNB) in hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia: A comparative study from a tertiary care center, Gujarat

Antibiotic resistance poses a formidable challenge to global healthcare, with Gram-negative bacteria emerging as a primary concern. Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (MDR-GNB) have become a significant cause of nosocomial infections, particularly pneumonia, complicate therapy, and have a detrimental impact on patients’ outcomes. This study aims to investigate the etiology, risk factors, and antibiotic resistance patterns associated with Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) isolated from nosocomial pneumonia cases.This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Microbiology laboratory of a tertiary care Hospital in Gujarat. Patients hospitalized for >48 hours with new lung infiltrates and at least two of the following clinical features: fever, leukocytosis/leukopenia, purulent secretions, or decreased oxygenation were included. The study was initiated after the ethical approval. Patient demographic and clinical details were noted in the preformed questionnaire. A total of 64 specimens [Sputum (n= 28) and Endotracheal aspirate (ET, n=36)] were cultured on MacConkey’s agar and Blood agar and further species identification with Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern was done by automated Vitek-2 compact system. Ventilator-associated Pneumonia (VAP) was found in 14.6% of infected patients, with male predominance and common in the 30-50 years age group. Out of them, 72% were mainly associated with late-onset. Overall, the major isolates were (20/64, 31%), followed by (19/64, 29.6%) and (17/64, 26.5%) both as solitary and mixed infections.76% strains of and 85% of strains were resistant to carbapenems and 93.3% of were resistant to cephalosporins and carbapenems. strains were 100% resistant to carbapenems. The study recommends effective Infection control practices and strong antibiotic stewardship programs to reduce the morbidity and mortality of nosocomial pneumonia.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Prevalence and Risk Factors - A Study from a Tertiary Care Centre in North India

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) pose significant global health challenges. The increasing global prevalence of GDM and its associated complications underscores the need for proactive screening and management. The study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of GDM and its associated risk factors in a tertiary care hospital in North India Methodology: A prospective cross-sectional study conducted at Max Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi, during 2016-2017, enrolled 900 pregnant women (aged 18-50 years) from the antenatal outpatient department (OPD). Primary objective: To assess impaired oral glucose tolerance prevalence (IADPSG criteria) at 24th-28th weeks. The data covered demographic, socioeconomic, obstetric, and medical details. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the variables. Chi-square or Fisher's tests were applied to categorical data, while continuous data were analysed using independent t-tests. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify risk factors. Results: GDM was diagnosed in 7.4% of participants. Prevalence was highest in the age group >35 years (36.2%, p=0.000), and a significant association was found between increasing body mass index (BMI) and GDM (p=0.04). Adverse obstetric history, including previous abortions and GDM in prior pregnancies, increased the risk of GDM. Complications during pregnancy, such as macrosomia (present in 1 patient with GDM and none in non-GDM), foetal distress (9.09% in GDM), and preeclampsia (4.7% in GDM), were higher in women with GDM. Vaginal delivery prevalence was higher in non-GDM, while GDM had a higher rate of caesarean section delivery (p<0.005). Conclusion: The study discloses a 7.4% GDM prevalence in North Indian tertiary care, accentuating rising diabetes trends. Identified risk factors inform antenatal screening, highlighting the need for early GDM management to mitigate complications and prevent future diabetes. Single-centre limitations emphasise the necessity for broader population studies for accurate prevalence rates.

The relationship between inclusive leadership, organizational justice, work engagement and organizational citizenship behavior in healthcare workers.

Based on social exchange theory, this study aims to determine the relationship between inclusive leadership in their managers and organizational justice perceived by healthcare workers and work engagement and organizational citizenship behavior. A cross-sectional and correlational study was performed by healthcare workers (n = 330) working in a city hospital for at least six months in Türkiye. Descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analysis were used in data analysis. The hypotheses were tested using Hayes' PROCESS macro (v4.1). It was determined that inclusive leadership had a positive significant effect on organizational justice, work engagement and organizational citizenship behavior; and organizational justice had a positive significant effect on work engagement and organizational citizenship behavior. In addition, it was found that work engagement also had a significant effect on organizational citizenship behavior. It was found that organizational justice had a partial mediating role between inclusive leadership and work engagement, while its mediating role between inclusive leadership and organizational citizenship behavior was not statistically significant. In addition, work engagement was found to have a partial mediating role in the effect of inclusive leadership on organizational citizenship behavior. The limitations of this study can be summarized as follows: First, the data were collected from the employees in a hospital based on the self-reports of the participants. The fact that the study used a cross-sectional design limited the establishment of a causal relationship between variables. Since the study was planned during the COVID-19 period, the participants were reached through convenience sampling. Isolation measures due to the pandemic led to a lower response rate than expected. To reveal more generalizable results, it may be recommended to collect the data at different periods in future studies and to include different types of healthcare institutions. Inclusive leadership of the healthcare managers will lead to positive employee outcomes by preventing the disadvantages brought by internal conflict in the work environment. This study indicates that managers' inclusive leadership style will improve perceived organizational justice and work engagement and will lead employees to exhibit the desired extra-role behavior, such as organizational citizenship behavior.

Studying the prevalence of chronic general somatic diseases among medical workers based on a cross-sectional epidemiological study

Introduction. Obtaining objective data on the long-term consequences of health disorders of medical workers who have suffered COVID-19 while performing professional duties is an important problem of occupational health. The establishment of background indicators of the health status of medical workers before their contact with infectious patients in the performance of professional duties is the first stage of monitoring the long-term consequences of coronavirus infection. The study aims to assess the prevalence of chronic general somatic diseases among medical workers of various industrial and professional groups for further monitoring of their health status. Materials and methods. The object of the study was the medical staff of the regional clinical hospital. The authors have analyzed the results of periodic medical examinations. The total number of medical workers amounted to 495 people. Experts have formed three production and professional groups: doctors, nursing staff, and junior medical staff. The authors performed a cross-sectional epidemiological study, during which they studied the prevalence of chronic general somatic diseases in medical professionals. The reliability of the results obtained was assessed by the Student's coefficient. Results. In the course of a cross-sectional epidemiological study, scientists found that the prevalence of chronic diseases in individual industrial and occupational groups is at the same level. In the structure of chronic general somatic diseases of medical workers, the first two places are occupied by diseases of the circulatory system and diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue. Diseases of the endocrine system, eating disorders and metabolic disorders occupy the third place. Chronic diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue are equally common among medical workers of various professional groups and amount to 63.0±2.2 (per 100 employees). The prevalence of chronic diseases of the circulatory system among medical workers is 50.7±2.2 per 100 employees. When comparing the indicators between professional groups, the authors found that the prevalence of diseases of the system of this class of diseases among doctors (38.6±3.2) was significantly (p<0.05) lower compared with employees of the average (55.2±3.9) and junior (63.2±4.2) medical personnel. The prevalence of diseases of the endocrine system, eating disorders and metabolism among medical workers is 32.1±2.1 per 100 employees. At the same time, the lowest rate was noted among doctors, which is 25.9±3.1 per 100 employees and is significantly lower compared to the group of junior medical personnel (41.4±4.3). Limitations. The study is limited to the observation period. Conclusion. The data obtained as a result of a cross-sectional epidemiological study allowed us to establish that among doctors the prevalence of diseases of the circulatory and endocrine systems, eating disorders and metabolic disorders is significantly lower compared with medical professionals of other professional groups. Ethics. All medical staff have given informed consent to the use of personal data for statistical processing.

What predicts complete immunisation among 18-month to 24-month-old children in the urban slum area of Hlaingthayar Township, Yangon Region, Myanmar? A cross-sectional study

IntroductionIn Myanmar, there are significant disparities in the delivery of immunisation services and barriers to service accessibility, particularly in border regions, conflict-affected areas, physically and geographically hard-to-reach areas, urban slums...

FAKTOR DETERMINAN YANG BERHUBUNGAN DENGAN PARTISIPASI PEMERIKSAAN IVA PADA WANITA USIA SUBUR

Cervical cancer is an important health problem for women throughout the world because it is the highest cause of death both nationally and globally. This study aims to assess various determinant factors that influence the participation of Women of Childbearing Age (WUS) to carry out IVA test in the Puskesmas Pesanggrahan working area. This research is an analytical observational study with a cross sectional design. Primary data was collected through questionnaires from respondents, while data on IVA test that carried out by WUS was taken from the Puskesmas Pesanggrahan in the period March – April 2024. The population of this study was all WUS who lived in the Petukangan Selatan Subdistrict, Pesanggrahan District, who met the research criteria. A total of 109 WUS became respondents in this study. In this study, the p value < 0.05 which showed a significant correlation was found in the determinant factors of knowledge related to IVA test, access to information related to IVA test, husband's support, support from health workers, support from health cadres, and support from friends. Determinant factors that are found to be related can be a focus for community health centers to develop promotive efforts on targets that determine decisions to WUS in carrying out IVA test, apart from the knowledge regarding IVA test among WUS can continue to be improved through health promotion programs at community health centre.

Mediating Role of Financial Toxicity in the Relationships Between Health-Related Quality of Life and Its Risk Factors in Chinese Patients With Cancer.

Factors influencing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and financial toxicity (FT) have been found to overlap, and the robust correlation between HRQoL and FT raises the possibility that FT mediates the relationships between the shared risk factors and HRQoL. However, empirical evidence supporting this hypothesis is limited. This study aimed to explore whether FT mediates the relationships between HRQoL and its risk factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted, with 1208 participants from 12 hospitals (6 tertiary, 6 secondary) in 6 cities across 3 income-level-diverse provinces in China from February to October 2022. FT and HRQoL were measured using the COmprehensive Score for financial Toxicity and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General. Twenty-two risk factors for both HRQoL and FT were included for analysis. Mediation analyses were conducted using Mplus 8.3. FT predominantly mediated the relationships between HRQoL and both annual household income and hospital level. Meanwhile, it partially mediated the relationships of HRQoL with the number of treatment modalities, social support, perceived stress, healthcare provider-patient discussion regarding cancer care costs, and social medical insurance, and the mediating effect accounted for 19.7%, 7.8%, 10.7%, 22.3%, and 46.8% of the total effect, respectively. FT plays a significant mediating role in the associations between HRQoL and some of its risk factors among patients with cancer. Developing a more comprehensive and patient-centered approach to cancer care that addresses the unique challenges posed by cancer-related FT is urgently needed to improve the HRQoL among this population.

Knowledge, attitude and practice towards postoperative management among patients with type A aortic dissection or their relatives: a cross-sectional study in China

ObjectivesTo assess the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of patients with type A aortic dissection (AD) or their relatives regarding postoperative management.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingThe participants were recruited from three hospitals between...

Health system responsiveness from perspective of people with disabilities in west of Iran: a quantitative study

PurposeResponsiveness is one of the key components of good governance and one of the ultimate goals of health systems. The purpose of this study was to investigate the importance and level of health system responsiveness (HSR) from the perspective of people with disabilities in Iran.Design/methodology/approachThis cross-sectional study was carried out using multi-stage sampling in Kurdistan province in 2020. Of 1,067 participants, 889 and 520 had used outpatient and inpatient services, respectively. HSR questionnaire developed by World Health Organization was completed.FindingsThe dimensions of prompt attention (97%) and social support (81%) were the most and the least important dimensions for the respondents, respectively. In general, 43.6% of the respondents reported a “poor” status for HSR.Research limitations/implicationsDesigning targeted interventions to increase the level of health system responsiveness, especially with a focus on dimensions that are important to respondents but have weak performance, such as communication, confidentiality and autonomy, is suggested based on the findings of this study.Originality/valueThis is the first study performed on HSR from the perspective of people with disabilities in Iran. The findings of this study could be of interest to health policy makers to understand and improve healthcare experiences for marginalized populations globally.

Trends in allergic sensitization and diseases in the Korean general population over a 9-year period.

The prevalence of allergic sensitization and diseases varies over time owing to climate, environment, and lifestyle changes. To analyze changes in sensitization to house dust mites (HDM) and dogs and the prevalence of allergic diseases in the Korean general population over a 9-year period and identify contributing factors. This cross-sectional study used data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2010 and 2019. Participants were aged ≥10 years, with the analysis stratified by adolescents (10-18 years) and adults (≥19 years). We evaluated the prevalence of allergic sensitization and diseases, examining links to clinicodemographic factors, across the two years. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association between sensitization and clinicopathological factors. In total, 4084 participants (2010: n=2,019; 2019: n=2,065) were enrolled. In 2010, HDM sensitization was 36.9%, declining to 36.6% in 2019. Dog sensitization decreased from 6.1% in 2010 to 5.8% in 2019. There were no significant differences between the two years in total participants; however, dog sensitization increased significantly among adolescents (2010: 8.7% vs. 2019: 15.3%; p=.027). In 2010, HDM sensitization was negatively associated with urban residence (odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 0.76 [0.60-0.96]) and apartment dwelling (0.78 [0.64-0.95]), without significance in 2019. In adolescents, dog sensitization was strongly correlated with urban residence (8.06 [1.53-42.49]) in 2010, whereas HDM sensitization was associated with obesity (2.02 [1.04- 3.91]) in 2019. In adults, heavy drinking was linked to dog sensitization (2.35 [1.20-4.62]) in 2010, and HDM sensitization in 2019 (1.44 [1.03-2.02]). : The prevalence of HDM sensitization remained stable over 9 years, with an increase in dog sensitization among adolescents. Factors associated sensitization differed between age groups and years. Understanding these trends and related factors in the general population can inform healthcare providers in developing new strategies to reduce allergic sensitization and diseases.

Oral Hygiene Status and Psychological Factors Among Sheltered Adolescents in Recife.

To investigate the association between oral hygiene status and psychological factors among foster adolescents in Recife. This cross-sectional study was carried out in Recife in 10 shelters for adolescents aged 10-17 years. After obtaining ethics approval, the adolescents were clinically examined. Their oral hygiene was recorded using the simplified oral hygiene index (OHI), and they were asked about their oral hygiene and visits to the dentist. They were also asked about anxiety, depression and stress (DASS-21). The results were statistically analysed using the chi-squared and Fisher's exact test or odds ratios, as appropriate. Eighty-one adolescents, of whom 56 were males and 25 were females, participated in the study. They had been admitted to shelters 2-6 months before because they had been neglected and/or abandoned and/or were homeless. Only 8.6% had visited a dentist in the previous 12 months. Seventy-eight (94%) had access to toothbrushes and toothpaste and performed daily oral hygiene. Seventy-one (88%) reported anxiety, 69 (85%) depression and 74 (91%) stress. There was no association between these three factors and OHI. Several factors, including the region of origin (p = 0.434) and time living in the shelter (p = 0.0303), were associated with stress. Attention should be given to adolescents living in shelters to ensure their good oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist, especially those who have suffered abuse/violence/exploitation. They must also be given mental health assistance.

The Mediating Role of Trait Mindfulness in Academic Stress: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Italian University Students.

Stress is a significant factor influencing the mental well-being of students, and mindfulness strategies have been associated with reduced academic stress. Nevertheless, there is a limited body of research investigating stress and trait mindfulness in a sample of Italian university students. This study aims to explore the relationship between academic stress, effort-reward imbalance, and trait mindfulness. Perceived stress, effort-reward imbalance, and trait mindfulness in 442 Italian university students (mean age = 23.37 ± 4.33) were assessed through the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Effort-Reward Imbalance - Student Questionnaire (ERI-SQ) and Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). Pearson correlation analysis showed that PSS negatively correlates with FFMQ and it positively correlates with ERI-SQ, while FFMQ negatively correlates with ERI-SQ. Furthermore, mediation analysis revealed that FFMQ partially mediates the effect of ERI-SQ on PSS. This study provides the first examination of the relationships between perceived stress, effort-reward imbalance, and trait mindfulness among Italian students. The findings suggest that trait mindfulness is associated with lower levels of perceived stress and could potentially mediate the relationship between effort-reward imbalance and stress. These insights may inform future research and interventions aimed at reducing academic stress.

Prevalence of hospital malnutrition in patients using nutritional support.

To investigate the prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized patients using nutritional support, considering it's difficult to achieve nutritional goal and great risk to increase malnutrition. A cross-sectional study with 102 patients over 18 years in use of enteral and/or parenteral nutritional therapy and monitored by the Nutritional Therapy Committee between December 2021 and August 2022. All data were collected from electronic medical records. Patients were diagnosed with Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) and Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) tools by the researchers. A total of 102 patients were evaluated, with a mean age of 57.5 years (±16.7) and 63.7% were male. According to the SGA, 26.5% were classified as moderately and 44.1% as severely malnourished. According to the GLIM, 19.6% were moderately and 43.1% were severely malnourished. The two diagnoses showed a moderate agreement (0.46). When evaluating only the 26 patients with overweight or obesity, the GLIM identified one patient with malnutrition and the SGA identified six patients. The SGA and the GLIM tool identified a high prevalence of malnutrition in patients using nutritional support in the hospital. The use of GLIM for diagnosis of malnutrition in hospitalized patients using nutritional support proved to be an excellent and practical tool, despite being less sensitive for patients with obesity. Subjective Global Assessment was a more sensitive tool in evaluating patients with malnutrition and using nutritional support. More studies are needed to confirm the use of lean mass reduction markers to identify the degree of malnutrition defined by GLIM in hospitalized patients.

Association Between Melanoma Metastasis and Metabolic Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Chinese Population.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains a significant global public health concern. However, the relationship between MetS, its individual components and melanoma metastasis remains unexplored. We analysed the clinical data of 258 Chinese melanoma patients who had not undergo systemic therapy. Binary logistic regression, adjusted for sex and age, was employed to evaluate the connection between MetS and its components and melanoma metastasis. Of the 258 melanoma patients, 92 met the MetS criteria upon diagnosis. No direct association between MetS and melanoma metastasis was identified. However, specific components of MetS, namely low HDL-cholesterol levels (OR = 2.85, 95% CI:1.50-5.41, p < 0.05) and dysglycaemia (OR = 4.23, 95% CI:1.80-8.96, p < 0.05), were associated with melanoma metastasis. In subgroup analysis, hypertriglyceridemia correlated with melanoma metastasis in non-elderly patients (< 65 years) (OR = 2.69, 95% CI: 1.14-6.33, p < 0.05). Central obesity and hypertension showed no association. A dose-response analysis further indicated that melanoma metastasis risk escalated with increasing fasting blood glucose and blood triglyceride concentrations, and with decreasing blood HDL concentration. Our results suggest that monitoring and managing individual components of the MetS, particularly HDL-cholesterol levels, fasting glucose and triglyceride levels, may have potential prognostic benefits for melanoma in the Chinese population.