Differences In Marital Status Research Articles

A National Study of Marital Status Differences in Early Uptake of COVID-19 Vaccine among Older Americans.

We provide one of the first nationally representative studies to examine COVID-19 vaccine uptake differences by marital status within the first year after the vaccine was recommended among older Americans. Data were drawn from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (2021). The study sample included 3180 participants aged 65 and older with 1846 women and 1334 men. Results from logistic regression models suggest that divorced/separated older adults were less likely to receive at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in 2021 than their married counterparts, especially among women and individuals with higher education. Widowed and never married respondents were generally not significantly different from married respondents in COVID-19 vaccination status, with only one exception: less-educated never-married respondents were more likely to receive COVID-19 vaccination than their less-educated married counterparts. Our study highlights divorce/separation as a significant social factor associated with COVID-19 vaccine uptake among older adults in the U.S. These findings suggest that divorced/separated older adults are the most vulnerable population segment at risk of low COVID-19 vaccine uptake. Future efforts to improve vaccine equity and uptake should target this group specifically, with tailored interventions to increase their access and uptake of the vaccine.

Salivary Interleukin 1-Beta Concentration Associates With Sleep Quality in Older Individuals.

Background: Poor sleep quality is prevalent in older people and impairs their quality of life. Various studies show an association between sleep disorders and altered levels of inflammatory cytokines. The cytokine IL-1β has been shown to display both somnogenic and insomnia-promoting effects in experimental animals. Objectives: to evaluate the relationship between insomnia and salivary IL-1β concentration and the role of associated factors such as the symptoms of depression, use of hypnotics, intake of caffeinated beverages, smoking, and alcohol use in older individuals. An analytical, cross-sectional, observational research was carried out with a population of community-dwelling individuals over 60years of age in Valencia (Spain). Sleep quality was measured with the Athens insomnia scale (AIS) and depressive symptoms with Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Results: 287 individuals participated in the study (mean age 74.08years (76.7% women). 41.5% of the participants had insomnia, 36.9% took drugs for sleep problems, and 32.4% had relevant depressive symptoms. There was a significant inverse correlation between the IL-1β and total AIS score (rho = -0.302, p < 0.001), the sleep difficulty subdomain (rho = -0.259, p < 0.001), and the daytime sleepiness subdomain (rho = -0.322, p < 0.001). No significant correlation was observed between GDS and salivary IL-1β concentration. The IL-1β concentration was significantly lower in individuals taking drugs for sleeping compared with those not taking those drugs (1.11 ± 0.09 and 1.48 ± 0.08, respectively; p = 0.001). Regarding the AIS score, there was no significant difference in marital status, smoking, or the number of cups of tea or cola drinks, but there was a significant association with alcohol intake (p = 0.019) and in the number of daily intakes of coffee (p = 0.030). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of IL-1β for diagnosis of moderate-severe insomnia showed an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.78 (95% confidence interval 0.71-0.85). At the cut-off of 0.83 pg/µL of Il-1β, it had a sensitivity of 70.3% and a specificity of 69.8%.

0930 What explains high self-reports of poor sleep quality in Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders?

Abstract Introduction High rates of poor sleep quality have been reported among patients of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (NHPI) race. Unrestful sleep might be attributable to short sleep times or to elevated rates of obstructive sleep apnea among NHPIs. We aimed to evaluate factors associated with self-reported poor sleep quality among NHPIs in a nationwide, representative community sample. Methods Using the 2014 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), we used logistic regression to model the odds of individuals reporting that they did not awake feeling rested at least two out of the prior seven days. NHPIs from the NHPI-NHIS and non-NHPIs from the general sample were compared. Age, sex, BMI, smoking status, report of heavy drinking, employment status, marital status, and reported average hours of sleep time were evaluated in terms of their effects on self-reported sleep quality. Results Data from 36,697 non-NHPI and 2,590 NHPI individuals was available for analysis. There were significant differences in age, BMI, marital and current employment status between NHPIs vs. non-NHPIs. NHPI patients reported less sleep (mean 6.86±1.41 hours) in contrast to non-NHPIs (mean 7.12±1.42 hours) (P&amp;lt; 0.001). NHPIs were more likely to report two or more days awakening not feeling rested (Odds Ratio (OR) 1.22, 95% confidence interval (95CI) 1.12–1.32) as compared to non-NHPIs. After adjusting for demographics, BMI, alcohol, smoking, and marital and employment status, the relationship persisted (OR 1.17, 95CI 1.07-1.28). When additionally controlling for sleep time, which was strongly associated with the likelihood of awakening unrested (OR 3.1 95CI 2.9-3.2 for six or fewer average hours of sleep), there was no significant relationship between race and likelihood of awakening unrested (OR 1.02, 95CI 0.93-1.13). Findings were similar when evaluating different thresholds of unrestful nights per week. Conclusion NHPIs are more likely to awake feeling unrested than non-NHPIs. The higher rate of unrestful sleep is associated with higher reports of short (6 hours or less) sleep time. Therefore, future research to improve sleep quality in NHPIs should also investigate the cultural and social factors leading to short sleep time. Support (if any) BWL: NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award 5T32HL105321 and the ATS ASPIRE Fellowship

Analysis of the status of social frailty in Chinese older adults with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases: a national cross-sectional study.

Social frailty is one type of frailty. Physical frailty with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CCVD) have been studied a lot, but less research on social frailty. To study the prevalence, related risk factors and regional differences of social frailty with CCVD in Chinese older adults. SSAPUR was a national cross-sectional survey. Participants aged 60 years or older were recruited in August 2015. Demographic data and information regarding family, health and medical conditions, living environment conditions, social participation, spiritual and cultural life, and health condition were obtained. Social frailty was assessed in five areas (HALFE Social Frailty Index) including inability to help others, limited social participation, loneliness, financial difficulty, and living alone. The prevalence of CCVD with social frailty, related risk factors and regional differences in CCVD with social frailty were studied. A total of 222,179 participants were enrolled. 28.4% of them had CCVD history. The prevalence of social frailty in the CCVD group was 16.03%. In CCVD participants, compared with the group without social frailty, there were significant differences in gender, age, urban-rural distribution, ethnicity, marital status, and education levels in the social frailty group. Significant differences were also found in physical exercise participation, health status, cataract, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hospitalization within 1 year, self-assessed health status, crutch or wheelchair usage, urinary and fecal incontinence, need for care from others, fall history, housing satisfaction, and self-assessed happiness in the social frailty group. Women with CCVD had a higher prevalence of social frailty than men. By age in CCVD with social frailty, the highest prevalence was found in participants 75-79 years old. The prevalence of CCVD was significant difference between social frailty in urban and rural group. The prevalence of social frailty with CCVD was significantly different in different regions. The highest prevalence was 20.4% in southwest area, and the lowest prevalence was 12.5% in northeast with area. The prevalence of social frailty among the CCVD older adults is high. Factors such as gender, age, region, urban-rural residence, and the state of the disease may be associated with social frailty.

Mental Health of Primary and Secondary School Teachers in the Remote Mountain Areas.

Background and objective: Teaching is widely recognized as a highly stressful profession. Job stress leads to emotional exhaustion, which in turn triggers teacher attrition. The cost is estimated as USD 2.2 billion annually for teacher dropouts. It is therefore important to understand the mental state of teachers and the factors that may influence it in order to provide the appropriate early intervention. In the past, more attention has been paid to the mental status of teachers in economically developed cities, but less research has been conducted in remote cities. In this study, we selected primary and secondary school teachers in a typical area to assess their mental health, thereby contributing to the development of effective mental health education programs for teachers in primary and secondary schools. Materials and methods: In this study, 1102 teachers from a typical city in Ningxia Province, characterized by remote mountain areas, minority communities, and a low economic level, participated. The mental status of the teachers was assessed by a Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90). The effects of gender, age, level of education, place of work, and marital status on the total SCL-90 score were recorded and compared. The subscale scores of the SCL-90 and the differences among the respondents with various characteristics were analyzed. Results: In total, 1025 data were valid and used for statistical analysis. The effective rate of this study was 93.01%. The analysis showed that 25.17% of the subjects had possible mental problems. There were significant differences in age and marital status (p < 0.001). The score of teachers less than 30 years old was lower than that of other teachers (p = 0.001 vs. 30-39; p < 0.001 vs. 40-49; p < 0.001 vs. ≥50). The no-marriage teachers had the lowest score than the married group or others (p < 0.001 vs. married; p < 0.05 vs. others). Compared to the norm, teachers' mental status was poor, especially in somatization (p < 0.001), obsessive-compulsive symptoms (p < 0.001), depression (p < 0.001), anxiety (p < 0.001), hostility (p < 0.001), phobic anxiety (p < 0.001), and psychosis (p < 0.001). There were gender differences in obsessive-compulsive symptoms (p < 0.05) and depression (p < 0.05). Conclusions: These data indicate that the mental status of these teachers is not optimistic, and married female teachers aged 40-55 years need to be given more attention. Mental health examinations can be incorporated into daily physical examination items to facilitate the timely detection and early intervention of negative emotions.

Longer Times to Delivery of Otolaryngology Care for Patients With Limited English Proficiency.

Limited English proficiency (LEP) is known to contribute to poorer health outcomes and delays in management. However, to our knowledge, no other studies have explored the impact of LEP on delays to care within otolaryngology. This study aims to investigate the relationship between LEP and the time to delivery of otolaryngology care. We retrospectively reviewed 1125 electronic referrals to an otolaryngologist from primary care providers at 2health centers in the greater Boston area, between January 2015 and December 2019. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine if patient LEP status (preferred language non-English and language interpreter use) has an impact on total time to appointment (TTTA). Patients with non-English preferred languages were 2.6 times more likely to experience extended TTTA (odds ratio [OR] = 2.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.99-3.42, p < .001) relative to English-speaking patients. Patients who required interpreter use were 2.4 times more likely to experience extended TTTA (OR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.84-3.18, p < .001) relative to patients who did not require an interpreter. There was no difference in age, sex, insurance type, education level, or marital status. TTTA did not vary by diagnosis category (p = .09). LEP is an important factor that influences the time to appointment in our cohort. Notably, the impact of LEP on appointment wait times was independent of diagnosis. Clinicians should recognize LEP as a factor that can impact the overall delivery of care in otolaryngology. Specifically, mechanisms to streamline care for LEP patients should be considered.

Impact of lockdown policies during the COVID-19 outbreak on a trauma center of a tertiary hospital in China

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a major and costly public health emergency. To investigate the impact of China's lockdown policies during the COVID-19 outbreak on the level I trauma center of a tertiary comprehensive hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. All patients admitted to our trauma center during a lockdown in 2020 and the same period in 2019 were enrolled. We collected data on demographics, daily visits, injury type, injury mechanism, injury severity score, and patient management for comparative analysis. The total number of patients in the trauma center of our hospital decreased by 50.38% during the COVID-19 Lockdown in 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. The average number of trauma visits per day in 2019 was 47.94, compared to 23.79 in 2020. Comparing the patients' demographic data, loss of employment was the most predominate characteristic in 2020 compared to 2019, while there was no significant difference in gender, age, and marital status between both periods. During the lockdown period, the proportion of traffic accident-related injuries, injuries due to falls greater than 1.5 m, and mechanical injuries decreased significantly, whereas the proportion of injuries caused by falls less than 1.5 m, cuts, assault, bites, and suicidal tendencies and other injuries increased relatively. In addition, the proportion of patients with minor injuries increased and serious injuries decreased during the lockdown. The hospitalization rate increased significantly, and there was no significant difference in emergency surgery and death rates. The lockdown policies during the COVID-19 outbreak significantly altered the number and mechanism of traumatic events in our hospital, which can be monitored regularly. Our results suggest that mandatory public health prevention and control measures by the government can reduce the incidence of traumatic events and the severity of traumatic injuries. Emergency surgery and mortality rates remain high, increased because of factors such as family injury and penetrating injury, and hospitalization rates have increased significantly. Therefore, our trauma center still needs to be fully staffed. Finally, from the perspective of the injury mechanism, indoor trauma is a major risk during a lockdown, and it is particularly important to develop prevention strategies for such trauma to reduce the medical burden of the next catastrophic epidemic.

A population-based cross-sectional study on the situation of cervical cancer screening in Liaoning, China

BackgroundCervical cancer (CC) screening is currently recognized as an effective intervention for CC. Previous studies found that the proportion of screening was low in China, especially in Liaoning. Therefore, we performed a population-based cross-sectional survey to investigate the situation of cervical cancer screening and analyze their related factors for providing a decision-making basis for sustainable and effective development of cervical cancer screening.MethodsThis population-based cross-sectional study involved aged 30 to 69 years in nine counties/districts in Liaoning from 2018 to 2019. Data were collected using the quantitative data collection methods, and analyzed in SPSS version 22.0.ResultsOverall, only 22.37% of 5334 respondents reported having ever been screened for cervical cancer in past 3 years, and 38.41% of respondents reported having the willingness for cervical cancer screening in next 3 years. In the rate of CC screening, multilevel analysis indicated that age, marital status, education level, type of occupation, medical insurance, family income, place of residence and regional economic level had a significant impact on proportion of screening. In the rate of CC screening willingness, multilevel analysis indicated that age, family income, health status, place of residence, regional economic level and CC screening still had a significant impact, but marital status, education level and medical insurance type had no significant impact. There was no significant difference in marital status, education level and medical insurance type after the factors of CC screening were added in the model.ConclusionOur study found both proportion of screening and willingness were at a low level, and age, economic and regional factors were the main factors for implementation of CC screening in China. In the future, targeted policies should be formulated according to the characteristics of different groups of people, and reduce the gap in the current health service capacity between different regions.

Youth not in Employment, Education, or Training (NEET) in Turkey: A Regional Analysis

The concept of youth not in education, training, and employment (NEET) is a relatively new popular concept. Its popularity is largely due to the fact that it takes into account different vulnerabilities such as unemployment and early school leaving, which are common among young people. The aim of this study is to examine the NEET youth in Turkey. In this context, the situation of young people in NEET status is examined according to gender, age, education level, marital status, and regional differences. For this purpose, the data pooled from the Household Labor Force Survey for the years 2014-2020 was used. In the study, first, NEET interpretations were made for Turkey using descriptive statistical tools, and then a logit analysis was performed to identify the determinants of NEET in Turkey. The findings reveal that demographic characteristics such as gender, marital status, age, education level, and region of residence are among the determinants of NEET.

Low-Frequency Noise: Experiences from a Low-Frequency Noise Perceiving Population.

Although low-frequency noise (LFN) is associated with various complaints, there is still much unknown about this phenomenon. This research aims to provide an extensive description of (1) LFN perceptions, (2) LFN-related complaints, and (3) the characteristics of LFN complainants. In an explorative observational cross-sectional survey study, a sample of Dutch adults reporting to experience LFN (n = 190) and a group not experiencing LFN (n = 371) completed a comprehensive questionnaire. Descriptions of LFN perceptions varied individually and were dependent on different circumstances, although some common patterns were observed. Complaints were wide-ranging and individual, with a reported high impact on daily living. Common complaints included sleeping difficulties, fatigue, or annoyance. Societal consequences were described regarding housing, work, and relationships. Attempts to stop or escape the perception were manifold but often unsuccessful. The LFN sample differed regarding sex, education level, and age from the Dutch adult population, indicating more frequent inability to work, less full-time work, and less years lived in their homes. No further differences in occupational or marital status or living circumstances were found. Although this research supports some previous findings and identifies common patterns, it also highlights the individual nature of LFN-related experiences and the heterogeneity of this group. It is advised to pay attention to the complaints of affected individuals, to inform concerned authorities, and to conduct more systematic and multidisciplinary research using standardized and validated measuring instruments.

Marital status differences in the association of work motivation with burnout: a network perspective

Marital status differences in the association of work motivation with burnout: a network perspective

Factors influencing organ donation in Fujian's Organ Procurement Organization: A retrospective study.

The Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) was established in August 2018. The organization's workload, work efficiency, and quality control of organ donation and procurement have continuously improved, making it one of the most successful OPOs in Fujian Province. This study explores the factors that influence the success and failure of organ donation in Fujian Province, China. Data from 236 potential organ donors registered at an OPO in Fujian Province between January 2020 and May 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Among the 236 potential organ donors, 71 cases of organ donation were successful (30.08% conversion rate). Univariate analysis showed that demographic factors, such as differences in sex, age, marital status, and domicile location, were significantly associated with successful organ donation (p<.05). Among hospital-related factors, differences in hospital departments were significant (p<.05). Considering disease-related factors, spontaneous respiration was significant (p<.05). For factors related to organ donation, differences in coordinators were significant (p<.05). Multivariate analysis showed that age, domicile location, spontaneous respiration, and coordinators influenced organ donation success (p<.05). Multifactor analysis revealed that factors, such as age ≤50years, domicile location in other provinces, no spontaneous respiration, and highly skilled coordinators, could promote successful organ donation. Programs should clarify the screening criteria for key potential organ donors, enhance the promotion and popularization of organ donation, and boost the number and professional skills of organ donation coordinators to improve the organ donation conversion rate.

Association of dietary factors with noise-induced hearing loss in Korean population: A 3-year national cohort study.

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a hearing impairment (HI) caused by various clinical factors. Identifying the relationship between NIHL and nutrient consumption could help in reducing the prevalence of hearing loss. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between NIHL and dietary factors using data of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination survey (KNHANES). The data were collected from The Fifth KNHANES 2010-2012. The survey was taken by a total of 10,850 participants aged 20-65 years. Air conduction audiometry was measured at 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz in both ears. Metabolic syndrome, noise exposure, alcohol consumption, smoking, income level, marital status, and nutritional intake were evaluated. The differences between non-HI and HI participants in the noise-exposed group showed statistically significant differences in age, sex, marital and smoking status, alcohol consumption, and fasting glucose and triglyceride levels (p<0.05). In a multiple regression analysis of the noise-exposed group, age showed a significant association with HI (OR: 0.604; 95% CI: 0.538-0.678) after adjusting for confounders. In multivariate analysis for dietary factors affecting HI in noise-exposed groups, retinol (OR: 1.356; 95% CI: 1.068-1.722), niacin (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.022-2.201), and carbohydrates (OR: 0.692; 95% CI: 0.486-0.985) showed a significant association with NIHL. Age was identified as the only factor significantly affecting NIHL. When the dietary factors of the noise-exposed group were analyzed, high intake of niacin and retinol and low intake of carbohydrates appeared to reduce the risk of hearing loss.

PHYSICAL SYMPTOM TRAJECTORIES OF OLDER ADULTS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract Older adults experience increased risk for morbidity and mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic (CDC, 2021). Social distancing and lockdown to prevent contagion may affected physical and mental health. We examined the fifteen physical symptom trajectories of older adults during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also examined age, gender, and marital status differences in each physical symptom trajectory. The sample consisted of 247 older adults (Mage = 71.1, SD = 7.3, 88.7% White, 73% women, 73.4% married), who participated in eight weekly longitudinal online surveys from April 28 to June 23, 2020. Random-effects logistic regression analysis controlling for age, gender, marital status, and depressive symptoms showed that the nine physical symptoms (headache, constipation/diarrhea, muscle soreness, shortness of breath, tightness of chest, backache, heart pounding, congestion, and sore throat) significantly decreased in the first few weeks, but then six symptoms (constipation/diarrhea, shortness of breath, tightness of chest, heart pounding, congestion, and sore throat) increased in later weeks of the study period. Middle-aged participants reported higher number of headache, tightness of chest, heart pounding, and nausea/upset stomach than older participants. Women experienced more constipation/diarrhea, trembling/shaking, and sore throat than men. Those who were not married responded with higher number of shortness of breath, backache and poor appetite compared to married participants. Higher depressive symptoms were significantly related to each physical symptom. The results suggest that healthcare providers should evaluate physical symptoms focusing on the patients who are at greater risk of poor health during the pandemic.

Palliative care reduces emergency room visits and total hospital days among patients with metastatic HPB and GI cancers

Palliative care services (PCS) have improved quality of life for patients across various cancer subtypes. Minimal data exists regarding PCSfor metastatic hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) and gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. We assessed the impact of PCS on emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and survival among these patients. Patients with metastatic HPB and GI cancer referred to outpatient PCS between 2014 and 2018 at a single institution were included. We compared the demographics, outcomes, and end-of-life indicators between those who did and did not receive PCS. The study included 183 patients, with 118 (64.5%) having received PCS. There were no significant differences in age, gender, race, marital status, or insurance. Those receiving PCS were more likely to have colorectal cancer (p = 0.0082) and receive chemotherapy (p = 0.0098). On multivariate analysis, PCS was associated with fewer ED visits (p = 0.0319), hospital admissions (p = 0.0002), and total inpatient hospital days (p < 0.0001) per 30 days of life. Overall survival was greater among patients receiving PCS (HR: 0.65 (0.46–0.92)). Outpatient PCS for patients with metastatic HPB and GI cancer is associated with fewer emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and inpatient hospital days, and improved overall survival.

Level of perceived stress and coping styles through positive mental health among nursing students in Hail, Saudi Arabia

This study aims to determine the level of stress and the coping style through positive mental health status among student nurses. Further, it aimed to look into the relationship between the level of stress and positive mental health. The study was conducted at the University of Hail, College of Nursing using the descriptive cross-sectional approach. Data was gathered in three months from November to January 2020 through a self-administered questionnaire. There were 175 student nurses who participated in the study as a result of simple random sampling. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the demographic characteristics of the nursing students, perceived stress, and positive mental health. T-test was used to determine differences in age, gender, marital status, and academic program while one-way ANOVA was used at an academic level. Pearson’s product moment of correlation was used to establish a relationship between perceived stress and positive mental health. Results revealed a moderate level of stress (Mean=24; SD=5.83) and a restrained Positive mental health status (Mean=103 SD=11.78) among the student nurses. Gender (p=.017) showed significance in terms of positive mental health status. There is no significant relationship (p=0.987) between Positive Mental Health and Perceived Stress among the nursing students in Hail, Saudi Arabia. Saudi nursing students experienced moderate to high levels of stress and a moderate level of positive mental health. Gender is significant in positive mental health. As no correlation was deemed between perceived stress and positive mental health, enhancement of coping strategies is recommended to train student nurses to handle stress and promote positive mental health.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FOOTBALL FANS' FANATICISM AND THEIR PSYCHOLOGICAL COMMITMENT

This study examined the relationship between football fans’ fanaticism levels and their psychological commitments. The sample of the study consisted of a total of 429 volunteer participants in Istanbul, Turkey; 11.7% female and 88.3% male, selected by convenience sampling method. Shapiro – Wilk normality test was applied to test the normality of the study data. Since the data had a normal distribution, descriptive statistics were used for the analysis in addition to independent sample t-tests and one-way ANOVA tests. Besides, the Pearson correlation test was performed to check the relationship between the scales. The results revealed significant differences in gender, age, marital status, educational status, and favorite football team/club between the sub-scales. The differences were found to be more significant, especially in age and football team variables. It can be said that as the level of fanaticism increases, the psychological commitment of the fans may also increase.&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Article visualizations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0269/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Characterizing acceptable and appropriate implementation strategies of a biobehavioral survey among men who have sex with men and others assigned male who have sex with men in Zimbabwe.

Key populations including men who have sex with men (MSM), female sex workers, people who inject drugs, transgender persons, and prisoners account for nearly 50% of new HIV infections globally. To inform the HIV response and monitor trends in HIV prevalence and incidence among key populations, countries have increased efforts to implement biobehavioral surveys (BBS) with these groups as part of routine surveillance. Yet the marginalized nature of populations participating in a BBS requires contextually acceptable and appropriate strategies for effective implementation. We conducted a formative assessment to inform the first BBS conducted with MSM and others assigned male who have sex with men (OAMSM) in Zimbabwe, where same-sex sexual behaviors are illegal and highly stigmatized and describe applications of our findings. Qualitative data were collected through four focus groups with 32 MSM/OAMSM and 25 in-depth interviews (15 MSM/OAMSM, 10 service providers/gatekeepers) from December 2018 to January 2019. Rapid assessment techniques were employed including rapid identification of themes from audio recordings and review of detailed field notes and memos to identify key themes. Findings from this assessment included contextually relevant considerations including behaviors and terminology to avoid when working with MSM/OAMSM in Zimbabwe, appropriate compensation amounts for survey participation, proposed data collection sites, and differences in sexual openness, marital status, and networks among younger and older MSM/OAMSM. Participants also reported strong network ties suggesting respondent-driven sampling-a peer chain referral approach-to be an appropriate recruitment method in this context. Taken together, these findings highlighted key considerations and strategies for implementation to ensure the subsequent BBS in Zimbabwe was both acceptable and appropriate. These results and applications of these results are important for informing surveillance efforts and broader HIV-related engagement efforts among MSM/OAMSM in Zimbabwe as well as in other contextually similar countries in Southern Africa.

Depression, Anxiety, Stress and Anger of the Cabin Crew during the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Korea.

This study examines the levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and state and trait anger of cabin crews, as well as the differences in the main variables and general characteristics between the depression and anxiety groups, during the COVID-19 pandemic. This descriptive cross-sectional study used data from 161 Korean cabin crew members. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, independent t-tests, and chi-square tests. Of the participants, 62.7% were women, and 52.2% and 46.6% were classified into the depression and anxiety groups, respectively. No differences in the general characteristics between the non-depression and depression groups were found. However, in the anxiety group, there were significant differences in age, marital status, position, and work type during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the anxiety group showed a higher anger state (approximately 6.76 times higher than the normal group) than the depression group (approximately 4.90 times higher than the normal group). In a pandemic, airlines should screen cabin crews for depression and anxiety. The development and applications of mental health education for high-risk groups should include anger intervention.

Vaginal misoprostol vs intramuscular carboprost in first trimester abortion

Background: A number of conditions demands first trimester abortions including medical and social causes. This study was mainly undertaken in order to compare the oral misoprostol with the intramuscular carboprost for cervical ripening in suction evacuation for medical termination of pregnancy up to 12 weeks of gestation. Material and methods: A randomized controlled trial was undertaken to determine the safety and efficacy of misoprostol over carboprost in first trimester abortions for cervical ripening. A total 120 pregnant women were randomized in to two equal groups where one group received oral misoprostol and another group received intramuscular carboprost. Two groups were studied and compared for the baseline characteristics, induction abortion interval, cervical dilation, blood loss and complications. Results: The mean age of misoprostol group was 26.2 years and carboprost group was 25.8 years. There was no statistically significant difference in marital status, gravidity, parity and gestational age in this study. Incomplete abortion was the common cause of abortion in both the groups. The induction abortion interval was 195.2 minutes in misoprostol group and 89.9 minutes in carboprost group. The mean cervical dilation was 8.35 minutes in misoprostol group and 9.31 minutes in carboprost group.