Frequency Of Use Research Articles

Prevalence and general characteristics of dementia: a nationwide population-based study of electronic health records in Türkiye.

Türkiye is a country with an increasing life expectancy and an older adult population in parallel with the rest of the world. Several national small-scale studies were performed regarding the prevalence and characteristics of dementia in Türkiye, and the results of these studies differ from each other. We aimed to determine the prevalence of dementia in Türkiye to present the demographic characteristics, the frequency of use of health services, and the management of dementia. Patients aged 65 years and over with a diagnosis of any type of dementia between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020, were retrospectively screened from the electronic health records of the Ministry of Health using ICD-10 codes. In 2019, the total number of dementia cases identified in individuals aged 65 years and older was 247,727, of whom 150,529 (60.8%) were women. In 2020, the total number of dementia cases identified in this age group was 233,949, with 142,878 (61.1%) of these cases being women. The rate of patients admitted to the emergency department was 72.3% and 66.2% of all dementia patients in 2019 and 2020, respectively. In terms of the use of outpatient clinics, most patients with dementia were admitted to neurology (71.0% in 2019 and 62.4% in 2020). The geriatric medicine outpatient clinic was the least used by patients with dementia both in 2019 and 2020. The prevalence of patients living with dementia in Türkiye is lower than the global average. This suggests that most dementia cases are overlooked, highlighting the need to raise dementia awareness both in the community and among primary health care providers who frequently encounter older individuals. The study is significant in that it is the first to show the nationwide frequency of dementia in Türkiye.

Patient perspectives on systematic client feedback in Dutch outpatient mental healthcare, a qualitative case reports study

ObjectiveThe added value of systematic client feedback (SCF) to psychotherapy can be affected by patient perspectives, both in a positive and negative way, and is influenced by cultural factors as well. Current study explores patients’ perspectives on use and optimization of SCF in Dutch outpatient mental healthcare. Primary aim of present study is to generate implications for daily practice and optimize SCF implementation, particularly for the Netherlands.MethodFour patients suffering from mild to moderate psychological disorders were in-depth interviewed on their perspective on the use of SCF, when the Partners for Change Outcome Management System (PCOMS, high frequent), the Outcome Questionnaire (OQ-45, low frequent) and the Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC-SF, low frequent) was added to treatment as usual in two Dutch outpatient mental healthcare centers offering brief psychological treatment. Interview topics were (a) SCF in general; (b) type of questionnaires; (c) frequency of use; (d) effect of SCF on therapy; and (e) perceived added value of SCF. A SCF expert team analyzed the data through reflexive Thematic Analysis.ResultsWe identified three themes, all of which have two sub-themes: (a) Requirements to use SCF, with sub-themes (a1) Balance between effort to complete SCF and perceived validity, and (a2) Balance between used frequency and perceived validity; (b) Modifiers for test-taking attitude, with subthemes (b1) SCF as an embedded part of therapy, and (b2) Quality of Therapist-Client alignment; and (c) Effects on therapeutic process, with subthemes (c1) Focus on task and goals, and shared responsibility, and (c2) Effects on outcome and satisfaction.ConclusionsAdding SCF to therapy can be perceived as helpful by patients in psychotherapy if two conditions are met: (1) Creating a right balance between effort and yield for SCF to be used at all; and (2) embedding SCF as an integral part of therapy, through therapist-client alignment. Throughout the progression of therapy, it might be useful to perceive SCF and therapy as communicating vessels; according to patients it is not only necessary to adjust therapy based on SCF, but also to adjust SCF based on the course of therapy.Trial RegistrationThis trial was registered on September 30, 2015 in the Dutch Trial Register NTR5466. The Medical Ethics Committee of the University of Twente (Enschede) approved this study (registration number: K15-11, METC Twente).

Fundamental Movement Skills in Hong Kong Kindergartens: A Grade-Level Analysis

Fundamental movement skills (FMSs) are essential building blocks for children’s physical development and future participation in physical activities. While early childhood curriculum frameworks recognize the importance of teaching FMSs, little research has been conducted to explore actual teaching practices in center-based programs and their variations across different grade levels. The goals of this study were to investigate (1) the frequency of a variety of FMSs in the physical activities conducted by Hong Kong kindergarten teachers, (2) the association among these FMSs based on the frequency of use in the classroom, and (3) potential differences in FMSs across the three grade levels of kindergarten education in Hong Kong. The participants were 526 kindergarten teachers. Descriptive statistics, principal component analysis, and parametric statistical techniques (e.g., one-way ANOVA) were employed to analyze their responses to a survey, in which we asked teachers to report the frequency with which FMSs are involved in their classroom physical activities. Overall, we found that the participants practiced an imbalanced set of FMSs in classrooms. K3 teachers were found to incorporate a wider variety of FMSs into their physical activities compared to K1 and K2 teachers. Through principal component analysis, seven components of activities were identified. K3 teachers were found to implement more activities involving springing, object manipulation, uneven locomotor movements, and agility and coordination. We concluded that there is a need to provide structured opportunities for teachers to better facilitate children’s FMS acquisition. Offering more explicit guidelines and further professional development for teachers is crucial to enhancing this situation.

Aspirin but not statins is inversely related to gastric cancer with a duration-risk effect: Results from the Stomach Cancer Pooling Project Consortium.

Aspirin and statins have been suggested to have potential chemopreventive effects against gastric cancer (GC), although the results of previous studies have been inconsistent. This study therefore aimed to investigate the association between the use of aspirin and statins and GC. A pooled analysis of seven case-control studies within the Stomach Cancer Pooling Project, including 3220 cases and 9752 controls, was conducted. Two-stage modeling analyses were used to estimate the association between aspirin and statin use and GC after adjusting for potential confounders. The pooled odds ratio (OR) of GC for aspirin users versus nonusers was 0.72 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.54-0.95). The protective effect of aspirin appeared stronger in individuals without a GC family history (OR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.37-0.95), albeit with borderline heterogeneity between those with and without a family history (p = .064). The OR of GC decreased with increasing duration of aspirin use, with an OR of 0.41 (95% CI, 0.18-0.95) for durations of ≥15 years. An inverse, nonsignificant association with the risk of GC was observed for the use of statins alone (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.52-1.18). These findings suggest that aspirin use, particularly long-term use, is associated with a reduced risk of GC, whereas a similar association was not observed with statins, possibly because of the low frequency of use.

Quantifying the adoption of conservation agriculture: Development and application of the Conservation Agriculture Appraisal Index

CONTEXTEstimates of conservation agriculture (CA) adoption vary worldwide because of a lack of a standardized methodology to quantify the simultaneous utilization of its core principles of minimum soil disturbance, permanent soil organic cover and crop diversification. Comparisons of CA adoption among farms across regions requires estimation of the farm area and cropping season where CA principles are applied. OBJECTIVETo develop the Conservation Agriculture Appraisal Index (CAAI) as a standardized conceptual framework with defined thresholds that indicates the intensity and frequency of use of each CA core principle. CAAI was subsequently applied to quantify CA adoption on farms across four wheat (triticum aestivum) growing regions, both with and without livestock, including dryland and irrigated systems in Australia and Mexico, respectively. METHODSCAAI is a continuous scoring system that estimates the intensity and frequency of application of the core principles and their concurrent utilization to assess the extent of CA adoption. CAAI score is the sum of the scores of each core principle, accounting for the percentage of the farm area and cropping season where CA is applied. CAAI emerged from semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and farm visits that captured underlying patterns of CA use in regional-specific contexts. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSCAAI assessed annual CA adoption on 100 farms in four wheat growing regions with different environments and farming systems. The adoption of CA was higher in Australia than Mexico, where partial adoption was more prevalent, especially for summer crops. ‘No adoption’ of CA occurred when one of the core principles consistently scored zero within a year. SIGNIFICANCEThe CAAI can be used as a benchmarking research tool at the farm level to standardize units for comparisons and identify levels of CA adoption by farm area and cropping seasons between and across regions.

A multi-center evaluation of a novel IVF cryostorage device in an active clinical setting

The objective of this study was to evaluate the function, and usability of a novel automated software-guided cryostorage system in an active IVF laboratory setting. The investigational device (ID) was installed at 3 IVF laboratories (sites: α, β, and γ). A total of 15 embryologists were trained to use the ID. Mock patient specimens containing mirrored live patient data were handled using the ID. Temperature readings were recorded every minute. Successful identification, storage, and retrieval of mock patient specimens by the ID were evaluated. To assess an LN2 pressure builder, the frequency of use and events of workflow interruption were logged. Student’s t-test was used to determine statistical significance. The ID was in active use for 164 days total. During this time, 329 mock patient egg and embryo cohorts were handled by the ID. The mean ± SD temperatures during active use were: α, − 176.57 ± 1.83 °C; β, − 178.21 ± 2.75 °C; γ, − 178.98 ± 1.74 and did not differ significantly. The highest recorded temperatures were: α, − 165.14 °C; β, − 157.41 °C; γ, − 164.45 °C. A total of 1064 automation transactions on 409 specimen vessels were performed. Data was managed on 1501 eggs and embryos. The ID did not lose or misplace any specimen data or vessels, and no mock specimen was exposed to a detrimental (> − 150 °C) temperature excursion. Over the 25 LN2 pressure builder usages during 99 total days, there was 1 occurrence where usage interrupted workflow due to a lack of LN2 pressure. The ID has advantages over the current manual-based cryostorage systems, including radio frequency identification (RFID) tracking, automation of manual tasks, and software guidance to ensure accurate specimen storage and retrieval. The results of this study indicate that the ID can be integrated into active IVF laboratories.

Analysis of chloroplast genome structure and phylogeny of the traditional medicinal of Ardisia crispa (Myrsinaceae)

Ardisia crispa(Myrsinaceae) is an ethnomedicine with horticultural and important medicinal values. Its morphology is complex, and its identification is difficult. We analyse the chloroplast genome characteristics and phylogenetic position of A. crispa to provide basic research data for the identification of A. crispa species and resource conservation. This study assemble and annotate the chloroplast genome of A. crispa and to compare it with the chloroplast genome within Ardisia. The A. crispa chloroplast genome is 156,785 bp in length, with a typical quadripartite structure containing 131 genes, including 86 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes; a total of 59 SSRs sites were identified, and the codon preference of this chloroplast genome is greater in A/U than in G/C, and leucine is the amino acid with the highest frequency of use. The chloroplast genomes of the nine Ardisia species are conserved in gene content and number, with more stable boundaries and less variation. In the phylogenetic tree, A. crispa is clustered on a branch with A. crispa var dielsii, and is closely related to A. mamillata and A. pedalis. In this study, we constructed and analyzed the chloroplast genome structure of A. crispa, and conducted phylogenetic analysis using the whole chloroplast genome sequence data of Ardisia plants, which is of great significance in understanding the genetic basis of A. crispa and adaptive evolution in Ardisia plants, and this will lay the foundation for the future research on A. crispa resource conservation and species identification.

DÎVÂNU LUGÂTİ’T-TÜRK İLE KARŞILAŞTIRMALI ALTAY TÜRKÇESİNDE İKİNCİL UZUN ÜNLÜLERİN VARLIĞI

There are 8 normal /a/, /e/, /ı/, /i/, /o/, /ö/, /ö/, /u/, /ü/ and 8 long vowels /aa/, /ee/, /ıı/, /ii/, /oo/, /öö/, /uu/, /üü/ in Altai Turkish. The frequency of use of /aa/, /ee/, /oo/, /öö/, /uu/, /üü/ is wider, while the frequency of use of /ıı/ and /ii/ is narrower, but there are examples where they are used. Altai Turkish has a significant number of long vowel formations that can be analysed in the historical process. Long vowel is expressed by the fact that the articulation time is longer than the normal vowel. Long vowels, which are handled under two headings according to their formation times, are divided into primary (‘original’) and secondary long vowels. Primary long vowels in Altai Turkish did not continue to exist regularly in the historical process like Yakut Turkish and Turkmen Turkish, but in this study, firstly, the examples of primary long vowels that have been preserved from the past to the present, identified as a result of the scanning study from the Altai Turkish dictionary, have been examined. Secondly, it is aimed to determine the existence of secondary long vowels that have formed as a result of contraction in the word structure in Altai Turkish from the Middle Turkish period to the present day, with the vocabulary found in Dîvânu Lugâti't-Türk. The aim of the study is to determine the secondary long vowels formed in the word as a result of contraction in Altai Turkish. The words identified from Altai Turkish Dictionary and Dîvânu Lugâti't-Türk vocabulary has been detected by using diachronic historical study method and scanning method. Keywords: Altai Turkish, Dîvânu Lugâti't-Türk, long vowels, primary long vowels, secondary long vowels.

Health Problems Mediate the Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on the Frequency of Cannabis Use in a Sample of Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women.

Many health organizations recommend that mothers avoid cannabis during pregnancy and breastfeeding because they are concerned about exposing infants to Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive substance in cannabis. Yet, data collected by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control demonstrate that a small percentage of mothers continue to use cannabis despite warnings. The frequency of cannabis use is an important variable because frequent use increases THC exposure. The present study examined two variables related to the frequency of cannabis use during pregnancy and breastfeeding: health problems and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). We examined a possible mediation effect of health problems on the relationship between ACEs and the frequency of cannabis use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Our sample was entirely comprised of 1,343 women who used cannabis during pregnancy and breastfeeding. We collected data online. The women were recruited from a Facebook group that supports pregnant and breastfeeding mothers who use cannabis. To be included, participants needed to be at least 18 years old and to have used cannabis while pregnant or breastfeeding. The sample was 79% White, 8% Hispanic, and 14% Black, and 1,199 currently resided in the United States, 76 in Canada, 11 in the United Kingdom, and the rest resided in 13 other countries. Ninety-three percent of the sample reported at least one ACE, and 59% reported 4 or more. Ninety-six percent reported that they were using cannabis to treat a health problem, and the number of health problems ranged from 0 to 8. Two mediation analyses found that the total number of ACEs increased the risk of health problems, which increased the frequency of cannabis use. ACE total was not significantly related to the frequency of use once health problems were accounted for. ACEs are related to the frequency of cannabis use in pregnant and breastfeeding women, but indirectly through trauma's impact on health problems. These findings suggest that practitioners might be able to lower the frequency of cannabis if they directly address health problems.

Understanding Health Care Students' Perceptions, Beliefs, and Attitudes Toward AI-Powered Language Models: Cross-Sectional Study.

ChatGPT was not intended for use in health care, but it has potential benefits that depend on end-user understanding and acceptability, which is where health care students become crucial. There is still a limited amount of research in this area. The primary aim of our study was to assess the frequency of ChatGPT use, the perceived level of knowledge, the perceived risks associated with its use, and the ethical issues, as well as attitudes toward the use of ChatGPT in the context of education in the field of health. In addition, we aimed to examine whether there were differences across groups based on demographic variables. The second part of the study aimed to assess the association between the frequency of use, the level of perceived knowledge, the level of risk perception, and the level of perception of ethics as predictive factors for participants' attitudes toward the use of ChatGPT. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from May to June 2023 encompassing students of medicine, nursing, dentistry, nutrition, and laboratory science across the Americas. The study used descriptive analysis, chi-square tests, and ANOVA to assess statistical significance across different categories. The study used several ordinal logistic regression models to analyze the impact of predictive factors (frequency of use, perception of knowledge, perception of risk, and ethics perception scores) on attitude as the dependent variable. The models were adjusted for gender, institution type, major, and country. Stata was used to conduct all the analyses. Of 2661 health care students, 42.99% (n=1144) were unaware of ChatGPT. The median score of knowledge was "minimal" (median 2.00, IQR 1.00-3.00). Most respondents (median 2.61, IQR 2.11-3.11) regarded ChatGPT as neither ethical nor unethical. Most participants (median 3.89, IQR 3.44-4.34) "somewhat agreed" that ChatGPT (1) benefits health care settings, (2) provides trustworthy data, (3) is a helpful tool for clinical and educational medical information access, and (4) makes the work easier. In total, 70% (7/10) of people used it for homework. As the perceived knowledge of ChatGPT increased, there was a stronger tendency with regard to having a favorable attitude toward ChatGPT. Higher ethical consideration perception ratings increased the likelihood of considering ChatGPT as a source of trustworthy health care information (odds ratio [OR] 1.620, 95% CI 1.498-1.752), beneficial in medical issues (OR 1.495, 95% CI 1.452-1.539), and useful for medical literature (OR 1.494, 95% CI 1.426-1.564; P<.001 for all results). Over 40% of American health care students (1144/2661, 42.99%) were unaware of ChatGPT despite its extensive use in the health field. Our data revealed the positive attitudes toward ChatGPT and the desire to learn more about it. Medical educators must explore how chatbots may be included in undergraduate health care education programs.

The Relationship Between the Use of Digital Tools and Creativity in Preschool

The 21st century has marked the beginning of an era dominated by digital technology, which has fundamentally changed the way children interact with the world and develop their creativity. The widespread use of digital tools has given rise to a new topic of discussion full of both opportunities and challenges, especially regarding its impact on children's creativity. When the literature on this subject is examined, it is seen that there are studies showing that the use of digital tools at early ages can affect creativity both positively and negatively. In light of all these findings, as the use of digital technology continues to increase in every aspect of our lives, it becomes increasingly critical to understand its multifaceted impact on children's creative development. Therefore, it is of great importance to understand the relationship between the use of digital tools and creativity in preschool education. For this purpose, in this study, the relationship between the use of digital tools and children's creativity was investigated based on the data obtained from 193 parents of children aged between 60-96 months. Research data was collected through a demographic information form, a digital tool use checklist prepared by the researchers, and the "early childhood creativity scale" adapted into Turkish by Çiçekler, Pirpir, and Aral, (2020). The results of the correlation analysis showed that, according to parents' opinions, there was a statistically significant difference between the levels of creativity of preschool boys to girls, 5-year-old children to 6-year-old children, and parents' frequency of use of digital tools. There was a significant difference between variables, such as the number of siblings and the number of digital tools. It has been observed that there is no. These findings highlight the need for further, more in-depth studies to investigate the underlying reasons for the observed differences and to better understand how factors such as gender, age, and use of digital tools influence parents' perceptions of creativity. The results of this study are considered important for researchers to conduct more comprehensive studies on the subject and to develop and review parents' thoughts and understanding on this subject.

Is something rotten in the state of Denmark? Cross-national evidence for widespread involvement but not systematic use of questionable research practices across all fields of research.

Questionable research practices (QRP) are believed to be widespread, but empirical assessments are generally restricted to a few types of practices. Furthermore, conceptual confusion is rife with use and prevalence of QRPs often being confused as the same quantity. We present the hitherto most comprehensive study examining QRPs across scholarly fields and knowledge production modes. We survey perception, use, prevalence and predictors of QRPs among 3,402 researchers in Denmark and 1,307 in the UK, USA, Croatia and Austria. Results reveal remarkably similar response patterns among Danish and international respondents (τ = 0.85). Self-reported use indicates whether respondents have used a QRP in recent publications. 9 out of 10 respondents admitted using at least one QRP. Median use is three out of nine QRP items. Self-reported prevalence reflects the frequency of use. On average, prevalence rates were roughly three times lower compared to self-reported use. Findings indicated that the perceived social acceptability of QRPs influenced self-report patterns. Results suggest that most researchers use different types of QRPs within a restricted time period. The prevalence estimates, however, do not suggest outright systematic use of specific QRPs. Perceived pressure was the strongest systemic predictor for prevalence. Conversely, more local attention to research cultures and academic age was negatively related to prevalence. Finally, the personality traits conscientiousness and, to a lesser degree, agreeableness were also inversely associated with self-reported prevalence. Findings suggest that explanations for engagement with QRPs are not only attributable to systemic factors, as hitherto suggested, but a complicated mixture of experience, systemic and individual factors, and motivated reasoning.

Game Dynamics in Professional Padel: Shots Per Point, Point Pace and Technical Actions.

This study aimed to determine the distributions of number of shots per point, point duration, point pace and technical actions during the match in professional men and women padel players. A total of 35,145 hits (3239 points; men = 1602 and women = 1637) were analyzed in 20 matches corresponding to quarterfinal, semifinal and final matches of the World Padel Tour 2020 season. The observations were conducted through systematic observation and involved a total of 32 players (16 men and 16 women). Men's points lasted 13.5-14.8 s, comprising 10-11 hits, resulting in a ratio of 0.80 shots per second, with no differences between sets. Women's points lasted longer than men's (14.4 to 16.2 s, p = 0.011) but included a similar number of shots per point, resulting in a lower rhythm of play (0.73-0.75 shots per second, p < 0.001), particularly in the third set (p = 0.004). Volleys, lobs and directs were used in >60% of the points, with a frequency of one to three times per point. Bandejas were used in 50-60% of the points, with a frequency of one to two times per point. Backwalls and flat smashes were used at least once in 30-48% of the points. Selective actions had a greater frequency of use in the third set (i.e., flat smash and smash x3 in women; forehand/backhand volleys and side-wall forehand in men), suggesting occasional changes in the style of play, but likely explained by the onset of fatigue. In conclusion, game volumes, intensity and actions remained broadly similar throughout professional padel matches.

Balancing individual and collective strategies: A new approach in metaheuristic optimization

Metaheuristic approaches commonly disregard the individual strategies of each agent within a population, focusing primarily on the collective best solution discovered so far. While this methodology can yield promising results, it also has several significant drawbacks, such as premature convergence. This study introduces a new metaheuristic approach that emphasizes the balance between individual and social learning in agents. In this approach, each agent employs two strategies: an individual search technique performed by the agent and a social or collective strategy involving the best-known solution. The search strategy is considered a learning problem, and agents must adjust the use of both individual and social strategies accordingly. The equilibrium of this adjustment is determined by a counter randomly set for each agent, which determines the frequency of use invested in each strategy. This mechanism promotes diverse search patterns and fosters a dynamic and adaptive process, potentially improving problem-solving efficiency in intricate spaces. The proposed method was assessed by comparing it with several well-established metaheuristic algorithms using 21 test functions. The results demonstrate that the new method surpasses popular metaheuristic algorithms by offering superior solutions and attaining quicker convergence.

EVALUATING IMPACT OF GETUBETTER, A DIGITAL SELF-MANAGEMENT SUPPORT TOOL, DEPLOYED TO 14,500 PATIENTS ON A COMMUNITY MSK PHYSIOTHERAPY WAITING LIST

Purpose/BackgroundMore than 20 million UK citizens have MSK conditions, and post-pandemic the backlog awaiting access to MSK services has increased. The most prevalent MSK condition is low back pain (LBP), and getUBetter has been recommended by NICE as one of five digital health technologies for helping manage LBP. Purpose: Evaluate impact of getUBetter on a community MSK waiting list.Methods/ResultsMixed methods approach used. All patients on community MSK waiting list sent a postal invite for getUBetter. Number of downloads and frequency of use recorded, and users emailed questionnaire exploring outcomes and satisfaction. Rate users removed themselves from the waiting list compared with non-users. Of 14,500 invitations, 657(4.5%) patients downloaded getUBetter, 395(60.1%) used it once and 138(21%) ≥3 times. Seventeen (7%) of 239 patients canvassed responded to questionnaire, 17% reported improved pain, 21% reported improved confidence and had been helped back to work. Twenty-five percent better understood their condition and 43% needed no other treatment. Seventy-five percent were critical of limited content, with chronic osteoarthritis mentioned. 69.6% of users removed themselves from the waiting list. This was 29.6% above the rate for non-users.ConclusionSending postal invites for getUBetter to a MSK waiting list yielded limited uptake. However, despite some criticisms, patients using it reported improved pain, early return to usual activities, and improved confidence in self-management. Some patients recovered without the need for additional support and getUBetter shows some potential for reducing a MSK waiting list. Clearly further work is required to explore methods to increase patient uptake and maximise impact.Conflicts of interestNoneSources of fundingNone

The Associations of Pornography Use and Body Image Among Heterosexual and Sexual Minority Men

This study investigated the relationship between pornography use and men’s body image, utilizing the social comparison theory as the theoretical framework. The research focused on a moderated mediation model, examining the role of social body comparison as a mediator between pornography use (frequency and problematic use) and men’s body image. The sample consisted of 726 men aged 18–68, with 223 (30.7%) identifying as sexual minorities. Sexual minority men reported higher levels of pornography use frequency, problematic use, perceived realism, social body comparison, negative body image, and psychological distress compared to heterosexual men. Findings revealed that problematic pornography use (but not frequency of use) was related to higher levels of social body comparison, which, in turn, were related to higher levels of negative body image. The perceived realism in pornography did not moderate the examined associations. Clinicians should consider the impact of the relationship between pornography and body image among men.

Association between adolescent alcohol use and cognitive function in young adulthood: A co-twin comparison study.

Studies on adolescent alcohol use and cognition are often unable to separate the potential causal effects of alcohol use on cognition from shared etiological influences, including genetic influences or other substance use comorbidities also known to be associated with cognition, such as nicotine use. The present study aimed to fill this gap and clarify the relationship between adolescent alcohol use and young adult cognition by accounting for both measured and unmeasured confounders. A random effects model accounting for nesting in families was used to control for measured confounders. Next, co-twin comparisons were conducted within the full sample and in monozygotic twin pairs (MZ) to control for unmeasured genetic and environmental confounders shared by co-twins. Participants were 812 individuals (58.6% female, 361 complete pairs, 146 MZ pairs) from the longitudinal FinnTwin12 study in Finland. Adolescent alcohol use was indexed with measures of frequency of use and intoxication averaged across ages 14 and 17. Cognitive outcomes were measured at average age 22 and included Trail Making Test, California Stroop test, Wechsler Adult Intelligence subtests (Vocabulary, Block Design, Digit Symbol), Digit Span subtest of Wechsler Memory Scale, Mental Rotation Test and Object Location Memory test. Covariates included sex, parental education, general cognitive ability, current alcohol use and nicotine use. Greater frequency of alcohol use and frequency of intoxication across adolescence was associated with decreased vocabulary scores in the co-twin control [freq: stnd beta = -0.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.234, -0.013] and MZ only co-twin control models (freq: stnd beta = -0.305, 95% CI = -0.523, -0.087; intox: stnd beta = -0.301, 95% CI = -0.528, -0.074). In Finland, there appears to be little evidence that adolescent alcohol use causes cognitive deficits in young adulthood, except modest evidence for association of higher adolescent alcohol use with lower young adult vocabulary scores.

A retrospective analysis of e-prescriptions for non-communicable diseases on a telehealth platform in Malaysia

BackgroundThe management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) has benefited from telehealth services. As these services which include teleconsultation services and e-prescriptions are relatively new in Malaysia, the data generated provide an unprecedented opportunity to study medication use patterns for the management of NCDs in the country. We analyze e-prescriptions from a local telehealth service to identify medication use patterns and potential areas to optimize medication use in relation to clinical practice guidelines.MethodsA cross sectional observational study was conducted by retrieving e-prescription records retrospectively from a telehealth service. 739,482 records from January 2019 to December 2021 were extracted using a designated data collection form. Data cleaning, standardization and data analysis were performed using Python version 3.11. The diagnoses were classified according to the International Classification of Disease 10 (ICD-10), while medications were classified using the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) system. Diagnoses, frequency of use for medication classes and individual medications were analyzed and compared to clinical practice guidelines.ResultsThe top five NCD diagnoses utilized by the service were hypertension (37.7%), diabetes mellitus (25.1%), ischemic heart disease (24.3%), asthma (14.4%), and dyslipidemia (11.7%). Medications were prescribed mostly in accordance with guideline recommendations. However, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) were significantly more frequently prescribed compared to angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs). Several medication classes appeared underutilized, including ACEIs in hypertensive patients with diabetes or ischemic heart disease, sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors in diabetic patients with ischemic heart disease, and metformin in patients with diabetes.ConclusionsTelehealth services are currently being utilized for the management of NCDs. Medication use for the management of NCDs through these services are mostly in accordance with guideline recommendations, but there exist areas that would warrant further investigation to ensure optimal clinical and economic outcomes are achieved.

Advancing Care Team Adoption of Electronic Health Record Systems for Cancer Symptom Management: Findings From a Hybrid Type II, Cluster-Randomized, Stepped-Wedge Trial.

The enhanced, electronic health record (EHR)-facilitated cancer symptom control (E2C2) trial is a cohort cluster-randomized, stepped-wedge, hybrid type II trial that leverages EHR systems to facilitate a collaborative care model (CCM) approach with the goal of improving cancer symptom management. Understanding factors that influence care team adoption of EHR systems remains a critical understudied area of research. This study examines how oncology care teams' perceptions regarding the feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness of E2C2 EHR systems preimplementation were associated with adoption 3 months after implementation and characterizes differences in adoption by individual- and system-level factors. Care team members completed an electronic survey before and 3 months after implementation of E2C2 for their respective sequence. Adoption was defined as frequency of use to statements aligned with care team-directed EHR systems designed to facilitate CCM approaches. Chi-square tests assessed differences in adoption while logistic regression models estimated associations between baseline mean scores of acceptability, feasibility, and appropriateness on care team adoption at 3 months. Results from 94 care team members (37.2% oncologists, 72.6% female, 55.3% in their role for 6+ years) found that adoption rates ranged from 48.9% to 71.7%, with significant differences observed by location (community-based health care systems v tertiary medical center) and professional role. Adjusting for professional role, care team members reporting higher levels of perceived acceptability and appropriateness at baseline had greater odds of adopting EHR systems at 3 months. EHR systems perceived as acceptable and appropriate are more likely to be adopted by oncology care teams in our sample. Future implementation efforts should consider tailored strategies to facilitate adoption of EHR systems designed to promote CCM-based approaches to improve cancer symptom management.

Daily cannabis use and cognitive impairment in community residents aged 50 and over

ABSTRACT Background Cannabis use is associated with cognitive dysfunction in younger adults, but little is known about its role as a risk factor for dementia. This study aimed to explore the association between daily cannabis use and cognitive impairment in a cohort study of middle-aged and older people at risk of dementia. Methods Sample drawn from a cross-sectional study involving 15,582 people aged 50 and over from PROTECT study. Lifetime heavy cannabis use was defined by daily use. Results A total of 4203 (27%) participants reported lifetime cannabis use, of whom 4097 responses to frequency of use were obtained. Among them, 259 participants reported lifetime daily, and 3838 reported less than daily use. Those with lifetime daily cannabis use were more likely than those without to be unmarried, of lower educational attainment, and current or past tobacco smokers. They were more likely to show moderate or moderate-to-severe anxiety and depression. Baseline lifetime daily cannabis use was also associated with improved verbal reasoning but not with change in other cognitive scores. Conclusions Given improved verbal reasoning in people with daily lifetime cannabis use, the relationship between quantity and frequency of cannabis use and cognitive impairment in later life warrants further examination.