General Sociodemographic Characteristics Research Articles

Sustainable Transportation Characteristics Diary—Example of Older (50+) Cyclists

Cycling is a sustainable and healthy form of transportation that is gradually becoming the primary means of transportation over shorter distances in many countries. This paper describes the dataset used to determine the cycling characteristics of seniors in the USA and Canada. For these purposes, a specially created questionnaire was used in a survey conducted from August 2021 to July 2022. The questionnaire contained sections related to the general socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents, general characteristics of cycling (type of bicycle, cycle time, mileage, etc.), and specific characteristics of cycling (riding in night conditions, termination of cycling, motivating and demotivating factors for cycling, etc.). The total sample consisted of 5096 respondents (50+ years old). This database is particularly significant because it represents the first set of publicly available data related to the cycling characteristics of older adults. The database can be used by various researchers dealing with this topic, but also by the decision-makers who want to design a sustainable and accessible cycling infrastructure, respecting the requirements of this category of users. Finally, this dataset can serve as an adequate basis in the process of determining the specificities and understanding the needs of older cyclists in traffic.

EQ-5D-3L based quality of life for patients of pneumoconiosis combined with tuberculosis and its influencing factors

Objective: To understand the health-related quality of life for patients of pneumoconiosis combined with tuberculosis and its main influencing factors. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study, and 951 patients of pneumoconiosis combined with tuberculosis from the pneumoconiosis survey in 27 provinces and autonomous regions in China from December 2017 to December 2021 were selected for the study. The nonparametric Mann-Whitney test and the Kruskal-Wallis H test were used to compare the health utility values, and multiple linear regression was used for multifactor analysis. AMOS 24.0 was used to establish a structural equation modeling. Results: The mean age of 951 patients of pneumoconiosis combined with tuberculosis was (59.3±12.4) years. The main types were silicosis combined with tuberculosis (62.2%, 591/951) and coal-worker's pneumoconiosis combined with tuberculosis (34.9%, 332/951), and other type pneumoconiosis-combined tuberculosis was 2.9% (28/951). The proportion of patients with stage Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and unstaged clinical diagnosis was 27.4% (261/951), 26.6% (253/951), 32.5% (309/951) and 13.5% (128/951), respectively. 63.3% (602/951) of study participants suffered from other chronic diseases, and the percentage of patients combined the number of chronic diseases with 1, 2, and more than 3 respectively were 24.1% (229/951), 16.3% (155/951) and 22.9% (218/951). The median and quartiles of health utility values and the mean±standard deviation of self-rating scores of patients of pneumoconiosis combined with tuberculosis were 0.562 (0.482, 0.766) and (53.7±18.4), respectively, which were lower than patients of pneumoconiosis without tuberculosis (Z=-11.29, P<0.001; t=8.97, P<0.01). The health utility values and self-rating scores for patients of pneumoconiosis combined with tuberculosis were significantly different between urban and rural areas (Z= -2.22, P=0.027; t=4.85, P<0.01). Pain/discomfort was the most frequently reported problem in the five-dimensional distribution of problems, followed by daily activities and anxiety/depression, and the difference in the percentage reported by anxiety/depression between urban and rural areas was significant (χ(2)=30.28, P<0.01). The results of multiple linear regression showed that the survey area, body mass index, education level, age, employment status, annual personal income, stage of pneumoconiosis, number of multi-morbidities, hemoptysis, acute exacerbation of symptoms in two-week, social support and minimum living standard were the main influences on the health utility values of the patients of pneumoconiosis combined with tuberculosis (P<0.05). The results of structural equation model showed that economic security and health status directly affected the health-related quality of life among patients of pneumoconiosis combined with tuberculosis and played a chain-mediating effect in the influence of socioeconomic status on the health-related quality of life among patients of pneumoconiosis combined with tuberculosis. Conclusion: Health-related quality of life was poorer in patients of pneumoconiosis with tuberculosis, with pain and discomfort and anxiety/depression problems being more pronounced, and economic status and health status played multiple mediating roles in the influence of general socio-demographic characteristics on quality of life in pneumoconiosis.

Effects of Income on Subjective Well-Being in the Elderly: Complete Mediation Roles of Self-Rated Health and Psychological Capital.

Although income and living conditions of residents have greatly improved in recent years, people's subjective well-being does not seem to increase daily. This study aimed to explore income, self-rated health, and psychological capital on subjective well-being, using data from the China General Social Survey conducted in 2017. A total of 1136 elderly as subsamples data were selected from 12 582 participants, involving general sociodemographic characteristics, income, self-rated health, psychological capital, and subjective well-being. SPSS v26.0 macro was used for descriptive statistics, ANOVA and correlation analysis. PROCESS v3.4 macro was performed to examine multiple mediating effects of self-rated health and psychological capital. The elderly residing in urban (P = .016) and having completed 9-year compulsory education (P = .016) reported higher subjective well-being scores. The findings revealed that subjective well-being was positively associated with income, health, and psychological capital among the aged adults (all P < .001). Self-rated health and psychological capital played complete mediation roles between income and subjective well-being (Effect indirect = 0.040, 95% bootstrap CI [0.022, 0.060]; Effect indirect = 0.027, 95% bootstrap CI [0.013, 0.044], respectively). Collectively, our findings indicate that residing in rural and having lower education levels serve as negative predictors of subjective well-being among the elderly. Although income still affects the elderly's subjective well-being, self-rated health and psychological capital may be the crucial mediating factors. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to improve health conditions and positive psychological capital for subjective well-being of the older people.

Relationship between Cognition, Depression, and Oral health status in Older adults: A longitudinal cross-lagged analysis

BackgroundThe world's population is aging increasingly, and older adults' physical and mental health needs to be prioritized. Although several studies have explored the relationship between cognition, depression, and oral health in older adults, the exact nature and direction of this relationship are poorly understood. Moreover, most studies to date have been cross-sectional, with fewer longitudinal studies. The current longitudinal study explored the relationship between cognition, depression, and oral health in older adults. MethodsWe used data from two waves (2018, 2020) of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging, which included 4543 older adults aged 60 years and older. General socio-demographic characteristics were analyzed using descriptive analysis, and study variables were described using t-tests. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) and cross-lagged models were used to examine the longitudinal associations between cognition, depression, and oral health. ResultsThe GEE results suggested that better cognition and less depression over time were associated with better oral health in older adults. Cross-lagged models further validated the effect of depression on oral health over time. LimitationsThe directionality of the influence of cognition on oral health could not be determined. ConclusionsAlthough there were several limitations, our study provided novel ideas for verifying the effects of cognition and depression on oral health in older adults.

Factors Affecting Psychological Burnout in Nurses Caring for Terminal Cancer Patients.

This study aimed to investigate the impacts of end-of-life care competency and ethical dilemmas on psychological burnout in nurses who care for terminal cancer patients. A cross-sectional study of 160 nurses who cared for terminal cancer patients was conducted. The participants were recruited from the hospice-palliative care wards, hematology or oncology wards, or intensive care units of three general hospitals in a single metropolitan area. Data were collected using a self-administered survey to assess end-of-life care competency, ethical dilemmas, psychological burnout, and general sociodemographic characteristics. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the independent t-test, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierarchical linear regression analysis using SPSS for Windows (version 26.0). Psychological burnout was significantly correlated with end-of-life care competency (r=-0.23, P=0.003) but not with ethical dilemmas. The results of the hierarchical linear regression analysis indicated that end-of-life care competency (β=-0.280, P=0.010) and ethical dilemmas (β=0.275, P=0.037) were significant predictors of psychological burnout, after adjusting for age, religious status, clinical experience, and unit type. The current study's findings demonstrate that end-of-life care competency and ethical dilemmas are crucial factors that affect psychological burnout in nurses who care for terminal cancer patients. Substantive education programs must be developed to improve nurses' competencies in end-of-life care and ethical dilemmas to decrease psychological burnout.

The relationship between occupational performance and well-being of stroke survivors: A cross-sectional study

Stroke is a remarkable event that often causes serious physical, psychological, cognitive and social impairments. Occupational therapy is a patient-centered health care profession that focuses on an individual's occupational performance and well-being by minimizing the impairments that prevent individuals with functional limitations from ensuring appropriate use of their environments. The purpose of the study is to identify the level of occupational performance and wellbeing of stroke patient and investigate the relationship between occupational performance and well-being. Occupational Self-Assessment questionnaire and Personal Well-Being Index questionnaire were used to determine the level of performance and wellbeing. Pearson correlation analysis and a prospective cross-sectional research were employed in this study in order to examine the association between occupational performance and well-being. The result section had shown the general socio-demographic characteristics of the study participants. In Occupational performance “Getting along with others” (2.71 ± 0.715) and “Relaxing and enjoying myself” (2.64 ± 0.619) was scored highest among the 21 myself items. Among the “My Environment” items, “People who support and encourage me” (2.73 ± 0.608) and “People who spend time and share interest with me” (2.70 ± 0.588) showed highest scores. Among the 8 items of the Personal Wellbeing Index-Adult, “Spirituality/ Religion” (9.53 ± 1.402) and “Personal relationships” (8.03 ± 2.468) showed highest satisfaction. In this study, there was a modest but statistically significant link between occupational performance and well-being.

Study on the Association Between Dietary Habits, Patterns and Frailty of the Elderly: A Cross-Sectional Survey from Communities in China.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to explore the effects of Chinese dietary habits and patterns on frailty among elderly people in Xi’an the community. We also sought to provide dietary suggestions for prevention of frailty.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted and participants were divided into three groups: non-frail group, pre-frail group, and frail group. Our sample included 100 individuals randomly selected from each group for the dietary survey. Information regarding general socio-demographic characteristics and the types and quantity of food intake in the past 3 days was collected by a questionnaire. Factor analysis was used to identify dietary patterns; multiple logistic regression analysis was used to explore the correlation between dietary pattern and frailty.Results(1) 1693 elderly individuals were screened. The prevalence of pre-frailty and frailty was 41.0% and 16.2%, respectively. (2) Two dietary patterns were defined: ordinary dietary pattern and high-fat dietary pattern. Compared with the high-fat diet, the intake of iron, vitamin E, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and legume protein was significantly lower in the ordinary diet (P < 0.05). (3) Multivariate regression analysis showed that the ordinary dietary pattern score was positively correlated with frailty, which was consistent after adjusting for confounding factors (P < 0.05).ConclusionThe low-fat and low-protein diet was positively correlated with the risk of frailty. Appropriate increase in fat and protein intake can help improve the frailty of the elderly in China.

The Prevalence Of Sarcopenia And Related Factors In The Elderly Population Aged 60 Years Or Older In Nursing Homes

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of sarcopenia in elderly people in nursing homes in Hebei and to investigate the factors associated with its occurrence. METHODS: Through recruitment,326 subjects aged 60 years or older were selected for the study in nursing homes from June to August 2021.A questionnaire was designed to investigate the daily behavior related factors of elderly patients with sarcopenia, including demographic data,disease-related data and nutritional state. Determining the presence of sarcopenia according to the updated diagnostic criteria of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 (AWGS 2019). A stratified analysis of the prevalence of sarcopenia and a multifactorial analysis using logistic regression were performed by comparing general sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle habits in male and female gender groups. RESULTS: The prevalence of sarcopenia in the elderly population in nursing homes was 29.7%. In the stratified analysis of the prevalence of sarcopenia, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of sarcopenia between males(33.9%) and females(27.5%)(P > 0.05).Multifactorial logistic regression showed that depression(OR = 1.130,95%CI:1.013 ~ 1.286) and increasing age (OR = 1.191, 95% CI: 1.172 to 1.210) were risk factors for sarcopenia(P < 0.05). In addition, BMI (OR = 0.715,95%CI:0.664 ~ 0.769), calf circumference(OR = 0.658,95%CI:0.562 ~ 0.769),grip strength(OR = 0.918,95%CI:0.859 ~ 0.977) and gait speed(OR = 0.080,95%CI:0.008 ~ 0.702) were the protective factors of sarcopenia (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of sarcopenia in the elderly in nursing homes is very high. The main influencing factors are aging,BMI,depression,calf circumference,grip strngth and gait speed. Health workers should take scientific and reasonable measures to help the elderly prevent and treat sarcopenia, reduce the incidence of sarcopenia related adverse events.

Increased hypertension risk for the elderly with high blood levels of strontium and lead.

Hypertension has long been recognized as the global health burden. Heavy metal pollution may be one of the environmental risk factors of hypertension. However, the association remains unclear. We studied the levels of aluminum (Al), vanadium (V), manganese (Mn), arsenic (As), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), titanium (Ti), lead (Pb) and cobalt (Co) in whole blood, and the relationship between trace element exposure and hypertension in the elderly community-based Chinese population. A total of 1013 participants from the west of Anhui Province in China were consecutively enrolled in this study in 2016. The general sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyles, disease history and physical examination information were collected by face-to-face survey and physical examination. The levels of ten trace elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Multivariable logistic regression model was used to assess the association of trace element exposure with the risk of hypertension. Results showed that the odds ratio of hypertension in the highest quartile was 1.811 (95% CI 1.175-2.790, P trend = 0.005) and 1.772 (95% CI 1.121-2.800, P trend = 0.022), respectively, after adjusting for potential confounders, as compared with the lowest quartile of blood Pb and Sr levels.

Lead Levels in a Potters Population and Its Association With the Use of Different Glazes: Cross-Sectional Evaluation of the Approved Pottery Program.

Lead is one of the most harmful toxic metals to humans. In Mexico, though most potters still use a lead-based glazing process, a new lead-free glaze has been introduced to the production of pottery. The Approved Pottery Program (APP) promotes the production of lead-free pottery. As a component of the APP, we aimed to document in this pilot study the blood lead levels (BLLs) of a sample of potters and the association with the type of glaze used. A cross-sectional study was conducted based on information from 46 potters grouped by 26 workshops. We measured general sociodemographic characteristics, capillary BLLs, and the lead levels of the dirt floors of the workshops. The evaluation of associations and comparisons between glaze types was performed based on a regression model clustered by workshop. The median BLL measured was 13.6 μg/dl (IQR: 7.8–20.4 μg/dl), and 70% of the BLLs were greater than 10 μg/dl. Workshop managers presented higher BLLs compared to others working in the same workshop (median of 14.1 μg/dl (IQR: 11.6–25.3 μg/dl) versus 10.1 μg/dl (IQR: 5.2–16.7 μg/dl), respectively). The median BLLs of potters who used lead-free glaze in at least 80% of production were 8.8 μg/dl (95% CI: −17.3 to −0.3 μg/dl) lower than the BLLs of those who used lead-free glaze in less than 30% of production, adjusted by workshop role. Additionally, the lead levels were significantly lower in workshop dirt floors where lead-free glaze was used in at least 80% of the production compared to those that use less than 30% (180 versus 916 mg/kg; p < 0.05). The use of lead-free glaze in the production of pottery was associated with both lower BLLs in potters and lower soil lead levels in the workshop area.

Contribution of beverages to daily added sugar intake: compliance with guidelines’ recommendations

Aim: Beverages that contribute significantly to the daily added sugar intakes are reported to cause increased health problems such as obesity as long as their consumption is not limited. The aim of this study is to estimate added sugar intake from beverages. This cross-sectional descriptive study conducted on 837 adults aged between 18-65 years. &#x0D; Material and Methods: A questionnaire including questions about general socio-demographic characteristics (gender, occupation, income status, age, education) was applied. The beverage consumption within previous month was questioned using a beverage frequency questionnaire. The weight and height of the individuals were measured. &#x0D; Results: In the present study, the mean added sugar intake from beverages was 13.1 ± 17.6 g/day. Fruit drinks and caloric sodas had the highest contributions to daily added sugar intake, followed by sweetened tea and coffee. It was found that 11.95% and 9.68% of participants exceeded the recommendation of the American Heart Association and World Health Organization, respectively. &#x0D; Conclusions: Sugar sweetened beverages are significant contributors to daily added sugar intake in Turkish population. Therefore, decreasing the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages should be main public health implementation to avoid the negative health outcomes including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases that may occur in the future.

Socio-Health Determinants of Occurrence of Postpartum Hemorrhage Among Women of Reproductive Age 15-49 Years - Kenya

SOCIO-HEALTH DETERMINANTS OF OCCURRENCE OF POSTPARTUM HEMORRHAGEPostpartum hemorrhage is the blood loss of 500 ml or more within 24 hours after birth. It is the number one direct cause of maternal mortality Worldwide and constitutes 73% of all the obstetric hemorrhage globally. In Low-income Countries such as Sub-Saharan Africa bears the greatest burden of postpartum hemorrhage. Thirty-four percent of maternal deaths occurring in Kenya are due to postpartum hemorrhage. In Homa Bay County, postpartum hemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal mortality contributing 38% of all maternal deaths despite several strategies by the ministry of health to reduce occurrence. Previous studies attribute this to poor provision and utilization of essential health services. The possible contextual contribution of health system management on occurrence of postpartum hemorrhage has not been explored in the County. The objective of this study was to establish the socio-health determinants of occurrence of postpartum hemorrhage among women of reproductive age 15-49 years in Homa Bay County. The specific objectives were: to identify the socio-demographic determinants of occurrence of postpartum hemorrhage among women of reproductive age; and to determine the personal health determinants of occurrence of postpartum hemorrhage among women of reproductive age. This was a cross-sectional study design in which qualitative and quantitative methods were used. The target population was postnatal women who delivered at the level four public hospitals in Homa Bay County. The sample size was 400 postnatal women. Quantitative data was collected using a structured for socio-demographics determinants, and personal health determinants. Qualitative data was collected using Key Informant Interview guides administered to the eight Sub County Medical Officers of Health and the one County Gynecologist and was recorded. This data was managed thematically while quantitative data was cleaned manually and electronically. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for data processing and analysis. The first stage was processing and analysis involving computation of frequencies and percentages and generation of tables followed by the binary logistic regression for bivariate variables to determine the relationship, adjusted Odds Ratio to determine the degree of significance at a confidence interval of 95% and P-value for each category of the variables. Thematic approach guided the analysis of qualitative data. Socio-health determinants were found statistically significant with multiple logistic regression chi-square 62.08 (P-Value=0.01. The findings had constructing and reviewing programs for women of reproductive age focusing on start of ANC at 1st trimester, age at first both, and the general socio-demographic characteristics through strengthening of community health strategy to improve social and personal health characteristics.

SOCIO-CULTURAL ADAPTATION AND INTEGRATION OF MIGRANTS IN THE REPUBLIC OF DAGESTAN: A SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

The purpose of this article is to study the public opinion of residents of the North Caucasus region (on the example of the Republic of Dagestan) on the state of social and cultural adaptation and integration of foreign citizens. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that the growth of quantitative indicators of migration begins to significantly affect the ethno-social and ethno-political processes in the region and makes certain adjustments in the socio-political sphere of the republic. The main method of research is the quantitative method, i.e. a mass standardized questionnaire. The questionnaire survey was conducted taking into account the general socio-demographic characteristics of the population of the Republic of Dagestan. The content of the questionnaire is aimed at analyzing aspects of the ethnic identity of the Dagestani peoples, determining the ethno-cultural components of its reproduction, analyzing the attitude of the population of the Republic of Dagestan to the social and cultural adaptation and integration of migrants, and identifying the most effective ways to achieve this goal.

Misuse and addiction to mobile phone in a sample of first-grade secondary school students of Palermo

Abstract Background Nowadays, smartphone overuse affects massively teenagers and young adults. From 2014 to 2018 in Italy, for the 11-17 years age group, there has been an increase from 79.9% to 85.8% of daily mobile phone users. This project aims to investigate usage prevalence and misuse/addiction of mobile phones in a representative sample of first-grade secondary school students of the Province of Palermo, Italy, carrying out educational interventions to promote a proper and conscious use of smartphone. Materials and Methods An anonymous, standardized and previously validated pre-intervention questionnaire consisting of 39 items on general socio-demographic characteristics, attitudes and habits regarding smartphone usage, was administered online to 10-15 years old students of the Palermo's Province. Moreover, two additional sets of 11 and 15 items contributed to calculate a Misuse and an Addiction Score, respectively. After administration, educational interventions aimed at promoting the correct and conscious use of the smartphone, were carried out. Results A total of 1600 students belonging to 16 schools, responded to the questionnaire. 93% of the sample had a personal smartphone and 84% had a personal profile on at least one social network. About 15% of the sample experienced cyber bullying episodes and 30% accessed to adult content online (38% of parents didn't set parental control on the devices). Overall, 78.3% of the sample showed a moderate to severe misuse and 38.3% a moderate to severe addiction to mobile phones. Conclusions The uncontrolled and unconscious use of smartphones among adolescents exposes to different health risks including psycho-social and cognitive-relational problems. Results obtained demonstrate high levels of misuse and addiction to mobile devices in a representative sample of students in a developed Country, suggesting the need to implement educational interventions and the development of guidelines to encourage a responsible use of smartphones. Key messages The present study highlights an uncontrolled and unconscious use of mobile phones among 11-15 years old aged students in Southern Italy. The implementation of educational intervention at school and the development of guidelines regulating smartphone usage among adolescents, should represent a future global health priority.

Multi-correspondence analysis of the status and related factors of chronic diseases multimorbidity in middle-aged and elderly people in China in 2009

To study the status of chronic disease multimorbidity of middle-aged and elderly people over 45 years old in China, and to analyze the influencing factors. Using the data of the"China Health and Nutrition Survey(CHNS)", this survey has been carried out in 10 rounds nationwide since 1989. Multi-stage cluster random sampling was used to investigate rural and urban areas in 9 provinces and cities in China. In this study, the general socio-demographic characteristics, disease history, living habits and other information in the 2009 database were used to analyze the subjects who were collected blood samples. The prevalence of 8 common chronic diseases and multimorbidity such as hypertension, mixed-hyperlipidemia and hyperuricemia were described respectively. The Venn diagram in the R software package was used to calculate the multimorbidity of the disease. The χ~2 test and multiple correspondence analysis were used to explore the influencing factors of chronic disease multimorbidity in the middle-aged and elderly people in China. Among the 5316 subjects, the highest prevalence among 8 chronic diseases was hypertension(2143, 40. 3%). The lowest prevalence was myocardial infarction(87, 1. 4%). There were all together 1498 patients who had two kinds or more than two kinds of chronic diseases with a detection rate of 28. 18%. The most common multimorbidity were hypertension+hyperuricemia(199, 13. 30%), followed by hypertension + mixed-hyperlipidemia(191, 12. 77%). Hypertension+hyperuricemia+mixed-hyperlipidemia was the most common combination of the three chronic diseases(103, 6. 89%). Age(Kendull=0. 158, P&lt;0. 001), region(χ~2=30. 129, P&lt;0. 001), BMI(Kendull=0. 344, P&lt;0. 001) and marital status(χ~2=21. 923, P&lt;0. 001) were associated with the number of multimorbidities. Correspondence analysis showed that subjects aged 65 to 74, living in cities and sleeping less than 7 hours were more likely to have multimorbidity. The prevalence of chronic disease multimorbidity among middle-aged and elderly residents in China is high. Older age, unmarried, overweight and obesity, too little or too much sleep may increase the risk of multimorbidity.

A Call to Action: Gaps in Dietary Awareness among Pregnant Women in North Eastern Romania

Living in a digital era when most women can enjoy the benefits of easy access to a wealth of online information does not guarantee that mothers-to-bear aware of healthy dietary and nutrition recommendations for pregnancy and the lactation period. Our study aimed to survey the awareness of pregnant women from urban and rural North Eastern Romania in order to identify potential knowledge gaps or misconceptions and suggest solutions to achieve adequate information. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 women in the third trimester of pregnancy from both rural and urban parts of NE Romania. A questionnaire was designed to collect data on general socio-demographic characteristics and the women's ability to recognize relevant recommendations for diet and nutrition during pregnancy and lactation. The survey was conducted in 2018 and the data was analysed with SPSS version 16. The mean age of the respondents was 29.8. Overall, they were not entirely aware of the appropriate weight gain during pregnancy, the role of iodine or vitamin D in fetus development, the recommended daily intake of dairy products, or the food sources for iron, folic acid, and fatty acids. Moreover, urban women (51%) seemed better informed overall than those from the countryside (49%) (p<0.001): significant knowledge discrepancies were found regarding awareness of recommended caloric increase during pregnancy (p=0.0087), number of meals per day (0.0230), or the benefits of iron (p<0.0001), calcium (p=0.0192), and folic acid (p=0.0238) in the diet. Our study provides insight into the awareness of pregnant women in NE Romania with regard to relevant diet and nutrition topics, as well as certain disparities between women from urban vs. rural areas. The results can help inform educational measures aiming to address knowledge needs and promote healthy dietary habits during such important periods as pregnancy and lactation.

Investigation on the current status of recognition and acceptance of living will in elderly inpatients in Shanxi Province

Objective To analyze related factors for whether or not to make the living will by investigating the current status of recognition and acceptance of living will among elderly inpatients in Shanxi Province, in order to provide the evidence for promoting the living will in elderly hospitalized patients in Shanxi Province. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted on elderly inpatients in Shanxi Province from January 2017 to December 2017, including general information(age, gender, ethnicity, religious belief, dwelling place, education and profession, children, spouse), awareness of living wills and willingness to sign documents of My Five Wishes . The chi-square test and Logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the related factors for elderly inpatients' willingness to sign living will documents Results The 411 elderly inpatients in Shanxi Province had a low level of cognition of living will(146 cases, 35.5%). In general socio-demographic characteristics, only education level and profession were related to the cognition of living will(χ2=12.093 and 11.906, P=0.001 and 0.008). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that as compared with inpatients aged 60-69 years, inpatients aged 70-79 years(OR=0.592, 95%CI: 0.360~0.974, P=0.039)and 80-89 years(OR=0.408, 95%CI: 0.238~0.701, P=0.001)held a significantly negative attitude towards signing the living will documents.According to dwelling place, as compared with countryside, urban elderly inpatients were more willing to sign living will documents in advance(OR=2.293, 95%CI: 1.335~3.940, P=0.003). At the comparison of other occupations with medical workers, teachers(P=0.429), civil servants(P=0.068), only medical workers(OR=3.156, 95%CI: 1.419-7.020, P=0.005)were more willing to sign living will documents in advance.As comparing elderly inpatients with children, the childless elderly inpatients were more willing to sign living will documents in advance(OR=3.156, 95%CI: 1.287~7.740, P=0.012). Conclusions Elderly inpatients in Shanxi Province have a low level of cognition of living will and a poor acceptance of signing the document of my five wishes in advance.In order to benefit the public, we need to increase the promotion and popularization of signing documents of living will in our province. Key words: Living will; Informed consent; Medical autonomy

Who feels a greater environmental risk? Women, younger adults and pro-environmentally friendly people express higher concerns about a set of environmental exposures

Health-related risk perceptions concerning environmental exposures reflect the public's awareness of certain environmental issues that may compromise their health. These perceptions may trigger coping strategies and self-protective behaviors, which are key for protecting people's health. With this study, we sought 1) to assess the general public's perceptions of risk from a set of environmental exposures compared with the assessment of experts; and 2) to build predictive models of the general public's risk perceptions using a comprehensive set of sociodemographic and psycho-environmental variables. We recruited a sample of 338 inhabitants (208 women, 45.8 years on average) of Gipuzkoa (Basque Country). Participants completed a paper-and-pencil questionnaire comprising questions on general sociodemographic characteristics and on health-related behaviors, and several psycho-environmental scales assessing general environmental knowledge, nature relatedness, pro-environmental behavior, environmental concerns and place attachment. Additionally, we contacted 33 regional experts who also evaluated the risk associated with the given set of exposures. Risk scores assigned by participants ranged from 1.51 to 3.42 (out of 4) and were higher than those assigned by the experts. Nonetheless, the pattern of risk prioritization was similar in the two groups. Explanatory models accounted for small to moderate shares of the variance in environmental exposure risk (R2 = 0.05 to 0.17). The best predictors of risk perceptions were gender, age, environmental knowledge and egoistic environmental concerns. Biospheric concerns, nature relatedness and educational level hardly made any contribution. Assessment of past experiences with each environmental exposure, affective reactions towards them and psychological traits could enrich future explanatory models.

Factors associated with adherence to Mediterranean diet among Saudi non-diabetic patients attending primary health care centers: A cross-sectional study.

ObjectivesTo investigate the degree and factors responsible for adherence to a Mediterranean diet among non-diabetic patients attending primary health care centres (PHCCs).MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in Jeddah PHCCs using a validated self-administered questionnaire which assessed adherence levels to 14 dietary aspects related to the Mediterranean diet. The questionnaire enabled calculation of an adherence score (0–14), where inadequate adherence was assumed for scores ≤7. Factors of adherence included general socio-demographic characteristics, medical history, lifestyle, and cardiovascular risk factors such as body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, blood pressure, and fasting and 1-h postprandial blood glucose levels.ResultsOf the 265 participants (50.6% males), inadequate adherence was reported in 74.3%. Adherence scores were higher in married participants than in unmarried ones (6.68 ± 1.74 vs. 6.24 ± 1.79, p = 0.04), as well as in those who engaged in regular physical activity vs. those who did not (6.79 ± 1.90 vs. 6.30 ± 1.63, p = 0.02). Furthermore, Mediterranean diet adherence increased with age (B = 0.02, r = 0.133; p < 0.001). Interestingly, adherence scores were not associated with major cardiovascular risk factors except for a significantly higher diastolic blood pressure in participants with adequate as opposed to low adherence (77.96 ± 12.20 vs. 74.01 ± 12.24, respectively, p = 0.022).ConclusionOne out of 4 non-diabetic patients attending PHCCs exhibited good adherence to a Mediterranean diet without considerable association with cardiovascular risk factors. Further studies are recommended to investigate awareness and knowledge regarding the Mediterranean diet among Saudi populations. Subsequently, awareness programs could be tailored accordingly.

Sportske aktivnosti osoba sa invaliditetom i arhitektonske barijere

Introduction: The realization of sports activities of persons with disabilities requires, above all, the accessibility of sports facilities and sports grounds. Architectural barriers are physical barriers within a built environment, which restrict or completely disable the wheelchair users. The aim of the research was to examine which architectural barriers persons with spinal cord injuries­paraplegia who were engaged in sports recreationally or professionally encountered. Methodology: The sample consisted of 26 persons with spinal cord injury­paraplegia, both gender, who were active in sports and trained at least 2­3 times a week. The research was conducted in Belgrade, in the Home for Adult Disabled Persons, in the Association of paraplegics and quadriplegic 'Dunav', Athletic club 'Pogledi', Wheelchair Basketball club 'Dunav', Table tennis club for persons with disabilities of Belgrade 'STIB' and the Sports and recreation association 'Everything is Possible'. For research purposes, a questionnaire covering general sociodemographic characteristics and architectural barriers that persons encountered when they were engaged in sports was constructed. Conclusion: The most common architectural barriers encountered by athletes with spinal cord injuries­paraplegia are unadjusted wheelchair ramps (73.1%) and parking spaces (69.2%).