Health Issues Research Articles

Unraveling the complexities of adolescent depression: A call for action

The adolescent years are a period of profound change, both physically and psychologically. For many, these years are marked by excitement and exploration, but for others, they are fraught with challenges that can lead to significant mental health issues. Depression, in particular, has become an increasingly prevalent concern among adolescents worldwide, and its multifaceted etiology requires a comprehensive approach to understanding and intervention. A recent study on the relationships among negative life events, dysfunctional attitudes, social support, and depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents offers valuable insights into the complex interplay between various factors contributing to adolescent depression. The authors explore a moderated mediation model to better understand how these factors interact with and contribute to the onset of depression. This article aims to delve into the key findings of the study, highlight its implications for clinical practice, and encourage further research in this critical area.

An update on the pathogenesis and ethnopharmacological therapeutic approaches of vulvovaginal candidiasis

AbstractIn the era of globalization, the concept of world health needs to be practiced where a significant consideration should be given to women health. Of many issues, the most common and under-rated is vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC); a superficial to invasive mucosal infection of lower reproductive tract in women, primarily caused by commensal yeast Candida. The inability of conventional drugs in triumphing the VVC has made researchers to review the potential of traditional medicines. The present review aimed to highlight the problem and concerns of women related to VVC, covering all aspects of disease development, host response, conventional drug failure, and possibilities of formulating phytomolecule based VVC therapy. The health and disease issues in women are considerably severe, especially for those living in impoverished conditions. Any dysbiosis in vaginal microbiome disturbs the harmony between residing microbes and leads to commencement of VVC. Lactobacillus is key care-taker microbe that keeps check on over growth of Candida by various means. However, Candida have evolved numerous virulence traits to overcome the governance of Lactobacillus as well as host immune system. The present review comprehensively outlined the virulence, and pathogenicity of Candida along with its interaction with host immune system. The review has also highlighted the current conventional drugs and their drawbacks, along with potential of ethnopharmacological phytoactive molecules as future therapies for defining the therapeutic management of the disease. Graphical Abstract

Perioperative administration of sub-anesthetic ketamine/esketamine for preventing postpartum depression symptoms: A trial sequential meta-analysis

Objective Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major mental health issue affecting 10%–15% of women globally. This meta-analysis synthesized updated evidence on sub-anesthetic ketamine/esketamine’s efficacy in preventing PPD. Methods Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing ketamine/esketamine to a placebo for PPD prevention were searched without language restriction. Primary outcomes were PPD risk at 1- and 4–6-week postpartum. Secondary outcomes included the difference in depression scores and risk of adverse events. Trial sequential analysis (TSA) was conducted to validate the reliability. Results A meta-analysis of 22 RCTs (n = 3,463) showed that ketamine/esketamine significantly decreased PPD risk at 1- (risk ratio [RR], 0.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.3–0.57) and 4–6-week (RR, 0.47; 95%CI, 0.35–0.63) follow-ups. Consistently, participants receiving ketamine/esketamine had lower depression-related scores at 1- (standardized mean difference [SMD], −0.94; 95%CI, −1.26 to −0.62) and 4–6-week (SMD, −0.89; 95%CI, −1.25 to −0.53) follow-ups. Despite potential publication bias, TSA confirmed the evidence’s reliability. Subgroup analysis showed that ketamine/esketamine’s preventive effect on 1-week PPD was consistent, regardless of administration timing, type of agents, or total dosage (<0.5 vs. ≥0.5 mg/kg). For the 4–6-week period, PPD risk was favorably reduced only with postoperative administration or the use of esketamine, with the total dosage having no observed influence. Participants on ketamine/esketamine experienced more frequency of hallucinations (RR, 4.77; 95%CI, 1.39–16.44) and dizziness (RR, 1.36; 95%CI, 1.02–1.81). Conclusion Our findings advocate for the postoperative administration of low-dose ketamine/esketamine to avert PPD, which needed additional research for confirmation.

Systematic Review of Air Pollution in Ethiopia: Focusing on Indoor and Outdoor Sources, Health, Environment, Economy Impacts and Regulatory Frameworks

The varied geography (Bekele, 1996) and rapid economic growth of Ethiopia (World Bank, 2020) might have impact its air pollution patterns, with topography, elevation, and climate variability (Lemma Gonfa, 1996) playing significant roles. Environmental challenges, including deforestation and climate change, also affect air quality. This study offers a systematic review of air pollution research in Ethiopia, providing a thorough analysis of its health, environmental, and economic impacts, regional variations, and policy suggestions. It addresses both indoor and outdoor air pollution, assessing their wide-ranging effects. Data were gathered through an extensive search of peer-reviewed articles, policies, and guidelines using Google Scholar and reputable sources, following PRISMA guidelines. The review highlights critical sources of air pollution in Ethiopia, including indoor biomass fuel combustion and outdoor emissions from traffic and industries. Indoor air pollution, particularly from traditional biomass fuels like wood and dung, affects rural and peri-urban areas, leading to high levels of particulate matter and carbon monoxide. Outdoor pollution, driven by urbanization, industrial expansion, and vehicle emissions, worsens health issues and environmental damage. The study identifies severe health consequences, such as respiratory infections and cardiovascular diseases, with air pollution contributing to premature deaths and rising healthcare costs. Economic analysis highlights the significant costs related to healthcare, lost productivity, and infrastructure damage. Environmental impacts include harm to plant health, soil degradation, and contributions to climate change. Despite initiatives to improve air quality monitoring and regulation, challenges persist due to outdated policies, limited infrastructure, and insufficient data. The study emphasizes the need for more comprehensive research and regulations to tackle air pollution crisis.

Prior Antidepressant Prescription is Associated with Greater Opioid Prescriptions and Complications in Cervical Spine Surgery

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study of national database. Objective: This study evaluates the impact of antidepressant prescriptions on postoperative outcomes and complications in cervical spine surgery. Summary of Background Data: Patients who underwent cervical spine surgery often receive antidepressant prescriptions (ADP) to address concurrent mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. However, the use of antidepressants can affect bone metabolism. Yet, there is an opacity in the literature regarding the effects of ADP on outcomes of cervical spine surgery. Methods: Utilizing the TriNetX database, ACDF and Cervical Arthroplasty patients were matched on a 1:1 basis according to ADP status. Outcome variables such as emergency department visits, hospital readmissions, opioid prescription, and misuse, pseudoarthrosis, adjacent segment disease, and hardware failure were evaluated over follow-up periods ranging from 2 to 24 months. Results: In a matched sample of 12,838 patients, those with ADP exhibited significantly higher rates of opioid prescriptions at 2 weeks (OR 1.34, P<0.0001), 6 months (OR 1.36, P<0.0001), 12 months (OR 1.36, P<0.0001), and 24 months (OR 1.33, P<0.0001). Emergency Department visits were significantly higher at 6 months (OR 1.11, P=0.0082) and 24 months (OR 1.083, P=0.014). Opioid abuse is notably higher by 24 months (OR 1.37, P=0.0033). Hospitalization rates were significantly increased at 12 months (OR 1.16, P=0.0013) and 24 months (OR 1.18, P<0.0001). Adjacent segment disease (OR 1.54, P<0.0001 at 24 mo), hardware failure (OR 1.42, P=0.013 at 24 mo), and pseudarthrosis (OR 1.48, P<0.0001 at 24 mo) were also significantly higher in the ADP group. Conclusions: Patients with ADP undergoing cervical spine surgery experience higher risks of opioid use and abuse, increased hospital readmissions, emergency department visits, and a higher rate of mechanical complications. Level of Evidence: III

A Statistical Evaluation of the Occurence of Meningitis in Takum, Taraba State, Nigeria

Meningitis remains a critical public health issue in Nigeria, particularly within the dry season when environmental factors such as low humidity and dust elevate transmission risks. Using historical incidence data from 2012 to 2021, this study utilizes the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model estimate and predict the occurrence of meningitis occurrences. Findings frm the study revealed that the ARIMA(1,1,0) model emerged as the optimal fit, capturing the seasonal patterns and temporal trends in meningitis cases. This study recommends the integration of ARIMA-based forecasting into Nigeria’s public health strategies to strengthen early warning systems, optimize resource deployment, and enable more proactive responses during high-risk periods.

VIOLÊNCIA OBSTÉTRICA CONTRA MULHERES NEGRAS:IMPACTOS NA SAÚDE MATERNA

Obstetric violence is a form of abuse that occurs in healthcare services, involving physical, verbal abuse, and neglect, often perpetrated by healthcare professionals. This violence has an even greater impact on Black women in Brazil, who face additional barriers to accessing prenatal care and maternity services. General Objective: To highlight how obstetric violence directly affects the lives of these women, causing emotional, physical, and maternal trauma. Methodology: This study is a bibliographic review that investigates obstetric violence, with a special focus on the experiences of Black women. The research was based on scientific articles published between 2019 and 2024, collected from databases such as BVS and SCIELO. The selection of articles included the analysis of titles, abstracts, and full readings of the texts, aiming to gather relevant information for the proposed review. Results: Obstetric violence is recognized as a serious public health issue in Brazil, where the lack of clear management policies hinders reporting and perpetuates the vulnerability of women. This situation highlights the urgent need for increased social awareness, as well as investments in the education and training of healthcare professionals, to prevent this form of violence and ensure respect for women's rights.

MORTALIDADE NO PERÍODO GESTACIONAL POR COMPLICAÇÕES ANESTÉSICAS: NÚMEROS NACIONAIS DOS ÚLTIMOS 10 ANOS

Brazil stands out globally for the number of cesarean sections performed annually, with figures far exceeding the recommendations of the WHO – World Health Organization. Cesarean delivery requires appropriate anesthetic blockade, with various techniques possible, the most common being spinal anesthesia and, less frequently, general anesthesia techniques. Both regional and general anesthesia techniques have advanced significantly in recent years but are not free from complications, which are associated with both maternal history and the anesthetic procedure itself. Maternal morbidity and mortality during the gestational period is a public health issue, which is also linked to the appropriate choice of delivery method and necessary anesthesia procedure. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the national number of maternal deaths related to anesthetic procedures over the past 10 years – from 2014 to 2023 – and to compare national data with international data, based on the most recent scientific literature.

Eye diseases in chronic kidney disease: A nationwide longitudinal case–control study in Sweden

AbstractBackgroundChronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing health issue that is becoming more prevalent globally, increasing financial cost on healthcare systems. The purpose of this study is to investigate the incidence of eye diseases in patients diagnosed with CKD in Sweden and to evaluate which eye diseases are most likely to develop.MethodsA longitudinal population‐based retrospective case–control study was conducted including all individuals diagnosed with chronic kidney disease during the time period 2001–2019. A total of 19 455 cases and 38 890 controls were included. For each case, two controls were matched with the same sex, age, and county of residence.ResultsCKD patients had a significantly higher risk of contracting any eye disease compared to individuals without kidney disease HR 1.73 (CI 1.67–1.79), with an elevated risk for all blocks of diagnoses except for glaucoma HR 0.95 (CI 0.85–1.06). However, this condition developed earlier in cases than in controls. Subanalyses showed an increased risk for chronic eye disease patients to develop cataract HR 1.70 (CI 1.63–1.78), other retinal disorders HR 1.86 (CI 1.72–2.02), and retinal vascular occlusions HR 2.08 (CI 1.73–2.51). In general, diagnosis of an eye disease occurred earlier in cases than controls.ConclusionsThe results from this study suggest that CKD patients have an increased risk to develop eye disease. Ocular disease seems to develop considerably earlier in CKD, even without staging the severity of the disease, with particularly high risk of developing retinal diseases and cataracts. Screening for eye disease in CKD should be considered.

How Do Teachers Perceive Lifelong Learning and Adult Education?

The objective of this study is to explore the perspectives of middle school teachers on the concepts of lifelong learning and adult education. The qualitative research involved 25 middle school teachers, and their responses, gathered through semi-structured interviews, underwent content analysis. Thematic analysis was employed to derive the results. The findings underscore that teachers attribute value to lifelong learning and adult education for various purposes, such as personal development, adaptation to evolving times, sustained learning, quality time utilization, social integration, and meeting educational needs. A consensus within the study group indicates that individuals across professions should engage in lifelong learning beyond their initial undergraduate education. The research reveals that continuous lifelong learning among teachers positively impacts performance, fostering open-mindedness, cultivating versatile thinking, facilitating effective lesson delivery, and improving interaction with students. Identified factors hindering lifelong learning include physical and economic conditions, environmental factors, health issues, motivation, and the repercussions of disasters. Additionally, teacher opinions shed light on shortcomings in lifelong learning and adult education within the Turkish context. Lastly, the study observes a general lack of adequate knowledge among teachers regarding global lifelong learning and adult education activities.

Potential antiviral activity of rhamnocitrin against influenza virus H3N2 by inhibiting cGAS/STING pathway in vitro.

Influenza remains a serious issue for public health and it's urgent to discover more effected drugs against influenza virus. Rhamnocitrin, as a flavonoid, its effect on influenza virus infection remains poorly explored. In this study, rhamnocitrin showed antiviral effect and anti-apoptosis on influenza virus A/Aichi/2/1968 (H3N2) in MDCK cells and A549 cells. In addition, molecular docking revealed that rhamnocitrin have good binding activity with the target proteins cGAS and STING, molecular dynamic simulation and surface plasmon resonance showed that rhamnocitrin could form a stable complex with the above proteins. Moreover, the qPCR and western blot assays further verified that rhamnocitrin could reduce type I IFN and proinflammatory cytokines production by inhibiting the cGAS/STING pathway. Taken together, the results suggest that rhamnocitrin could be a potential anti-viral agent against influenza.

What do community paramedics in Germany do regarding the care of older people? A retrospective, descriptive analysis of low-acuity cases.

Non-life-threatening cases treated by emergency services have been increasing in recent years, especially in older people. In a region in Germany with approximately 600,000 inhabitants, the role of a specially trained community paramedic (Gemeindenotfallsanitäter, G-NFS) was introduced in 2019. The G-NFS is dispatched to low-acuity requests, attends the assignment alone and is allowed to treat patients at home. The aim of this study was to analyse the assignments attended by the G-NFS relating to the suspected diagnoses, with a focus on older people (≥ 65years) according to their care setting. In this descriptive, retrospective study, we analysed the anonymous assignment report forms 07/2023-12/2023 of cases where patients were aged ≥ 65years. The suspected diagnoses (free textfield) were categorised according to the International Classification of Primary Care 2nd Edition (ICPC-2) scheme. Furthermore, baseline characteristics, urgency of the assignment, provided measures, transport and further treatment were analysed, stratified by care setting. Of the 1,643 included anonymous assignment report forms, 52.9% (n = 869) related to patients aged ≥ 65years. In this population, the mean age was 80.7years (SD 8.2), 49.6% were female and most were in long-term care, whether as home care recipients (34.8%) or as nursing home residents (26.9%). The most frequent diagnoses were categorised as urological (24.9%), general and unspecified (13.7%), circulatory (13.6%), digestive (12.8%), musculoskeletal (11.5%) and respiratory (10.3%). In 52.7% of the cases no transport was necessary, while 73.7% of urological cases did not need to be transported. The G-NFS was dispatched mainly to older people. Most of them were in long-term care and were not transported. The most common suspected diagnoses were categorised as urological, followed by general and unspecified, and circulatory, and differed by care setting. There is a strong need to strengthen outpatient healthcare structures for low-acuity health issues in older and immobile patients.

Socioeconomic determinants of malaria and hepatitis infections: insights from the Federal Medical Center, Makurdi, North Central, Nigeria.

Malaria and hepatitis are prevalent public health issues in Nigeria, significantly impacting health outcomes. Given the importance of the Federal Medical Center, Makurdi, as a key healthcare provider in the region, it is crucial to understand the prevalence and factors associated with these diseases within this setting. This study is designed to address this need, aiming to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of malaria and hepatitis B and C among patients at the Federal Medical Center, Makurdi. A cross-sectional study design was employed, involving the meticulous analysis of patient records and diagnostic data from the Federal Medical Center, Makurdi. Data on malaria and hepatitis B and C prevalence were collected from laboratory reports and patient interviews. Socioeconomic information, including income, education level, and healthcare access, was also gathered. Statistical analyses were performed with utmost care to identify associations between disease prevalence and risk factors. The study examined 248 patients at the Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, assessing malaria, Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and Hepatitis C virus (HCV). Malaria prevalence was 52.4%, with higher rates in males (57.7%) than females (47.2%). HBsAg prevalence was 6.9%, and HCV was 4.8%, with no significant differences by sex or marital status. Income level impacted HCV rates, with middle-income individuals showing higher prevalence (21.4%). Malaria was most common in the 26-40 age group (35.4%). The findings underscore the need for targeted public health interventions. Enhanced access to preventive measures, such as insecticide-treated nets and safer blood transfusion practices, and educational disease prevention programs, are essential. Addressing socioeconomic disparities is crucial for effective disease control. To mitigate the burden of malaria and hepatitis B and C at the Federal Medical Center, Makurdi, a multifaceted approach is required. Improving preventive measures, healthcare access, and addressing socioeconomic determinants will reduce disease prevalence and improve patient outcomes.

Phage-Derived Endolysins Against Resistant Staphylococcus spp.: A Review of Features, Antibacterial Activities, and Recent Applications.

Antimicrobial resistance is a significant global public health issue, and the dissemination of antibiotic resistance in Gram-positive bacterial pathogens has significantly increased morbidity, mortality rates, and healthcare costs. Among them, Staphylococcus, especially methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), causes a wide range of diseases due to its diverse pathogenic factors and infection strategies. These bacteria also present significant issues in veterinary medicine and food safety. Effectively managing staphylococci-related problems necessitates a concerted effort to implement preventive measures, rapidly detect the pathogen, and develop new and safe antimicrobial therapies. In recent years, there has been growing interest in using endolysins to combat bacterial infections. These enzymes, which are also referred to as lysins, are a unique class of hydrolytic enzymes synthesized by double-stranded DNA bacteriophages. They possess glycosidase, lytic transglycosylase, amidase, and endopeptidase activities, effectively destroying the peptidoglycan layer and resulting in bacterial lysis. This unique property makes endolysins powerful antimicrobial agents, particularly against Gram-positive organisms with more accessible peptidoglycan layers. Therefore, considering the potential benefits of endolysins compared to conventional antibiotics, we have endeavored to gather and review the characteristics and uses of endolysins derived from staphylococcal bacteriophages, as well as their antibacterial effectiveness against Staphylococcus spp. based on conducted experiments and trials.

Behavior Tracking and Analyses of Group-Housed Pigs Based on Improved ByteTrack

Daily behavioral analysis of group-housed pigs provides critical insights into early warning systems for pig health issues and animal welfare in smart pig farming. In this study, our main objective was to develop an automated method for monitoring and analyzing the behavior of group-reared pigs to detect health problems and improve animal welfare promptly. We have developed the method named Pig-ByteTrack. Our approach addresses target detection, Multi-Object Tracking (MOT), and behavioral time computation for each pig. The YOLOX-X detection model is employed for pig detection and behavior recognition, followed by Pig-ByteTrack for tracking behavioral information. In 1 min videos, the Pig-ByteTrack algorithm achieved Higher Order Tracking Accuracy (HOTA) of 72.9%, Multi-Object Tracking Accuracy (MOTA) of 91.7%, identification F1 Score (IDF1) of 89.0%, and ID switches (IDs) of 41. Compared with ByteTrack and TransTrack, the Pig-ByteTrack achieved significant improvements in HOTA, IDF1, MOTA, and IDs. In 10 min videos, the Pig-ByteTrack achieved the results with 59.3% of HOTA, 89.6% of MOTA, 53.0% of IDF1, and 198 of IDs, respectively. Experiments on video datasets demonstrate the method’s efficacy in behavior recognition and tracking, offering technical support for health and welfare monitoring of pig herds.

“We’re a Disease to Someone”: Embodying Safety and Freedom in a State Motorcyclists’ Rights Organization

ABSTRACT Public health and safety experts have advocated mandatory helmet laws as an important means to increase motorcyclists’ safety and public health for over 50 years. Despite these recommendations, some motorcyclists have successfully organized to challenge such laws. This is an ethnographic study of the largest state motorcyclists’ rights organization (SMRO) in the United States and its institutionalized opposition to mandatory helmet laws. I argue that in addition to its focus on individual freedom, the motorcyclists’ rights movement has characteristics of an embodied health movement in the sense that activists challenge expert understandings of health issues based on their personal experiences. Motorcyclists’ rights activists oppose mandatory helmet laws advocated by experts because they interfere with their understanding of freedom but also do not work to increase safety as they understand it. Exploring the embodied health characteristics of the motorcyclists’ rights movement helps us understand how the movement has been able to grow and maintain itself and the boundaries of embodied health movements. Other movements that combine a focus on both freedom and health and safety may exist and provide fruitful opportunities for future research.

Microorganisms isolated from thermoplastic masks and storage racks in head and neck cancer patients with radiation dermatitis.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) remain a critical public health issue, as they contribute to prolonged treatment duration, increased healthcare costs, and heightened risks of morbidity and mortality. In head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy, thermoplastic masks (TMs), which come into direct contact with the skin, represent a potential vector for infection. Additionally, the storage racks where these masks are kept may also facilitate microorganism transmission. Our study aimed to isolate and identify microorganisms from infective skin lesions secondary to radiation dermatitis in head and neck cancer patients, as well as from the TMs and storage racks, and to evaluate the antibiotic resistance profiles of the isolated microorganisms. The study included 71 locally advanced head and neck cancer patients who underwent radiotherapy between August 2022 and November 2023. Patients were monitored daily, and their skin evaluations were made according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 4.0. Grade 2 and 3 radiodermatitis was observed in 29 of these 71 patients. Samples were collected using sterile swabs from the skin lesions on the head and neck area, the inner surfaces of the TM, and the storage rack from 29 patients. Samples were inoculated into enrichment and selective media. After the growing microorganisms were identified, antimicrobial susceptibility was evaluated using conventional methods and automated systems according to the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) criteria. At least one type of microorganism was isolated from the skin samples of infected patients, and double growth was detected in two patients. Among the samples, 2 were methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (MRCNS), 1 was methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), 1 was Candida albicans (C. albicans), 15 were methicillin-sensitive coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (MSCNS), 1 was methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), 1 was Bacillus subspecies (Bacillus spp.) and 3 were Corynebacterium diphtheriae (C. diphtheriae). Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus strains were isolated from the skin of 14 of 19 patients with grade 2 radiation dermatitis, whereas CNS strains were isolated from only 2 of 10 patients with grade 3 radiation dermatitis. Among the gram-negative bacteria, 3 Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), 2 Enterobacter cloacae (E. cloacae), 1 Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) and 1 Moraxella catarrhalis (M. catarrhalis) strain were isolated. Sixteen (55.1%) of the TMs used in 29 patients and 20 (68.9%) of the storage racks harbored microorganisms, including HAI agents and flora bacteria. Bacteria colonize TMs and storage racks where they are risk factors for secondary skin infections in radiation dermatitis lesions that develop on the skin of head and neck cancer patients. Decontamination procedures should be meticulously applied to surfaces such as TMs and their storage racks during the course of radiotherapy.

Effect of an 18-month meditation training on cardiovascular risk in older adults: a secondary analysis of the Age-Well randomized controlled trial.

Cardiovascular risk factors represent an important health issue in older adults. Previous findings suggest that meditation training could have a positive impact on these risk factors. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of an 18-month meditation-based intervention on cardiovascular health. Age-Well was a randomized, controlled superiority trial with blinded end point assessment, including community-dwelling cognitively unimpaired adults 65years and older enrolled between November 24, 2016, and March 5, 2018, in France. One hundred and thirty-four participants were included in this secondary analysis. Participants were randomly affected to an intervention group that received an 18-month meditation-based program or to comparison groups (active control group i.e. non-native language training or passive control group i.e. no intervention). The main outcome was change in the Framingham Risk Score (FRS); other outcomes were changes in cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors. There was no difference in FRS change after 18months between trial arms (p = .38). When assessing individual cardiovascular or metabolic risk factors, meditation training was associated with a greater reduction in diastolic blood pressure than the comparison group in participants with intermediate to high cardiovascular risk (FRS > 10%) at baseline (p = .03). An 18-month meditation training was not effective to increase overall cardiovascular health in older adults, but improved diastolic blood pressure in a subgroup analysis including at-risk participants. These results suggest a potential benefit of a long-term meditation intervention in older adults at-risk of cardiovascular diseases, and highlights the need for future research in more targeted populations. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02977819.

Evaluation of noise pollution impact on health in Dhaka city, Bangladesh

ObjectivesThe purpose of this research was to look at the interrelation between adult health issues in Dhaka and noise pollution.MethodsThe methodology involved a cross-sectional survey conducted in five different land use categories, with a sample size of 1,016 individuals. A validated questionnaire that focused on sources of perceived noise pollution and health issues related to noise was used to gather subjective data for the study. Objective noise pollution was evaluated using equivalent continuous sound pressure level (LAeq).ResultsFindings revealed noise generated from road traffic are the predominant source of noise pollution, with Thursday evenings during the end of office hours being the noisiest period in Dhaka. All areas in Dhaka exceeded permissible noise levels, posing significant health risks to residents and workers. The study identifies critical gaps in existing noise regulation policies and enforcement.ConclusionOverall, this study underscores the urgent need for comprehensive noise pollution mitigation strategies, including innovative technologies, real-time monitoring systems, and public awareness campaigns. Further studies in diverse urban contexts are recommended to enhance the understanding of noise pollution’s long-term impacts on vulnerable populations.

"You sit in abubble while the others go about their lives"-perspectives of Ukrainian refugee mothers with children aged 0-3years

Little is known about the situation of Ukrainian parents with children up to the age of three who have fled to Germany since Russia's attack on Ukraine. The aim of the National Center for Early Intervention research project is to explore the perspective of this group on their lives in Germany. This analysis focuses on the burdens and resources of the parents and their knowledge and use of support services. In 17interviews (duration approx. one hour each), parents (16mothers, one father) who had fled from Ukraine to Germany with children up to the age of three were interviewed between October and December 2022, and their answers were qualitatively analyzed using structured content analysis. The interviewees primarily described the psychological stress caused by war and flight, negative emotions such as feelings of loneliness, sadness and lack of motivation, and obstacles to integration as burdens. Resources were primarily networks of Ukrainian- and Russian-speaking people in Germany as well as personal resources such as self-care skills. Supporting services were generally communicated via electronic media. Services for childcare, language courses, and support with health issues were considered particularly useful. Alack of childcare was the most important reason for not taking up other services. The psychological stress of the interviewees indicates aneed for therapy capacities in their native language. Childcare may enable Ukrainians to attend language courses that promote integration. The self-organized networks of the Ukrainian- and Russian-speaking community should be involved in the development of interventions for this target group in aparticipatory manner from the outset.