Non-alcohol Consumers Research Articles

Association Between Asian Flush and Satisfaction of Sleep via Alcohol Consumption Status in a Sample of Japanese Participants.

The reddening of the face and neck following alcohol consumption is known as Asian flush. Although genetic factors related to Asian flush have been reported to be inversely associated with duration of sleep, no study has reported an association between Asian flush and sleep satisfaction. A cross-sectional study of 3823 Japanese people, aged 20 to 64 years was conducted. The target population comprised general public resident monitors of Osaka Prefecture who were registered with an internet research company. A significant inverse association was observed between Asian flush and satisfaction of sleep. The potential confounder-adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of satisfied sleep was 0.81 (0.69-0.96). The alcohol consumption status-specific analysis revealed essentially the same associations between consumers and non-consumers of alcohol. The adjusted ORs (95% CIs) were 0.81 (0.65-0.997) for non-consumers and 0.80 (0.61-1.05) for consumers of alcohol. The genetic characteristics of physical reactions to alcohol exposure may influence sleep quality. One's alcohol consumption status may not influence the effects of having a lower tolerance to alcohol on sleep quality.

Exploring the Association of Smoking and Alcohol Consumption with Presence of and Severe Coronary Artery Calcification.

Despite the majority of studies have identified smoking as a risk factor for coronary artery calcification (CAC), some studies have not identified this relationship. Differences on results reached by studies on the association of alcohol consumption with CAC exist. Moreover, studies have almost exclusively investigated the association between smoking and alcohol consumption independently. Whether an interaction effect of alcohol on the association of smoking and CAC exists has hardly been investigated. The data of 2431 adult patients who visited Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from September, 2001 to December, 2023 and had Agaston coronary artery calcification score (CACS) reported were utilized. Patients who (1) underwent percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary bypass graft and heart transplantation, or (2) were complicated by acute medical conditions, chronic kidney disease or malignant neoplasms were excluded. Data from 1528 patients were eventually analyzed. Logistic regression was employed to investigate the association of smoking and alcohol consumption with presence of CAC and severe CAC. Interaction effects of alcohol consumption history on the association of current smoking and both presence of and severe CAC were examined. Smoking history was significantly associated with presence of CAC and severe CAC. Current alcohol consumption was also significantly associated with presence of CAC and severe CAC. After adjusting for confounders, alcohol consumption history demonstrated an interaction effect on the association of current smoking with both presence of and severe CAC. Using non-alcohol consumers not smoking at the time of the study as reference, current smokers with an alcohol consumption history suffered from an increased risk of presence of CAC and severe CAC. Both smoking history and current alcohol consumption were associated with presence of and severe CAC. Alcohol consumption history demonstrated an interaction effect on the association of current smoking with both presence of and severe CAC.

Exploring the Nicotine-Parkinson's disease link – Insights from the UK Biobank

IntroductionEvidence suggests an inverse correlation between smoking and Parkinson's disease (PD), yet the mechanisms remain unclear. This study examines the changing risk relationship between smoking and PD diagnosis using alcohol consumption, another reward-driven behavior, as a comparative measure. MethodsA nested case-control study was conducted using the UK Biobank (UKBB) database. Participants in the prediagnostic phase of PD were identified, and self-reported data on tobacco and alcohol use were analyzed employing conditional binary logistic regression. Polynomial and piece-wise regression models were employed to discern shifting associations with PD over time. ResultsOf 502,304 participants (63 ± 5.3 years, 63 % male), 3049 prediagnostic PD cases were identified. Non-smokers had a heightened PD risk, and this association strengthened closer to diagnosis. The odds ratio (OR [95 % CI]) associated with PD in non-smokers was 2.02 [1.07–3.81] 1–4 years before diagnosis, compared to 1.36 [1.02–1.83] at >10-year intervals (linear trend, p = 0.012). The time trajectory of ORs was best depicted by a quadratic function, identifying a shift in risk 7.5 years before diagnosis documentation. Similar patterns emerged among alcohol non-consumers, with an 8.5-year interval inflection point. ConclusionThis study identified two disparate risk trajectories among non-smokers: an initial low-amplitude increased risk at prolonged prediagnostic intervals possibly related to genetic/personality factors, followed by a sharp escalation in risk association commencing 7–8 years before diagnosis, possibly propelled by reverse causality. Similar trends in alcohol consumption reinforce these conclusions. These findings could suggest that smoking cessation may serve as an early indicator of PD.

Association of Cognitive Frailty With Subsequent All-Cause Mortality Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in 17 Countries

ObjectivesCognitive frailty refers to the co-occurrence of cognitive impairment and frailty without concurrent Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Studies of cognitive frailty and mortality have been limited to single country or older people. However, frailty and cognitive decline may occur much earlier. We aimed to examine the association between different cognitive frailty status and subsequent all-cause mortality among middle-aged and older people in 17 countries. MethodsParticipants aged 50 and over were drawn from six prospective cohorts of aging. We classified participants according to their cognitive impairment and frailty status into the following groups: none, only cognitive impairment, only frailty and cognitive frailty. Competing-risks regression models were used to evaluate the association of different cognitive frailty status at baseline with subsequent all-cause mortality. ResultsThe cognitive frailty group had a higher mortality risk compared to those without cognitive impairment and frailty groups. Meta-analysis results showed participants with cognitive frailty (pooled subhazard ratio [SHR] = 2.34, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.01–2.72, I2 = 68.0%) had a higher mortality risk compared with those with only cognitive impairment status (pooled SHR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.25–1.48, I2 = 3.0%) or only frailty status (pooled SHR = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.72–1.95, I2 = 31.0%). The association between cognitive frailty and mortality were stronger among those who were aged 70 years and older, males, single and nonconsumers of alcohol. ConclusionsCognitive frailty, frailty or cognitive impairment alone, is associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality in Asian, European and American countries. Physical and cognitive function screening should be conducted as early as possible in middle-aged and older people, and targeted intervention approaches should be developed to reduce the incidence of adverse health outcomes.

Association Between Alcohol Consumption and Blood Pressure Levels Among HIV Sero-Positive and Sero-Negative Cohorts: A Secondary Analysis of the Vukuzazzi Study.

The effect of hypertension is aggravated by lifestyle factors such as alcohol consumption. This study sought to determine the association between alcohol consumption and the level of blood pressures among HIV seronegative and seropositive cohorts. This secondary analysis was performed on a cross-sectional survey data of 17 922 participants during the period between 2018 and 2020. A questionnaire was used to obtain participants' alcohol consumption history, which was categorized into non-alcohol consumers, non-heavy alcohol consumers, and heavy alcohol consumers. A linear regression model was used to establish relationships among participants with raised blood pressure (BP ≥ 140/90 mmHg). Out of the total participants, 3553 (19.82%) were hypertensives. Almost 13% of the hypertensives (n = 458; 12.89%) were undiagnosed, and 12.44 % (442) had uncontrolled hypertension. About 14.52% of the hypertensives (3553) were not on any antihypertensive medication. Male non-consumers of alcohol had the highest systolic and diastolic BP; uncontrolled systolic BP (165.53 ± 20.87 mmHg), uncontrolled diastolic BP (102.28 ± 19.21mmHg). Adjusted for covariates, moderate alcohol consumption was associated with HTN among participants who were HIV seropositive [unadjusted (RR = 1.772, P = .006, 95% CI (1.178-2.665)], [RR = 1.772, P = .005, 95% CI (1.187-2.64)]. [unadjusted RR = 1.876, P = .036, 95% CI (1.043-3.378)], adjusted RR = 1.876, P = .041, 95% CI (1.024-3.437). Both moderate and heavy alcohol consumption were significantly related to hypertension among HIV sero-negative [unadjusted model, moderate consumption RR = 1.534 P = .003, 95% CI (1.152-2.044)], [adjusted model, moderate alcohol consumption RR = 1.535, P = .006, 95% CI (1.132-2.080)], [unadjusted model, heavy alcohol consumption, RR = 2.480, P = .030, 95% CI (1.091-5.638)], [adjusted model RR = 2.480, P = .034, 95% CI (1.072-5.738)]. Alcohol consumption is significantly related to increase BP regardless of HIV infection.

Association between the composite dietary antioxidant index and constipation: Evidence from NHANES 2005-2010.

Dietary antioxidants have been found to improve various diseases, including digestive, cardiovascular, and urinary disorders. However, the relationship between CDAI and constipation remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the potential link between CDAI and constipation among adults in the United States. This study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) collected between 2005 and 2010. Dietary data from the respondents were obtained through two 24-hour dietary recall interviews. Multiple statistical methods, including multivariable logistic regression, subgroup analysis, and smooth curve fitting analysis, were used to explore the association between CDAI and chronic constipation. A total of 10,904 participants were included in the study, of whom 1,184 were identified as having chronic constipation. After adjusting for potential confounders, multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that higher CDAI was significantly associated with a lower risk of constipation (OR = 0.958 [0.929, 0.987]). Compared to the lowest quartile, the highest quartile of CDAI was associated with a significantly reduced prevalence of constipation (OR = 0.704 [0.535, 0.927]). Subgroup analysis indicated that differences in gender, alcohol intake, and smoking status might influence the association between CDAI and constipation. Smooth curve analysis revealed an "n" shaped relationship between CDAI and constipation among non-alcohol consumers, with a turning point at a CDAI value of 1.08. An elevated CDAI is negatively correlated with the incidence of chronic constipation, suggesting that increasing dietary antioxidant intake may reduce constipation prevalence. These findings underscore the importance of dietary antioxidants in maintaining gut health and provide comprehensive guidance for clinical and public health practices.

Medication Adherence among Patients with Diabetes Mellitus and Its Related Factors-A Real-World Pilot Study in Bulgaria.

Background and Objectives: The objective is to evaluate medication adherence level (MA) and the relevant determinants of MA among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) monitored in ambulatory settings by general practitioners. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with T2DM monitored in a GP practice in Sofia, Bulgaria (September-December 2022). All patients were interviewed according to a predesigned questionnaire after granting informed consent. MA level was evaluated through the Morisky-Green four-item questionnaire, and health-related quality of life was evaluated by EQ-5D-5L and VAS (visual analogue scale). Data were aggregated and statistically evaluated. Results: The total number of observed patients was 93. Around 48.4% of patients were female, and 90.3% of patients were between 50 and 80 years of age. Multimorbidity was identified among 70% (n = 65) of the respondents. High and medium levels of MA were revealed in 64.51% and 33.3% of respondents, respectively. Patients treated with insulin secretagogues were most adherent to the therapy (n = 83.3%) in comparison with the other treatment groups. The onset of the disease, professional status, age, gender, number of therapies, and quality of life did not affect the level of MA (p > 0.05). VAS scores among nonsmokers (VAS = 63.16 ± 20.45 vs. 72.77 ± 14.3) and non-consumers of alcohol (VAS = 63.91 ± 19.34 vs. VAS = 72.54 ± 15.98) were statistically significant lower (p < 0.05). A significant related factor for MA was years lived with diabetes (OR = 3.039, 95% CI 1.1436-8.0759, p = 0.0258). The longer the disease duration, the more the odds for a high MA level increased. Conclusions: The number of nonadherent diabetic patients in Bulgaria is low, which might be evidence of patients' concern about their own health and understanding about the importance of prescribed therapy. Further comprehensive study with additional patients is required to confirm the results and investigate the predicting factors for a high level of MA.

Prevalence and factors associated with HIV treatment non-adherence among people living with HIV in three regions of Cameroon: A cross-sectional study.

In Cameroon, HIV care decentralization is enforced as a national policy, but follow-up of people living with HIV (PLWH) is provider-driven, with little patient education and limited patient participation in clinical surveillance. These types of services can result in low antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and predictors of ART non-adherence among PLWH in Cameroon. A cross-sectional descriptive study of PLWH in HIV treatment centres in Cameroon was conducted. Only PLWH, receiving treatment in a treatment centre within the country, who had been on treatment for at least six months and who were at least 21 years old were included in the study. Individuals were interviewed about their demographics and ART experiences. Data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire and analyzed using STATA version 14. A total of 451 participants participated in this study, 33.48% were from the country's Southwest region. Their mean age was 43.42 years (SD: 10.42), majority (68.89%) were females. Overall proportion of ART non-adherence among participants was 37.78%, 35.88% missed taking ART twice in the last month. Reasons for missing ART include forgetfulness, business and traveling without drugs. Over half of participants (54.67%) know ART is life-long, 53.88% have missed ART service appointments, 7.32% disbelieve in ART benefits, 28.60% think taking ART gives unwanted HIV Status reminder and 2.00% experienced discrimination seeking ART services. In the multivariate analysis, odds of ART non-adherence in participants aged 41 and above was 0.35 times (95%CI: 0.14, 0.85) that in participants aged 21-30 years, odds of ART non-adherence comparing participants who attained only primary education to those who attained higher than secondary education was 0.57 times (95%CI: 0.33, 0.97) and the odds of ART non-adherence in participants who are nonalcohol consumers was 0.62 times (95%CI: 0.39, 0.98) that in alcohol consumers. High proportion of participants are ART non-adherent, and the factors significantly associated with ART non-adherence include age, education and alcohol consumption. However, some reasons for missing ART are masked in participants' limited knowledge in taking ART, disbelief in ART benefits, feelings that ART gives unwanted HIV status reminder and experiencing discrimination when seeking ART services. These underscores need to improve staff (health personnel) attitudes, staff-patient-communication, and proper ART prior initiation counselling of patients. Future studies need to focus on assessing long-term ART non-adherence trends and predictors using larger samples in many treatment centres and regions.

PS-P09-8: ADHERENCE TO NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT AMONG HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS

Objective: Hypertension is a leading cause of death and disability globally, along with increasing comorbidity. It is a major public health challenge in both developing and developed countries. The non-pharmacological management is one of the most effective measures to prevent and control the hypertension, while the non-pharmacological management of hypertension includes adoption of Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension plans (DASH), exercise, moderate alcohol consumption and smoking cessation. Nonetheless, less emphasis has been placed on the non-pharmacological management compared with treating hypertension with medication. Therefore, this study was carried out to assess the adherence to non-pharmacological management among hypertensive patients. Design and method: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among 250 hypertensive patients from March to May, 2022. All adult patients (&gt; 18 years) diagnosed with essential hypertension and met inclusion criteria were recruited. The study participants were selected using a convenient sampling technique. The data were collected by an interviewer administered standard structured questionnaire which was adopted from published literature, data were processed using the software Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). Binary logistic regression model (AOR, 95% CI and P- value &lt; 0.05) was also used to determine the significant associations between dependent variables and independent variables. Result: A total of 250 participants, 129 (51.6%) were females, 121 (48.4%) were males, 118 (47.2%) were &gt; 55 years old, 140 (56.0%) graduated from university and 200 (80.0%) were married. The adherence to non-pharmacological management (diet, exercise, smoking cessation and being non-alcohol consumer) percentage was 25.2%. Out of all participants; 47.6% were adherent to the diet, 46.4% were adherent to exercise, 76.4% were adherent to smoking cessation and 96.4% were non-alcohol consumers. The variables associated with adherence to diet were university education and marriage (AOR 0.30; 95% CI: 0.09- 0.92), (AOR 0.23; 95% CI: 0.06- 0.81) respectively. The variables associated with adherence to exercise were being male and no comorbidities (AOR 0.34; 95% CI: 0.18- 0.64), (AOR 1.10; 95% CI: 0.37- 3.23) respectively. The variables associated with adherence to non-pharmacological management were duration of hypertension &gt; 20 years (AOR 3.50; 95% CI: 1.01- 12.19) and good knowledge about hypertension (AOR 0.03; 95% CI: 0.11- 0.45). Conclusion: The study revealed that the majority of hypertensive patients are not adherent to non-pharmacological management. Therefore, more effort should be directed to increase knowledge about non-pharmacological management and draw attention to its importance.

Alcohol consumption and HIV disease prognosis among virally unsuppressed in Rural KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

&lt;abstract&gt;&lt;sec&gt; &lt;title&gt;Background&lt;/title&gt; &lt;p&gt;The effect of alcohol consumption and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease prognosis has been examined in several studies with inconsistent findings. We sought to determine the effect of alcohol consumption on HIV disease prognosis by examining CD4&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; T cell count/µL (CD4&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; count) and HIV RNA concentration [HIV viral load (VL)] independent of anti-retroviral therapy (ART).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/sec&gt;&lt;sec&gt; &lt;title&gt;Methods&lt;/title&gt; &lt;p&gt;A secondary analysis was performed on a cross-sectional survey data of 1120 participants between 2018 and 2020. Questionnaires were used to obtain the participants' history of alcohol consumption. Blood samples were assayed for CD4&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; T cell count/µL (CD4&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; count) and HIV RNA concentration (HIV viral load). The history of alcohol consumption was categorized into non-alcohol consumers, non-heavy alcohol consumers, and heavy-alcohol consumers. Age, cigarette smoking, gender, and ART use were considered potential confounders. Participants were categorized into two cohorts for the analysis and a multivariate logistic regression was used to establish relationships among virally unsuppressed participants who were ART-experienced and ART-naïve.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/sec&gt;&lt;sec&gt; &lt;title&gt;Results&lt;/title&gt; &lt;p&gt;A total of 1120 participants were considered for analysis. The majority were females (65.9%) between 15–39 years (72.4%). The majority were non-smokers and non-alcohol consumers (88% and 79%, respectively). ART-experienced females had an increased risk of having a higher VL (VL &amp;gt; 1000). This finding was statistically significant [RR, 0.425, 95% CI, (0.192–0.944), p-value, 0.036]. However, ART-experienced participants aged above 64 years had an increased risk of having a lower VL (VL &amp;lt; 1000 copies/mL) and a lower risk of having a higher VL (VL &amp;gt; 1000). However, ART-naïve participants aged between 40–64 years had a significantly lower risk of having higher CD4 count (CD4&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; &amp;gt; 500 cells) and an increased risk of having a lower CD4 count [OR, 0.566 95% CI, (0.386–0.829), p-value, 0.004]. History of alcohol consumption did not have a significant effect on CD4&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; cell count and VL in neither the ART-experienced nor the naïve cohort.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/sec&gt;&lt;sec&gt; &lt;title&gt;Conclusions&lt;/title&gt; &lt;p&gt;Female middle-aged people living with HIV (PLWH) are more likely to have a poorer HIV disease state, independent of alcohol consumption. Alcohol consumption may not have a direct effect on CD4&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; cell count and VL in either ART-naïve or experienced patients.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/sec&gt;&lt;/abstract&gt;

Psychological features of alcohol consumption among student youth in the European North of Russia

AIM: to identify the psychological characteristics of alcohol consumption among students of the European North of Russia.&#x0D; METHODS: The study involved 137 students of state universities in the city of Arkhangelsk (37 men and 100 women aged 17-25), pre-selected for a number of reasons: Russians, born in the city of Arkhangelsk or the Arkhangelsk region, brought up in a complete, socially prosperous family, without financial and domestic problems without chronic somatic and neurological diseases. Identification and analysis of the experience of alcohol consumption at the prenosological level was carried out by retrospective self-assessment of the subjects. The psychological status of the respondents was determined by assessing the Freiburg multifactor personality questionnaire FPI, character accentuations, suggestibility, frustration, irritability and resentment, adventurousness, behavioral, social, professional, economic, political activity and social destructiveness. For statistical data processing, the WilcoxonMannWhitney method and Fishers F-test were used.&#x0D; RESULTS: High levels of adventurousness (Me=10.5 units), extraversion (Me=8 units), behavioral activity (Me=7 units), and low shyness (Me=2.5 units) were found in the group of males who used alcoholic drinks. High levels of emotivity (Me=18 units), adventurousness (Me=9.5 units), and social activity (Me=7 units) were found in the group of women who consumed alcoholic drinks.&#x0D; CONCLUSIONS: For the first time, an analysis was made of the manifestation of indicators of the psychological status of students (representatives of the Russian population of the European North of Russia) consumers at the prenosological level and non-consumers of alcohol. The psychological markers of alcohol consumption in boys and girls permanently residing in the conditions of the Northern territories of the Russian Federation were determined.

Alcohol Contribution to Total Energy Intake and Its Association with Nutritional Status and Diet Quality in Eight Latina American Countries.

Alcohol consumption is a modifiable risk factor for non-communicable diseases. This study aimed to characterize alcohol consumers at the nutritional, anthropometric, and sociodemographic levels. Data from 9218 participants from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela participating in “Latin American Health and Nutrition Study (ELANS)”, a multi-country, population-based study, were used. Dietary intake was collected through two, 24 h recalls. Participants were classified into consumers (n = 1073) and non-alcohol consumers (n = 8145) using a cut-off criterium of ≥15 g/day of alcohol consumption calculated from the estimation of their usual daily intake. Among alcohol consumers, the mean alcohol consumption was 69.22 ± 2.18 grams (4.6. beverages/day), contributing to 484.62 kcal, which corresponded to 16.86% of the total energy intake. We found that the risk of alcohol consumption was higher in young and middle-aged men from low and middle socioeconomic status. Argentine, Brazil, and Chile had the highest percentage of consumers, while Ecuador showed the highest alcohol consumption. Alcohol drinkers were characterized by having higher body weight and wider neck, waist, hips circumferences. Alcohol drinkers had a higher energy intake, with macronutrients providing relatively less energy at the expense of the energy derived from alcohol. Alcohol drinkers showed lower and higher consumptions of healthy and unhealthy food groups, respectively. In addition, adequacy ratios for all micronutrients assessed were lower in alcohol consumers. All these deleterious effects of alcohol on nutritional and anthropometric parameters increased with the number of alcoholic beverages consumed daily. Altogether, these findings suggest that limiting alcohol consumption can contribute to reducing the risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diet-related diseases.

Moderate alcohol consumption and carotid intima-media thickness in type 2 diabetes.

Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) is a risk predictor for myocardial infarction and stroke. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus are at higher risk for such conditions. The association of alcohol consumption with IMT is still controversial. We undertook a cross-sectional study of patients hospitalized in the Department of Endocrinology at Zhoushan Hospital from January 1st, 2013 to December 31st, 2015. Patients with a past medical history of cerebrovascular events, acute myocardial ischemia or unable to provide a detailed alcohol consumption history were excluded. Carotid IMT, together with blood biochemical examinations were collected. Data were analyzed using least significant difference t test, Tamhane's T2 test, Levene test, χ2-test and binary logistic regression model. 281 patients were enrolled in the study. The number of patients with elevated carotid IMT in moderate alcohol consumers was apparently less than alcohol non/heavy-consumers. In addition, the number of participants with elevated carotid IMT in liqueur consumers was higher than alcohol non-consumers and rice wine/beer consumers. Systolic blood pressure, C-reactive protein, glycosylated hemoglobin, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, uric acid, cholesterol and creatinine levels were higher in elevated IMT patients, while high density lipoprotein cholesterol level was levels were significantly lower (p value<0.05). Moderate alcohol consumption has a protective effect on atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, requiring consideration to dietary intake and physical activity, among other influences. Inflammation theory and lipid metabolism could be involved in such prophylaxis effects.

Health Impacts of Alcohol Consumption: Report on Focus Group Findings

Introduction: Alcohol is one of the most widely used drug substances in the world. Most people drink a small or moderate amount of alcohol to make them calm and enhance their social activities. Alcohol have become many individuals’ livelihood and that itself is a major catastrophe for some people. This study aims to obtain perspectives in regards to Alcohol consumption among participants of different age groups, education backgrounds, religions, races and social statuses.&#x0D; Methods: A focus group discussion consists of 3 male and 3 female Malaysians with age range from 16 to 45 was conducted. It consists of a mix group of alcohol consumers and non-alcohol consumers, students and adults from different racial backgrounds, genders and age groups. The participants were approached through qualitative research where they were asked both open-ended and close-ended questions based on various themes regarding the subject matter.&#x0D; Results: In this study, peer pressure is one of the root causes that made most of the participants to initially try alcohol. Family’s acceptance towards alcohol drinking becomes a confounding factor that gives the child to do as they wish. Those who are still in school or universities showed that they consumed more alcohol. The realization of the younger age group towards health implications of alcohol consumption is still poor compared to those of the older age group. Although participants were well aware of the social problems, it is limited to their experiences as well as social backgrounds.&#x0D; Conclusion: Participants’ knowledge regarding alcohol consumption has to be improved. Further analysis on the alcohol drinking behaviour on a larger scale might be needed to alleviate all the problems caused by alcohol consumption.

Point-of-care testing for HIV and sexually transmitted infections reveals risky behavior among men at gambling centers in Uganda".

In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), men are generally difficult to engage in healthcare programs. However, sports gambling centers in SSA can be used as avenues for male engagement in health programs. We offered point-of-care HIV and syphilis testing for men located at five gambling centers in Uganda and assessed HIV risky sexual behavior. Among 507 men, 0.8% were HIV-positive and 3.8% had syphilis. Risky sexual behavior included condomless sex with partner(s) of unknown HIV status (64.9%), having multiple sexual partners (47.8%), engaging in transactional sex (15.5%), and using illicit drugs (9.3%). The majority at 64.5% were nonalcohol consumers, 22.9% were moderate users, and 12.6% had hazardous consumption patterns. In 12months of follow-up, the incidence rate of syphilis was 0.95 (95% CI: 0.82-1.06) among 178 men. Thus, men in SSA have a high prevalence of syphilis and risky sexual behavior which should be more effectively addressed to reduce the risk of HIV acquisition.

Consumption of Tea, Alcohol, and Fruits and Risk of Kidney Stones: A Prospective Cohort Study in 0.5 Million Chinese Adults.

A few prospective studies have suggested that tea, alcohol, and fruit consumption may reduce the risk of kidney stones. However, little is known whether such associations and their combined effect persist in Chinese adults, for whom the popular tea and alcohol drinks are different from those investigated in the aforementioned studies. The present study included 502,621 participants from the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB). Information about tea, alcohol, and fruit consumption was self-reported at baseline. The first documented cases of kidney stones during follow-up were collected through linkage with the national health insurance system. Cox regression was used to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). During a median of 11.1 years of follow-up, we collected 12,407 cases of kidney stones. After multivariable adjustment, tea, alcohol, and fruit consumption were found to be negatively associated with kidney stone risk, but the linear trend was only found in tea and fruit consumption. Compared with non-tea consumers, the HR (95% CI) for participants who drank ≥7 cups of tea per day was 0.73 (0.65–0.83). Compared with non-alcohol consumers, the HR (95% CI) was 0.79 (0.72–0.87) for participants who drank pure alcohol of 30.0–59.9 g per day but had no further decrease with a higher intake of alcohol. Compared with less-than-weekly consumers, the HR (95% CI) for daily fruit consumers was 0.81 (0.75–0.87). Even for those who did not drink alcohol excessively, increasing tea and fruit consumption could also independently reduce the stone risk. Among Chinese adults, tea, alcohol, and fruit consumption was associated with a lower risk of kidney stones.

Association of Socio-Demographic and Clinicopathological Risk Factors with Oral Cancers: A 19-Year Retrospective Study

Objective: To determine the association of socio-demographic and clinic-pathological risk factors with oral cancer in Kelantan, Malaysia. Material and Methods: A 19-year cross-sectional survey was performed in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM), Malaysia. Medical record of 301 oral cancer patients was retrieved from the Medical Records office. Results: The majority of the oral cancer cases were male (62.8%), non-smokers (57.5%), non-alcohol consumers (83.4%), non-betel quid chewers (96.7%), and belonged to Malay ethnicity (68.8%). At the time of diagnosis, most of the patients were at stage II (38.9%). Approximately one-third (30.6%) of the total OC patients experienced loco-regional/distant metastasis, whereas no metastasis was detected in around two-thirds of cases (69.4%). A combination of surgery and radiotherapy was the most commonly employed treatment modality (27.2%). At the time of this study, the survival status of most of the patients was alive (69.1%). The most frequently encountered oral cancer in the Kelantanese population was oral squamous cell carcinoma (70.1%), with the tongue being the most frequently involved oral cavity site (35.5%). Conclusion: More than three-fourths of the cases were alive at follow-up, which included the cases that did not undergo any form of treatment.

Alcohol consumption and fruits and vegetable intake among older adults in Ghana: a cross-sectional survey based on WHO-SAGE Wave 2 data

BackgroundAlcohol consumption and inadequate fruits and vegetable (FnV) intake are major reasons for the shift from communicable to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) over the years. The older Ghanaian adult is at...

Burnout among medical students in Cyprus: A cross-sectional study.

ObjectivesThe primary aim was to estimate the burnout prevalence among all medical students at the Medical School of the University of Cyprus. Secondary aims were to ascertain the predictors of burnout and its relationship with lifestyle habits, sleep quality and mental health.BackgroundBurnout in the healthcare sector has drawn significant scientific attention over the last few years. Recent research underscored the large burden of profession-related burnout among medical students.Materials and methodsAn anonymous questionnaire was administered to all 189 eligible candidates. This included demographic and lifestyle characteristics. Sleep quality was assessed via the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index, mental health was assessed via the mental health (MH) domain of the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and burnout with the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Student Survey (MBI-SS).ResultsOverall response rate was 96.3%. The burnout prevalence was 18.1%. There was a significant linear effect of between the year of studies and the burnout frequency [F(1) = 5.09, p = 0.024], implying that with increasing academic year there were more students with burnout, especially after the 4th year of education which signifies the beginning of clinical education. Students with burnout were more likely to have poor sleep quality (90.9% vs. 60.8%, odds ratio 4.33, p = 0.023) and worse mental health (MH score 40.2 ± 17.7 vs 62.9 ± 20.3, p<0.001). Alcohol consumers had more symptoms of cynicism and less feelings of efficacy than non-alcohol consumers. Moreover, less feelings of efficacy were significantly associated with more alcohol consumption among alcohol consumers.ConclusionsBurnout is prevalent in medical students and increases significantly during the clinical years. Students with burnout have worse sleep and mental health and might use alcohol as a coping mechanism. Implementing prevention strategies of burnout may be beneficial.

Knowledge of hepatitis B virus infection and vaccination status among college of medicine students in Enugu State, south-east, Nigeria

Background: College of Medicine students are at high risk of contracting hepatitis B since they come in contact with infected patients during their training program and are expected to have proper knowledge of the hepatitis B virus infection and know their vaccination status.&#x0D; The aim of the work: To determine the level of knowledge of hepatitis B virus and the vaccination status among college of medicine students in Enugu State, South-East Nigeria. Methods: A school-based descriptive cross-sectional study was carried among college of medicine students at ESUT College of Medicine, Enugu State. A pretested self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information from 437 students. Data analysis was carried out using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version (SPSS) 22 and a p-value of 0.05 was used to determine statistical significance.&#x0D; Results: The mean age of the respondents was 22.3 ± 3.7 years and the majority were single (91.1%) and female (54.7%). A high proportion (68.2%) of the students had a good knowledge of HBV while a minority (20.0%) were aware of their vaccination status. Lack of vaccination programs for students (36.6%) and poor awareness of HBV vaccine for adults (32.5%) were the commoner reasons for non-vaccination. While final year students, (95% CI=1.73-28.92), respondents who consume herbal concussions (95% CI= 0.98-2.96) and those who were at least 30 years old (95% CI=0.32-5.16) were 7.1, 1.7 and 1.3 times respectively more likely to have good knowledge of HBV disease, females (95% CI=0.30-0.83) and respondents who consumed alcohol (95% CI= 0.32-0.89) were about twice less likely to have poor knowledge of HBV than males and non-alcohol consumers.&#x0D; Conclusion: Although most of the students had a good knowledge of HBV infection their vaccination status was low indicating the need for government to make a policy that would mandate that all college of medicine students should get vaccinated as part of the admission process.