Past Year Research Articles (Page 1)

BackgroundIn England, over 80 % of those with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have injected drugs. We quantified the HCV cascade of care (CoC) among people who inject drugs (PWID) in England and determined whether this improved after direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) were introduced. MethodsWe analysed data from nine rounds of national annual cross-sectional surveys of PWID recruited from drug services (2011–2019; N = 12,320). Study rounds were grouped as: 'Pre-DAAs’ (2011–2014), ‘Prioritised DAAs’ (2015–2016) and 'Unrestricted DAAs’ (2017–2019). Participants were anonymously tested for HCV antibodies and RNA and completed a short survey. We assessed the proportion of PWID recently (current/previous year) tested for HCV. For participants ever HCV treatment eligible (past chronic infection with history of treatment or current chronic infection), we assessed the CoC as: HCV testing (ever), received a positive test result, seen a specialist nurse/doctor, and ever treated. We used logistic regression to determine if individuals progressed through the CoC differently depending on time-period, whether time-period was associated with recent testing (all participants) and lifetime HCV treatment (ever eligible participants), and predictors of HCV testing and treatment in the Unrestricted DAAs period. ResultsThe proportion of ever HCV treatment eligible PWID reporting lifetime HCV treatment increased from 12.5 % in the Pre-DAAs period to 25.6 % in the Unrestricted DAAs period (aOR:2.40, 95 %CI:1.95–2.96). There were also increases in seeing a specialist nurse/doctor. The largest loss in the CoC was at treatment for all time periods. During the Unrestricted DAAs period, recent (past year) homelessness (vs never, aOR:0.66, 95 %CI:0.45–0.97), duration of injecting (≤3 years vs >3 years; aOR:0.26, 95 %CI:0.12–0.60), never (vs current, aOR:0.31, 95 %CI:0.13–0.75) or previously being prescribed OAT (vs current, aOR:0.67, 95 %CI:0.47-0.95), and never using a NSP (vs past year, aOR:0.27, 95 %CI:0.08–0.89) were negatively associated with lifetime HCV treatment. The proportion of PWID reporting recent HCV testing was higher during Unrestricted DAAs (56 %) compared to Pre-DAAs (48 %; aOR:1.28, 95 %CI:1.06–1.54). ConclusionCOC stages from seeing a specialist onwards improved after DAAs became widely available. Further improvements in HCV testing are needed to eliminate HCV in England.

Increased risk of non-fatal overdose associated with non-prescribed benzodiazepine use in Scotland, UK.

Mycetoma is a chronic granulomatous infectious disease of the skin, subcutis, fascia and bones caused by bacteria (actinomycetoma) or fungi (eumycetoma) in adults aged 20-40 years old, male to female ratio is 3,7:1 respectively. The clinical finding is a painless, solid and cold subcutaneous node. It has been reported a 43-year-old woman with a painless suppurative lump in her chest, stomach, armpits and legs in the past year. The lump were hypertrophic scars, atrophic scars, nodules and erythematous papules with pustules and sinuses, which excretes exudate greenish-yellow. The patient had a history of working in an oil palm farm. Histopathological examination of hematoxylin-eosin showed suppurative granulomatous inflammation consisting of epitheloid histiocytes, solid lymphocytes and neutrophils, and datia cells. PAS (Periodic acid-Schiff) staining showed positive results. The diagnosis of deep mycosis eumycetoma was confirmed based on physical examination and histopathological examination. Eumycetoma is a rare deep fungal disease. Supporting investigations such as direct microscopy, histopathology with biopsy, and culture are needed to establish the diagnosis. The therapies are antifungal drugs and surgery. Death is possible if the infection occurs in the chest or head cavity.Keywords: deep mycosis, eumycetoma, granules, mycetoma, sinuses

Although the European residential sector has promoted various heating and cooling passive solar systems in many ways, ongoing climate changes affect these construction elements at an annual level. Using the weather files for three years in the recent past (2018, 2021 and 2023), this paper numerically investigates the energy, environmental and economic performance of two small single-family houses equipped with Trombe walls and fixed horizontal overhangs of different depths (0 m, 0.25 m, 0.5 m, 0.75 m and 1 m) for two characteristic European climate zones: continental (Kielce city, Poland) and moderate continental (Kragujevac city, Serbia). Both houses were created in Google SketchUp 8 software using current Statistical data and Rulebooks of energy efficiency, while adopted heating (gas boiler and radiators) and cooling (individual air-conditioning units) active thermo-technical systems were simulated in EnergyPlus 7.1 software using official specific energy, environmental and economic indicators. Compared to the appropriate reference houses—without mentioning passive solar systems—the main results of this study are as follows: (1) higher outdoor air temperatures can reduce final (thermal) energy consumption for heating by 37.74% (for the Kielce climate zone) and 52.49% (for the Kragujevac climate zone); (2) higher outdoor air temperatures can increase final (electricity) energy consumption for cooling between 5.71 and 11.75 times (for Kielce) and 4.36 and 9.81 times (for Kragujevac); (3) percentage savings of primary energy consumption and monetary savings are highest when houses are equipped with Trombe walls and 1 m deep overhangs; and (4) all considered cases of passive solar systems do not contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Since climate change is a consequence of greenhouse gas emissions, priority should be given to environmental indicators in future investigations.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition conceptualizes alcohol use disorder (AUD) as a single continuum with indicators to denote the level of severity along this spectrum with the presence of 2-3, 4-5, or 6 + symptoms indicating mild, moderate, and severe AUD, respectively. However, despite the labels of these indicators, it remains unclear how individuals compare across these indicators, both in terms of AUD severity, but also risk for other related problems (e.g., depression). Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted on past year AUD symptoms to obtain estimates of latent AUD severity using data from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (unweighted n = 31,941). The range and distribution of latent trait estimates were then compared across AUD diagnostic statuses (i.e., no AUD, mild, moderate, and severe). Multinomial regressions were then used to compare diagnostic groups based on alcohol use, problems with other substances, treatment utilization, and mental/physical health. Results indicated very limited overlap in latent severity estimates between individuals with different severity indicators. Multinomial regression results demonstrated that some measures increased in a roughly stepwise fashion across AUD indicators (e.g., alcohol use and drinking behavior), while many did not. Results partially support the current AUD indicators as AUD severity and co-occurring problems did broadly increase across the indicators. However, the present study also explores several ways to improve these indicators in future AUD formulations. For example, having indicators that account not only for the quantitative but also the qualitative differences in AUD presentation at different severity levels. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The present study describes intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration and victimization alongside theoretically associated variables in a sample of lesbian, gay, and bisexual veterans. We conducted bivariate analyses (chi-square tests and independent t test) to examine whether the frequencies of IPV perpetration and victimization varied by demographic characteristics, military sexual trauma, alcohol use, and mental health symptoms. Out of the 69 lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) veterans who answered the questions on IPV, 16 (23.2%) reported some form of IPV victimization in the past year, and 38 (55.1%) reported past-year perpetration. Among the 43 veterans who reported psychological IPV, roughly half (48.9%) reported bidirectional psychological IPV, 39.5% reported perpetration only, and 11.6% reported victimization only. LGB veterans who reported bidirectional psychological IPV in their relationships were younger and reported greater symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and depression. The results presented here call for universal screening of IPV perpetration and victimization to both accurately assess and ultimately intervene among all veterans. Inclusive interventions are needed for all genders and sexual orientations, specifically interventions that do not adhere to gendered assumptions of perpetrators and victims. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

SignificanceNewer tobacco products might be particularly likely to use social media as they emerge in the global market. Little is known about the official use of social media in marketing...

The rise in global travel has led to an increased need for heightened security measures at airports. Despite the best efforts of airport security officers, in the past year, hundreds of kilograms of illegal drugs and thousands of agricultural invasive species have found their way into the country, posing a severe threat to public safety and the environment. Moreover, human threats pose a significant risk to civil aviation, reinforcing the need for advanced security technology. In response to these challenges, NOSI (Novel Odor Sensing Intelligence) and ROSI (Reconnaissance Operations Security Intelligence), intelligence surveillance systems consisting of semi-autonomous controller-responder robots, were developed as a proof of concept to supplement the efforts of security and K-9 (police dogs) operators at airports. NOSI is equipped with multi-channel gas sensors for odor detection, enabling it to identify illegal drugs and invasive species in the baggage handling process, while ROSI is equipped with computer vision to identify individuals already in the government’s database of persons of interest. These coordinated robots also provide travelers with important information pertaining to their journey and allow them to trigger emergency alerts. The robots were tested in a custom-designed test bed that replicated both the behind-the-scenes baggage handling and front-office customer service operations of an airport, thus simulating a realistic airport-like setting. Based on design criteria, NOSI and ROSI demonstrated success rates of 73.4 percent and 69.8 percent, respectively. Improvements in areas of robot stability, sensor accuracy, and feature expansion were documented for further development. In conclusion, the NOSI and ROSI framework can enhance the efficiency and accuracy of airport infrastructure monitoring and supplement the capabilities of human and K9 operators. Overall, this approach can potentially revolutionize operations in various infrastructures and represents the future of human-robot collaboration.

About 11% of 12th graders have used delta‐8 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the past year, according to an analysis of last year's Monitoring the Future Study which is conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

According to the human resources records of Kuensel, the number of journalists fell by 37 percent from 2021 to 2023, with only 4 out of 15 vacancies filled over the past two years. Other agencies are experiencing similar workforce challenges. While the departure of educators, civil servants, and health professionals has been featured in the headlines over the past year, little attention has been devoted to the attrition ongoing in the media itself. To understand the issues driving journalists out of the profession, a survey of a non-random sample was conducted of 63 professionals who worked as a journalist in the past five years. While 32 had left the profession, 31 stayed in the media. Of those who left the profession, 66 percent left in the past two years, and 44 percent left the country (for Australia in almost all cases). The rest remain in Bhutan but are no longer working as journalists. Of the leavers, 19 per cent are now unemployed, while the other 81 percent have moved on to new jobs, notably including teaching (in Bhutan) and aged care (in Australia). When asked about reasons for leaving the profession, low salary and lack of professional development came out as the most common complaints. Of the stayers, 40 percent expressed dissatisfaction with their pay, and 43 percent claimed to be actively searching for ways to change their employment status. This study reflects on the implications of the survey findings for the future of media and its relationship with democracy in Bhutan.

Despite the need and uptake of mental health support by women with endometriosis, no research to date has explored their experience of psychological therapy. We aimed to understand the factors that predict engagement in psychological therapy by Australian women with endometriosis and to qualitative explore their experience of psychological support. Mixed-methods design. A total of 200 women with self-reported endometriosis were recruited from the community. We explored; (1) the demographic and clinical predictors of engagement in psychological therapy, (2) the psychological approaches that seem most valuable to women in the management of endometriosis and (3) their experience engaging in psychological therapy for endometriosis. Nearly half of women reported to have seen a psychologist within the past year, particularly for pain. Younger age (OR, .94; 95% CI, .886-.993), depressive symptoms (OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.002-1.099), and working part time compared to full time (OR, 2.17, 95% CI, 1.012-4.668), increased the likelihood of engaging in psychological therapy. Template thematic analysis identified three themes; (1) endometriosis and pain have multi-faceted psychological effects, (2) psychological support is sought to adjust and live with endometriosis and (3) there are helpful and unhelpful psychological tools for women with endometriosis. Our findings support the use of psychological therapy in the management of endometriosis, and the need for psychological therapy to acknowledge the chronicity and impact of symptoms, to enlist multidisciplinary support and to consider alternative options. Further advocacy is required to educate women on the benefits of psychological therapy for endometriosis.

Objective Individuals with recent nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) are at elevated risk for suicide but our understanding of the factors that impact the emergence of suicidal ideation and/or suicide attempts in this group is limited. The current study aimed to evaluate whether the processes identified by existing ideation-to-action theories of suicide apply within this subgroup. Method A sample of 362 university students (77.9% female, 88.5% White) who reported past year engagement in NSSI completed an anonymous online questionnaire assessing past year NSSI, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts as well as hopelessness, interpersonal, and acquired capability/volitional variables. Participants were divided into NSSI only (controls), NSSI + Ideation, and NSSI + Suicide Attempt groups. Results A one-way ANOVA evaluated group differences on the theoretical factors. There were significant differences between NSSI controls and both the ideation and attempt groups, who did not differ from each other, on hopelessness and interpersonal factors. No significant differences were observed across groups for the volitional factors except for impulsivity, which differed between the NSSI controls and ideation group. Conclusion Results suggest suicide ideation-to-action theories may have applicability to understanding the presence of suicide ideation among those with NSSI but may lack specificity for understanding risk for suicide attempts.

ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of lifetime, last year, and last month use of illicit drugs and associated factors among the first to fourth-year students at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran. Method Sampling method was multi-stage cluster sampling. Anonymous self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 1050 students. We provided prevalence of lifetime, last 12 months, last month, and daily use for the main classes of drugs. Using the bivariate and multivariate logistic regression model, we evaluated correlated factors of any drug use in the past 12 months. Results Overall, 945 students participated in this study. A total of 6.6% reported any illicit drug use in the past 12 months (11.2% among males vs. 3.1% among females) Cannabis was the most used drug in the past year, reported by 4.9% of the participants, followed by methylphenidate (2.9%). There was an association between illicit drug use in the past 12 months with smoking cigarettes and using alcohol in the past 12 months and drug use among friends or family members. Conclusions The prevalence of drug use among the students at Tehran University of Medical Sciences has increased compared to similar previous studies, which call for preventive measures.

Importance: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a significant mental health issue requiring a deeper understanding of its underlying causes, such as childhood maltreatment, adult bullying victimization, and depression. Previous studies have not adequately addressed the cumulative risks of these factors on NSSI among college students. This population-based study investigates these cumulative risk factors.Design, setting, and participants: The cross-sectional study included 63 university's college students with a mean age of 19.6 years (N = 95,833).Main outcomes and measures: Two Chi-Square Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID) decision tree models were used to classify subgroups based on childhood maltreatment and adult bullying victimization experiences and to investigate their cumulative risks of NSSI. Recursive partitioning algorithms determined each predictor variable's relative importance.Results: The CHAID model accurately predicted NSSI behaviours with an overall accuracy rate of 77.8% for individuals with clinically relevant depressive symptoms and 97.2% for those without. Among depressed individuals, childhood emotional abuse was the strongest NSSI predictor (Chi-Square, 650.747; adjusted P < .001), followed by sexual and physical abuse. For non-depressed individuals, emotional abuse in childhood was the strongest NSSI predictor (Chi-Square, 2084.171; adjusted P < .001), with sexual and verbal bullying in the past year representing the most significant proximal risks.Conclusions and relevance: Emotional abuse during childhood profoundly impacts individuals, increasing the risk of NSSI in both depressed and non-depressed individuals. Clinically relevant depressive symptoms have a moderating effect on the relationship between childhood maltreatment, adult bullying victimization, and NSSI. Identifying these factors can inform targeted interventions to prevent NSSI development among young adults.

Adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) face the necessity of balancing the benefits of exercise with the potential hazards of hypoglycemia. This work aimed to assess whether impaired awareness of hypoglycemia (IAH) affects exercise-associated hypoglycemia in adults with T1D. We compared continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)-measured glucose during exercise and for 24 hours following exercise from 95 adults with T1D and IAH (Clarke score ≥4 or ≥1 severe hypoglycemic event within the past year) to 95 "aware" adults (Clarke score ≤2 and no severe hypoglycemic event within the past year) matched on sex, age, insulin delivery modality, and glycated hemoglobin A1c. A total of 4236 exercise sessions, and 1794 exercise days and 839 sedentary days, defined as 24 hours following exercise or a day without exercise, respectively, were available for analysis. Participants with IAH exhibited a nonsignificant trend toward greater decline in glucose during exercise compared to "aware" (-21 ± 44 vs -19 ± 43 mg/dL [-1.17 ± 2.44 vs -1.05 ± 2.39 mmol/L], adjusted group difference of -4.2 [95% CI, -8.4 to 0.05] mg/dL [-0.23 95% CI, -.47 to 0.003 mmol/L]; P = .051). Individuals with IAH had a higher proportion of days with hypoglycemic events below 70 mg/dL [3.89 mmol/L] (≥15 minutes <70 mg/dL [<3.89 mmol/L]) both on exercise days (51% vs 43%; P = .006) and sedentary days (48% vs 30%; P = .001). The increased odds of experiencing a hypoglycemic event below 70 mg/dL (<3.89 mmol/L) for individuals with IAH compared to "aware" did not differ significantly between exercise and sedentary days (interaction P = .36). Individuals with IAH have a higher underlying risk of hypoglycemia than "aware" individuals. Exercise does not appear to differentially increase risk for hypoglycemia during the activity, or in the subsequent 24 hours for IAH compared to aware individuals with T1D.

Inappropriate patient sexual behaviors (IPSBs) can negatively impact work performance, job satisfaction, and the psychological well-being of clinicians and staff. Although the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated healthcare system in the United States, the rate of IPSBs in VHA hospitals is unknown. The unique demographic and cultural characteristics of military populations may be associated with IPSBs. To evaluate the extent and impact of IPSBs within a large VA healthcare system (VAHS), a survey was disseminated to all staff. Among the 32% of staff who responded (N = 1359), over half (n = 789; 58.1%) of participants reported at least one instance of IPSB during the past year; this included 67.9% (n = 644) of staff who identified as women and 33.4% (n = 126) of staff who identified as men. There was a significantly greater impact of IPSBs for women, as compared to men, on psychological well-being (X2 1 = 60.4, p < .001, odds ratio [OR] = 4.55, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [3.08, 6.79]), work satisfaction (X2 1 = 43.0, p < .001, OR = 3.51, 95% CI: [2.40, 5.18]), and workplace practices (X2 1 = 48.9, p < .001, OR = 4.02, 95% CI: [2.69, 6.11]). The results of this project highlight the need for overcoming barriers to reducing the pervasiveness and impact of these experiences.

This study aims to investigate the current situation of needlestick injuries (NSIs) of clinical nurses and identify associated factors by using the theoretical framework of the human factors analysis and classification system (HFACS). A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted. Multi-stage sampling was used to investigate 3336 nurses in 14 Chinese hospitals. Descriptive statistics and univariate and multivariate logistic regression were employed to reveal the rate of NSIs and their associated factors. A total of 970 nurses (29.1%) reported having experienced at least one NSI in the past year. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that good hospital safety climate and clinical nurses in intensive care unit (ICU) and emergency department had protective effects against NSIs compared with nurses in internal medicine department. The nurse, senior nurse, and nurse in charge have significantly increased the risk for NSIs compared with the associate chief nurse or above. Patients with poor vision but wearing glasses and poor vision but not wearing glasses were more prone to have NSIs. Working in the operating room compared with internal medicine, average weekly working time of >45 h compared with ≤40 h and poor general health led to increased risk of NSIs. The rate of NSIs in clinical nurses was high in China. Individual factors including professional title, department, visual acuity and general mental health and organisational factors including weekly working hours and hospital safety atmosphere were significantly correlated with the occurrence of NSIs. Nursing managers should focused on physical and psychological conditions of clinical nurses, and organisational support is required to enhance the hospital safety atmosphere. Contributions from patients or the public are irrelevant because this study aims to explore current situation and factors associated with NSIs in clinical nurses.

Latest figures show that the amount spent by local authorities on children's services has accelerated over the past year. Andrew Rome summarises the key drivers of change and offers advice on how commissioners can respond to spending trends

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) participation after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for coronary heart disease lowers the disease burden and risk of recurrent cardiac events. Examining psychological factors may improve post-PCI health behavior adherence. To determine whether psychological factors are associated with post-PCI health behavior adherence, and the role of CR participation. Data from 1,682 patients (22.1% female, Mage = 64.0, SDage = 10.5 years) from the THORESCI cohort were included. Adjusted mixed models were used to examine associations between psychological factors and the 1-year course of health behaviors, using interactions to test for moderation by CR participation. Psychological factors were associated with the trajectories of adherence to medical advice, exercise, and diet. The strongest association found was between optimism and the trajectory of dietary adherence (B: = -0.09, p = .026). Patients with high optimism levels had a worse trajectory of dietary adherence compared to patients with low to middle optimism levels. Participation in CR buffered the associations of high anxiety, pessimism, and low to middle resilience, but strengthened the associations of high stress in the past year with the probability of smoking. Psychological factors are associated with post-PCI health behavior adherence, but the pattern of associations is complex. Patients with high levels of anxiety, pessimism, and low to middle resilience levels may disproportionately benefit from CR. Cardiac rehabilitation programs could consider this to improve post-PCI health behavior adherence. NCT02621216.

The objective of this study was to evaluate satisfaction with work-life integration (WLI), social isolation, and the impact of work on personal relationships (IWPR) among senior healthcare operational leaders. Between June 7 and June 30, 2021, we performed a national survey of CEOs and other senior healthcare operational leaders in the United States to evaluate their personal work experience. Satisfaction with WLI, social isolation, and IWPR were assessed using standardized instruments. Burnout and professional fulfillment were also assessed using standardized scales. The mean IWPR score on the 0-10 scale was 4.39 (standard deviation was 2.36; higher scores were unfavorable). On multivariable analysis to identify demographic and professional factors associated with the IWPR score, each additional hour worked per week decreased the likelihood of a favorable IWPR score. The IWPR, feeling isolated, and satisfaction with WLI were independently associated with burnout after adjusting for other personal and professional factors. On multivariable analysis, healthcare administrators were more likely than U.S. workers in other fields to indicate work had adversely impacted personal relationships in response to the item "In the past year, my job has contributed to me feeling more isolated and detached from the people who are most important to me." Experiencing an adverse IWPR is common among U.S. healthcare administrators, who are more likely than the general U.S. working population to indicate their job contributes to isolation and detachment from the people most important to them. Problems with WLI, isolation, and an adverse IWPR are associated with increased burnout and lower professional fulfillment. Intentional efforts by both organizations and administrative leaders are necessary to address the work characteristics and professional norms that erode WLI and result in work adversely impacting personal relationships.