Poor Physical Health Research Articles

State-Level LGBTQ+ Policies and Health: The Role of Political Determinants in Shaping Health Equity

Abstract Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) individuals in the United States experience higher rates of discrimination and stressors that negatively impact health compared to their straight, cisgender counterparts. Using 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) data, estimating multilevel mixed-effects logistic regressions, we examined the relationship between state LGBTQ+ policies and health among LGBT people. Findings reveal a statistically significant inverse link between protective (high) state policy scores and poor self-rated health, poor mental health days, and poor physical health days. Specifically, with each one-point increase in policy score, the odds of poor self-rated health are reduced by 0.03%, high mental health burden by 0.02%, and high physical health burden by 0.02%. Inequalities in self-rated health, high mental health burden, and high physical health burden are greater in policy environments with fewer state-level protections, with LGBT individuals reporting better health where there are more protections. These results indicate that discriminatory state policies are linked to poorer health for LGBT individuals and suggest that protective policies could improve health. Further research with comprehensive data is needed to deepen understanding.

The association of perceived health status and presence of chronic conditions with physical activity in childhood cancer survivors.

Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are at risk for therapy-related late effects. Physical activity (PA)can minimize some late effects risk, but rates of PA are low in CCS. We aimed to determine how perception of survivor health status and presence of chronic conditions are associated with patient- or proxy-reported PA. This cross-sectional, retrospective study of CCS (6-25years; ≥ 1year off-therapy) defined low PA as < 5days per week with ≥ 60minutes/day of patient- or proxy-reported activity. Participants completed PROMIS Global Health questions assessing perceptions of overall, physical, and mental health. Presence of chronic conditions was abstracted from the health record and defined as ≥ 2 late effects. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to identify associations between physical activity and health status or chronic conditions. Of 284 CCS, 71.8% reported low PA. Negative perceived overall, physical, and mental health status were present in 5.6%, 10.6%, and 15.9% of CCS, respectively, with presence of chronic conditions in 49.7%. Low PA was directly associated with female sex (p = 0.002) and poor physical (p = 0.01) and mental (p = 0.02) health status, and inversely associated with relapsed/refractory disease (p = 0.03). Presence of chronic conditions was not associated with low PA (p = 0.68); however, all CCS with chronic graft-versus-host disease or vision impairment had low PA. Low PA is an issue for CCS, especially females, and is associated with negative perceived physical and mental health. Future PA interventions for CCS should address perceived physical and mental health, and focus on specific at-risk sub-groups.

Dietary and Nutritional Aspects of Metabolic Syndrome Management: An Overview

Sedentary lifestyles and prolonged physical inactivity are often linked to poor mental and physical health as well as an increased risk of a number of chronic illnesses, including cancer, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular problems. Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), as the new disease, has emerged as the world's leading cause of illness. Despite having its roots in the West, this issue has now completely globalized due to the development of the Western way of life throughout the world. It currently affects almost one-fifth of the American and European populations, and its incidence has increased in Southeast Asian nations as well. Comparing patients with metabolic syndrome to the general population, it is estimated that they have a 5-fold greater risk of diabetes mellitus and a 2-fold increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular illnesses. MetS is a chronic or prevalent condition associated with various lifestyle conditions characterized by abdominal obesity, low HDL-c cholesterol, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and dyslipidemia. It has been suggested that insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and neurohormonal activation are the factors behind the development of metabolic syndrome. In lieu of an upsurge in the complications associated with MetS in modern society, many alternative approaches apart from medicine are being constantly explored. Effects of vivid dietary patterns and nutritional interventions have been thoroughly researched, although the most effective dietary approach remains undetermined. This review discussed different etiological aspects of MetS and brought forth the role of nutritional approaches, micro- and macronutrient intake, lifestyle changes, and herbal intervention in its management.

Trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress symptoms: Associations with self-reported dietary and exercise changes.

Exposure to trauma and subsequent posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) increase the risk of poor physical health outcomes. Yet, the nuances of the paths from trauma to poor health are largely theoretical, and research regarding how trauma types relate to specific trauma-related changes to diet and exercise is needed. The present study examined the associations between noninterpersonal and interpersonal trauma and PTSS with several novel dietary and exercise changes (i.e., perceived trauma-related diet changes in intake of calories, comfort food, refined carbohydrates, and sugar as well as changes in exercise amount and intensity). Participants were 430 Midwestern University trauma-exposed students (Mage = 23.87, SD = 6.90, range = 18-63; 81.1% female; 56.9% White). Higher PTSS corresponded to increased perceived trauma-related changes in consumption of calories, comfort foods, carbohydrates, and sugar (Bs = 0.1-.02). Interpersonal trauma was not tied to dietary changes, and noninterpersonal traumas were linked to decreased sugar intake. For trauma-related exercise changes, higher PTSS was associated with both increased likelihood of lower intensity exercise (B = .02) and higher intensity exercise (B = .03), yet neither trauma types were related. Further, neither trauma exposure nor PTSS was associated with perceptions in trauma-related increases in exercise amount. PTSS, as opposed to types of trauma exposure, may be the primary driver of perceived trauma-related diet and exercise changes. The identification of trauma-related health modifications may help improve health outcomes of trauma survivors, and ongoing work should examine whether trauma-focused treatment reduces maladaptive changes to diet and exercise. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Anticipatory Violence and Health Among Black Adults in the United States.

This study analyzes the relationship between anticipatory community and police violence and health outcomes including mental and physical well-being, sleep problems, and functional disability. Using data from a nationally representative survey of 3015 self-identified Black and African American adults in theUSAcollected in 2023, findings from a series of regression analyses reveal that anticipating community violence is linked to poorer self-rated health and increased sleep problems. Anticipatory police violence is associated with poorer physical health and sleep disturbances. These associations persist even after accounting for previous experiences of violence. The results underscore the potential health consequences of anticipating violence, suggesting that the fear of personal victimization can adversely influence health. Addressing anticipatory violence through trauma-informed public health policies and practices is critical for improving health outcomes and reducing disparities in violence-exposed communities. Future research should explore longitudinal impacts and extend analyses to additional racial groups and health outcomes.

Risk Factors for Adults with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in the United States, Utilizing State-Based Surveillance

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a complex and heterogeneous condition. Exposure to tobacco smoke and air pollutants are key risk factors for COPD development; however, other risk factors include race/ethnicity, sex of adults, a history of asthma, occupational exposures, and chronic respiratory infections. Data for the current study were from the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey. Chi-squares and multinomial logistic regression analyses, adjusted with the survey’s sampling weight, were used to examine how critical health indicators impacted a COPD diagnosis. Participants (N = 311,175) were adults aged 45 years and older. Adjusted multinomial regression analyses showed adults who reported asthma, current and former smoking, poor physical health, depression, less physical activity, and fatigue were more likely to report COPD. Those with COPD were more likely to be male than female. Moreover, those with COPD reported higher rates of health insurance coverage, and yet had lower income and more financial difficulty affording a doctor for health services. In a follow up regression analysis, examining racial differences in COPD for participants, American Indian adults had a higher odds of reporting COPD than the “other” race groups. Because COPD remains a leading cause of death and disability in the U.S., and racial disparities persist in respiratory outcomes, continuing to identify risk factors for vulnerable groups could assist health program planners with development of successful health messaging.

USE OF MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING TO INTERVENE ELDER ABUSE: A RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL

Abstract Elder abuse causes serious harm to individuals, families, and society. There is an urgent need to develop and test appropriate interventions to tackle it. This study tested the effectiveness of a motivational interviewing (MI)-based intervention in reducing elder abuse severity and promoting positive changes among community dwelling older Chinese in Hong Kong. The intervention involved a 90-minute individual engagement session and three 30-minute booster sessions delivered by trained MI facilitators. Personal goals for improvement of known risk factors such as poor physical and psychological health, lack of social support were set out followed by the application of MI processes. Pre- and post-test comparison of 33 intervention cases and 28 control cases are presented here. Analysis of pre-treatment differences found significant difference between the two groups in their monthly income, number of offspring and co-residing persons, physical frailty, general self-efficacy and abuse severity. Difference in differences technique was applied to mitigate the effects of extraneous factors and selection bias. Results show that intervention group performed significantly better than the control group upon completing the intervention program. Significant between group differences were found in terms of changes in psychological distress (GHQ, z=-3.043, p&amp;lt; 0.05), general self-efficacy (GSES, z=-4.988, p&amp;lt; 0.05), social support (MSPSS, z=-3.080, p&amp;lt; 0.05), abuse severity (CTS2, z=-2.593, p&amp;lt; 0.05), and perceived ability to change (z=-3.749, p&amp;lt; 0.05). MI has demonstrated good potential for elder abuse intervention. Further study should be conducted to identify key elements in MI leading to positive changes and refine the model for elder abuse prevention and intervention.

EFFECTS OF MINORITY AND CAREGIVING STRESS ON THE HEALTH OF BI+ INFORMAL DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS

Abstract Bi+ people (e.g., bisexual, pansexual) are more likely to experience poor physical and mental health compared with monosexual minority (i.e., gay[G], lesbian[L]) people. These poor health outcomes stem from minority stress related to sexual minority status. Due to minority and caregiver stress, LGB+ people providing care to someone with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) are more likely to have worse health than their straight counterparts. Little is known about how minority and caregiver stress affect the health of bi+ ADRD caregivers versus monosexual minority ADRD caregivers. Data from ADRD caregivers (bi+, n=125; gay/lesbian, n=161) were used to examine associations between minority stress, caregiver stress and overall health and if associations differed among bi+ and gay/lesbian ADRD caregivers. Multivariable regression, adjusting for demographics, was used to investigate if sexual orientation moderated the association between minority/caregiver stress variables and overall health. All minority stressors and two caregiving stressors (caring for spouse/care recipient’s level of independence) were associated with health. In our adjusted model, lifetime victimization, day-to-day discrimination, and caring for spouse/partner, moderated the association between sexual orientation and overall health. As lifetime victimization scores increased, bi+ health decreased while monosexual minority health increased. Caring for a spouse/partner, protective for both groups, had a greater effect on health for monosexual minorities. Higher day-to-day discrimination scores predicted worse health for both groups, but the magnitude was greater for monosexual minorities. Qualitative inquiries can illuminate underlying mechanisms for this phenomenon, informing interventions and policy aimed at supporting health and well-being of bi+ ADRD caregivers.

Health-Related Quality of Life and Bereavement in the 2019 Georgia Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

Poor Self-Rated Health (SRHp) is part of a four-item scale for self-assessment. SRH from the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) is used to test hypotheses linking population-level well-being influenced by bereavement due to the death of a close friend or relative. By linking the prevalence rates of population-level well-being with exposure to bereavement, we extend our knowledge of this exposure beyond single-person studies. SRHp and bereavement were asked about in the 2019 field survey of 7354 adults aged 18 years and older. Multiple imputation was applied to handle missing values. Data modeling included adjusted logistic regression and mediation analyses. In the total sample, the prevalence rate of SRHp was 23.1% and the rate of bereavement was 45.5%. The SRHp subgroup had a significantly greater prevalence of bereavement (24.9% versus 21.6% compared to all other SRH categories combined). Elevated bereavement rates were also observed for the group with poor physical health (18.3% versus 14.9%) and poor mental health (17.5% versus 12.8%). Multiple losses (three or more deaths) increased the risk for SRHp by 42% in adjusted logistic models. Although these are cross-sectional data, the analyses provide evidence that bereavement is more common among people engaged in negative health behaviors. In mediation analyses, bereavement increases the prevalence of SRHp by 56.8% through an indirect effect on smoking. Bereavement also increased the rate of SRHp by 40.7% through an indirect effect on obesity. More research is needed to evaluate the association between bereavement and health behavior.

Prevalence of physical and mental health problems among internally displaced persons in White Nile state, Sudan 2023: a cross sectional study

BackgroundFollowing the latest war in 2023, over nine million people have been internally displaced, of which White Nile State received over 50,000. They lived in different camps and moved to big cities. This study assessed the scope of mental and physical concerns among the IDPs to identify important healthcare needs.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional survey of four localities of internally displaced persons in White Nile state, Sudan. Between December 4th and December 14th, 2023, 800 directly interviewed participants were randomly selected using a face-to-face semi-structured interview. Potential participants were determined using a stratified simple random method.ResultsThe findings revealed that 45% of IDPs experienced poor physical health, with prevalent ailments among adults including minor colds (67%), respiratory infections (43%), prolonged flu episodes (36%), insomnia (38%), headaches (42%), gastric upset (44%), nausea (35%), and gastrointestinal issues (40%). Depression, PTSD, and anxiety were prevalent among adults at rates of 18%, 20%, and 14% respectively. Moreover, a staggering 72% of children under five suffered from malnutrition, with males accounting for 44% and females 56%.ConclusionAlarming numbers of IDPs in White Nile State face significant physical and mental health problems, warranting urgent interventions from local and international relief agencies.

Pre-and post-migration factors associated with sleep health among Latin American immigrants in the United States: A systematic review.

Immigrants face unique challenges and stressors before leaving their country of origin and upon arrival to their host country, all of which may impair their sleep health. We synthesized the literature on pre-and-post migration factors predicting sleep outcomes among foreign-born Latin American immigrants to the United States. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched three electronic databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. We supplemented our search using Google Scholar and by manually reviewing reference lists from all included studies and four reviews on similar topics. Out of 2581 references screened, 12 peer-reviewed studies met our inclusion criteria. All studies but one were quantitative. Most were cross-sectional, consisted of adults, relied on self-reported measures of sleep, and had a low risk of bias. Acculturation stress, perceived discrimination and racism, working multiple jobs, as well as poor physical and mental health were the most consistent predictors of poorer sleep health in this population. Being born in Mexico and greater biculturalism were predictors of better sleep health. We discuss gaps in the literature, highlight opportunities for future research, and argue for a more comprehensive examination of how pre-migration experiences impact post-migration sleep health.

Genetic and environment influences on childhood victimization: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Childhood victimization is a key risk factor for poor mental and physical health. In order to prevent childhood victimization, it is important to better understand its underlying etiological factors. Childhood victimization is not randomly distributed in the population but occurs more often in the context of certain characteristics of the child, the family, and the broader environment. These characteristics may be both genetically and environmentally influenced, making genetically informative designs valuable to disentangle the etiological factors. Here we performed meta-analyses of the genetic and environmental influences on childhood victimization based on twin studies. We also tested whether genetic and environmental influences on childhood victimization vary depending on key features of victimization experiences including the reporter of victimization experiences, the type of victimization, and the age at exposure. Following PRISMA guidelines, a search for relevant literature was conducted using MEDLINE, APA PsycInfo, and Embase databases until September 2023. A meta-analysis based on 21 studies with 62,794 participants showed that genetic influences accounted for 40% of the variance in childhood victimization, shared environmental influences for 20%, and non-shared environmental influences for 40%. In addition, we found that genetic and environmental influences on victimization varied based on the reporter and the type of victimization, and the age at victimization. The quantitative summary of genetic and environmental influences provided by this study advances our understanding of the mechanisms underlying risk for childhood victimization and points to prevention targets for victimization and its health effects.

Student Violence Against Paraprofessionals in Schools: A Social-Ecological Analysis of Safety and Well-Being.

Violence against teachers has received increasing attention worldwide, with high rates of verbal, threatening, physical, and property violence in schools. Teacher-directed violence contributes to poor mental and physical health, high rates of turnover, and diminished student achievement. Despite these findings, there is a dearth of research on violence experienced by paraprofessionals who play key roles in supporting students with the greatest learning and behavioral needs in schools. Using a sample of 1993 paraprofessionals, this study is one of the first to investigate paraprofessionals' experiences of violence in school settings. We found that the rate of student violence against paraprofessionals was 37% for property offenses, 49.5% for physical violence, and 54% for verbal and threatening violence. Further, we employed a socio-ecological model of individual, classroom, school, and community factors to predict paraprofessional experiences of violence from students in schools. Negative binomial regression results revealed that student-staff relationship problems and student behavioral concerns were positively related to verbal and threatening, physical, and property violence against paraprofessionals. Paraprofessionals working in elementary schools were more likely to report physical violence compared to those working in middle or high school settings. Implications for research and educational practice are also presented.

Life after retrenchment: the impact of education, income and employment status as social determinants of mental and physical health

ABSTRACT This paper examines if unemployment following retrenchment from the automobile industry is negatively associated with mental and physical health. Australian adults (> retrenched as a result of automotive plant closures in 2017 participated. The unemployed had the highest prevalence of poor mental health (45%) relative to those in paid employment (20%), self-employed (21%) and fully or semi-retired (6% and 9% respectively). Poor physical health was most prevalent in the unemployed (29%) relative to those in paid employment (11%), self-employed (10%) and fully or semi-retired (20% and 15% respectively). No discernible health impacts related to re-education and training were evident. However, current income and employment were found to be positively associated with mental and physical health with those receving higher incomes and participants in all occupational groups reporting better mental and physical health relative to thosereceiving lower incomes and the unemployed and these differences were highly statistically significant. Overall, working-age retrenched auto workers who are unemployed are more likely to report poor mental and physical health than their counterparts in paid employment. Interventions to support retrenched auto workers transition to gainful employment and increase their financial resources are likely to act as social determinants leading to improvements in mental and physical health.

Correlates of Using Medically-Authorized Cannabis in a Large Cohort of People Living with HIV Who Use Cannabis.

Many people living with HIV (PLWH) use cannabis to manage symptoms, but a large proportion do so without medical cannabis authorization and use cannabis obtained outside the medical stream. In jurisdictions where non-medical cannabis use is legal, PLWH who hold medical cannabis authorization may represent a unique subgroup; yet, research on the correlates of using medical cannabis (authorized by a healthcare provider) in the context of non-medical cannabis legalization is lacking. Thus, this study examined the cannabis- and health-related correlates of medical cannabis use among PLWH in Ontario, Canada, where non-medical cannabis is legal. PLWH (N = 868; 85.37% men, mean age 51.34years [SD = 12.25]) who were enrolled in the Ontario HIV Treatment Network Cohort Study in 2022 and who reported past-year cannabis use completed an assessment of sociodemographic characteristics, HIV-related variables, cannabis and other substance use, and health-related quality of life. Relatively few participants (n = 122; 14.06%) reported any medical cannabis use, with most (n = 746; 85.94%) reporting exclusive use of non-medical cannabis. Logistic regression analyses showed that greater HIV symptom distress, poorer physical-health-related quality of life, more frequent cannabis use, and using smokeless forms of cannabis were each uniquely associated with increased likelihood of using medical cannabis relative to exclusively using non-medical cannabis. Results suggest that even in jurisdictions where non-medical cannabis is legal, a subset of PLWH continue to access cannabis through the medical stream, and these individuals report distinct patterns of cannabis use and poorer physical health. Findings may inform cannabis policy and clinical care for PLWH who use cannabis.

Rat models of frozen shoulder: Classification and evaluation.

Frozen shoulder (FS), also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a condition that causes contraction and stiffness of the shoulder joint capsule. The main symptoms are persistent shoulder pain and a limited range of motion in all directions. These symptoms and poor prognosis affect people's physical health and quality of life. Currently, the specific mechanisms of FS remain unclear, and there is variability in treatment methods and their efficacy. Additionally, the early symptoms of FS are difficult to distinguish from those of other shoulder diseases, complicating early diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to develop and utilize animal models to understand the pathogenesis of FS and to explore treatment strategies, providing insights into the prevention and treatment of human FS. This paper reviews the rat models available for FS research, including external immobilization models, surgical internal immobilization models, injection modeling models, and endocrine modeling models. It introduces the basic procedures for these models and compares and analyzes the advantages, disadvantages, and applicability of each modeling method. Finally, our paper summarizes the common methods for evaluating FS rat models.

A Discussion on the Issue of Excessive Academic Burden among Middle School Students

At present, the heavy academic workload of middle school students is a common problem, which is still questioned by parents, concerned by the government, and hotly debated by society. This paper summarizes the following eight aspects: the difficult content of subject courses, excessive class hours, heavy homework burden, complicated exams, overwhelming study materials, fierce subject competition, prevalent off-campus tutoring, and poor physical and mental health. Recognizing these problems can help to optimize the education and teaching environment and achieve a sustainable enrollment rate.

Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages in People with Severe Mental Illness: A Community-Based Cohort Study.

Excess mortality in mentally ill is largely due to high rates of physical illnesses that lead to worse health outcomes. This study examines the intake of added sugar from sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and factors associated with poor mental and physical health in people with severe mental illness. Data were collected as part of the standard care of consumers attending the Collaborative Centre for Cardiometabolic Health in Psychosis clinics where a diet history is taken by a dietitian. SSBs and tea/coffee with added sugars consumed in the past seven days were collected. Overall, 1648 occasions of service comprising 1142 consumers (mean age 45.0 ± 12.5 years, 63.5% males) were seen. Of these, 1234 (74.9%) occasions of service were provided by a dietitian. Two-thirds (n = 840) self-reported to have consumed one or more SSBs or tea/coffee with sugar. Over half 697 (56.5%) consumed one or more SSBs and 437 (35.4%) tea/coffee with sugar. The mean daily consumption of added sugar from SSBs and tea/coffee was 86.2 g/day. On multivariable analysis, males, those diagnosed with schizophrenia, being on Olanzapine ± other antipsychotics and lower socio-economic status were statistically associated with consumption of added sugar. Consumption of added sugars from SSBs in consumers of community mental health services is four times higher than the general population. This is an underestimation of the total intake of added sugars without other contributors from discretionary foods. Measuring consumption of SSBs may be an easy-to-use proxy for assessing dietary risk when dietitians are not available.

Paternal and maternal psychological distress and adolescent health risk behaviors: The role of sensitive periods.

Adolescent health risk behaviors are linked to poor physical and mental health outcomes. While past research shows that maternal psychological distress predicts those behaviors, we know less about the role of paternal psychological distress and the role of sensitive periods. Using 11,128 data from families (50.5% female children) from the UK's Millennium Cohort Study, we examined the role of timing of exposure to paternal and maternal psychological distress in engagement in health risk behaviors (smoking, alcohol use, binge drinking, and sexual activity) at age 14. Paternal and maternal psychological distress, measured with the Kessler-6 scale, were assessed at child ages 3, 7, and 11. We performed path analysis, adjusting for key covariates, modeling maternal distress parallel to paternal, and allowing for autoregressive paths. Paternal distress experienced at age 11 predicted a higher likelihood of smoking at age 14. Maternal distress at age 7 also predicted a higher likelihood of smoking, alcohol use, and binge drinking, but only for boys. Moreover, maternal distress at age 3 was associated with a lower risk for alcohol use. Effects were not replicated in the sensitivity analysis we performed, including only families with resident biological fathers across the study period. Instead, maternal and paternal distress at age 11 raised girls' risk for binge drinking and sexual activity, respectively. Parental distress in early childhood does not predict adolescent health risk behaviors. In late childhood, however, both paternal and maternal distress seem to influence the likelihood of engagement in such behaviors.

Daily functioning and (health-related) quality of life of young adult survivors of childhood bacterial meningitis.

Young adult survivors of childhood BM reported similar and even better levels of daily functioning, HRQoL, and overall QoL than age-matched Dutch reference scores. However, clinicians and healthcare workers should be mindful of poor mental and physical health of some survivors of childhood BM because these survivors also face problems with functioning in daily life. • Acute bacterial meningitis is a life-threatening infection which may lead to devastating lifelong disabilities. • Health-related quality of life is decreased in school-age survivors of bacterial meningitis. • The present study shows that HRQoL in survivors of childhood BM improves over time • However, especially poor mental health in adolescent and young adult survivors is associated with impaired functioning in daily life.