Presence Of Chronic Disease Research Articles

Causal effects of air pollution on mental health among Adults——An exploration of susceptible populations and the role of physical activity based on a longitudinal nationwide cohort in China

Long-term exposure to air pollutants is likely to be associated with mental disorders, but relevant studies remain limited and inconsistent, and evidence to assess causality is particularly lacking, especially in developing countries. In addition, there are few studies on the role of physical activity in this relationship. We investigated the causal relationship between air pollutant exposure and mental health among Chinese adults and whether physical activity could play a positive role in this relationship.Using the balanced panel data for 2014 and 2016 from the China Family Panel Study, a representative Chinese national cohort study, we selected and validated appropriate instrumental variable to explore the causal relationship between air pollution and mental health and explored the moderating effect of physical activity using an instrumental variable fixed effects model (IVFE) in a counterfactual causal inference framework. PM2.5 and ground surface ozone were selected as proxies for different types of air pollutants and extended the interpretability by studying them for populations with different characteristics.A total of 21,944 participants were included in this study. In the IVFE model, we found that both PM2.5 and ground surface ozone significantly negatively affected mental health, and that habitual physical activity counteracted this negative effect regardless of different types of air pollution. We also found that the findings held for adults with different characteristics.The findings suggest that habitual physical activity may offset the deterioration of mental health in adults in developing countries due to air pollution, regardless of age, gender, income, and the presence of chronic diseases.

Evaluation of the Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Patients Followed up a Tertiary Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Objective: To evaluate the demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients that presented to our pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2018 and were followed up for at least 24 hours.
 Materials and Methods: In this study, 876 admission files of patients who were followed up at PICU between January 01, 2016 and December 31, 2018 were examined. The data of 751 admissions belonging to 640 patients with complete archive records and patient information forms were included in the study.
 Results: Forty-three percent of the 640 patients were female, and 32.4% of the total 751 admissions were referrals from different hospitals in our city or region for advanced intensive care. Although all cases requiring intensive care, internal or surgical, were hospitalized, the most common reason for admission was infectious diseases. Parameters individually associated with mortality were the presence of chronic disease, need for mechanical ventilation, need for blood products, need for inotropic support, and need for renal replacement therapy. None of the patients who were followed up due to poisoning and airway obstruction died. The highest mortality rate was seen in the hematological-oncological patient group, including end-stage cases.
 Conclusion: Our PICU provides an important health service in our region for all critically ill children. The mortality rates were within the values reported for Turkey. To obtain better outcomes, it is necessary to strengthen medical staff in our clinic and develop the palliative care centers in our region.

Determination of the relationship between dietary inflammatory index and depression status in female students.

Background: The relationship between diet, inflammation and mental health has been receiving increasing interest. However, limited data are available on the inflammatory role of diet in university students, among whom depression is commonly observed. Aim: The aim of our study is to investigate the relationship between dietary inflammatory index (DII) and depression among female students of nutrition and dietetics department, whom we assume to be conscious about health. Methods: DII scores were determined by averaging the 3-day dietary records. Depression status of the students was determined by using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results: Our study was conducted with 122 female university students. The mean total BDI score of the students in the first tertile (more anti-inflammatory effect) was found significantly lower than those of the students in the second and third tertiles (p = 0.001). In addition, there were no significant difference between the depression scores of the students and their grade level (p = 0.114) and place of residence (p = 0.866). We found a positive association between DII and depressive symptoms (Model 1, B = 0.512, %95 CI: 0.236-0.789, p = 0.000). This relationship was also found when adjusting for age, weight, body mass index, smoking status, and presence of chronic disease (Model 2, B = 0.496, %95 CI: 0.217-0.776, p = 0.006; Model 3, B = 0.493, %95 CI: 0.210-0.777, p = 0.024. Conclusion: Supporting that the inflammatory burden of diet is associated with mental health, our findings are of significance for the development of anti-inflammatory nutritional approaches among students who are prone to depression.

Regional differences in health further explained

AbstractLike in most Western countries, regional health inequalities are also present in the Netherlands. Explaining these inequalities is necessary for policymakers to target interventions to reduce them. Regional health inequalities are usually attributed to demographic and socio-economic factors, while lifestyle and psychosocial factors are increasingly shown to impact individuals’ health. Therefore, this study analyses the role of lifestyle, loneliness, and self-mastery in explaining regional inequalities, in addition to demographic factors and SES, for self-rated health, presence of chronic diseases, and psychological distress. Analyses are performed in the linked dataset from the Dutch Public Health Services, Statistics Netherlands, and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment for the year 2016 (n = 334,721). The results show that lifestyle, loneliness and self-mastery contribute to the regional health inequalities in self-rated health and presence of chronic diseases. For psychological distress, both loneliness and self-mastery contribute to the regional health inequalities. Addressing lifestyle and psychosocial factors can offer policymakers additional pathways to bridge regional health inequalities. In this study, the region of Zuid-Limburg represents the reference region. Use compare regions for health and healthcare costs (Regiovergelijker gezondheid en zorgkosten [1]) in order to select all other Dutch regions as reference region.

Adherence to individualized recall intervals for oral health examinations.

The aim of this follow-up study was to investigate whether adults attend an oral health examination (OHE) based on their individual recall interval (IRI) without a reminder recall system. The study population included adults who were attending an OHE recommended by their dentists based on their IRI in public oral healthcare clinics of Helsinki City January1, 2009-December 31, 2009. The inclusion criteria were as follows: alive until the end of IRI, length of the IRI of 12-60 months, and study participants had not been treated successfully by a dental specialist during the IRI period (n = 41,255). We used a multinomial model to identify the factors associated with the timing of OHE. The following predictors were included: oral health indices such as Decayed Teeth and the Community Periodontal Index, the length of the IRI based on an OHE in 2009, age, gender, socioeconomic status, presence of chronic diseases, and emergency appointment. Results were presented as odds ratioswith 95% confidence intervals. The OHE based on IRI occurred for 7505 individuals (18.2%) and the OHE was late for 9159 individuals (22.2%). A total of 24,591 (59.6%) adults did not undergo follow-up OHE based on the IRI period of on time or late. Those who came on time for follow-up OHE experienced less caries than those who came later. There was not much difference in periodontal health between the groups. The models indicated that having an emergency appointment was associated with a higher probability of having an OHE. A long IRI (37-60 months) was associated with a higher probability of not participating in OHE even late. It would be beneficial for patients to take appointments based on the recall interval. The results of this study indicated that more needs to be done to increase awareness in the adult population of the benefits and availability of follow-up OHEs based on their IRI in oral healthcare.

Personality and oral health-related quality of life. Results from an online survey

BackgroundTo investigate the association between personality factors and oral health-related quality of life.MethodsData were taken from an online survey (representative for the general adult population in Germany in terms of region, sex and age group; n = 3,075) performed in late summer 2021. The well-established Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-G5) was used to measure oral health-related quality of life. Moreover, the established 10 Item Big Five Inventory (BFI-10) was used to quantify personality factors (in terms of agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, and openness to experience). Sex, age, family status, educational level, smoking status, alcohol consumption, sports activities, presence of chronic diseases and self-rated health were adjusted for in multiple linear regression analysis.ResultsPearson correlations between oral health-related quality of life and personality factors ranged from r =- 0.17 (conscientiousness) to r = 0.17 (neuroticism). Regressions revealed that low oral health-related quality of life is associated with higher neuroticism (β = 0.39, p < 0.001) and lower conscientiousness (β=-0.51, p < 0.001).ConclusionThis study revealed an association between personality factors (higher neuroticism and lower conscientiousness) and low oral health-related quality of life. Before dental treatment, it may be helpful to measure personality traits of patients in order to predict the expectations of patients, as well as their responses to intended treatments. This may support the identification of the most appropriate method of treatment.

What influences the intention to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in the Western Balkans?

Abstract Background Although effective vaccines against COVID-19 have been developed with the unprecedented speed, insufficient vaccine uptake suggests that many people are unwilling to get vaccinated worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess factors influencing intention to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in five Western Balkans countries. Methods Total of 700 unvaccinated respondents aged 18-75 participated in the study. Intention was assessed by a single item gauging the likelihood of getting vaccinated on a 5-points Likert scale. Multiple linear regression was used to determine whether socio-demographics (gender, age, religiousness, educational level, employment status, presence of chronic diseases) and attitudes towards vaccination predict intention to get vaccinated. Results Proportion of respondents willing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 ranged from 22.6% in Serbia to 40.4% in Montenegro. In Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania stronger intention to get vaccinated in the future was associated with confidence in vaccine safety (β=.24, p&amp;lt;.01 and β=.20, p&amp;lt;.01 respectively) and efficacy (β=.28, p&amp;lt;.01 and β=.26, p&amp;lt;.001), higher feeling of danger of the disease (β=.21, p&amp;lt;.05 and β=.17, p&amp;lt;.05) and higher social responsibility (β=.35, p&amp;lt;.001 and β=.18, p&amp;lt;.01). Confidence in vaccine efficacy (β=.34, p&amp;lt;.001) and social responsibility (β=.24, p&amp;lt;.01), accompanied with higher sense of susceptibility to the disease (β=.13, p&amp;lt;.05), were significant predictors of intention in Serbia. In North Macedonia willingness to get the vaccine was significantly associated only with social responsibility (β=.09, p&amp;lt;.001), while in Montenegro age was the single predictor (β=-.32, p&amp;lt;.001); Conclusions Results of this study suggest that vaccination campaigns should focus on specific set of socio-psychological factors in each country, enhancing confidence in vaccine efficacy and appealing to collective responsibility as most prevalent determinants of vaccination intention in Western Balkans. Key messages • Specific set of socio-psychological factors influenced vaccination intention in each country. • Most prevalent factors influencing intention to get vaccinated against COVID-19 were confidence in vaccine efficacy and social responsibility.

Colorectal cancer screening utilization among breast, cervical, prostate, skin, and lung cancer survivors.

PurposeTo examine whether sociodemographic characteristics, access to care, risk behavior factors, and chronic health conditions were associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) screening utilization among breast, cervical, prostate, skin, and lung cancer survivors.MethodsWe analyzed the 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data on 9780 eligible cancer survivors. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression models were applied to assess the association between guideline-concordant CRC screening and the mentioned characteristics.ResultsOverall, 81.9%, 65%, 88%,78.1%, and 80.1% of breast, cervical, prostate, skin, and lung cancer survivors received CRC screening, respectively (p-value < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, breast, cervical, and skin cancer survivors aged 60 years or older were associated with higher odds of receiving CRC screening. Respondents that had their recency of routine checkup two or more years before had lower odds of having CRC screening among cervical (OR = 0.06; 95% CI, 0.02–0.22), prostate (OR = 0.26; 95% CI, 0.14–0.49), and skin cancer (OR = 0.50; 95% CI, 0.36–0.70) survivors. The presence of chronic diseases was also associated with guideline-concordant CRC screening among breast, prostate, and skin cancer survivors.ConclusionsOur findings provide important evidence on potential factors that are associated with guideline-concordant CRC screening utilization across different cancer survivors, which include older age, recency of routine checkup, and multiple chronic diseases. Moreover, variation in CRC screening utilization across cancer survivors may highlight missed opportunities for secondary cancer prevention.Implications for Cancer SurvivorsEstablishing clear CRC screening guidelines and including patient-provider communication on recommendation in cancer survivorship care may increase adherence to CRC screening.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11764-022-01258-0.

The Effect of Housing Conditions and Living Environment on the Health of Russian Population

Poor housing - poses a serious health risk to populations around the world. The aim of the study is to examine the impact of various aspects of housing on the health status of Russians, adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic factors that can mitigate or exacerbate the relationship between housing and health. Comprehensive observation of living conditions of the population, conducted by Rosstat in 2018, was used as an information base for the study. The statistical analysis was carried out using multivariate logistic regression models of the SPSS package. Self-reported health and the presence of chronic diseases were used as characteristics of respondents' health / ill health. Four aspects of housing are considered: physical living conditions, stability, physical and social environment of the place of residence. The results obtained indicate that physical living conditions have a significant impact on the health of Russians: the risk of poor health is associated with the unsatisfactory condition of the walls and roof, lack of heat; the risk of chronic diseases increases with the presence of insects (rodents), air pollution, dust, soot from the street, noise from neighbors, lack of sunlight, dampness (freezing) of the floor and walls; living in highly cramped dwellings increases the risk of ill health. It has been found that health is closely related to the type of home ownership: for those who do not own a home, the likelihood of poor health increases, and for those who live in their own home, but continue to pay mortgages for it, the risk of chronic diseases increases. In addition to the condition of the home itself, its location is an important factor in health. The most important characteristics influencing both self-esteem of health and the occurrence of chronic diseases were the inaccessibility of health services, high crime rates, prevalence of alcoholism and environmental pollution. Some gender differences have been identified. The results obtained indicate the need for a combination of various programs and policies aimed at improving the quality standards of housing, planning the quality of the living environment.

Out-of-pocket expenditure on medicines in Bangladesh: An analysis of the national household income and expenditure survey 2016-17.

High out-of-pocket expenditures (OOPE) increases the probability that households will become impoverished or will forgo needed care. The aim of this paper is to study household medicines expenditure and its associated determining factors to develop policies to protect households from financial hardship. The present cross-sectional and population-level study used the Bangladesh 2016-17 National Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES). The final sample size was 46,080 households. We analyzed the probability of OOPE for medicines, the share of total OOPE due to medicines out of total OOPE in health (reported as a ratio between zero and one), the OOPE amount for medicines reported (in United States Dollars), and the share of OOPE amount on medicines out of total household expenditure (reported as a ratio between zero and one). Predictors of analyzed outcomes were identified using three regression models. Out of those households who spent on healthcare, the probability of having any OOPE on medicines was 87.9%. Of those who spent on medicines, the median monthly expenditure was US$3.03. The poorest households spent 9.97% of their total household expenditure as OOPE on medicines, nearly double that of the wealthiest households (5.86%). The characteristic which showed the most significant correlation to a high OOPE on medicines was the presence of chronic diseases, especially cancer. Twenty six percent of all surveyed households spend more than 10% of their OOPE on medicines. Our study shows that financial protection should be targeted at the poorest quintiles and such protection should include enrollment of rural households. Further, outpatient medicines benefits should include those for non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Nutrition Knowledge, Dietary Habits, and Food Labels Use-A Representative Cross-Sectional Survey among Adults in Poland.

An unhealthy diet is an important risk factor for disability and premature death. This study aimed to assess nutrition knowledge, dietary habits, and food label use among adults in Poland as well as to identify factors associated with diet-related behaviors. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in July 2020 on a non-probability quota-based sample of 1070 adult citizens of Poland. The most common sources of nutrition knowledge were news websites (41.8%) or family/friends (32.4%). Over one-quarter of adults in Poland were on a diet (28.7%). Over one-tenth of respondents (11.9%) consumed less than three meals per day. Half of the respondents (50.3%) declared that they use food labels when shopping, and 15.4% checked the nutrition information on restaurant menus. Female gender (OR:1.70; 95%CI:1.26–2.29; p < 0.001), presence of chronic diseases (OR:1.83; 95%CI:1.37–2.44; p < 0.001), regular physical activity (p < 0.001), and being a non-smoker (OR:1.45; 95%CI:1.02–2.06; p = 0.04) were significantly associated with higher odds of being on a diet. Females (OR:1.63; 95%CI:1.24–2.15; p < 0.001), respondents with higher education (OR:1.53; 95%CI:1.17–2.01; p = 0.002), those who had never been married (OR:1.49; 95%CI:1.07–2.07; p = 0.02), respondents with chronic diseases (OR:1.73; 95%CI:1.30–2.31; p < 0.001), those with regular physical activity (p < 0.05), as well as non-smokers (OR:1.42; 95%CI:1.04–1.95; p = 0.03) had higher odds of checking the food labels. This study showed a significant gap in nutrition knowledge among adults in Poland.

Chronic diseases and compliance with provincial guidelines for outpatient antibiotic prescription in cases of otitis media and respiratory infections: a population-based study of linked data in Quebec, Canada, 2010-2017.

Background:In Quebec, antibiotic use is higher among outpatients with chronic diseases. We sought to measure compliance with provincial guidelines for the treatment of otitis media and common respiratory infections, and to measure variations in compliance according to the presence of certain chronic diseases.Methods:We conducted a population-based study of linked data on antibiotic dispensing covered by the public drug insurance plan between April 2010 and March 2017. We included patients who had consulted a primary care physician within 2 days before being dispensed an antibiotic for an infection targeted by provincial guidelines, including bronchitis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, otitis media, pharyngitis, pneumonia and sinusitis. We computed proportions of prescriptions compliant with guidelines (use of recommended antibiotic for children, and use of recommended antibiotic and dosage for adults) by age group (children or adults) and chronic disease (respiratory, cardiovascular, diabetes, mental disorder or none). We measured the impact of chronic diseases on compliance using robust Poisson regression.Results:We analyzed between 14 677 and 198 902 prescriptions for each infection under study. Compliance was greater than 87% among children, but was lower among children with asthma (proportion ratios between 0.97 and 1.00). In adults, the chosen antibiotic was compliant for at least 73% of prescriptions, except for pharyngitis (≤ 61%). Accounting for dosage lowered compliance to between 31% and 61%. Compliance was lower in the presence of chronic diseases (proportion ratios between 0.94 and 0.98).Interpretation:It is possible that prescribing noncompliant prescriptions was sometimes appropriate, but the high frequency of noncompliance suggests room for improvement. Given that variations associated with chronic diseases were small, disease-specific guidelines for antibiotic prescriptions are likely to have a limited impact on compliance.

Factors Associated with Geriatric Depression in Rural Nepal: A Cross-Sectional Community Survey

Objective: To estimate the prevalence and factors associated with depression among the geriatric population in rural Nepal. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted in Thabang Rural Municipality of Rolpa District. A total of 405 elderly persons above the age of 60 years were interviewed. The respondents were administered through the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) and sociodemographic questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with geriatric depression. Results: The prevalence of depression was found to be 68.04%. Sociodemographic characteristics such as age (OR 2.25; 95% CI 1.27 to 3.98, p&lt;0.005), gender (OR 2.60; 95% CI 1.27 to 3.98, p&lt;0.005), presence of chronic disease (OR 2.79; 95% CI 1.64 to 4.76, p&lt;0.001), income sufficiency (OR 2.81; 95% CI 1.69 to 4.68, p&lt;0.001), and health service access (OR 4.72; 95% CI 2.75 to 8.11, p&lt;0.001) were significantly associated with geriatric depression. Conclusion: The present study suggests that as depression is a significant issue amongst the elderly, standard routine health screening activities should be conducted. The study suggests stakeholders to design strategies that encourage healthy aging in Nepal. Keywords: Depression; Elderly; Rural Nepal; GDS-15

Public Awareness of Diet-Related Diseases and Dietary Risk Factors: A 2022 Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey among Adults in Poland.

A suboptimal diet is a risk factor for numerous non-communicable diseases. This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge on diet-related diseases and dietary risk factors among adults in Poland as well as to identify factors associated with awareness of diet-related diseases and dietary risk factors. This cross-sectional survey was carried out in July 2022 on a representative sample of adults in Poland. Data were received from 1070 individuals (53.3% females) aged 18–89 years. Out of eight diet-related diseases included in this study, overweight/obesity was the most recognized diet-related disease (85.0%). Stroke (26.2%) and osteoporosis (17.9%) were the least recognized diet-related diseases. Out of eight dietary risk factors included in this study, excessive consumption of sugar and salt (73.4%) was the most recognized dietary risk factor. Less than half of the respondents were aware that (1) too little vitamin intake, (2) too little intake of calcium and magnesium, (3) too little consumption of fish and oils, and (4) too little dietary fiber intake can lead to the development of the diseases. Having higher education and the presence of chronic diseases were the most important factors associated with a higher level of awareness of diet-related diseases and dietary risk factors (p < 0.05).

Risk factors for depression among older adults living alone in Shanghai, China.

Rapid population ageing and the increasing number of older adults living alone are important phenomena. Older adults are prone to depression. This study aimed to investigate the depression of older adults living alone in Shanghai and its risk factors. The data from the survey of quality of life of community-dwelling older adults in Shanghai from April 2015 to March 2016 was used in this study. A total of 387 older adults living alone in two communities in Shanghai participated in this study. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data, including depression, the presence of chronic diseases, functional ability, self-rated health, loneliness, social support and sociodemographic variables. The prevalence of depression was 26.9%. There were significant differences across the participants of different genders, education levels, previous occupations, economic levels, residential areas, physical activity levels, chronic diseases, functional ability levels, levels of self-rated health, loneliness levels and social support levels (P < 0.05). Binary logistic regression analyses found that self-rated health (odds ratio (OR)=5.914, P=0.001) and loneliness (OR=1.132, P < 0.001) were risk factors of depression. The psychological and physical health of older adults living alone need to be emphasised. Appropriate interventions could be implemented to prevent depression, so as to promote the quality of life of older adults, and achieve active ageing and healthy ageing.

The effect of tension variability for sleep quality in headache patients: A Holter monitoring study.

Background:Hypertension is one of the common causes of headaches. Disruption in the circadian rhythm of blood pressure (BP) also leads to some chronic diseases. Sleep disturbances have a relationship with neurologic and cardiac diseases. Our aim was to compare the sleep quality of patients with headaches showing dipper and nondipper BP patterns.Methods:This retrospective study included 57 patients who applied to a neurology clinic due to headaches and were referred to the cardiology department for Holter monitoring. Chronic diseases, drugs used, smoking and exercise habits, and physical examination findings were recorded. The 24-hour Holter monitoring results were classified as dipper and nondipper. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores were determined for each patient. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores of patients with dipper and nondipper patterns were compared.Results:The sleep quality of patients with dipper Holter patterns was better than that of patients with nondipper patterns (P < .001), and patients without chronic diseases had significantly better sleep quality compared with those with chronic diseases (P = .029). In the presence of chronic disease, the number of patients with a nondipper Holter pattern was higher (P = .024). There were no significant differences in Holter results or sleep quality between smokers and nonsmokers (P > .05).Conclusion:Diagnoses of sleep disorders and BP abnormalities in the outpatient clinic are valuable in increasing the quality of life of patients and in preventing chronic diseases, especially cardiac diseases that may develop in the future.

‘COVID-Somnia’ in healthcare workers during the pandemic

ABSTRACT Objectives Sleep disorders associated with COVID-19 pandemic are termed as ‘COVID-somnia.’ In this study, we sought to assess the prevalence of COVID-somnia in healthcare workers, establish the factors that trigger this condition, and to investigate its relationship with anxiety and depression symptoms. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted between April 2021 and June 2021, and it included healthcare workers who served during the pandemic. Participants’ demographic data, Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) were used, and the results were statistically analyzed. Multiple analyses of factors affecting ESS and ISI scores were evaluated using binary logistic regression model and PSQI score were analyzed using a multiple linear regression model. Results A total of 1,111 healthcare workers who served during the pandemic voluntarily enrolled to the study. The mean age was 37.3 ± 8.48 years, and 63.5% were females. Our study showed that the healthcare workers, evaluated with the PSQI, experienced a deterioration of sleep quality. Primary factors affecting this are working on the front line, the presence of chronic diseases, depression, and anxiety. Regression analyses identified depression and anxiety as the common factors affecting ESS, ISI, and PSQI scores. Conclusion Raising awareness regarding COVID-somnia among healthcare workers, who play a leading role in curbing the pandemic, would reduce sleep disturbances, depression, and anxiety. It would also contribute to the planning and implementation of preventive and therapeutic mental health programs with a multidisciplinary approach.

Health-Related Quality of Life of Moroccan COVID-19 Survivors: A Case-Control Study.

Background: Research on COVID-19 has mostly focused on transmission, mortality and morbidity associated with the virus. However, less attention has been given to its impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with COVID-19. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the demographic and clinical risk factors associated with COVID-19 and evaluate its impact on the HRQoL of COVID-19 survivors. Methods: A case-control study was carried out between September 2021 and March 2022 on 1105 participants. A total of 354 were COVID-19 survivors and 751 were the control group. The HRQoL was assessed using both EQ-5D-5L and SF-6D generic instruments. Results: The average age of all participants was 56.17 ± 15.46. Older age, urban area, tobacco use, presence of chronic diseases especially type 1 diabetes, kidney and cardiovascular diseases were significantly associated with COVID-19. The COVID-19 survivors had significantly lower HRQoL (EQ-VAS = 50.89) compared to the control group (EQ-VAS = 63.36) (p-value < 0.0001). Pain/ discomfort and anxiety/depression were the most negatively affected by COVID-19 (p-value < 0.0001). Conclusions: The findings from this study could help healthcare professionals and policy makers to better understand the HRQoL sequelae among the COVID-19 survivors and contribute to develop tailored interventions.

The implications of diabetic foot health-related with quality of life: A retrospective case control investigation

BackgroundThe diabetes people show a significant presence of foot health problems are usually all over the world, causing in big economic effects for these persons, their families and world population ObjectiveThe purpose of this research is to evaluate and relate the impact of foot health associated with the quality of life (QoL) in a group of people with and without diabetes Material and methodsA total of 150 persons of a mean age of 71.45 ± 11.93 years came to a foot and ankle specialist outpatient center. Self-reported data were medical records where persons'with and without diabetes was evaluated. All findings obtained was compared with scores quality of life using the tool Foot Health Status Questionnaire, spanish version ResultsThe diabetes group revealed a reduction of QoL linked to overall health and to foot health in particular. Differences among both groups were analyzed by means of a independent Student's t-test samples, displaying a p-value lower than 0.05 statistically significant for the domains of foot pain, foot function footwear and social capacity ConclusionsDiabetes people recorded a negative influence on the QoL related with foot health, that seems to be linked with the presence of chronic disease in diabetes people.

Reduced forced vital capacity is independently associated with, aging, height and a poor socioeconomic status: a report from the Tunisian population-based BOLD study

BackgroundReduced forced vital capacity (FVC) is a risk factor of all-cause mortality; however, the prevalence and determinants of reduced FVC are not available for the Tunisian population. This study investigated the association of reduced FVC with risk factors and health variables in an urban population of subjects aged ≥ 40 years and living in the city of Sousse in Tunisia.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was performed using data from the Tunisian Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study. We defined reduced FVC as a post-bronchodilator FVC below the lower limit of normal using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) values and Global Lung Function Initiative 2012 equations (GLI 2012) and determined the relation between this finding and the potential risk factors (demographic and socioeconomic factors and the presence of chronic diseases), using multivariable regression analysis.ResultsThe prevalence of reduced FVC was 26.6% (176/661) when using NHANES values for white Americans and 14.2% (94/661) using the GLI 2012 equations. Compared to people with normal FVC, those with a reduced FVC were significantly older, taller, had a lower body mass index (BMI), more respiratory symptoms and a higher prevalence of heart disease and hypertension. Multivariable analysis showed that reduced FVC was essentially driven by exposure to biomass smoke for heating, a number of schooling years lower than or equal to 6 years, a childhood history of hunger for a lack of money, aging and height.ConclusionsThe prevalence of reduced FVC is associated with a poor socioeconomic status aging and height.