Prevalence Of Health Risk Behaviors Research Articles

A latent class analysis of multiple health-risk behaviours among Portuguese college students

Traditionally, the prevalence of health-risk behaviours is high among university students. Although these behaviours are often analysed in isolation, there is likely evidence for the co-occurrence of multiple risk behaviours. In this study, a latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted with cross-sectional data from 840 Portuguese students (55.4% female) to explore patterns of multiple risk behaviours across seven behavioural dimensions (alcohol consumption, smoking, unhealthy eating, sedentary behaviour, risky sexual practices, illicit drug use, and self-medication). Additionally, a latent class regression was performed to explore predictors (perceived well-being and sociodemographic and academic characteristics) for each behavioural pattern. A three-class model emerged with different probabilities of risk: Low-risk behaviours (51.4%), Moderate-risk behaviors (14.9%), and High-risk behaviours (33.7%). Students with better perceptions of well-being and health were likelier to be in the healthier class. Students in the low- and moderate-risk classes were more likely to be in their first year of study, not in a romantic relationship and to be full-time students. Students who had not changed residence at the beginning of their studies and were female were more likely to be in the healthiest class. This study provides essential strategies for health promotion among university students, offering crucial insights for the design of effective health promotion interventions, especially targeted at specific groups of students with similar patterns of multiple risk behaviours.

The effects of health risk behaviors to excess mortality in the population with depression: A cohort study based on NHANES data

BackgroundThe population with depression had a considerable excess mortality risk. This increased mortality may be attributed to the biological consequences of depression or the substantial prevalence of health risk behaviors (HRBs). This study aimed to quantify the combined effects of four major HRBs - smoking, excessive alcohol use, physical inactivity, and an unhealthy diet - on excess mortality among depressed individuals. MethodsThis study included 35,738 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–06 to 2017–18, with mortality follow-up data censored through 2019. The standardized prevalence of HRBs was calculated for populations with and without depression. Poisson regression models were used to calculate the mortality rate ratio (MRR). Based on model adjusting for socio-demographic factors, the attenuation of MRR was determined after further adjustment for HRBs. ResultsA total of 3147 participants were identified as having depression. All HRBs showed a significantly higher prevalence among the population with depression. After adjusting for socio-demographic factors, depression was associated with 1.7 and 1.8 times higher all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality rate, respectively. Further adjustment for all current HRBs resulted in a 21.9 % reduction in all-cause mortality rate and a 15.4 % decrease in cardiovascular disease mortality rate. LimitationHRBs were reported at a single time point, and we are unable to demonstrate a causal effect. ConclusionAt least 1/5 of excess mortality for population with depression was attributable to HRBs. Efforts should be made to address HRBs among population with depression.

Chronic pain-mental health comorbidity and excess prevalence of health risk behaviours: a cross-sectional study.

Chronic musculoskeletal pain and anxiety/depression are significant public health problems. We hypothesised that adults with both conditions constitute a group at especially high risk of future cardiovascular health outcomes. To determine whether having comorbid chronic musculoskeletal pain and anxiety/depression is associated with the excess prevalence of selected known cardiovascular health risk behaviours. A cross-sectional survey of adults aged 35+ years randomly sampled from 26 GP practice registers in West Midlands, England. Respondents were classified into four groups based on self-reported presence/absence of chronic musculoskeletal pain (pain present on most days for six months) and anxiety or depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score 11+). Standardised binomial models were used to estimate standardised prevalence ratios and prevalence differences between the four groups in self-reported obesity, tobacco smoking, physical inactivity, and unhealthy alcohol consumption after controlling for age, sex, ethnicity, deprivation, employment status and educational attainment. The excess prevalence of each risk factor in the group with chronic musculoskeletal pain-anxiety/depression comorbidity was estimated. Totally, 14519 respondents were included, of whom 1329 (9%) reported comorbid chronic musculoskeletal pain-anxiety/depression, 3612 (25%) chronic musculoskeletal pain only, 964 (7%) anxiety or depression only, and 8614 (59%) neither. Those with comorbid chronic musculoskeletal pain-anxiety/depression had the highest crude prevalence of obesity (41%), smoking (16%) and physical inactivity (83%) but the lowest for unhealthy alcohol consumption (18%). After controlling for covariates, the standardised prevalence ratios and differences for the comorbid group compared with those with neither chronic musculoskeletal pain nor anxiety/depression were as follows: current smoking [1.86 (95% CI 1.58, 2.18); 6.8%], obesity [1.93 (1.76, 2.10); 18.9%], physical inactivity [1.21 (1.17, 1.24); 14.3%] and unhealthy alcohol consumption [0.81 (0.71, 0.92); -5.0%]. The standardised prevalences of smoking and obesity in the comorbid group exceeded those expected from simple additive interaction.

Health risk behaviors among Vietnamese students aged 13-18 in two districts in Ha Nam province and some associated factors

Objective: Risky health behaviors have an impact on physical and mental health. Data on health risk behaviors among students in Vietnam are limited. This study aims to describe and identify associated factors of health risk behaviors among Vietnamese students aged 13-18 in two districts in Ha Nam province. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 600 students aged 13-18 in two districts in Ha Nam in July - 2022. Results: There was 25.5% of participants had at least 1 health risk behavior. History of alcohol consumption was the most frequent of health risk behavior. There were 9 students had sexual intercourse. The final multi-variable logistics regression showed that students aged 14 years (aOR: 2.29, 95%CI: 1.28 – 4.20) or 16 years (aOR 7.02, 95%CI: 2.57 – 20.41) or 18 years (aOR5.58, 95%CI: 1.48 – 21.63) had a higher chance to have health risk behaviors than 13-years-old students. Female students (aOR: 0.51; 95%CI: 0.34 – 0.75) had lower rate of health risk behaviors than male students. We also found history of using tobacco (aOR: 15.7, 95%CI: 3.07 – 103.89) was associated with the history of having sex in participants. Conclusions: The prevalence of health risk behaviors among Vietnamese students aged 13-18 in Ha Nam was quite high. There should be more prevention, activities and consultation for students aged 13-18 in Viet Nam.

SENSITISATION AND AWARENESS FOR AYURVEDA AMONG SCHOOL STUDENT: A REVIEW

Ayurveda is not simply a medical science but a life science, which has majorly described various fundamental principles that help Ayurveda education and research in India that can be further reinforced with innovative and creative motivations. Strategies and futuristic plans are considered essential to be implemented with active initiation by concerned Government bodies for creating awareness among the faculties, students and upcoming scholars of Ayurveda. Children are more susceptible to many diseases due to their transitional immune system. Good health is associated with reduced dropout and massive education performance and productivity. Children are sensitive to the diseases like malnutrition, infectious diseases, intestinal parasites, skin diseases, eye and ear, and dental caries. Ayurveda describes Dinacharya, Rutucharya, Matravat Ahara, Kala Bhojana, Sadvritta etc. and a copious number of the preparation for the prevention and management of these diseases, which helps in better development of children for tomorrow. Incorporating the principles of Ayurveda in school health, one can reduce the prevalence of health risk behaviours and promote healthy behaviours among children, ultimately leading to a positive effect on health and helping build a vibrant future for the nation with healthy and skilled citizens.

Prevalence of Health-Risk Behaviors and Mental Well-Being of ASEAN University Students in COVID-19 Pandemic.

The prevalence of epidemiological health-risk behaviors and mental well-being in the COVID-19 pandemic, stratified by sociodemographic factors in Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) university students, were examined in the research. Data were collected in March–June 2021 via an online survey from 15,366 university students from 17 universities in seven ASEAN countries. Analyzed data comprised results on physical activity, health-related behaviors, mental well-being, and sociodemographic information. A large proportion of university students consumed sugar-sweetened beverages (82.0%; 95%CI: 81.4, 82.6) and snacks/fast food daily (65.2%; 95%CI: 64.4, 66.0). About half (52.2%; 95%CI: 51.4, 53.0) consumed less than the recommended daily amounts of fruit/vegetable and had high salt intake (54%; 95%CI: 53.3, 54.8). Physical inactivity was estimated at 39.7% (95%CI: 38.9, 40.5). A minority (16.7%; 95%CI: 16.1, 17.3) had low mental well-being, smoked (8.9%; 95%CI: 8.4, 9.3), and drank alcohol (13.4%; 95%CI: 12.8, 13.9). Country and body mass index had a significant correlation with many health-risk behaviors and mental well-being. The research provided important baseline data for guidance and for the monitoring of health outcomes among ASEAN university students and concludes that healthy diet, physical activity, and mental well-being should be key priority health areas for promotion among university students.

Trends in Adolescent Health Risk Behaviors and Wellbeing: A 10 Year Observation from the EDIT Surveillance of Tuscany Region, Italy.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the trends of prevalence of health risk behaviors (HRBs) and health conditions over a 10 year period (2008–2018) in a representative sample of adolescents of Tuscany Region, Italy. Methods: This was a repeated cross-sectional (four survey waves) study. The prevalence of 17 HRBs and health conditions were analyzed by age, sex, and socioeconomic status (SES). Results: A total of 21,943 students were surveyed. During the study period, decreases in smoking participation, cocaine use, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and problem gambling were observed, while alcohol abuse and at-risk sexual behaviors remained unchanged or increased. Males resulted more frequently involved in most of the HRBs, while females more frequently reported physical inactivity, regular smoking, and not using a condom. Female participation in smoking and alcohol abuse behaviors, fruit and vegetable consumption, and bullying worsened over the study period. Smoking, poor dietary habits, physical inactivity, high distress level, and obesity were more frequently observed in low-SES students than in high-SES students. Conclusions: The findings showed different tendencies in adolescent participation in HRBs over the last decade; concerning trends in at-risk sexual behaviors and alcohol consumption and females’ risk-taking behavior on the rise require careful monitoring.

High-Risk Behaviors and Associated Factors among Iranian Adult Population: A National Survey.

There is no official and representative information on certain health-risk behaviors in Iran. This national survey was performed to determine the prevalence of five high-risk behaviors among the adult population and underlying factors. This cross-sectional study was performed in 23 provinces of Iran in 2019 involving 10,957 participants. The following five risky behaviors were evaluated: (a) using illicit drugs in the past month, (b) drinking alcohol in the past month, (c) having extramarital sex in the past year, (d) having suicidal thoughts in the past month, (e) and attempting suicide in the past year. The logistic regression model was used for analyses and associations were reported using odds ratio (OR) with its 95% confidence interval (CI). The prevalence of health-risk behaviors was as follows: illicit drug use 10.4%, drinking alcohol 16.8%, extramarital sex 9.9%, suicidal thoughts 8.8%, and suicide attempt 5.4%. Almost 27.6% of the participants were involved in at least one risky behavior. There was a strong association between illicit drugs use and male gender 2.51 (2.11-2.98) and using psychiatric medications 2.96 (2.46-3.55); between drinking alcohol and male gender 2.23 (1.93-2.58); between extramarital sex and divorced/widowed status 2.43 (1.72-3.44) and having an intimate friend of the opposite sex 3.75 (3.13-4.51); between suicidal thoughts and using psychiatric medications 2.23 (1.83-2.72); between suicide attempt and a history of running away from home 2.10 (1.64-2.68). More than one-fourth Iranian adult population is involved in at least one risky behavior. Engaging in any risky behavior may increase the possibility of engaging in other high-risk behaviors.

Prevalence of Health-Risk Behaviours Among Indigenous Australians With Diabetes: A Review

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are at high risk of Type 2 diabetes and its complications. Optimal lifestyle choices can improve health outcomes. A thematic review of original research publications related to smoking, nutrition, alcohol intake, physical activity and emotional wellness in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians with diabetes was performed. Overall, 7118 English-language publications were identified by search engines (PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Medline-Web of Science, and Google Scholar) with search terms Indigenous Australians OR Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders AND diabetes AND lifestyle OR smoking OR nutrition OR alcohol OR physical activity OR emotional wellbeing and their common synonyms. After review of abstracts and publication reference lists, 36 articles met inclusion criteria and were reviewed. In general, the self-reported health-related behaviours of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian adults with diabetes, which is predominantly Type 2 diabetes, was suboptimal. An important clinical challenge in diabetes care is to sustainably reduce smoking, improve nutrition (including alcohol use), increase physical activity, reduce sedentary time, and improve emotional wellbeing, which should lead to reduced rates of diabetes complications. Regular assessments and multi-stakeholder input, including individuals, communities, clinical, health policy, societal and government inputs and partnerships, are desirable to facilitate closing the gap in health between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous Australians.

Associated Determinants Between Evidence of Burnout, Physical Activity, and Health Behaviors of University Students.

Risk behaviors and signs of burnout are associated with substantial health losses and university dropouts. Physical activity can be an effective approach to reduce these factors. The objective of this study was to analyze aspects related to health behaviors, physical activity, and signs of burnout in university students and their association with physical activity. The probabilistic cluster sample consisted of 3,578 regularly enrolled undergraduate students from UFPR in Curitiba, based on a population sample of 24,032 university students. The students completed the MBI-SS and NCHA II instruments. Descriptive statistics were used to identify demographic indicators and characteristics of the university environment. For the proportion of subjects with respective confidence intervals (CI = 95%), contingency tables involving the chi-square test (χ2) were used. The prevalence of signs of burnout was estimated in punctual proportions accompanied by the respective confidence intervals (CI = 95%). To analyze the associations between the independent variables and signs of burnout, the Hierarchical Logistic Regression was used through an analysis adjusted by the other independent variables involved in the models (CI = 95%). Results showed that the prevalence of individuals who showed signs of burnout was 40.4%. The hierarchical multiple regression model pointed to: female sex (OR = 1.30; 1.11–1.51); age between 20–24 years (OR = 1.51; 1.25–1.83); and 25–29 years (OR = 1.69; 1.27–2.24); being single (OR = 2.67; 1.01–7.10); presenting regular/poor health perception (OR = 1.59; 1.13–2.22), belonging to Human Sciences courses (OR = 1.37; 1.14–1.64); attending 2nd or 3rd year (OR = 1.34; 1.12–1.61); poor academic performance (OR = 5.35; 4.11–6.96); mean (OR = 2.08; 1.78–2.43). We conclude that academics showed a high prevalence of health risk behaviors and correlate and diagnose emotional problems and signs of burnout. Signs of burnout were significantly associated with the practice of physical activity in its three dimensions; however, in the adjusted analysis for demographic indicators, the characteristics of the university environment, and health behaviors, physical activity was not significant for the model.

Social connectedness and health risk behaviours among in-school adolescents in urban and rural areas of Oyo State, Nigeria.

Adolescents are considered vulnerable due to their ability to venture into Health Risk Behaviours (HRBs) that may have a long-term detrimental effect on their total wellbeing. The major focus of previous adolescents' studies in Nigeria has been on parent-adolescent communication and the relationship it has with their academic performance and sexual behaviour; none has explored the association of social connectedness and HRBs among in-school adolescents. Thus, the aim of this study is to assess and compare social connectedness and HRBs among in-school adolescents in urban and rural areas of Oyo State. A school-based comparative cross-sectional design was employed wherein 2071 in-school adolescents were selected via a multistage cluster sampling in Ibarapa Central and Ibadan North Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Oyo State. The independent variables were socio-demographic characteristics, family characteristics and social connectedness while the dependent variable was HRBs. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics, chi square, t-test, ANOVA and logistic regression with level of statistical significance set at 5%. Overall, slightly over one-half of the respondents (51.9%) were from the urban LGA and 54.2% were females. The mean age of respondents was 13.7 ± 2.1 years and 46.7% were early adolescents aged 10-13 years. The prevalence of HRBs among in-school adolescents was high (91.8%) and the mean score of social connectedness among in-school adolescents was high, with a slightly higher mean in rural area (131.71 ± 16.43) compared to (131.04 ± 14.47) in urban area. However, this was not statistically significant (p = 0.322). The mean scores of the domains of religious connectedness (p = 0.176), school connectedness (p < 0.001), peer connectedness (p < 0.001) and social-media connectedness (p = 0.003) were higher in the rural areas. However, the mean score of family connectedness among respondents was higher in the urban area (p < 0.001). The odds of having engaged in HRBs were significantly 1.57 times more likely among respondents who were males than those who were females {AOR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.12-2.19}. The odds of having engaged in HRBs was significantly 1.44 times more likely among respondents who live in an urban area than among those who live in a rural area {AOR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.03-2.01}. For a unit increase in the total score of social-media connectedness of the students, the odds of having engaged in HRBs was reduced by 0.95 {AOR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.99}. There were significantly lower mean scores for social connectedness among respondents who had engaged in HRBs compared to their counterpart who had not engaged in HRBs. Therefore, various efforts targeted at improving social connectedness with its domains could be recommended to prevent in-school adolescents from engaging in HRBs.

Assessing and Addressing Cardiovascular Health in People Who Are Transgender and Gender Diverse: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

There is growing evidence that people who are transgender and gender diverse (TGD) are impacted by disparities across a variety of cardiovascular risk factors compared with their peers who are cisgender. Prior literature has characterized disparities in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality as a result of a higher prevalence of health risk behaviors. Mounting research has revealed that cardiovascular risk factors at the individual level likely do not fully account for increased risk in cardiovascular health disparities among people who are TGD. Excess cardiovascular morbidity and mortality is hypothesized to be driven in part by psychosocial stressors across the lifespan at multiple levels, including structural violence (eg, discrimination, affordable housing, access to health care). This American Heart Association scientific statement reviews the existing literature on the cardiovascular health of people who are TGD. When applicable, the effects of gender-affirming hormone use on individual cardiovascular risk factors are also reviewed. Informed by a conceptual model building on minority stress theory, this statement identifies research gaps and provides suggestions for improving cardiovascular research and clinical care for people who are TGD, including the role of resilience-promoting factors. Advancing the cardiovascular health of people who are TGD requires a multifaceted approach that integrates best practices into research, health promotion, and cardiovascular care for this understudied population.

Multiple health behaviours and interest in change among people with a mental health condition: A brief report.

People with a mental illness experience a disproportionate burden of chronic disease morbidity and mortality; contributed to by a higher prevalence of health risk behaviours that increase the risk of chronic disease development. Amongst this population there is little understanding of multiple risk behaviour co-occurrence and client interest in improving multiple such risks. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken with a random selection of 557 clients of 12 community mental health services in Australia. Participants reported their engagement in health risk behaviours (tobacco smoking, harmful alcohol consumption, inadequate fruit and/or vegetable consumption, and inadequate physical activity), and those deemed 'at risk' reported whether they were seriously considering improving their risk behaviours. Almost all participants engaged in at least one risk behaviour (96.1%), with 78.4% of participants engaging in two or more risk behaviours. Of those with two risks, the most frequently paired behaviours were inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption and inadequate physical activity (39.7%); of those with three risks the most common combination was inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption, tobacco smoking and harmful alcohol consumption (42.5%). Of those at risk for all behaviours, 68.4% were interested in improving multiple behaviours, and 14% were interested in improving all; with these participants being most frequently interested in changing smoking, nutrition, and physical activity (19.3%), followed by all risk behaviours (14.0%). The findings strengthen the evidence that people with a mental illness are interested in improving their health risk behaviours and indicate a need to address the multiple health risks in this population group.

Associations of health-risk behaviors with mental health among Chinese children

ABSTRACT The study aimed to investigate the individual and combined association of health-risk behaviors with mental health among Chinese children. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Wuhan, China, from May to June 2018. Participants self-reported the information on physical activity (PA), screen time (ST), fruit and vegetable (FV) intake, and sleep duration. Mental health, including depression, social anxiety and self-esteem, was assessed using standard questionnaires. A total of 1296 children (704 males and 592 females) aged 9.2 ± 0.4 years were included in the present study. The prevalence of low PA, high ST, low FV intake, and inadequate sleep duration was 45.6%, 18.0%, 69.7%, and 64.7%, respectively. Overall, significant associations were found between individual health-risk behavior and increased risks of mental health. Furthermore, children with three or four health-risk behaviors showed significantly increased risks of anxiety (OR: 3.18, 95%CI: 1.63–6.21), depression (OR: 4.55, 95%CI: 2.28–9.09) and low self-esteem (OR: 3.59, 95%CI: 2.20–5.88) compared with those without health-risk behavior. Results of this study revealed a high prevalence of health-risk behaviors among Chinese children. Furthermore, the clustering of health-risk behavior was associated with significantly increased risks of mental health in this population. Considering these findings, it is important to perform early interventions to reduce children’s health-risk behavior and prevent mental health problems.

Risky Behaviours among Adolescent Students of Pokhara Valley: A School-Based Cross-sectional Survey.

Adolescence is the period of physical and mental vulnerabilities where health risk behaviours are common due to their experimental nature and decision-making power. A higher prevalence of risky behaviours among adolescents has been reported globally which resulted in adverse effects on health and wellbeing. The present study aims to explore the overall prevalence of health risk behaviours among adolescents. This study was conducted in 2014 using the WHO guideline of a Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS) in the Pokhara valley of Nepal using a stratified clustered sampling technique. A descriptive study was conducted among 1190 adolescent school students of the valley. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. The data were analysed using SPSS for descriptive statistics. The response rate of the participants was 95.35%. The prevalence of the current use of tobacco, alcohol, and drug was 15.9%, 17.1%, and 4.1% respectively. The mean age of first use of tobacco, alcohol, and drug was found14.07±1.82, 14.19±1.78, and 15.52±1.61 years respectively.Two third (66.4%) of the participants reported having sexual intercourse one or two times within the last 12 months. Among them, 21.4 % reported no use of condoms during sexual intercourse. The mean age of first sexual intercourse was 14.69±1.56 years. Similarly, 42.2% reported being injured in the past 12 months of study. The study shows a higher prevalence of health risk behaviours among adolescents. Tobacco, drug, alcohol use, and risky sexual activities were initiated at a younger age.

Health risk behaviors and suicide attempt among adolescents in China and Tanzania: A school-based study of countries along the belt and road

IntroductionHealth risk behaviors among adolescents could have negative health effect and impose huge economic and social burdens on society. Among the various health risk behaviors that could be intervened, the consequences of attempted suicide were extremely serious and deserved special attention. The prevalence of health risk behaviors during adolescence varied by country. This study aimed to evaluate the health risk behaviors among adolescents in China and Tanzania, which would promote the cooperation between the two countries in the field of health. MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted in Tanzania (Arusha) and China (Wuhan). Participants were recruited from the junior and senior high schools (China, n = 811; Tanzania, n = 621). Those students were about 12–18 years old in China, and about 15–20 years old in Tanzania. The data collection was anonymous. ResultsThe physical fighting and dissatisfaction with their shape among high school students in China were more prevalent than those in Tanzania. In contrast, the prevalence of ever smoking, drinking, having sexual behavior and suicide attempts was higher among high school students in Tanzania. The prevalence of suicide attempts in the past 12-month were 9.7% (China) and 24.8% (Tanzania). ConclusionsThe prevalence of health risk behaviors and suicide attempt were high and varied widely among adolescents in China and Tanzania. This study is meaningful for providing necessary information to formulate interventions.

Health risk behaviour is associated with psychological distress among school-going adolescents in five association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries.

This investigation aimed to study associations between multiple health risk behaviour and psychological distress among in-school adolescents in five association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. Cross-sectional data from the 2015 "Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS)" included 33,184 students (mean age 14.3 years, standard deviation (SD)=1.6 years) that were representative of all students in middle school students in Indonesia, Laos, Philippines, Thailand and Timor-Leste. The mean prevalence of health risk behaviours was 3.1 (SD=1.2) (range 0-8), and the prevalence of single psychological distress was 14.6% and multiple psychological distress 8.6%. In adjusted multinomial logistic regression analysis, engaging in a greater number of health risk behaviours, being female, older age, food insecurity (experience of hunger) were positively and parental or guardian support and school attendance were negatively associated with both single and multiple psychological distress. This study confirms that the co-occurrence of multiple health risk behaviours is associated with psychological distress among adolescents, which should be considered when designing intervention programmes in this population.

Health risk behaviors in elderly Brazilian widowers.

The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of health risk behaviors among elderly widowers with that of elderly partnered males, as well as single or divorced/separated men. Additionally, we set out to examine the prevalence of risk behaviors in elderly widowered men according to age, education level, and race/skin color. A cross-sectional study was conducted with elderly men (≥ 60 years) who were interviewed through the Surveillance System of Risk and Protective Factors for Chronic Diseases by Telephone Survey (Vigitel) in 2016 (n=5,384) and 2017 (n=5,801). The Vigitel survey includes representative samples of adults residing in the capitals of Brazilian states and the Federal District, and of those surveyed, 886 were widowers. Identified risk behaviors included physical inactivity during leisure time, irregular consumption of fruits, vegetables and legumes, smoking and alcohol abuse. The prevalence of smoking was lower among partnered elderly men [PR=0.68, CI95% (0.52-0.90)] than among widowers. There were no differences in the prevalence of other risk behaviors between widowers and other groups. When only widowers were taken into account, there was significant association of risk behaviors with age and educational level, but not with race/skin color.

Association of Adverse Childhood Experiences with Health Risk Behaviors Among College Students in Zambia.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to long-term health outcomes, while the impact of such experience has not been investigated among Zambian youth. This study examined the associations of ACEs with individual and clusters of health risk behavior among college students in Zambia. A total of 624 college students participated in this cross-sectional study. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on their ACEs and health risk behaviors. There were 58.3% (364) reporting some forms of ACEs, with 27.6% (172), 16.3% (102), and 14.4% (90) being exposed to 1, 2, and ≥ 3 ACEs, respectively. The prevalence of health risk behaviors ranged from 6.0 to 34.2%. Overall, ACEs were associated with increased risk of smoking, binge drinking, suicide attempt, risky sexual behaviors, and illicit drug use. Logistic regression suggested that participants with ≥ 3 ACEs (OR, 3.62; 95% CI, 2.14-6.13) were more likely to engage in the unhealthy cluster, characterized by the presence of any health risk behavior, than those without ACE. ACEs were associated with individual and clustering of health risk behaviors among Zambia college students. Our study suggests that early intervention is needed to prevent long-term adverse health consequences in this population.

A systematic review protocol examining workplace interventions that aim to improve employee health and wellbeing in male-dominated industries

BackgroundThe workplace environment potentially provides access to a large population who are employed, and it is an employer's responsibility to provide appropriate conditions for its employees. Whilst the aetiology of cardiovascular disease is multifactorial, it is generally acknowledged that working conditions, gender and age are involved in its development. Male-dominated industries (comprising > 70% male workers, e.g., agriculture, construction, manufacturing, mining, transport and technology) have a higher prevalence of health risk behaviours than other population subgroups. Working in a gender-dominated industry can impact an employee's health and wellbeing, particularly for the opposite sex. This systematic review examines workplace interventions that address the health and wellbeing of employees in male-dominated industries.MethodsWe will include randomised controlled trials and studies with non-randomised intervention groups. The interventions must aim to improve employee physical and/or mental health and wellbeing implemented in the workplace in male-dominated industries. There will be no limits on date. The following electronic databases will be searched for published studies: Web of Science, Embed, MedLine, PsycInfo and the Cochrane Database. The search strategy will include free-text terms and MeSH vocabulary, including ‘male-dominated industries’, ‘workplace interventions’, ‘occupational stress’, ‘mental health’, ‘cardiovascular disease’, ‘blood pressure’, ‘body mass index’ and ‘exercise’. Two authors will independently select, review and extract data from studies that meet the inclusion criteria. The Cochrane's Risk of Bias tool will be used to assess risk of bias. We will perform structured summaries of the included studies and, if possible, conduct meta-analyses or construct an Albatross plot.DiscussionThere are an increasing number of interventions designed to improve employee health and wellbeing in the workplace, but no prior review that systematically evaluates their effectiveness. A systematic review is required to prioritise the future implementation of those interventions found to be most effective.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42019161283