Proportion Of Young People Research Articles

Trend analysis of stroke subtypes mortality attributable to high body-mass index in China from 1990 to 2019

BackgroundThe prevalence of stroke disability associated with high BMI has significantly increased over the past three decades. However, it remains uncertain whether high body-mass index (BMI) exerts a similar impact on the disease burden of different stroke subtypes. The aim of this study is to assess the long-term trends of stroke and subtypes mortality attributable to high BMI in China between 1990 and 2019.MethodsData on stroke and subtypes mortality attributable to high BMI in China was extracted in the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019. The trends of age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) were calculated using the linear regression and age-period-cohort framework.ResultsThe changing trend of ASMR on stroke attributable to high BMI in China differed among subtypes, with an estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) and 95%CI of 2.04 (1.86 to 2.21) for ischemic stroke (IS), 0.36 (-0.03 to 0.75) for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and − 4.62 (-5.44 to -3.78) for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Net and local drift analyses revealed a gradual increase in the proportion of older people with IS and a gradual increase in the proportion of younger people with hemorrhagic strokes. The cohort and period rate ratios varied by subtype, showing an increasing trend for IS and ICH but a decreasing trend for SAH. The stroke mortality attributable to high BMI increased significantly with age for IS and ICH, peaking between ages 50–70 for SAH. Notably, males had higher ASMR related to stroke but exhibited slighter declines or higher growth compared to females in China. Moreover, the population affected by fatal strokes tended to be older among females but more evenly distributed across a wider age range encompassing both younger and older individuals.ConclusionThe research findings indicate a rising trend in the ASMR of stroke and subtypes attributable to high BMI in China from 1990 to 2019, with different patterns of change for different subtypes, genders and ages. Consequently, it is imperative for public health authorities in China to formulate guidelines for specific stroke subtypes, genders and ages to prevent the burden of stroke attributable to high BMI.

Intensive management from diagnosis improves HbA1c at 12 months postdiagnosis: results from a prospective cohort study in children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes

aims: To examine the impact of intensive management of type 1 diabetes (T1D) from diagnosis on HbA1c 12 months from diagnosis. methods: HbA1c measured 12 months after diagnosis for 70 consecutively newly diagnosed children with T1D following implementation of an intensive management protocol was compared with 70 children consecutively diagnosed immediately pre-implementation. Intensive management involved carbohydrate counting and flexible insulin dosing from first meal with subcutaneous insulin, targeted blood glucose levels from 4–8mmol/L irrespective of time of day, avoidance of twice daily insulin regimen and promotion of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). HbA1c, diabetes technology use and insulin regimen at 12 months post-diagnosis were compared. results: The post-intensive management implementation cohort had an improved mean HbA1c of 58.2±15.3mmol/mol vs 63.7±10.7mmol/mol at 12 months (p=0.014). The proportion of young people with diabetes meeting a target HbA1c of <53mmol/mol at 12 months improved from 11% to 40% (p=<0.001). There was a reduction of twice daily insulin regimen from 66% to 11% (p=<0.001), and increased CGM use from 57% to 76% (p=0.02). conclusion: Intensive management when implemented with consistent messaging from the multi-disciplinary team resulted in clinic-wide improvements in HbA1c and the proportion meeting HbA1c targets.

Young people with LGB identity and their sense of belonging: Evidence from Northern Ireland – A society emerging from violent social conflict

In 2023 Northern Ireland celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement (GFA) which is regarded as a milestone of the Northern Ireland peace process. Via the 1998 Northern Ireland Act, the peace process saw equality and anti-discrimination legislation being implemented in Northern Ireland that legislates that public authorities must carry out their duties with due regard to equality of opportunity, including between persons of different sexual orientations and gender identities. Using time series data from 2013 to 2023 taken from the annual Young Life and Times (YLT) survey conducted among a randomized sample of 16-year olds in Northern Ireland (N = 15,162), this article explores the extent to which same-sex attracted young women and men express a sense of belonging to, and influence in, their local neighborhoods and Northern Ireland. We argue that the sense of belonging and influence can be used as suitable policy indicators to assess how same-sex attracted young people fare in Northern Ireland, a society emerging from significant violent conflict. The YLT dataset allows us to track, if any change in attitudes can be detected over the last decade. Our analysis shows that there was an increase in the proportion of young people, especially among young women, expressing same-sex attraction. However, our study also indicates that, regardless of gender, LGB 16-year olds consistently felt a lesser sense of belonging and influence than their non-LGB individuals. We found no LGB-specific differences among respondents with different religious affiliations. LGB respondents disproportionately rejected both Protestant and Catholic faiths and community affiliations, unlike their non-LGB counterparts. Our findings are a strong indicator that religion still plays a major part in the relationship between ethno-national communities in Northern Ireland and that there still is a long way to go until LGB young people feel valued and feel that they belong.

Detection of inflammation by whole-body MRI in young people with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

To assess the frequency of joint inflammation detected by whole-body MRI (WBMRI) in young people (YP) with JIA and controls, and to determine the relationship between WBMRI-detected inflammation and clinical findings. YP aged 14-24 years, with JIA (patients) or arthralgia without JIA (controls), recruited from one centre, underwent a WBMRI scan after formal clinical assessment. Consensus between at least two of the three independent radiologists was required to define inflammation and damage on WBMRI, according to predefined criteria. YP with JIA were deemed clinically active as per accepted definitions. The proportions of YP with positive WBMRI scans for joint inflammation (one or more inflamed joint) as well as serum biomarkers were compared between active vs inactive JIA patients and controls. Forty-seven YP with JIA (25 active and 22 inactive patients) and 13 controls were included. WBMRI detected joint inflammation in 60% (28/47) of patients with JIA vs 15% (2/13) of controls (difference: 44%, 95% CI 20%, 68%). More active than inactive JIA patients had WBMRI-detected inflammation [76% (19/25) vs 41% (9/22), difference: 35% (95% CI 9%, 62%)], and this was associated with a specific biomarker signature. WBMRI identified inflammation in one or more clinically inactive joint in 23/47 (49%) patients (14/25 active vs 9/22 inactive JIA patients). WBMRI's validity in joint assessment was demonstrated by the higher frequency of inflammation in JIA patients vs controls, and in active vs inactive JIA patients. WBMRI found unsuspected joint inflammation in 49% YP with JIA, which needs further investigation of potential clinical implications.

ВОЗРАСТНЫКЕ АСПЕКТЫ ПОВЕДЕНЧЕСКИХ ФАКТОРОВ РИСКА У НАСЕЛЕНИЯ КУЗБАССА

Significance. Studying prevalence of behavioral risk factors, especially at the population level, is extremely relevant for public health and disease prevention. However, it is clear that prevention programs require different approaches for different age groups. The purpose of the study is to analyze age-specifics of behavioral risk factors in the population of Kuzbass. Material and methods. The study sample was formed based on the results of two epidemiological studies conducted in the Kemerovo region. Primary monitoring was carried out in 2015-2017 among 1270 men and women aged 35-70 (random sample). The sample of young people was formed based on the study of individual and contextual conditions for developing behavioral risk factors among students at the Institute of Food Science and Technologies of the Kemerovo State University. The study was conducted in 2022 among 626 students; a non-random sampling method was used to form the sample. Data on smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity were collected through interviews. The level of physical activity in the adult sample was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and in the sample of people aged 18-29 - using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). Statistical calculations were performed in SPSS version 22 (IBM Corp. USA). The critical level of statistical significance was taken to be 0.05. Results. The proportion of young people who smoked equaled to 35.1% and was 2.4 time higher than the proportion of smokers aged 60 and older, and 1.4 time higher than those aged 40-59 (p <0.001). Respondents aged 40-59 most often gave up smoking (23.2%, p<0.001). People in the middle and older age groups smoked exclusively traditional cigarettes (99.1% and 100.0%, respectively); while among young people, this figure was only 37.8%. The majority of young people preferred to use electronic cigarettes (68.4%), while people aged 40-59 only mentioned them as an option in 6.5% of cases. Persons aged 18-29 were 1.2 times more likely to consume alcohol on a regular basis than respondents aged 40-59 and 2.1 times more likely than people aged 60 and older. Episodic alcohol consumption, as well as complete abstinence was typical of persons aged 60 and older. In the age group of 18-29 years, 75.9% of those surveyed drank beer; in the group of 40-59 years, this figure decreased 1.2 times, while in the group of 60+ it decreased 1.9 times (p<0.001). Wine consumption had a similar trend: with age there was a decrease of 1.4 times and 1.6 times, respectively. The average MET/week was higher in the age group of 40-59 years and exceeded that in people aged 60 and older 1.4 times, and in people 18-29 years - 1.7 times (p<0.001). The share of working physical activity is also higher in people of the middle and older age groups. Transport and recreational physical activity is more typical of respondents aged 18-29. Conclusion. Behavioral risk factors (tobacco and alcohol consumption, physical activity patterns) have a number of age and gender characteristics that should be taken into account to ensure successful disease prevention. Scope of application. Preventive medicine.

Transgender identity in young people and adults recorded in UK primary care electronic patient records: retrospective, dynamic, cohort study

ObjectivesTo quantify the change in proportion of young people and adults identified as transgender in UK primary care records and to explore whether rates differ by age and socioeconomic deprivation.DesignRetrospective,...

Популяционное исследование эмфизематозных изменений легких у населения г. Москвы методом автоматизированного анализа результатов лучевых исследований.

Background. Emphysema, commonly seen in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), worsens the course of chronic cardiovascular and endocrine diseases and is also associated with an increased risk of lung cancer. Although the evaluation of COPD incidence is applied systematically, the prevalence of emphysema is often not known. One of the ways to offset that is automated analysis of chest CT scans using artificial intelligence technologies. Goal. To study the prevalence of emphysema in the population of Moscow using automated analysis of radiological examinations. Methods. The results of the chest CT scan of 116,216 patients were analyzed. All studies were performed between October 2022 and June 2023 in Moscow medical facilities. The Emphysema-IRA AI service (Intelligent Radiology Assistance Laboratories (AIRA Labs) LLC) used an automated mode to determine the presence of emphysematous changes in the lungs (binary classification – yes/no) and the percentage of emphysematous lesions in both lungs and each lung separately. Results. The prevalence of pulmonary emphysema among the Moscow population was 0.614 per 1,000 people; the prevalence of clinically significant emphysema was 0.173 per 1,000 people. The majority of individuals presented with either pulmonary or clinically significant emphysema in CT belong to the elderly group (47.0% and 55.0%, respectively); the proportion of young people is also significant (9.0% and 5.0%). Men of all age groups have a significantly higher chance to get diagnosed with emphysema which suggests a higher incidence compared to the female population (Chi-square = 1000.0; p<0.001). Regardless of gender, a 5-year increase in age elevates the likelihood of both emphysema and clinically significant emphysema by 1.1 times. Conclusions. Automated detection of signs of pulmonary emphysema on CT allows for a quick, population-wide, and objective assessment of the COPD prevalence. Thanks to the development of AI-based medical software, it has become possible to develop and implement ground-breaking digital technologies for healthcare management and public health studies.

CRIMINAL SPILLOVERS IN BRASILIA’S INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT REGION: AN ANALYSIS OF VIOLENT CRIME (2010-2017)

The discussion of crimes relies on a vast literature whose debates permeate several dimensions: social, spatial, economic, and demographic, among others. The objective of this article is to understand the spatial distribution of crime in Brasilia’s Integrated Development Region. It concludes that the crime rates in this region are not randomly distributed spatially, because an exploratory analysis of spatial data indicates the existence of spatial dependence. This means that the municipalities that border the Federal District are responsible for more than 80% of the crimes carried out in the period under examination. The main victims are young people, mainly black men shot by firearms, and the proportion of young people between 15 and 19 years of age was a determining factor in this positive correlation, among other significant conditions obtained by using estimates of spatial regressions using Spatial Durbin Models – SDM and data panels for the years 2010 to 2017. We detected a 51% incidence of spillovers for fatal crimes.

Once NEET, always NEET? A synthetic panel approach to analyze the Moroccan labor market

AbstractIn many regions of the world, the persistent, and growing, proportion of young people who are currently Not in Employment, Education or Training—a group increasingly referred to as NEET—is of global concern. This is no less true of Morocco: about 30% of the Moroccan population between age 15 and 24 are currently NEET. Drawing from various rounds of Moroccan Labor Force Surveys, this paper contributes to understanding the complex dynamics of labor markets in developing countries. First, it identifies the socioeconomic determinants of Morocco's NEETs. Second, employing a synthetic panel (SP) methodology in the context of labor market analysis, the paper describes how the condition of NEETs changes over time. One striking, and worrisome, pattern that emerges from the 2010 SP data is that, even after 8 years, a majority of the NEETs remained outside either the labor market or education, with very little chance of moving out of their situation. Their chronic stagnancy confirms the powerful effect that initial conditions have on determining young people's future outcomes. It also highlights the absence of corrective mechanisms and policy interventions within the Moroccan political economy landscape that could help to change NEETs' outcomes along the line.

POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT: AN ANALYSIS OF THE GOVERNMENT’S MODEL IN BANGLADESH

The world is witnessing a dramatic change in the composition of the population. Industrialized nations are struggling with an "ageing population", while in most developing countries like Bangladesh, the proportion of young people is increasing. In Bangladesh, the youth constitute one-third of the total population and despite the government's efforts, the youth in Bangladesh are falling behind compared to other neighboring countries. Why is this so? The objective of this study is to examine the effectiveness, efficiency and appropriateness of the government's youth development model in Bangladesh using a positive youth development approach. Relying on mixed methods approach, the study utilized primary and secondary data for analysis. The primary data came from questionnaires answered by the 50 participants of Jubo Unnoyon (DYD) Dhaka District Branch. The study found that the DYD program had extremely low scores for 'spirituality and caring'. In addition, the level of achievement or effectiveness did not reach standard levels. Overall, however, the DYD program promotes positive youth development but still needs some adjustments and improvements, especially in the area of caring and connection.

Physical distancing and emergency medical services utilization after self-harm in Korea during the early COVID-19 pandemic: A nationwide quantitative study.

People experienced various stress and psychological responses to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to examine the changes in emergency medical services (EMSs) utilization by self-harm patients in early pandemic and the impacts of physical distancing measures on the EMSs utilization by self-harm patients. Data for all patients presenting to emergency departments (EDs) after self-harm injuries including self-poisoning were collected from the National ED Information System (NEDIS). Characteristics of patients in two study regions (urban versus rural) were compared. Weekly and annual ED visit rates after self-harm (VRSH) per 100,000 population were calculated. Mobile phone mobility index (MPMI) was calculated by dividing a region's aggregated mobile phone mobility by mid-year population. Joinpoint regression analysis was conducted to assess changes in 2020 over pre-pandemic years. Test for presence of joinpoint at the end of 2019 was performed. A cross-correlation function was used to estimate the maximal morphological similarity and lag time between changes in MPMI and VRSH. In 2020, in early phases of the pandemic, there was a moderate decline in self-harm-related ED visits to 30,797 from a continuously increasing trend seen in previous years. However, proportions of young people (50.1%) and females (62.3%) increased over previous years. VRSHs among women and young people aged 15-34 years showed higher levels in 2020 than in previous five years. There was a significant decrease in the proportion of patients transported directly from the scene. In addition, there was a polarization of mental state upon ED arrival from alert and unresponsive. The median correlation coefficient between MPMI values and VRSH values was 0.601 (interquartile range [IQR]: 0.539-0.619) in urban regions and 0.531 (IQR: 0.454-0.595) in rural regions, showing no statistically significant difference between the two. Physical distancing measures adopted to prevent the spread of transmittable diseases following the pandemic had the effect of decreasing ED visits due to self-harm. When the pandemic has ended, and daily life has been restored, it will be particularly important to pay attention to the increased numbers of self-harm patients expected to visit EDs compared to during the pandemic.

Assessment of the risks of cardiovascular system functional disorders developing in young people aged 18–25 years

Background. In recent years, the proportion of young people with functional disorders and diseases of the cardiovascular system has increased, in the formation of which behavioral risk factors play an important role.
 Aim. To assess the risk of functional disorders developing in young people aged 1825 depending on social status and lifestyle.
 Material and methods. An observational one-stage uncontrolled study, the object of which was young people aged 1825 years (1978 people), was conducted. The study sample was divided into four groups: working (n=200) and studying (n=313) males, working (n=526) and studying (n=939) females. To assess the relative cardiovascular risk, the groups were divided according to social status, to assess the impairment of adaptive capabilities according to the presence of a behavioral risk factor. Comparison of independent groups was performed using the MannWhitney test. Testing null hypotheses about the absence of differences between the shares was carried out using the 2 test and calculating the odds ratio.
 Results. Relative cardiovascular risk was found in 21.8% of young people. The chances of risk occurrence were higher in males than in females (p 0.001), in working youth compared to students (p 0.001). The chances of reducing the adaptive capacity of the cardiovascular system were 2.1 times higher in smoking males (p 0.001) and 2.6 times higher in smoking females (p 0.001) compared to non-smoking respondents. In males with excessive alcohol consumption, in females with irregular meals and low physical activity, cases of tension in the mechanisms of adaptation of the cardiovascular system were more often noted (by 1.8; 1.4 and 1.7 times, respectively) compared with control groups.
 Conclusion. The risk of functional disorders developing was more common in young males than in females, in workers in comparison with students; cigarette smoking in both sexes, alcohol consumption in males, irregular meals and low physical activity in females contributed to a decrease in the reserve capacity of the circulatory system.

One More Time about the Age of Teachers in Russian Universities: Old Problems and New Trends

The paper presents results of analyzing age structure of Russian state universities teaching staff and its dynamics in the post-Soviet period. It is shown that due to the rapid decline after 2010 in the proportion of young people under 30 years of age and increasing share of population over 65 years of age, the imbalance is growing in favor of older people. Comparing average age of university professors and that of the employed population in dynamics shows some exceedance of the former. At the same time, for more than two decades their ratio stayed constant – the average age of teachers was 20 percent or about 8 years more than that of the employed population, which is caused, among other things, by a longer-term professional training. Analyzing age structure for various positions reveals its overall balance, with professors being the oldest in terms of average age, and assistants being the youngest.The study found significant changes of a position structure, affecting primarily professors, whose share has increased several times, as well as assistants and teachers, who occupy two lower positions in the teaching staff. Their share has decreased even more. Insight into teaching staff age structure and osition structure in Russian universities shows that changes in age characteristic, especially shrinking young people population, are associated with job positions, especially with almost complete disappearance of the teaching staff on assistant and lecturer positions. A teaching staff distribution by position also shows that more than three-quarters of the total staff have positions no higher than associate professor. It means this position is actually a “glass ceiling” for teachers in Russian higher education. This fact and almost complete lack of assistants and lecturers result in a two-stage career ladder (senior lecturer – associate professor) for the vast majority of teaching staff in Russian universities, which will inevitably have a negative impact on the level of his qualifications.

Molecular evolutionary characteristics of OBI virus S gene among the adolescent population in rural and pastoral areas of Xinjiang Province.

To determine the actual hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection rate, occult HBV infection (OBI) rate, and molecular evolutionary characteristics of the OBI virus S gene in the adolescent population living in rural and pastoral areas of Xinjiang Province. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among the adolescent population living in the farming and herding areas. Venous blood samples (3-5 mL) were collected from eligible students in three central schools located in Panfanggou Township, Shuixigou Village, and Miaolgou Village, all in Urumqi County, in the nine-year compulsory system. Clustersampling in a population was adopted, and informed consent was obtained from the participating students. All serum samples were qualitatively tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) by electrochemiluminescence. Subsequently, the HBV S gene was amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the positive PCR products were purified; the target gene sequences were then amplified. Molecular evolutionary characterization of the target gene sequences was performed using MEGA 11software. Overall, 1712 subjects were enrolled. The HBsAg carrier rate and OBI infection rate were 1.93% (33/1712) and 6.13% (103/1679), respectively. HBsAg (-) samples included 103 OBI strains, of which B-genotype strains accounted for 80.58% (83/103; 1 case of ayw1 serotype and 82 cases of adw2 serotype), C-genotype strains accounted for 14.56% (15/103; 1 case of adw2 serotype and 14 cases of adrq+serotype), and D-genotype strains accounted for 4.85% (5/103; 1 case of adw2 serotype and 4 cases of ayw2 serotype). Mutations were detected in the "a" determinant region of the following genes: P127S, G130R, and N146S (B-genotype OBI strains); T126I and T143S (C-genotype OBI strains); T126I, P127S, F134Y, and T143S (D-genotype OBI strains). A certain proportion of young people are infected with OBI strains. The B-genotype of OBI strains is the possible dominant genotype. OBI strains have amino acid mutations in the "a" determinant region, and they are likely to undergo a change in their antigenicity and immunogenicity. More attention must be paid to prevent problems due to OBI.

POLITICAL ACTIVITY OF THE KAZAKHSTANI YOUTH IN THE SOCIOLOGICAL DIMENSION

Kazakhstani youth takes the position of an observer rather than takes an active part in the political life of the country. This is evidenced by certain trends, namely the reduction in the proportion of young people among civil servants, the low level of formal participation in the activities of political parties and other organizations as their members, as well as the virtualization of political participation. These trends can be clearly seen from the results of surveys conducted as part of the 7th wave of the World Values Survey, as well as the Research сenter "Molodezh" and the Kazakhstan Institute for Social Development.

DİJİTAL DÜNYANIN DÜNÜ, BUGÜNÜ VE YARINI: BİLİŞİM SEKTÖRÜNÜN GELİŞİMİ ÜZERİNE DEĞERLENDİRME

Bilişim sektörü özellikle iki binli yıllar sonrasında büyük bir dönüşüm geçirmiştir. Bu dönüşüm tüm sektörleri bir şekilde etkilemiştir. Çalışma bu değişim ve dönüşümü yıllar içinde değerlendirmekte ve bu etkiyi, değişimi paydaşlar üzerine etkisini tartışmaktadır. Türkiye ve dünyada bilişim sektörünün bu değişimden nasıl etkilendiğini ortaya koymakta, bilişim sektöründe ilgili dönemlerde ön plana çıkan ülkelerin bu yöndeki başarılı olduğu noktaları değerlendirmektedir. Bilişim sektöründeki zaman içindeki değişiminin, akademik disiplinler üzerinde ne tür değişimler oluşturduğunu, yönetim bilişim sistemleri disiplinini merkeze alarak değerlendirmektedir. Çalışmamıza kaynak oluşturan dokümanlar belirli bir sistematik ile ve düzende taranmış, belirlenen araştırma sorulanını cevaplanması için kapsamlı literatür taraması ile konu değerlendirilmiştir. Önceleri bilişim sektörü, ABD, Almanya, Japonya gibi sektörde köklü bir geçmişi olan ülkeler üzerinden dönüşmektedir. Sonraları, yıllar içinde yürüttükleri başarılı politikalar ile Hindistan, İsrail, İrlanda gibi ülkeler, sektörde söz sahibi olmuşlar ve önemli bir yer elde etmişlerdir. Günümüzde ise doksanlı yıllarda sektörde ismini çok duymadığımız Çin, bilişim sektöründe yürüttüğü kararlı politikalar ile ön plana çıktığı görülmektedir. Hızla dijitalleşen dünyada önceleri sektörde ismi duyulmayan pek çok ülke bu sektörde varlık göstermeye başlamaktadır. Türkiye iki binli yıllarda sahip olduğu yoğun genç nüfusa günümüzde sahip değildir. Türkiye’nin bilişim sektöründe farklılaştırılmış ve ülke dinamiklerinin farkında stratejiler gütmesi gerektiği ifade edilebilir.

Multidimensional poverty among different age cohorts in South Korea

AbstractThis study analyzed multidimensional poverty among different age cohorts in South Korea. The elements of poverty were stratified along with the individual, social, and structural dimensions, considering five poverty dimensions (monetary, health, housing, human relations, and social security) that represent wellbeing or quality of life. Latent class analysis revealed different structures by age group. The proportion of young people (≤54 years) suffering from multidimensional poverty was much smaller than other age groups. For young‐old people (55–64 years), the probability of deprivation exhibited a dispersed pattern across health, housing, human relations, and social security, whereas the old‐old (65–74 years) and oldest‐old (≥75 years) groups exhibited significant risk in the health dimension. These findings suggest the need for expansion of the scope of community care services for beneficiaries, promotion of housing welfare, and strengthening of social networks and psychological support policies.

Family Structure through the Adolescent Eyes: A Comparative Study of Current Status and Time Trends over Three Decades of HBSC Study

This study aimed to investigate how family structure varies and identify its time trends in European and North American countries using data from seven surveys conducted between 1994 and 2018 according to the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. The current family structure in 44 countries was described and time trend analysis of 28 countries was performed. Adolescents were asked whom they lived with in their home to describe family structures. Family structures showed distinct patterns and dynamics between countries. In 2018, in all countries, 73% of adolescents lived with both their mother and father; 14% and 5% of adolescents lived in a single-parent family and stepfamily, respectively; and around 9% of adolescents lived in another family type. In the period 1994–2018, the proportion of young people living in intact families decreased from 79.6% to 70.0%, on average about 10 percentage points. There were no significant changes in the prevalence of single-parent families and stepfamilies, but a significant increase in the number of adolescents living without either parent was revealed. The findings have implications for cross-national adjustment of adolescent health, well-being, and behaviours, and for critical analysis of socioeconomic family resources.

A multilevel mixed effect analysis of neighbourhood and individual level determinants of risky sexual behaviour among young people in South Africa

BackgroundDespite national and international commitments and efforts to prevent risky sexual behaviours, a high proportion of young people in South Africa are engaged in risky sexual behaviour. However, most efforts are currently directed toward addressing individual-level factors at the expense of not addressing neighbourhood-level determinants such as social disorganisation, contributing to risky sexual behaviour among young people in South Africa. This study investigated the multilevel factors of risky sexual behaviours among young people by gender in South Africa, using the lens of socio-ecological and social disorganisation frameworks.MethodsData from a nationally representative sample of 1268 males and 2621 females aged 15–24 years, giving a total of, 3889 never-married youths, were drawn from the 2016 South Africa Demographic and Health Survey. Analysis was conducted using multilevel mixed-effect logistic regressions with random community-level effects.ResultsFindings show that youth who were from a heterogeneous ethnic group (AOR = 0.49, CI: 0.35–0.67), household size of 5 + members (AOR = 0.78, CI: 0.54–1.15), community education (AOR = 0.97, CI: 0.72–1.32) were associated with low engagement in multiple sexual partnerships. Youths who were employed (AOR = 0.84, CI: 0.59–1.18), and from high-level community poverty (AOR = 0.76, CI: 0.58–1.00) were also associated with reduced odds of unprotected sex. In addition, older youth aged 20–24 years (AOR = 12.6, CI: 9.93–16.00); secondary education attainment (AOR = 1.01, CI 0.58–1.77); family structure (AOR = 1.37, CI: 0.75–1.15); Gauteng province (AOR = 1.45 CI: 0.92–2.28); residential mobility (AOR = 1.25, CI: 1.02–1.53), community media exposure to contraceptives (unprotected sex) (AOR = 1.38, CI: 1.09–1.76) were more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour.ConclusionThe study revealed that neighbourhood and individual-level factors were important in explaining the factors associated with risky sexual behaviour among young people in South Africa. In addition, engagement in risky sexual behaviour was high, with minimal variation among young females and males in South Africa. It specifies that the practice of risky sexual behaviour is significantly associated with multilevel factors of social disorganisation that cut across gender. These results imply that there is a need to review policies of sexual risks reduction for each gender, which might help mitigate the adverse effects of social disorganisation for women and men youths in South Africa.

Two-Year Follow-Up of a Transition-Specific Education Program for Young People With Chronic Conditions

PurposeThe transition to adulthood is a challenging process for young people (YP) with chronic conditions. Patient education can help to prepare them for autonomous disease management and transfer to adult healthcare services. In a previous controlled study, participation in the youth-specific group education program ModuS-T immediately improved transition-specific knowledge, competencies, and patient activation of YP with various chronic conditions. To evaluate whether these effects are long lasting, we questioned YP from the intervention group (IG) and the control group (CG; no program) 2 years after participation. MethodsStandardized questionnaires were used to assess YP’s transition-specific knowledge, competencies, patient activation, health-related quality of life, and medical care status at baseline and 2 years later. Repeated measurement covariance analyses were used for statistical testing. ResultsA total of 181 YP (109 IG, 72 CG) completed the questionnaires (60% of previous interviewees; mean age 20 years, 46% female). Compared to the CG, the IG reported significant improvements in transition-specific knowledge, competencies, and patient activation (p < .001) and lower parents’ responsibility for their condition (p = .004). The proportion of YP who had already transferred to adult health care was nearly the same (54% IG/56% CG), but the CG was more likely to lose access to medical care (6% IG/14% CG). There were no effects on health-related quality of life. DiscussionThe 1.5-day ModuS-T program has long-lasting positive effects on knowledge and competencies relevant for the transition of YP. Transition-specific patient education programs close an important care gap and should be integrated into standard care.