Public Policy Makers Research Articles

Dating apps as health allies? Examining the opportunities and challenges of dating apps as partners in public health

In recent years, dating apps have become important allies in public health. In this paper, we explore the implications of partnering with dating apps for health promotion. We consider the...

Racism, Identity-Based Discrimination, and Intersectionality in Adolescence

Adolescence is a critical developmental stage for young people as they transition into adulthood. Several important developmental tasks that must be completed during this transition include exploring one’s identity, developing and applying abstract thinking, adjusting to a new physical sense of self, and fostering stable and productive peer relationships while striving for autonomy and independence from parents. Young people begin to adopt a personal value system and form their racial and ethnic, social, sexual, and moral identity within a society that may provide conflicting and nonaffirming messages. Adolescent development strives toward an affirmed sense of self and self-esteem, which is best accomplished within a nurturing psychosocial context that fosters positive youth development. Youth-focused interventions should intentionally promote affirmation of ancestry and cultural identity, intersections with other historically marginalized identities, and critical consciousness. Fostering healing environments that affirm and address the radical need for change, coaching parents and guardians as critical agents in the creation of affirmative environments for development, and conducting research using anti-oppressive approaches are additional strategies to promote positive youth development. Simultaneously, structural transformations that address underlying social inequities are needed. Health care systems should continue to diversify the workforce and train staff and clinicians in integrative, identity-based, and healing-centered approaches. Organizations should consider training in diversity and competencies related to belonging while safeguarding inclusion with policies, procedures, and practices. Public health and policymakers can embed intersectional approaches within structural and systemic processes, particularly in all policies.

Simplified Methodology for Assessing River Carrying Capacity Based on Land-Use Types

Land conversions or land use changes also become the main cause of the decline in Citarum River conditions. The relationship between river sustainability and its watershed carrying capacity plays a vital role in protecting watersheds to implement sustainable water resources management. Previous studies on river assessment for watershed management have predominantly focused on specific hydrological and/or technical results, rather than considering the process of the development of carrying capacity methodology due to land-use types. Motivated by this fact, the objective of this study is to develop a simplified carrying capacity methodology due to land-use types for sustainable river management by selecting the Upper Citarum Watershed (a main part of Citarum Watershed) located in West Java Province, Indonesia as an example of a study area. The conceptual framework development for watershed carrying capacity due to land-use types was designed the step-by-step methodology standard regarding the sustainable river management. The methodology of this study also used AHP method consisting of screening and selecting attributes, transforming and developing sub-indices, assigning weights, and formulating a runoff cumulative (Ccum) to examine standards and criteria for carrying capacity classification due to the changes of land-use types. The analysis revealed a significant change in the proportions of the various land use types of the study area. The conclusion is it integrates the measures of selected important land-use types to create a single dimensionless number of runoff cumulative and its classification, and a modified approach to communicate information on river status to the public and related policy makers. To advance future studies, it is necessary to develop a comprehensive evaluation and monitoring systems by using GIS-based spatial and temporal analysis.

Neurodiversity in the Minds of Students: From Perception to Campus Programming.

Neurodiversity is a social justice movement at the nexus of neuroscience, academia, and public policy. A contemporary view of neurodiversity is one that embraces neurological differences, encompassing all "neurotypes," including more specific identifiers like autistic or dyslexic. The goal of this study was to investigate student awareness and perception of neurodiversity since they are the next generation of public policy makers. Students enrolled in Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience (N=146) were exposed to different information sources (popular, academic, TED talk, or choose/find their own) on the topic of neurodiversity. They then wrote a paper where they summarized: a) the information source used, b) their ideas to better support a neurodiverse society, and c) their opinions on aspects of neurodiversity. Several important findings emerged. First, 64% of the sample had never heard of the term neurodiversity; this class was their first exposure to it. Second, students conducting their own searches on neurodiversity had the highest level of optimism (p < 0.05) that society was ready to accept neurodiversity. Students identified even higher rates of receptivity (85%) amongst their friends. Third, student ideas to advance neurodiversity were organized into more salient categories for campuses to consider. Our findings challenge neuroscience programs to consider their role in providing "first exposure" opportunities to students in the diversity, equity, and inclusion realm, especially in areas directly related to our field. We also discuss the growing relevance of neurodiversity in research and academia and offer programming possibilities to enhance neurodiversity awareness and support on college campuses.

Discovering Consumer Behavior Towards Back-of-Pack Nutrition Labels: A Systematic Literature Review

This systematic literature review aims to examine the impact of back-of-pack (BOP) labels on food manufacturers' practices in the field of consumer behaviour research. The review comprehensively analyses a wide range of articles spanning over two decades to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive analysis of the subject matter. It focuses specifically on how BOP labels affect consumers, food manufacturers' behaviors and practices. The findings highlight that BOP labels conveying intuitive information effectively prompt product reformulation, particularly in reducing unhealthy nutrients such as sodium, sugar, and calories. Voluntary BOP labeling has limited uptake and is often applied to already healthier products. Consumers and food producers' response varies based on label design and enforcement type, suggesting strategic labeling of healthier choices. The review provides valuable insights for future public health research and policymaking efforts, emphasizing the importance of mandatory policies and specific guidance in BOP labels. This research brings novelty by comprehensively examining the impact of back-of-pack (BOP) labeling on consumers and food manufacturers' practices. The findings contribute to the literature by highlighting the differential effects of mandatory and voluntary BOP labeling approaches and offering insights into label design and enforcement types. As per the researcher knowledge there is no available systematic literature review (SLR) specifically focusing on BOP labeling in recent years. Future research should explore the long-term impacts of mandatory versus voluntary BOP labeling on consumer dietary habits and food manufacturers' product reformulation strategies.

Factors Affecting Health Research Utilization Among Health Professionals in Nigeria

The utilization of health research in clinical practice is hindered by individual, organizational, and systemic barriers, including insufficient research literacy and unsupportive organizational cultures. Enhancing research literacy, fostering supportive environments, and implementing evidence-based policies are crucial for bridging the gap between research and practice, ultimately improving patient outcomes. This study investigates the factors affecting health research utilization among health professionals in Nigeria, an essential aspect for advancing healthcare systems and patient outcomes. Utilizing a cross-sectional descriptive design, data were collected via an online survey distributed to public health professionals and policymakers. The survey explored demographics, research utilization, dissemination effectiveness, barriers, and recommendations for improvement. Key findings indicate significant demographic disparities, with a higher proportion of younger and non-public health degree holders reporting unused research findings. The study identified major barriers, including inadequate communication, poor dissemination practices, and lack of access to research findings. Despite 87.6% of respondents conducting potentially impactful research, only 13.6% reported actual utilization of their findings. The recommendations for improvement emphasized the role of knowledge brokers, fostering research-attuned and decision-relevant cultures, enhancing communication and interaction between researchers and users, and building capacity among all stakeholders. Additionally, establishing effective dissemination systems, securing funding, and promoting international collaboration were highlighted as critical strategies. The study underscores the necessity of addressing structural, cultural, and communicative barriers to improve the practical application of health research in Nigeria, aligning with global trends and literature advocating for a multifaceted approach to enhance health outcomes.

Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver Single Topic Conference on Hepatitis B Virus: ‘Progress toward hepatitis B elimination in Canada’

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection affects &gt;290 million people worldwide, including ∼250,000 Canadians, and it stands as a leading cause of end-stage liver disease and liver cancer. The World Health Assembly has set goals for HBV elimination by 2030, aiming for a &gt;90% reduction in incidence and a 65% reduction in deaths compared to 2015. However, as of 2023, no countries were on track to achieve these targets. In Canada, challenges in HBV elimination persist due to the lack of a universal birth dose vaccine and interprovincial disparities in screening and care linkage. The Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver (CASL) and the Canadian Hepatitis B Network hosted the Inaugural Progress toward Hepatitis B Elimination Meeting in Calgary, Alberta, Canada (September 29, 2023 to October 1, 2023). This collaborative platform brought together national and international clinicians, laboratory providers, public health researchers, policymakers, and community-based organizations interested in HBV and hepatitis Delta virus (HDV) / HBV coinfection. The workshop was held during the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation (September 30, 2023) to commemorate the tragic legacy of residential schools in Canada, and it highlighted the need to promote meaningful reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Key outcomes of the summit included establishing objectives for HBV elimination, advocating for adherence to global targets, universal screening and birth dose vaccination, equitable access to antiviral treatment across all provinces/territories, and addressing special populations. This overview highlights the presentations and emphasizes the importance of collaboration among stakeholders, public health agencies, and government entities to strive for HBV elimination in Canada.

Environmental perspective of the recycling system for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)

The production of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) is one of the fastest growing global manufacturing activities. At the same time this also means that the amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) will continue to increase in the coming decades. The purpose of this paper is to raise awareness in the broad plane of the problem of electrical and electronic waste in our country. Specifically, this study tries to inform the public, experts and protective policy makers about the volume and dangerousness of waste, increasing the financial impact on local government and taxpayers. However, there are conventional methods for waste disposal, these methods have economic and environmental disadvantages. Recycling is a new management option. This paper offers an overview of electrical and e-waste recycling, including a description of how it is generated and classified, strategies and technologies for recovering materials. Completing European standards in this field, analyzing all stages of the recycling process: collection, classification, processing and benefit of new materials, is also part of the analysis in this paper.

LANDSCAPE ATTRACTIVENESS AND PLACE IDENTITY: CONSIDERING THE ROLE OF URBAN PARKS

Urban parks, vital public spaces for community health and well-being, also face challenges related to safety and security. Balancing the need for recreational spaces with ensuring safety is paramount for urban stability. However, existing research on the nexus between landscape attractiveness and perceived safety often overlooks the influence of factors such as park usage patterns, place identity, and park typologies. To address this research gap, we conducted a survey among 411 urban park users and employed SmartPLS and SPSS for data analysis. Our findings reveal a robust correlation between landscape attractiveness and perceived safety. Furthermore, we uncover that the combined influence of place identity and time spent in the park can serve as positive mediators in this relationship. Surprisingly, our analysis indicates that time spent in the park alone does not exert a significant mediating effect. Notably, our results highlight nuanced variations: the association between landscape attractiveness and place identity is particularly pronounced in parks with lower landscape attractiveness, while the mediating role of place identity on the relationship between park usage time and perceived safety is more pronounced in parks with higher landscape attractiveness. These findings contribute to our understanding of how urban park landscapes relate to perceived safety and provide new insights for improving the safety of urban parks, offering valuable insights for urban planners and public health policymakers in designing healthier urban environments.

Performance of a NLP Tool for Text Classification from Orthopaedic Operative Reports, Using Data from the Large Network of Clinical Data Warehouses of the West of France: The HACRO-HUGORTHO Project.

Electronic health data concerning implantable medical devices (IMD) opens opportunities for dynamic real-world monitoring to assess associated risks related to implanted materials. Due to population ageing and expanding demands, total hip, knee, and shoulder arthroplasties are increasing. Automating the collection and analysis of orthopedic device features could benefit physicians and public health policies enabling early issue detection, IMD monitoring and patient safety assessment. A machine learning tool using natural language processing (NLP) was developed for the automated extraction of operation information from medical reports in orthopedics. A corpus of 959 orthopaedic operative reports from 5 centres was manually annotated using the Prodigy software® with a strong inter-annotator agreement of 0.80. Data to extract concerned key clinical and procedure information (n= 9) selected by a multidisciplinary group based on the French health authority checklist. Performances parameters of the NLP model estimated an overall strong precision and recall of respectively 97.0 and 96.0 with a F1-score 96.3. Systematic monitoring of orthopedic devices could be ensured by an automated tool, leveraging clinical data warehouses. Traceability of medical devices with implantation modalities will allow detection of implant factors leading to complications. The evidence from real-world data could provide concrete and dynamic insights to surgeons and infectious disease specialists concerning implant follow-up, guiding therapeutic decision-making, and informing public health policymakers. The tool will be applied on clinical data warehouses to automate information extraction and presentation, providing feedback on mandatory information completion and contents of operative reports to support improvements, and thereafter implant research projects.

Occult Serologically Confirmed Cases of SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus among the General Population in the Era of the Fourth Vaccination.

Background: Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection can significantly increase the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to investigate the epidemiological and clinical predictors of occult serologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases among the general population during the fourth vaccination era in Israel. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among individuals aged ≥18 years who had not been tested for COVID-19 in the preceding 5 months. Occult serologically confirmed cases were based on the presence of anti-N IgG antibodies. Potential risk factors were examined. Multivariable regression analysis identified independent predictors of subclinical SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results: This study included 504 participants. The prevalence of occult serologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 was 12.5%. Chronic disease was found to be an independent predictor for the absence of occult disease (aOR) 0.4 [95% (CI): 0.18-0.87], p-value = 0.02). No significant differences were observed in age, sex, marital status, number of children, vaccination status, or exposure to COVID-19 infection between participants with and without SARS-CoV-2 sub-infection. Conclusions: We found a lower prevalence of occult serologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases, compared to previous reports, and a negative correlation between chronic disease and occult SARS-CoV-2. Continued research, surveillance, and intervention strategies are needed to optimize long-term health outcomes and provide valuable insights for public health policymakers and clinicians.

The innovation and local culture in the production of specialty coffee in Short Food Supply Chains and their impacts on environmental sustainability

Coffee, popularly known as commodities, stimulates the farmer´s interest to innovate and to add value in products aiming for lucrative. One way to add value is through Short Food Supply Chains (SFSC), innovating and valorizing product processes, with basis on local culture. The main aim of this article was to analyze innovations developed by specialty coffee producers from Garça, Brazil, as they were introduced into SFSC and their impacts on environmentally sustainable production. This is a qualitative-quantitative research, with multiple case studies. Data was collected through semi-structured interview observation and documents, and analysis was carried out using Fisher's Exact Test. The main innovations verified for insertion in SFSC are the marketing skills, technical processes used in the harvesting, and machinery acquisitions for processing and packaging products without compromising the quality of the beverage. Although producers made a strenuous effort to promote the environmental sustainability, the statistical test has confirmed that there was no association between innovations and environmental sustainability. As practical implications, this paper seeks to contribute to farmers who want to change their production by selling specialty coffees through SFSC, demonstrating the innovations and their impacts on environmental sustainability, as well as public policymakers who wish to contribute to these farmers by promoting events that generate knowledge about innovations and sustainable environmental development.

EpiCandIn: An open online resource for epidemiology of Candida infections in India.

Background & objectives Candida spp. cause candidiasis in humans under conditions disrupting the host defence. While Candida albicans is the most reported cause of candidiasis, there is a surge in the incidence of infections by non-albicans Candida species (NACs), such as C. tropicalis, C. glabrata and C. auris. These species can infect all organs of the human body. To effectively manage these outbreaks, it is important to track the epidemiology of candidiasis. A consolidated resource describing the landscape of candidiasis in India is absent. Methods To address this gap, we have developed an online resource named Epidemiology of Candida Infections in India (EpiCandIn) by manually curating published literature on Candida infections in the Indian population obtained from PubMed and ScienceDirect databases. Results EpiCandIn contains data available since 1972 from 51 sites across 16 States and four Union Territories of India. It provides information on geographical location, Candida species, niche affected, disease characteristics and drug therapy details extracted from the publications. This resource is integrated with visualization tools. Interpretation & conclusions EpiCandIn will be useful for public health researchers and policymakers as it will help them gain insights into the emerging trends and management of Candida infections in India. It can be accessed at epicandin.bicnirrh.res.in.

Information Professionals’ Metaphorical Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence Concept

This study examines the metaphors used by 66 information professionals in Türkiye to conceptualize artificial intelligence (AI). Through qualitative metaphor analysis, rich insights emerged on perceptions of AI’s nature, functioning, relationships with humans, roles, and societal impacts. Some of the metaphors used are child, human, artist, human intelligence, robot, assistant, doctor, weapon, terminator, something scary, closed box, black hole, Pandora’s box, etc. Multiple, often contradictory metaphors like “child” and “uncontrollable power” indicate AI is viewed in a multidimensional way, evoking both promise and concern. Key findings suggest information professionals appreciate AI’s transformative potential in enhancing services but also harbor anxieties related to human relevance, technocracy, and social issues like privacy. Understanding these complex cognitive and emotional orientations can facilitate responsible AI adoption to augment information services. Gesturing at AI’s multifaceted connotations also foregrounds communication challenges complicating public debate and policymaking on emerging technologies. The value of this study lies in surfacing the nuanced perspectives of a stakeholder group positioned to mediate public understanding and direct integration of AI in information services. Mapping information professionals’ rich construals of AI also highlights the need for public communication attuned to metaphorical reasoning around new technologies.

Long-term impact of rotavirus vaccination on all-cause and rotavirus-specific gastroenteritis and strain distribution in Central Kenya: An 11-year interrupted time-series analysis

Background: Kenya introduced a monovalent rotavirus vaccine administered orally at 6 and 10 weeks of age into her National Immunization Program in July 2014. The study evaluated the long-term impact of the vaccine on hospitalization for all-cause and rotavirus-specific acute gastroenteritis (AGE) and strain epidemiology in Kenya. Methods: Data on all-cause and rotavirus-specific AGE and strain distribution were derived from an eleven-year hospital-based surveillance of AGE among children aged <5 years at Kiambu County Teaching and Referral Hospital (KCTRH) in Central Kenya between 2009 and 2020. Fecal samples were screened for group A rotavirus using ELISA and genotyped using multiplex semi-nested RT-PCR. Trends in all-cause and rotavirus-related AGE and strain distribution were compared between the pre-vaccine (July 2009–June 2014), early post-vaccine (July 2014–June 2016) and late post-vaccine (February 2019–October 2020) periods. Results: Rotavirus-specific AGE was detected at 27.5% (429/1546, 95% CI: 25.5–30.1%) in the pre-vaccine period; 13.8% (91/658, 95% CI: 11.3–16.6%) in the early post-vaccine period (July 2014–June 2016); and 12.0% (229/1916, 95% CI: 10.6–13.5%) in the late post-vaccine period (February 2019–October 2020). This amounted to a decline of 49.8% (95% CI: 34.6%–63.7%) in rotavirus-specific AGE in the early post-vaccine period and 53.4% (95% CI: 41.5–70.3%) in the late post-vaccine period when compared to the pre-vaccine period. All-cause AGE hospitalizations declined by 40.2% (95% CI: 30.8%–50.2%) and 75.3% (95% CI: 65.9–83.1%) in the early post-vaccine and late post-vaccine periods, respectively, when compared to the pre-vaccine period. G3P [8] was the predominant strain in the late post-vaccine period, replacing G1P[8] which had predominated in the pre-vaccine and early post-vaccine periods. Additionally, we detected considerable proportions of uncommon strains G3P[6] (4.8%) and G12P[6] (3.5%) in the post-vaccine era. Conclusion: Rotavirus vaccination has resulted in a significant decline in all-cause and rotavirus-specific AGE, and thus, provides strong evidence for public health policy makers in Kenya to support the sustained use of the rotavirus vaccine in routine immunization. However, the shift in strain dominance and age distribution of rotavirus AGE in the post-vaccine era underscores the need for continued surveillance to assess any possible vaccine-induced selective pressure that could diminish the vaccine effectiveness over time.

Slow and steady or fast and furious: how movement speed in the digital medium impacts consumers’ risk judgments

PurposeFueled by the soaring popularity of the digital medium, consumers are increasingly relying on dynamic images to inform their decisions. However, little is known about how changes in the presentation of movement impacts these decisions. The purpose of this paper is to document whether and how movement speed–a fundamental characteristic of dynamic images in the digital medium–influences consumers' risk judgments and subsequent decisions.Design/methodology/approachThree experimental studies investigate the impact of movement speed displayed in the digital medium, focusing on different risk-laden domains including health (pilot study), gambling (Study 1) and stock market decisions (Study 2).FindingsThe authors find that faster movement speed displayed in the digital medium elevates consumers’ feelings of risk and elicits cautionary actions in response. The authors reveal a mechanism for this effect, showing that faster movement reduces feelings of control over outcomes, which predicts greater feelings of risk.Research limitations/implicationsFuture work could expand upon these findings by systematically examining whether certain individuals are more susceptible to movement speed effects in the digital medium. Research could also investigate whether different ways of experiencing movement speed (e.g. physical movement) similarly influence risk judgments and whether movement speed can have positive connotations outside of risky domains.Practical implicationsThe authors offer important insights to marketing practitioners and public policymakers seeking to guide consumers’ judgments and decisions in risk-laden contexts through the digital medium.Originality/valueBy showing how movement speed alters judgments in risk-laden contexts, the authors contribute to literature on risk perception and the growing body of literature examining how moving images shape consumers’ behaviors.

Collaborating in future states—Contextual instability, paradigmatic remaking, and public policy

AbstractCollaboration is ubiquitous in public policy life, with its presence and profile determined by prevailing governance conditions. Commitments to globalisation and marketisation in the latter part of the 20th century marked the onset of an era defined by collaboration, between and across tiers and spheres of government, with non‐state actors, and through market and network instruments. Current contextual instability poses questions for dominant public policy paradigms and the existing collaborative settlement. This article explores the challenges presented in the current moment and how policymakers and scholars might navigate them. It focuses on how ideas about economics and security shape public policy, illustrating the paradigm‐shifting impact of economism and securitisation. It argues for the replacement of economism and securitisation by sustainability, sovereignty, and justice and demonstrates the latter's engagement with economics and security and their accounting for what have hitherto been ‘subaltern voices’ in public policy. It discusses the implications for collaboration in relation to future collective action problems, more diverse and disconnected ‘publics’, and a more congested and lower trust policy environment. It highlights the need for collaborative plasticity and pluralistic agency.Points for practitioners Public policymaking is shaped by dominant ideas about economics and security; ideas that become ‘taken for granted’ in policy practice. The prevailing ideas of economism and securitisation are being challenged by contextual changes, globally, regionally, and nationally. This creates space for new ideas to shape future public policy. Ideas of sustainability, sovereignty, and justice offer an alternative framework for public policymaking. These ideas can engage productively with economics and security, and they are also inclusive of a wider variety of ‘voices’ particularly those previously marginalised. Collaboration will remain integral to the success of public policy. However, it will need to adapt to new circumstances. This will include defining new purposes, reassessing its appropriateness, reshaping collaborative scope, scale, and form, and refining collaborative activities. A paradigmatic shift in public policy that highlights sustainability, sovereignty, and justice will require the active involvement of a plurality of actors enabled to contribute new knowledge and contest the status quo.

Navigating the city: Role of property-market intelligence channels in urban governance networks

This study presents a novel perspective on the impact of market-intelligence channels on property markets and the subsequent effects on the formation of alliances among public- and private-sector actors in urban governance. I argue and demonstrate that property actors, especially investors, collaborate through knowledge coalitions by utilizing the market-intelligence channels they created, not only to navigate property markets but also to establish the mode of regulation in urban development. By using a strategic-relational perspective, it is possible to analyze the underlying institutional infrastructure of the property market as a dynamic system shaped by the relationships and interactions among various social and economic actors. In addition to forming various marketing or lobbying coalitions, property actors forge alliances by converting pertinent information—such as locational analysis, socioeconomic data, policy and land-use forecasts, permit conditions, and planning strategies—into advanced market intelligence. This process allows them to define the norms, rules, and principles to be negotiated with public policymakers and enhance their positions in knowledge-based governance networks. To obtain empirical evidence about Amsterdam’s property market, a comprehensive data set was created to identify the influential actors. Extensive deskwork was conducted to map the diverse channels and connections of market intelligence. Key players in the property market were also interviewed to provide a comprehensive view of the active market-intelligence channels in governance networks.

Recreational Physical Activity and the Mediterranean Diet: Their Effects on Obesity-Related Body Image Dissatisfaction and Eating Disorders.

Obesity is a non-communicable disease that is associated with a number of serious physical and mental health conditions. The present study examines the effect of recreational physical activity and the Mediterranean diet on body image dissatisfaction and propensity for eating disorders. It is based on 1311 participants categorized by body mass index (BMI) into a normal ΒΜΙ group (NBG; N = 513), an overweight and obese ΒΜΙ group (OBG; N = 492), and a control group (CG; N = 309). All participants completed the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire-Appearance Scale (MBSRQ-AS), Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSES), Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26), Mediterranean Diet Score (MedDietScore), and Fitness Evaluation and Fitness Orientation subscales from the original Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ). The results of the multiple regression analysis indicated that the overall prediction of the variables was statistically significant. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) demonstrated the existence of significant interactions between groups and gender across a range of scales. Despite higher body image dissatisfaction in the OBG group, they maintained positive self-esteem and did not exhibit eating disorder tendencies. Notably, women reported greater dissatisfaction than men across all three groups. Our findings have practical implications for public health promotion strategies, policymaking, future research, and clinical practice. Encouraging regular exercise and adherence to the Mediterranean diet could improve body satisfaction and reduce eating disorder risk. Policymakers can advocate for community-based policies promoting physical activity and healthy eating habits.

Assessing the Impact of Spatial and Temporal Variability in Fine Particulate Matter Pollution on Respiratory Health Outcomes in Asthma and COPD Patients.

Ambient air pollution's health impacts are well documented, yet the domestic environment remains underexplored. We aimed to compare indoor versus outdoor (I/O) air quality and estimate the association between indoor/ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure and lung function in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. The study involved 24 h monitoring of PM2.5 levels indoors and outdoors, daily peak expiratory flow (PEF), and biweekly symptoms collection from five patients with asthma and COPD (average age of 50 years, 40% male) over a whole year. Data analysis was performed with linear mixed effect models for PEF and generalized estimating equations (GEE) for exacerbations. More than 5 million PM2.5 exposure and meteorological data were collected, demonstrating significant I/O PM2.5 ratio variability with an average ratio of 2.20 (±2.10). Identified indoor PM2.5 sources included tobacco use, open fireplaces, and cooking, resulting in average indoor PM2.5 concentrations of 63.89 μg/m3 (±68.41), significantly exceeding revised World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Analysis indicated a correlation between ambient PM2.5 levels and decreased PEF over 0-to-3-day lag, with autumn indoor exposure significantly impacting PEF and wheezing. The study underscores the need to incorporate domestic air quality into public health research and policy-making. A personalized approach is required depending on the living conditions, taking into account the exposure to particulate pollution.