Realm Of Public Health Research Articles

Mental Health Tracker

Mental health and well-being have become prominent issues in the realm of public health. Globally, the prevalence of mental health disorders is on the rise, contributing significantly to the burden of disease worldwide. However, resources and services allocated to address these disorders remain disproportionately inadequate compared to the magnitude of the issue. A substantial majority— ranging from 75% to 85%—of individuals diagnosed with mental health conditions in low and middleincome countries (LMICs) are deprived of treatment due to factors such as limited awareness, shortage of mental health professionals, and pervasive stigma surrounding seeking help. In the context of India, this treatment gap is further exacerbated in rural areas by factors including low literacy rates, inadequate understanding of mental health, insufficient mental health services, and a shortage of trained professionals. Socioeconomic disparities and a lack of accessible transportation further hinder access to primary healthcare facilities. To address these disparities in mental health treatment, the imperative lies in developing innovative healthcare delivery models that can be seamlessly integrated into the existing public health infrastructure. A foundational step in this direction involves the identification and categorization of symptoms and emotional states. This is where mood tracking emerges as a crucial instrument. By enabling individuals to monitor their emotional fluctuations, mood tracking provides a valuable mechanism for better understanding one's mental well-being. The MHT project represents a comprehensive initiative aimed at tracking and assessing an individual's mental well-being through mood analysis. Moreover, it offers a range of preventive measures and coping strategies to assist individuals who may find themselves slightly below the threshold of optimal mental health. By leveraging mood tracking and implementing actionable interventions, the MHT project endeavors to narrow the treatment gaps prevalent in mental health care, thus contributing to a healthier and more resilient society.

A Systematic Review on Deep Structured Learning for COVID-19 Screening Using Chest CT from 2020 to 2022.

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan in 2019 led to the discovery of a novel coronavirus. The World Health Organization (WHO) designated it as a global pandemic on 11 March 2020 due to its rapid and widespread transmission. Its impact has had profound implications, particularly in the realm of public health. Extensive scientific endeavors have been directed towards devising effective treatment strategies and vaccines. Within the healthcare and medical imaging domain, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) has brought significant advantages. This study delves into peer-reviewed research articles spanning the years 2020 to 2022, focusing on AI-driven methodologies for the analysis and screening of COVID-19 through chest CT scan data. We assess the efficacy of deep learning algorithms in facilitating decision making processes. Our exploration encompasses various facets, including data collection, systematic contributions, emerging techniques, and encountered challenges. However, the comparison of outcomes between 2020 and 2022 proves intricate due to shifts in dataset magnitudes over time. The initiatives aimed at developing AI-powered tools for the detection, localization, and segmentation of COVID-19 cases are primarily centered on educational and training contexts. We deliberate on their merits and constraints, particularly in the context of necessitating cross-population train/test models. Our analysis encompassed a review of 231 research publications, bolstered by a meta-analysis employing search keywords (COVID-19 OR Coronavirus) AND chest CT AND (deep learning OR artificial intelligence OR medical imaging) on both the PubMed Central Repository and Web of Science platforms.

Trends of the Global, Regional and National Incidence, Mortality, and Disability-Adjusted Life Years of Malaria, 1990-2019: An Analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

Malaria remains a substantial concern in the realm of public health on a worldwide level. Using information from the global burden of disease (GBD) 2019 for 204 countries and territories between 1990 and 2019, we assessed the burden of malaria. Data on malaria were derived from the GBD 2019 study between 1990 and 2019. We evaluated the number of incidence, deaths, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR), age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR), and age-standardized DALY rates (ASDR), examining them across variables such as age, year, gender, country, region, and socio-demographic index (SDI). The burden of malaria decreased globally between 1990 and 2019. There were 2313.57×105 incident cases and 6.43×105 deaths in 2019, contributing to 464.38×105 DALYs. Largest incident cases were observed in Western Sub-Saharan Africa [1151.72 (95% UI: 890.01-1527.17)] ×105 in 2019. The only region where deaths increased between 1990 and 2019 was Western Sub-Saharan Africa. ASRs of malaria are distributed heterogeneously in different regions. The highest ASIR was observed in Central Sub-Saharan Africa [21,557.65 (95% UI: 16,639.4-27,491.48)] in 2019. From 1990 to 2019, the ASMR of malaria declined. Compared to other age cohorts, the ASIR, ASMR, and ASDR for children aged between 1 to 4 years were found to be higher. Worst-affected regions by malaria infection were the low-middle SDI region and low SDI region. Malaria threatens global public health, especially in Central Sub-Saharan Africa and Western Sub-Saharan Africa. Children 1-4 years old continue to bear the most significant burden of malaria. The study's results will guide efforts to reduce malaria's impact on the global population.

A Brief History of Public Health Informatics-Lessons for Leaders and a Look Into the Future.

A Brief History of Public Health Informatics-Lessons for Leaders and a Look Into the Future.

The role of public health scientists within the German political discourse on the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Background During the COVID-19 pandemic politics was in search of scientific evidence to underpin decision making like never before. It is remarkable that voices from public health were less noticeable than those of virologists or immunologists. The aim of our ongoing study is to explore how public health scientists perceive their role in the relationship of their discipline and politics. Methods We conducted 10 reflexive interviews with epidemiologists and public health scientists from Germany and collected documents (official statements and policy briefs of scientific societies). Data from both sources were analysed using situational analysis (Clarke, 2018), an approach used to map and analyse discourses in complex situations. To ensure data quality we used respondent validation. Results According to participants, (1) improving population health was the top priority. Politicians tended to focus on short-term goals rather than long-term consequences. (2) Recognition of public health was increased by the pandemic in Germany. (3) However, politicians favoured virology, biomedical and clinical perspectives. (4) The strong motivation of public health scientists to support politics at the beginning of the pandemic turned into disillusionment. (5) The composition of advisory boards was described as non-transparent. (6) Initiatives by the public health community were not sufficiently impactful. (7) Expectations of policymakers regarding future cooperation were not clear to participants. Conclusions The results present different facets of a delicate relationship between public health sciences and politics. The pandemic increased the visibility and impact of public health in Germany on the one hand but also demonstrated that the realms of public health (science) and politics were not well connected. Involving scientific expertise in politics requires more transparency and the normative assumptions underlying the logics of science and politics need to be made more explicit. Key messages • The potential of public health to address the covid-19 pandemic has not been sufficiently acknowledged by policymakers, and the involvement of its experts requires greater transparency. • Reflecting on the normative assumptions underlying the different logics of public health sciences and politics can support their cooperation in the future.

A Good Time to Be Born

A Good Time to Be Born

Developing Forest Therapy Programmes Based on the Health Benefits of Terpenes in Dominant Tree Species in Tara National Park (Serbia).

Numerous medical studies have shown the positive effects of forests on different aspects of human health. This study deals with the content of major terpenes in dominant coniferous species in Tara National Park, Serbia, in order to explore the potential for the development of a novel health tourism programme based on forest therapy. Main terpenes were analysed using a headspace-sampling technique coupled with gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry (Head-space-GC/MS). Needles of fir and spruce growing in the vicinity of hiking trails were investigated for possibilities to perform such therapy. Major detected terpenes were α-cadinol and spathulenol previously described as antiviral, antitumor, antimicrobial and immunomodulatory agents. The results of the study were favourable and worked well with the existing walking infrastructure in the observed area of the Tara Mountain, as they act as invaluable resources for designing the structured forest bathing walks. The study not only adds to the knowledge in the environmental and public health realm but also to tourism and sustainability studies.

Global Health Jurisprudence: COVID-19 Pandemic and Pharmaceutical Patents

The onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic has claimed millions of lives across the globe, and since its emergence, it has brought to the fore the urgency of addressing public health issues from a global perspective. Notwithstanding the calls for collective action and ambitious global initiatives launched under the aegis of the World Health Organization (WHO), the search for effective new drugs and vaccines and their equitable and affordable access remain captive to the contentious issue of balancing the commercial (intellectual property) rights of the medicine manufacturers and the basic right to health of the vast majority of humankind. There has been a divide among the governments of the developed and developing countries as they jockey to seek trade concessions and intellectual property (IP) waivers in multilateral Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) forums to ensure affordable treatment for their population. Neither the multilateral trade talks nor the parallel global initiatives, especially the ambitious COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP) project, has made the promised progress, thus showing that the ground reality is a far cry from the appealing ideas of global solidarity. The pandemic continues to take its toll; calls for a global response to global challenges are getting louder and shriller by the day. The present study attempts to trace the history of collective action in the realm of public health from the social and commercial perspectives. It is to seek a globalized approach to global health issues within the framework of distributive justice. It is observed that the present global framework found a sound economic sense with little scope for global health jurisprudence.

Development and utility of a close contact information management system for the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundSince the outbreak started in 2019, COVID-19 pandemic has a significant global impact. Due to the highly infective nature of SARS-CoV-2, the COVID-19 close contacts are at significant risk of contracting COVID-19. China’s experience in successfully controlling COVID-19 emphasized the importance of managing close contacts because this strategy helps to limit potential infection sources, prevent the unconscious spread of COVID-19 and thus control this pandemic. As a result, to understand and consider the management of close contacts may be beneficial to other countries. However, managing close contacts is challenging owing to the huge number of close contacts and a lack of appropriate management tools and literature references.MethodsA new system called the COVID-19 Close Contact Information Management System was developed. Here we introduced the design, use, improvement and achievements of this system.ResultsThis system was designed from the standpoint of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in charge of managing close contacts. Two main functions and eight modules/themes were ultimately formed after two development stages. The system introduces what information need to be collected in the close contact management. Since the system allows information flow across cities, the geographical distance and administrative regional boundaries are no longer obstacles for managing close contacts, which promotes the management of each close contact. Moreover, when this system is used in conjunction with other data tools, it provides data assistance for understanding the COVID-19 characteristics and formulating targeted COVID-19 control policies. To date, the system has been widely used in Guangdong Province for over 1 year and has recorded tens of thousands of pieces of data. There is sufficient practical experience to suggest that the system is capable of meeting the professional work requirements for close contact management.ConclusionsThis system provides a new way to manage close contacts and restrict the spread of COVID-19 by combining information technology with disease prevention and control strategies in the realm of public health. We hope that this system will serve as an example and guide for those anticipating similar work in other countries in response to current and future public health incidents.

Social Determinants of Health: Considerations for Athletic Health Care.

Health disparities are prevalent concerns in the United States and a frequent topic of conversation in the public health realm. Causes of health disparities include social inequities and social determinants of health. Although social determinants of health have been suggested to contribute more to individual and population health than the health care provided, this concept in athletic health care has received little attention. Therefore, the purpose of our article was to describe social determinants of health, present examples of social determinants, and discuss actionable steps for the athletic training profession to become more culturally proficient. By increasing the awareness of and acknowledging social determinants of health, athletic trainers will be positioned to improve patient outcomes more readily and contribute to ongoing conversations at the policy level of health care.

Multimodal deep learning with feature level fusion for identification of choroidal neovascularization activity in age-related macular degeneration.

This study aimed to determine the efficacy of a multimodal deep learning (DL) model using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) images for the assessment of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This retrospective and cross-sectional study was performed at a multicentre, and the inclusion criteria were age >50 years and a diagnosis of typical neovascular AMD. The OCT and OCTA data for an internal data set and two external data sets were collected. A DL model was developed with a novel feature-level fusion (FLF) method utilized to combine the multimodal data. The results were compared with identification performed by an ophthalmologist. The best model was tested on two external data sets to show its potential for clinical use. Our best model achieved an accuracy of 95.5% and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.9796 on multimodal data inputs for the internal data set, which is comparable to the performance of retinal specialists. The proposed model reached an accuracy of 100.00% and an AUC of 1.0 for the Ningbo data set, and these performance indicators were 90.48% and an AUC of 0.9727 for the Jinhua data set. The FLF method is feasible and highly accurate, and could enhance the power of the existing computer-aided diagnosis systems. The bi-modal computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) system for the automated identification of CNV activity is an accurate and promising tool in the realm of public health.

Structural Justice Ethics in Health Care

Structural Justice Ethics in Health Care

Insidious Vectors of Disease: Legacies of Conspiracy, Misinformation, Distrust in the Propagation of Infectious Disease. An Examination of Ebola, HIV/AIDS, and COVID-19

Conspiracies surrounding pandemics have existed for centuries, if not millennia.17 Some of the most dramatic and sensationalized pandemics—namely Ebola, HIV/AIDS, and Covid-19—have taken the world by storm. And the conspiracies and mis-information campaigns surrounding these pandemics have persisted in a similar vein. Notably, while there are distinct differences between the terms conspiracy, misinformation, and disinformation, this article does not seek to disentangle these terms and their separate effects. Instead, it treats them all as informational distortions—or infodemics—that all have profound consequences on the propagation of infectious diseases. Thus, the three aforementioned pandemics are worth examining as they are illustrative of the following: the entrenched nature of conspiracy within the human mind and societies; how infectious diseases are perpetuated and exacerbated beyond their inherent infectivity and transmission modalities with spreading infodemics; and why the realm of public health must develop a sophisticated arsenal to cope with these bête noires.

Social Media in the Social Distancing Era: Paramount and Pitfall

Birthed with technology at our fingertips, Millennials and Gen-Z medical students have seamlessly incorporated internet-enabled devices into every facet of our lives. As the COVID-19 pandemic entered the public consciousness, these phones and tablets were the first things we reached for to find out the up-to-the-minute impact on our community and the world at large. The internet and social media enabled many of us medical students to educate ourselves on epidemiology and treatments, transition glitch-free into distance learning, and feel the pulse of the international community. As we capitalized on the benefits of social media during the pandemic, some of us also discerned first-hand how these platforms enabled unforeseen harm and mistrust in the realm of public health. In reflection of the year, we now recognize that social media is a double-edged sword and that as health practitioners, we have a role to play in sharpening the benefits and blunting the risks of social media use in public health.

Early Phase Management of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in the Geographic Area of the Veneto Region, in One of the World's Oldest Populations.

The first cases of Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) were reported on 21 February in the small town of Vo’ near Padua in the Veneto region of Italy. This event led to 19,286 infected people in the region by 30 June 2020 (39.30 cases/10,000 inhabitants). Meanwhile, Rovigo Local Health Unit n. 5 (ULSS 5), bordering areas with high epidemic rates and having one of the world’s oldest populations, registered the lowest infection rates in the region (19.03 cases/10,000 inhabitants). The aim of this study was to describe timing and event management by ULSS 5 in preventing the propagation of infection within the timeframe spanning from 21 February to 30 June. Our analysis considered age, genetic clusters, sex, orography, the population density, pollution, and economic activities linked to the pandemic, according to the literature. The ULSS 5 Health Director General’s quick decision-making in the realm of public health, territorial assistance, and retirement homes were key to taking the right actions at the right time. Indeed, the number of isolated cases in the Veneto region was the highest among all the Italian regions at the beginning of the epidemic. Moreover, the implementation of molecular diagnostic tools, which were initially absent, enabled health care experts to make quick diagnoses. Quick decision-making, timely actions, and encouraging results were achieved thanks to a solid chain of command, despite a somewhat unclear legislative environment. In conclusion, we believe that the containment of the epidemic depends on the time factor, coupled with a strong sense of awareness and discretion in the Health Director General’s decision-making. Moreover, real-time communication with operating units and institutions goes hand in hand with the common goal of protecting public health.

On Hegemonic Narratives, and the Facts regarding China’s Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has unleashed a multi-dimensional crisis that encompasses both the realm of public health and political economy. The divergences in the public health and economic policy responses among countries have resulted in an unleashing of a propaganda war. This paper is concerned with hegemonic narratives advocated by the mainstream media about China’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the facts thereof. After examining in broad outline the temporal trajectory of the public health response in China and its underlying factors, the paper goes on to critically examine some contentious issues concerning the public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic in China that have been highlighted in the hegemonic narrative in the propaganda war over the COVID-19 pandemic. It is submitted that the divergence in the public health response of different countries is intimately related to the varied state of the neoliberal project therein. The paper concludes with a brief engagement with the political economy of the hegemonic narrative in the propaganda war.

Reasons for non-vaccination against influenza among older adults with hypertension in Brazil: a cross-sectional study.

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of non-vaccination against influenza among Brazilian older adults with systemic arterial hypertension and determine the main reasons for non-adherence. A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from older adults (≥ 60 years of age) with hypertension who participated in the 2013 National Health Survey and reported not having been vaccinated against flu over the previous 12 months (n = 1,295). The analyses were performed using the Stata 14.0 software. The data were weighted because of the sampling design. An estimated 3,026,080 older adults with hypertension had not received a flu vaccine over the 12 months prior to the survey (22.6%). No significant associations were found with sex, age group or schooling. The prevalence of unvaccinated older adults was lower in the southern and southeastern regions of Brazil than in the northern and northeastern regions, even after adjusting for age. The prevalence was higher among individuals without private health insurance. The main reasons for non-vaccination were fear of a reaction, rarely having the flu and not believing in the protection of the vaccine. The present findings underscore the need for healthcare professionals to explain to the population the benefits of the vaccine for preventing severe influenza (protective effect and possible reactions) and for secondary prevention of cardiovascular events. Increasing the prevalence of vaccination in older adults with hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases is of fundamental importance within the realm of public health as a strategy for reducing occurrences of complications and deaths associated with influenza.

"Masking" our emotions: Botulinum toxin, facial expression, and well-being in the age of COVID-19.

BackgroundThe globally devastating effects of COVID‐19 breach not only the realm of public health, but of psychosocial interaction and communication as well, particularly with the advent of mask‐wearing.MethodsA review of the literature and understanding of facial anatomy and expressions as well as the effect of botulinum toxin on emotions and nonverbal communication.ResultsToday, the mask has become a semi‐permanent accessory to the face, blocking our ability to express and perceive each other’s facial expressions by dividing it into a visible top half and invisible bottom half. This significantly restricts our ability to accurately interpret emotions based on facial expressions and strengthens our perceptions of negative emotions produced by frowning. The addition of botulinum toxin (BTX)–induced facial muscle paralysis to target the muscles of the top (visible) half of the face, especially the corrugator and procerus muscles, may act as a therapeutic solution by its suppression of glabellar lines and our ability to frown. The treatment of the glabella complex not only has been shown to inhibit the negative emotions of the treated individual but also can reduce the negative emotions in those who come in contact with the treated individual.ConclusionsMask‐wearing in the wake of COVID‐19 brings new challenges to our ability to communicate and perceive emotion through full facial expression, our most effective and universally shared form of communication, and BTX may offer a positive solution to decrease negative emotions and promote well‐being for both the mask‐wearer and all who come in contact with that individual.

Automated diagnoses of age-related macular degeneration and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy using bi-modal deep convolutional neural networks

AimsTo investigate the efficacy of a bi-modality deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) framework to categorise age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) from colour fundus images and optical...

COVID-19: Insights from Innovation Economists

The present document provides the take of innovation economists on the current pandemic. It is addressed to the general public and focuses on questions related to the Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) ecosystem. It does not present new research findings. Instead, it provides a reading of current real-world developments using economic reasoning and relying on existing economic research. The first part of the report explains the root causes for a general underinvestment in Research and Development (R&D), with a particular focus on vaccines. These causes include an insufficient demand for vaccines in normal times and the very characteristics of R&D. Governments can intervene to mitigate these problems, but government intervention comes with its own set of issues. We discuss three of them, namely free riding, setting research priorities, and acting on scientific knowledge. The second part discusses several aspects related to current STI policy reactions. First, we observe a sizable shift of funds towards research on SARS-CoV-2. Aren’t we wasting money by allocating so much of it on one single scientific problem? Using the concept of the ‘elasticity of science,’ we argue that we are far from a situation where additional funding would represent a waste of money. Second, we also observe an unprecedented level of cooperation among researchers but also an intense competition to find therapeutic solutions and vaccines. We seek to make sense of this apparent antonymy, highlighting how both cooperative and competitive forces might accelerate research. Third, we focus on one policy tool, namely patents, and we discuss whether the existence of patents hampers the search for a solution. We argue that it might, but we provide ways in which patents can be beneficial. They can accelerate research (such as through patent pools) or ensure greater access to innovations (such as with compulsory licensing). Fourth, we notice that the whole STI ecosystem has been rapidly refocusing on SARS-CoV-2 in a way similar to mission-oriented R&D (MOR) programs such as the Manhattan Project in the 1940s. We highlight the fundamental differences between MOR and the present situation. Today’s response is characterized by a proliferation of a wide range of innovative solutions offered by a complex set of institutions and actors with great intellectual freedom and decentralized competition. The third part of the report assesses some potential long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. We firstly discuss its impact on R&D investment. We explain how innovation might be negatively affected by a prolonged economic downturn and highlight the crucial role of stimulus packages in confronting the recession. We also address the influence of the crisis on ICT, arguing that it has been a formidable catalyst for ICT adoption. Next, we focus on clean technologies, another major societal challenge besides the pandemic. There are strong reasons for why cleantech investment may suffer. However, the crisis also offers significant opportunities to accelerate the green transition. Finally, we focus on open science, in particular on open access and open data. The current crisis could be a catalyst for the adoption of FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) Data Practices. The last part of the report offers some concluding thoughts. The STI policy response cannot be limited to the urgent need for ‘technological fixes.’ A second line of response involves the production of new knowledge to prevent outbreaks (ex-ante) or mitigate their effects (ex-post). Furthermore, the current crisis is a reminder that all branches of science matter. The pandemic has many facets, and a significant number of scientific disciplines can contribute to dealing with it. We conclude with a forward-looking note, arguing that the most substantial impact of the pandemic may lie outside of the public health realm or the science system. It offers a unique opportunity to adapt the set of rules that govern our society.