Severe Deprivation Research Articles

The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Video Head Impulse Test Results.

To investigate the association between sleep deprivation and vestibular dysfunction by Video Head Impulse Test (vHIT). This prospective clinical trial explores the impact of acute sleep deprivation on the vestibular-ocular reflex (VOR) in medical residents. The study involved healthy physicians from diverse medical disciplines. Participants underwent vHIT assessments before and after a 26-h shift. The examinations focused solely on the right lateral semicircular canal. Participants further completed a demographics and fatigue questionnaire, including the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) questionnaire and a Visual Analog Fatigue Score (VAFS). The study involved 30 medical residents. Participants experienced a statistically significant decrease in VOR gain in the right horizontal semicircular canal during a 26-h shift (p < 0.01). While the FSS and VAFS questionnaires showed no significant difference before and after the shift, the analysis of ∆VOR gain indicated a statistically significant increase associated with decreased sleep time during the shift (p = 0.018, 95% Confidence Interval [0.08, 0.68]). The most substantial increase in ∆VOR occurred between 22-26 h of sleep deprivation. No significant differences were observed in ∆VOR between genders, ages, disciplines, department shifts versus emergency room shifts, or years of residency. vHIT can be used as an objective, reliable screening tool for severe sleep deprivation among physicians. The decrease in the VOR gain may indicate that vestibular function is influenced by sleep deprivation. The clinical significance of these findings is still questioned, more studies may help to assess this effect. 3 Laryngoscope, 2024.

The relationship between emotional inhibition, emotional deprivation, failure, vulnerability to harm schema, and severity of symptoms among patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

ObjectiveAssess the relationship between emotional inhibition, emotional deprivation, failure, vulnerability to harm schema, and severity of symptoms among obsessive-compulsive disorder.MethodsA descriptive correlational study was conducted on 30 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder who were recruited to complete the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Young Schema Questionnaire-Long Form.ResultsThe results of the study indicate that 66.6% of the 30 subjects exhibited high levels of OCD symptom severity, with a mean score of 33.20 ± 4.67. In terms of early maladaptive schemas, 60% of subjects displayed severe emotional deprivation, 66.7% showed severe emotional inhibition, and 83.3% had severe failure schemas. A strong positive correlation was found between failure schemas and OCD symptoms (r = 0.697, p < 0.001). However, what truly impressed the researchers was the predictive power of the failure schema. It was the only significant predictor of OCD symptoms (Beta = 0.992, p < 0.001), explaining 55.2% of the variance.ConclusionThe study underscores the crucial influence of early maladaptive schemas on the severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder. It proposes that considering early maladaptive schemas, such as emotional self-awareness, failure, and vulnerability to harm, can aid in gauging the severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms. Moreover, the study’s findings are of significant importance to mental health professionals, researchers, and individuals involved in the treatment and management of obsessive-compulsive disorder, as they provide a deeper understanding of the condition and suggest practical approaches for its management.

Traumatised youth harbour feelings of revenge: investigating the association between PTSD symptomatology, vengeance, and willingness to forgive among the Congolese adolescent refugees in Uganda

ABSTRACT Background: Prolonged conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have caused widespread psychological trauma among civilians leading to maladaptive coping strategies across generations. Despite this occurrence, empirical studies on the prevalence of trauma and its impact on attitudes towards revenge and forgiveness, particularly among the youth, are scarce. This study aims to clarify the relationship between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptom severity and the desires for forgiveness and revenge among Congolese adolescents residing in Uganda. Methods: We analysed data from 269 adolescent refugees from the DRC living in the Nakivale refugee settlement in Southwestern Uganda. The assessment included exposure to war-related traumatic events and the MINI-KID for DSM-V PTSD symptom severity. The Heartland Forgiveness and Vengeance Scales measured willingness to forgive and feelings of vengeance. Results: Exposure to war-related traumatic events was notably high in our sample, with severe deprivation of food (260 [97%]), exposure to armed combat (249 [93%]), witnessing bombing, burning, or destruction of houses (245 [91%]), disappearance of family members (239 [89%]), and seeing dead bodies (236 [88%]). PTSD symptom severity was negatively associated with willingness to forgive (b = −0.48; 95% CI −0.71–−0.25; p < .001) and positively associated with vengeance (b = 0.18; 95% CI 0.04–0.32; p = .011). Conclusion: PTSD symptom severity reduces the willingness to forgive and increases the desire for vengeance among adolescent refugees. Mental health clinicians and policymakers should consider addressing maladaptive coping behaviours related to feelings of revenge and unwillingness to forgive in their support strategies for refugees.

Dimensions of Housing Deprivation in Poland: A Rural-Urban Perspective

The paper focuses on severe housing deprivation and its components—overcrowding and housing conditions problems. It is based on the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) 2019 survey data. The paper analyzes this data on households in Poland—a country with significant problems in terms of housing deprivation. Three dimensions of housing deprivation are examined: experiencing only overcrowding, experiencing only housing conditions problems, and being severely housing deprived. The study aims to investigate three-dimensional housing deprivation depending on the urbanization level of living places and other socioeconomic characteristics of Polish households. The multinomial logit model was used to assess relative risk ratios for explanatory variables to achieve these purposes. It was found that some socioeconomic characteristics significantly influenced one dimension but not another. Moreover, the relative risk ratios for given characteristics sometimes are greater than one for a particular dimension and less than one for another. Specifically, a significant difference in housing conditions problems between households living in towns and rural areas was found. However, there are no significant differences in overcrowding and severe housing deprivation, given that all other explanatory variables are fixed. Furthermore, considering the relative risk as a ratio of the probability of experiencing the given dimension of housing deprivation and the probability of not being housing deprived at all, households in cities compared with rural households were more likely to be overcrowded and to experience severe housing deprivation but less likely to have housing conditions problems.

Quercetin, the new stress buster: Investigating the transcriptional and behavioral effects of this flavonoid on multiple stressors using Lymnaea stagnalis

Growing evidence suggests that a flavonoid-rich diet can prevent or reverse the effects of stressors, although the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. One common and abundant flavonoid found in numerous foods is quercetin. This study utilizes the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis, a valid model organism for learning and memory, and a simple but robust learning paradigm—operant conditioning of aerial respiration—to explore the behavioral and transcriptional effects of different stressors on snails' cognitive functions and to investigate whether quercetin exposure can prevent stress effects on learning and memory formation. Our findings demonstrate that three different stressors—severe food deprivation, lipopolysaccharide injection (an inflammatory challenge), and fluoride exposure (a neurotoxic agent)—block memory formation for operant conditioning and affect the expression levels of key targets related to stress response, energy balance, and immune response in the snails' central ring ganglia. Remarkably, exposing snails to quercetin for 1 h before stress presentation prevents these effects at both the behavioral and transcriptional levels, demonstrating the potent stress-preventive properties of quercetin. Despite the evolutionary distance from humans, L. stagnalis has proven to be a valuable model for studying conserved mechanisms by which bioactive compounds like quercetin mitigate the adverse effects of various stressors on cognitive functions across species. Moreover, these findings offer insights into quercetin's potential for mitigating stress-induced physiological and cognitive impairments.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Populations in a Suburb of the Largest City in Western Romania.

Background and Objectives: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a major public health issue worldwide, disproportionately affecting socioeconomically disadvantaged populations due to the social determinants of health (SDOHs). In Western Romania, these populations are particularly vulnerable to CVD. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and impact of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) among socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals in Western Romania and identify the primary CVRFs contributing to the high incidence of CVD within this population. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational design was employed, utilizing data from the medical records of 1433 eligible individuals. The inclusion criteria were based on Eurostat's EU-SILC benchmarks, focusing on severe material deprivation, at-risk-of-poverty rates, and low work intensity. Data on demographics, familial and personal medical history, smoking status, blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, and HbA1c levels were collected. Results: Of the 1433 subjects, 34.75% were male, with a median age of 52 years. Significant conditions included diabetes (7.39%), coronary disease (3.83%), arterial hypertension (35.58%), and dyslipidemia (21.28%). Median ages were higher for those with diabetes (65 vs. 51 years, p < 0.0001), coronary disease (64 vs. 51 years, p < 0.0001), arterial hypertension (65 vs. 43 years, p < 0.0001), and dyslipidemia (66 vs. 47 years, p < 0.0001). BMI (Body Mass Index) classifications showed 33.77% were overweight, 21.21% obese, and 15.07% morbidly obese. Smokers were younger than non-smokers (48 vs. 54 years, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: The findings highlight the significant prevalence of CVRFs among socioeconomically disadvantaged populations in Western Romania. Socioeconomically disadvantaged populations exhibit a significantly higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, impaired glucose regulation, hypertension, and dyslipidemia compared to their before known status.

She Shores

Abstract This study delves into the lives of women from the Koli fishing community in Mumbai, aiming to illuminate their unique life experiences and the daily struggles that often remain hidden beneath their prosperous facade. It endeavours to examine their agency and adaptive strategies employed to navigate these challenges. The research was conducted in Pachubandar, Vasai, located in the western suburbs of Mumbai, which stands as one of the prominent Koli settlements in the city. Employing a qualitative research approach coupled with an exploratory research design, the study engaged ten participants, comprising seven Koli women and three key informants from the community. Additionally, an observational analysis of four retail and wholesale fish markets in Mumbai was conducted to gain insight into the working conditions of Koli fisherwomen. This study adopts a gender-focused perspective to scrutinise the contextual vulnerabilities that shape the lives of Koli women. It underscores the paradox wherein, despite playing a pivotal role in sustaining both their families and the traditional fishing occupation, their contributions often go unnoticed. The Koli women face severe deprivation due to their limited access to property and decision-making authority. They find themselves entangled within traditional norms and patriarchal structures, which impede their access to essential assets and diverse livelihood resources. Although they significantly contribute to the fishery sector, their struggles, needs, and aspirations are frequently disregarded due to their lack of representation and involvement in decision-making bodies. The majority of these women work under precarious conditions, devoid of proper infrastructure, resources, and security. Furthermore, the evolving dynamics within the fishery sector, driven by rapid urbanisation and modernisation, have a profound impact on the lives and traditional livelihoods of Koli women. They now confront issues such as dwindling fish catches due to environmental degradation, heightened market competition, reduced livelihood spaces brought about by shifting urban and coastal landscapes, altered labour relations, and technological advancements. Consequently, they find themselves caught between the conflicting forces of tradition and modernity. The research also sheds light on the strategies devised by Koli women to resist and adapt to the uncertainties and challenges they encounter, ultimately safeguarding their livelihoods through self-organisation. The study emphasises the imperative to acknowledge their contributions as ‘visible work’ and advocates for the incorporation of gender considerations when formulating policies and development strategies within the fisheries sector.

Addressing the Sleep Deprivation Epidemic in Adolescents: Findings from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2021

ABSTRACT Background Millions of U.S. youths do not get adequate sleep. Healthy People 2030 has prioritized sleep and identified an objective to increase the proportion of students in grades 9 through 12 who get sufficient sleep. Purpose This study investigated the predictors of severe sleep deprivation in adolescents. Methods Data were obtained from the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), a school-based survey, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Severe sleep deprivation was defined as 6 hours or less sleep per night on school nights. Binary logistic regressions were used to estimate the associations. Results Among the 17,232 youth surveyed, 48.2% experienced severe sleep deprivation. Self reported overweight and poor mental health status, limited physical activity, excessive screen time, smoking/vaping, lacking school connectedness, parental monitoring, school, and neighborhood safety as well as not having stable housing were statistically significant predictors of adolescents’ severe sleep deprivation. Discussion Scaling up sleep health programs in schools, neighborhoods, and subpopulations of adolescents could be a fundamental step toward achieving health equity. Translation to Health Education Practice Educators, health professionals, and social workers should be informed about the risk and protective factors of sleep health, and adolescents’ vulnerabilities to sleep deprivation.

Oxytocin Exhibits Neuroprotective Effects on Hippocampal Cultures under Severe Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation Conditions.

Perinatal asphyxia (PA) and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy can result in severe, long-lasting neurological deficits. In vitro models, such as oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD), are used experimentally to investigate neuronal response to metabolic stress. However, multiple variables can affect the severity level of OGD/PA and may confound any measured treatment effect. Oxytocin (OXT) has emerged as a potential neuroprotective agent against the deleterious effects of PA. Previous studies have demonstrated OXT's potential to enhance neuronal survival in immature hippocampal cultures exposed to OGD, possibly by modulating gamma-aminobutyric acid-A receptor activity. Moreover, OXT's precise impact on developing hippocampal neurons under different severities of OGD/PA remains uncertain. In this study, we investigated the effects of OXT (0.1 µM and 1 µM) on 7-day-old primary rat hippocampal cultures subjected to 2 h OGD/sham normoxic conditions. Cell culture viability was determined using the resazurin assay. Our results indicate that the efficacy of 1 µM OXT treatment varied according to the severity of the OGD-induced lesion, exhibiting a protective effect (p = 0.022) only when cellular viability dropped below 49.41% in non-treated OGD cultures compared to normoxic ones. Furthermore, administration of 0.1 µM OXT did not yield significant effects, irrespective of lesion severity (p > 0.05). These findings suggest that 1 µM OXT treatment during OGD confers neuroprotection exclusively in severe lesions in hippocampal neurons after 7 days in vitro. Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms involved in OXT-mediated neuroprotection.

Insecurity and Nigeria’s Socio-Economic Development

Many scholars have identified insecurity in Nigeria as one of the major reasons for the country’s continuous under-development. This paper analyzes the effects of insecurity on the socio-economic development of Nigeria, with the main objective of proffering policy solutions to address insecurity challenges that have almost brought the county to her knees and stunted her development. The paper adopted the conflict theory propounded by Karl Marx as the theoretical framework to interrogate the causes of insecurity and the effects on various aspects of the Nigerian socio-economic system. The study employed qualitative research methods to critically assess the relationship between insecurity and Nigeria’s socio-economic development. It is theoretically based, with the use of secondary data, using in-depth explanatory analysis that produces results with understanding, meanings and views. The study identified severe unemployment, endemic poverty, ethno-religious conflicts, corruption, deprivation, inequalities and small arms and light weapons proliferation as the major causes of the unending insecurity challenge in Nigeria. These have led to population displacement, social dislocation, depression and trauma among the people, declining health situation, worsening school attendance, food insecurity and lack of foreign investment. The study recommended that governments at all levels should implement policies that will ensure serious reductions in unemployment rate, poverty and general inequality, by providing infrastructures and the enabling environment that will encourage entrepreneurs and small-scale industries to thrive, revamp the country’s entire security architecture, strengthen border security, tackle the proliferation of firearms, improve the legal system, among many others.

A Comparison of Criteria for Defining Metabolic Acidemia in Live-Born Neonates and Its Effect on Predicting Serious Adverse Neonatal Outcomes

(Abstracted from Am J Obstet Gynecol 2023;229:439.e1–439.e11 It is common for fetal oxygenation and pH to decline during labor. However, severe oxygen deprivation can cause fetuses to develop metabolic acidemia, a risk factor for moderate to severe neonatal encephalopathy that can progress to cerebral palsy.

Multidimensional poverty of the older adults: An empirical analysis for Türkiye

ABSTRACT In this study, it is aimed to determine the poverty of the older adults in Türkiye in a multidimensional way and to propose solutions for this issue. In the analysis, which included 3 dimensions and 15 sub-indicators, it was determined that the areas where the older adults with a sample size of 8,417 experienced the most deprivation were health problems and limitations in physical activities, as well as living space with inadequate physical conditions, failure to meet the heating expenses of the house, and severe deprivation in nutrition indicators. In addition, the total deprivation numbers of older adults obtained from the Alkire-Foster method were categorized and included as a dependent variable in the ordinal logit model. In the light of the findings, when education levels are taken into account, it is found that older adults with primary school education and above are less likely to be poor than those without education. In line with the results obtained, policy recommendations have been made for the elimination of multidimensional poverty of older adults.

The EU Countries’ Assessment with Respect to the Prevalence of Severe Material Deprivation and Determinants of Poverty: Application of Non-parametric DEA Approach

Reduction of poverty or social exclusion belongs to the priorities of the EU countries defined in the Europe 2020 Strategy. This priority was defined as being interrelated with the priorities focused on employment and education. Numbers of people living in poverty varied between the EU countries, which also varied in the progress towards achieving their national targets concerning poverty reduction. The aim of the paper was to assess the EU countries with respect to the prevalence of poverty and its determinants in the context of the priorities of the Europe 2020 Strategy. Two methods were used to meet the aim of the paper – the correlation analysis and the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), including also the Malmquist Index. Results of the DEA revealed that all EU countries were not assessed as being fully efficient. A number of efficient countries first declined between the years 2008-2010, then it started to increase and reached the maximum value in 2017. Between the years 2010-2014, 11 countries improved their productivity, but between the years 2017-2019, improvement was identified only for five countries. Results of correlation analysis confirmed the importance of policies focused on households’ incomes and employment for the successful reduction of poverty. Keywords: DEA, determinants of poverty, EU countries, poverty, severe material deprivation.

Educational attainment as a predictor of poverty and social exclusion: Empirical analysis of Serbian case

This study examines the impact of education on the risk of poverty and social exclusion in a single-country framework. Relying on household and individual level data from the annual EU-SILC survey obtained in Serbia in 2020, we estimate the market and non-market benefits of education in the context of combating poverty and social exclusion in developing countries. Based on a representative sample of the adult population in Serbia, we explore to what extent the risk of poverty and social exclusion can be predicted by the levels of educational attainment. Econometric estimations indicate that educational underachievement acts as a significant driver of poverty and social exclusion. Probit regression analysis indicates that the risk of experiencing poverty and social exclusion decreases substantially with higher education levels. We include three model specifications that calculate the predicted probability of being at risk of poverty, severely materially deprived and exposed to combined risks. Holding other predictors constant, the decrease in poverty and social exclusion probability attributed to a one level increase in educational attainment amounts up to 7.96% (for unemployed women with only primary education). The analysis confirms that the highest gains from schooling are materialized for the categories of respondents who are not active in the labor market and those with the lowest levels of educational attainment. Besides this, self-perceived health and labor market activity significantly affect the risk of poverty, material deprivation and social exclusion. The impact of age differs across our model specifications, indicating that age increases the probability of severe material deprivation and the combined risk of poverty and deprivation, while older age appears to go in hand with a lower risk of poverty itself. These results offer relevant information that should be considered when determining the optimal level of social investment in education.

Neurodevelopmental problems in adulthood following severe early deprivation: A qualitative analysis of clinical needs and service user experiences

Severe, prolonged early deprivation is associated with later neurodevelopmental difficulties. Despite elevated levels of contact with service providers, these problems often persist into adult life and are associated with impairment in adulthood (e.g., unemployment, higher rates of depression and anxiety symptoms and poorer subjective wellbeing). Here, we aimed to explore the ongoing service needs and experiences of adoptees and their parents from the English and Romanian Adoptees (ERA) study, in those with a history of early deprivation and neurodevelopmental problems. Our descriptive thematic analysis highlighted difficulties with independent living, particularly financial management and problems with decision-making. Where specific forms of support had been accessed (e.g., medication for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) they were often helpful, although there was some ambivalence towards taking medication due to side effects. However, the neurodevelopmental problems were not well understood and were often overlooked by service providers. There is a need for greater awareness among frontline service providers of the neurodevelopmental impact of early adversity. Participants also identified that their support needs were largely unmet and that their parents were having to fill this gap. Similarities and differences between the experiences highlighted here and those identified with idiopathic neurodevelopmental disorders are discussed, as are several recommendations for educational improvements for service providers.

The role of direct capital cash transfers towards poverty and extreme poverty alleviation - an omega risk process

Trapping refers to the event when a household falls into the area of poverty. Households that live or fall into the area of poverty are said to be in a poverty trap, where a poverty trap is a state of poverty from which it is difficult to escape without external help. Similarly, extreme poverty is considered as the most severe type of poverty, in which households experience severe deprivation of basic human needs. In this article, we consider an Omega risk process with deterministic growth and a multiplicative jump (collapse) structure to model the capital of a household. It is assumed that, when a household's capital level is above a certain capital barrier level that determines a household's eligibility for a capital cash transfer programme, its capital grows exponentially. As soon as its capital falls below the capital barrier level, the capital dynamics incorporate external support in the form of direct transfers (capital cash transfers) provided by donors or governments. Otherwise, once trapped, the capital grows only due to the capital cash transfers. Under this model, we first derive closed-form expressions for the trapping probability and then do the same for the probability of extreme poverty, which only depends on the current value of the capital given by some extreme poverty rate function. Numerical examples illustrate the role of capital cash transfers on poverty and extreme poverty dynamics.

Developing a Methodology for Identifying Urban Neighborhoods with Severe Housing Deprivation in Iran

Developing a Methodology for Identifying Urban Neighborhoods with Severe Housing Deprivation in Iran

Is there a relationship between housing deprivation and crime? Evidence for the Spanish case

Purpose Crime increased in Spain during the period of 2017–2019 after a decade of decline. This coincides with severe housing deprivation multiplying by three in just four years, affecting 3.4% of the population in 2020. However, no research has been found that analyzes whether this deterioration of the physical conditions of housing and its environmental elements has impacted the level of crime in Spain. This study aims to analyze how housing deprivation affects crime in the Spanish context. Design/methodology/approach For this purpose, different items that are considered by Eurostat as elements of housing deprivation are used. The difference generalized method of moments estimator is used for 16 Spanish regions that comprises the period from 2013 to 2019. Findings The results suggest that certain structural and environmental elements of housing are positively associated with crime: space (0.5% and 0.4%) and high housing expenditure (0.4% and 0.5%) are positively correlated with the two dependent variables; the lack of light and overcrowding stand out as they establish a positive and statistically significant association with four out of the six analyzed crime categories; the absence of lighting effect reaches up to 1.8% and 1.7% in the case of violent robberies and vehicle theft, respectively. Finally, pollution is negatively associated with robbery with violence (−1.9%), theft (−0.7%) and robbery with force (−0.5%). Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study that examines whether this deterioration of the physical conditions of housing has impacted the level of crime in Spain. It is also pioneering at the European level by using nonmonetary dimensions of inequality such as housing.

Do early indicators of euthyroid sick syndrome predict later post-bariatric weight loss? Exploring a novel hypothesis

Despite bariatric surgery’s success for most patients, up to 30 % do not experience optimal weight loss outcomes. Post-surgery weight loss outcomes are influenced by a complex interplay of factors that remain incompletely understood. Novel hypotheses are needed to identify putative predictors of suboptimal post-bariatric weight loss. Thyroid hormones, due to their important role in energy expenditure, have received study though research to date has not established clear associations between post-surgical weight loss and changes in standard thyroid markers. In contrast, research consistently documents a pattern similar to euthyroid sick syndrome (ESS) during severe caloric deprivation or fasting. ESS, an established response to periods of stress (e.g., critical illness, infection, famine) is believed to serve a protective function by suppressing metabolism and conserving weight. Defining features of ESS are: 1) TSH levels within normal range; 2) abnormally low levels of the metabolically active form of thyroid hormone, or freetriiodothyronine (FT3); 3) abnormally high levels of the metabolically inactive reverse3,3′,5′-triiodothyronine (rT3); and 4) abnormally low ratios of FT3 to rT3. Low FT3/rT3 ratio levels significantly predict survival outcomes in ESS. We present the novel hypothesis that: 1) severe hypocaloric dieting during the early post-surgical period may trigger an ESS-like syndrome; 2) development of ESS will be signaled by a decrease in the FT3/rT3 ratio; and 3) early decreases in the FT3/rT3 ratio will be associated with reduced weight loss at standard 1- and 2-year post-surgical follow-up visits. To examine whether preliminary data might support our hypothesis, we undertook a small exploratory study by collecting TSH, FT4,FT3, rT3,and hypothyroid symptoms from adult patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (n = 12) or sleeve gastrectomy (n = 11). Body mass index was measured pre-surgery and 1- and 2-years post-surgery. Results showed reductions in the FT3:rT3ratio from pre- to early post-surgery significantly predicted reduced weight loss at 1 (p = 0.03) and 2 years(p = 0.02)post-surgery. No other thyroid-related markers nor symptoms were predictive. Replication with larger samples is needed, especially given our sizeable attrition at 1- and 2-year follow-up. In conclusion, our hypothesis that markers of ESS during the early post-surgical period would predict reduced longer-term weight loss was supported. If replicated in future, larger investigations, a practical application of this hypothesis-generating paper involves using the FT3:rT3 ratio to identify post-bariatric patients at risk for longer-term suboptimal weight loss, potentially opening a key therapeutic window for therapeutic intervention (e.g., T3 repletion).

Housing Deprivation Among Polish Households: Prevalence and Associated Factors

Abstract Housing deprivation is a multidimensional concept that can be measured using various indicators. This study focuses on severe housing deprivation and its components – overcrowding and housing conditions problems. Severe housing deprivation means the failure to meet basic housing needs. Eurostat defines it as the simultaneous occurrence of overcrowding and housing conditions problems. All analyzed indicators of housing deprivation are based on European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EUSILC) 2019 survey data. The study covers households in Poland – a country facing serious problems of housing deprivation. In fact, three dimensions of housing deprivation are examined: experiencing only housing conditions problems, experiencing only overcrowding, and being severely housing deprived. The study aims to investigate the prevalence of three-dimensional housing deprivation and reveal which socioeconomic features of the household are associated with the analyzed phenomenon. To achieve these purposes, the multinomial logit model was used to assess the average marginal effects for explanatory variables. It was found that the significant factors associated with housing deprivation are tenure status, dwelling type, household income, average age of household members, their level of educational achievement, presence of disabled and unemployed people, and household type.