Societal Health Research Articles

Global and regional trends in the incidence and prevalence of uterine fibroids and attributable risk factors at the national level from 2010 to 2019: A worldwide database study.

Uterine fibroids (UFs), the most common tumors in women worldwide, may reduce quality of life and daily activities and even lead to adverse fertility and general health events in patients, causing significant societal health and financial burdens. The objective was to evaluate the global burden through epidemiological trends and examine the potential risk factors for UFs at the national level. Data on the incidence, prevalence, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs), age-standardized prevalence rates (ASPRs), and age-standardized DALY rates for UFs were collected, and the associations with the Human Development Index (HDI) and fertility were evaluated. The age trends in the average annual percent change (AAPC) of the incidence and prevalence rates of UFs were evaluated by joinpoint regression analysis. The associations between lifestyle, metabolic, and socioeconomic factors and the ASIRs of UFs were examined using multivariable linear regression analysis. The worldwide incidence and prevalence of UFs have been increasing in the past decade, with AAPCs of 0.27% in the incidence rate and 0.078% in the prevalence rate. During 2010-2019, significant increasing trends in UF ASIR were observed in 52 of 88 countries. The age-specific incidence and prevalence of UFs in most age groups showed increasing trends except for 45-54-year-old women which showed no significant trend. Ecological analysis demonstrated no relationship between the incidence of UFs and the HDI but an inverse association with fertility. The incidence of UFs was positively correlated with alcohol intake, hypertension, overweight, and obesity and negatively correlated with smoking. With the increasing incidence and prevalence worldwide, effective targeted prevention and control of relevant risk factors at the national level should be encouraged to reduce the disease burden of UFs.

Millennial football fan participation: the influence of football video games on play and engagement

Purpose Traditional sports have seen declining participation at many levels, with football being no different. This is occurring at a time when emergent technologies present new challenges, particularly to the crucial yet ignored cohort of millennials. Without meeting the needs of millennials, football cannot be successful in the future. This research seeks to understand how millennial football fandom (sport, not team) in Australia impacts football participation, whilst empirically examining the impact of football video games (FVGs).Design/methodology/approach Survey data are collected from online groups, forums and social media pages of Australian football (soccer) fans. Quantitative analysis of millennial fandom and its influence on football participation (for the first time demarcated into play and engagement) is undertaken, including the moderating influence of time spent playing FVGs, amidst covariate influences of age and number of children.Findings Results highlight the multi-dimensionality of millennial football fandom in Australia, reveal the typical hours spent playing football across a range of participation types (including play and engagement), support fan involvement’s influence on engagement with football, establish that a desire to interact with other football fans manifests in playing more football, specify how playing FVGs moderates these relationships, supports the covariate influences of age and evidences that playing FVGs does not hamper football play.Originality/value This is the first study to examine millennial fans of football (the sport, not tied to a club) and the influence of fandom on football participation. By separating football participation into two forms, play and engagement, we highlight discrete influences, whilst evaluating for the first time the moderating influence of the time millennials spend playing FVGs. For sport managers and administrators, these are important findings to facilitate better segmentation, recruitment, retention and participation, each with broader societal health benefits. This is undertaken in Australia where football is not a dominant code, relegating fandom to a niche, thus revealing important findings for sports and business management.

Work productivity, quality of life, and care needs: An unfolding epilepsy burden revealed in the Australian Epilepsy Project pilot study.

Epilepsy is a common and serious neurological disorder. This cross-sectional analysis addresses the burden of epilepsy at different stages of the disease. This pilot study is embedded within the Australian Epilepsy Project (AEP), aiming to provide epilepsy support through a national network of dedicated sites. For this analysis, adults aged 18-65 years with first unprovoked seizure (FUS), newly diagnosed epilepsy (NDE), or drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) were recruited between February-August 2022. Baseline clinicodemographic data were collected from the participants who completed questionnaires to assess their quality of life (QOLIE-31, EQ-5D-5L), work productivity (Work Productivity and Activity Impairment [WPAI]), and care needs. Univariate analysis and multivariate regression was performed. 172 participants formed the study cohort (median age 34, interquartile range [IQR]: 26-45), comprising FUS (n = 44), NDE (n = 53), and DRE (n = 75). Mean QOLIE-31 score was 56 (standard deviation [SD] ± 18) and median EQ-5D-5L score was 0.77 (IQR: 0.56-0.92). QOLIE-31 but not EQ-5D-5L scores were significantly lower in the DRE group compared to FUS and NDE groups (p < 0.001). Overall, 64.5% of participants participated in paid work, with fewer DRE (52.0%) compared with FUS (76.7%) and NDE (72.5%) (p < 0.001). Compared to those not in paid employment, those in paid employment had significantly higher quality of life scores (p < 0.001). Almost 5.8% of participants required formal care (median 20 h/week, IQR: 12-55) and 17.7% required informal care (median 16 h/week, IQR: 7-101). Epilepsy is associated with a large burden in terms of quality of life, productivity and care needs. This is a pilot study from the Australian Epilepsy Project (AEP). It reports health economic data for adults of working age who live with epilepsy. It found that people with focal drug-resistant epilepsy had lower quality of life scores and were less likely to participate in paid employment compared to people with new diagnosis epilepsy. This study provides important local data regarding the burden of epilepsy and will help researchers in the future to measure the impact of the AEP on important personal and societal health economic outcomes.

A cross-sectional study exploring the characteristics of female survivors of sexual violence living with HIV/AIDS in the eastern region of Democratic Republic of Congo.

Sexual violence remains a persistent and devastating issue in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). To elucidate the sociodemographic, sexual, and obstetrical characteristics associated with the experiences of victims of sexual violence (VSV) among women in the region. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 625 women from eastern DRC. Participants provided self-reported data, collected through interviews conducted by trained female interviewers in secure environments. Associations between VSV and various sociodemographic and reproductive health factors were examined. Of the respondents, 26.1% reported experiences of sexual violence. VSV were predominantly younger, with 56.44% aged between 15 and 24 years. Single women comprised 57.67% of VSV, and 37.42% identified as farmers. There were 33.13% of VSV who were illiterate, and 81.60% belonged to the low socio-economic stratum. Early physiological and reproductive milestones characterised VSV: 52.15% experienced menarche at or before 13 years, 34.97% initiated sexual intercourse before age 15, and 18.70% reported their first pregnancy before age 15. Higher nulliparity was observed in VSV (29.45%) compared to non-VSV (9.31%). A lower prevalence of HIV infection was found among VSV (11.04%) relative to non-VSV (25.76%). Sexual violence in the eastern DRC exhibits multifactorial associations. Younger women, those in certain occupations, and those with specific reproductive histories appear more vulnerable. The findings underscore the urgency for targeted interventions, enhanced access to education, and improved reproductive health services. Addressing these pressing issues should remain a primary focus in both societal and public health spheres.

Does women's decision-making autonomy matter in utilization of antenatal care services in India? An analysis from nationally representative survey.

The primary goal is to examine the association between women's decision-making autonomy and utilization of antenatal care services among ever-married women in India. The entire study has been accomplished with the help of secondary data composed from the latest round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) conducted during 2019-21. A total of 34,618 ever-married women aged 15-49 with at least one live birth preceding five years of the survey have been taken into consideration in this study. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted for proper illustration of the outcome. A sizable proportion of women did not fulfill the WHO-recommended criterion of obtaining ANC services. Utilization of full ANC services is found in some regions of southern, eastern, northern, and northeastern states, and in some districts of Gujarat. After adjusting the other explanatory variables, the result of multivariate analysis indicates that women's autonomy is significantly and positively associated with the utilization of full antenatal care services. Women who participate actively in decision-making are more likely to use full ANC services (AOR: 1.316, 95% CI: 1.197-1.446, p<0.05). Additionally, likelihood of utilization of full ANC services is high among women aged 25-34 years, are educated, have access to the media, come from richest wealth quintile, and are from southern, western, and eastern regions. Therefore, appropriate measures should be adopted to eliminate gender bias and promote women's empowerment for the overall improvement of maternal health as well as societal health.

Oil Spills- Where We Were, Where We Are, And Where We Will Be? A Bibliometric and Content Analysis Discourse

More frequently and in more ways than one might think, oil spills are a very common phenomenon. There were three major (&gt;700 tonnes; Asia and Africa) and four minor oil spills only in 2022 (between 7 and 700 tonnes; North America, Asia, and Africa). Oil spills have been known to cause numerous negative ecological, societal, economic, and public health impacts. Not only this but oil spills require rapid response to contain and mitigate multidimensional damages caused. A SCOPUS search of the keyword ‘Oil Spills’ in ‘’Article title, Abstracts, and Keywords’ and ‘Article title’ results in 30529 and 9851 (as of March 4th, 2023) documents (Journal articles, Conference proceedings, Books, Book series, Trade journals, and Reports). In the year 2023 alone, the SCOPUS database had 297 documents at the time of writing. Such a massive database requires a retrospection of underlying and emerging themes for readers to understand the extant literature and to uncover future research agendas. This study is an attempt to conduct a bibliometric analysis of select ‘Oil spill’ publications. This investigation will involve performance analysis (performance of research constituents such as publication and citation evolution, leading authors, publications, affiliations, sources, and countries) and science mapping (relationship between research constituents by analyzing conceptual, intellectual, and social structures). VOSviewer and Biblioshiny The study will conclude future research trends by the content analysis of the fifteen most recent and cited documents.

A Critical Examination of Women's Economic Independence

This paper delves into the critical examination of women's economic independence, underscoring its significance in promoting gender equality and enhancing societal economic health. The rationale for this examination stems from the persisting gender disparities in economic spheres globally, despite considerable progress in recent decades. Economic independence is pivotal for women's empowerment, offering them autonomy in decision-making processes and facilitating their contribution to economic development. The methodology encompasses approach that enables a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted barriers to and enablers for women's economic independence. Key findings reveal that while educational attainment and workforce participation have increased for women, significant obstacles remain. These include the gender wage gap, socio-cultural norms, and inadequate legal protections, which collectively hinder women's economic advancement. The conclusion emphasizes that enhancing women's economic independence is not only a matter of gender equality but also a crucial component of economic sustainability. It argues for a concerted effort from governments, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to implement comprehensive strategies that address both the economic and cultural dimensions of women's independence.

Relevance and use of health policy, health systems and health services research for strengthening rehabilitation in real-life settings: methodological considerations.

Research on health policy, systems, and services (HPSSR) has seen significant growth in recent decades and received increasing attention in the field of rehabilitation. This growth is driven by the imperative to effectively address real-life challenges in complex healthcare settings. A recent resolution on 'Strengthening rehabilitation in health systems' adopted by the World Health Assembly emphasizes the need to support societal health goals related to rehabilitation, particularly to promote high-quality rehabilitation research, including HPSSR. This conceptual paper, discussed with the participants in the 5th Cochrane Rehabilitation Methodological Meeting held in Milan on September 2023, outlines study designs at diverse levels at which HPSSR studies can be conducted: the macro, meso, and micro levels. It categorizes research questions into four types: those framed from the perspective of policies, healthcare delivery organizations or systems, defined patient or provider populations, and important data sources or research methods. Illustrative examples of appropriate methodologies are provided for each type of research question, demonstrating the potential of HPSSR in shaping policies, improving healthcare delivery, and addressing patient and provider perspectives. The paper concludes by discussing the applicability, usefulness, and implementation of HPSSR findings, and the importance of knowledge translation strategies, drawing insights from implementation science. The goal is to facilitate the integration of research findings into everyday clinical practice to bridge the gap between research and practice in rehabilitation.

Cost-effectiveness of a mindful yoga intervention added to treatment as usual for young women with major depressive disorder versus treatment as usual only

In a randomized controlled trial in the Netherlands, we studied the (cost)effectiveness of adding a mindful yoga intervention (MYI+TAU) to treatment as usual (TAU) for young women with major depressive disorder (MDD). In this paper, we present the results of the economic analyses. Societal costs and health outcomes were prospectively assessed during 15 months for all randomized participants (n = 171). Symptoms of depression (Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales; DASS) and quality adjusted life years (QALYs) were used as health outcomes in the economic analyses. Mean total societal costs during the 15 months of the study were €11.966 for the MYI+TAU group and €13.818 for the TAU group, differences in mean total societal costs were not statistically significant. Health outcomes (DASS and QALY) were slightly in favour of MYI+TAU, but differences between groups were not statistically significant. Combining costs and health outcomes in cost-effectiveness analyses indicated that MYI+TAU is likely to be cost-effective compared to TAU which was confirmed by sensitivity analyses. Although there were limitations in the cost-effectiveness analysis, findings from this study suggest that MYI+TAU warrants future attention for the potential to be cost-effective compared to TAU for young women with MDD.

The Climate Crisis and Breastfeeding: Opportunities for Resilience.

The climate crisis is an emerging global challenge that poses potential risks to breastfeeding practices and outcomes. There are multifaceted effects of climate change affecting the breastfeeding dyad across environmental, societal, and human health dimensions. Breastfeeding support in the face of climate change will require solutions at the structural level-healthcare, community, and workplace settings-and at the mother-infant dyad level. Breastfeeding can additionally be an adaptive response to crisis situations and can mitigate some of the environmental challenges associated with climate change. Despite the undeniable significance of climate change on breastfeeding (and vice versa), our perspective as experts in the field is that this topic has not been systematically addressed. Although we highlight some of the challenges, potential solutions, and co-benefits of breastfeeding in the context of climate change, there are numerous issues that could be further explored and necessitate additional preparedness planning.

Identifying barriers and facilitators to adopting healthier dietary choices in clinical care: a cross-sectional observational study.

Adopting healthier diets can drastically improve societal health. Our environment plays a crucial role in daily dietary choices and hospitals in particular can stimulate patients to adopt healthier eating habits. Unfortunately, no robust clinically applicable cuing tools exist to help guide in-hospital dietary interventions. The purpose of this study was to identify patient-related barriers and facilitators to adopting healthier dietary choices. This cross-sectional observational study was conducted on the cardiology ward of a university medical center between June 2020 and January 2021. Of the 594 patients asked and the 312 completed surveys on healthy eating intentions, 285 responses were considered for analysis. Notably, the majority of respondents were male (68.8%), with an average hospital stay of 3.3 days. The results indicate that cardiac patients attribute significantly greater influence on their dietary behavior to doctors compared to other caregivers, including dieticians (X2 = 37.09, df = 9, p < 0.001). Also, younger patients (below 70 years of age) were more inclined to plan changing dietary behavior than older patients. Most mentioned facilitators for adopting a healthier diet were more information/counseling, help in preparing food, support from family and friends, and more emphasis from a doctor. The study highlights the importance of involving doctors in formulating dietary policies and patient-directed interventions within hospital settings. It also sheds light on the barriers and facilitators for promoting healthier dietary behaviors among patients during their hospitalization.

Uncommon Protein-Coding Variants Associated With Suicide Attempt in a Diverse Sample of U.S. Army Soldiers

BackgroundSuicide is a societal and public health concern of global scale. Identifying genetic risk factors for suicide attempt can characterize underlying biology and enable early interventions to prevent deaths. Recent studies have described common genetic variants for suicide-related behaviors. Here, we advance this search for genetic risk by analyzing the association between suicide attempt and uncommon variation exome-wide in a large, ancestrally diverse sample. MethodsWe sequenced whole genomes of 13,584 soldiers from the Army STARRS (Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers), including 979 individuals with a history of suicide attempt. Uncommon, nonsilent protein–coding variants were analyzed exome-wide for association with suicide attempt using gene-collapsed and single-variant analyses. ResultsWe identified 19 genes with variants enriched in individuals with history of suicide attempt, either through gene-collapsed or single-variant analysis (Bonferroni padjusted < .05). These genes were CIB2, MLF1, HERC1, YWHAE, RCN2, VWA5B1, ATAD3A, NACA, EP400, ZNF585A, LYST, RC3H2, PSD3, STARD9, SGMS1, ACTR6, RGS7BP, DIRAS2, and KRTAP10-1. Most genes had variants across multiple genomic ancestry groups. Seventeen of these genes were expressed in healthy brain tissue, with 9 genes expressed at the highest levels in the brain versus other tissues. Brains from individuals deceased from suicide aberrantly expressed RGS7BP (padjusted = .035) in addition to nominally significant genes including YWHAE and ACTR6, all of which have reported associations with other mental disorders. ConclusionsThese results advance the molecular characterization of suicide attempt behavior and support the utility of whole-genome sequencing for complementing the findings of genome-wide association studies in suicide research.

A Rapid Review of Impact Assessment of Climate Change on Health and Mental Well-Being in Africa

Despite widespread global attention, the potential threats to human health posed by climate change in Africa still need to be further understood. Although there is mounting concern that climate change is a serious risk to human health, less evidence shows a direct causal relationship between climate change and health risks in Africa. In this rapid review, we discuss our synthesis of available evidence on the health implications of climate change with a focus on Africa. PubMed was systematically searched for relevant articles from 2020 to 2023 using a search strategy. Only eligible articles published in the English language with full article access were included for review using the population concept context (PCC) criteria by Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). After removing duplicates, the selection process began with title and abstract screening, followed by screening full-text articles. Of the 3272 articles retrieved, only 10 were eligible for synthesis. We found mainly reported climate exposures to range from drought, concerning rainfall patterns, and increasing temperatures reported to cause morbidity and mortality through health risks: respiratory diseases, vector-borne diseases, cardiovascular diseases and mental health concerns. Africa still has a huge shortage of available evidence, particularly research focusing on the health implications, including mental health of climate change and interventions to prevent climate change-related health consequences. While the limited global evidence indicates that climate change results in an increased risk to public health, there are gaps in demonstrating the causal links between climate change and societal mental health impacts in Africa. There is also an urgent need for more research on effectively addressing climate hazards that threaten the African continent's public health and well-being.

Egészségügyi Hatásvizsgálat és Egészséges Közpolitika: Narratív áttekintés a meghatározásokról és megközelítésekről

BACKGROUND: Despite advancements in various fields due to globalization and technology, societal health and quality of life have not proportionally improved. Health inequalities, and unjust disparities in health within and between communities, have garnered attention as preventable challenges. The influence of non-health-related policies and decisions on public health has been overlooked for an extended period. The concept of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) has emerged to address this issue. HIA aims to inform decision-making processes, promote health, and reduce health disparities. Healthy Public Policy (HPP), which integrates health and equality considerations across policy sectors, further contributes to improved overall health outcomes. This study investigates the interplay between HIA and HPP. The focus is on elucidating the evolving dynamics between these two concepts and scrutinizing the increasing efficacy of the popular HIA. METHODS: Peer-reviewed, English-language articles reporting on health impact assessment that were published between 1990 and 2021 were looked for on PubMed, Science Direct, and JSTOR. Health impact assessment with either public policy or health promotion was used for the search. To find further studies, reference lists of papers were examined. A subset of studies was chosen for analysis. RESULTS: Studies support that the interplay between HIA and HPP is a potent force that shapes the landscape of public health. Their collaboration amplifies the impact of each and transforms policies into vehicles of positive change. Recommendations include aiming for healthier communities, reducing health inequalities, and a sustainable future by synergistically evaluating health impacts and creating policies that prioritize well-being. However, concerns have been raised about the potential for HIA to expand into non-health areas, leading to discussions about renaming it to a more inclusive term such as "general policy assessment", although no concrete steps have been taken. It has been mentioned that the complexity of HIA can lead to difficulties in certain contexts and makes it difficult for it to become widespread and that it needs to be improved. Making it simpler, more flexible, and applicable to different conditions is among the suggestions. CONCLUSION: HIA emerges as an indispensable and potent tool for cultivating HPP. Its application should extend to diverse domains, necessitating the identification and resolution of obstacles that may impede its effectiveness.

Libraries in society: comparing international metrics of societal progress to library usage statistics

Introduction. Literacy is a major predictor of education, income, and health. Both historically and currently, libraries have been leaders in promoting literacy globally. The objective of this research is to determine if countries with higher metrics related to the Sustainable Development Goals also demonstrate evidence of stronger relationships between library usage and literacy. Method. Using data from the World Bank, UNESCO, the United Nations and the IFLA Map of the World, the author grouped countries several different ways by income levels, the Human Development Index, literacy rate, and the Gender Inequality Index in order to explore the relationship between literacy and library usage in each categorization. Analysis. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to determine if there is a relationship between the variables. Results. In the grouping of countries by HDI, literacy, progress, GII and income, the correlation coefficients generally increased for each individual library usage statistic as the indicator improved. Conclusion. In groupings of countries with higher metrics of societal health, correlation rates between library usage and literacy increase from country groups with lower rates of those metrics.

Cognitive health disparities and COVID‐19 stress: Evidence from metro‐Detroit

AbstractBackgroundRacial/ethnic minority groups and those with lower socioeconomic status suffer greater prevalence of cognitive health problems. For example, older Black Americans are about twice as likely to develop ADRD as older Whites (Lennon et al., 2022). Rates of ADRD are unknown among Middle Eastern/Arab Americans (MENA). Throughout the COVID‐19 pandemic, racial/ethnic disparities existed such that COVID‐19 prevalence and mortality were greater among Black and MENA populations compared to Whites (Dallo et al., 2022). This paper characterizes COVID‐19 stress prevalence and cognitive health in metro‐Detroit among three racial‐ethnic groups.MethodIn the recently completed U.S.‐based Detroit Area Wellness Network – COVID‐19 Supplement (DAWN‐CS) project (N = 606), participants were recruited from an existing longitudinal cohort study (i.e., Social Relations Study; Antonucci &amp; Akiyama, 1994), supplemented by address‐based and respondent‐driven sampling in order to obtain a racially/ethnically balanced sample of MENA, Black, and White older adults. Eligible persons (aged 65+) within screened households were selected with probability to allow appropriate inference to the target population. Inclusion criteria for DAWN‐CS were: age 65+, fluency in English or Arabic, and identifying as MENA, Black, or White. Psychosocial questionnaires and cognitive measures were administered via telephone. Global cognition was a composite score of episodic memory, language, attention, and working memory tests.ResultMENA older adults reported more COVID‐19 stress and demonstrated lower cognitive health than White older adults, aligning more with profiles observed among Black older adults. The influence of COVID‐19 stress did not vary by race‐ethnicity or predict cognitive health in the whole sample. COVID‐19 stress predicted better cognitive health only for Whites.ConclusionIncluding underrepresented populations in the study of stress and cognitive health advances science and addresses societal health in its entirety. Disaggregating MENA from Whites demonstrates an unrecognized disparity (MENA versus White older adults), and improves estimates of other disparities (Black versus White older adults). The benefit of stress on cognitive health for Whites reflect that stress may have health benefits when experienced in small doses.

Social relations, cognitive health disparities and COVID‐19 stress

AbstractBackgroundThe prevalence and incidence of COVID‐19 was higher among racial/ethnic minority groups in the U.S. (APM Research Lab, 2020), but stressor types, resilience, and impacts on cognitive health are unknown. Economic and socioemotional stress each affect health and contribute to racial/ethnic health disparities (Sternthal, et al., 2011). Further, changes in stress and social relations influence cognitive decline (Dickinson et al., 2011; VonDras et al., 2005). However, it is unclear if associations are similar across racial/ethnic groups.MethodParticipants in the recently completed U.S. based Detroit Area Wellness Network COVID‐19 Supplement (DAWN‐CS) project (N = 606) were recruited from a longitudinal cohort study (i.e., Social Relations Study; Antonucci &amp; Akiyama, 1994), supplemented by address‐based and respondent‐driven sampling to obtain a racially/ethnically balanced sample of Middle Eastern/Arab (MENA), Black, and White older adults (aged 65+). Eligible persons (aged 65+) within screened households were selected with probability to allow appropriate inference to the target population. Inclusion criteria for DAWN‐CS were: age 65+, fluency in English or Arabic, and identifying as MENA, Black, or White. Participants were administered psychosocial questionnaires and cognitive measures via telephone. Global cognition was a latent variable indicated by episodic memory, language, attention, and working memory tests.ResultOlder adults who saw their network members more frequently during the COVID‐19 pandemic reported more economic stress and demonstrated worse cognitive health. Within‐group analyses showed unique patterns: only among Black older adults was there an association between more contact frequency and higher economic stress. Further, the association between economic stress and worse cognitive health was evident among MENA and White older adults, but not Black older adults. Pandemic‐related socioemotional stress (e.g., conflict with family and friends) did not vary by race/ethnicity and was not associated with contact frequency during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Further analyses examine whether social relations buffered the effects of pandemic‐related economic stress on cognitive health.ConclusionIncluding underrepresented populations in the study of social relations, stress and cognitive health advances science and addresses societal health in its entirety. Strengths of this study include its racially/ethnically balanced sample, which improved the power and validity of racial/ethnic group comparisons.

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on nephrology social work: Perspectives of social workers

A mixed method study utilized surveys and focus groups to explore the perceptions of nephrology social workers in Canada regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their practice with patients and their families. As part of this larger study, participants were invited to focus groups which elicited pandemic experiences, personally and professionally, and to offer post-pandemic recommendations for nephrology social work. The sample comprised 15 nephrology social workers from several Canadian provinces, who provided in-depth reflections regarding the impact of the pandemic on professional practice. Study results reflect COVID-19 pandemic-related experiences of Canadian nephrology social workers, including psychosocial impacts as well as practice and infrastructure shifts. In providing service to patients and families, nephrology social workers were forced to confront personal, professional and organizational landscapes altered by hospital and broader societal public health guidelines aimed at decreasing the spread of COVID-19. Although an inherently challenging experience, participating social workers concurrently noted areas of growth that resulted from pandemic circumstances..

The association between walking pace and hand grip strength with the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study

BackgroundChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) currently ranks as the third leading cause of mortality worldwide, imposing substantial burdens on societal and individual health. Amongst health research tools, walking pace (WP) and hand grip strength (HGS) are cornerstones, extensively associated with diverse health conditions. However, the intricate interplay between these factors and COPD risk remains ambiguous. This study aims to elucidate the causal association of WP, HGS, with COPD risk through a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) approach.MethodsBidirectional MR analysis was performed using Genome-wide association study (GWAS) data of European individuals for WP, HGS, and COPD. Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW) served as the primary MR analysis approach. To supplement the IVW findings, four additional MR methods [MR-Egger, weighted median, maximum likelihood, simple median] were used. To assess heterogeneity and pleiotropy, sensitivity analyses were performed. In addition, multivariate MR (MVMR) analysis was used to assess causality after adjustment for potential confounders.ResultsIVW method results show a significant negative association between WP and COPD risk in both initial (genome-wide threshold, odds ratio (OR) = 0.21, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.09–0.51, P = 5.06 × 10− 4) and secondary (locus-wide threshold, OR = 0.27, 95%CI: 0.18–0.41, P = 4.88 × 10− 10) MR analysis. The reverse MR analysis suggested that COPD also diminishes WP. Additionally, a causal risk reduction for COPD with right HGS (OR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.58–0.94, P = 1.44 × 10− 2) was only found in secondary MR analysis. The outcomes of the four additional MR methods also suggested similar causal relationships, and sensitivity analyses endorsed their robustness. Lastly, the MVMR analysis demonstrated that the WP’s effect on reducing COPD risk persisted independently of potential confounding variables.ConclusionA bidirectional causal relationship exists between typical WP and COPD risk. Conversely, a decrease in right HGS is unidirectionally associated with an increased risk of COPD. The study suggests that WP may serve as a predictive factor for COPD or as a simple evaluative indicator for prognosis.

Green Hydrogen Production and Public Health Expenditure in Hydrogen-Exporting Countries

Energy resources play a significant role as a production input in many economic sectors, such as production of goods and transportation. Moreover, increased energy usage may result in increased air pollution, resulting in negative societal health effects. This paper aims to examine how the production of green hydrogen energy, as proxied by low-carbon energy production, and per capita public health spending are related. This study employs various techniques that are specific to panel data, such as panel cointegration tests, second-generation stationarity tests, and panel long-run estimates, The research has been conducted on a sample of 67 hydrogen exporting nations during the period from 2000 to 2021. The study revealed that hydrogen energy production causes a rise in per capita public health spending. Policymakers should encourage the usage and production of hydrogen energy to decrease the negative consequences of using energy that emits CO2. Reduction of carbon dioxide emissions helps nations to increase the proportion of government spending on public health per person. Furthermore, in hydrogen-exporting countries, an increase in the production of hydrogen leads to accumulate more funds from exporting hydrogen that will be used to increase spending on public health.