Sociodemographic Data Research Articles

Glucose metrics improvement in youths with type 1 diabetes using the Ambulatory Glucose Profile report: A real-world study

AimsIn this study, we aimed to analyze the possible change in Time In Range (TIR) in subjects with type 1 diabetes (T1D) using the Ambulatory Glucose Profile (AGP) and to identify the main socio-demographic and clinical predictors of sustained use. Methods143 youths wearing instant-scanning CGM received structured counseling on the AGP report interpretation, and who were able to use AGP at least every 14 days were enrolled in group A (n = 100), whereas no users were considered as group B (n = 43). Socio-demographic data at the enrollment, clinical data, and glucose metrics were collected at baseline and during quarterly consultations. Metabolic outcomes were evaluated during follow-up, and a comparison between groups A and B was performed. ResultsIn group A compared to group B, at 12 months, the percentage of sensor usage and TIR were higher (p = 0.04 and p = 0.02), and Time Above Range and HbA1c were lower (p = 0.0004, p < 0.0001, respectively). Multiple logistic regression analysis did not show a significant relationship between sustained AGP software usage and the variables analyzed. ConclusionsSystematic use of the AGP software was feasible and showed improved metabolic control in youths with T1D. This may be related to increased sensor usage and more informed decisions.

Presymptomatic Testing for Huntington's Disease in Mexico: 28 Years of Experience

IntroductionHuntington's disease (HD) is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder with dominant inheritance. Our center in Mexico City has offered presymptomatic testing (PT) since 1995. ObjectiveTo describe the main clinical and demographic characteristics of at-risk HD individuals who applied to the PT program, the reasons for seeking it, and the molecular results. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted with sociodemographic and clinical data of all PT applicants from 1995–2023. Reasons for seeking PT were assessed using a modified questionnaire. In addition, anxiety, and depressive symptoms before and after PT were evaluated with Beck's instruments; cognitive impairment (CI) was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and molecular results. Results214 people applied for PT (2.1% of the at-risk population identified in our center); 63% were women (mean age of 37.11 years). 204 (95.3%) were accepted and 190 received results. 70% indicated that the main reason for applying for PT was to inform their offspring about the risk of inheriting HD. Significant differences were observed in the reasons for seeking PT by age group. Although some subjects received treatment, Beck's instrument scores did not indicate special attention or pharmacological treatment. The MMSE showed probable CI in 20 subjects. Of those who received results, 37% were carriers of a full penetrance allele. ConclusionOur center has the only formal PT program for HD in Mexico. The reasons for seeking PT are varied and age-related. Although PT is offered to all subjects at risk for HD, uptake remains low.

Dynamic measurements of geographical accessibility considering traffic congestion using open data: a cross-sectional assessment for haemodialysis services in Cali, Colombia

Many cities with traffic congestion lack accessibility assessments accounting for traffic congestion and equity considerations but have disaggregated georeferenced municipal-level open data on health services, populations, and travel times big data. We convened a multistakeholder intersectoral collaborative group that developed a digital, web-based platform integrating open and big data to derive dynamic spatial-temporal accessibility measurements (DSTAM) for haemodialysis services. We worked with stakeholders and data scientists and considered people's places of residence, service locations, and travel time to the service with the shortest travel time. Additionally, we predicted the impacts of strategically introducing haemodialysis services where they optimise accessibility. Cross-sectional analyses of DSTAM, accounting for traffic congestion, were conducted using a web-based platform. This platform integrated traffic analysis zones, public census and health services datasets, and Google Distance Matrix API travel-time data. Predictive and prescriptive analytics identified optimal locations for new haemodialysis services and estimated improvements. Primary outcomes included the percentage of residents within a 20-min car drive of a haemodialysis service during peak and free-flow traffic congestion. Secondary outcomes focused on optimal locations to maximise accessibility with new services and potential improvements. Findings were disaggregated by sociodemographic characteristics, providing an equity perspective. The study in Cali, Colombia, used geographic and disaggregated sociodemographic data from the adjusted 2018 Colombian census. Predicted travel times were obtained for two weeks in2020. There were substantial traffic variations. Congestion reduced accessibility, especially among marginalised groups. For 6-12 July, free-flow and peak-traffic accessibility rates were 95.2% and 45.0%, respectively. For 23-29 November, free-flow and peak traffic accessibility rates were 89.1% and 69.7%. The locations where new services would optimise accessibility had slight variation and would notably enhance accessibility and health equity. Establishing haemodialysis services in targeted areas has significant potential benefits. By increasing accessibility, it would enhance urban health and equity. No external or institutional funding was received.

CONSIDERATION OF HPV VACCINATION IN PATIENTS APPLYING TO KETEM OUTPATIENT CLINIC. HOW READY ARE WE FOR THE HPV VACCINE?

Abstract Introduction: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection causes a wide range of diseases, from genital warts to cervical cancer. Since HPV infection often progresses without symptoms, early diagnosis is difficult. Material and method: This cross-sectional study was conducted through surveys among 273 women who applied to Adıyaman Central KETEM polyclinic. The applied questionnaire consists of 25 questions. Questionnaires were administered through face-to-face interviews. In addition to sociodemographic data, the questionnaires included questions about HPV vaccination. x², t test and ANOWA tests were used as statistical analysis methods. p

Quality of Life and its sociodemographic determinants: a population-based study from rural Punjab, India

BackgroundQuality of Life (QoL) is an individual’s subjective perception of well-being within their cultural context. While most QoL studies focus on individuals with certain health conditions, factors such as sex, marital status, education, and family structure can influence QoL beyond age and health conditions. Considering the limited studies on QoL in the general Indian population, especially from rural areas, the present study aims to explore the QoL and sociodemographic factors affecting QoL among community-dwelling adults in rural Punjab.MethodsThis community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 931 individuals of both sexes (59.6% female) aged 20–75 years residing in rural areas of Mansa, Punjab, India. Sociodemographic data were collected using an interview schedule, and QoL was measured using the WHOQOL-BREF.ResultsThe overall mean QoL score was found to be 67.44 ± 14.7. The most affected QoL was in the physical domain (mean = 60.203 ± 13.49), followed by psychological (mean = 65.67 ± 18.3), social-relationship (mean = 69.88 ± 26.43), and environmental domains (mean = 74.05 ± 20.58). Adjusted logistic regression analysis revealed female sex, advanced age (age group ≥ 60 years), illiteracy, and unmarried status to be positively associated and family size of 6–10 members to be negatively associated with poor QoL.ConclusionThe study suggests that females, elderlies, illiterates, and unmarried individuals may be at a higher risk of poor QoL. Further, education and a bigger family size appear to increase subjective well-being among participants.

Self-Reported Sleep Duration Is a Useful Tool to Predict Sarcopenia in Chilean Older Adults: Evidence from the ALEXANDROS Longitudinal Study

Age-related sleep disorders share common pathways with sarcopenia. Prospective data from Latin American populations are scarce, and the association between sleep disorders and sarcopenia in Chileans remains unknown. Thus, we aimed to study the longitudinal association between sleep disorders and sarcopenia in a cohort study of 1116 community-dwelling Chilean older people ≥60 years old from the ALEXANDROS cohorts. After the exclusion criteria, 318 subjects were followed. Sociodemographic data, self-reported chronic diseases, sedentarism, sleep characteristics, anthropometric measurements, handgrip strength, and muscle performance were assessed. Results indicated that at baseline, the prevalence of sarcopenia was 24.10% without gender differences, and the prevalence of self-reported sleep problems was 23.3%, higher in women (26.46% versus 17.15% in men). The adjusted Cox regression models for sarcopenia showed an association between sarcopenia, sleep disorders (HR = 2.08, 95% IC 1.14–3.80), and long sleep duration (HR = 2.42, 95% IC 1.20–4.91). After 8.24 years of follow-up, there were 2.2 cases of sarcopenia per 100 person-years. This study demonstrates that sleep disorders are an independent risk factor for sarcopenia in Chilean older people. The identification of sleep disorders through self-reported data provides an opportunity for early identification of risk and cost-effective sarcopenia prevention.

Health needs in a quilombo remnant community: access to medical care, exams and medicines

The aim is to understand the health needs of a quilombola community in the interior of Bahia. This is research, of an exploratory and cross-sectional nature, with a qualitative and analytical-descriptive approach, based on the Theories of Social Representations and Collective Memory. Carried out with 24 elderly people who lived in a Quilombo Remnant Community in the interior of Bahia. A questionnaire was applied with Sociodemographic and Health data, and other with Semi-structured Interview. The Bardin Content Analysis technique and the IRAMUTEQ computational tool were used. It was learned that the perception of the people interviewed regarding health needs in the community and with regard to access to medical assistance, exams and medicines, permeates a weakened understanding regarding the structuring guidelines of the Unified Health System, since the reality of these communities goes through basic difficulties in access to primary health care.

Characteristics associated with the intention to complete advance directives and end-of-life preferences in Brazilians with heart failure.

To identify characteristics associated with an intention to complete advance directives (ADs) and end-of-life treatment preferences for outpatients with heart failure (HF). A cross-sectional, analytical study. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected from 108 patients with HF in an outpatient clinic in São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Quality of life (QoL) was assessed using the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire; knowledge about HF and the intention to complete ADs were assessed using a script. The relationships among variables were assessed through the chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests, with p<0.05 considered significant. The intention to complete ADs was significantly associated with reporting adherence to pharmacological recommendations (99% vs. 88.1%, p=0.02), worse QoL (29.7±18.2 vs. 20.9±11.0; p=0.0336), perceived knowledge about HF (89.7% vs. 63.6%, p=0.0495), not wishing the healthcare providers would decide about treatment (27.3% vs. 2.15, p=0.0026), and considering ADs useful (91.8% vs. 27.3%, p<0.001). End-of-life treatment preferences included living as long as possible (50.5%), not being sedated (37.1%), and staying close to family and friends for as long as possible (32.0%). Characteristics associated with an intention to complete ADs and end-of-life treatment preferences were identified in patients with HF. These results can help facilitate patients' completion of their ADs or activate their intention to maximize opportunities to exercise autonomy.

COVID-19 infection in children, adolescents, and young adults with Down syndrome and hematologic malignancies.

Children, adolescents, and young adults (CAYAs) with Down syndrome (DS) and hematologic malignancies are particularly vulnerable to infections and related complications. There are limited data regarding COVID-19 infections in this group. We aimed to understand the clinical course of COVID-19 in this population. This observational study leverages the de-identified clinical and sociodemographic data captured by the Pediatric Oncology COVID-19 Case Report Registry (POCC) regarding CAYAs with cancer and COVID-19. We evaluated CAYAs (≤21years at COVID-19 infection) with hematologic malignancies and COVID-19 reported from April 1, 2020 to May 2, 2023, comparing those with and without DS. Using multivariable logistic regression, we examined rates of hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, respiratory support, and changes in cancer-directed therapy. Among 1408 CAYAs with hematologic malignancies, 55 had DS (CAYA-DS). CAYA-DS had higher rates of hospitalization, ICU admission, and respiratory support (p<.001) than CAYAs without DS. Similarly, multivariable analyses found higher odds of hospitalization (odds ratio [OR]=2.8, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.5-5.1), ICU admission (OR=4.2, 95% CI: 1.9-9.1), and need for respiratory support (OR=4.2, 95% CI: 2.0-8.8) among CAYA-DS. Modifications to cancer-directed therapy were more common among CAYA-DS when related to neutropenia (p=.001), but not when unrelated to neutropenia (p=.88); CAYA-DS did not have higher odds of changes to cancer-directed therapy (OR=1.20, 95% CI: 0.7-2.1). We identify CAYA-DS with hematologic malignancies as a vulnerable subpopulation at greater risk for severe COVID-19 infection. This can inform conversations with patients and families regarding therapeutic and preventive measures, as well as the risks and benefits of modifying chemotherapy in the setting of COVID-19.

Medical Students’ Clinical Knowledge of Integrated Management of Childhood Illness

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate and compare the clinical knowledge implications of the integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) preservice education between pre-clerkship and junior clerkship medical students. Methods: This observational comparative cross-sectional study was conducted between June and August 2022 at Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman. A self-administered questionnaire was utilised and included questions on sociodemographic data, duration of IMCI preservice training, knowledge of the participants concerning the IMCI objectives and information on a range of childhood conditions. Results: A total of 97 medical students were included in the study. The majority of students (42.3%) had received 2 lectures in IMCI preservice training. The role of the IMCI approach in reducing childhood morbidity and mortality was advocated by the majority of students (80.8% in the junior-clerkship [JCR] group and 73.3% in the pre-clerkship group). The awareness of the IMCI component of improving the health system was higher in JCR compared to pre-clerkship participants (P = 0.044). When compared to pre-clerkship students, the JCR participants demonstrated a slightly higher awareness of skin pinch (P = 0.038), chest indrawing (P = 0.008), anaemia assessment based on nail bed examination (P = 0.002), diagnostic assessment of malnutrition based on palm examination (P = 0.018), sucking capacity in breastfeeding (P = 0.025), and vaccines such as those for tuberculosis (P = 0.001), pneumococcal (P = 0.018) and rotavirus (P = 0.007). Conclusion: The majority of students displayed good IMCI knowledge and JCR students showed better knowledge compared to pre-clerkship candidates. Keywords: Pediatrics; Disease Management; Students; Undergraduate Medical Education; Oman.

Complementary and alternative medicine in HIV care: frequency of consumption, risks and interactions with antiretroviral therapy

ObjectivesPeople living with HIV (PLWH) are common users of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The main objective of this study was to study the frequency and patterns of CAM natural...

The effects of cognitive leisure activities on frailty transitions in older adults in China: a CHARLS-Based longitudinal study.

In an effort to identify factors associated with frailty transitions that trigger a significant difference in preventing and postponing the progression of frailty, questions regarding the role of cognitive leisure activities on various aspects of older adults' health were raised. However, the relationship between cognitive leisure activities and frailty transitions has rarely been studied. A total of 5367 older Chinese adults aged over 60 years from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were selected as participants. The 2nd wave of the CHARLS in 2013 was selected as the baseline, and sociodemographic and health-related status baseline data were collected. The FRAIL Scale was used to measure frailty, while cognitive leisure activities were measured by the Cognitive Leisure Activity Index (CLAI) scores, which consisted of playing mahjong or cards, stock investment, and using the internet. After two years of follow-up, frailty transition from baseline was assessed at the 3rd wave of the CHARLS in 2015. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between cognitive leisure activities and frailty transitions. During the two-year follow-up of 5367 participants, the prevalence of frailty that improved, remained the same and worsened was 17.8% (957/5367), 57.5% (3084/5367) and 24.7% (1326/5367), respectively. Among all participants, 79.7% (4276/5367), 19.6% (1054/5367), and 0.7% (37/5367) had CLAI scores of 0, 1, and 2 to 3, respectively. In the univariate analysis, there was a statistically significant association between a score of 2 to 3 on the Cognitive Leisure Activity Index and frailty transitions (odds ratio [OR] = 1.93, 95% CI 0.03 to 1.29, p = .04), while all other covariates were not significantly different across the three groups. After adjusting for covariates, participants with more cognitive leisure activities had a higher risk of frailty improvement than those without cognitive leisure activities (odds ratio [OR] = 1.99, 95% CI 1.05 to 3.76, p = .04). Cognitive leisure activities were positively associated with the risk of frailty improvement in older adults, mainly when participating in multiple such activities. Older adults may be encouraged to participate in a wide variety of cognitive leisure activities to promote healthy aging.

Health-related quality of life in hemato-oncology patients: role of informativeness and doctor-patient communication.

The patient's information about the disease and doctor-patient communication are both constructs whose importance is emphasized in the theory, but much less frequently researched and used in the practice. This study aimed to determine whether certain facets of health-related quality of life of hemato-oncology patients in Croatia could be predicted based on patients' sociodemographic data, the disease's determinants, the patients' information about their disease and the quality of doctor-patient communication. 60 women and 54 men with diagnoses of both leukemia and lymphoma have participated in filling out questionnaires. The survey consisted of a sociodemographic questionnaire, EORTC QLQ-C30(version3), EORTC QLQ-INFO25 and the Doctor-Patient Communication Questionnaire. Patients' sociodemographic data, the disease's determinants, the patients' information about their disease and the quality of doctor-patient communication predicted 26.8 % variance of global health status (F = 2.756, p \< .01), 35.7% variance of physical functioning (F = 4.196, p \< .01), 23.3% variance of role functioning (F = 2.291, p \< .05), 29.9% variance of emotional functioning (F = 3.215, p \< .01) and 27.9% of social functioning (F = 2.881, p \< .01). Predictors that significantly contributed to the change in variance of health-related quality of life were age, duration of diagnosis, the existence of comorbidity, frequency of hospitalization, talking with the psychologist after getting the diagnosis and information. The study offers valuable insights into an under-researched patient population and a better understanding of their health-related quality of life. The results indicate the importance of information that can be implemented in everyday clinical practice, and pave the way for further research on doctor-patient communication.

Lack of evidence for predictive utility from resting state fMRI data for individual exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy outcomes: A machine learning study in two large multi-site samples in anxiety disorders

Data-based predictions of individual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) treatment response are a fundamental step towards precision medicine. Past studies demonstrated only moderate prediction accuracy (i.e. ability to discriminate between responders and non-responders of a given treatment) when using clinical routine data such as demographic and questionnaire data, while neuroimaging data achieved superior prediction accuracy. However, these studies may be considerably biased due to very limited sample sizes and bias-prone methodology. Adequately powered and cross-validated samples are a prerequisite to evaluate predictive performance and to identify the most promising predictors. We therefore analyzed resting state functional magnet resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data from two large clinical trials to test whether functional neuroimaging data continues to provide good prediction accuracy in much larger samples. Data came from two distinct German multicenter studies on exposure-based CBT for anxiety disorders, the Protect-AD and SpiderVR studies. We separately and independently preprocessed baseline rs-fMRI data from n = 220 patients (Protect-AD) and n = 190 patients (SpiderVR) and extracted a variety of features, including ROI-to-ROI and edge-functional connectivity, sliding-windows, and graph measures. Including these features in sophisticated machine learning pipelines, we found that predictions of individual outcomes never significantly differed from chance level, even when conducting a range of exploratory post-hoc analyses. Moreover, resting state data never provided prediction accuracy beyond the sociodemographic and clinical data. The analyses were independent of each other in terms of selecting methods to process resting state data for prediction input as well as in the used parameters of the machine learning pipelines, corroborating the external validity of the results. These similar findings in two independent studies, analyzed separately, urge caution regarding the interpretation of promising prediction results based on neuroimaging data from small samples and emphasizes that some of the prediction accuracies from previous studies may result from overestimation due to homogeneous data and weak cross-validation schemes. The promise of resting-state neuroimaging data to play an important role in the prediction of CBT treatment outcomes in patients with anxiety disorders remains yet to be delivered.

Parenting styles and psychological effects on children with alopecia areata: exploring family dynamics, anxiety, and depression.

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease that develops due to inflammation and causes sudden hair loss. Ithas been observed that family circumstances may contribute to the development of AA. This study aims to assessthe relationship between the development of alopecia areata in children, family functions, and depression andanxiety levels in their parents.Thirty-nine participants diagnosed with AA and 41 healthy controls (HC), agedbetween 8 and 18 years, and their parents participated in the study. The assessment of the children included thecompletion of a socio-demographic data form, the Parenting Style Scale (PSS), and the Revised Children's Anxietyand Depression Scale (RCADS). The parents provided information on a sociodemographic form, the BeckDepression Inventory (BDI), and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The children in the control group scoredsignificantly higher on the PSS acceptance/ involvement subscale than those with AA. In the AA group, the numberof authoritative and indulgent (PSS) families was statistically significantly lower than that of the families in the HC,and the number of neglectful families was statistically significantly higher than those of the control group. Totalanxiety and depression t scores (RCADS) were statistically significantly higher in the AA children than in theHC. Our study demonstrates the importance of considering familial factors and parental mental health tounderstand and address alopecia areata in children. Our findings support the psychosomatic component of AA.Implementing comprehensive treatment strategies that target psychological well-being and family dynamics couldprove crucial.

Perinatal posttraumatic stress disorder as a predictor of mother-child bonding quality 8 months after childbirth: a longitudinal study

BackgroundNegative childbirth experiences can be related to the onset of perinatal post-traumatic stress symptomatology (P-PTSS), which significantly impacts the mother and the infant. As a response in the face of the discomfort caused by P-PTSS, maladaptive emotion regulation strategies such as brooding can emerge, contributing to the consolidation of post-partum depressive symptoms. Ultimately, both types of symptomatology, P-PTSS and post-partum depression, can act as risk factors for developing mother-child bonding difficulties. Still, this full set of temporal paths has to date remained untested. The present longitudinal study aimed to analyze the risk factors associated with the appearance of P-PTSS after post-partum and to test a path model considering the role of P-PTSS as an indirect predictor of bonding difficulties at eight months of postpartum.MethodsAn initial sample of pregnant women in the third trimester of gestation (N = 594) participated in a longitudinal study comprising two follow-ups at two and eight months of postpartum. The mothers completed online evaluations that included socio-demographic data and measures of psychological variables. A two-step linear regression model was performed to assess the predictive role of the variables proposed as risk factors for P-PTSS, and a path model was formulated to test the pathways of influence of P-PTSS on bonding difficulties.ResultsA history of psychopathology of the mother, the presence of depression during pregnancy, the presence of medical complications in the mother, and the occurrence of traumatic birth experiences all acted as significant predictors of P-PTSS, explaining 29.5% of its variance. Furthermore, the path model tested further confirmed an indirect effect of P-PTSS, triggered by a negative childbirth experience, on subsequent bonding difficulties eight months after labor through its association with higher levels of brooding and, ultimately, postpartum depression levels. A further path showed that bonding difficulties at two months postpartum can persist at eight months postpartum due to the onset of brooding and postpartum depression symptoms.ConclusionWe identified a set of robust predictors of P-PTSS: the mother’s previous history of depression, perinatal depression during pregnancy, the presence of medical complications in the mother and the occurrence of traumatic birth experiences, which has important implications for prevention. This is particularly relevant, as P-PTSS, when triggered by a negative childbirth experience, further indirectly predicted the development of mother-child bonding difficulties through the mediation of higher use of brooding and symptoms of postpartum depression. These findings can serve as a basis for developing new longitudinal studies to further advance the understanding of perinatal mechanisms of mental health.

Risk factors for cardio-cerebrovascular events among patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and their association with serum magnesium

Serum magnesium levels exceeding 0.9 mmol/L are associated with increased survival rates in patients with CKD. This retrospective study aimed to identify risk factors for cardio-cerebrovascular events among patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and to examine their correlations with serum magnesium levels. Sociodemographic data, clinical physiological and biochemical indexes, and cardio-cerebrovascular event data were collected from 189 patients undergoing CAPD. Risk factors associated with cardio-cerebrovascular events were identified by univariate binary logistic regression analysis. Correlations between the risk factors and serum magnesium levels were determined by correlation analysis. Univariate regression analysis identified age, C-reactive protein (CRP), red cell volume distribution width standard deviation, red cell volume distribution width corpuscular volume, serum albumin, serum potassium, serum sodium, serum chlorine, serum magnesium, and serum uric acid as risk factors for cardio-cerebrovascular events. Among them, serum magnesium ≤0.8 mmol/L had the highest odds ratio (3.996). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that serum magnesium was an independent risk factor, while serum UA (<440 μmol/L) was an independent protective factor for cardio-cerebrovascular events. The incidence of cardio-cerebrovascular events differed significantly among patients with different grades of serum magnesium (χ2 = 12.023, p = 0.002), with the highest incidence observed in patients with a serum magnesium concentration <0.8 mmol/L. High serum magnesium levels were correlated with high levels of serum albumin (r = 0.399, p < 0.001), serum potassium (r = 0.423, p < 0.001), and serum uric acid (r = 0.411, p < 0.001), and low levels of CRP (r = −0.279, p < 0.001). In conclusion, low serum magnesium may predict cardio-cerebrovascular events in patients receiving CAPD.

Genetic, sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical risk factors of heart failure aggravation events: data from the UK Biobank

Abstract Background Heart failure (HF) is the leading cause of readmission and hospitalization. Purpose This study examined the associations and clinical utilities of genetic, sociodemographic, lifestyle, laboratory, and clinical risk factors on HF aggravation. Methods Data were from 5,345 UK Biobank middle-aged adults with established HF at enrolment. We performed Cox proportional hazard regression analyses to investigate the associations related to HF admission after enrolment utilizing 24 variables encompassing sociodemographic, clinical, lifestyle, and laboratory data. To assess the impact of genetic factors, we additionally adjusted each polygenic risk score (PRS) for the three medical histories: hypertension, atrial fibrillation (AF), and coronary heart disease (CHD), where the hazard ratios were statistically significant. Results Over a median follow-up of 11.5 [10.9-12.2] years, 247 (4.6%) HF admission events occurred. Among the 24 variables, statistically significant hazard ratios were observed for 10 variables, with hypertension (3.31, 2.19-5.02), AF (2.06, 1.53-2.75), current smoking (1.63, 1.09-2.46), and coronary heart disease (1.58, 1.17-2.13) showing the highest hazard ratios, while female gender (0.65, 0.46-0.91) exhibited the smallest hazard ratio. After adjusting for each PRS individually, HTN PRS (HR 1.06, 0.94-1.21) and AF PRS (HR 1.02, 0.90-1.16) were not statistically significant, whereas CHD PRS (HR 1.15, 1.02-1.31) showed significance in relation to HF admission. In the HF admission prediction model, the C index was 0.859 (0.838-0.880) with clinical variables, and it marginally increased to 0.864 (0.843-0.885) when all factors, including the genetic factor, were applied. Conclusions Sociodemographic, clinical, laboratory, lifestyle, and genetic factors are each associated with HF aggravation with male gender, hypertension, AF, low eGFR, cigarette smoking, and CHD PRS.

Association between eHealth literacy and health outcomes in German athletes using the GR-eHEALS questionnaire: a validation and outcome study

BackgroundAthletes face various sports-related stressors, which may increase their risk for physical and mental health symptoms. With the internet as an important source of (health) information, it is important for athletes to have eHealth literacy, i.e. the ability to access, understand and use electronic health information and services. However, it is presently uncertain whether eHealth literacy of athletes is linked to better health outcomes such as reduced injury frequency and behaviours like decreased substance abuse.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted with N = 373 German athletes (229 females) from different types of sport (e.g., ball sports and water sports) who were included in the statistical analyses. The survey included medical, socio-demographic, eHealth- and sports-related data as well as the eHealth Literacy Scale (GR-eHEALS) questionnaire, which measures eHealth literacy. Confirmatory factor analyses and correlational analyses were performed to determine the convergent and discriminant (compared to the 8-item Impulsive Behavior–8 Scale) validity of the GR-eHEALS and to assess the relation between eHealth literacy scores and health outcomes.ResultsThe more frequently athletes had sustained minor or moderate injuries in the past, the higher the level of eHealth literacy they reported. Furthermore, consumption frequency of painkillers (r = .18, p = .002), sedatives (r = .12, p = .040), and cannabis (r = .29, p = .000) was significantly correlated with eHealth literacy scores. The confirmatory factor analysis of the GR-eHEALS showed an acceptable model fit with a 2-factor solution (information seeking and information appraisal). The GR-eHEALS showed good discriminant (r = − .09, p = .21) and convergent validity (digital confidence; r = .28, p < .001).ConclusionThe GR-eHEALS is a valid instrument to assess eHealth literacy within the cohort of German athletes. Potential dangers of dealing with injury and psychological strain without reaching out for professional help should be considered.

Social media addiction, depression and life satisfaction in Turkish pharmacy students: A correlational study

Background: Although research on pharmacy students remains limited, this study is the first of its kind in the field of pharmacy in Turkey and aims to investigate the impact of social media addiction on depression and life satisfaction among pharmacy students. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study of 597 students was conducted between September and October 2023 at the pharmacy faculty of a university in Turkey. Three instruments were used to collect the necessary data: the socio-demographic data form, Social Media Addiction Scale, Penate Basic Depression Scale and Life Satisfaction Scale. All of these were combined into a single questionnaire. Results: A positive but weak yet significant correlation existed between pharmacy students' total Social Media Addiction Scale (SMAS) score and their total Basic Depression Scale (BDS) score. Conversely, a negative but weak yet significant relationship was observed between pharmacy students' total SMAS and Life Satisfaction Scale (LSS) total scores. According to the results of multiple linear regression analysis, social media addiction and life satisfaction were identified as predictors of depression. Conclusion: In developing countries, such as Turkey, there is a lack of sufficient academic literature on this topic. Future research should not only monitor these relationships but also focus on prevention and treatment strategies.