Usual Frequency Research Articles

Influence of park visitation on physical activity, well-being and social connectedness among Australians during COVID-19

Abstract This cross-sectional study examined associations of park visitation with physical activity (PA), well-being, and social connectedness among 1089 participants during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. In August 2020, adolescents and adults in Australia self-reported demographics, usual park visitation, frequency and duration of park visits, PA, well-being and social connectedness. Multilevel linear regression models examined associations of park visitation with well-being and social connectedness. Multilevel mixed-effects negative binomial regression models examined associations between visitation and PA. Compared to not visiting a park, visitation was positively associated with well-being (B = 3.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.24, 6.60) and days/week performing PA for 30 min (B = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.11, 1.39) per day and negatively associated with social connectedness (B = −3.75, 95% CI = −7.11, −0.39). Compared to visiting a park less than once/week, visiting once/week was positively associated with well-being (B = 3.90, 95% CI = 0.53, 7.21). Visiting more than once/week was positively associated with days/week performing PA for 30 min (B = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.21, 1.58) and 60 min (B = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.09, 1.64) per day and with well-being (B = 4.19, 95% CI = 0.90, 7.49). Duration of park visits was positively associated with days/week performing PA for 30 min (B = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.13) and 60 min (B = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.02, 1.17) per day. Our findings highlight the role of parks in positively influencing health-related outcomes and the ‘dosage’ of park use needed to attain health benefits.

Sexuality of pregnant, postpartum and breast-feeding women

IntroductionPregnancy and breast-feeding represents a period of psychological maturation for the woman who becomes a mother, a period of significant changes in women’s lives that affects their sexuality and intimacy.ObjectivesTo investigate the quality of sexual function in pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women.Methods It was a cross-sectional study established over a period of 3 months from the June 1st, 2023 to August 31, 2023. This study focused on a population of pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women recruited from outpatient consultations and inpatient of the obstetric gynecology department at the university hospital of Gabes. We used a pre-established sheet exploring socio-demographic data, medical and gyneco-obstetric history and informations concerning the marital relationship and the woman’s sexual activity. We administered the validated Arabic version of the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX) to assess sexual functioning.Results Fifty-eight women were included. The average age was 35.6±5.5 years, they had a university level in 40%, secondary in 37.5%, and they were unemployed in 74.2%. From an urban origin in 75%. They were pregnant in the first, second and third trimester in (15.6%, 15.6% and 25% respectively). They were in postpartum in 43.8% of cases with a cesarean delivery in 73.3% and breastfeeding in 56%. All women reported being on good terms with their spouses and satisfied with their sexuality. The usual frequency of sexual relations (SR) was (1/day: 22.6%, 1/week: 74.2%, 1/month: 3.2%) and 25% reported wanting to reduce the frequency. Only 3.44% masturbated and 5.17% had sexual fantasies. The mean ASEX score was 13 ± 4.3 and 47%of the sample had sexual dysfunction. We found a significant association between the sexual dysfunction and the trimester of pregnancy (p=0.045).Highest score of sexual dysfunction during the first and third trimester compared to the second one (68.9%, 77.6% and 22.4% repectively). The areas of sexual dysfunction were difficulty reaching orgasm (81%), impaired sexual desire (65.5%), insufficient lubrication (60.3%), arousal (55.1%) and pain on penetration (50%).ConclusionsWe found that sexual function is problematic among women during pregnancy especially in the first and third trimester also in postpartum and breastfeeding period. So what factors are associated with this sexual dysfunction?Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Body satisfaction and sexuality in pregnant and postpartum women

IntroductionPregnancy and postpartum is an important life event associated with profound physiognomic and psychosocial changes affecting the female body in all its physiological, psychic and affective reality. It might influence the sexual function in expectant mothers.ObjectivesTo investigate the relationship between the body satisfaction and perception and the sexual function among pregnant and postpartum women.MethodsIt was a cross-sectional study established over a period of 3 months from the June 1st, 2023 to August 31, 2023. This study focused on a population of pregnant and postpartum women recruited from outpatient consultations and inpatient of the obstetric gynecology department at the university hospital of Gabes. We used a pre-established sheet exploring socio-demographic data, medical and gyneco-obstetric history, the body mass index (BMI) and informations concerning the marital relationship and the woman’s sexual activity. We administered the validated Arabic version of the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX) to assess sexual functioning and we used the body satisfaction and global self-perception questionnaire (QSCPGS) to explore the body satisfaction and perception.ResultsFifty-eight women were included. The average age was 35.6±5.5 years; they were from an urban origin in 75%. They were pregnant in the first, second and third trimester in (15.6%, 15.6% and 25% respectively). They were in postpartum in 43.8% of cases with a cesarean delivery in 73.3% and breastfeeding in 56%. All women reported being on good terms with their spouses and satisfied with their sexuality. The usual frequency of sexual relations was (1/day: 22.6%, 1/week: 74.2%, 1/month: 3.2%) and 25% reported wanting to reduce the frequency. The mean ASEX score was 13 ± 4.3 and 47% of the sample had sexual dysfunction. For the total score of the QSCPGS, we observe a mean value of 33 ±28.3, which means that our sample has a good level of positive body satisfaction and self-perception. The mean value of the “body satisfaction” factor is higher (23.7 ± 10.4) than the mean value of the “self-perception” factor (11.4 ± 14.3). The mean value of BMI was 28.74 ± 4.4 wich means an overweigh. We found a significant association between the “body satisfaction” factor and the sexual dysfunction (p=0.03), insufficient lubrication (p=0.01) and difficulty reaching orgasm (p=0.001).ConclusionsWe found that body and physical changes among pregnant and postpartum women can negatively affects their body perception and it might deteriorate its global sexual function. Further researches are recommended to study other potential factors affecting sexual function during this period.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

The effect of comorbidities on diagnostic interval for lung cancer and mesothelioma: A cohort study using linked data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink and the Cancer Registry

ObjectiveResilience in healthcare has been defined as “the capacity to adapt to challenges and changes at different system levels, to maintain high quality care”. This work aimed to investigate how the challenges posed by the presence of comorbidities impacted on the delivery of timely lung cancer/mesothelioma diagnosis in older patients.
 MethodsPatients with incident lung cancer/mesothelioma aged at least 65y in 2019 were identified in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink and linked Cancer Registry data. Diagnostic interval (DI) was defined as time from first presentation with a symptom suggestive of lung cancer/mesothelioma to diagnosis date, including symptoms up to 12 months pre-diagnosis. Co-morbidities were grouped as four “alternative explanation” conditions, which might mimic lung cancer symptoms, and ten “competing demand” conditions, which might delay cancer referral by competing for the clinician’s time. Other factors considered were usual consultation frequency, smoking and BMI. Associations with DI were investigated using multivariate linear regression.
 ResultsData were available for 10424 lung cancer/mesothelioma patients. In adjusted analyses DI was longer in patients with “alternative explanation” conditions, increasing by 27.6 (95%CI 22.9 – 32.4 days) and 72.0 (65.6, 78.4) days in patients with one and two or more conditions respectively. Number of competing demand conditions was not associated with DI in adjusted analyses. However, both usual consultation frequency and increasing consultation frequency in the year before diagnosis were independently positively associated with diagnostic interval, which was 23.0 (17.8, 28.3) days higher in patients with an increased consultation rate. DI was also increased in ever-smokers and in underweight patients compared to those in the normal weight range.
 ConclusionThe presence of conditions offering alternative explanations for lung cancer/mesothelioma symptom is associated with delayed diagnosis. Patients with higher consultation frequencies also had longer DIs, implying competing demand is also an issue. Strategies to increase the resilience of healthcare systems to these challenges to timely diagnosis should be considered.

Individualized Treatment Patterns for Patients with Narcolepsy Treated with Oxybate: A Clinical Practice Perspective.

Real-world data regarding divided nightly dosing of oxybate and individualized prescribing in patients with narcolepsy are limited. Study objectives were to understand oxybate prescribing practices, including optimizing dose regimens and adjusting dosing per occasional changes in patients' routines, and physician recommendations for representative patient scenarios. A cross-sectional, web- and audio-based survey of physicians treating ≥2 patients with narcolepsy, prescribed nightly oxybate (sodium oxybate) dosing for ≥6 months, was conducted. Physicians were surveyed on patients' usual oxybate dosing regimens, frequency of and reasons for oxybate dosing-related discussions, and preferred methods for and perceptions of adjusting oxybate dosing. Physicians provided dosing-related guidance for 4 representative scenarios. Participating physicians (N=25) were neurologists (52%), psychiatrists (44%), and neuropsychiatrists (4%). Individualized oxybate prescribing practices were reflected by the variability of physicians' reporting of the percentage of their patients being prescribed once-nightly, twice-nightly, and thrice-nightly dosing regimens. Most physicians (68%) reported discussing adjusting individualized treatment to accommodate occasional changes to patients' routines; the most common reasons were consuming contraindicated beverages (alcohol; 65%) and travel (59%). Adjusting total nightly dose (68%) and dose timing (68%) were preferred adjustment methods. Most physicians (88%) felt the ability to individualize oxybate dosing was important and had a positive impact on ability to provide care. For each representative scenario, physicians provided several dose-adjustment recommendations, and physician responses encouraged patient participation in treatment decision-making. Physicians provided guidance supportive of oxybate dose adjustments to accommodate occasional changes in patients' routines, and perceived individualized dosing as important in providing care.

Association Between the Combined Effects of Physical Activity Intensity and Particulate Matter and All-Cause Mortality in Older Adults

ObjectiveTo investigate the association between the combined effects of physical activity (PA) intensity and particulate matter ≤10 μm in diameter (PM10) and mortality in older adults. MethodsThis nationwide cohort study included older adults without chronic heart or lung disease who engaged in regular PA. Physical activity was assessed by a standardized, self-reported questionnaire that asked the usual frequency of PA sessions with low (LPA), moderate (MPA), or vigorous intensity (VPA). Each participant’s annual average cumulative PM10 was categorized as low to moderate and high PM10 on the basis of a cutoff value of 90th percentile. ResultsA total of 81,326 participants (median follow-up, 45 months) were included. For participants engaged in MPA or VPA sessions, every 10% increase in the proportion of VPA to total PA sessions resulted in a 4.9% (95% CI, 1.0% to 9.0%; P=.014) increased and 2.8% (95% CI, −5.0% to −0.5%; P=.018) decreased risk of mortality for those exposed to high and low to moderate PM10, respectively (Pinteraction, <.001). For participants engaged only in LPA or MPA sessions, every 10% increase in the proportion of MPA to total PA sessions resulted in a 4.8% (95% CI, −8.9% to −0.4%; P=.031) and 2.3% (95% CI, −4.2% to −0.3%; P=.023) decreased risk of mortality for those exposed to high and low to moderate PM10, respectively (Pinteraction, .096). ConclusionWe found that for the same level of total PA, MPA was associated with delayed mortality whereas VPA was associated with hastened mortality of older adults in high levels of PM10.

Valores de referência para dados eletroglotográficos de idosas

ABSTRACT Purpose To present reference values for fundamental frequency data and closed-phase quotient extracted from electroglottography in older women and verify if they differ from laryngeal examination results. Methods Observational analytical cross-sectional study in 73 older women, aged 60 to 84 years, using electroglottographic and laryngeal examinations. Each participant’s voice sample had a sustained prolonged vowel /a/ emitted at the usual frequency and intensity, in the modal register. Fundamental frequency (F0) and vocal fold contact quotient (CQ) were extracted from the electroglottography. Data were descriptively analyzed with measures of central tendency and dispersion of continuous variables. To establish whether continuous electroglottography variables differed from the laryngeal diagnosis, Student’s t-test (parametric test) and Mann-Whitney (non-parametric test) were performed. The significance level in all tests was set at 5%. Results Most participants did not have laryngeal changes, while 27.4% had presbylarynx. The mean electroglottographic measures were 187.24 Hz for F0 and 48.49% for CQ. There was no statistical significance between laryngeal examinations and EGG measures. Conclusion Older women have mean electroglottographic F0 values of 187.24 Hz and CQ of 48.49%. Electroglottographic F0 and CQ measures did not change with the presence of the presbylarynx in older women.

Food frequency preference questionnaire (FFPQ) for Ischemic stroke patients

A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) is a common method used to assess individual long-term dietary intake of foods and nutrients. The questionnaires elicit a subjectively reported “usual frequency” of consuming an item from a list of foods A food frequency and preference questionnaire (FFPQ) is needed to facilitate studies assessing the dietary patterns of ischemic stroke patients. Objectives: This study aimed to develop and validate a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to assess assess the premorbid dietary habits of ischemic stroke patients.Methods: A total of 20 Ishemic patients participated in the development of the FFQ and in the validation study, 100 subjects participating in the reproducibility study. The FFQ, consisting of 127 food items from 12 food groups, was compared with a one-day dietary record (3DR) as the reference method. The reproducibility of the FFQ was assessed through repeat administration for three times. Reliability of the scale measured by split half method, the whole test was calculated by using Spearman-Brown formula). The validity of the FF Scale was established through internal consistency analysis method,. For this purpose two sets of inter correlation were calculated. The score of items in each section were correlated with section total. In the second section, each section total was correlated with grand total score. During validity readability, feasibility, clarity of wordings, layout and style were accessed. Results: Guttman split half coefficient of the scale was 0.321. Therefore, the reliability score is high and this developed FF scale has high reliability. The score of items in each section was correlated with the section total and the pearson correlation coefficient ranged from 0.445 to 0.533. The values ranged between 0.001 and 0.901 most of the correlations were found to be significant, thereby indicating reasonably high construct validity. The results of the validation study demonstrated good acceptance of the FFQConclusion: These findings indicate that the developed FFQ is valid and reliable for measuring the average intake of food consumption in a population of ischemic patients.

A narrative review of clinical studies on thread embedding acupuncture treatment for spasticity after stroke

Objectives: This study aimed to review clinical studies on thread embedding acupuncture (TEA) for the treatment of patients with post-stroke spasticity (PSS)Methods: Clinical studies related to TEA treatment for PSS were searched for in several electronic databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, OASIS, and CNKI. After the selection/exclusion process, information on study design, disease, experimental/control group, intervention, outcome measurement, between-group differences, and adverse events was extracted.Results: A total of 13 randomized controlled trials were included in this review. The usual frequency of TEA treatment was once every 1-2 weeks, and the treatment most commonly included 4 sessions. In the dorsal area, EX-B2 and the acupoints in governing vessel meridian were commonly used. Acupoints in the meridian of the large intestine were most frequently used in the treatment of upper limb spasticity. Except for HT1, PC6, and PC8, all TEA points for treating PSS of the upper limb were on the Yang meridians. For the lower limb spasticity, the most frequently used acupoints were ST36, GB34, GB30, BL60, and BL57 on Yang meridians, and LR3, SP6, SP9, and SP10 on Yin meridians. TEA treatment showed better effects than conventional treatment for PSS in terms of spasticity, motor dysfunction, and activities of daily livings. Nevertheless, the absence of the follow-up observation, lack of sham TEA treatment, and low quality of the included studies necessitated caution in interpreting the results.Conclusions: The results of this review are expected to provide basic data on the modalities of TEA treatment for PSS and provide insights to facilitate well-designed studies in the future.

The development and usability of a web-based mobile application as a dairy intake screener for South African adults.

Paper-based dietary assessment tools such as food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) and especially dietary screeners are making way for versions that use technology. Amidst low intakes of dairy and dairy-related nutrients in South Africa, and to increase public awareness thereof, we aimed to develop and evaluate the usability of an application (app) to screen for dairy intake in higher income South African adults. In a consultative process, a dairy intake screener ('Dairy Diary') was developed as an eight-item quantitative FFQ with four types of commonly consumed local dairy products: milk, maas (fermented milk), yoghurt, and cheese. For each dairy product, usual frequency of consumption and portion size per eating occasion were scored resulting in three risk classes: <1 serving daily; 1≤2 servings daily; ≥2 servings daily. Digitalisation included product- and portion-specific graphics with linkage to risk class-relevant preliminary dairy-related guidance as part of a web-based mobile app. For the evaluation of the usability, the 26-item end-user version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale (uMARS) was used in an online cross-sectional survey (Qualtrics; April 2020). Items were scored on a 5-point Likert-type scale, resulting in three final app scores. From a conveniently recruited sample of 1102, 703 (64%; 81% female; mean age 29.8 ± 11.0 years) were retained for analysis. uMARS-informed descriptive statistics summarise the findings. The uMARS app mean objective quality score (3.9 ± 0.85), app subjective quality score (3.5 ± 0.77), app-specific score (3.6 ± 0.94), and additional question on e-portion (4.3 ± 0.78) met the minimum acceptability score of ≥3.0. For the subscales, the mean score for aesthetics was the highest (4.4 ± 0.82), followed by information (4.3 ± 0.90) and functionality (4.0 ± 1.33). Engagement scored lowest (3.0 ± 1.55). The 'Dairy Diary' is a user-friendly screener for dairy intake.

Strategies to cut down drinking, alcohol consumption, and usual drinking frequency: Evidence from a British online market research survey

BackgroundRelatively little is known about how risky drinkers attempt to moderate their drinking in the absence of specialist support. The broader literature has identified multiple potential strategies that people use to cope with temptation when trying to control health-risk behaviours. This study aims to identify types of alcohol moderation strategies used by British adults, and to explore how concurrent alcohol consumption differs across moderation strategies, focusing on the important role of usual drinking frequency. MethodsWe use a continuous repeat cross-sectional survey and one-week drinking diary collected by the market research company Kantar; these provide detailed information on alcohol consumption during a diary week and on how individuals try to moderate alcohol use for 49,204 British adults trying to reduce their drinking from 2013 to 2019. We use Latent Class Analysis (LCA) to identify predominant types of moderation strategies. With a three-step method, we also analyse the associations between adopting different moderation strategies, measures of frequency and intensity of drinking events, and usual drinking frequency. ResultsWe found evidence of four alcohol moderation strategies: 29% of individuals use a pre-commitment-focused strategy (having fewer drinking occasions), two set of individuals adopt self-control strategies within drinking occasions (specifically 28% select smaller drinks and 5% have fewer drinks), while 38% adopt a mixed strategy that involves all three. Those using commitment tend to have a higher average consumption per drinking occasion but lower overall weekly consumption compared to those using self-control. Weekly alcohol consumption is particularly high among individuals who are usual everyday drinkers and use self-control to cut down drinking. ConclusionThis analysis provides a useful platform for further work, using prospective or intervention designs, to test the relative effectiveness of different moderation strategies for alcohol consumers who want to reduce their alcohol consumption.

Frequency of intake of dietary fiber food groups, its determinants, and the relationship with hyperkalemia in hemodialysis patients in a multicenter study

Purpose Patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) treatment can have a low intake of dietary fiber-rich food groups to decrease hyperkalemia risk. This multicenter cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the frequency of intake of dietary fiber sources, its determinants, and the relationship with hyperkalemia in HD patients.MethodsHD patients from four dialysis clinics answered a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) involving the main dietary fiber sources with seven frequency possibilities. The answers were converted into scores. Each score point corresponded to one time per week. Demographic, nutritional, and laboratory data were obtained from the medical records. Univariate analysis was used to assess total score associations, and variables with P < 0.20 were included in the regression analysis model.ResultsA total of 305 HD patients were included (male: 51%; age: 52.2 ± 14.7 years; hyperkalemia: 29%). The median (interquartile) FFQ scores were as follows: fruits, 6 (2–14); vegetables, 6 (3–10); legumes, 3 (1–7); whole grain, 0 (0–1); and seeds, 0 (0–0); total score, 19 (14–28). No difference was found between the dietary fiber food groups and total scores with hyperkalemia. Independent predictors of dietary fiber total score were older age, higher HD vintage, higher body mass index (BMI), and higher educational level.ConclusionThe usual frequency of dietary fiber food groups intake was low, and its independent determinants were age, HD vintage, BMI, and education. The lack of association with hyperkalemia suggests that other dietary sources and clinical factors should be considered when managing hyperkalemia in this population.

Hybrid optimization of driving frequency for crack signature enhancement in nonlinear ultrasonic nondestructive testing

Nonlinear ultrasonic nondestructive testing methods have largely improved early crack detection in solid materials. However, the nonlinear signature of the crack can be difficult to measure. In this paper, to overcome this drawback, we present a parametric optimization to automatically find the best driving frequency which maximizes the nonlinear signature. The optimization process is carried out in two steps to maximize a cost function corresponding to the nonlinear-linear ratio (NLR). From the signal received, NLR assesses the energy of the second harmonic over the energy of the fundamental component. This optimization is achieved by the hybridization of two algorithms: the genetic algorithm and the Nelder–Mead algorithm. The method is applied experimentally on a duraluminium sample including a crack. The optimal frequency is obtained after less than 14 iterations only. Moreover, the gain of the nonlinear-linear ratio reaches up to 12 dB in comparison with that obtained by the usual frequency setting.

Age-based differences in quantity and frequency of consumption when screening for harmful alcohol use.

Background and aimsSurvey questions on usual quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption are regularly used in screening tools to identify drinkers requiring intervention. The aim of this study was to measure age‐based differences in quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and how this relates to the prediction of harmful or dependent drinking.DesignCross‐sectional survey.SettingAustralia.ParticipantsData were taken from 17 399 respondents who reported any alcohol consumption in the last year and were aged 18 and over from the 2016 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, a broadly representative cross‐sectional survey on substance use.MeasurementRespondents were asked about their frequency of consumption, usual quantity per occasion and the other items of the AUDIT.FindingsIn older drinkers, quantity per occasion [β = 0.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.43, 0.64 in 43–47‐year‐olds as an example] was a stronger predictor of dependence than frequency per occasion (β = 0.24, 95% CI = 0.17, 0.31). In younger drinkers the reverse was true, with frequency a stronger predictor (β = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.39, 0.69 in 23–27‐year‐olds) than quantity (β = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.18, 0.34 in 23–27‐year‐olds). Frequency of consumption was not a significant predictor of dependence in respondents aged 73 years and over (β = −0.03, 95% CI = −0.08, 0.02). Similar patterns were found when predicting harmful drinking. Despite this, as frequency of consumption increased steadily with age, the question on frequency was responsible for at least 65% of AUDIT scores in drinkers aged 53 years and over.ConclusionsIn younger drinkers, frequent drinking is more strongly linked to dependence and harmful drinking subscale scores on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) than quantity per occasion, yet quantity per occasion has a stronger influence on the overall AUDIT score in this group. In older drinkers, frequency of consumption is not always a significant predictor of the AUDIT dependence subscale and is a weak predictor of the harmful drinking subscale.

THEORY OF EVOLUTION OF ALL LIFE ON EARTH

‘Origin of Life’ is critical to Evolution of heritable change of organisms over multiple generations. The process of encoding information in DNA in the ‘Panspermia Origin of Life’ and decoding the same in ‘Evolution’ ought not to be different for the proposed process to be true. In the present study, it is observed that the process of decoding information in DNA in ‘Evolution’ is just the reverse process of encoding DNA in ‘Panspermia Origin of Life’ that works on the principle of electromagnetism with its usual frequencies, oscillations, energies and resonances. Incidentally, the present hypothesis provides a more viable and reasonable theory of evolution of heritable organisms over multiple generations, in contradistinction to Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and Natural Selection.

Alcohol consumption trajectories over the Australian life course.

Background and AimsAlcohol consumption changes markedly over the life course, with important implications for health and social development. Assessment of these patterns often relies on cross‐sectional data, which cannot fully capture how individuals' drinking changes as they age. This study used data from 18 waves of a general population panel survey to measure drinking trajectories over the life course in Australia.Design and SettingLongitudinal survey data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey between 2001 and 2018.ParticipantsA total of 20 593 individuals ages 15 or above in two samples assessing quantity‐frequency (n = 20 569, 52.0% female) and risky single occasion drinking (RSOD), respectively, (n = 17 340, 52.5% female), interviewed as part of HILDA.MeasurementsUsual quantity of alcohol consumed per drinking occasion; frequency of drinking occasions per week; average daily consumption, calculated by combining reported usual quantity and frequency; and average reported frequency of RSOD per week.FindingsMultilevel, mixed effects models run with fractional polynomial terms found similar male and female alcohol consumption trajectories for quantity‐frequency and RSOD measures. Usual quantity of alcohol consumed per drinking occasion (5.4 drinks for men, 3.8 for women) and RSOD frequency (0.56 occasions/week for men, 0.38 for women) peaked in young adulthood, whereas frequency of drinking occasions (2.5 occasions/week for men, 1.7 for women) peaked in middle age. Middle‐age drinkers had the highest average daily consumption of alcohol (1.4 drinks/day for 54‐year‐old men, 0.6 drinks for 57‐year‐old women) and engaged in RSOD slightly less than young adults.ConclusionsAlcohol consumption in Australia appears to vary substantially over the life course, with usual quantity per drinking occasion and frequency of risky single occasion drinking peaking during early adulthood and average daily consumption and frequency of consumption peaking in middle age.

Abstract P132: Self-reported Recreational Physical Activity And Incident Venous Thromboembolism Risk In The Women’s Health Initiative

Introduction: The association between physical activity (PA) and incident venous thromboembolism (VTE) is inconsistent and incompletely characterized. Hypothesis: Higher amounts of self-reported total PA will be associated with a lower risk of incident VTE. Methods: Eligible women were Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Hormone Therapy (HT) trial and Observational Study (OS) participants without prior VTE, able to walk at least one block, with baseline PA data (n=110,631). At multiple timepoints, women reported their current usual frequency and duration of walking and low, moderate, and strenuous intensity recreational PA, which were used to estimate energy expended. VTE, including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, were validated in the WHI-HT and self-reported in the WHI-OS. Multivariable-adjusted (Table) Cox Proportional Hazards models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association of time-varying total PA and incident VTE risk, with women censored at death, loss to follow-up, and three years after their final PA measure. Results: At baseline, women were 64 years of age on average. Over an average of 9.9 years of follow-up, 1,403 women experienced incident VTE. In primary confounder-adjusted models, compared with women who reported no PA, higher tertiles of total PA were associated with a lower risk of incident VTE (high vs. no PA HR=0.60; 95% CI: 0.51, 0.71; p-trend&lt;0.001) (Table). Further adjustment for potential mediators on the causal pathway (physical function, self-reported health, body mass index [BMI], cardiovascular-related factors) attenuated but did not eliminate this association (high vs. no PA HR=0.81; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.97; p-trend=0.017). Conclusions: Compared to no PA, higher tertiles of total PA were associated with a lower risk of incident VTE, even after adjusting for potential mediators reflecting physical function, health, BMI, and cardiovascular risk. Our results add to the apparent health benefits of even moderate amounts of recreational PA.

FOOD-RELATED COPING STRATEGIES ADOPTED BY SOME HOUSEHOLDS DURING COVID-19 LOCKDOWN IN NIGERIA

As part of the measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus in Nigeria during the early stages of the pandemic, a lockdown of movements within and from outside the country was declared by the federal government. This article presents findings on food-related coping strategies adopted during the COVID-19 lockdown in Nigeria. A cross sectional survey using an online based questionnaire received responses from 883 households regarding information on food consumption, health seeking behaviour and food coping strategies during the COVID-19 lockdown. Food Coping Strategy Index (FCSI) was computed from the data received based on standard methods. Analysis and presentation of data was done using descriptive and inferential statistics. The key findings show that daily mealtimes generally reduced from an average of 3 to 2 times. The storage capacity of households showed an average of 2-week food stock of staples, and most of the respondents had started reducing either their usual portion sizes or frequency of meals in order to cope with food shortages. As regards health seeking behavior, older respondents were more likely to take prophylactic medication (p&lt;0.004) and there was a higher preference for fruits and Vitamin C as prophylactic items. A negative correlation between FCSI with mealtime during COVID-19 lockdown (p&lt;0.000) and monthly income (p&lt;0.000) was observed. The findings presented provide information for policy intervention in the areas of social safety nets and palliatives disbursement in the event of similar lockdown restrictions in the future.

Analysis of Rotor Position Detection Performance According to the Frequency of Square Waveform Voltage in the Harmonic Injection Sensorless Method through HILS

In this paper, the rotor position estimation performance of the sensorless scheme for permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) implemented through the injection of high-frequency square-wave voltage according to the frequency of the square-wave voltage is presented through HILS (Hardware In the Loop Simulation) experiments. An inverter using an IGBT device usually has a switching frequency of around 15 kHz. On the other hand, GaN devices that can be switched on and off at frequencies higher than 100 kHz have been recently developed, and research is being actively conducted to apply GaNs to a variable speed system. The purpose of this study is to conduct HILS experiments to analysis the rotor position estimation ability of the sensorless technique in cases where a high switching frequency was applied, such as GaN devices, with that of a system having a usual switching frequency, such as IGBT. In the HILS system used in this study, an inverter and motor model implemented with Simulink are located in a real-time simulator. A sensorless motor control method was implemented with an FPGA control board, which includes a PWM interrupt service routine of 100 kHz frequency and a harmonic injection and position detection algorithm. The HILS experiments show rotor position detection errors according to the various frequency of the harmonic voltage injected for estimating the rotor position with a PWM frequency of 100 kHz cases. According to the experimental results, good position estimation was possible not only when the harmonic of 10 kHz corresponding to 1/10 of the PWM frequency was injected, but also when the harmonic of 1 kHz corresponding to 1/100 of the PWM frequency was injected. The experiments suggest that position estimation errors decrease as the frequency of the harmonic voltage increases, and, based on the foregoing, it is thought that the application of a GaN device capable of realizing a high switching frequency in a variable speed drive system can be another advantage.

Usefulness of Home Screening for Promoting Awareness of Impaired Glycemic Status and Utilization of Primary Care in a Low Socio-Economic Setting: A Follow-Up Study in Reunion Island.

Low socio-economic settings are characterized by high prevalence of diabetes and difficulty in accessing healthcare. In these contexts, proximity health services could improve healthcare access for diabetes prevention. Our primary objective was to evaluate the usefulness of home screening for promoting awareness of impaired glycemic status and utilization of primary care among adults aged 18-79 in a low socio-economic setting. This follow-up study was conducted in 2015-2016 in Reunion Island, a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean. Enrollment and screening occurred on the same day at the home of participants (N=907). Impaired glycemic status was defined as [glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ≥5.7%] OR [fasting capillary blood glucose (FCBG) ≥1.10 g/L] OR [HbA1c=5.5-5.6% and FCBG=1.00-1.09 g/L]. Medical, socio-cultural, and socio-economic characteristics were collected via a face-to-face questionnaire. A one-month telephone follow-up survey was conducted to determine whether participants had consulted a general practitioner (GP) for confirmation of screening results. A multinomial polytomous logistic regression model was used to identify factors independently associated with non-use of GP consultation for confirmation of screening results and nonresponse to the telephone follow-up survey. Prevalence of glycemic abnormalities was 46.0% (95% CI = 42.7-49.2%). Among participants with impaired glycemic status (N=417), 77.7% (95% CI=73.7-81.7%) consulted a GP for confirmation of screening results, 12.5% (95% CI=9.3-15.6%) did not, and 9.8% failed to respond to the follow-up survey. Factors independently associated with non-use of GP consultation for confirmation of screening results were self-reported unwillingness to consult a GP (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 4.86, 95% CI=1.70-13.84), usual GP consultation frequency of less than once a year (adjusted OR: 4.13, 95% CI=1.56-10.97), and age 18-39 years (adjusted OR: 3.09, 95% CI=1.46-6.57). Home screening for glycemic abnormalities is a useful proximity health service for diabetes prevention in low socio-economic settings. Further efforts, including health literacy interventions, are needed to increase utilization of primary care.