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This study investigates chronic conditions (CC) prevalence among children in mainstream schools, their school experience and life satisfaction in Europe. Data were collected from the 2017/2018 HBSC survey, a cross-national study using self-reported questionnaires administered in classrooms. Nationally representative samples of children aged 11, 13, and 15 years in mainstream schools from 19 European countries (n = 104,812) were used. School experience was assessed using four variables: low school satisfaction, schoolwork pressure, low teacher support, and peer-victimization, which were related to life satisfaction. Latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted to identify patterns of school experience among students with CC. The prevalence of CC varied from 8.4 (Armenia) to 28.2% (Finland). Children with CC (n = 17,514) rated their school experience and life satisfaction lower than children without CC. LCA identified three school experience patterns: "negative on all items" (37%), "negative on all items, except school pressure" (40%) and "overall positive" (23%). The distribution of subgroups varied across countries—in countries with a higher proportion of children with CC in mainstream schools, children reported more negative school experiences. Compared to the "overall positive" group, low life satisfaction was highest for students classified as "negative on all items" (relative risk (RR) = 2.9; 95% CI 2.2–3.8) with a lesser effect for "negative on all items, except school pressure" (RR) = 1.8; 95% CI 1.4–2.4). These findings provide cross-national data documenting the diversity in inclusive educational practices regarding school placement and school experiences, and suggest that efforts are still needed to allow a fully inclusive environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality and are considered to be at epidemic levels worldwide. This is a cross-sectional multi-country study based on data from the European Social Survey round 7, 2014, comprising 30,826 participants (14,813 men) with mean age 50.4 ± 18.0. Physical activity and chronic diseases were self-reported. Men and women who practiced physical activity more often had lower odds of having heart problems, breathing problems, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. Engaged in physical activity 2–4 times/week and ≥5 times/week decrease the odds of having heart problems, high blood pressure, breathing problems, type 2 diabetes, and obesity, compared with men and women who engaged in physical activity 1 or less times per week. For the women, the practice of physical activity ≥5 times/week was significantly and negatively associated with having cancer, when compared with women who engaged in physical activity 1 or less times per week. Physical activity is associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases, in particular: heart problems, high blood pressure, breathing problems, allergies, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. Furthermore, even small amounts of weekly physical activity seem to decrease the risk of chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Due to the economic recession, several people in Europe became unemployed. This situation may risk their mental health. Aim: This study explored parents’ perceptions about their unemployment’s effects in daily life during the recession. Methods: A total of 59 unemployed parents (40.7% fathers and 59.3% mothers), ageing 44.4 years (±6.2), answer a question on how the unemployment affected their family lives. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. Results: The findings suggest that unemployment is a source of adult and youth mental distress and of economic hardship and changes in family relations. Conclusion: Support to unemployed individuals and their families could benefit from these insights when granting the needed financial and socioemotional assistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe the perception of quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) around the time of childbirth among migrant and nonmigrant women in Europe. Methods: Women who gave birth at a health facility in 11 countries of the WHO European Region from March 2020 to July 2021 were invited to answer an online questionnaire including demographics and childbirth experience. Data were analyzed and compared for 1781 migrant and 20 653 nonmigrant women. Results: Migrant women who experienced labor perceived slightly more difficulties in attending routine antenatal visits (41.2% vs 39.4%; P = 0.001), more barriers in accessing facilities (32.9% vs 29.9%; P = 0.001), lack of timely care (14.7% vs 13.0%; P = 0.025), inadequate room comfort and equipment (9.2% vs 8.5%; P = 0.004), inadequate number of women per room (9.4% vs 8.6%; P = 0.039), being prevented from staying with their baby as they wished (7.8% vs 6.9%; P = 0.011), or suffering abuse (14.5% vs 12.7%; P = 0.022) compared with nonmigrant women. For women who had a prelabor cesarean, migrant women were more likely not to receive pain relief after birth (16.8% vs.13.5%; P = 0.039) and less likely to provide informal payment (1.8% vs 4.4%; P = 0.005) compared with nonmigrant women. Overall, the QMNC index was not significantly different for migrant compared with nonmigrant women. Conclusion: Gaps in overall QMNC were reported by both migrant and nonmigrant women, with improvements to healthcare necessary for all. Synopsis: Both migrant and nonmigrant women reported gaps in overall quality of maternal and newborn health care, highlighting the need for overarching improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Plastic policy was adapted due to COVID-19 pandemic. • COVID-19 pandemic is contributing to worldwide plastic pollution. • COVID-19 precautionary measures challenged environmental sustainability. • Sustainability calls for straightened links between policy-industry-research. Plastics have become a severe transboundary threat to natural ecosystems and human health, with studies predicting a twofold increase in the number of plastic debris (including micro and nano-sized plastics) by 2030. However, such predictions will likely be aggravated by the excessive use and consumption of single-use plastics (including personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves) due to COVID-19 pandemic. This review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview on the effects of COVID-19 on macroplastic pollution and its potential implications on the environment and human health considering short- and long-term scenarios; addressing the main challenges and discussing potential strategies to overcome them. It emphasises that future measures, involved in an emergent health crisis or not, should reflect a balance between public health and environmental safety as they are both undoubtedly connected. Although the use and consumption of plastics significantly improved our quality of life, it is crucial to shift towards sustainable alternatives, such as bio-based plastics. Plastics should remain in the top of the political agenda in Europe and across the world, not only to minimise plastic leakage and pollution, but to promote sustainable growth and to stimulate both green and blue- economies. Discussions on this topic, particularly considering the excessive use of plastic, should start soon with the involvement of the scientific community, plastic producers and politicians in order to be prepared for the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the World slowly emerged from the then-ongoing pandemic, War broke out in Europe with the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The enduring military conflict in Ukraine has had sweeping consequences at the human, social, economic, and environmental levels, not only for the nations involved but across Europe and globally. Damaged infrastructures, severe disruption of economic activity, and forced migration have led to negative impacts on sustainability. The COVID-19 pandemic has added another layer of complexity to this already challenging situation, as the virus has further disrupted economic activity and strained healthcare systems. Herein, we examine how the intersection of war and COVID-19 affect the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. How these intersecting challenges have impacted efforts to build a more sustainable future, and how these impacts have a global reach are also assessed. The broader implications of this case for understanding the linkages between conflict, pandemics, and sustainability more generally are also considered, relating these with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Agenda for 2030., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Plastics have been on top of the political agenda in Europe and across the world to reduce plastic leakage and pollution. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted plastic reduction policies at the regional and national levels and induced significant changes in plastic waste management with potential for negative impacts in the environment and human health. This paper provides an overview of plastic policies and discusses the readjustments of these policies during the COVID-19 pandemic along with their potential environmental implications. The sudden increase in plastic waste and composition due to the COVID-19 pandemic underlines the crucial need to reinforce plastic reduction policies (and to implement them into action without delays), to scale up in innovation for sustainable and green plastics solutions, and to develop dynamic and responsive waste management systems immediately. Policy recommendations and future research directions are discussed., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)