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This study explored the association between socioecological factors and outdoor physical activity (PA) and play in children with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents (N = 133) completed a survey to report changes in their child's outdoor PA and play during the pandemic (from prepandemic levels), and child, household, and neighborhood environment factors. Children with a PA-supporting parent and from multichild and White households had lower odds of reporting decreased outdoor PA. Children from multichild, higher income, married couple households and a PA-supporting parent had lower odds of decreased outdoor play. Living in neighborhoods with higher urbanization (i.e., high dwelling density, street intersections, and land-use mix) was associated with greater odds of decreased outdoor PA and play. Future research that uses larger and more representative samples of children with disabilities is needed to test for the multivariate effects of socioecological variables on outdoor PA and play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the social issues highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic including structural racism, socioeconomic inequities, climate change, and inadequate healthcare systems. Topics include the need for institutional change in academia, the intersection of crises and the imperative for change, and the recognition that the pandemic is a result of human actions and not solely a matter of chance or divine intervention.

[Display omitted] • An innovative framework for categorizing solid waste research (SWR) publications. • SWR trends based on 17,629 publications using Source Latent Dirichlet Allocation. • Correlated SWR trends and major global events since 1990. • Identified influencing socio-economic factors on SWR trends. The research pertaining to solid waste is undergoing extensive advancement, thereby necessitating a consolidation and analysis of its research trajectories. The existing biblio-studies on solid waste research (SWR) lack thorough analyses of the factors influencing its trends. This article presents an innovative categorization framework that categorizes publications from six SWR journals utilizing Source Latent Dirichlet Allocation. First analyse changes in publication numbers across main categories, subcategories, journals, and regions, providing a macro-level study of SWR. Temporal analysis of keywords supplements a micro-level study of SWR, which highlights that emerging technologies with low Technology Readiness Level receive significant attention, while studies on widespread technologies are diminishing. Additionally, this study demonstrates the substantial influence of socioeconomic factors and previous SWR publications on current and future SWR trends. Finally, the article confirms the impact of global events on SWR trends by examining the structural breakpoints of SWR and their correlation with global events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to investigate health care needs, health service utilization, and their socio-economic and health-related determinants in people with spinal cord injury (SCI) living in Jiangsu and Sichuan Provinces of China. A total of 1355 participants with SCI living in the community were recruited using a multi-stage stratified random sample and surveyed by telephone or online. Outcomes evaluated included the presence of health care needs, mode of health service utilization, and specific provider types seen within 12 months preceding the survey. The prevalence of healthcare needs was 92%. Needs were higher in Sichuan (98%) as compared to Jiangsu (80%). Of those in need of health care, 38% reported not having utilized care, more in Sichuan (39%) than in Jiangsu (37%). In Jiangsu, inpatient care was more often used than in Sichuan (46% vs. 27%), while in Sichuan outpatient services were utilized more often (33% vs. 17%). On average, 1.6 provider types were seen, with Sichuan reporting fewer different provider types. Considerable differences in the prevalence of health care needs and service utilization patterns were found between provinces, mostly in favour of the economically more developed Jiangsu Province. People with low income, particularly those below the World Bank poverty line for middle-income countries, had increased health care needs but utilized health care less often. Moreover, environmental barriers contributed significantly to unmet health care needs. This implies the necessity to provide better accessible and more affordable rehabilitation services for people with spinal cord injury (SCI) in China such as community-based rehabilitation programming. Policies for alleviation of poverty in the case of SCI including insurance for catastrophic health expenditure should also be reviewed and adapted where applicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed the associations of substance (alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and other illicit drugs) use of adolescents with that of their family members (father, mother, step-parent, brothers/sisters, and grandparents) and peers, and the mediating role of school and mental difficulties (SMDs) which remained insufficiently addressed. This cross-sectional population-based study included 1,559 middle-school adolescents in France (mean age = 13.5 ± 1.3, 778 boys, 781 girls). They completed a questionnaire including socioeconomic features (nationality, family structure and parents' education, occupation, and income), substance use, cumulative number of substance use of family members (father, mother, step-parent, brothers/sisters, and grandparents) and peers (noted familySUcn and peerSUcn), SMDs (grade repetition, suffered physical/verbal violence, sexual abuse, lack of family/peer support, depressive symptoms, suicide attempt, and age at onset). Data were analyzed using logistic regression models and Kaplan–Meier estimates. Most adolescents had familySUcn 1–2, 3–5, and ≥ 6 (39.1%, 23.0%, and 4.5%, respectively) and peerSUcn 1–2 and ≥ 3 (36.1% and 13.0%, respectively). Strong dose–effect associations were found between all substance use and familySUcn and peerSUcn (odds ratio adjusted for sex, age, and socioeconomic features reaching 13.44 and 9.90, respectively, most with p <.001). SMDs explained more the associations of all substance use with familySUcn than with peerSUcn (contributions reaching 69% and 34%, respectively). The proportion of subjects without each substance use decreased with age more quickly among the adolescents with higher familySUcn or peerSUcn. Early prevention reducing familySUcn, peerSUcn and SMDs among adolescents and their families may reduce efficiently initiation and regular use of substances during adolescents' life course. Many adolescents had a high cumulative number of family members' and peers' substance (alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, or other illicit drugs) use (familySUcn and peerSUcn) Strong dose–effect links of substance use with familySUcn and peerSUcn (odds ratio up to 13) School and mental difficulties explained up to 69% of the link of substance use with familySUcn and up to 34% of that of substance use with peerSUcn The proportion of subjects without each substance use decreased with age more quickly among the adolescents with higher familySUcn/peerSUcn than among the others Our results may help implementing prevention to reduce substance use [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article engages with the spatialities of platform urbanism by foregrounding where digital platforms are located in cities. Drawing on a geocoded data set of visible, material traces of platformization collected across neighborhoods in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, we consider the influences that characteristics of urban built environments—including existing amenities, urban morphology, and area-level socioeconomic factors—have on platforms' locations. Through a Poisson regression of these variables, we find that the presence of existing urban amenities most strongly explains the locations of material traces of urban platformization on the cityscape at the city block scale. We position platforms themselves as a novel amenity class that extends emplaced utility and lifestyle functions to urban residents. In so doing, we contend that the platformization of urban landscapes constitutes a form of "splintering amenitization," wherein platformized urban amenities demonstrate spatial patterns of colocating with other, existing urban amenities in already amenity-rich areas to the exclusion of amenity-poor enclaves. This, we argue, is important because neighborhoods' abilities to attract amenities are central to how enclaves both position themselves and compete for status within urban spatial hierarchies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The epidemiological landscape of infantile hemangioma (IH) has been extensively explored through diverse data sources; however, a scarcity of systematically pooled and quantified evidence from comprehensive global studies persists. In this meta‐analysis, we systematically review available literature to elucidate the prevalence, distribution of lesions, complications, and risk factors associated with IH. A meticulous search encompassing the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science identified 3206 records, of which 55 studies met the inclusion criteria. We found that the overall prevalence of IH is 2.8% [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.5–4.4%] (31,274,396 infants), and IH was located more frequently in the head and neck with a prevalence of 47.4% (95% CI: 39.5–55.4%). The overall prevalence of complications of IH is 24.3% (95% CI: 18.6–30.5%), ulceration is 16.0% (95% CI: 10.4–21.2%), bleeding is 5.6% (95% CI: 3.3–8.5%), visual impairment is 5.6% (95% CI: 3.0–8.9%), infection is 2.8% (95% CI: 1.5–4.8%), subglottic obstruction is 1.5% (95% CI: 0.5–3.0%), respectively. Through 27 studies, we have evaluated 35 factors encompassing perinatal factors, socioeconomic factors, maternal complications, drug factors, and antepartum procedures, and identified 18 risk factors that increase the prevalence of IH. These findings can greatly assist clinicians and family members in effectively evaluating the risk of IH, and determining whether pregnant women should undergo intensified monitoring or preventive measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We examined the impact of long-term mental health outcomes on healthcare services utilisation among childhood cancer survivors in Western Australia using linked hospitalisations and community-based mental healthcare records from 1987 to 2019. Method: The study cohort included 2977 childhood cancer survivors diagnosed with cancer at age < 18 years in Western Australia from 1982 to 2014 and a matched non-cancer control group of 24,994 individuals. Adjusted hazard ratios of recurrent events were estimated using the Andersen–Gill model. The cumulative burden of events over time was assessed using the method of mean cumulative count. The annual percentage change in events was estimated using the negative binomial regression model. Results: The results showed higher community-based service contacts (rate/100 person-years: 30.2, 95% confidence interval = [29.7–30.7] vs 22.8, 95% confidence interval = [22.6–22.9]) and hospitalisations (rate/1000 person-years: 14.8, 95% confidence interval = [13.6–16.0] vs 12.7, 95% confidence interval = [12.3–13.1]) in childhood cancer survivors compared to the control group. Childhood cancer survivors had a significantly higher risk of any event (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.5, 95% confidence interval = [1.1–2.0]). The cumulative burden of events increased with time since diagnosis and across age groups. The annual percentage change for hospitalisations and service contacts significantly increased over time (p < 0.05). Substance abuse was the leading cause of hospitalisations, while mood/affective and anxiety disorders were common causes of service contacts. Risk factors associated with increased service events included cancer diagnosis at age < 5 years, leukaemia diagnosis, high socioeconomic deprivation, and an attained age of < 18 years. Conclusions: The elevated utilisation of healthcare services observed among childhood cancer survivors emphasises the need for periodic assessment of psychiatric disorders, particularly in high-risk survivors, to facilitate early management and optimise healthcare resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence and associated factors of common mental disorders (CMD) in women, and comparing them in two periods, 2003 and 2015. Methods: A comparative study was conducted between two surveys with representative samples of women aged 20–60 years residing in southern Brazil. The final sample included 988 and 987 women from the 2003 and 2015 surveys, respectively. The presence of CMD was assessed using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20 ≥ 8) in both surveys. Poisson regression analysis was used to evaluate the associations between the outcome (CMD) and variables of interest. Results: The mean age of the participants was 38.5 ± 11.1 years (2003) and 40.3 ± 11.4 years (2015). In 2003, the prevalence of CMD was 33.4% (95%CI: 30.5–36.3) and in 2015, it was 33.7% (95%CI: 30.8–36.7). Over 12 years, no significant differences were observed in the prevalence of CMD, except for a reduction in the prevalence in women of color and physically active. After adjusting, the prevalence ratios of CMD in 2003 and 2015 remained associated with low family income, a higher number of pregnancies, and tobacco use. Conclusions: This study showed a trend toward stability in the high prevalence of CMD among women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to identify the impact of social determinants of health on physical and mental health outcomes in a UK population. Structural equation modelling was used to hypothesise a model of relationships between health determinants and outcomes within a region in the North of England using large-scale population survey data (6208 responses). We analysed responses from a population survey to assess the influence of a deprivation-based index at the environmental level, education and income on a behaviour index (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and dietary habits) and the influence of all these factors on self-reported physical health and the influence of the behaviour index and income on mental wellbeing. The proposed model was well supported by the data. Goodness-of-fit statistics, most notably a low value of the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), supported the validity of the proposed relationships (RMSEA = 0.054). The model revealed all examined paths to be statistically significant. Income and education were influential in determining an individual's behaviour index score, which, with income was the most important predictor of both the correlated outcomes of physical health and mental wellbeing (P < 0.001 in all cases). Findings challenge the traditional view of singular causal pathways, emphasising that interventions should consider the underlying influencing socio-economic conditions, which would influence behaviour and therefore physical and mental wellbeing. The extent to which the model is supported by the data, and the statistical significance of individual relationships accentuates the imperative for comprehensive public health strategies that integrate multiple socio-economic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study comprehensively analyzed the temporal and spatial dynamics of COVID-19 cases and deaths within the obstetric population in Brazil, comparing the periods before and during mass COVID-19 vaccination. We explored the trends and geographical patterns of COVID-19 cases and maternal deaths over time. We also examined their correlation with the SARS-CoV-2 variant circulating and the social determinants of health. This is a nationwide population-based ecological study. We obtained data on COVID-19 cases, deaths, socioeconomic status, and vulnerability information for Brazil's 5570 municipalities for both the pre-COVID-19 vaccination and COVID-19 vaccination periods. A Bayesian model was used to mitigate indicator fluctuations. The spatial correlation of maternal cases and fatalities with socioeconomic and vulnerability indicators was assessed using bivariate Moran. From March 2020 to June 2023, a total of 23,823 cases and 1991 maternal fatalities were recorded among pregnant and postpartum women. The temporal trends in maternal incidence and mortality rates fluctuated over the study period, largely influenced by widespread COVID-19 vaccination and the dominant SARS-CoV-2 variant. There was a significant reduction in maternal mortality due to COVID-19 following the introduction of vaccination. The geographical distribution of COVID-19 cases and maternal deaths exhibited marked heterogeneity in both periods, with distinct spatial clusters predominantly observed in the North, Northeast, and Central West regions. Municipalities with the highest Human Development Index reported the highest incidence rates, while those with the highest levels of social vulnerability exhibited elevated mortality and fatality rates. Despite the circulation of highly transmissible variants of concern, maternal mortality due to COVID-19 was significantly reduced following the mass vaccination. There was a heterogeneous distribution of cases and fatalities in both periods (before and during mass vaccination). Smaller municipalities and those grappling with social vulnerability issues experienced the highest rates of maternal mortality and fatalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Chile, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth cause of death by cancer. Few studies have evaluated the role of contextual and individual socio-economic variables associated with premature death by CRC (<70 years). We analyzed the association between socio-economic factors (at individual and contextual levels) and premature death from CRC in Santiago de Chile. This was a cross-sectional study. We analyzed deaths from CRC between 2014 and 2018 using data published by the Ministry of Health. Individual predictors were sex, marital status, and educational level. Contextual variable included the Social Priority Index (SPI) of the commune where the deceased lived. The association was assessed through multilevel logistic regression models. During the period, 4762 deaths occurred (51.7% women); 39.3% were premature. At the individual level, male sex (odds ratio [OR] 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20–1.53) and single marital status (OR 1.45; 95% CI 1.24–1.68) were associated with premature death from CRC. Primary or lower education was a protective factor (OR 0.53; 95% CI 0.47–0.60). At the contextual level, communes with a higher SPI were three times more at risk than those with a lower SPI (OR 3.13; 95% CI 2.15–4.57). This study showed that individual and contextual socio-economic variables are related to premature death from CRC. Residing in communes with greater socio-economic vulnerability was associated with greater risk. To reduce this gap, it is urgent to design and implement structural policies to reduce social inequities and improve access to health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated whether socioeconomic inequalities in young adolescents' mental health are partially due to the unequal distribution of childhood obesity across socioeconomic positions (SEP), i.e. differential exposure, or due to the effect of obesity on mental health being more detrimental among certain SEPs, i.e. differential impact. We studied 4660 participants of the Generation R study, a population-based study in the Netherlands. SEP was estimated by mother's education and household income at age five of the child. We estimated the contribution of the mediating and moderating effects of high body fat percentage to the disparity in mental health. This was done through a four-way decomposition using marginal structural models with inverse probability of treatment weighting. Comparing children with the least to most educated mothers and the lowest to highest household income, the total disparity in emotional problems was 0.98 points (95%CI:0.35–1.63) and 1.68 points (95%CI:1.13–2.19), respectively. Of these total disparities in emotional problems, 0.50 points (95%CI:0.15–0.85) and 0.24 points (95%CI:0.09–0.46) were due to the differential exposure to obesity. Obesity did not contribute to disparities in behavioural problems. Addressing the heightened obesity prevalence among children in low SEP families may reduce inequalities in emotional problems in early adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the issue of enhancing the efficiency of regional public employment systems. A region's sectoral employment pattern serves as an indicator of its socioeconomic development level. Understanding structural shifts occurring in response to inter-industry labor flows is critical to achieve effective employment policies. In this study, we propose a classification of economic sectors that uses as key criterion the impact on public employment of structural shift components (national share, industrial mix, regional shift) and can be used as a tool for evaluating the effectiveness of regions' sectoral policies and for identifying industries with potential for job creation. The analysis demonstrates the significance of Groups 1–3economic sectors, for which the local share is positive and exceeds the national and industry mix share, in the efforts to increase regional employment. We evaluate the employment potential of the Russian Arctic regions' economic sectors through identifying their core industries and relative concentration. By using as example the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), we demonstrate the scholarly and practical value of the proposed classification in enhancing the effectiveness and objectivity of local sectoral policies. We further provide the analysis of share the national, sectoral, and regional factors represent in sectoral employment shift, and present the industries that have played a dominant role in the Republic of Sakha's employment growth. Using the proposed classification, we evaluate the efficiency of the employment policy of the region under study and propose recommendations for growth in sectoral employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate factors influencing one's decision to become a live kidney donor under the framework of sociotechnical systems, by expanding the focus to include larger organizational influences and technological considerations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with live kidney donors who donated through University of Louisville Health, Trager Transplant Center, a mid-scale transplant program, in the years 2017 through 2019. The interview transcripts were analyzed for barriers and facilitators to live kidney donation within a sociotechnical system. The most salient facilitators included: having an informative, caring, and available care team; the absence of any negative external pressure toward donating; donating to a family or friend; and the ability to take extra time off work for recovery. The most recurrent barriers included: short/medium-term (<1 year) negative health impacts because of donation; the need to make minor lifestyle changes (e.g., less alcohol consumption) after donation; and mental health deterioration stemming from the donation process. The sociotechnical systems framework promotes a balanced system comprised of social, technical, and environmental subsystems. Assessing the facilitators and barriers from the sociotechnical system perspective revealed the importance of and opportunities for developing strategies to promote integration of technical subsystem, such as social media apps and interactive AI platforms, with social and environmental subsystems to enable facilitators and reduce barriers effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to explore the views and understanding of youth mental health clinicians with regard to the physical health of young people with early psychosis and their perspectives on lifestyle interventions improving the health and well‐being of young people with early psychosis. Physical health disparities leading to premature mortality among people with mental illness are well evident in the literature. Mental health and physical health are directly correlated. The risk of poor physical health often begins before the onset of mental ill health. Young people with early psychosis are highly susceptible to poor physical health. A co‐designed integrated approach focusing on early prevention and intervention in overall well‐being and health is imminent for this targeted population to prevent poor physical health trajectory across the lifespan. Ten clinicians were recruited and participated in this study through semi‐structured interviews. Five themes were identified: (i) Impact of early psychosis, (ii) Focus of care, (iii) Conversations around physical health, (iv) Co‐location of specialist roles and (v) Health literacy. The findings of this study confirm the dimensional impact of early psychosis on the well‐being and health of young people through the vicious cycle of early psychosis. Promotion of health literacy along with social connectedness and elements of self‐determination, as well as having a prime focus on the individuals' experience in the journey of health promotion through participation in lifestyle interventions, has been identified as critically prominent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the prevalence of food insecurity (FI) among patients in a regional New Zealand ED, factors associated with FI and feasibility of an ED‐based FI screening programme with voluntary social work (SW) follow up. Methods: Cross‐sectional study of patients presenting to the Whangarei Hospital ED, using the validated two‐item Hunger Vital Sign screening tool to assess for FI. Participants were offered SW follow up to discuss community food resources. Results: Of the 300 participants who completed the questionnaire, 111 (37.0%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 32.0–43.0) were food insecure. Factors associated with FI include Māori ethnicity (odds ratio [OR] 2.12 [95% CI 1.19–3.80], P = 0.011), household crowding (OR 1.19 [95% CI 1.02–1.39], P = 0.024) and lower socioeconomic status (OR 1.13 [95% CI 1.00–1.27], P = 0.048). There was no statistically significant association between FI and number of comorbidities or the primary reason for ED attendance. Of participants who were food insecure, only half reported being aware of (n = 56/111, 50.5%) or had used (n = 60/111, 54.1%) food resources. Participants who were food insecure were more likely to have utilised resources, either currently or in the past (OR 8.50 [95% CI 4.46–16.18], P < 0.001). Forty (13.3%) participants requested SW follow up and of those, most (n = 31/40, 77.5%) were successfully contacted. FI was associated with interest in SW follow up (OR 16.95 [95% CI 5.81–49.42], P < 0.001). At follow up, the majority (n = 24/31, 77.4%) of participants requested further information regarding food resources. Conclusion: FI was prevalent among patients in a regional NZ ED. An ED‐based FI screening programme with voluntary SW follow up was feasible and acceptable to ED patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Low acuity presentations (LAPs) contribute to large numbers of ED presentations and carry numerous consequences. The present study sought to improve the understanding of regional infant LAPs by analysing temporal patterns of presentation, discharge diagnoses and potential predictive factors. Methods: This retrospective observational study examined ED presentations among children less than 12 months old (infants) to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital between 2017 and 2019. Descriptive statistics were used to identify temporal patterns of presentation and common discharge diagnoses among LAPs. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the association between early life, demographic and perinatal factors and low acuity presenters. Results: Of 6881 infant ED presentations, 19.8% were LAPs, occurring disproportionately on weekdays (82.2%) and during hours of 08.00–17.00 (69.9%). Respiratory tract infections and gastrointestinal complaints were most common overall, though non‐allergic rash, feeding difficulties, eczema and developmental concerns contributed substantially among LAPs. Socio‐economic status (SES) (odds ratio [OR] 1.71), overseas maternal nationality (OR 1.25) and Medicare ineligible maternal financial class (OR 0.49) were associated with low acuity presenters. Low appearance, pulse, grimace, activity and respiration score (OR 3.53), low SES (OR 3.26), complicated delivery (OR 1.64), maternal multiparity (OR 0.50), maternal partner presence (OR 0.40) and obstetric complications (OR 0.37) were associated with repeat, multi‐low acuity presenters (multi‐LAPs). Conclusion: A substantial minority of infant ED presentations are LAPs. Targeted interventions may benefit from focusing on families with a background of socioeconomic disadvantage, social isolation, cultural and linguistic diversity and perinatal complications, with a view to strengthening engagement with community‐based services among these groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID‐19 pandemic led to changes in the provision of pregnancy and postpartum care. The purpose of this study was to describe changes in access to prenatal and postpartum care over time, from early in the pandemic (July 2020) to mid‐pandemic (January 2021) and to explore socioeconomic and COVID‐19‐related economic factors associated with experiencing barriers to care. Methods: We recruited two cross sections of women and birthing people in the US in July 2020 (N = 4645) and January 2021 (N = 3343) using Facebook and Instagram Ads. Results: Three out of four women in the prenatal period and four out of five women in the postpartum period reported barriers to scheduling a visit. The likelihood of not having a visit (OR = 4.44, 95% CI 2.67–7.40), being unable to schedule a visit (OR = 2.73, 95% CI 1.71–4.35), and not being offered visits (OR = 4.26, 95% CI 2.32–7.81) increased over time. Participants were more likely to report barriers attending scheduled prenatal or postpartum appointments over time (OR = 2.72, 95% CI 2.14–3.45). Women who experienced more economic impacts from COVID‐19 were older, less educated, and were Black, Indigenous, or a person of color, and were more likely to have barriers to attending appointments. Conclusions: Certain subgroups are more at risk during COVID‐19, and around 9 months into the pandemic, women were not only still facing barriers to care, but these had been amplified. Additional research using other data sources is needed to identify and ameliorate barriers and inequalities in access to prenatal and postpartum care that appear to have persisted throughout the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context Nutrition plays a critical role in adolescence. Adolescents are vulnerable to the impact of different factors that distance them from healthy habits, increasing their risk of chronic diseases in adulthood. Qualitative methodologies allow for a better understanding of these factors. Objective This systematic review aims to consolidate qualitative research evidence from the past 10 years to analyze the facilitators and barriers influencing adolescents' eating behaviors. Data Sources Databases searched for relevant studies were Scopus, Medline/PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Data Extraction A total of 4176 records were identified. The authors used the GRADE-CERQual (Confidence in Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative Research) quality-assessment tool. Results Fifty articles with qualitative or mixed methodologies were finally included. The most applied techniques were focus groups and semi-structured interviews. The factors influencing adolescents' diets were classified into 4 dimensions: individual, social, community, and macrosystem factors. The most influential were the following—(1) at the individual level: gender (facilitator or barrier), taste and appearance of food (barrier), and lack of time (barrier); (2) at the social level: parents' and caregivers' influence (facilitator or barrier), peer group influence (barrier), and socioeconomic position (barrier); (3) at the community level: school food environment (facilitator or barrier), neighborhood food environment (barrier), household food environment (facilitator or barrier), food insecurity (barrier), and availability and affordability of ultra-processed foods (barrier); and (4) at the macrosystem level: digital tools (facilitator or barrier). Conclusions This systematic review identified several facilitators and barriers influencing eating behaviors among adolescents. Qualitative research provides a rich source of knowledge to inform interventions aimed at improving adolescents' diets. Qualitative research is very useful for collecting researches that help to implement intervention programs that improve adolescent nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between dental caries experience and socioeconomic status, as reflected in income and educational level, is well known. However, some individuals maintain good health despite socioeconomic disadvantage. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore salutogenic (health‐promoting) factors among healthy caries‐free young adults of low socioeconomic status. Seventeen participants (11 women), 19–23 years of age, who were caries‐free and of low socioeconomic status were interviewed in‐depth. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach. The theme revealed was 'Building trust and shifting responsibility from parent to child throughout children's development lays the salutogenic foundation for oral health', comprising three categories: (i) a basis for health; (ii) creating one's own path by testing wings; and (iii) developing resources for health. A feeling of trust was expressed, participants were confident in the unconditional support of their caregivers, and caregivers were trusting participants to be able to take control over their own oral health. Health‐promotive factors were established not only by instilling healthy habits during childhood, but also by parental guidance through adolescence, enabling young adults to develop resources and assets to take control over their own health independently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The way in which socioeconomic status (SES) moderates the etiology of reading attainment has been explored many times, with past work often finding that genetic influences are suppressed under conditions of socioeconomic deprivation and more fully realized under conditions of socioeconomic advantage: a gene–SES interaction. Additionally, past work has pointed toward the presence of gene–location interactions, with the relative influence of genes and environment varying across geographic regions of the same country/state. Method: This study investigates the extent to which SES and geographical location interact to moderate the genetic and environmental components of reading attainment. Utilizing data from 2,135 twin pairs in Florida (mean age 13.82 years, range 10.71–17.77), the study operationalized reading attainment as reading comprehension scores from a statewide test and SES as household income. We applied a spatial twin analysis procedure to investigate how twin genetic and environmental estimates vary by geographic location. We then expanded this analysis to explore how the moderating role of SES on said genetic and environmental influences also varied by geographic location. Results: A gene–SES interaction was found, with heritability of reading being suppressed in lower‐ (23%) versus higher‐SES homes (78%). The magnitude of the moderating parameters were not consistent by location, however, and ranged from −0.10 to 0.10 for the moderating effect on genetic influences, and from −0.30 to 0.05 for the moderating effect on environmental influences. For smaller areas and those with less socioeconomic variability, the magnitude of the genetic moderating parameter was high, giving rise to more fully realized genetic influences on reading there. Conclusions: SES significantly influences reading variability. However, a child's home location matters in both the overall etiology and how strongly SES moderates said etiologies. These results point toward the presence of multiple significant environmental factors that simultaneously, and inseparably, influence the underlying etiology of reading attainment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assess how immigrant parent legal status shapes children's physical and mental health. Using the Hispanic Community Health Study of Latino Youth—a multi-site dataset—we evaluated mean differences in multiple physical and mental health indicators and parents' and children's stress and resilience by parents' (primarily mothers') legal status (N = 1177). We estimated regression models of two overall child health outcomes—allostatic load and any internalized disorder. Average allostatic load was 28% higher (0.36 standard deviations) and average prevalence of any internalizing disorder was 16% points greater for children of foreign-born unauthorized versus US-born parents. Higher levels of socioeconomic and acculturative stress contributed to children of foreign-born unauthorized parents' heightened health risk, while resilience factors—parental health and familial support—protected their health. Children with unauthorized immigrant parents experience both negative physical and mental health outcomes that can have potential long-term costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the historical context of South Africa, fathers are largely considered the breadwinner, an ideology linked to financial affordability. The breadwinner title may be a masculine boost for some but denotes a sense of disempowerment for those without financial muscle. This is especially true for young black South African fathers who are still confronting socio-historical challenges including continued high levels of unemployment. This qualitative study sought to explore how young black fathers perceive and understand fatherhood based on their individual experiences and given their socio-historical and cultural challenges. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Eight participants were selected through non-probability purposive sampling. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data with the foundation of a family systems theoretical framework. Findings indicated that the perception of fatherhood is constructed through (a) financial insecurity, (b) (un)expectancy and psychological distress, (c) shared responsibility, (d) cultural dynamics and (e) a renewed sense of self meaning. The study has added value in ensuring that the voices of young black fathers are captured through their lived experiences. The findings suggest that much investment is still required to understand the different angles and dynamics of young black fathers in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the gender dimension of its more visible socio-economic impacts has been the topic of study by several researchers. The current paper takes this further by focusing on the invisible chores done in the families at home. This paper studies how people's behavior towards housework changed during and after the confinement period in Spain. We analyze whether people did more housework during the lockdown period than before it, the way this housework was distributed between women and men, and whether this has changed since the end of lockdown. The empirical analyses point to a new trend in the housework gender gap: differences between men and women have narrowed since the lockdown, although women continue to bear most of the responsibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gambling severity and criminal convictions are known to be correlated, but there is a lack of understanding of the associations between the type and frequency of offending, game types, gambling motives and gambling intensity. This study aims to fill this gap by examining systematically whether conviction prevalence varies with gambling behavior. The study combined register-based variables on criminal convictions from the past 45 years to a gambling-related population survey (n = 3993). Descriptive data are provided on the prevalence of criminal convictions among different past-year gambling behavior subgroups. Logistic regression models were built to explore the associations between having convictions on one's record and gambling behavior traits more in depth. The results of this study indicate that the prevalence of having criminal convictions not only varies among different demographic groups and well-being correlates, but also among different groups of past-year gamblers based on played game types, gambling versatility, gambling severity and gambling motives. Having a history of convictions was predicted by male gender, older age group, receiving basic social allowance, at-risk gambling and risky alcohol use. Escape as a gambling motive and playing EGMs proved to be significant predictors of having multiple criminal convictions. Gamblers differ in conviction prevalence as a function of gambling game types, versatility and gambling motives. These findings contribute to better understanding the dialectic interplay between gambling and criminal behavior and may inform the development of targeted interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The personal futures of older adults are continually in mind, motivating goals, desires and plans. People approach the near and long term with differing agentic traits and dispositions, and they face forward, as well, from differing standpoints according to socio-economic position. This is a study of how persons who are economically privileged diverge in their future thought from persons of modest means, asking how income level qualifies the capacity to imagine, and foresee affecting, the future. We draw upon interviews conducted with 42 older, community-dwelling individuals in the Midwestern United States of America, a sample that was partitioned into two groups, one with below-median incomes versus one with incomes above 200 per cent of median. Interviews disclosed various foci of future thought with common contents among the two groups. Three foci, however, confirmed between-group differences in confidence about handling possible material and support needs, and also in enacting idealised norms of retirement. The underlying theme of these foci – financial security, long-term supports and services, and trips and travel – was the perceived affordability of the future. We conclude that there is indeed a material basis for imagination of and proactivity toward the future. When paradigms about later life set expectations that idealise lifestyle choice, consumption and prudential preparation for the future, these are prospects towards which some can reach more readily than others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical and societal characteristics of home have been established as important in influencing the health and wellbeing of older adults, yet these have rarely been explored together. There is also limited research into variation across age groups, with older adults often examined as a homogenous group of those 65 years and over. This study advances the knowledge base by using the concept of person–environment (P-E) fit to analyse differences in personal and home environment (physical and societal) characteristics between young-old (65–74 years) and old-old (75 and above) age groups, and to assess how these characteristics influence their self-perceived health. This cross-sectional study draws upon survey data from 1,999 older adult participants from the Australian Housing Conditions Dataset. Descriptive statistics and inferential analysis were used to assess for significant differences between age groups and a binomial logistic regression was utilised to examine influences on health. The analysis found that the factors which influence health varies appreciably between age groups. For the young-old financial strain, being on the fixed-income pension and hypertension were important contributing factors, in contrast for the old-old gender (being male), having depression and the home being modified for disability were key influences. For both age groups heart disease was a contributing factor to perceived health. The results indicate the important contribution to knowledge of incorporating a wide range of person and environment characteristics when exploring P-E fit for older adults. The inclusion of societal aspects, such as financial strain, fixed-income pension, tenure and access to community aged care services when exploring influences on health, arises as a key conclusion of the study. In terms of impact, this research is significant given rising inequalities globally and specifically in the Australian context, the need for policy measures to address income inequality, and its health and social implications for older households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the associations of emotions, cognitions, and behavioral intentions in response to exposure to news stories reporting on the arrival of Omicron variant in Vietnam. Outcomes included fear, anxiety, anger, comparative optimism, intentions to conduct prevention behavior (wash hands with soap), detection behavior (test for Omicron infection), and share health information. Two experiments were conducted with participants being randomized to either low-risk or high-risk condition that contained information promoting hand-washing with soap (Experiment 1, N = 303), or information promoting COVID-19 testing (Experiment 2, N = 303). Results indicated that viewing high-risk news stories led to higher fear, anxiety, and anger than low-risk news stories. Fear fully mediated the effect of news exposure on intentions to test for Omicron infection and share health information. Comparative optimism moderated the indirect effect of news exposure on intentions to wash hands with soap and share information about COVID-19 testing. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socioeconomic deprivation is associated with a lower likelihood of referral for advanced heart failure (HF) evaluation, but it is not known whether it influences rates of advanced HF therapies independently of key hemodynamic measures and comorbidity following advanced HF evaluation in a universal healthcare system. We linked data from a single-center Danish clinical registry of consecutive patients evaluated for advanced HF with patient-level information on socioeconomic status. Patients were divided into groups based on the level of education (low, medium, and high), combined degree of socioeconomic deprivation (low, medium, and high), and household income quartiles. Rates of the combined outcome of left ventricular assist device implantation or heart transplantation (advanced HF therapy) with death as a competing risk were estimated with cumulative incidence functions, and Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for age, sex, central venous pressure, cardiac index, and comorbidities. We included 629 patients, median age 53 years, of whom 77% were men. During a median follow-up of 5 years, 179 (28%) underwent advanced HF therapy. The highest level of education was associated with higher rates (high vs low, adjusted HR 1.81 95% CI 1.14–2.89, p = 0.01), whereas household income quartile groups (Q4 vs Q1, adjusted HR 1.37 95% CI 0.76–2.47, p = 0.30) or groups of combined socioeconomic deprivation (high vs low degree of deprivation, adjusted HR 0.86 95% CI 0.50–1.46, p = 0.56) were not significantly associated with rates of advanced HF therapy. Patients with a lower level of education might be disfavored for advanced HF therapies and could require specific attention in the advanced HF care center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a multifaceted concept influenced by individual characteristics, social support, psychological factors. This study aims to identify distinct FCR profiles among breast cancer patients and explore the associated variables with these patterns. Design: A cross‐sectional study was conducted from April 2022 to March 2023. Methods: A convenience sample of 339 patients completed a questionnaire that assessed general and disease‐related data, including the Fear of Progression Questionnaire‐Short Form, Social Support Rating Scale, Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire. Statistical analysis involved latent profile analysis (LPA) and multinomial logistic regression. Results: Three latent patterns of FCR were found: the low fear (28.9%), the moderate fear (51.3%), and the high fear (18.0%). The study identified the social support, family monthly income, employment status, utilization of confrontation coping mode and avoidance coping mode, as factors that impacted the FCR. Conclusions: Social support, family monthly income, employment status, and medical coping modes have been found to impact the FCR among newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. Healthcare professionals should focus on addressing FCR at diagnosis and implement effective interventions, such as promoting social support and encouraging adaptive coping, to alleviate this concern. Impact: Urgently addressing the FCR in Chinese breast cancer patients is imperative due to its profound influence on their holistic health. Through advanced LPA, we categorized the FCR progression, highlighting risks. These findings have implications for healthcare strategies, offering new insights to manage the FCR and improve patient well‐being. Our study adds a fresh perspective to the factors underlying the FCR in breast cancer patients, contributing to the broader comprehension and management of this complex survivorship issue. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To evaluate the effects of a comprehensive traffic safety policy—New York City's (NYC's) 2014 Vision Zero—on the health of Medicaid enrollees. Methods. We conducted difference-in-differences analyses using individual-level New York Medicaid data to measure traffic injuries and expenditures from 2009 to 2021, comparing NYC to surrounding counties without traffic reforms (n = 65 585 568 person-years). Results. After Vision Zero, injury rates among NYC Medicaid enrollees diverged from those of surrounding counties, with a net impact of 77.5 fewer injuries per 100 000 person-years annually (95% confidence interval = −97.4, −57.6). We observed marked reductions in severe injuries (brain injury, hospitalizations) and savings of $90.8 million in Medicaid expenditures over the first 5 years. Effects were largest among Black residents. Impacts were reversed during the COVID-19 period. Conclusions. Vision Zero resulted in substantial protection for socioeconomically disadvantaged populations known to face heightened risk of injury, but the policy's effectiveness decreased during the pandemic period. Public Health Implications. Many cities have recently launched Vision Zero policies and others plan to do so. This research adds to the evidence on how and in what circumstances comprehensive traffic policies protect public health. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(6):633–641. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307617) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discuss some intriguing methodological aspects of excess mortality analyses, which have been widely used to describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We describe the main ways of presenting excess mortality: as a mortality rate (incidence rate) or as a percentage increase (relative risk or rate ratio). We discuss what should be regarded as the null value of excess mortality (i.e., when countries or regions can be judged as having fared equally well) and when age and sex standardization, adjustment for other determinants of the spread of a pandemic, or both is necessary. We discuss the level of detail by time and place and person that may be necessary. We note that an excess mortality comparison is essentially a difference-in-differences analysis. We conclude that, although one cannot rule out using excess mortality analyses for causal effect estimates, such analyses will remain most fruitful for generating hypotheses about both the efficiency of measures to curtail the pandemic and factors that cannot be influenced. Nevertheless, a judicious use of arguments and counterarguments can then lead to identifying best practices for various situations. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(6):593–598. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307572) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Adolescent polysubstance use has been associated with adverse social and health outcomes. Our aim was to measure rates and transitions to polysubstance use during adolescence and identify factors associated with initiation and discontinuation of polysubstance use. Design: Prospective cohort study. Multistate Markov modelling was used to estimate rates and identify correlates of transitions between substance use states. Setting and participants: Adolescent‐parent dyads (n = 1927; adolescents in grade 7, age ≈13 years) were recruited from Australian schools during 2010/11 (Wave 1). Adolescents were surveyed annually until 2016/17 (n = 1503; age ≈19 years; Wave 7) and parents were surveyed annually until 2014/15 (Wave 5). Measurements Alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) use outcomes were collected at Waves 3–7. Potential confounders were collected at Waves 1–6 and consisted of sex, anxiety and depression symptoms and externalizing problems, parental monitoring, family conflict and cohesion, parental substance use and peer substance use. Covariates were age and family socioeconomic status. Findings Few adolescents engaged in polysubstance use at earlier waves (Wave 3: 5%; Wave 4: 8%), but proportions increased sharply across adolescence (Waves 5–7: 17%, 24%, 36%). Rates of transitioning to polysubstance use increased with age, with few (<9%) adolescents transitioning out. More externalizing problems (odds ratio [OR] = 1.10; 99.6% confidence interval [CI] = 1.07–1.14), parental heavy episodic drinking (OR = 1.22; 99.6% CI = 1.07–1.40), parental illicit substance use (OR = 3.56; 99.6% CI = 1.43–8.86), peer alcohol use (OR = 5.68; 99.6% CI = 1.59–20.50) and peer smoking (OR = 4.18; 99.6% CI = 1.95–8.81) were associated with transitioning to polysubstance use. Conclusions: Polysubstance use in Australia appears to be rare during early adolescence but more common in later adolescence with low rates of transitioning out. Externalizing problems and greater parental and peer substance use are risk factors for adolescent polysubstance use that may be suitable intervention targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Rat‐associated zoonotic pathogen transmission at the human–wildlife interface is a public health concern in urban environments where Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) thrive on abundant anthropogenic resources and live in close contact with humans and other animal species. To identify potential factors influencing zoonotic pathogen occurrence in rats, we investigated associations between environmental and sociodemographic factors and Leptospira interrogans and Bartonella spp. infections in rats from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, while controlling for the potential confounding effects of animal characteristics (i.e., sexual maturity and body condition). Methods and Results: Between November 2018 and June 2021, 252 rats were submitted by collaborating pest control professionals. Kidney and spleen samples were collected for L. interrogans and Bartonella spp. PCR and sequencing, respectively. Of the rats tested by PCR, 12.7% (32/252) were positive for L. interrogans and 16.3% (37/227) were positive for Bartonella species. Associations between infection status and environmental and sociodemographic variables of interest were assessed via mixed multivariable logistic regression models with a random intercept for social group and fixed effects to control for sexual maturity and body condition in each model. The odds of L. interrogans infection were significantly higher in rats from areas with high building density (odds ratio [OR]: 3.76; 95% CI: 1.31–10.79; p = 0.014), high human population density (OR: 3.31; 95% CI: 1.20–9.11; p = 0.021), high proportion of buildings built in 1960 or before (OR: 11.21; 95% CI: 2.06–60.89; p = 0.005), and a moderate number of reports of uncollected garbage compared to a low number of reports (OR: 4.88; 95% CI: 1.01–23.63; p = 0.049). A negative association was observed between median household income and Bartonella spp. infection in rats (OR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.08–0.89; p = 0.031). Conclusions: Due to the complexity of the ecology of rat‐associated zoonoses, consideration of environmental and sociodemographic factors is of critical importance to better understand the nuances of host–pathogen systems and inform how urban rat surveillance and intervention efforts should be distributed within cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: To address the considerable burden of mental health need in the United States, Congress passed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act in 2020. The act rebranded the national suicide prevention lifeline as 988, a three-digit number akin to 911 for individuals to call in the case of a mental health emergency. Surprisingly little is known about American attitudes toward this new lifeline. Methods: The authors use a demographically representative survey of 5,482 US adults conducted June 24–28, 2022, to examine the influence of mental health status, partisan identification, and demographic characteristics on public awareness of the new 988 lifeline, public support for the lifeline, and intention to use it. Findings: The authors find that while only a quarter of Americans are aware of the lifeline, support for the 988 lifeline is widespread, with more than 75% of Americans indicating they would be likely to use the new number if needed. The authors identify key disparities in awareness, support, and intended use, with Republicans, individuals with low socioeconomic status, and Blacks less supportive of the 988 lifeline and in some cases less likely to use it. Conclusions: The results point to the need for additional interventions that increase public awareness of 988 and reduce disparities in program knowledge, support, and intention to use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies demonstrate gender and partisan differences among Americans in COVID-19 socioeconomic consequences, attitudes, and behaviors. The authors of this study use six waves of panel survey data to explore the intersection of gender and party across COVID-19 mitigation behaviors, concerns, and policy preferences. The authors observe small gender gaps on several measures; however, partisan differences are larger than gender differences when considering the interaction between gender and partisanship. Democratic women are more similar to Democratic men on these measures than to Republican women. On virtually all measures, Republican women report lower levels of mitigation behaviors, worries, and support for expansive government policies compared to Democratic women and men. Analyzing the interaction of gender and partisanship illuminates how individuals navigated the pandemic with respect to identity factors that often pull in different directions. These findings suggest that one's partisan identity is more consequential than gender when it comes to COVID behaviors, concerns, and policy preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article sketches how the interaction between partisanship and polarization shapes health policy in the U.S. Topics discussed include partisan struggles over health care laws such as the Affordable Care Act, American Rescue Plan Act and Inflation Reduction Act, influence of partisan conflict on a law's implementation and post-enactment political trajectory, expansion of conflict across institutions and issues, effect of partisanship on health behaviors, outcomes, and state health policies.

Associations between social determinants of health (SDOH) and adverse outcomes for children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are starting to be recognized; however, such links remain understudied. We examined the relationship between community-level material deprivation on mortality, readmission, and length of stay (LOS) for children undergoing surgery for CHD. We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent cardiac surgery at our institution from 2015 to 2018. A community-level deprivation index (DI), a marker of community material deprivation, was generated to contextualize the lived experience of children with CHD. Generalized mixed-effects models were used to assess links between the DI and outcomes of mortality, readmission, and LOS following cardiac surgery. The DI and components were scaled to provide mean differences for a one standard deviation (SD) increase in deprivation. We identified 1,187 unique patients with surgical admissions. The median LOS was 11 days, with an overall mortality rate of 4.6% and readmission rate of 7.6%. The DI ranged from 0.08 to 0.85 with a mean of 0.37 (SD 0.12). The DI was associated with increased LOS for patients with more complex heart disease (STAT 3, 4, and 5), which persisted after adjusting for factors that could prolong LOS (all p < 0.05). The DI approached but did not meet a significant association with mortality (p = 0.0528); it was not associated with readmission (p = 0.36). Community-level deprivation is associated with increased LOS for patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Future work to identify the specific health-related social needs contributing to LOS and identify targets for intervention is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repeated visits to clinical trial sites inflict hardships on study participants, especially pregnant women. A newer trend is community-based follow-up for measurements, dosage, or monitoring, through technology or physical visits. We conducted a methodological experiment of performing "community-based physical follow-up" of participants of a trial, receiving facility-based diagnosis and pathogen-specific antibiotics for asymptomatic bacteriuria, guided by an optical-sensor-based rapid point-of-care test. We were able to retain 95.8% participants in the study. Here we describe challenges faced and socio-economic and gender issues encountered in this approach in a low-resource Indian scenario, to guide researchers world-wide for designing mother-friendly clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates factors influencing students' commuting choices to university campuses, focusing on the post-COVID-19 era, attitudes, and socio-economic variables. The study includes original data collected from a total of 785 participants who were surveyed at Shiraz University, located in Iran. The study results indicate that while public transportation and university shuttle buses continue to be widely used for transportation, a considerable proportion of students prefer personal cars, mostly driven by favourable impressions. The closeness to the campus is a crucial factor in this regard, as the students residing within a distance of 3 km exhibit a preference for walking. Moreover, the significance of bio-security factors such as cleanliness and the effective control of crowds for modal choice in the post-COVID-19 era. The study's findings give valuable insights for service providers and university administrators in the development of sustainable commuting programmes that align with the university's environmental goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significant population of Chinese rural-to-urban migrant children has sparked considerable domestic and international concern regarding their disadvantaged family circumstances and their escalating prevalence of internalizing and externalizing problems. Derived from the resource substitution hypothesis, non-cognitive factors such as personality traits may act as "substitution" resources for educational outcomes of children from less privileged families. Yet, the compensatory role of personality traits as substitution resources in children's mental health has received limited attention, including that of migrant children. This study examined the interplay of trait-like grit and family SES on emotional and conduct problems among Chinese migrant and urban children. The current sample consisted of 770 migrant children (Mage = 10.45 and SDage = 0.68 years; 38.4% girls) and their 222 urban counterparts (Mage = 10.34 and SDage = 0.46 years; 45.5% girls). Moderated polynomial regressions with response surface analysis on a two-wave data with an interval of over six months showed that grit served as a "substitution" resource for the less socioeconomically advantaged children. The compensatory effect of perseverance of effort on urban children's emotional problems and that of consistency of interest on migrant children's conduct problems were visualized. Moreover, the two compensatory effects were found to be robust and unique, even after children's effortful control, a grit-related construct, was taken into account. These findings not only support the resource substitution hypothesis, but also underscore the protective role that grit plays in children under less privileged environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic abuse is a significant gender-based problem in Ghana and sub-Saharan Africa, but few studies explore the consequences of this type of abuse on women's lives and their coping strategies. This study examined the narratives of 16 Ghanaian women in intimate relationships who experienced economic abuse in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Upper East regions of Ghana. Results indicate economic abuse negatively affected female survivors' jobs, businesses, and food security and led to physical violence and adverse health implications. Some women coped by relying on external family networks, religion, and theft from husbands, while others trivialized their experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annual preventive care is essential for diabetes patients to reduce the risk of complications including hypoglycemic events and blindness. Our aim was to examine the relative efficiency of Diabetes Belt (DB) and non-Diabetes Belt (NDB) counties in providing recommended preventive care for Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes using available health professional resources and to understand county-level socioeconomic factors associated with inefficient provision of preventive care. A data envelopment analysis (DEA) model was developed to assess relative efficiency of counties in providing diabetes preventive care. Logistic regression was performed to identify socioeconomic characteristics associated with inefficiencies. We used Medicare claims data to extract individual-level information of diabetes preventive service use and obtained county-level estimates of health resources information from the Area Health Resources File. More than 80% of counties had more than 10% inefficiencies on average. Compared to counties in the NDB, the odds of being inefficient were 2.44 times more likely in the DB (OR 2.44, CI 1.67–3.58). Counties with lower median income, with a smaller proportion of non-Hispanic Black population, and in a rural area had higher odds of being inefficient in providing preventive care. Our DEA results showed that counties in the DB and NDB were mostly inefficient. The availability of care providers may be less of a problem than how efficiently the resources are used in providing preventive care. Identifying sources of inefficiency within each community with low resource utilization and developing targeted strategies is needed to improve uptake of preventive care cost-effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Social relationships are widely regarded as salubrious, but do they mediate the influence of childhood experiences on frailty in later life? Drawing from cumulative inequality theory, we assess the influence of childhood experiences and adult relationships on frailty trajectories. Methods: We analyzed data from the Health and Retirement Study to examine the influence of six domains of childhood experiences and social relationships on frailty trajectories over 8 years. Mediation analyses were completed with structural equation models. Results: Risky adolescent behavior, chronic disease, and impairments during childhood are associated directly with higher risk of initial frailty, but not over time. More social roles and higher social support mediate the relationship between childhood experiences and frailty, and the effect of more social roles continues over time. Discussion: This study provides compelling evidence that supportive social relationships mediate the risk and severity of frailty in later life associated with noxious childhood experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyse the mechanisms at play in the adjudications made by professionals and socially vulnerable patients with type 2 diabetes about their eligibility for care. The study included 14 patients and 10 health professionals in seven general practice surgeries in deprived areas in Greater Copenhagen. The study data consist of 17 semi-structured interviews with patients and 22 with health professionals immediately after observation of 23 consultations. Our analytical approach was inspired by Systematic Text Condensation and the concept of 'candidacy' for access to health care. Adjudications of patients not being candidates for services were common, but we also found that both patients and health professionals worked to align the services to the needs of the patients. This could include using services differently than was intended by the providers or by changing routines to make it easier for patients to use the services. We discuss these processes as 'tinkering'. This usually implies that the best individual solution for the patient is aimed for, and in this study, the best solution sometimes meant not focusing on diabetes. The study adds to existing knowledge about access to services for socially vulnerable patients by demonstrating that both patients and professionals in general practice engage in tinkering processes to make services work. Unequal use and benefits of health services play a significant role in relation to social inequality in health Flexibility in services and alternatives to school-like rehabilitation are needed to reduce inequality in access to health care Patients were sometimes judged as unsuitable for available routine services, but professionals 'tinkered' with services to make them fit Adaptation of services by professionals in general practice implies a longer time frame for obtaining goals [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The work of the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health has been fundamental to provide a conceptual framework of the social determinants of health. Based on this framework, this study assesses the relationship of income inequality as a determinant of neonatal mortality in the Americas and relates it to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal target 3.2 (reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 deaths per 1,000 live births). The rationale is to evaluate if income inequality may be considered a social factor that influences neonatal mortality in the Americas. Methods: Yearly data from 35 countries in the Americas during 2000–2019 was collected. Data sources include the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation for the neonatal mortality rate (measured as neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births) and the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research for the Gini index (measured in a scale from 0 to 100). This is an ecological study that employs a linear regression model that relates the neonatal mortality rate (dependent variable) to the Gini index (independent variable), while controlling for other factors that influence neonatal mortality. Coefficient estimates and their robust standard errors were obtained using panel data techniques. Results: A positive relationship between income inequality and neonatal mortality is found in countries in the Americas during the period studied. In particular, the analysis suggests that a unit increase in a country's Gini index during 2000–2019 is associated with a 0.27 (95% CI [− 0.04, 0.57], P =.09) increase in the neonatal mortality rate. Conclusion: The analysis suggests that income inequality may be positively associated with the neonatal mortality rate in the Americas. Nonetheless, given the modest magnitude of the estimates and Gini values and trends during 2000–2019, the findings suggest a potential limited scope for redistributive policies to support reductions in neonatal mortality in the region. Thus, policies and interventions that address higher coverage and quality of services provided by national health systems and reductions in socio-economic inequalities in health are of utmost importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]