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This paper examines how the absence of accessible healthcare intersects with the disproportionate burden that climate change places on marginalized communities. The paper reviews the current literature on the intersection of climate-related health crises and public policy, highlighting the lack of policies centered around this intersection. This review explores how the disproportionate impact of the current climate related health crisis on minority communities is a continuation of structural violence, inequality, and systemic neglect by both the government and public policy makers. Possible solutions, along with their practical and ethical limitations, are dissected. From a healthcare perspective, this paper emphasizes the need to highlight the incoming health crises, and to take measures to reform both healthcare and climate policies to tackle them.

There is recognition in the field of emergency medicine (EM) that social determinants of health (SDoH) are key drivers of patient care outcomes. Leaders in EM are calling for curricula integrating SDoH assessment and intervention, public health, and multidisciplinary approaches to EM care throughout medical school and residency. This intersection of SDoH and the emergency care system is known as social emergency medicine (SEM). Currently, there are few resources available for EM training programs to integrate this content; as a result, few EM trainees receive adequate education in SEM. To address this gap, we developed a four-part training in SEM tailored to EM residency programs and medical schools.This curriculum, known as RISE-EM (Resident Instruction in Social Emergency Medicine), uses video lectures, case examples, and group discussions to engage trainees and develop competency in providing sound care that is grounded in evidence-based principles of SEM. In the current study, we tested RISE-EM by delivering the video lectures to residents and medical students in two training programs. We administered pre- and post-course knowledge tests and a post-course participant attitudes survey to assess the acceptability and potential efficacy of the program for improving SEM knowledge and attitudes among EM learners.We found it to be both feasible and acceptable to introduce SEM content in residency conferences, with preliminary data showing statistically significant improvement in knowledge of the content and self-efficacy to apply it to their clinical practice. In summary, RISE-EM has been highly valued by EM learners and viewed as a strong supplement to their existing training, and it has been shown to successfully improve SEM knowledge and attitudes.

Trust is a fundamental element in decision-making processes. In medicine, trust also helps to build relationships between patients/clients and doctors (aesthetic surgeons) and will influence a woman's decision to undergo aesthetic/cosmetic surgery. Patients/clients, as well as aesthetic surgeons, use different ways to build trust. Our analyses are based on fifteen qualitative interviews with aesthetic surgeons, fifteen qualitative interviews with women who have undergone or are planning to undergo aesthetic surgery procedure(s) and non-participatory observations at the clinic of aesthetic surgery in the Czech Republic. Based on our analysis, three levels of trust were identified: macro level: trust in medicine as a social institution; meso level: a priori trust to the aesthetic surgeon; and micro level: trust in aesthetic surgeon and/or other medical staff in the process of medical aesthetic encounters. These results call for further studies outside of primary care and a deeper understanding of how these 'voluntary' medical specialties work and influence patients/clients and their 'treatment'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background : European society is becoming increasingly diverse due to high levels of migration. Persons with a migration background, especially those from non-western countries, may experience significant challenges when they seek medical care. Some of the main issues arise in the context of medical decision-making (MDM), where cultural preferences for close family involvement may be difficult to reconcile with the western model of medicine, as enshrined in health law and medical deontology. Aim : In this study we aim to shed light on the preferences of both patients and GPs regarding information disclosure and MDM responsibility, while also exploring how these preferences can be accommodated within the existing legal framework. Design : This study is multidisciplinary and brings together state-of-the-art expertise in health sciences, medical sociology, and health law. Methodology : A transversal research design and a tailored medico-socio-legal research methodology will be applied. The project uses a mixed-methods design, combining desk research and quantitative (factorial survey with hypothetical vignettes) and qualitative (focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and nominal group method) research methodologies. The research team will jointly review the results from the three perspectives, by using multiperspective qualitative methods. Discussion : This study is the first comprehensive and interdisciplinary research project on medical decision-making in patients with a migration background undertaken in the European context, bringing together state-of-the-art expertise in health sciences, medical sociology, and health law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While social medicine education is a long-established field of study within medical education,1 implementation has historically been through elective coursework making integration, assessment, and evaluation challenging. The launch of the novel Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine Gateway curriculum, with guiding principles that required curriculum content to be integrated, learning-centered, sustainable, competency-based, and outcomes-oriented, supported the creation of the Health Equity and Justice (HEJ) curriculum. This innovative curriculum adhered to the guiding principles, addressed the current limitations in social medicine education, and allowed for the flexibility that social medicine education requires. Additionally, the Gateway HEJ curriculum presented an opportunity to explore novel ways of assessing medical students, as well as illuminating additional opportunities for faculty development to ensure fidelity to the HEJ content. This paper includes the process of development as well as the lessons learned, limitations, and future plans for iterative improvements to the curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of social media in medicine offers unprecedented opportunities for social interaction. Activity on platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn plays crucial roles in various medical services, particularly regarding patients' access to information and healthcare services, medical education, and professional networking. However, the integration of social media into healthcare is not challenge-free and has certain pitfalls. In this article, we address several critical issues that compromise the reliability and effectiveness of social media as a professional healthcare resource, particularly in the field of radiology. We discuss possible solutions and tips and tricks to facilitate the use of this valuable tool to our advantage and in a reliable manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Research that investigates the negative health effects of stigma beyond the individual and interpersonal levels is increasingly using the concept of "structural stigma." This scoping review investigates how the concept of "structural stigma" has been used and operationalized in health-related literature to date in order to characterize its usage and inform future operationalizations. Methods: A systematic search and screening process identified peer-reviewed, English-language research articles that used the term "structural stigma" available prior to January 1, 2024 in five databases (i.e., PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL). Results: Of the 298 articles identified, over half (53%) were published from 2021 onward. Articles most commonly were set in the United States (n = 163, 55%), investigated stigma toward sexual minority people (n = 163, 55%), and cited the introduction of a special issue of Social Science & Medicine as their source of the concept (n = 84, 28%). Most articles (64%) used at least one additional conceptual framework, most commonly minority stress theory (n = 107, 36%). Quantitative operationalizations (n = 102) engaged most in the conceptual domain of laws and government-level policies, while qualitative operationalizations (n = 68) engaged most with institutional (i.e., non-government-level) policies, practices, and procedures. Conclusions: As the use of "structural stigma" is increasing, operationalizations can better leverage the concept's breadth and account for individuals' intersectional lived experiences. This will necessitate bridging across methodologies and bodies of research on related negative social processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, access to palliative care is a challenge for the majority of people with serious health suffering in India. Most of the existing palliative care services are available at tertiary healthcare facilities in urban areas. The National Program of Palliative Care (NPPC) envisages incorporating palliative care in undergraduate medical education to improve the knowledge and skills of primary care physicians to provide quality palliative care in the home setting of patients. Additionally, NPPC also aims to promote community awareness and ownership in palliative care. Community-based palliative care (CBPC) provides holistic support for patients with serious illnesses. This position statement intends to address possible considerations on the role of the Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine (IAPSM) on CBPC in the country. A team of members of IAPSM trained in essential palliative care attempted to develop this position statement. The team explored the existing status of palliative care in India and feasible solutions through IAPSM for CBPC by the objectives of NPPC. The team applied and analyzed the WHO framework of public health approach to palliative care – amalgamation in primary health care, integration with specialists for continuum of care, public awareness, training of primary care physicians and community volunteers, and supportive supervision in community initiatives. IAPSM can effectively contribute to CBPC through capacity building of the primary health care team, awareness generation, promoting community ownership, and development of standards of care through community-based research. Implementing the aforementioned recommendations would contribute to achieving the target of Sustainable Development Goal 3.8, which addresses the need for pain relief and palliative care to all needy patients. The IAPSM recognizes palliative care as a vital component of Universal Health Coverage and holds the capacity to bring about substantial changes in the promotion of CBPC in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: One of the biggest limitations faced by autistic people is the lack of knowledge of their condition. Our study aims to evaluate and discuss the knowledge of autism among nurses, which is a social and health category often in close contact with autistic people. Objective: Given the limited exploration of awareness levels about autism among healthcare professionals, this study aims to investigate general and specific knowledge of autism within a group of nursing students enrolled in a master's degree. Methods: A total of 66 nurses completed the questionnaire. Descriptive analyses were conducted on the results for the four subcomponents of the questionnaire: (i) general knowledge, (ii) symptomatology, (iii) screening and diagnosis, and (iv) intervention and treatment. A correlation analysis was performed between the participants' demographic variables and questionnaire scores. Additionally, a multivariable logistic regression was conducted to analyze the association between the participants' basic demographic characteristics and questionnaire scores. Results: Results showed a good percentage of correct answers in the "general knowledge" category. Furthermore, a good level of knowledge regarding the fact that ASD is a developmental disorder and a congenital disease also emerged. Conclusions: Regarding the knowledge of typical autism symptoms, participants answered most of the questions correctly. Correct answers decreased for questions related to screening and diagnosis. In particular, participants had limited knowledge of the DSM-5 and the timing of ASD diagnosis. Similar levels of knowledge were observed for the fourth category, "intervention and treatment". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates prospective fathers' reaction to epigenetics and its implications for heredity. Mounting scientific evidence that epigenetic changes transmit through fathers, not just mothers, makes it important to learn how men regard their inheritance conceptually and its relevance for their behavior. This study features in-depth interviews with 31 prospective fathers in Canada. About one-third of respondents had heard of epigenetics, but only one had substantial knowledge. After a non-technical explanation, virtually all found epigenetics plausible, though to varying degrees and with varying mental models of how epigenetic inheritance would work. Nearly all expressed a strong desire to follow whatever behaviors would improve the health of their future children, even lifestyle changes, thus re-aligning responsible fatherhood with new scientific findings. This demonstrates the new concept of genetic subjectivity: socially conditioned attitudes and normative agency based on genetic science. Implications for the ontology of gendered inheritance and social relations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the social dimensions of healthcare (decision-making) behaviour lacks a foundational theory. Using extant studies, this paper argues and demonstrates that their results can be placed on the social manifold that is spanned by the four idealistic poles described by Durkheim's (On Suicide, 1897) work 'On Suicide' and that these poles can therefore be extended to theoretically represent four ideal types (meanings) of healthcare choice: altruistic choice (excessive integration), egoistic choice (absence of integration), fatalistic choice (excessive regulation), and anomic choice (absence of regulation). By using Bearman's (Sociological Forum 6(3): 501–524, 1991) structural model of suicide, this social manifold is theoretically unfolded by representing all possible tangible (network) structures as a function of integration and regulation, which additionally amplifies and extends Durkheim's theory. This approach builds upon Pescosolido's (Advances in Medical Sociology 3(1):161–184, 1991) Network Episode Model and provides opportunity to connect it further to the Social Symbiome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Early Childhood is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This interview describes Dr. George E. Dickinson’s career and research in the field of death and dying. He discusses how he first became interested in the topic through his students and how he has conducted extensive longitudinal studies on death and dying education in medical schools over the past 50 years. He talks about the changes he has seen in the field, with more courses and programmes being offered, and how the sociological perspective he brings is important in understanding death and dying. Dickinson also shares his personal experiences and views on death, including how his work has influenced his own acceptance of mortality. He describes plans for continuing his research, such as studying children’s perceptions of death and animals’ reactions to death. Additionally, Dickinson discusses the challenges he has faced in the field, such as colleagues who are uncomfortable with the topic and how he has managed his own mental health while examining difficult subjects. Overall, the transcription provides a detailed account of Dickinson’s influential career in the field of death and dying, his research contributions, and his personal reflections on the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Homelessness is a visible manifestation of large-scale societal challenges, such as lack of affordable housing, poverty, and health inequities. Governments may miss opportunities to address these structural problems by removing people experiencing homelessness from public spaces. On 29 November 2022, after a press conference by Mayor Eric Adams, the city of New York issued a directive entitled Mental Health Involuntary Removals. The program authorized mental health providers and NYPD officers to take any person into custody who appears mentally ill and displays inability to meet basic living needs, even when no dangerous act has been observed. Methods: We reviewed the existing literature from 1973 to 2023 for studies, enacted legislation, state and federal policies, and interventions related to homelessness, mental health, and admission of people experiencing homelessness into psychiatric hospitals in the United States. We used academic databases, including PubMed, PsycInfo, and JSTOR for peer-reviewed articles, government reports, and policy analyses. Our search strategy included keyword combinations such as "homelessness and mental health," "policy interventions for homeless populations," and "health care services costs." We applied inclusion criteria focusing on reports and articles that directly address the intersectionality of homelessness, mental health policy, and psychiatric care. Results: Homelessness and mental illness frequently intersect, creating complex challenges that require nuanced solutions. Forced hospitalization of people experiencing homelessness in New York City, while intended to address critical social and health care issues, carries a risk for significant long-term harm. This approach places strain on the mental health care system and may ultimately exacerbate the problems it purports to resolve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zentralblatt fuer Arbeitsmedizin, Arbeitsschutz und Ergonomie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Postnatal experience is one of the most under-researched areas within medical sociology and anthropology scholarship in India. Using a qualitative lens, this study examines the postnatal experiences of a particular class of working mothers in Bengaluru, one of India's fastest-growing cities. Through in-depth interviews, the study demonstrates that the postnatal experience of working mothers is layered with social and cultural factors. The findings also revealed that after the delivery, the child is prioritised over the mother, who hardly receives any mental support from her spouse, family members or external network ties. Additionally, these working mothers are often criticised for neglecting motherhood responsibilities and instead focusing on their careers. Expanding the scholarship on postnatal experience, this article highlights the mental agonies and issues faced by working mothers in urban India, as well as in privileged classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-state transition model is typically used to analyze longitudinal data in medicine and sociology. Moreover, variables in longitudinal studies usually are error-prone, and random effects are heterogeneous, which will result in biased estimates of the interest parameters. This article is intended to estimate the parameters of the multi-state transition model for longitudinal data with measurement error and heterogeneous random effects and further consider the covariate related to the covariance matrix of random effects is also error-prone when the covariate in the transition model is error-prone. We model the covariance matrix of random effects through the modified Cholesky decomposition and propose a pseudo-likelihood method based on the Monte Carlo expectation-maximization algorithm and the Bayesian method based on Markov Chain Monte Carlo to infer and calculate the whole estimates. Meanwhile, we obtain the asymptotic properties and evaluate the finite sample performance of the proposed method by simulation, which is well in terms of Bias, RMSE, and coverage rate of confidence intervals. In addition, we apply the proposed method to the MFUS data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document is a supplement to the Oncology Research & Treatment journal, providing information about the annual conference of the German, Austrian, and Swiss Societies for Hematology and Medical Oncology. It includes details about the conference location, dates, organizers, and key speakers. The journal aims to offer a platform for interdisciplinary cancer research and treatment, covering various aspects of medical oncology, surgery, diagnostics, and rehabilitation. It is targeted towards clinicians and practitioners in the field of hematology and oncology, providing peer-reviewed articles and clinical news to keep them informed. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Sport & Tourism Central European Journal / Sport i Turystyka Srodkowoeuropejskie Czasopismo Naukowe is the property of Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Workers in labor unions have better access to high-quality health insurance plans, better pensions, and higher wages leading to increased lifetime earnings likely leading to better health. Additionally, much of the gendered hiring, promotion, and wage discrimination faced by women in the workplace is dependent on social characteristics (marital status and/or their status as a mother). While many of the benefits associated with union membership can potentially buffer the gendered workplace inequalities that lead to poorer health outcomes, unions have been largely ignored in health disparities literature. Using 28 waves of data (N = 3,409) from The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979, this study creates a lifetime "union tenure" variable, tests its relationship to midlife physical and mental health, and tests ways in which motherhood and marital status may moderate this relationship. Findings suggest that long-term union membership is associated with better physical health among mothers but does not have a significant benefit for women without children. Further, in fully controlled models, this relationship is not dependent on marital status and both married and unmarried mothers see a union tenure health benefit. This study provides insight into how union membership may play a role in improving the midlife health of working mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers and practitioners in financial services utilize a wide range of empirical techniques to assess risk and value. In cases where known performance is used to predict future performance of a new asset, the risk of bias is present when samples are uncontrolled by the analyst. Propensity score matching is a statistical methodology commonly used in medical and social science research to address issues related to experimental design when random assignment of cases is not possible. This common method has been almost absent from financial risk modeling and portfolio underwriting, primarily due to the different objectives for this sector relative to medicine and social sciences. In this application note, we demonstrate how propensity score matching can be considered as a practical tool to inform portfolio underwriting outside of experimental design. Using a portfolio of distressed consumer credit accounts, we demonstrate that propensity score matching can be used to predict both account-level and portfolio-level risk and argue that propensity score matching should be included in the methodological toolbox of researchers and practitioners engaged in risk modeling and valuation activities of portfolios of consumer assets, particularly in contexts with limited observations, a large number of potential modeling features, or highly imbalanced covariates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term "Medically Unexplained Symptoms" (MUS) describes chronic symptoms for which medical investigations fail to reveal a specific pathology or biomarker. Even as MUS are among the most prevalent chronic health problems in the global north, patients who experience them reside in a nebulous space. Such nebulousness is heightened for women patients. Moreover, women report MUS at higher rates than men. In this review essay, we analyze the medicalization and feminization processes vis-à-vis MUS by focusing on two particular syndromes: Fibromyalgia (FMS) and Long COVID (LC). FMS and LC present clear parallels that allow us to trace an unhappy marriage of women and MUS. We demonstrate how the medical constructions of these two syndromes as knowledge categories are representations of medical uncertainty vis-a-vis women patients. We then scrutinize the resulting gendered consequences of these categories for the illness experience. We conclude our review by calling for a cultural reorientation in our thinking about MUS that centers a recognition that the origins and manifestations of a great deal of human suffering reside outside of medicine's ways of knowing. In so doing, we connect to foundational claims in medical anthropology and sociology; namely, that illness is more than disease, and health cannot be achieved primarily via biomedical means. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical sociologists have much to gain by bringing in global health. In this article, I make the case for expanding our field by furthering sociological perspectives on global health. I reflect on my career, the influence of scholar-activist mentors, and my contributions to the development of scholarship about medicalization, narrative, and global health in medical sociology. First, I focus on medicalization, its relationship to biomedicalization and pharmaceuticalization, and critiques of the medicalization of global health. Second, I analyze the narrative turn in studies of illness experiences and the inclusion of visual materials as an integral part of narrative studies of illness. Third, I explore global health and show examples of bodies of knowledge that medical sociologists are building. Although I present each as a distinct area, my discussion illustrates how the three areas are intertwined and how my contributions to each traverse and build connections among them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Social Affairs is the property of Journal of Social Affairs and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This review explores the pivotal role that American sociology plays in addressing professional concerns, ethical practices, and its broader societal impact. It provides an in-depth examination of the historical evolution of the discipline, its involvement with public sociology, and its significant contributions to social discourse and policy formulation. The review meticulously addresses professional concerns such as the division of labor within the field, the increasing corporatization of research endeavours, and the integration of advanced technology into sociological research. Ethical practices are scrutinized as well, focusing on research ethics, data privacy, and the principles of responsible conduct in research. Moreover, the review underscores the profound societal impact of American sociology in various areas, including medical sociology, internet research methodologies, and social welfare institutions. It also looks ahead to future directions for the discipline, highlighting the importance of public engagement, the growth of digital sociology, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations, and the continuous refinement of ethical frameworks. Through this comprehensive examination, the review aims to illuminate the essential contributions of American sociology to both the academic community and society at large, while also suggesting pathways for its future development and increased relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discourse on death and many indigenous African mortuary practices have received critical attention and scholarship. However, little attention has been paid to indigenous African burial practices in relation to public health, disease and crime control. This article explores how forms and causes of death determine social control systems and medical philosophies of interment in Cameroon. The paper focuses on the philosophical foundations birthing the PfenəMbvmə (the bottomless burial site) in Kedjom-Keku. Using critical analysis of oral interviews, archival records and extant literature, we unveil how burial practices have contributed to the philosophy of medicine and history of social change in Cameroon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compare the social determinants of health (SDOH) and the social determination of health (SDET) from the school of Latin American Social Medicine/Collective Health. Whereas SDET acknowledges how capitalist rule continues to shape global structures and public health concerns, SDOH proffers neoliberal solutions that obscure much of the violence and dispossession that influence contemporary migration and health‐disease experiences. Working in simultaneous ethnographic teams, the researchers here interviewed Honduran migrants in their respective sites of Honduras, Mexico, and the United States. These interlocutors connected their experiences of disaster and health‐disease to lack of economic resources and political corruption. Accordingly, we provide an elucidation of the liberal and dehumanizing foundations of SDOH by relying on theorizations from Africana philosophy and argue that the social determination of health model better captures the intersecting historical inequalities that structure relationships between climate, health‐disease, and violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This commentary on the special issue of Global Public Health on structural competency in global perspective asks: what is specific to the U.S. about structural competency, and what is its utility beyond the U.S., especially in the ‘global south’? Why are biomedical practitioners the focus of U.S. structural competency? And what can U.S. structural competency advocates learn from the deep and rich social medicine traditions of Latin America? And is there anything that Latin American and other non-U.S. social medicine traditions might learn from U.S. structural competency? The commentary identifies the crucial insights from international comparisons include that racial justice movements are Social Medicine innovators in the U.S., that cultivating allies within biomedicine can enhance the impact of community health movements, and that cross-fertilising U.S. Structural Competency and social medicine traditions across regions should be a priority for the fields.

This special issue aims to help fill two critical gaps in the growing literature as well as in practice. First, to bring together scholars and practitioners from around the world who develop, practice, review, and question structural competency with the aim of promoting a dialogue with related approaches, such as Latin American Social Medicine, Collective Health, and others, which have been key in diverse geographical and social settings. Second, to contribute to expanding structural competency beyond clinical medicine to include other health-related areas such as social work, global health, public health practice, epidemiological research, health policy, community organisation and beyond. This conceptual expansion is currently taking place in structural competency, and we hope that this volume will help to raise awareness and reinforce what is already happening. In sum, this collection of articles puts structural competency more rigorously and actively in conversation with different geographic, political, social, and professional contexts worldwide. We hope this conversation sparks further development in scholarly, political and community movements for social and health justice.

PurposeThe purpose of the current study, The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Health in Early and Adult Life (SHINE), was to build on the landmark Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD), a longitudinal birth cohort initiated in 1991, by conducting a health-focused follow-up of the now adult participants. This effort has produced an invaluable resource for the pursuit of life course research examining links between early life risk and resilience factors and adulthood health and disease risk.ParticipantsOf the 927 NICHD SECCYD participants available for recruitment in the current study, 705 (76.1%) participated in the study. Participants were between 26 and 31 years and living in diverse geographic locations throughout the USA.Findings to dateIn descriptive analyses, the sample exhibited risk on health status indicators, especially related to obesity, hypertension and diabetes. Of particular concern, the prevalence of hypertension (29.4%) and diabetes (25.8%) exceeded national estimates in similar-age individuals. Health behaviour indicators generally tracked with the parameters of poor health status, showing a pattern of poor diet, low activity and disrupted sleep. The juxtaposition of the sample's relatively young age (mean=28.6 years) and high educational status (55.6% college educated or greater) with its poor health status is noteworthy, suggesting a dissociation between health and factors that are typically health protective. This is consistent with observed population health trends, which show a worsening of cardiometabolic health status in younger generations of Americans.Future plansThe current study, SHINE, lays the groundwork for future analyses in which the uniquely robust measures collected as a part of the original NICHD SECCYD will be leveraged to pinpoint specific early life risk and resilience factors as well as the correlates and potential mechanisms accounting for variability in health and disease risk indicators in young adulthood.

Chronic pain is a debilitating condition that profoundly and persistently affects individuals' lives. Managing chronic pain presents complex challenges, and a growing body of literature underscores the pivotal role of social support in its management and its implications for treatment and rehabilitation. Gaining an understanding of the multifaceted aspects of social support in chronic pain management can contribute to the development of more effective interventions and strategies to enhance the lives of those impacted by chronic pain. However, at present, systematic reviews that investigate the correlation between social support and chronic pain are lacking. This paper presents a scoping review of 56 relevant literature sources, with the aim of improving our comprehension of the relationship between chronic pain and social support. The review comprehensively examines common types of evidence, particularly on inconsistencies in research tools within this field of study and divergent concepts of social support related to chronic pain. The paper delves into the correlation model between social support and chronic pain, explores relevant mechanisms, and emphasizes the differences found among relevant studies. By synthesizing these findings, the review emphasizes potential areas for further research and exploration, facilitating future studies and the development of new approaches in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discuss the concept of a 'body', the individual body as the lived experience of the body, the social body, shaped by the tensions between the demands of a social/moral order and the egocentric drives, and the body politic, as an institutionalized and disciplined body. We describe the body as it was perceived in Classical Greek Antiquity at the time when the Hippocratic Oath was first conceived, and any changes that may have occurred by Late Antiquity, using the concept of a body-world as represented by everyday life, the arts, politics, philosophy, and religion. This 'recreated' body-world elucidates how a person of Classical or Late Antiquity perceived her/his body via their 'lived-in' world and relates it to medical and philosophical thinking about the body as well as to concepts of health and disease. We demonstrate how the institutional structures of the Roman Empire and the Church influenced the way a body was understood, how the administrative and governmental needs led to the first developments of Public Health, and how the Christian understanding of the body as the body and spirit of Christ changed the attitude towards suicide, euthanasia, and abortion. These changes are reflected in the understanding of bioethical thinking and affected the interpretation of the Hippocratic Oath. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reflects on a special edition of the journal History of Psychiatry and a related symposium held at Somerville College, Oxford, exploring the innovations in mental healthcare in Oxfordshire led by Dr Bertram Mandelbrote between 1959 and 1988. I draw on clinical culture, biography, mental health policy and my lived experience to understand Mandelbrote's life and work, and his legacy and lessons for contemporary psychiatrists. I explore the ecological niche that Mandelbrote created and conclude with the probable importance of his relationship with Professor Michael Gelder, who led the University of Oxford Department of Psychiatry at the time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this wide-ranging interview Graham Scambler provides an overview of his long academic career. He discusses how he became a medical sociologist, his early work on epilepsy and stigma, his part in the development of sociology textbooks for medical students, the diversity of his work and his many collaborations, his 'theoretical turn', his longstanding interest in critical realism and his attitude to 'bridge building' between philosophy and empirical work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global aging is rapidly accelerating, which significantly influences the health systems worldwide. Frailty emerges as the most conspicuous hallmark of aging, imposing novel global health challenges. Characterized by a multifaceted decline across physiological system, frailty diminishes an individual's capacity to maintain equilibrium in the presence of stressors, which leads to adverse outcomes such as falls, delirium, and disability. Several screening tools and interventions have been developed to mitigate the harm caused by frailty to human health, but research on frailty in mainland China commences belatedly with scant studies conducted. Therefore, it is imperative to explore screening methods and treatment modalities tailored to the Chinese context, thereby enhancing the older adults' quality of life and advancing social medicine. This review aims to elucidate the evolution, diagnosis, and management of frailty, alongside the challenges it poses, with the overarching goal of guiding future diagnostic and therapeutic endeavors. Specifically, we summarized the mechanisms of frailty and intervention strategies in elderly people, and meanwhile, we evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of different measurement tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This article explores the interplay between social medicine and medical anthropology in shaping global mental health perspectives. Methods: In this review, the author has reviewed pertinent topics about the interplay between social medicine and medical anthropology as reflected in his professional work presented in a 2023 special issue of Daedalus and a special lecture delivered to the Taiwanese Society of Psychiatry in June 2024. Results: How societal factors such as economic disparity, gender norms, ethnic conflicts, and global cultural shifts significantly influence mental health outcomes are highlighted. The discussion extends to the mental health repercussions of COVID-19 pandemic, the implications of aging populations, and the growing prevalence of dementia. In addition, the article critiques current mental health strategies, advocating for a broader approach that integrates social, cultural, and economic interventions. The role of community-based care is emphasized, with a particular focus on the effectiveness of community health workers in delivering mental health services. This piece calls for a reevaluation of psychiatric practices to more comprehensively address the complexities of global mental health, urging a move toward structurally and culturally sensitive care solutions. Conclusion: Psychiatry needs to change and will change, owing to global forces and new research that are creating a different kind of mental health-care system for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cuadernos Médico Sociales is the property of Colegio Medico de Chile (A.G.) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Cuadernos Médico Sociales is the property of Colegio Medico de Chile (A.G.) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Soziologische Revue is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian medical innovation ecosystem confronted substantial challenges in meeting the pressing healthcare requirements of the nation. These challenges demand a comprehensive examination to discern the critical issues in Indian Medical Sociology about medical innovations. The primary objective of this study is to assess the intricate interplay between the approaches employed in drug and vaccine development and their consequential effects on affordability and accessibility. Concurrently, it aims to evaluate the efficacy of the existing policy measures affecting social divisions that have emerged because the supply-driven health system has exacerbated. A qualitative research methodology has been adopted for this inquiry, utilising thematic analysis to dissect the intricacies of the Indian medical innovation ecosystem. The study unfurls the following noteworthy discoveries that contribute to a nuanced understanding of the landscape: (a) it becomes evident that the predominant focus within the Indian medical innovation ecosystem revolves around creating affordable medical technologies and pharmaceuticals, often overshadowing the pursuit of cutting-edge advancements. (b) The strategies employed in developing drugs and vaccines exhibit a conspicuous inclination towards products that promise higher profits, subsequently giving rise to issues associated with affordability and accessibility. (c) While policy measures have been implemented with the intent of addressing the concern of affordability, their actual efficacy in ensuring equitable access to medical innovations raises significant doubts. (d) A discernible imbalance emerges between India's industrial and public health priorities, with economic growth overshadowing the imperative of bridging the existing social disparities. These insights collectively underline the imperative for strategic policy interventions, a more balanced approach to development, and establishing a multi-institutional framework. These actions are essential to confront the challenges related to affordability, accessibility and the aggravated social divisions that persist within the ecosystem. The study brings out the indispensable importance of cultivating a socially responsible and all-encompassing medical innovation ecosystem, not only as a means to address the prevailing healthcare challenges but also to foster an environment that guarantees equitable access to transformative medical innovations for all segments of society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background. The newly introduced 'Elective programme', a voluntary special study module in the final phase of the undergraduate medical curriculum, offers scope for new immersive, self-directed learning opportunities. We describe a programme of study for learning 'medical sociology' through the innovative use of humanities in medicine. Methods. Our elective module, called 'Community Health and Rock Music' (CHaRM), was a 2-week programme, merging the curricular subject of community health with 'rock music' as an exposure to the 'counter-culture' outside of the medical world. The half-day sessions consisted of: (i) watching/listening to a rock song-video without reading its lyrics; (ii) listening to the same song again but with lyrics; (iii) undertaking an emotionally stimulating activity (watching a movie, making a site-visit, etc.); and (iv) debriefing, to identify/discuss the underlying social determinants of health and their relevance in the grooming of a socially aware medical student. Formative assessment was intended to gauge levels of expression of the affective domain (attitude/emotions). Results. Seven of 143 students volunteered for this programme. Key learnings were a clear appreciation of the societal determinants of health (such as deprivation/discrimination/social structures); multi-level causation of diseases; social issues not addressed in traditional medical curriculum; personal growth; teamwork; and the role of empathy in medical practice. Additional learning was the exposure to the 'counter-culture of arts'. All 7 student assessments 'met expectation', with 4 of them 'exceeding expectation'. Conclusion. An 'elective programme' combining humanities with medicine is potentially an innovative, studentcentric and replicable model of learning that impacts the affective domain critical for doctors-in-training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundDelivering primary care services within the context of rapid urbanization and a changing disease burden is a major challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. Rural models of primary care, including the “Community-based Health Planning and Services” (CHPS) programme in Ghana, have shown improved health outcomes. However, adapting these to the urban context has proved problematic. Differences in the determinants of health found in these settings may help to explain the challenges of delivering CHPS in poor urban neighborhoods in Accra. To inform the redesign of CHPS for the urban context, we aimed to understand the determinants driving health and engagement with health services in three informal settlements in Accra.MethodsThis study formed a reconnaissance phase for a subsequent participatory action research study. We used qualitative and participatory methods to explore the influence of wider and proximal determinants on health and the use and perceptions of CHPS. Three transect walks with community leaders across the study settings informed interview guides and the recruitment of suitable participants for key informant and focus group interviews. Using a Framework Approach, we analysed transcripts and reports from these activities and developed themes and sub-themes in participants’ experiences accessing healthcare.ResultsOur findings highlight the importance of wider and proximal determinants of health including physical environment, gender and other social stratifiers including age, ethnicity, religion and disability, on health, health seeking behavior and personal behaviors such as substance misuse, tobacco use and alcohol. Utilization of CHPS was low and seen primarily as a service for maternal and child health. Private providers, ranging from informal drug stores to private clinics, were used most commonly. Community leaders and groups were active, but engagement was limited by opportunity costs for members.ConclusionTraditional service delivery packages need to be adapted to include non-communicable diseases driven by risk behaviors such as tobacco, unhealthy diet, alcohol and substance abuse. Assets such as volunteerism and nurses embedded within communities are challenging to attain in complex urban settings, yet other assets exist including occupational associations and a range of informal and private providers that could support delivery of preventive and promotive health care with equitable reach.

Abstract: During the pandemic, Latin American countries suffered the collapse of their health systems. This was caused by the high demand for care of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, which was added to the care of patients with other diseases. The significant increase in demand for health services caused medical and laboratory supplies to decline rapidly. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated a health crisis in several developing countries, mainly caused by insufficient systematic policies for integrating scientific knowledge. The current Colombian government must formulate a Biotechnological or Biosecurity Sovereignty Law that guarantees scientific autonomy, ensuring that Colombia is self-sufficient in Science, Technology, and Innovation. Colombian government should also focus on establishing and developing pharmaceutical chemical production by acquiring active chemical ingredients from other countries. This strategy could reduce the production costs and final prices of medicines, as well as generate high-level employment and wealth for the country. In this way, the Colombian government could prevent shortage of essential medicines and excessive price increases by commercial intermediation. In conclusion, the manuscript focuses on the lack of biotechnological sovereignty in Colombia. We propose a model of a Latin American Science and Technology ecosystem to achieve biotechnological sovereignty via state funding of research, strengthening universities, and fostering participation among private companies and Ministries of Science, Education, Trade, and Health. Scientific autonomy based on innovative processes that strengthen biotechnological independence can contribute to the economy by generating gross added value, creating high-quality employment, and facilitating the appropriation and social dissemination of knowledge, and cost reduction.