Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions Reduce the Incidence, and Mortality of COVID-19: A Study based on the Survey from the International COVID-19 Research Network (ICRN)

Background The recently emerged novel coronavirus, “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)”, caused a highly contagious disease called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It has severely damaged the world's most developed countries and has turned into a major threat for low- and middle-income countries. Since its emergence in late 2019, medical interventions have been substantial, and most countries relied on public health measures collectively known as nonpharmaceutical interventions. Aims To centralize the accumulative knowledge on non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) against COVID-19 for each country under one worldwide consortium. Methods International COVID-19 Research Network collaborators developed a cross-sectional online-survey to assess the implications of NPIs and sanitary supply on incidence and mortality of COVID-19. Survey was conducted between January 1 and February 1, 2021, and participants from 92 countries/territories completed it. The association between NPIs, sanitation supplies and incidence and mortality were examined by multivariate regression, with log-transformed value of population as an offset value. Results Majority of countries/territories applied several preventive strategies including social distancing (100.0%), quarantine (100.0%), isolation (98.9%), and school closure (97.8%). Individual-level preventive measures such as personal hygiene (100.0%) and wearing facial mask (94.6% at hospital; 93.5% at mass transportation; 91.3% in mass gathering facilities) were also frequently applied. Quarantine at a designated place was negatively associated with incidence and mortality compared to home quarantine. Isolation at a designated place was also associated with reduced mortality compared to home isolation. Recommendations to use sanitizer for personal hygiene reduced incidence compared to recommendation to use soap did. Deprivation of mask was associated with increased incidence. Higher incidence and mortality were found in countries/territories with higher economic level. Mask deprivation was pervasive regardless of economic level. Conclusion NPIs against COVID-19 such as using sanitizer, quarantine, and isolation can decrease incidence and mortality of COVID-19

Health inequalities in children: a comprehensive review

Health inequalities, defined as systematic, avoidable, and unfair differences in health outcomes between populations, pose a major challenge to public health. This review examined how socioeconomic status, geographical location, and educational attainment affect children’s physical and mental health. It also highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these inequalities. Children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds experience less access to healthcare and a higher rate of chronic diseases compared to those from higher socioeconomic backgrounds. Differences in geographical location also increase these gaps, particularly in rural or underdeveloped areas where resources are limited. Limitations in Educational attainment also have a further impact on health by limiting opportunities for health literacy and access to services. The present review explores interventions implemented by governments, hospitals, and schools to address these disparities. While nutritional programs and hospital-based initiatives have achieved some positive progress, challenges remain due to inconsistencies in implementation and funding allocation. In particular, differences in oral health and access to cancer care highlight gaps in existing measures. To overcome these disparities, a coordinated strategy that tackles the socioeconomic determinants of health is required. Politicians, healthcare providers, and educators must work together to guarantee fair allocation of resources and services. Thus, sustained commitment to these activities is required to ensure a healthier and more equitable future for all children.</p

Additional file 1 of Social media use and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in young adults: a meta-analysis of 14 cross-sectional studies

Additional file 1

Second-hand smoking and depressive symptoms among in-school adolescents

Introduction: Smoking has been linked with depressive symptoms in adolescents but data on second-hand smoking (SHS) and depressive symptoms in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are scarce. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the association between SHS and depressive symptoms among in-school adolescents from 22 LMICs. Methods: Data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) 2003-2008 were analyzed in June 2019. Data on past-week exposure to second-hand smoke and past-year depressive symptoms were collected. The association between SHS and depressive symptoms was studied using multivariable logistic regressions and meta-analyses. Results: The sample consisted of 37,505 adolescents aged 12-15 years who never smoked. The prevalence of depressive symptoms increased from 23.0% in adolescents with no SHS to 28.9% in those with SHS everyday in the past week. After adjusting for sex, age, food insecurity, and country, there was a dose-response relationship between SHS and depressive symptoms in the overall sample [0 day: reference; 1-2 days: OR=1.06 (95%CI=0.95-1.18); 3-6 days: OR=1.38 (95%CI=1.20-1.58); 7 days: OR=1.63 (95%CI=1.44-1.86)]. Finally, the country-wise analysis showed that SHS on at least 3 days (vs. <3 days) in the past week was associated with a 1.48-fold increase in the odds of depressive symptoms (95%CI=1.39-1.59), with a low level of between-country heterogeneity (I2=4.2%). Conclusions: There was a positive association between SHS and depressive symptoms among in-school adolescents from LMICs. Further research should investigate causality and assess whether prevention of exposure to second-hand smoke can have a positive effect on the mental well-being of adolescents

Additional file 2 of Social media use and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in young adults: a meta-analysis of 14 cross-sectional studies

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Association between osteoarthritis and the incidence of Parkinson’s disease in the United Kingdom

Background- Little is known on the potential relationship between osteoarthritis and Parkinson’s disease. Objective- Therefore, the objective of this retrospective cohort study was to analyze the association between osteoarthritis and the incidence of Parkinson’s disease in patients followed up for up to 10 years in general practices in the United Kingdom. Methods- This study included patients diagnosed for the first time with osteoarthritis in one of 256 general practices in the United Kingdom between 2000 and 2016 (index date). Patients without osteoarthritis were matched (1:1) to those with osteoarthritis using propensity scores based on sex, age and index year. In individuals without osteoarthritis, index date corresponded to a randomly selected visit date. The outcome of this study was the 10-year cumulative incidence of Parkinson’s disease in patients with and without osteoarthritis. Cox regression analyses were adjusted for common comorbidities. Results- This study included 260,224 patients (62.0% women; mean [SD] age 66.4 [12.7] years). The 10-year cumulative incidence of Parkinson’s disease was 1.2% in patients with osteoarthritis and 0.6% in their counterparts without osteoarthritis (log-rank p-value < 0.001). The adjusted Cox regression model further showed a positive and significant association between osteoarthritis and the incidence of Parkinson’s disease (HR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.63–2.02). Similar results were obtained in all sex and age subgroups. Conclusions- In this retrospective cohort study conducted in the United Kingdom, there was a positive association between osteoarthritis and the incidence of Parkinson’s disease. More research is warranted to confirm or refute these findings in other settings and countries

Sexual minority status and psychotic experiences among young adult college students in the United States

2020–2021 Healthy Minds Study, and used multivariable logistic regression to examine the associations between sexual minority status and psychotic experiences, adjusting for age, gender, and race/ethnicity. We then tested whether psychosocial factors accounted for the association. Sexual minority status was associated with 1.87 times greater odds of having psychotic experiences over the past 12 months (aOR: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.77–1.99; N = 110,551). Several factors mediated the association between sexual orientation and psychotic experiences such as loneliness (26.93%), anxiety (30.90%), depression (33.18%), and marijuana use (13.95%); all factors together accounted for 59.01% of the association between sexual minority status and psychotic experiences. Food insecurity, recent abuse, and discrimination did not significantly mediate the association. Findings should raise clinical awareness that psychotic experiences are more common among sexual minorities than among heterosexuals, which is largely explained by mental health factors, calling for targeted outreach and intervention

Food insecurity and mental health among young adult college students in the United States

Background- Food insecurity is prevalent among college students in the United States and has been associated with mental health problems. However, the literature is not entirely consistent and is missing key aspects of mental health. Methods- Using cross-sectional data from the Health Minds Study (N= 96379; September 2020 – June 2021), we used multivariable logistic regression to examine associations between food insecurity and several aspects of mental health (i.e., depression, anxiety, languishing, perceived need, loneliness, self-injurious behaviors), adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, financial distress, and parental education. Results- Multivariable logistic regression models showed that food insecurity was associated with greater odds of having depression, anxiety, languishing, perceived need for help, loneliness, and self-injurious behaviors. Conclusion- This study found evidence to suggest that food insecurity is related to poor mental health in a large sample of young adult college students in the United States, calling for targeted interventions

Prevalence of and factors associated with long-term sick leave in working-age adults with osteoarthritis: a retrospective cohort study conducted in Germany

Purpose: Little is known about the impact of osteoarthritis on the long-term work participation of working-age adults. Therefore, the goal of this study was to investigate the prevalence of and the factors associated with long-term sick leave in people newly diagnosed with osteoarthritis from Germany. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients aged 18-65 years diagnosed with osteoarthritis for the first time (index date) in 1 of 1198 general practices in Germany between 2016 and 2019 (Disease Analyzer database, IQVIA). Patients were considered to be on long-term sick leave if they were absent from work for medical reasons for more than 42 days in the year following the index date. Independent variables included sociodemographic characteristics, type of osteoarthritis, and frequent comorbidities. The association between these variables and long-term sick leave (dependent variable) was studied using an adjusted logistic regression model. Results: This study included 51,034 patients with osteoarthritis [mean (standard deviation) age 50.8 (9.2) years; 50.9% women]. The prevalence of long-term sick leave was 36.2%. Younger age and male sex were positively and significantly associated with long-term sick leave compared with older age and female sex, respectively. There was also a strong relationship between several comorbidities (e.g., reaction to severe stress, and adjustment disorders, gastritis and duodenitis, and depression) with long-term sick leave. Conclusions: The prevalence of long-term sick leave was high in this sample of patients newly diagnosed with osteoarthritis from Germany. In this context, interventions should be implemented to increase the long-term working participation of people with osteoarthritis

Factor V Leiden and the 10-year incidence of depression: a retrospective cohort study conducted in Germany

There is limited literature on the long-term relationship between the diagnosis of factor V Leiden (FVL) and depression. Therefore, the aim of this retrospective cohort study was to investigate the association between FVL and the 10-year incidence of depression in Germany. Patients diagnosed with FVL for the first time in one of 1,274 general practices in Germany between 2000 and 2019 were included in this study (index date). Patients without FVL were matched (1:5) to those with FVL by sex, age, index year, and the average number of consultations per year. In individuals without FVL, index date corresponded to a randomly selected visit date between 2000 and 2019. The association between the diagnosis of FVL and the 10-year incidence of depression was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression models. This study included 1,070 patients with and 5,350 patients without FVL (64.9% women; 46.0 [16.5] years). Ten years after the index date, 21.4% and 14.1% of individuals with and without FVL were diagnosed with depression, respectively (log-rank p-value<0.001). After adjusting for thromboembolic events, the Cox regression analysis further showed that FVL was associated with a significant increase in the incidence of depression (HR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.33–1.95). In this study conducted in Germany, FVL was identified as a long-term risk factor for depression. More research is needed to confirm or refute the present findings in other settings