Post-traumatic stress disorder in youth exposed to the Syrian conflict: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence and determinants

A decade of ongoing armed conflict in Syria has damaged the physical and mental health of millions of adults and children. This study aimed to systematically review the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder among youth exposed to the Syrian conflict, and understand its individual and contextual determinants. The screening procedure resulted in 26 studies, with a total of 11,400 Syrian children and adolescents. The prevalence was 36% (95% CI (0.29–0.43), p < 0.001). Loss of family members or acquaintances, witnessing violence, and social withdrawal increased the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder, while social trust and social support were protective factors. © The Author(s) 2022

the case of Southern European elderly

Background: Inequalities in the distribution of self-reported health (SRH) have been widely reported. Its higher expressivity among women, elderly and least educated groups has been partly attributed to differences in their health perceptions. However, this subjectivity may be masking the burden of mental illness in these groups. Thus, we sought to understand if depression symptoms mediate inequalities in SRH. Methods: SHARE waves 4 and 6, pertaining to Spain, Italy and Portugal, were used (n2011 = 8517, n2015 = 11 046). Inequalities in SRH were calculated, comparing the risk amongst education level, gender and age groups, adjusting for chronic diseases, functional limitations and country fixed effects. We then tested depression symptoms as mediators. Results: Depression symptoms were associated with poor SRH (odds ratio (OR)2011 = 1.379, OR2015 = 1.384, P < 0.001). Their inclusion reduced the magnitude of the association between SRH and education, annulled the statistical significance for age, and reversed the gender effect. As expected, chronic diseases and functional limitations remained significant predictors of poor SRH. Conclusions: Depression symptoms, together with chronic diseases and functional limitations, explain the poorer SRH of the least educated, female and older groups in the Southern European population. Therefore, tackling inequalities in SRH must require focusing on mental health issues, which disproportionately affect the most vulnerable groups.publishe

Empirical thermal comfort evaluation of single and double skin façades

In this paper, the topic of thermal comfort for buildings with double skin façades and single skin façades is demonstrated and discussed. A long-term monitoring was performed in 280 office rooms distributed over 28 buildings in Germany. The survey methods were based on sensor measurements and data simultaneously gathered from questionnaire given to office users. The authors take into consideration the operative temperature, vertical gradient temperature, draught rate, radiation asymmetry, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration. The aim is to determine the individual sensory perception of the indoor environment and compare it to the actually measured indoor climate in buildings with double skin façades and single skin façades. In regards to the thermal comfort results, in general, it is shown that double skin façades buildings have slight advantages in relation to single skin façades buildings. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Fil: Huckemann, Volker. Technical University of Braunschweig; AlemaniaFil: Kuchen, Ernesto. Technical University of Braunschweig; Alemania. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Leão, Marlon. Technical University of Braunschweig; AlemaniaFil: Leão, Érika F. T. B.. Technical University of Braunschweig; Alemani

the case of tobacco control

publishersversionpublishe

What doubts, concerns and fears about COVID-19 emerged during the first wave of the pandemic?

Objectives: The control of the COVID-19 pandemic depends strongly on effective communication, which must be grounded on the population’s perceptions and knowledge. We aimed to analyse the doubts, concerns and fears expressed by the Portuguese population about COVID-19. Methods: We performed a content analysis of 293 questions submitted to online, radio, newspaper and TV channel forums during the first month of the pandemic in Portugal. Results: Most questions contained doubts (n = 230), especially on how to prevent person-to-person transmission (n = 40) and how to proceed in case of symptoms (n = 37). Concerns and fears were also very commonly expressed (n = 144), mostly about which persons could be considered vulnerable (n = 53) and how to prevent transmission during daily life or normal activities (n = 37). Conclusion: As the pandemic evolved and suppression measures were put in place, doubts moved to concerns of vulnerability, quarantine and social isolation, and to doubts about transmission, transmission prevention, and on how to proceed in case of symptoms. Practice implications: These results may inform future communication strategies for a more adequate response in the next phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as in future pandemics.This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors

Coleta, beneficiamento e biometria de frutos e sementes de Parinari montana Aubl. (Pajurá-da-mata).

bitstream/item/49391/1/fd110002.pdf1 folder

COVID-19 transmission and case fatality in long-term care facilities during the epidemic first wave

Institutionalized populations experience a higher risk of several infectious diseases especially in settings with frequent interpersonal close contact and overcrowding. Besides the higher risk of infection, institutionalized people tend to be more vulnerable to its consequences as they are older and present multiple and severe comorbidities. Large proportions of cases and deaths due to COVID-19 occurred in long-term care facilities (LTCF) in several countries: in May 2020, 37–66% of COVID-19 fatal cases occurred in LTCF. In Portugal, by November 2020 about 34% of COVID-19 deaths had occurred in these facilities. The heterogeneity of COVID-19 impact raises the hypotheses of transmission inside LTCF merely reflect the infection dynamics in the surrounding community or COVID-19 more severely affect those institutionalized. Thus, we estimated the cumulative incidence and the case fatality rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection in LTCF, considering age-adjusted comparisons to the general population.This research did not receive any funding