Does health literacy mediate the relationship between socioeconomic status and health related outcomes in the Belgian adult population?

peer reviewed[en] BACKGROUND: Health literacy (HL) has been put forward as a potential mediator through which socioeconomic status (SES) affects health. This study explores whether HL mediates the relation between SES and a selection of health or health-related outcomes. METHODS: Data from the participants of the Belgian health interview survey 2018 aged 18 years or older were individually linked with data from the Belgian compulsory health insurance (n = 8080). HL was assessed with the HLS-EU-Q6. Mediation analyses were performed with health behaviour (physical activity, diet, alcohol and tobacco consumption), health status (perceived health status, mental health status), use of medicine (purchase of antibiotics), and use of preventive care (preventive dental care, influenza vaccination, breast cancer screening) as dependent outcome variables, educational attainment and income as independent variables of interest, age and sex as potential confounders and HL as mediating variable. RESULTS: The study showed that unhealthy behaviours (except alcohol consumption), poorer health status, higher use of medicine and lower use of preventive care (except flu vaccination) were associated with low SES (i.e., low education and low income) and with insufficient HL. HL partially mediated the relationship between education and health behaviour, perceived health status and mental health status, accounting for 3.8-16.0% of the total effect. HL also constituted a pathway by which income influences health behaviour, perceived health status, mental health status and preventive dental care, with the mediation effects accounting for 2.1-10.8% of the total effect. CONCLUSIONS: Although the influence of HL in the pathway is limited, our findings suggest that strategies for improving various health-related outcomes among low SES groups should include initiatives to enhance HL in these population groups. Further research is needed to confirm our results and to better explore the mediating effects of HL

The CORDEX.be initiative as a foundation for climate services in Belgium

The CORDEX.be project created the foundations for Belgian climate services by producing high-resolution Belgian climate information that (a) incorporates the expertise of the different Belgian climate modeling groups and that (b) is consistent with the outcomes of the international CORDEX ("COordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment") project. The key practical tasks for the project were the coordination of activities among different Belgian climate groups, fostering the links to specific international initiatives and the creation of a stakeholder dialogue. Scientifically, the CORDEX.be project contributed to the EURO-CORDEX project, created a small ensemble of High-Resolution (H-Res) future projections over Belgium at convection-permitting resolutions and coupled these to seven Local Impact Models. Several impact studies have been carried out. The project also addressed some aspects of climate change uncertainties. The interactions and feedback from the stakeholder dialogue led to different practical applications at the Belgian national level

Interaction déformation-sédimentation en contexte de sédimentation gravitaire (exemples sismiques (marge angolaise) et de terrain (Grès d'Annot))

Ce travail traite des interactions entre les topographies du fond marin, liées à la déformation, à l'échelle locale ou régionale, et les écoulements gravitaires, depuis l'écoulement élémentaire jusqu'à l'appareil sédimentaire. Il a nécessité l'étude d'une zone au large de la marge angolaise et d'affleurements dans les Grès d'Annot. A partir de données de subsurface, nous avons confirmé que les variations eustatiques exercent un contrôle de premier ordre sur le développement des appareils sédimentaires, à l'échelle de 1-5 Ma. Notre étude a également permis de valider le contrôle des anomalies topographiques locales (10-20 km) engendrées par la déformation sur les écoulements sédimentaires ainsi que de démontrer l'effet d'une déformation beaucoup plus régionale sur les morphologies des chenaux turbiditiques. L'étude des interactions entre les topographies engendrées par la déformation et la sédimentation gravitaire nous conduit à proposer un modèle prédictif de leurs interactions.RENNES1-BU Sciences Philo (352382102) / SudocSudocFranceF

Stratigraphic architectures spotted in southern Melas Chasma, Valles Marineris, Mars

International audienceThe distribution in space and time of liquid water on Mars is a haunting question because of its relevance to astrobiology and astroclimatology. To date, most orbital observations which attest to past fluvial and lacustrine activity on Mars have been dedicated to surficial landforms (i.e., drainage networks and depositional fans). Here we report an unprecedented identification of typical stratigraphic architectures made in Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera images of layered material in southern Melas Chasma. A particular set of strata is arranged in three depositional sequences bounded by stratigraphic unconformities. The sequences show spectacular, steeply-inclined clinoforms, and a broad channel-like depression. There are the same complex stratal patterns in Valles Marineris on Mars as there are in terrestrial deposits. Insights into these three-dimensional deposit geometries are used to tentatively isolate specific depositional processes and point to ancient subaqueous settings. Findings in southern Melas mark out a very attractive spot to which the search for ancient habitable environments on Mars could be directed

Enregistrement stratigraphique del’évolution du plateau Sud Africain(marge Nord Namib)

National audienceL’évolution du plateau Sud-Africain (ou Kalahari), figure majeure durelief Sud-Africain, est très débattue. Il résulte d’au moins deux phasesde surrection, une phase au Crétacé supérieur (Cénomanien terminal àCampanien) et une phase au Cénozoïque. L’âge de la surrection Cénozoïqueet la cinétique d’érosion associée sont mal connues.L’objectif de cette étude est de discuter de l’évolution du plateau Sud-Africain à partir d’une analyse stratigraphique de lignes sismique offshorede la partie nord de la marge Namibe (bassins de Walvis et deLuderitz).L’évolution Cénozoïque de la marge peut être synthétisée comme suit :- Le prisme progradant, aggradant du Crétacé supérieur, résultant dela première phase de surrection du plateau, induit un vaste replat quicontrôle la distribution spatial des dépôts Cénozoïques.- Première phase de surrection du plateau au Paléocène, associée à lamise en place de deux prismes sableux dans le bassin de Walvis.- Inondation majeure de la marge à l’Yprésien.- Deuxième phase de surrection du plateau à l’Eocène supérieur (transitionBartonien-Priabonien), associée à un basculement de la marge et àla mise en place d’un prisme de régression forcée.- Troisième phase de surrection mal contrainte au Miocène supérieur,associée à la mise en place d’un prisme de régression forcée. Apparitionde courants de contour (dépôts de contourites)

Determinants of prebiotic vegetable consumption: the extended theory of planned behaviour

Background:Prebiotic vegetables such as leek and salsify may contribute to preventing obesity by changing thecomposition of the gut microbiota. To increase consumption of prebiotic vegetables, the aim of the study was todocument the prevalence and determinants of (prebiotic) vegetable consumption.Methods:An online, correlational questionnaire was administered to participants using a mixed approach (1078online, 200 face-to-face). Participants were a representative sample (gender, age, level of education, province,population density and (un)employment) of 1278 adults of the Walloon region in Belgium. The frequency anddeterminants of prebiotic vegetable consumption were measured using an extension of the Theory of PlannedBehaviour including habits, actual control and compensatory health beliefs. Descriptive analyses were performedfollowed by hierarchic multiple regression analyses.Results:The descriptive results showed that for all categories (leek, salsify, vegetables in general) an improvementin both intentions and prevalence of the actual behaviour is necessary to experience the health benefits of(prebiotic) vegetables. Intentions and habits were important predictors of consumption for all types of vegetables,and hedonic attitudes and subjective norms were important predictors of intention. Perceived control and rationalattitudes were predictors of intention to consume only for vegetables in general. Finally, environmental factors suchas price, availability and actual control predict consumption but their influence differs depending on the vegetable.Conclusions:The findings can be used to inform interventions that aim to increase (prebiotic) vegetable consumption.Umbrella terms such as‘healthy food’or‘vegetables’do not capture the differences between the specific foods regardingthe demographic and socio-psychological determinants of their consumption. This is the first research to investigate thedeterminants of prebiotic vegetable consumption

Articulations clinique-recherche : des outils nouveaux à la disposition du clinicien

Un des objectifs du Centre de recherches en santé et développement psychologique (CSDP) de l'UCL est de promouvoir les échanges et les collaborations entre chercheurs et cliniciens. Cet ouvrage publie des travaux sur la mise au point d’outils, de méthodes d’évaluation, de programmes d’entraînement et d’intervention, conçus et validés par des membres du Centre. Ces travaux visent à faire connaître auprès de psychologues, ces nouveaux outils et leur intérêt pour réaliser des bilans cliniques, des suivis thérapeutiques, psychoéducatifs ou d’accompagnement psychologique de personnes de tout âge ou pour améliorer leurs compétences. À travers ces écrits, des liens entre recherche et pratique sont incités, par l’accès de la recherche à des praticiens, par la diffusion de résultats d’études, par l’invitation à mener des recherches collaboratives ou en partenariat entre chercheurs et praticiens

Investigating the conditions for the effectiveness of nudging: Cue-to-action nudging increases familiar vegetable choice

Inulin-type fructans (ITF), which are fibres found in vegetables such as salsify, artichoke and Jerusalem artichoke, are known for their prebiotic capacities and may contribute to preventing obesity. The current study aimed to assess the differential effects of a type-2 and a combined type-1 and -2 nudge to increase the choice for “prebiotic” vegetables at a hot vegetable buffet of a university restaurant, using a nonrandomized intervention study design involving two interventions during five consecutive weeks. An intervention was implemented in which customers were exposed to type-2 nudging in the form of short “cue-to-action” messages placed on their trays and above the hot vegetable buffet, and an additional type-1 nudging intervention was implemented in the form of placing dishes with “prebiotic” vegetables in a more accessible place. On average, 28 servings of hot vegetables were registered on a total of 503 meals sold at the restaurant per day. The beta regression model showed that the “cue-to-action” intervention increased the proportion of customers who used the hot vegetable buffet (p <.001, OR: 1.24), but that the proportion of “prebiotic” vegetables chosen decreased during the “cue-to-action” intervention weeks (p <.01, OR: 0.73). The cue-to-action intervention increased familiar vegetable choice in general and decreased unfamiliar prebiotic vegetable choice. The additional intervention of increasing the accessibility did not change prebiotic vegetable choice. The effectiveness of nudging seems to depend on the specificity and/or the familiarity of the nudged products

Default-name and tasting nudges increase salsify soup choice without increasing overall soup choice

Nudging is a popular behavior change technique but the conditions for its effectiveness have not been researched extensively. The current study aimed to test whether the effectiveness of nudging is limited to certain characteristics of the nudged product by focusing on a specific product (salsify soup) within a broader category (soups). Two parallel studies were conducted in two sandwich restaurants in a university setting at which a default-name nudge (“suggestion of the chef”) and a tasting nudge were implemented aimed at increasing the choice for salsify soup using a non-randomized study design during 10 and 12 measurement days. The beta-regression model showed that the default-name nudge increased the proportion of customers that choose the salsify soup during intervention days compared to non-intervention days, p < .001, OR: 1.70. The tasting nudge also increased the proportion of customers that choose the salsify soup from baseline to intervention, p < .001, OR: 6.17 and from baseline to post-intervention, p < .01, OR: 1.87, and decreased from intervention to post-intervention, p < .001, OR: 0.30. Both nudges did not increase the choice for the overall category of soups. The results show that certain types of nudges are able to increase specific products of a category without increasing overall choice of a category in contrast to previous findings