PLoS medicine
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Experimental and observational research has suggested the potential for increased type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk among populations taking statins for the primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). However, few studies have directly compared statin-associated benefits and harms or examined heterogeneity by population subgroups or assumed treatment effect. Thus, we compared ASCVD risk reduction and T2D incidence increases across 3 statin treatment guidelines or recommendations among adults without a history of ASCVD or T2D who were eligible for statin treatment initiation. ⋯ Our projections suggest that females and younger adult populations shoulder the highest relative burden of statin-associated T2D risk.
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Exposure to green space has beneficial effects on several cognitive and behavioral aspects. However, to our knowledge, no study addressed intelligence as outcome. We investigated whether the level of urbanicity can modify the association of residential green space with intelligence and behavior in children. ⋯ Our results indicate that residential green space may be beneficial for the intellectual and the behavioral development of children living in urban areas. These findings are relevant for policy makers and urban planners to create an optimal environment for children to develop their full potential.
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Most of the women who smoke before pregnancy continue smoking during pregnancy, and some start to quit smoking after being pregnant, although existing guidelines for pregnancy recommend that women who smoke should quit smoking before pregnancy. Findings about the timing and intensity of maternal smoking, especially low-intensity smoking (1-9 cigarettes per day), and preterm birth are still inconsistent and ambiguous. This study aimed to examine the association of the timing of smoking and doses of smoking before pregnancy and during the first or second trimester of pregnancy with preterm birth in a large-scale population-based retrospective cohort study. ⋯ In this study, we observed that low-intensity cigarette consumption during either the first or second trimester of pregnancy, even as low as 1-2 cigarettes per day, was associated with an increased risk of preterm birth. These findings suggest that there is no safe level or safe trimester for maternal smoking during pregnancy. Women of reproductive age who smoke should be strongly encouraged and supported to quit smoking before pregnancy.
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Protecting the health of refugees and other migrant populations in the United States is key to ensuring successful resettlement. Therefore, to identify and address health concerns early, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a domestic medical examination (screening for infectious and noninfectious diseases/conditions) shortly after arrival in the US. However, because refugee/migrant populations often have differing health patterns from one another and the US population, the collection and analysis of health information is key to developing population-specific clinical guidelines to guide the care of resettled individuals. Yet little is known regarding the health status of Cubans resettling in the US. Among the tens of thousands of Cuban migrants who have resettled in the US, some applied as refugees in Cuba, some applied for parole (a term used to indicate temporary US admission status for urgent humanitarian reasons or reasons of public benefit under US immigration law) in Cuba, and others applied for parole status after crossing the border. These groups were eligible for US government benefits to help them resettle, including a domestic medical examination. We reviewed health differences found in these examinations of those who were determined to be refugees or parolees in Cuba and those who were given parole status after arrival. ⋯ Within-country variations in health status are often not examined in refugee populations, yet they are critical to understand granular health trends. Results suggests that the health profiles of Cuban Americans in Texas differed by entry route. This information could assist in developing targeted screenings and health interventions.
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Deirdre Harrington and Michelle O'Reilly discuss the article "Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the GoActive intervention to increase physical activity among UK adolescents: A cluster randomised controlled trial" by Kirsten Corder and colleagues.