Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · Jun 2018
Disparities in knowledge about the health effects of smoking among adolescents following the release of new pictorial health warning labels.
This paper examined knowledge about the health effects of smoking among health equity groups following the 2012 introduction of refreshed pictorial health warning labels (HWLs) in Canada. Data are from the 2012/2013 Youth Smoking Survey a representative school-based survey of 47,203 adolescents in Grades 6-12 in nine provinces. Regression models examined overall knowledge about eight health effects of smoking included in the HWLs. ⋯ There are significant disparities in knowledge about the health effects of smoking by health equity groups particularly among non-smoking adolescents. Warning labels have the potential to reduce disparities in knowledge about the health effects of smoking when exposure to the warning labels is universal. Complementary strategies such as mass media campaigns are needed to address disparities in knowledge.
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Preventive medicine · Jun 2018
Driving under the influence behaviours among high school students who mix alcohol with energy drinks.
Alcohol and energy drinks are commonly used substances by youth in Canada, and are often mixed (AmED). While several studies have shown that AmED can have dangerous effects, less well understood is how AmED is associated with driving under the influence of either alcohol or drugs. This study sought to determine whether youth who use AmED were more likely to engage in driving, or being a passenger of a driver, under the influence of alcohol or cannabis compared to youth who use either alcohol or energy drinks alone. ⋯ No association was observed for youth who consumed alcohol and energy drinks on separate occasions. Youth who use AmED demonstrate a higher risk profile for driving under the influence of alcohol or cannabis, than youth who use alcohol alone. Future research should explore the biopsychosocial pathways that may explain why using energy drinks enhances the already heightened risk posed by alcohol on other health-related behaviours such as driving under the influence.
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Preventive medicine · Jun 2018
Interventions to improve the uptake of cervical cancer screening among lower socioeconomic groups: A systematic review.
Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide. Screening can reduce both the incidence and mortality of the disease but is often not utilized by lower socioeconomic groups. A systematic review, including studies of interventions to improve breast and cervical cancer screening uptake, up to 2006, found targeted interventions could be effective. ⋯ HPV self-testing can improve uptake of cervical cancer screening among lower socioeconomic groups. This is a relatively new method of cervical screening that was not included in the earlier review. The findings of this updated review largely support that of the 2006 review for the use of lay health advisors.
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Preventive medicine · Jun 2018
Projected impacts of federal tax policy proposals on mortality burden in the United States: A microsimulation analysis.
The public health consequences of federal income tax policies that influence income inequality are not well understood. I aimed to project the impacts on mortality of modifying federal income tax structures based on proposals by two recent United States (U. S.) Presidential candidates: Donald Trump and Senator Bernie Sanders. ⋯ Under the modified Sanders plan with redistribution, 333,504 (95% CI: 192,897-473,787) fewer deaths/year are expected. Policies that both raise federal income tax rates and redistribute tax revenue could confer large reductions in the total number of annual deaths among Americans. In this era of high income inequality and growing public support to address the rich-poor gap, policymakers should consider joint federal tax and redistributive policies as levers to reduce the burden of mortality in the United States.