Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · Dec 2020
Randomized Controlled TrialControl of cardiovascular risk factors with tailored recommendations: A randomized controlled trial.
This study analyzed the efficacy of tailored recommendations to control cardiovascular risk factors at 1-year follow-up in a population-based randomized controlled trial in individuals aged 35-74 years with no history of cardiovascular disease at baseline. Total, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) were measured at baseline and at 1-year follow-up. The primary outcome was the quantitative change in total cholesterol. ⋯ In the stratified analysis, women showed no differences in any of the outcomes. In conclusion, an intervention with tailored recommendations increased mean total cholesterol values. The intervention effect was higher in men who maintained blood lipids at optimal levels and had decreased BP values.
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Preventive medicine · Dec 2020
Association of neighborhood parks with child health in the United States.
While there is evidence that parks support pediatric health, there have been no national studies looking at both physical and mental health. We assessed whether the presence of a neighborhood park is associated with pediatric physical or mental health across the U. S. using a nationally representative cross-sectional random sample of American children ages 0-17. ⋯ Irrespective of sociodemographics, children lacking parks were more likely to be physically inactive (aOR1.36, 95% CI 1.24, 1.48), have excessive screen-time (aOR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.14, 1.25), or obtain inadequate sleep (aOR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.18, 1.29). Children without parks were more likely obese (aOR = 1.32, 95% CI 1.21, 1.43), overweight (aOR 1.25, 95%CI 1.17, 1.33), or diagnosed with ADHD (aOR 1.20, 95% CI 1.12, 1.29), but not more anxious or depressed (aOR = 1.04, 95%CI 0.97, 1.11). Associations between parks and pediatric physical and mental health suggests that the provision of neighborhood parks could represent a low-cost childhood health intervention.
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Preventive medicine · Dec 2020
Randomized Controlled TrialUse of a GP-endorsed non-participant reminder letter to promote uptake of bowel scope screening: A randomised controlled trial in a hard-to-reach population.
Previous research suggests that sending non-participants a reminder letter, 1 year after their initial invitation, can improve coverage for bowel scope screening (BSS), also known as flexible sigmoidoscopy screening. We hypothesised that adding a general practitioner's (GPs) endorsement to the reminder letter could improve coverage even further. We conducted a randomised controlled trial in North West London, UK. ⋯ Adding a GP-endorsement to the annual reminder letter did not have an effect on attendance at BSS. One possible explanation for this is that the endorsement used was not personalised enough. Future research should examine stronger GP-endorsements or other methods to promote uptake.
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Preventive medicine · Dec 2020
Screen time and extracurricular activities as risk and protective factors for mental health in adolescence: A population-level study.
This study examines adolescents' (N = 28,712; 49% female; Mage = 12.25, SDage = 0.51) recreational screen time and participation in extracurricular activities during after-school hours in association to indicators of positive (optimism, satisfaction with life) and negative (anxiety, depressive symptoms) mental health and wellbeing. Data were drawn from a population-level study with the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI) with grade 7 students in British Columbia (BC), Canada. The research was implemented in public school districts between 2014 and 2018. ⋯ In contrast, longer screen time (≥2 h/day) was associated with lower levels of satisfaction with life and optimism, and higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms; shorter screen time (<2 h/day) was associated with favorable mental health and wellbeing. For screen time, the effect was moderated by gender; the association between longer screen time and poorer mental health and wellbeing was significantly more pronounced for girls than boys. For both boys and girls, mental health and wellbeing were most favorable if they participated in extracurricular activities and reported less than 2 h of recreational screen time per day.
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Preventive medicine · Dec 2020
Low human papillomavirus (HPV) knowledge related to low risk perception among men living with HIV: Implications for HPV-associated disease prevention.
Human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated anal cancer is orders of magnitude higher among men living with HIV than the general male population. Our objective was to examine factors associated with HPV awareness and self-perceived risk for HPV-associated anal cancer among men living with HIV, which may influence uptake of cancer prevention strategies. A cross-sectional questionnaire on HPV was administered from 2016 to 2017 to 1677 men in a multisite, HIV clinical cohort in Ontario, Canada. ⋯ In the correspondence analysis, risk-focused HPV-related knowledge (e.g., knowing smoking increases risk) was associated with highest risk perception. Efforts are needed to improve HPV-related health literacy in this population. Our findings suggest specific HPV-related knowledge may differentially influence self-perceived risk for anal cancer.