Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2022
ReviewElectronic health literacy and health-related outcomes among older adults: A systematic review.
This review aims to identify, appraise, and synthesize research evidence of the association between electronic health (eHealth) literacy and health outcomes in older adults. English-written articles that presented the relationships between eHealth literacy and health-related outcomes in older adults were identified by searching five scientific databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, APA PsycInfo, and EMBASE) hand-searching reference lists. Searches yielded 2993 studies after duplicates were removed, of which 24 publications were included in the final review. eHealth literacy was relatively low in older adults, and the eHealth Literacy Scale, developed by Norman and Skinner in 2006, was the most frequently used instrument in the included studies (21/24, 87.5%). ⋯ Most included studies were assessed as moderate quality. Overall, higher eHealth literacy is associated with more positive health behaviors and better health knowledge and attitude in older adults, however, the associations with some physical and psychosocial outcomes are less consistent. Clarifying the pathways of the relationships between eHealth literacy and some health-related outcomes is needed for further exploring their underlying mechanisms.
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2022
Where you live matters: Township neighborhood factors important to resilience among south African children from birth to 5 years of age.
This is a secondary analysis examining neighborhood factors predicting high rates of child resilience in South African Township neighborhoods. ⋯ This study applies a novel measure of resilience that is multidimensional and longitudinally defined. Living in formal housing with consistent access to food was associated with resilience. Migration to rural areas among families living in HPN suggests that rural areas could be protective.
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2022
Trends in material and non-material inequalities in adolescent health and health behaviours: A 12-year study in 23 European countries.
Information on trends in adolescent health inequalities is scarce but the available evidence suggests that inequalities are increasing. Prior studies describe associations between material resources of socioeconomic status (SES) and health, while information on non-material SES resources and inequalities in health behaviours is lacking. To improve current understandings of evolutions in adolescent health inequalities, we examined how material and non-material SES resources were associated with changes in selected health outcomes (life satisfaction, physical and psychological symptoms) and health behaviours (physical activity, screen time, breakfast, fruit, vegetables, sweets and soft drinks consumption and alcohol and tobacco use) over a 12-year period. ⋯ Non-material inequalities increased in all health behaviours (except for sweets consumption) between highest and lowest occupational social class groups: physical activity (0.16 to 0.24 h/day difference; p = 0.0071), screen time (-0.41 to -0.58 h/day difference; p < 0.001), breakfast (0.21 to 0.51 day/week difference; p < 0.001), fruit (OR 1.23 to 1.48 higher odds; p < 0.001), vegetables (OR 1.39 to 1.74 higher odds; p < 0.001) and soft drinks consumption (OR 0.59 to 0.43 lower odds; p < 0.001) and alcohol (OR 0.99 to 0.85 lower odds; p = 0.0420) and tobacco use (OR 0.71 to 0.59 lower odds; p = 0.0183). In summary, non-material inequalities in most health behaviours increased, whereas material inequalities in adolescent health and health behaviours remain stable or decreased. Policies and interventions may consider non-material SES components as these can help in reducing future health inequalities.
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2022
Suicidal behavior in Mexican adolescents: A test of a latent class model using two independent probability samples.
Suicidal behavior is a serious health issue that affects the adolescent population and that may be prevented through evidence-based approaches. There are many risk factors involved in suicidal behavior, but there are few studies encompassing the complex relationships between them. This study tested the similarity between two latent class models from two different epidemiological samples of middle-school students and evaluated if the multinomial regression model replicated the associations between the classes and the psychosocial variables. ⋯ The model with data from Querétaro was consistent with the previous LC model from Campeche. The four latent classes were nearly identical for both populations and can be defined as follows: 1) "No Problems," included 73% of the adolescents; 2) "Drug Use Only," comprised 7% of the adolescents; 3) "Suicidal Behavior, No Depression," captured 8% of the adolescents (25% reported binge drinking in the past month, 50% self-inflicted injuries, and 43% low-lethality suicide attempt); 4) "Depression and Suicidal Behavior," comprised 12% of the sample (66% met criteria for Major Depressive Episode, 28% reported binge drinking in the past month, and 11% had a high-lethality suicide attempt). The congruence between the models and the consistency with identified factors highlight the need for appropriate and effective prevention strategies to minimize risk factors and reinforce protective factors in the adolescent population.
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2022
Trends in risk factors and management strategies used by people with type 2 diabetes in New South Wales, Australia.
Adopting healthy lifestyle behaviours is an important component of Type 2 diabetes (T2D) self-management, which can lower risks of further health complications. Monitoring lifestyle risk factors including overweight or obesity, healthy diet and physical activity behaviours, alcohol consumption, smoking and psychological distress remain important. This study examined prevalence trends in these factors and adoption of three diabetes lifestyle self-management strategies in adults (aged 40+) with T2D in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. ⋯ There were also declines in those reporting they manage their diabetes through following a special diet [73.6% to 55.9%] and exercising most days [33.5% to 22.2%]. This study highlights potential gaps in T2D secondary prevention and suggests more targeted diabetes education services are needed to address lifestyle risks. Increased understanding of why fewer people with T2D adopt these lifestyle management strategies is needed to inform policy and practice.