Preventive medicine
-
Preventive medicine · Apr 2021
ReviewImpact of postal correspondence letters on participation in cancer screening: a rapid review.
The purpose of this rapid review was to identify and synthesize evidence on the impact of postal correspondence letters on participation in cancer screening and to determine whether impact varied by cancer site or inclusion of the participant's physician's name within the letter (i.e., physician-linked). PubMed and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched for English-language systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up until October 2019. One reviewer completed citation screening and data extraction with 30% verification by a second reviewer. ⋯ Studies comparing physician-linked letters to no letters or usual practice reported similar effect estimates as those examining letters in general. Limited and inconsistent evidence was identified on the impact of physician-linked letters as compared to non-physician-linked letters on screening participation. Evidence identified in this rapid review, and other contextual and implementation considerations, may be useful for jurisdictions considering how to promote cancer screening participation.
-
Preventive medicine · Apr 2021
ReviewBurden of disease from second-hand tobacco smoke exposure at home among adults from European Union countries in 2017: an analysis using a review of recent meta-analyses.
Smoke-free legislation reduced second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure in public places, and indirectly promoted private smoke-free settings. Nevertheless, a large proportion of adults is still exposed to SHS at home. The aim of this paper is to quantify the burden of disease due to home SHS exposure among adults in the 28-European Union (EU) countries for year 2017. ⋯ South-Eastern EU countries showed the highest burden, with proportion of DALYs/deaths attributable to SHS exposure on total higher than 0.50%/0.70%, whereas northern EU-countries showed the lowest burden, with proportions of DALYs/deaths lower than 0.25%/0.34%. The burden from SHS exposure is still significant in EU countries. More could be done to raise awareness of the health risks associated with SHS exposure at home.
-
Preventive medicine · Apr 2021
ReviewA narrative review of HPV vaccination interventions in rural U.S. communities.
Uptake of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in the United States (U. S.) is far below the Healthy People 2020 goal of 80% coverage among adolescents. In rural communities, HPV vaccination coverage is low, yet incidence and mortality rates of HPV-associated cancer are high. ⋯ Across the studies, there was an absence of the description of rural context. As compared to the broader HPV vaccination intervention literature, interventions in rural settings were limited. More interventional research is needed in rural communities given the elevated rates of HPV-related cancer and low rates of HPV vaccine uptake.
-
Preventive medicine · Apr 2021
Comparative StudyIncreased alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic: The effect of mental health and age in a cross-sectional sample of social media users in the U.S.
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a public health crisis of unprecedented scale. Increased alcohol use has been extensively documented during other crises, particularly among persons with anxiety and depression. Despite COVID-19's differential impact by age, the association of age, mental health and alcohol use during the pandemic has not been explored. ⋯ Adjusted odds ratios of reporting increased alcohol use were 1.41 (95% CI = 1.20-1.66) among respondents with anxiety symptoms and 1.64 (95% CI = 1.21-2.23) among those with depressive symptoms compared to those without such symptoms. Whereas respondents aged 18-39 years had the highest probability of reporting increased alcohol use, the probability of older persons (40-59 and ≥60 years) reporting increased drinking was much greater among those with symptoms of anxiety and depression, compared to those without symptoms. These findings warrant age-differentiated public health messaging on the risks of excessive alcohol use and scale-up of substance use services for middle-aged and older adults with symptoms of depression and anxiety.
-
Background checks are designed to prevent firearm acquisition by people prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms. There is limited information about background checks, particularly on a state by state basis. We conducted a state-representative, probability-based, Internet survey of California adults in 2018 (n=2558; completion rate 49%) to describe where, when, and how firearms are acquired and to estimate the proportion of current firearm owners who purchased their most recent firearm without a background check. ⋯ Overall, firearm purchases without background checks are considerably less common in California than in states without regulations on private sales. However, gaps in implementation and proper enforcement remain. Future research could investigate reasons for such lapses, as well as complementary state policy approaches that require background checks prior to point of purchase.