Mesocorticolimbic and Cardiometabolic Diseases-Two Faces of the Same Coin?

The risk behaviors underlying the most prevalent chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) encompass alcohol misuse, unhealthy diets, smoking and sedentary lifestyle behaviors. These are all linked to the altered function of the mesocorticolimbic (MCL) system. As the mesocorticolimbic circuit is central to the reward pathway and is involved in risk behaviors and mental disorders, we set out to test the hypothesis that these pathologies may be approached therapeutically as a group. To address these questions, the identification of novel targets by exploiting knowledge-based, network-based and disease similarity algorithms in two major Thomson Reuters databases (MetaBase™, a database of manually annotated protein interactions and biological pathways, and IntegritySM, a unique knowledge solution integrating biological, chemical and pharmacological data) was performed. Each approach scored proteins from a particular approach-specific standpoint, followed by integration of the scores by machine learning techniques yielding an integrated score for final target prioritization. Machine learning identified characteristic patterns of the already known targets (control targets) with high accuracy (area under curve of the receiver operator curve was ~93%). The analysis resulted in a prioritized list of 250 targets for MCL disorders, many of which are well established targets for the mesocorticolimbic circuit e.g., dopamine receptors, monoamino oxidases and serotonin receptors, whereas emerging targets included DPP4, PPARG, NOS1, ACE, ARB1, CREB1, POMC and diverse voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. Our findings support the hypothesis that disorders involving the mesocorticolimbic circuit may share key molecular pathology aspects and may be causally linked to NCDs, yielding novel targets for drug repurposing and personalized medicine.

Burden of disease in Germany attributed to ambient particulate matter pollution : Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

INTRODUCTION: Ambient fine particulate matter pollution with a diameter less than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) is a significant risk factor for chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), leading to a substantial disease burden, decreased quality of life, and deaths globally. This study aimed to investigate the disease and mortality burdens attributed to PM2.5 in Germany in 2019. METHODS: Data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2019 were used to investigate disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and deaths attributed to ambient PM2.5 pollution in Germany. RESULTS: In 2019, ambient PM2.5 pollution in Germany was associated with significant health impacts, contributing to 27,040 deaths (2.82% of total deaths), 568,784 DALYs (2.09% of total DALYs), 135,725 YLDs (1.09% of total YLDs), and 433,058 YLLs (2.92% of total YLLs). The analysis further revealed that cardiometabolic and respiratory conditions, such as ischemic heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and diabetes mellitus, were the leading causes of mortality and disease burden associated with ambient PM2.5 pollution in Germany from 1990-2019. Comparative assessments between 1990 and 2019 underscored ambient PM2.5 as a consistent prominent risk factor, ranking closely with traditional factors like smoking, arterial hypertension, and alcohol use contributing to deaths, DALYs, YLDs, and YLLs. CONCLUSION: Ambient PM2.5 pollution is one of the major health risk factors contributing significantly to the burden of disease and mortality in Germany, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted interventions to address its substantial contribution to chronic NCDs.

Noncommunicable disease burden in Brazil and its states from 1990 to 2021, with projections for 2030.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyse the burden of disease due to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) between 1990 and 2021 in Brazil. In addition, this study compared mortality from NCDs with mortality from all causes and COVID-19, analysed NCD mortality trends and projections for 2030, and analysed NCD mortality rates and risk factors attributed to these deaths among the 27 states of Brazil. STUDY DESIGN: Ecological studies. METHODS: This study used the Global Burden of Disease study (GBD) database from 1990 to 2021. Premature deaths from four NCDs (neoplasms, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes mellitus) were analysed. The following metrics were used to analyse the burden of NCDs in Brazil: absolute number of deaths, proportional mortality, mortality rate, years of life lost due to premature death (YLL), years lived with disabilities (YLD) and disability-adjusted years of life lost due to premature death (DALY). For comparison between the years studied and states, age-standardised rates were used. RESULTS: Finding from this study showed that there was increase in the proportion of premature deaths due to NCDs between 1990 and 2019 (29.4 % in 1990, 30.8 % in 2019), and a reduction in 2021 (24.7 %). The mortality rates, DALY and YLL from NCDs declined between 1990 and 2019 (-37.7 %, -34.5 % and -38.3 %, respectively); however, a stability in mortality rates, DALY, YLD, YLL was observed between 2019 and 2021 (-0.1 %, 0.7 %, -0.1 % and 0.8 %, respectively). Between 1990 and 2021, there was a decline in mortality rates, DALY and YLL for most states and an increase in YLD rates. However, results suggest that the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) for the reduction in mortality from NCDs by one-third by 2030 will not be achieved. The main risk factors associated with premature death from NCDs in 2021 were high blood pressure, tobacco use, dietary risks, high body mass index (BMI) and high blood glucose levels. The correlation between sociodemographic index and percentage change in mortality rates was significant for the following total NCDs, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, diabetes and neoplasms. CONCLUSIONS: The current study highlights the importance of deaths from NCDs in Brazil and the worsening of mortality rates since 2016, as a result of austerity measures and the COVID-19 pandemic, which compromises the achievement of the SDG reduced mortality targets for NCDs. There was a reduction in risk factors for NCDs, mainly behavioural, although metabolic risk factors are of great concern and require new strategies to promote health, prevention and comprehensive care.

Effect of the national integrated demonstration area for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases programme on behavioural risk factors in China: a synthetic difference-in-differences study.

Background: The government-led community-based Chinese National Integrated Demonstration Areas for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases programme was launched in 2011, but no rigorous impact evaluation has been conducted to date. We aimed to evaluate the causal effects of this programme on behavioural risk factors. Methods: We used data from the latest five waves of the China Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance. The primary outcome is a behavioural risk score combining current smoking, passive smoking, drinking in last month, regular exercise, body mass index, and waist circumference. We applied the synthetic difference-in-differences method and constructed synthetic controls from the non-demonstration areas with the outcome. The average treatment effects on the treated were estimated for overall effect and by short- (1-2), medium- (3-4), and long-term (6-7 years) effects. Findings: We identified 26 demonstration areas (N = 72,193) and 100 non-demonstration areas (N = 275,397). Participants in the demonstration areas had higher education and income levels and different pre-implementation trends than non-demonstration areas. Using synthetic controls instead of non-demonstration areas reduced these pre-implementation differences. Compared to the synthetic controls, declines were observed in current smoking (-1.78% [-4.51%, 0.96%]), passive smoking (-8.09% [-14.27%, -1.90%]), and drinking in last month (-4.04% [-8.75%, 0.67%]) but not in the other factors. Behavioural risk score declined by 1.05 short-term (95% CI: -1.84, -0.26), 1.15 medium-term (95% CI: -2.08, -0.22), 2.82 long-term (95% CI: -4.79, -0.85), and 1.54 overall (95% CI: -2.51, -0.56). Interpretation: The programme improved behavioural risk scores, primarily through reductions in the prevalence of smoking and drinking, and the effect was long-lasting. Our findings provided empirical evidence for utilizing an integrated prevention and control strategy to fight against NCD in China and other countries facing similar challenges. Funding: The China National Key Research and Development Program (2018YFC1315304 and 2017YFC1310902); National Natural Science Foundation of China (81872721).

Global neuro-oncology: what lies ahead for low- and middle-income countries?

Over the past few decades, the global healthcare community has achieved remarkable success in controlling many communicable diseases across various regions. However, non-communicable diseases now constitute a significant portion of disease morbidity and mortality, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Among these, cancer, in particular, is witnessing a notable increase in incidence in many LMICs. Among cancers, neurological tumours bear significant impact in terms of long-term disability, escalating costs of comprehensive multidisciplinary care, and often encounter resource-related and systemic delays in care leading to worse outcomes. This opinion paper discusses key concepts in developing global neuro-oncology care, with specific case examples from Pakistan to illustrate methods for improving care in these underserved regions. Additionally, it outlines strategic approaches and potential solutions to address these challenges, aiming to provide a roadmap for enhancing neuro-oncology care in LMICs.

Smoking and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-sectional Analytical Study.

Background: India is undergoing epidemiological transitions with the increase in noncommunicable disease (NCD) burden. Targeting the modifiable risk factors through lifestyle changes in the early years of life remains the most effective strategy for decreasing the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). To determine the association between cigarette smoking and T2DM. Materials and Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among the patients attending the outpatient department of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Patients aged more than 35 years were enrolled, and details regarding sociodemography, clinical status, and NCD risk factors were collected using pretested semistructured questionnaires after obtaining IEC approval. Data collected were entered in MS Excel and analyzed using SPSS software. Simple logistic regression and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to calculate the crude and adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval. Results: Out of 434 participants, 37.3% had diabetes mellitus, 51.6% were males, and 28.6% had alcohol consumption. Univariate logistic regression analysis revealed age, BMI, systolic BP, diastolic BP, and cigarette smoking were significantly associated with increased risk of T2DM. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed cigarette smoking, systolic BP, age, and female gender were significant risk factors for T2DM. Conclusions: Our study reported cigarette smoking and systolic BP are modifiable risk factors associated with T2DM. Early identification of smoking through screening and appropriate control of hypertension in T2DM patients will decrease the morbidities and mortalities in T2DM cases.

The financial burden of noncommunicable diseases from out-of-pocket expenditure in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review.

The growing financial burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) hinders the attainment of the sustainable development goals. However, there has been no updated synthesis of evidence in this regard. Therefore, our study summarizes the current evidence in the literature and identifies the gaps. We systematically search relevant databases (PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest) between 2015 and 2023, focusing on empirical studies on NCDs and their financial burden indicators, namely, catastrophic health expenditure (CHE), impoverishment, coping strategies, crowding-out effects and unmet needs for financial reasons (UNFRs) in SSA. We examined the distribution of the indicators, their magnitudes, methodological approaches and the depth of analysis. The 71 included studies mostly came from single-country (n = 64), facility-based (n = 52) research in low-income (n = 22), lower-middle-income (n = 47) and upper-middle-income (n = 10) countries in SSA. Approximately 50% of the countries lacked studies (n = 25), with 46% coming from West Africa. Cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes were the most commonly studied NCDs, with cancer and CVD causing the most financial burden. The review revealed methodological deficiencies related to lack of depth, equity analysis and robustness. CHE was high (up to 95.2%) in lower-middle-income countries but low in low-income and upper-middle-income countries. UNFR was almost 100% in both low-income and lower-middle-income countries. The use of extreme coping strategies was most common in low-income countries. There are no studies on crowding-out effect and pandemic-related UNFR. This study underscores the importance of expanded research that refines the methodological estimation of the financial burden of NCDs in SSA for equity implications and policy recommendations.

Total energy expenditure measured using doubly labeled water in adults with major chronic diseases: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Energy requirement assessment is a cornerstone for nutrition practice. The extent to which total energy expenditure (TEE; indicator of energy requirements) has been measured in adults with chronic diseases has not been explored. OBJECTIVES: This systematic review aimed to characterize evidence on TEE among individuals with chronic diseases and describe TEE across chronic diseases and in comparison to controls without a chronic disease. METHODS: A literature search using terms related to doubly labeled water and TEE was conducted in PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Embase. Eligible articles included those that measured TEE using doubly labeled water in adults with a major chronic disease. Methodological quality was determined using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics quality criteria checklist. Sample size-weighted TEE was calculated in each chronic disease subgroup. RESULTS: Fifty studies were included, of which 15 had a control group. Median sample size was 20 participants, and approximately half of studies were published over 10 y ago. Thirty-five (70%) studies reported resting energy expenditure, and approximately half (k = 26) reported physical activity level. Methodological quality was neutral (k = 25) or positive (k = 23) for most studies. TEE among individual studies ranged from 934 to 3274 kcal/d. Mean weighted TEE was lowest among gastrointestinal (1786 kcal/d) and neurologic (2104 kcal/d) subgroups and highest among cancer (2903 kcal/d), endocrine (2661 kcal/d), and autoimmune (2625 kcal/d) subgroups. Excluding 1 article in cancer survivors resulted in a low TEE in the cancer subgroup (2112 kcal/d). Most studies with a control group reported no differences in TEE between controls and patients; however, only 1 study was powered for between-group comparisons. CONCLUSIONS: Energy requirements vary across chronic diseases, although there is insufficient evidence to suggest that TEE in patients with chronic disease is different than that among controls. Further research is needed to inform energy requirement recommendations that consider chronic disease. This review was registered at PROSPERO as CRD42022336500 (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=336500).

Health Benefits of Vegetarian Diets: An Insight into the Main Topics.

Vegetarian diets are plant-based diets including all the edible foods from the Plant Kingdom, such as grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Dairy and eggs can be added in small amounts in the lacto-ovo-vegetarian subtype, or not at all in the vegan subtype. The abundance of non-processed plant foods-typical of all well-planned diets, including vegetarian ones-can provide the body with numerous protective factors (fiber, phytocompounds), while limiting the intake of harmful nutrients like saturated fats, heme-iron, and cholesterol. The beneficial effects on health of this balance have been reported for many main chronic diseases, in both observational and intervention studies. The scientific literature indicates that vegetarians have a lower risk of certain types of cancer, overall cancer, overweight-obesity, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and vascular diseases. Since the trend of following a vegetarian diet is increasing among citizens of developed countries, the knowledge in the field will benefit from further studies confirming the consistency of these findings and clarifying the effects of vegetarian diets on other controversial topics.

Accessibility to Health Care Services and Treatment for People with Noncommunicable Diseases in Northwest Syria.

We assessed the accessibility to health care services and treatment for people with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in Northwest Syria after more than eleven years of the worst humanitarian crisis in Syria. Included in this cross-sectional study were people with one or more of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, or chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases; people from both Aleppo and Idleb governorates; and residents from both inside and outside the camp. Data were collected in November 2022 via face-to-face interviews. The findings were obtained from 674 respondents (52.8% female). Respondents in Idleb were 6.5 times more likely to access health care services than Aleppo (p = 0000). In-camp residents were 1.5 times more likely to access outreach health services (p = 0.020). Respondents with higher income were three times more likely to access health care services compared to respondents with lower income (p = 0.000). Having any of the surveyed NCDs made the respondents less likely to get the required services. The study findings added more evidence about the inequity in terms of accessing health care services in Northwest Syria and identified the barriers. It was clear that a perceived group of people with NCDs do not have access to the health care services, including outreach health services and free medications.

Quantitative evaluation of the role of aging and non-aging factors for predicting threats from major chronic diseases and developing control strategies.

Various indicators exist to assess the threat of chronic diseases. This paper presents new ones to evaluate the role of aging and non-aging factors for predicting threats from major chronic diseases. Age at zero mortality (AM0) and age at average mortality (AMa) can be calculated by regressing age and mortality (the intercept indicates AM0, the slope indicates the observed slope and r indicates random non-aging factors). A regression equation can be created using AMa at the age of 72 and mortality at the age of 82; thus, the expected slope can be obtained for the aging factor without considering non-aging factors. It is possible to distinguish between aging and non-aging factors using the observed and expected slopes, which should be multiplied by r to produce an index of aging (IA). The lower the AM0, AMa or IA of a disease is, the greater the threat it poses to a population. The AM0 and IA were calculated using data from China (2004 and 2019) for various diseases [cancer, heart disease (HD), cerebrovascular disease (CVD), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)]. We found the severity of threat was highest for cancer, CVD, other chronic diseases, HD and COPD in descending order in 2019. The results suggest that changes in threats may be related to socioeconomic development. Cancer was found to be the greatest threat to younger age groups, with IA<0.5, suggesting that non-aging risk factors may play an important role in cancers. Conversely, aging may play an important role in other chronic diseases, including HD, CVD, and COPD. Compared to 2004, the AM0 of cancer showed the greatest change. In conclusions, the different indicators explain different aspects of the problem and it would be beneficial to conduct in-depth research on the theoretical basis for the association of threats of disease with socioeconomic development in order to develop prevention and control strategies.

Addressing the Health Needs of Indian Americans in the Greater Philadelphia Region Through a Scoping Survey: Cancer Screening Assessment.

Despite higher income and education, there are profound health disparities among Asian Americans. These disparities are highlighted in particular by screening behaviors for cancer. Between 1998 and 2008, cancer rates increased threefold among Indian Americans, raising concern that cancer screening in this group may be especially low. To better understand cancer screening behavior, we collected data from a total of 157 self-identifying Indian Americans residing in the greater Philadelphia area. Nearly all participants reported having health insurance (98.7%), and most had received a physical exam within a year (87.3%). Only17.4% of the participants were referred for mammography, while 30% of participants over age 30 were referred for ovarian cancer screening. Just 4 participants were recommended for pancreatic cancer screening. The findings contribute new information to the understanding of health needs of Indian Americans residing in the greater Philadelphia region and reveal a need for greater focus on preventive care.

Design of the 18-year follow-up of the Danish COPSAC2000 birth cohort.

BACKGROUND: Atopic diseases, obesity and neuropsychiatric disorders are lifestyle-related and environmental-related chronic inflammatory disorders, and the incidences have increased in the last years. OBJECTIVE: To outline the design of the 18-year follow-up of the Copenhagen Prospective Study on Asthma in Childhood (COPSAC2000) birth cohort, where risk factors of atopic diseases, obesity and neuropsychiatric disorders are identified through extensive characterisation of the environment, along with deep clinical phenotyping and biosampling for omics profiling. METHODS: COPSAC2000 is a Danish prospective clinical birth cohort study of 411 children born to mothers with asthma who were enrolled at 1 month of age and closely followed at the COPSAC clinical research unit through childhood for the development of atopic diseases. At the 18-year follow-up visit, biomaterial (hair, blood, urine, faeces, throat, and skin swabs, nasal lining fluid and scraping, and hypopharyngeal aspirates) and extensive information on environmental exposures and risk behaviours were collected along with deep metabolic characterisation and multiorgan investigations including anthropometrics, heart, lungs, kidneys, intestines, bones, muscles and skin. Neuropsychiatric diagnoses were captured from medical records and registers accompanied by electronic questionnaires on behavioural traits and psychopathology. RESULTS: A total of 370 (90%) of the 411 cohort participants completed the 18-year visit. Of these, 25.1% had asthma, 23.4% had a body mass index >25 kg/m2 and 16.8% had a psychiatric diagnosis in childhood. Of the 62 probands with a neuropsychiatric diagnosis in childhood, a total of 68.7% drank alcohol monthly, and when drinking, 22.2% drank >10 units. Of the participants, 31.4% were currently smoking, and of these, 24.1% smoked daily. A total of 23.8% had tried taking drugs, and 19.7% reported having done self-destructive behaviour. The mean screen time per day was 6.0 hours. CONCLUSION: This huge dataset on health and habits, exposures, metabolism, multiorgan assessments and biosamples from COPSAC2000 by age 18 provides a unique opportunity to explore risk factors and underlying mechanisms of atopic disease and other lifestyle-related, non-communicable diseases such as obesity and neuropsychiatric disorders, which are highly prevalent in the community and our cohort.

Prevalence and associated factors of impaired kidney functions among children and adolescents in India: insights from the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) 2016-18.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant public health problem. The burden of CKD in children and adolescents in India is not well described. We used data from the recent Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) to estimate the prevalence of impaired kidney function (IKF) and its determinants in children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 19. METHODS: CNNS 2016-18 adopted a multi-stage sampling design using probability proportional to size sampling procedure after geographical stratification of urban and rural areas. Serum creatinine was tested once in 24,690 children and adolescents aged 5-19 years. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was derived using the revised Schwartz equation. The eGFR value below 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 is defined as IKF. Bivariate analysis was done to depict the weighted prevalence, and multivariable logistic regression examined the predictors of IKF. RESULTS: The mean eGFR in the study population was 113.3 + 41.4 mL/min/1.73 m2. The overall prevalence of IKF was 4.9%. The prevalence in the 5-9, 10-14, and 15-19 year age groups was 5.6%, 3.4% and 5.2%, respectively. Regression analysis showed age, rural residence, non-reserved social caste, less educated mothers, Islam religion, children with severe stunting or being overweight/obese, and residence in Southern India to be predictors of IKF. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of IKF among children and adolescents in India is high compared to available global estimates. In the absence of repeated eGFR-based estimates, these nationally representative estimates are intriguing and call for further assessment of socio-demographic disparities, genetics, and risk behaviours to have better clinical insights and public health preparedness.

Multimorbidity, lifestyle, and cognitive function: A cross-cultural study on the role of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases.

BACKGROUND: The effect of lifestyle factors on cognitive function related to four major noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases, and the relationship between these NCDs and cognitive function have not been fully studied. We aimed to investigate the longitudinal associations between these NCDs and cognitive function in middle-aged and older people, and the combined effects of lifestyle factors. METHODS: By employing the data from three large-scale cohort studies from the U.S. Health and Retirement Study (2010-2019), English Longitudinal Study of Aging (2014-2019), and China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011-2019), this study carried out a multi-cohort analysis to 77, 210 participants. Fixed-effects regression models were used to examine associations between NCD status and cognitive function. Margin plots were used to illustrate the effect of lifestyle factors. RESULTS: Our findings revealed the dose-dependent association between mounting these NCDs and declining cognitive performance, ranging from one NCD (ß = -0.05, 95 % CI: -0.08 to -0.02) to four NCDs (ß = -0.51, 95 % CI: -0.75 to -0.28). Decline in cognitive function associated with NCDs was exacerbated with physical inactivity, current smoking status, and an increase in unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. LIMITATIONS: The observational study design precludes causal interrogation of lifestyles and four NCDs on cognitive function. CONCLUSIONS: An increasing number of these NCDs were dose-dependently associated with the decline in cognitive function score. Unhealthy lifestyle factors expedite decline in cognitive function linked to these NCDs.

Time trend analysis and impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on mammography and Papanicolaou test coverage in Brazilian state capitals.

BACKGROUND: Breast and cervical cancer are major public health issues globally. The reduction in incidence and mortality rates of these cancers is linked to effective prevention, early detection, and appropriate treatment measures. This study aims to analyze the temporal trends in the prevalence of mammography and Papanicolaou test coverage among women living in Brazilian state capitals between 2007 and 2023, and to compare the coverage of these tests before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. METHODS: A time series study was conducted using data from the Surveillance System for Risk and Protective Factors for Chronic Diseases by Telephone Survey from 2007 to 2023. The variables analyzed included mammography and Papanicolaou test coverage according to education level, age group, race/skin color, regions, and Brazilian capitals. The Prais-Winsten regression model was used to analyze the time series, and Student's t-test was employed to compare the prevalence rates between 2019 and 2023. RESULTS: Between 2007 and 2023, mammography coverage showed a stationary trend (71.1% in 2007 and 73.1% in 2023; p-value = 0.75) with a declining trend observed among women with 12 years or more of education (APC= -0.52% 95%CI -1.01%; -0.02%). Papanicolaou test coverage for all women aged between 25 and 64 exhibited a downward trend from 82% in 2007 to 76.8% in 2023 (APC= -0.45% 95%CI -0.76%; -0.13%). This decline was also noticed among those with 9 years or more of education; in the 25 to 44 age group; among women with white and mixed race; and in the Northeast, Central-West, Southeast, and South regions. When comparing coverage before and during Covid-19 pandemic, a reduction was noted for both tests. CONCLUSIONS: Over the years, there has been stability in mammography coverage and a decline in Papanicolaou test. The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the number of these tests carried out among women, highlighting the importance of actions aimed at increasing coverage, especially among the most vulnerable groups.

Burden of disease and direct costs to the health system attributable to high body mass index in Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: Excess weight, measured by a high body mass index (BMI), is associated with the onset of many diseases, which can, in turn, lead to disability and premature death, subsequently placing a significant burden on healthcare services. This study analysed the burden of disease and the direct costs to the Brazilian Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde [SUS]) attributable to high BMI in the Brazilian population. STUDY DESIGN: Ecological study. METHODS: This ecological study had two components: (1) a time-series assessment to analyse the burden of diseases attributable to high BMI from 1990 to 2019 in Brazil; and (2) a cross-sectional design to estimate the direct costs of SUS hospitalisations and outpatient procedures attributable to high BMI in 2019. Estimates from the Global Burden of Disease study and the costs of hospital admissions and outpatient procedures from the Department of Informatics of the Brazilian Unified Health System were used. Deaths, years of life lost to premature death (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and years of life lost adjusted for disability (DALYs) were analysed. The direct health cost was obtained in Brazilian Real (R$) and converted in international Dollars (INT$). RESULTS: The current study found a reduction in the number of DALYs, YLLs, and deaths per 100,000 population of cardiovascular disease (CVD) attributable to high BMI and an increase in YLD due to diabetes and cardiovascular disease attributable to high BMI from 1990 to 2019. In 2019, high BMI resulted in 2404 DALYs, 658 YLDs, 1746 YLLs, and 76 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. In the same year, INT$377.30 million was spent on hospitalisations and high- and medium-complexity procedures to control non-communicable diseases attributable to high BMI. The states in the South and Southeast regions of Brazil presented the highest total cost per 10,000 inhabitants. CVDs and chronic kidney disease showed the highest costs per hospital admission, whereas neoplasms and CVDs presented the highest costs for outpatient procedures. CONCLUSIONS: High BMI causes significant disease burden and financial costs. The highest expenses observed were not in locations with the highest burden of disease attributable to high BMI. These findings highlight the need to improve current public policies and apply cost-effective intervention packages, focussing on equity and the promotion of healthier lifestyles to reduce overweight/obesity, especially in localities with low socioeconomic status.

Racial inequalities in the development of multimorbidity of chronic conditions: results from a Brazilian prospective cohort.

BACKGROUND: The occurrence of multimorbidity and its impacts have differentially affected population subgroups. Evidence on its incidence has mainly come from high-income regions, with limited exploration of racial disparities. This study investigated the association between racial groups and the development of multimorbidity and chronic conditions in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). METHODS: Data from self-reported white, brown (pardos or mixed-race), and black participants at baseline of ELSA-Brasil (2008-2010) who were at risk for multimorbidity were analysed. The development of chronic conditions was assessed through in-person visits and self-reported diagnosis via telephone until the third follow-up visit (2017-2019). Multimorbidity was defined when, at the follow-up visit, the participant had two or more morbidities. Cumulative incidences, incidence rates, and adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were estimated using Poisson models. RESULTS: Over an 8.3-year follow-up, compared to white participants: browns had a 27% greater incidence of hypertension and obesity; and blacks had a 62% and 45% greater incidence, respectively. Blacks also had 58% more diabetes. The cancer incidence was greater among whites. Multimorbidity affected 41% of the participants, with a crude incidence rate of 57.5 cases per 1000 person-years (ranging from 56.3 for whites to 63.9 for blacks). Adjusted estimates showed a 20% higher incidence of multimorbidity in black participants compared to white participants (IRR: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.05-1.38). CONCLUSIONS: Significant racial disparities in the risk of chronic conditions and multimorbidity were observed. Many associations revealed a gradient increase in illness risk according to darker skin tones. Addressing fundamental causes such as racism and racial discrimination, alongside considering social determinants of health, is vital for comprehensive multimorbidity care. Intersectoral, equitable policies are essential for ensuring health rights for historically marginalized groups.

Assessing the impact of annual health screenings in identifying noncommunicable disease risk factors within Qatar's primary health care corporation Qatari registered population.

Background: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are a significant global health burden, including in Qatar, where cardiovascular diseases cause mortality. This study examines the outcomes of the annual health checkup implemented by the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) in Qatar in detecting NCDs risk factors among Qataris aged 18+ years. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was implemented to calculate the prevalence of behavioural and metabolic NCDs risk factors among Qataris who underwent annual health checkups between 2017 and 2019. Data on age, gender, tobacco consumption, height, weight, blood pressure, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), and cholesterol levels were extracted from electronic medical records. Results: In 2019, Qatar experienced an 80% rise in Annual Health checkups attendance compared to 2017. Tobacco use fluctuated between 11.79 and 12.91%, peaking at 35.67% among males in 2018. Qataris with elevated blood pressure dropped from 29.44% in 2017 to 18.52% in 2019. Obesity decreased from 48.32 to 42.29%, more prevalent in females. High HbA1c levels reduced from 13.33 to 8.52%, while pre-diabetic levels rose from 21.1 to 25.52%. High cholesterol ranged from 7.31 to 9.47%. In a regression analysis, males had 2.28 times higher odds of elevated blood pressure and 1.54 times higher odds of high HbA1c, with a 0.68 lower odds of obesity compared to females. Ages 36 and above had 2.61 times higher odds of high cholesterol compared to younger age groups. Conclusion: The annual health screening has shown promising results in detecting and addressing NCDs risk factors among Qataris. The attendance rate has increased over the three-year period, and there has been a decrease in the prevalence of elevated blood pressure, obesity, and high HbA1c levels. However, tobacco consumption and pre-diabetic levels remain significant concerns. These findings can guide the implementation of tailored preventative and curative services to improve the health and well-being of the Qatari population.

Chronic oral disease burden at the first 1000 days: Intergenerational risk factors, BRISA cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze multiple-causal models, including socioeconomic, obesity, sugar consumption, alcohol smoking, caries, and periodontitis variables in pregnant women with early sugar exposure, obesity, and the Chronic Oral Disease Burden in their offspring around the first 1000 days of life. METHODS: The BRISA cohort study, Brazil, had two assessments: at the 22nd-25th gestational weeks and during the child's second year (n = 1141). We proposed a theoretical model exploring the association between socioeconomic and pregnancy factors (age, smoking, alcohol, sugars, obesity, periodontitis, and caries) and child's variables (sugars and overweight) with the outcome, Chronic Oral Disease Burden (latent variable deduced from visible plaque, gingivitis, and tooth decay), using structural equation modeling. RESULTS: Caries and periodontitis were correlated in pregnant women. Addictive behaviors in the gestational period were correlated. Obesity (Standardized coefficient - SC = 0.081; p = 0.047) and added sugar consumption (SC = 0.142; p = 0.041) were observed intergenerationally in the pregnant woman-child dyads. Sugar consumption by the children (SC = 0.210; p = 0.041) increased the Chronic Oral Disease Burden. CONCLUSIONS: Poor caries and periodontal indicators were correlated in pregnant women and their offspring. Obesity and sugar consumption act intergenerationally. Oral health in early life may change life trajectory since the worst oral conditions predict main NCDs.