Correlation between socioeconomic indices and epidemiological indices of thyroid cancer from 1990 to 2019 year: a global ecologic study.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of thyroid cancer as the most common type of endocrine gland malignancy has risen more significantly than any malignancies in recent years. Estimated new cases of thyroid cancer in the United States in 2024 were 12,500 and 31,520 for men and women, respectively, and estimated deaths were 1,180 for women and 990 for men. Indices of socio-economic have been commonly used to measure the development of countries. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the correlation between indices of socioeconomic status and epidemiological indices of thyroid cancer throughout the world. In addition, this study has compared two indices of human development and a socio-demographic index. METHOD: This worldwide ecological study used data on thyroid cancer incidence, mortality, human development index (HDI), and sociodemographic index (SDI) between 1990 and 2019 from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD). We evaluated the correlation between incidence and mortality rates with socioeconomic indices by using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Furthermore, for the first time, the generalized additive model (GAM) was employed for modeling. The statistical software R, version 4.2.2, was used to conduct all statistical analyses. RESULTS: The correlation between the incidence of thyroid cancer and the HDI was significant and positive (r = 0.47, p-value < 0.001). While the correlation between thyroid cancer mortality and HDI was not statistically significant (r = 0.01, p-value = 0.076). Besides, the incidence of thyroid cancer was significantly positively correlated with SDI (r = 0.48, p-value < 0.001). The multiple GAM showed that for one unit increase in HDI, the risk of thyroid cancer was increased by 2.1 times (RR = 2.1, 95%CI = 2.04 to 2.19), and for one unit increase in SDI, the risk of thyroid cancer was shown to increase by 2.2 times. (RR = 2.2, 95%CI = 2.19 to 2.35). CONCLUSION: It has been evident that countries with higher incidence of thyroid cancer display higher socioeconomic indices. While, countries with higher socioeconomic indices, report lower mortality rates. However, based on the modeling results, it can be concluded that the SDI is slightly more useful in this regard. Therefore, examining the epidemiological indices of thyroid cancer by socio-economic indices can be useful to reflect a clear image of the distribution of this cancer in each country, and can be used for planning cancer prevention strategies.

Trends in ultra-processed food availability and its association with diet-related non-communicable disease health indicators in the Portuguese population.

Broad variations in dietary and physical activity patterns are part of nutritional transition concept. An additional nutritional transition has as main characteristic the change of consumption of processed foods for ultra-processed foods (UPF). This study aims to evaluate trends of UPF availability in Portuguese population and its association with diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCD) health indicators. This ecological study used data from the Household Budget Surveys conducted by the National Statistics Institute each 5 years within a national representative sample of households. The percentage of UPF was calculated based on the total daily amount of food and beverages available per capita (in grams). Data from the years 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2005 were used, which were retrieved from DAFNE-Anemos Software. NCD age-standardised mortality, prevalence and incidence were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease database, for the years 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015. Between 1990 and 2005, the UPF availability increased from 3·9 % to 13·8 %. Over the years, almost all food and beverages categories increased the UPF availability contribution, mainly noticeable for milk, sugar, cereal and meat products. Positive correlations were observed between UPF availability and digestive diseases both in prevalence (r = 0·062; P = 0·037) and incidence (r = 0·005; P = 0·010) measures. Neoplasms incidence also showed positive correlation with UPF availability (r = 0·002; P = 0·012). Trends in UPF availability in Portugal increased exponentially. At the same time, there is a trend towards a decrease in unprocessed and processed food availability. The Portuguese population should be made aware of the health risks resulting from excessive consumption of UPF.

Determinants of oral health status: an ecological study in Iran.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this ecological study was to assess the association between behavioral, social position, circumstance factors, and caries experience in 35- to 44-year-old adults in Iran at a provincial level. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data from the 2011 Iranian Oral Health Survey were obtained from all 31 provinces across Iran on the population level. Oral health status was measured as the number of decayed, missing (MT), and filled (FT) teeth and the percentage of the population who were edentulous. Data were also gathered from each province on the percentage of smokers (Non-Communicable Diseases Risk Factors Surveillance Provincial Report 2009), per capita consumption of free sugars, concentration of fluoride in the drinking water (National and Sub-national Burden of Disease (NASBOD) Survey), number of dentists per 10,000 people, mean years of schooling of adults, expected years of schooling of children, life expectancy at birth and Gross National Income (Integrated Public Use Microdata Series, Global Data Lab). The data were analyzed using simple and multiple linear regression (α = 0.05). RESULTS: Mean DMFT was positively associated with the percentage of smokers (B = 0.01 95%CI 0.01-0.14), and negatively with fluoride concentration (B =-2.6 95%CI -4.3- -0.96). The edentulousness percentage was positively associated with smoking (B = 0.2 (with 95%CI: 0.07-0.37) and negatively with mean years of education (B =-1.08 (with 95%CI: -2.04- -0.12). DT was associated with expected years of schooling (B =-0.6 (with 95%CI: -1.07- -0.17), negatively. Mt was negatively associated with life expectancy (B =-0.5 (with 95%CI: -1.1- -0.007), fluoride concentration (B =-3.4 (with 95%CI: -4.5- -1.5) and number of dentists per 10,000 people (B =-0.4 (with 95%CI: -0.8- -0.01). Mean Years of Schooling (B = 0.5 (with 95%CI: 0.2-0.8) and number of dentists per 10,000 people (B =-0.62 (with 95%CI: 0.51 - 0.48) were positively in associated with FT. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings indicate that there were differences in the oral health measures and their social determinants among the provinces of Iran. Regarding the limitations of the study especially the limitation of the number of independent variables, it seems, this discrepancy could be better explained by social variables of the provinces such as income than by environmental factors.

Food environment index and preterm birth rate in the counties of the United States.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the relationship between Food Environment Index (FEI) and Preterm Birth (PTB) rate at the county level of the United States of America (USA) (primary), while evaluating the interaction of multiple factors within a framework of sociodemographic, maternal health, maternal behavioral, and environmental factors. METHODS: This is a population-based retrospective cohort ecological study from 2015-2018. The study compares the characteristics of the population of the counties of the USA. All counties with complete data on their PTB rate and the independent variables were included in the study. Independent variables with greater than 20% missing data were excluded from the study. Purposive sampling technique was applied. A total of 2983/3142 counties were included in the study. RESULTS: The median PTB rate of all counties was 9.90%. The highest PTB rate (23.3%) was in Tallapoosa County, Alabama and the lowest (3.4%) in San Juan County, Washington State. After adjusting for variables, PTB rate had a significant association with FEI (coefficient of correlation - 0.36, p < 0.01, 95% CI - 0.19 to - 0.04). Increase in the rate of unemployment, African American race, adult smoking, obesity, uninsured rate, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), high school education and air pollution was associated with an increase in PTB rate, while an increase in FEI and alcohol abuse rates was associated with a decrease in PTB rate. CONCLUSIONS: FEI can predict the PTB rate in USA counties after adjusting for sociodemographic, health, behavioral and environmental factors. Future studies are needed to confirm these associations and consider them when making policies to reduce PTBs.

Chronic exposure to fine particles (PM2.5) and mortality: Evidence from Chile.

Many Chilean cities suffer from high air pollution from industrial, mobile, and residential wood-burning sources. Several studies have linked PM2.5 air pollution exposure to higher mortality risk from cardiovascular, pulmonary, and lung cancer causes. In recent years, Chile has developed an extensive air pollution monitoring network to enforce air quality standards for PM2.5, allowing the study of the medium-term association between PM2.5 and mortality. Methods: A negative binomial regression model was used to study the association between 3-year average PM2.5 concentrations and age-adjusted mortality rates for 105 of the 345 municipalities in Chile. Models were fitted for all (ICD10 A to Q codes), cardiopulmonary (I and J), cardiovascular (I), pulmonary (J), cancer (C), and lung cancer (C33-C34) causes; controlling for meteorological, socioeconomic, and demographic characteristics. Results: A significant association of PM2.5 exposure with cardiopulmonary (relative risk for 10 µg/m3 PM2.5: 1.06; 95% confidence interval = 1.00, 1.13) and pulmonary (1.11; 1.02, 1.20) age-adjusted mortality rates was found. Cardiovascular (1.06; 0.99, 1.13) and all causes (1.02; 0.98, 1.07) were positive, but not significant. No significant association was found between cancer and lung cancer. The positive associations remained even when controlling for multiple confounding factors, model specifications, and when considering different methods for exposure characterization. These estimates are in line with results from cohort studies from the United States and European studies. Conclusion: Three-year average PM2.5 exposure is positively associated with the age-adjusted mortality rate for cardiopulmonary and cardiovascular causes in Chile. This provides evidence of the medium-term exposure effect of fine particles on long-term mortality rates.

Geographical pattern of minerals and its association with health disparities in the USA.

This study aimed to determine the common latent patterns of geographical distribution of health-related minerals across the USA and to evaluate the real-world cumulative effects of these patterns on overall population health. It was an ecological study using county-level data (3080 contiguous counties) on the concentrations of 14 minerals (i.e., aluminum, arsenic, calcium, copper, iron, lead, magnesium, manganese, mercury, phosphorus, selenium, sodium, titanium, zinc) in stream sediments (or surface soils), and the measurements of overall health including life expectancy at birth, age-specific mortality risks and cause-specific (summarized by 21 mutually exclusive groups) mortality rates. Latent class analysis (LCA) was employed to identify the common clusters of life expectancy-related minerals based on their concentration characteristics. Multivariate linear regression analyses were then conducted to examine the relationship between the LCA-derived clusters and the health measurements, with adjustment for potential confounding factors. Five minerals (i.e., arsenic, calcium, selenium, sodium and zinc) were associated with life expectancy and were analyzed in LCA. Three clusters were determined across the USA, the 'common' (n = 2056, 66.8%), 'infertile' (n = 739, 24.0%) and 'plentiful' (n = 285, 9.3%) clusters. Residents in counties with the 'infertile' profile were associated with the shortest life expectancy, highest mortality risks at all ages, and highest mortality rates for many reasons including the top five leading causes of death: cardiovascular diseases, neoplasms, neurological disorders, chronic respiratory conditions, and diabetes, urogenital, blood and endocrine diseases. Results remained statistically significant after confounding adjustment. Our study brings novel perspectives regarding environmental geochemistry to explain health disparities in the USA.

Associations between exposure to blue spaces and natural and cause-specific mortality in Greece: An ecological study.

BACKGROUND: A growing body of evidence suggests that exposure to natural environments, such as green space, may have a beneficial role in health. However, there is limited evidence regarding the effects of exposure to blue spaces and mortality. We investigated the association of exposure to blue spaces with natural and cause-specific mortality in Greece using an ecological study design METHODS: Mortality and socioeconomic data were obtained from 1,035 municipal units (MUs) from the 2011 census data. To define exposure to "blue" we used a rate of the land cover categories related to blue space from the COoRdination and INformation on the Environmental (CORINE) 2012 map per 10,000 persons in the municipal unit. We further assessed the exposure to blue space in the MUs that are located in the coastline of Greece using the distance to the coast as a proxy for proximity to blue space. the Annual PM2.5, NO2, BC and O3 concentrations for 2010 were predicted by land use regression models while the normalized difference vegetation index was used to assess greenness. We applied single and two exposure Poisson regression models accounting for spatial autocorrelation and adjusting for unemployment and lung cancer mortality rates, percentages of the population aged 25-64 with upper secondary or tertiary education attainment and of those born in Greece, and urbanicity. The analysis was conducted for the whole country and separately by varying geographical definitions. RESULTS: An interquartile range (IQR) increase of blue space per 10,000 persons was associated with decreased risk in natural mortality (Relative Risk (RR): 0.98 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.98, 0.99), as well as in mortality due to cardiovascular causes, respiratory causes and diseases of the nervous system 0.98 (95% CI: 0.97, 0.99); 0.97 (95% CI: 0.95, 0.99); 0.94 (95% CI: 0.88, 1.00) respectively). We estimated protective associations for ischemic heart disease (IHD) mortality (RR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.97, 1.00 per IQR); COPD mortality (RR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.93, 1.00 per IQR) and mortality from cerebrovascular disease (RR = 0.97 (95% CI: 0.96, 0.99 per IQR). We estimated protective associations for the distance from the coast and mortality from the diseases of the nervous system (RR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.61, 0.92, ≤1 km from the coast versus >1 km). Our results were stronger for inhabitants of the islands, the coastline and in the rural areas of Greece while the estimates were robust to co-exposure adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: We estimated statistically significant protective effects of exposure to blue space on mortality from natural, cardiovascular and respiratory causes, diseases of the nervous system, cerebrovascular and ischemic heart disease for in Greece with higher estimates in the coastline and the islands. Further research is needed to elaborate our findings.

Does women's empowerment and their socioeconomic condition affect the uptake of breast cancer screening? Findings from NFHS-5, India.

BACKGROUND: Screening for breast cancer results in early diagnosis of the disease and improves survival. However, increasing participation of women in screening programs is challenging since it is influenced by socioeconomic and cultural factors. This study explores the relationship of socioeconomic and women empowerment factors with breast cancer screening uptakes in the states and union territories of India. METHODS: We used summary reports of secondary data from all the states and union territories based on the fifth wave of the National Family Health Survey in India. This ecological study compares the uptake of breast cancer screening across states of India. We considered socioeconomic status (SES) and women empowerment status (WES) indicators from the survey as independent variables and state-wise breast cancer screening uptake as dependent variables for studying their association. The determinants of breast cancer screening were calculated using a simple linear regression model. RESULTS: We found that socioeconomic status and women empowerment status moderately correlated with breast cancer screening uptake (correlation coefficient 0.34 and 0.38, respectively). States with higher rates of literacy among women and of women who had their own bank accounts that they decided how to use reported higher uptake of breast cancer screening (p = 0.01 and 0.03, respectively). However, the correlation was not uniform across all the states. The states of Chandigarh, Delhi, Telangana, and Karnataka showed lower participation despite a higher percentage of literate women and women with their own bank accounts. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that women's literacy and having their own bank account may moderately improve their participation in cancer screening. However, higher SES and WES did not translate into better screening in many of the states. More research is needed, especially for states which had low screening uptake despite relatively higher rates of women empowerment.

Incidence of Substance Use Disorder Following Bariatric Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: New-onset substance use disorder (SUD) following bariatric surgery is a significant concern that is likely multi-factorial, although the etiologies are unclear. Previous studies have identified variable rates of SUD along with utilizing different methods and measures. The objective of this study is to evaluate new-onset SUD diagnoses among adults following bariatric surgery and compare these rates to those in the general population as well as those diagnosed with overweight or obesity. METHODS: Data was extracted from TriNetX Research Platform and used to build three cohorts of adults: those who had bariatric surgery (bariatric surgery cohort), those diagnosed with obesity or overweight, and a general population cohort. Rates of incident SUD were compared among these three groups. Initial encounters for all individuals were from January 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019. RESULTS: The incidence rate of SUD in patients with a history of bariatric surgery was 6.55% (n = 2523). When compared to the general population, persons who had any type of bariatric procedure had a decreased risk of new-onset SUD with an overall odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence limits (CL)] of 0.89 [0.86, 0.93]. When compared to persons with overweight or obesity, bariatric patients were less likely to develop any form of SUD (OR: 0.65 [0.62, 0.67]). CONCLUSION: While overall rates of new-onset SUD are lower among those who had bariatric surgery, they also vary by surgery and substance type. Efforts should still be made to address new-onset SUD in order to optimize the post-surgical care of patients.

Influência da desigualdade socioeconômica na distribuição das internações e dos óbitos por covid-19 em municípios brasileiros, 2020: um estudo ecológico / Influencia de la desigualdad socioeconómica en la distribución de hospitalizaciones y muertes por COVID-19 en municipios brasileños, 2020: un estudio ecológico / Influence of socioeconomic inequality on the distribution of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths in Brazilian municipalities, 2020: an ecological study

Objetivo analisar a influência da desigualdade socioeconômica na distribuição da covid-19 nos maiores municípios brasileiros (> 100 mil habitantes), controlando, pelo efeito da infraestrutura hospitalar, comorbidades e outras variáveis. Métodos estudo ecológico sobre internações e óbitos por covid-19 em 2020; dados de desfecho obtidos do Ministério da Saúde; a razão de incidência foi estimada via modelo linear generalizado. Resultados identificados 291.073 internações e 139.953 óbitos; encontrou-se maior taxa de mortalidade nos municípios com maior população não branca (IC95% 1,01;1,16) e nos domicílios com mais de duas pessoas por cômodo (IC95% 1,01;1,13); para ambos os desfechos, esgotamento sanitário foi protetivo (internações: IC95% 0,87;0,99 - óbitos: IC95% 0,90;0,99), e população em aglomerados subnormais revelou-se fator de risco (internações: IC95% 1,01;1,16 - óbitos: IC95% 1,09;1,21) com interação, com a proporção de pessoas a receber auxílio emergencial (internações: IC95% 0,88;1,00 - óbitos: IC95% 0,89;0,98). Conclusão condições socioeconômicas afetaram o adoecimento e morte por covid-19 no Brasil.

Objetivo: analizar la influencia de la desigualdad socioeconómica en la distribución de COVID-19 en los mayores municipios brasileños (> 100 mil habitantes), controlando, por la infraestructura hospitalaria, comorbilidades y otras variables. Métodos: estudio ecológico sobre hospitalizaciones y muertes por COVID-19 en 2020; datos del resultado fueran obtenidos del Ministerio de Salud; razón de incidencia estimada a través del modelo lineal generalizado. Resultados: 291.073 hospitalizaciones y 139.953 muertes; mayor tasa de mortalidad en municipios con mayor proporción de población no blanca (IC95% 1,01;1,16) y con más hogares con más de dos personas por habitación (IC95% 1,01;1,13); el alcantarillado sanitario resultó protector (hospitalizaciones: IC95% 0,87;0,99 - muertes: IC95% 0,90;0,99) y la mayor proporción de población en aglomeraciones subnormales fue un factor de riesgo (hospitalizaciones: IC95% 1,01;1,16 - muertes: IC95% 1,09;1,21), interactuando con proporción de personas con asistencia de emergencia (hospitalizaciones IC95% 0,88;1,00, defunciones IC95% 0,89;0,98). Conclusión: las condiciones socioeconómicas afectaron la enfermedad y la muerte por COVID-19.

Objective: to analyze the influence of socioeconomic inequality on COVID-19 istribution in larger Brazilian municipalities, controlling for effect of hospital infrastructure, comorbidities and other variables. Methods: this was an ecological study of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths in 2020; outcome data were obtained from the Ministry of Health; incidence ratios were estimated using a generalized linear model. Results: we identified 291,073 hospitalizations and 139,953 deaths; we found higher mortality rates in municipalities with a higher proportion of non-White people (95%CI 1.01;1.16) and with more households with more than two people per room (95%CI 1.01;1.13); presence of sewerage systems was protective for both outcomes (hospitalizations: 95%CI 0.87;0.99 - deaths: 95%CI 0.90;0.99), while a higher proportion of the population in subnormal housing clusters was a risk factor (hospitalizations: 95%CI 1.01;1.16 - deaths: 95%CI 1.09;1.21), with this variable interacting with the proportion of people receiving Emergency Aid (hospitalizations: 95%CI 0.88;1.00 - deaths: 95%CI 0.89;0.98). Conclusion: socioeconomic conditions affected illness and death due to COVID-19 in Brazil.

Avaliação da incompletude dos registros de óbitos por causas externas do Sistema de Informações sobre Mortalidade no Rio Grande do Sul, 2000-2019 / Evaluación de la incompletitud de los registros de defunción por causas externas del Sistema de Información de Mortalidad en Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, 2000-2019 / Assessment of incompleteness of Mortality Information System records on deaths from external causes in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, 2000-2019

Objective: to evaluate the incompleteness of Mortality Information System (Sistema de Informações sobre Mortalidade - SIM) data on deaths from external causes (ECs) in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, 2000-2019. Methods: This was an ecological study, using SIM data on all deaths from external causes and, specifically, from transport accident, homicides, suicides and falls; the analysis of the trend of incompleteness was performed by means of Prais-Winsten regression, with a 5% significance level. Results: A total of 146,882 deaths were evaluated; sex (0.1%), place of death (0.1%) and age (0.4%) showed the lowest incompleteness in 2019; the proportion of incompleteness showed a decreasing trend for the place of death and schooling, an increasing trend for marital status and a stable trend for age and race/skin color, among all types of death evaluated. Conclusion: the variables analyzed reached a high degree of completion; with the exception of marital status and schooling, for which unsatisfactory scores persisted for deaths from ECs, both total and by subgroups.

Objetivo: evaluar la incompletitud de los datos del Sistema de Información de Mortalidad (SIM) para las defunciones por causas externas (CEs) en Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, 2000-2019. Métodos: estudio ecológico con datos del SIM por causas externas, totales y por accidentes de tránsito, homicidios, suicidios y caídas; se utilizó la regresión de Prais-Winsten para evaluar la tendencia de incompletitud, con un nivel de significancia del 5%. Resultados: se evaluaron 146.882 muertes; sexo (0,1%), lugar de muerte (0,1%) y edad (0,4%) mostraron menos incompletitud en 2019; la tendencia de la proporción de incompletitud disminuyó para el lugar de ocurrencia y la educación, aumentó para el estado civil y se mantuvo estable para edad y raza/color del piel para todo tipo de muertes evaluadas. Conclusión: las variables analizadas lograron alta calidad de información, con excepción del estado civil y educación, que persistieron con incompletitud insatisfactoria para las muertes por CE (total y subgrupos).

Objetivo: avaliar a incompletude dos dados do Sistema de Informações sobre Mortalidade (SIM) para óbitos por causas externas (CEs) no Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, 2000-2019. Métodos: estudo ecológico, com dados do SIM para a totalidade das CEs e, especificamente, por acidentes de transporte, homicídios, suicídios e quedas; analisou-se a tendência da incompletude via regressão de Prais-Winsten, com nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: 146.882 óbitos foram avaliados; sexo (0,1%), local de ocorrência do óbito (0,1%) e idade (0,4%) mostraram as menores incompletudes, em 2019; a proporção de incompletude apresentou tendência decrescente para local de ocorrência do óbito e escolaridade, crescente para estado civil e estável para idade e raça/cor da pele, entre todos os tipos de óbito avaliados. Conclusão: as variáveis analisadas alcançaram alto grau de preenchimento; à exceção do estado civil e da escolaridade, para as quais persistiram escores insatisfatórios para óbitos por CEs, totais e por subgrupos.

Tendência temporal e distribuição espacial da sífilis gestacional e congênita no Brasil, período de 2008-2018 / Temporal trend and spatial distribution of gestational and congenital syphilis in Brazil, period 2008-2018

Introdução: A sífilis tornou-se um problema de saúde pública em várias regiões no mundo. Objetivo: Analisar a tendência temporal e distribuição espacial da sífilis gestacional e congênita no Brasil, no período de 2008 a 2018. Método: Trata-se de um estudo de diferentes métodos. 1) Estudo de série temporal da taxa de detecção da sífilis gestacional e correlação entre variáveis socioeconômicas e de serviços de saúde. Os dados foram extraídos de bancos de dados nacionais de acesso público. Utilizou-se o software Joinpoint Regression e o coeficiente de correlação de Pearson. 2) Estudo ecológico de análise espacial da taxa de detecção da sífilis gestacional e correlação espacial entre variáveis socioeconômicas e de serviços de saúde. Extraídos dados secundários, agregados em 482 Regiões Imediatas de Articulação Urbana. Utilizou-se o software GeoDa. 3) Estudo ecológico de tendência temporal e distribuição espacial da taxa de incidência da sífilis congênita e correlação espacial entre variáveis socioeconômicas e de serviços de saúde. Extraídos dados secundários. 4) Protocolo para uma revisão de escopo com o objetivo de identificar e mapear o uso da Análise Espacial como ferramenta em pesquisas sobre sífilis na área da saúde. Baseou-se no manual do Joanna Briggs Institute e no guia PRISMA-ScR. Resultados: A região Sul apresentou a maior tendência; enquanto a Centro-Oeste, menor. Detectada correlação com o Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano Municipal, taxa de analfabetismo, percentual de cobertura da atenção primária à saúde e proporção de médicos, enfermeiros e unidades básicas de saúde por habitante. A taxa de detecção de sífilis gestacional distribuiu-se desigualmente e mostrou correlação espacial com o Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano Municipal, percentual de cobertura da atenção básica e proporção de médicos por habitantes. A taxa de incidência de sífilis congênita mostrou tendência ascendente e distribuíção desigual. Apresentou correlação espacial com o percentual de indivíduos com abastecimento de água e saneamento inadequados e percentual de nascidos vivos com 1 a 3 consultas de pré-natal. O protocolo para a revisão de escopo explicitou a questão de pesquisa, as bases de dados para buscas, critérios de inclusão e exclusão, planilha de extração de dados e o tipo de análise dos dados. Considerações finais: Investimentos em políticas de saúde e sociais são necessárias para mitigar as vulnerabilidades sociais e fortalecer a atenção primária à saúde para o controle da sífilis (AU).

Introduction: Syphilis has become a public health problem in several regions of the world. Objective: To analyze the temporal trend and spatial distribution of gestational and congenital syphilis in Brazil, from 2008 to 2018. Method: It is a study of different methods. 1) Time series study of the detection rate of gestational syphilis and correlation between socioeconomic and health service variables. Data were extracted from publicly accessible national databases. The Joinpoint Regression software and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used. 2) Ecological study of spatial analysis of the detection rate of gestational syphilis and spatial correlation between socioeconomic variables and health services. Extracted secondary data, aggregated in 482 Immediate Urban Articulation Regions. GeoDa software was used. 3) Ecological study of temporal trends and spatial distribution of the incidence rate of congenital syphilis and spatial correlation between socioeconomic variables and health services. Secondary data extracted. 4) Protocol for a scoping review with the objective of proposing a protocol to identify and map the use of Spatial Analysis as a tool in research on syphilis in the health area. It was based on the Joanna Briggs Institute manual and guided by PRISMA-ScR. Results: The South region showed the greatest trend; while the Midwest, smaller. Correlation detected with the Municipal Human Development Index, illiteracy rate, percentage of primary health care coverage and proportion of doctors, nurses and basic health units per inhabitant. The detection rate of gestational syphilis was unevenly distributed and showed a spatial correlation with the Municipal Human Development Index, percentage of primary care coverage and proportion of physicians per population. The incidence rate of congenital syphilis showed an upward trend and uneven distribution. It showed a spatial correlation with the percentage of individuals with inadequate water supply and sanitation and the percentage of live births with 1 to 3 prenatal consultations. The protocol for the scope review explained the research question, the databases for searches, inclusion and exclusion criteria, data extraction worksheet and the type of data analysis. Final considerations: Investments in health and social policies are necessary to mitigate social vulnerabilities and strengthen primary health care for syphilis control (AU).

Environmental and social determinants of thyroid cancer: A spatial analysis based on the Geographical Detector.

Introduction: Thyroid cancer has increased sharply in China in recent years. This change may be attributable to multiple factors. The current study aimed to explore the environmental and social determinants of thyroid cancer. Methods: Incidence data from 487 cancer registries in 2016 were collected. Eight factors were considered, namely, air pollution, green space, ambient temperature, ultraviolet radiation, altitude, economic status, healthcare, and education level. A geographical detector (measured by q statistic) was used to evaluate the independent and interactive impact of the eight factors on thyroid cancer. Results: Social factors, especially economic status and healthcare level (q > 0.2), were most influential on thyroid cancer.Ultraviolet radiation, air pollution, and temperature had more impact on women, while green space and altitude had more influence on men. Enhanced effects were observed when two factors interacted. Spatially, economic status, healthcare, and air pollution were positively associated with thyroid cancer, while education level, green space, and altitude were negatively related to thyroid cancer. Conclusion: The socio-environmental determinants and spatial heterogeneity of thyroid cancer were observed in this study. These findings may improve our understanding of thyroid cancer epidemiology and help guide public health interventions.

Longitudinal analysis of tobacco and vape retail density in California.

INTRODUCTION: Tobacco retailer density may be associated with greater youth initiation and reduced success during quit attempts; however, the extent to which tobacco retailer density has changed overtime across multiple categories of retailers has not been reported. METHODS: Data on licensed tobacco retailers within California from 2015-2019 were obtained from the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Store type was categorized by automated cross-referencing with Yelp. Geolocations were aggregated at county level for analyzing longitudinal trends in changes in tobacco retail density including demographic characteristics. RESULTS: The number of active CA tobacco retailer licenses increased from 19825 in 2015 to 25635 in 2019. The highest percent increase in tobacco retailer licenses (9.1%) was observed in 2017. The number of specialized tobacco stores was highest in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside counties. We observed a significant increase in the number of active licenses for non-specialized and specialized tobacco stores, both overall and after controlling for the size of populations within each region. Time was a statistically significant predictor for the number of active licenses for only non-specialized stores, after adjusting for covariates. Regional volume of retailers was positively associated with higher proportion of women, lower median household income, and higher proportion of Hispanic residents. CONCLUSIONS: Monitoring the changes in tobacco retail density and associated sociodemographic factors over time can help to identify communities at higher risk for tobacco and nicotine product exposure and access, and its associated health disparities.

Letter to the editor on "Geotemporospatial and causal inferential epidemiological overview and survey of USA cannabis, cannabidiol and cannabinoid genotoxicity expressed in cancer incidence 2003-2017, parts 1-3".

We would like to thank authors Reece and Hulse (2022) for their three-part article titled "Geotemporospatial and causal inferential epidemiological overview and survey of USA cannabis, cannabidiol and cannabinoid genotoxicity expressed in cancer incidence 2003-2017", in which the authors infer that cannabis use has a causal role in the development of various cancer types. While the authors use reputable datasets and a well-established epidemiological methodology, the authors' conclusion of a causal association is limited due to biases inherent in ecological epidemiological studies. Though the researchers attempt to overcome these biases through validation and statistical manipulations, their approaches are insufficient to create conditions suitable for causal inferencing upon examination. There are also concerns in the practical and conceptual application of the studies' dataset that further question the validity of the authors' inferences. Further research exploring the potential benefits and harm of cannabinoids in the context of cancer must be performed before a distinct relationship can be defined.

Associação entre consolidação da Saúde da Família e menor incidência de sífilis congênita: estudo ecológico / Association between the consolidation of Family Health and lower incidence of congenital syphilis: an ecological study

Objetivos: Estimar tendências temporais na incidência de sífilis congênita (SC) em Minas Gerais e regiões de saúde e investigar a distribuição espacial da doença, identificando regiões de maior incidência e sua associação com fatores socioeconômicos e assistenciais. Métodos: Estudo ecológico que teve as regiões de saúde como unidades de análise. Foram estimadas tendências temporais de incidência de SC no período de 2001 a 2018 para o estado e suas 13 macrorregiões de saúde e, na segunda etapa, uma análise espacial para investigar a associação entre a incidência média da SC de 2011 a 2018 e fatores socioeconômicos e assistenciais em 2010 nas microrregiões de saúde. Resultados: Todas as regiões de saúde tiveram grande crescimento na incidência de SC e a taxa estadual teve aumento médio anual de 22,5% (IC95%: 17,3%; 28,0%). As taxas de incidência foram maiores nos grandes centros urbanos e menores nas regiões de maior Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano. As regiões com ESF consolidadas tiveram taxas 24,4% menores (IC95%: 0,5%; 42,8%). A maior proporção de adequação do pré-natal ao número mínimo de consultas preconizadas também teve associação com menores taxas de incidência. Conclusões: A incidência de SC teve grande crescimento no período recente, especialmente em grandes centros urbanos e regiões com menor cobertura da ESF e de pré-natal.

Objectives: To estimate temporal trends in incidence of congenital syphilis (CS) in Minas Gerais and health regions and to investigate the spatial distribution of disease, identifying regions of higher incidence and its association with socioeconomic and care factors. Methods: Ecological study that used health regions as units of analysis. Temporal trends in incidence of CS from 2001 to 2018 were estimated for the state and its 13 health macro-regions and in the second stage, a spatial analysis was performed to investigate the association between the average incidence of SC from 2011 to 2018 and socioeconomic and care factors in 2010 in health micro-regions. Results: All health regions had great growth in incidence of CS and the state rate had an average annual increase of 22.5% (95% CI:17.3%; 28.0%). Incidence rates were higher in large urban centers and lower in regions with the highest Human Development Index. The regions with consolidated ESF had rates 24.4% lower (95% CI: 0.5%; 42.8%). The higher proportion of adequacy of prenatal care to the minimum number of recommended consultations was also associated with lower incidence rates. Conclusions: The incidence of CS has grown significantly in the recent period, especially in large urban centers and regions with less FHS coverage and prenatal care.

High population burden of Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) is associated with the emergence of severe hepatitis of unknown etiology in children.

OBJECTIVES: To explore a potential country-based ecological link between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) infection and an apparent current global outbreak of severe hepatitis of unknown etiology among children. METHODS: We examined country-level statistical associations between reported detection of one or more unexplained severe hepatitis cases in children and the cumulative number of Omicron (B.1.1.529) cases in 38 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries plus Romania. RESULTS: At least one focal hepatitis case was detected in 12 of the 39 countries included in our analysis. Numbers of confirmed Omicron cases reported in these 12 countries ranged from 4.4 to 11.9 million. Among the remaining 27 countries, this measure ranged from 0.5 to 5.5 million cases. Countries which reported focal hepatitis cases experienced higher precedent population burdens of Omicron cases relative to those which did not report any such hepatitis cases (p=0.013). CONCLUSION: Prior exposure to Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) may be associated with an increased risk for severe hepatitis among children, indicating a critical need to conduct cofactor studies.

Prevalence of thyroid nodules and its association with water iodine among Chinese men and women.

BACKGROUND: Because of the large change in iodine nutrition and other lifestyle in China, there is concern that thyroid nodules (TNs) may become epidemic. However, few data are currently available on the national prevalence of TNs. In addition, whether excess iodine in drinking water is associated with an increased risk of TNs, following universal salt iodization, has been less studied. We aim to estimate a national prevalence of TNs and its association with drinking water iodine. METHODS: We conducted a national survey of 9,381,032 adults, aged 18 years or older, from 30 provinces and municipalities in China, who underwent a thyroid ultrasound test from January 2018 to December 2018. Crude and standardized prevalence of TNs were estimated. We further evaluated the ecological association between province- or city-specific iodine levels in drinking water and the prevalence of TNs using linear regression. RESULTS: The age-standardized prevalence of TNs in men, women, and both sexes were 29.8%, 44.7%, and 37.1%, respectively. The prevalence increased with age from 22.7% (18-30 years) to 71.5% (≥70 years), and body mass index from 26.1% (<18.5 kg/m2) to 40.8% (≥28 kg/m2). Participants living in the eastern, northern, and northeastern regions had a higher prevalence of TNs (ranged from 38.7% to 43.7%) than those in other regions (ranged from 30.1% to 35.5%). The coastal residents (40.1%) had a higher prevalence of TNs than those in inlanders (35.4%). Higher levels of iodine in drinking water were linearly associated with increased prevalence of TNs, with Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.47 (P < 0.01) in men, 0.40 (P = 0.03) in women, and 0.46 (P = 0.01) in overall participants. CONCLUSION: This was a nationwide prevalence study of TNs in China, showing that TNs were common health problems, and increased concentration of iodine in drinking water was associated with a higher prevalence of TNs.

Association between the number of board-certified physiatrists and volume of rehabilitation provided in Japan: an ecological study.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the relationship between the number of board-certified physiatrists and the amount of inpatient rehabilitation delivered. Materials and Methods: We analyzed open data from 2017 in the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan and compared the volume of inpatient rehabilitation services between prefectures to examine regional disparities. We also examined the relationship between the volume of rehabilitation services provided and the number of board-certified physiatrists. Results: The population-adjusted number of inpatient rehabilitation units per prefecture ranged from a maximum of 659,951 to a minimum of 172,097, a disparity of 3.8-fold. The population-adjusted number of board-certified physiatrists was 4.8 in the highest region and 0.8 in the lowest region, a disparity of 5.8-fold. The population-adjusted number of board-certified physiatrists was significantly correlated with the population-adjusted total number of inpatient rehabilitation units (r=0.600, P<0.001). Correlations were between the number of board-certified physiatrists and the number of rehabilitation units in cerebrovascular and orthopedic services, but not in cardiovascular, respiratory, or oncology services. Conclusion: Large regional disparities manifested in the amount of inpatient rehabilitation provided in Japan. An association was found between the number of board-certified physiatrists and rehabilitation units delivered. It may be necessary to train more BCPs in regions with fewer units to eliminate these disparities.

A global view of adherence to colonoscopy follow-up in cascade screening of colorectal cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To overview the colonoscopy adherence in cascade screening of colorectal cancer (CRC) and evaluate potential influence of the initial tests based on an ecological evaluation. METHODS: The performance of the initial screening tests and adherence to subsequent colonoscopy were extracted from relevant studies published up to 16 October 2020. The age-standardised incidence (ASRi) of CRC in populations in the year of screening was derived from the Cancer Statistics. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-six observational studies and 60 experimental studies were identified. Most studies applied cascade screening with faecal occult blood tests (FOBTs) as an initial test. The adherence to colonoscopy varied greatly across populations by continents, gross national income and type of initial tests, with a median (interquartile range) of 79.8% (63.1%-87.8%) in observational studies and 82.1% (66.7%-90.4%) in randomised trials. The adherence was positively correlated with the ASRi of CRC (r = 0.145, p = 0.023) and positive predictive value (PPV) of the initial tests (r = 0.206, p = 0.002) in observational studies and correlated with ASRi of CRC (r = 0.309, p = 0.002) and sensitivity of the initial tests (r = -0.704, p = 0.003) in experimental studies. CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to colonoscopy varies greatly across populations and is related with performance of the initial tests, indicating the importance to select appropriate initial tests.