A surge in food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic in a cohort in Mexico City.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has not only caused tremendous loss of life and health but has also greatly disrupted the world economy. The impact of this disruption has been especially harsh in urban settings of developing countries. We estimated the impact of the pandemic on the occurrence of food insecurity in a cohort of women living in Mexico City, and the socioeconomic characteristics associated with food insecurity severity. METHODS: We analyzed data longitudinally from 685 women in the Mexico City-based ELEMENT cohort. Food insecurity at the household level was gathered using the Latin American and Caribbean Food Security Scale and measured in-person during 2015 to 2019 before the pandemic and by telephone during 2020-2021, in the midst of the pandemic. Fluctuations in the average of food insecurity as a function of calendar time were modeled using kernel-weighted local polynomial regression. Fixed and random-effects ordinal logistic regression models of food insecurity were fitted, with timing of data collection (pre-pandemic vs. during pandemic) as the main predictor. RESULTS: Food insecurity (at any level) increased from 41.6% during the pre-pandemic period to 53.8% in the pandemic stage. This increase was higher in the combined severe-moderate food insecurity levels: from 1.6% pre-pandemic to 16.8% during the pandemic. The odds of severe food insecurity were 3.4 times higher during the pandemic relative to pre-pandemic levels (p<0.01). Socioeconomic status quintile (Q) was significantly related to food insecurity (Q2 OR = 0.35 p<0.1, Q3 OR = 0.48 p = 0.014, Q4 OR = 0.24 p<0.01, and Q5 OR = 0.17 p<0.01), as well as lack of access to social security (OR = 1.69, p = 0.01), and schooling (OR = 0.37, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Food insecurity increased in Mexico City households in the ELEMENT cohort as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. These results contribute to the body of evidence suggesting that governments should implement well-designed, focalized programs in the context of economic crisis such as the one caused by COVID-19 to prevent families from the expected adverse health and well-being consequences associated to food insecurity, especially for the most vulnerable.

Pediatric Neurosurgical Capacity for the Care of Children With CNS Tumors Worldwide: A Cross-Sectional Assessment.

PURPOSE: Efforts to address inequities in the treatment of pediatric CNS tumors and the burden of childhood cancer globally have prompted the designation of low-grade glioma as one of six index cancers for the World Health Organization Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer. Understanding the importance of neurosurgical interventions and evaluating pediatric neurosurgical capacity may identify critical interventions to improve outcomes for children with low-grade glioma and other CNS tumors. METHODS: An online, cross-sectional survey assessing pediatric neurosurgical practice and capacity was distributed to members of the International Society of Pediatric Neurosurgery. The survey included 36 items covering domains including patient volume, available infrastructure, scope of practice, case distribution, and multidisciplinary care. RESULTS: Responses from 196 individuals from 61 countries, spanning all WHO regions, were included. Ninety-six (49.0%) were from high-income countries, 57 (29.1%) were from upper-middle-income countries, 42 (21.4%) were from lower-middle-income countries (LMICs), and 1 was (0.5%) from a low-income country. Most respondents had a catchment population of ≥ 1 million and indicated the availability of basic neurosurgical resources such as a dedicated neurosurgical operating theater and surgical microscope. The presence of a neurosurgical intensive care unit, inpatient rehabilitation services, and infection monitoring showed similar availability across country groups. Quantitative scoring of 13 infrastructure and service items established that fewer resources were available in low-income countries/LMICs and upper-middle-income countries compared with high-income countries. The volume of pediatric CNS tumor cases and case distribution did not vary according to World Bank country groups. CONCLUSION: This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of pediatric neurosurgical capacity across the globe, establishing variability of resources on the basis of the country income level. Our findings suggest that pediatric neurosurgeons in LMICs may benefit from key neurosurgical instrumentation and increased support for multidisciplinary brain tumor programs and childhood cancer research efforts.

Analysis of the burden of disease attributable to environmental risk factors in Mexico in the 1990-2021 period. Identification of advances, lags and emergencies.

BACKGROUND: It is estimated that environmental risk factors (ERF) were responsible for nine million deaths worldwide in 2019. OBJECTIVE: Using data from the Global Burden of Disease study, indicators of health loss associated with exposure to ERF in Mexico were analyzed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Absolute numbers and population percentages of deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) lost attributed to selected ERFs were analyzed at the national and state level and by sex, as well as age-standardized trends from 1990 to 2021. RESULTS: In 2021, ambient particulate matter pollution showed the highest mortality and DALYs lost attributed to selected ERFs (42.2 and 38.1% respectively), followed by lead exposure (20.6 and 13.4%) and low temperature (19.8 and 12.3%). Both indicators have decreased for all selected ERAs by different magnitudes between 1991 and 2021, except for high temperature. CONCLUSIONS: Despite decreases in the last 32 years, outdoor environment particulate matter showed the highest mortality and DALYs lost, followed by lead exposure. It is essential to strengthen air quality and lead exposure policies in Mexico.

ANTECEDENTES: Se estima que los factores de riesgo ambientales (FRA) fueron responsables en 2019 de nueve millones de muertes en el mundo. OBJETIVO: A partir de datos del estudio Global Burden of Disease, se analizaron indicadores de pérdida de salud asociada a la exposición a FRA en México. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se analizaron números absolutos y porcentajes poblacionales de muertes y años de vida saludable (AVISA) perdidos según sexo atribuidos a FRA seleccionados en los ámbitos nacional y estatal, así como las tendencias estandarizadas por edad de 1990 a 2021. RESULTADOS: En 2021, la contaminación por material particulado en ambiente exterior mostró la mayor mortalidad y AVISA perdidos por los FRA seleccionados (42.2 y 38.1 %, respectivamente), seguida de la exposición a plomo (20.6 y 13.4 %) y temperatura baja (19.8 y 12.3 %). Ambos indicadores han disminuido en todos los FRA seleccionados, en magnitudes diferentes entre 1991 y 2021, excepto la temperatura alta. CONCLUSIONES: A pesar de las disminuciones en los últimos 32 años, el material particulado en ambiente exterior mostró la mayor mortalidad y AVISA perdidos, seguido de la exposición a plomo. Es fundamental fortalecer las políticas de calidad del aire y exposición a plomo en México.