Factors Associated With the Use of Digital Technology Among Youth in Zimbabwe: Findings From a Cross-Sectional Population-Based Survey.

BACKGROUND: Globally, the increasing use of digital technologies such as mobile phones and the internet has allowed for the development of innovative mobile health interventions, particularly for reaching and engaging with youth. However, there is a risk that using such technologies may exclude those who lack access to them. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we investigated the sociodemographic factors associated with mobile phone ownership, internet use, and social media use among youth in Zimbabwe. METHODS: A population-based prevalence survey was conducted in 24 urban and periurban communities across 3 provinces of Zimbabwe (Harare, Mashonaland East, and Bulawayo). Youths aged 18 to 24 years resident in randomly selected households in the study communities completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire. The primary outcomes were mobile phone ownership and current internet and social media use. A household wealth indicator was developed using principal components analysis, based on household asset ownership. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the factors associated with each primary outcome. Age, sex, and province were considered a priori confounders. Household wealth, marital status, education level, employment status, time lived at current address, and HIV status were included in the final multivariable model if there was an age-, sex-, and province-adjusted association with a primary outcome on univariable analysis at a significance level of P<.10. RESULTS: Of the 17,636 participants assessed for the primary outcome, 16,370 (92.82%) had access to a mobile phone, and 15,454 (87.63%) owned a mobile phone. Among participants with access to a mobile phone, 58.61% (9594/16,370) and 57.79% (9460/16,370), respectively, used internet and social media at least weekly. Older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.76, 95% CI 1.55-2.00), increasing wealth (ranging from aOR 1.85, 95% CI 1.58-2.16, for wealth quintile 2 to aOR 3.80, 95% CI 3.00-4.80, for wealth quintile 5, with quintile 1 as reference), and higher education level (secondary: aOR 1.96, 95% CI 1.60-2.39; tertiary: aOR 8.36, 95% CI 5.29-13.20) were associated with mobile phone ownership. Older age, male sex, increasing wealth, having never been married, higher education level, being in education or formal employment, and having lived at the same address for ≥2 years were associated with higher levels of internet and social media use. CONCLUSIONS: While mobile phone ownership was near-universal, over one-third of youths in urban and periurban settings did not have access to the internet and social media. Access to the internet and social media use were strongly associated with household wealth and education level. Mobile health interventions must ensure that they do not amplify existing inequalities in access to health care. Such interventions must be accompanied by alternative strategies to engage and enroll individuals without internet or social media access to prevent the exclusion of young people by sex and socioeconomic status.

Health Perception and Healthy Life Awareness during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Turkey Profile Study.

BACKGROUND: The perception of health, which is the combination of personal feelings, thoughts, prejudices, and expectations regarding the individual's health, is closely related to healthy life awareness. OBJECTIVES: This research examines the relationship between health perception and healthy life awareness of individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic and the influencing factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study has been carried out in Turkey from July to October 2020. The population of the research is the people who live in Turkey. The sample comprises 1752 participants who met the research criteria and were selected through a stratified sampling method. The study data were collected using the Sociodemographic Characteristics Form, Perception of Health Scale, and Healthy Life Awareness Scale. RESULTS: The participants' mean score from the Perception of Health Scale was 51.67 ± 6.72, and the mean score from the Healthy Life Awareness Scale was 57.84 ± 7.14. A statistically moderate positive correlation was found between the perception of health and healthy life awareness. CONCLUSIONS: A higher level of perception of health was found in the participants who live in the Marmara region, have postgraduate education, are single, and have more income than their expenses. It was also found that, among the participants, those who live in the Marmara region, aged 29-39, are female, have a postgraduate education, are married, have more income than expenses, and have a higher level of healthy life awareness. It was found that as the health perception of individuals increases, their understanding of healthy life also increases during the COVID-19 pandemic period.

Geographical Analysis of Acute Respiratory Infection in Cold Desert Ladakh - India: Unraveling Spatio-temporal Dynamics and Risk Factors.

SUMMARY: Acute respiratory infection (ARI) represents a pervasive global health concern, contributing to significant morbidity and mortality. Our findings reveal a notably high prevalence of ARI in Ladakh. Employing a cross-sectional design, the total number of households surveyed was 401, among them, the total population was 2107; males, 1153, and females, 954. The highest incidence rate of 160.26/1000 persons was observed in the age group below 14 years, followed by those above 59 years (47.76), while the age group of 14-59 exhibited the lowest incidence rate at 21.23. To explore the factors contributing to ARI in Ladakh, we employed binary logistic regression modeling. Our analysis highlights significant associations between ARI incidence and various socioeconomic and environmental determinants. Notably, primary occupation, family type, kitchen ventilation, domestic fuel consumption, crowding, and smoking behaviors within families were found to be statistically significant determinants of ARI among the sample population of Ladakh.

Health Promotion Practices among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics at a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria.

SUMMARY: A cross-sectional study conducted in a semi-urban tertiary healthcare hospital in South western Nigeria to assess health promotion practices and associated sociodemographic factors among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics. A total of 220 pregnant women were studied. Results showed that 95.0% of the participants had good health promotion practices with physical activities having the lowest while spiritual values had the highest score. Moreover, age, religion, education, and occupation were significantly associated with health promotion practices among the pregnant women.

Regional Disparity of Anemia among Children and Its Determinants: A Study of National Family Health Survey-5.

SUMMARY: This study analyzes data from India's National Family Health Survey to assess the prevalence of anemia among children aged 6-59 months. Over the past decade, the prevalence increased from 59% to 67%, remaining a significant public health concern. Gujarat has highest rates, and Kerala has lowest among major states in India. The Western region tops in prevalence (75.70%), whereas the Northeast has the lowest (56.20%). Factors such as lower maternal education, poverty, religion, rural residence, poor child nutrition, low birth weight, and stunting contribute to higher odds of anemia. Improved socioeconomic conditions and maternal nutrition are recommended for risk reduction.

Chemsex Session Typologies and Associated Sociodemographic Factors in Sexual Minority Men: Latent Class Analysis From a Cultural Perspective Using a Cross-Sectional Survey.

Background: Chemsex prevalence is still not well known, and both the lack of homogeneity and cultural component of chemsex practices are usually overlooked. Objective: This study aims to estimate the proportion of sexual minority men (SMM) engaging in chemsex sessions, while understanding the cultural dimension of chemsex, and to analyze distinct session typologies with potential risk differences and the sociodemographic factors associated with engaging in them. Methods: A total of 5711 SMM residing throughout Spain participated in an anonymous web-based survey that assessed chemsex session engagement and characteristics, drug use, and sociodemographic variables. We measured the association of sociodemographic factors with engaging in chemsex sessions by calculating adjusted prevalence ratios, using multivariate Poisson regression analysis. Chemsex typologies were analyzed using latent class analysis, and sociodemographic factors were associated with the different risk classes. Results: Our results determined that 21.1% (1205/5711; 95% CI 20.0%-22.1%) of SMM engaged in chemsex sessions during their lifetime. Participating in sessions was significantly associated with being a migrant, not having a comfortable financial situation, openly living their sexuality, residing in bigger municipalities, older age, using steroids, and living with HIV (adjusted prevalence ratio: range 1.17-2.01; all P values <.05). Three typologies of sessions with different risks were identified with latent class analysis, with 23.2% of SMM engaging in sessions taking part in higher-risk ones, which was associated with younger age, using steroids, living in bigger municipalities, openly living their sexuality, and living with HIV, compared to SMM engaging in lower-risk sessions (odds ratio: range 2.75-4.99). Conclusions: Chemsex is relatively common among SMM in Spain, but it is important to differentiate typologies of sessions with varying risks, and the proportion of SMM engaging in high-risk sessions is low. Chemsex is highly associated with sociodemographic factors. Chemsex should be prioritized in public health programs, which should consider the different forms of sessions with their varying risks and prevalence, while also considering the cultural dimension inherent to chemsex.

Prevalence and Sociodemographic Correlates of Smoking among Schoolchildren in Albania.

Smoking among children remains a critical public health issue, with millions of minors engaging in tobacco use, leading to addiction and long-term health consequences. Our objective was to assess the prevalence and sociodemographic distribution of smoking habits among Albanian children. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Albania in 2022, including a nationwide representative sample of 5454 schoolchildren aged 11, 13, and 15 years (N = 5454; ≈52% girls; response rate: 96%). Data on smoking habits were gathered, along with sociodemographic factors of schoolchildren. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the associations of smoking variables with sociodemographic factors. The prevalence of smoking variables was 12% for lifetime cigarette smoking, 7% for current cigarette smoking, 20% for lifetime smoking of e-cigarettes, and 13% for current smoking of e-cigarettes. Independent positive correlates of both cigarette and e-cigarette smoking included male gender, age 15, and pertinence to more affluent families (all p < 0.01). The prevalence of smoking among Albanian children is seemingly high, which should be a cause of serious concern to decisionmakers and policymakers in this transitional country. Albania should immediately consider the implementation of expanded comprehensive tobacco control measures, which will save lives, reduce illness, and help reduce the economic burden associated with tobacco-related illness.

Comfort with having sexual orientation recorded on official databases among a community and online sample of gay and bisexual men in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Introduction Sexual orientation minorities have worse health outcomes than the heterosexual majority. In 2023, Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) added sexual and gender identity items to the Census, offering actionable data for improving sexual identity and gender identity (SOGI) community health. However, this also raises questions about individuals' willingness to provide such information to Government and their comfort with data privacy and governance. Methods Using data from gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) participants of the Gay Auckland Periodic Sex Survey and Gay Men's Online Sex Survey 2014 cross-sectional surveys, the study question examined comfort having their sexual orientation recorded in official databases. A logistic regression model was used to identify independent predictors of comfort, including sociodemographic and behavioural variables. Results Of 3173 participants who completed the question, 63.1% were comfortable with recording sexual orientation. Adjusted odds ratios showed less comfort among those identifying with an 'Other' ethnicity (AOR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.43-0.96), identifying as bisexual (AOR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.35-0.56), and those who did not believe their GP to be aware of their sexuality (AOR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.26-0.40). No sexual behaviours were independently associated with comfort. Discussion The majority of GBM participants reported comfort with having their sexual orientation recorded on official databases, but some are not, and this is patterned by sociodemographic variables. Officials should improve the safety and perceived relevance of sexual orientation data collection efforts to increase their representativeness and utility for sexual minority populations.

Sociodemographic determinants of health inequities in low back pain: a narrative review.

Background: Health equity is defined as the absence of unjust and avoidable disparities in access to healthcare, quality of care, or health outcomes. The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a conceptual framework that outlines the main causes of health inequalities and how these contribute to health inequities within a population. Despite the WHO implementing health equity policies to ensure accessibility and quality of healthcare services, disparities persist in the management of patients suffering from low back pain (LBP). The objective of this study was to review the existing evidence on the impact of health inequities on the care trajectories and treatments provided to individuals with LBP. Methods: A narrative review was performed, which included a literature search without language and study design restrictions in MEDLINE Ovid database, from January 1, 2000, to May 15, 2023. Search terms included free-text words for the key concepts of "low back pain," "health inequities," "care pathways," and "sociodemographic factors." Results: Studies have revealed a statistically significant association between the prevalence of consultations for LBP and increasing age. Additionally, a significant association between healthcare utilization and gender was found, revealing that women were more likely to seek medical attention for LBP compared to men. Furthermore, notable disparities related to race and ethnicity were identified, more specifically in opioid prescriptions, spinal surgery recommendations, and access to complementary and alternative medical approaches for LBP. A cross-sectional analysis found that non-Hispanic White individuals with chronic LBP were more likely to be prescribed one or more pharmacological treatments. Lower socioeconomic status and level of education, as well as living in lower-income areas were also found to be associated with greater risks of receiving non-guideline concordant care, including opioid and MRI prescriptions, before undergoing any conservative treatments. Conclusion: Persistent inequalities related to sociodemographic determinants significantly influence access to care and care pathways of patients suffering from LBP, underscoring the need for additional measures to achieve equitable health outcomes. Efforts are needed to better understand the needs and expectations of patients suffering from LBP and how their individual characteristics may affect their utilization of healthcare services.

Socio-demographic differences in the dietary inflammatory index from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2018: a comparison of multiple imputation versus complete case analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Studies using the dietary inflammatory index often perform complete case analyses (CCA) to handle missing data, which may reduce the sample size and increase the risk of bias. Furthermore, population-level socio-economic differences in the energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DII) have not been recently studied. Therefore, we aimed to describe socio-demographic differences in E-DII scores among American adults and compare the results using two statistical approaches for handling missing data, i.e. CCA and multiple imputation (MI). DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis. E-DII scores were computed using a 24-hour dietary recall. Linear regression was used to compare the E-DII scores by age, sex, race/ethnicity, education and income using both CCA and MI. SETTING: USA. PARTICIPANTS: This study included 34 547 non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic adults aged ≥ 20 years from the 2005-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. RESULTS: The MI and CCA subpopulations comprised 34 547 and 23 955 participants, respectively. Overall, 57 % of the American adults reported 24-hour dietary intakes associated with inflammation. Both methods showed similar patterns wherein 24-hour dietary intakes associated with high inflammation were commonly reported among males, younger adults, non-Hispanic Black adults and those with lower education or income. Differences in point estimates between CCA and MI were mostly modest at ≤ 20 %. CONCLUSIONS: The two approaches for handling missing data produced comparable point estimates and 95 % CI. Differences in the E-DII scores by age, sex, race/ethnicity, education and income suggest that socio-economic disparities in health may be partially explained by the inflammatory potential of diet.

An Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion glossary for sociodemographic determinants of health within critical care medicine.

PURPOSE: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives within critical care research are limited by a lack of resources and inconsistent and rapidly changing language. The Canadian Critical Care Trials Group (CCCTG) is committed to modelling EDI for the critical care community through its programming, communications, protocols, and policies. The objective of developing the EDI glossary of sociodemographic determinants of health described here was to provide a resource for critical care professionals to support broader equity initiatives and to promote education and awareness about inclusive language. METHODS: Through literature review, we identified EDI-related sociodemographic determinants of health, defined as sociodemographic factors that are associated with disparities in health care and health outcomes, with a focus on critical care medicine. For each sociodemographic determinant of health, we identified umbrella terms (defined as domains) and subterms/constructs that are related to these domains. We designed the glossary collaboratively with the CCCTG EDI working group, patient and family partnerships committee, and executive committee, which included diverse knowledge users such as researchers, clinicians, and patient and family partners. RESULTS: We report on 12 sociodemographic determinants of health domains including age, sex, gender, sexuality, race and ethnicity, income, education, employment status, marital status, language, disability, and migration status. Each domain (e.g., sex) contains relevant subterms such as male, female, intersex. For each domain, we provide examples of disparities in health care and health outcomes with a focus on critical care medicine. CONCLUSIONS: This EDI glossary of sociodemographic determinants of health serves as a nonexhaustive resource that may be referenced by critical care researchers, research coordinators, clinicians, and patient and family partners. The glossary is an essential step to raising awareness about inclusive terminology and to fostering and advancing equity in critical care medicine.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: Les initiatives en matière d'équité, de diversité et d'inclusion (EDI) dans le cadre de la recherche en soins intensifs sont limitées à la fois par un manque de ressources et par un langage incohérent et évoluant rapidement. Le Groupe canadien de recherche en soins intensifs (CCCTG) s'est engagé à devenir un modèle en matière d'EDI pour la communauté des soins intensifs par le biais de ses programmes, de ses communications, de ses protocoles et de ses politiques. L'objectif de l'élaboration du glossaire pour les déterminants sociodémographiques de la santé respectant l'EDI décrit ici était de fournir une ressource aux professionnel·les des soins intensifs pour soutenir des initiatives d'équité plus larges et de promouvoir l'éducation et la sensibilisation au langage inclusif. MéTHODE: En procédant à l'examen de la littérature, nous avons identifié des déterminants sociodémographiques de la santé liés à l'EDI, définis comme des facteurs sociodémographiques associés à des disparités dans les soins de santé et les devenirs en santé, en mettant l'accent sur la médecine des soins intensifs. Pour chaque déterminant sociodémographique de la santé, nous avons identifié des termes génériques (définis comme des domaines) et des sous-termes/construits liés à ces domaines. Nous avons conçu le glossaire en collaboration avec le groupe de travail sur l'EDI du CCCTG, le comité des partenariats avec les patient·es et les familles et le comité exécutif, qui comprenait divers utilisateurs et utilisatrices des connaissances tels que des personnes impliquées dans la recherche ou en clinique ainsi que des partenaires issu·es de la patientèle et de leurs familles. RéSULTATS: Nous rendons compte de 12 domaines sociodémographiques pour les déterminants de la santé, notamment l'âge, le sexe, le genre, la sexualité, la race et l'origine ethnique, le revenu, l'éducation, la situation d'emploi, l'état matrimonial, la langue, le handicap et le statut migratoire. Chaque domaine (par exemple, le sexe) contient des sous-termes pertinents tels que masculin, féminin, intersexe. Pour chaque domaine, nous fournissons des exemples de disparités dans les soins de santé et les issues en matière de santé, en mettant l'accent sur la médecine des soins intensifs. CONCLUSION: Ce glossaire EDI des déterminants sociodémographiques de la santé sert de ressource non exhaustive qui peut être consultée par les équipes de recherche en soins intensifs, les coordonnateurs et coordonnatrices de recherche, les clinicien·nes et les patient·es ainsi que les familles. Ce glossaire est une étape essentielle pour sensibiliser à la terminologie inclusive et pour favoriser et faire progresser l'équité en médecine des soins intensifs.

Sociodemographic and training profile of nursing professionals in the state of São Paulo in relation to Integrative and Complementary Health Practices.

OBJECTIVE: to analyze the sociodemographic and training profile of nursing professionals in the state of São Paulo in relation to Integrative and Complementary Practices in Health. METHOD: cross-sectional study, developed with 3,794 nursing professionals in the state of São Paulo, from 645 municipalities. To collect data, an online questionnaire was used containing sociodemographic and professional training variables. A hierarchical multiple Poisson regression model was constructed, considering training in practices as the dependent variable, with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: of the 3,794 (100%) participants, 479 (12.62%) had training in Integrative and Complementary Health Practices. The most frequent practices were auriculotherapy, Traditional Chinese Medicine/acupuncture and Reiki. The predominant training modalities were free, face-to-face and theoretical-practical courses. The variables age, no formal religion, higher education and specialization level, working hours and knowledge and previous experience on integrative practices were significant. CONCLUSION: the results indicate the need to encourage and expand the training of Integrative and Complementary Health Practices for nursing professionals, in order to strengthen their performance in health services.

[Sociodemographic and dietary factors and health conditions: determinants of malnutrition in the elderly in Colombia]. / Factores sociodemográficos, alimentarios y condiciones de salud: determinantes de la malnutrición en personas mayores de Colombia.

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of malnutrition using clustered anthropometric indicators and to describe the sociodemographic and dietary factors and health conditions that determine malnutrition in elderly Colombians. This was a secondary analysis of the study Health, Well-being and Ageing (SABE) Colombia, 2015. The survey included 23,694 people aged ≥ 60 years. Malnutrition excess was defined by clustering two indicators: body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference; weight deficit was defined by clustering BMI and arm and calf circumferences. The chi-square test was used to associate malnutrition with sociodemographic variables, dietary and health conditions, and to determine the heterogeneity of malnutrition, a latent class analysis was performed. Overweight was 31.9%, whereas underweight, according to BMI and calf circumference, was 7.9%, and increased to 18.8% when arm circumference was also taken into account. Five latent classes of malnutrition were generated - class 1: no overweight and deteriorated health conditions; class 2: no weight deficit and deteriorated health conditions; class 3: no malnutrition and deteriorated health conditions; class 4: overweight and multimorbidity; and class 5: low protein food intake without being underweight or overweight. It is concluded that a high prevalence of malnutrition in older adults exists, with excess rather than deficit. Sociodemographic and dietary factors and health conditions are associated differently with overweight and underweight.

El objetivo del estudio fue estimar la prevalencia de malnutrición por indicadores antropométricos agrupados y describir los factores sociodemográficos, alimentarios y condiciones de salud determinantes de malnutrición en personas mayores colombianas. Se realizó un análisis secundario del estudio Salud, Bienestar y Envejecimiento (SABE) Colombia, 2015. Incluyó 23.694 personas ≥ 60 años. La malnutrición por exceso se definió agrupando dos indicadores: índice de masa corporal (IMC) y circunferencia de cintura; el déficit de peso se definió agrupando el IMC y las circunferencias de brazo y pantorrilla. Para asociar la malnutrición con variables sociodemográficas, alimentarias y condiciones de salud se usó la prueba chi-cuadrado y para determinar la heterogeneidad de la malnutrición se realizó un análisis de clases latentes. El exceso de peso fue 31,9%; mientras que el déficit de peso según IMC y circunferencia de pantorrilla fue 7,9%, e incrementó a 18,8%, al tener en cuenta además la circunferencia del brazo. Se generaron cinco clases latentes para malnutrición, clase 1: sin exceso de peso y con deterioro en condiciones de salud; clase 2: sin déficit de peso y con deterioro en condiciones de salud; clase 3: sin malnutrición ni deterioro en condiciones de salud; clase 4: exceso de peso y multimorbilidad, y clase 5: bajo consumo de alimentos proteicos sin déficit ni exceso de peso. Se concluye que existe una prevalencia de malnutrición elevada en las personas mayores, representando más el exceso que el déficit. Tanto los factores sociodemográficos, alimentarios y condiciones de salud, se asocian de forma diferente al exceso que al déficit de peso.

O objetivo do estudo foi estimar a prevalência da desnutrição por meio de indicadores antropométricos agrupados e descrever os fatores sociodemográficos, alimentares e condições de saúde determinantes da desnutrição em idosos colombianos. Foi realizada uma análise secundária do estudo Saúde, Bem-estar e Envelhecimento (SABE) Colômbia, 2015. A pesquisa incluiu 23.694 pessoas com idade ≥ 60 anos. O excesso de desnutrição foi definido pelo agrupamento de dois indicadores: índice de massa corporal (IMC) e circunferência da cintura; o déficit de peso foi definido pelo agrupamento do IMC e das circunferências do braço e da panturrilha. Para associar a desnutrição a variáveis sociodemográficas, condições alimentares e de saúde, foi usado o teste do qui-quadrado e, para determinar a heterogeneidade da desnutrição, foi realizada uma análise de classe latente. O excesso de peso foi de 31,9%, enquanto o baixo peso, de acordo com o IMC e a circunferência da panturrilha, foi de 7,9%, e aumentou para 18,8% quando a circunferência do braço também foi levada em conta. Foram geradas cinco classes latentes para a desnutrição - classe 1: sem excesso de peso e condições de saúde deterioradas; classe 2: sem déficit de peso e condições de saúde deterioradas; classe 3: sem desnutrição e condições de saúde deterioradas; classe 4: excesso de peso e multimorbidade; e classe 5: baixa ingestão de alimentos proteicos sem déficit de peso ou excesso de peso. Conclui-se que há uma alta prevalência de desnutrição em idosos, com excesso em vez de déficit. Fatores sociodemográficos, alimentares e condições de saúde estão associados de forma diferente ao sobrepeso e ao baixo peso.

Estimating the prevalence, factors, and conditions associated with Parkinson disease: a population-based study in Peru.

This study aimed to estimate the population-based Parkinson disease prevalence, and to explore potentially associated factors and conditions. A population-based survey was conducted in Northern Peru. Symptoms compatible with Parkinson's were defined using a validated Spanish questionnaire (≥ 42 points suggest Parkinson's). Potential factors (e.g., age, sex, etc.) and clinical conditions (e.g., depressive symptoms, perceived stress, etc.) associated with Parkinson's were assessed. In total, 1,609 subjects were included, mean age of participants was 48.2 (SD: 10.6), and 810 (50.3%) were women. Parkinson's prevalence was 1.6% (95%CI: 1.0; 2.4). Those aged ≥ 55 years, and those who reported using wood as fuel for household cooking had a Parkinson's prevalence from 3.5 to 4 times greater than those who did not. The presence of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, perceived stress, poor sleep quality, and cognitive impairment was more common among those with Parkinson's, and quality of life in these participants was lower than those without Parkinson's. In conclusion, 1.6% of the population shows symptoms compatible with Parkinson's. Age and use of wood for household cooking were factors associated with Parkinson's. Several mental health conditions and lower quality of life were more frequent among those with Parkinson's. Appropriate strategies are required to detect, prevent, and manage Parkinson's cases.

High non-use of contraception among tribal and non-tribal women in North-Eastern India: alarming but neglected.

Limited evidence exists about the contraception uptake in indigenous tribal groups of the north-eastern region of India. This study based on the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) IV (2015-2016) reports aimed to describe the pattern and factors associated with contraceptive non-use in the tribal women of the north-eastern part of India. The study was a cross-sectional analytical study based on secondary analysis of NFHS-IV data. All women in the age group of 15-49 years from the north-eastern part of India were included. Data were extracted and analysed using modified STATA-14 software. The association of socio-demographic and economic characteristics with contraceptive non-use was assessed using logistic regression. The inter-group differences of population characteristics for non-use contraceptives were assessed by modified Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition technique using 'Fairlie decomposition'. A total of 65,941 women were included, of whom 34,936 (52.9%) were tribal women. The proportion of contraceptive non-use was higher in tribal women. Tribal women with age at marriage above 30 years, Christian community, and women from Assam and Manipur state had higher odds of contraceptive non-use. The decomposition analysis showed that geographical variations, parity, and Christian religion contributed the most to contraceptive use disparity in the population. A huge gap was observed in contraceptive non-use among tribal and non-tribal women in the north-eastern part of India. The healthcare system must involve community representatives in designing context-specific community-based initiatives to increase the uptake of contraceptive use in these remote vulnerable communities.

Socio-demographic correlates of ultra-processed food consumption in Canada.

OBJECTIVE: To characterise consumption of ultra-processed foods and drinks (UPF) across a range of socio-demographic characteristics of Canadians. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. The national-level 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey-Nutrition provided data on all foods and drinks consumed on the previous day via a 24-hour dietary recall. All food items were classified according to the type of industrial processing using the NOVA system. Multivariable linear regression models examined associations between a range of socio-demographic characteristics and the mean energy contribution (% of total daily energy intake) from total UPF and UPF subgroups. SETTING: The ten Canadian provinces. PARTICIPANTS: Canadians aged 2 or older (n 20 103). RESULTS: UPF contributed, on average, nearly half (44·9 %) of total daily energy intake of Canadians. Children aged 6-12 and adolescents aged 13-18 consumed over half of total daily energy from UPF (adjusted means of 51·9 % and 50·7 %, respectively). Recent and long-term immigrants consumed a significantly lower share of energy from UPF (adjusted means of 42·2 % and 45·1 %, respectively) compared with non-immigrants (54·4 %), as did the food secure (42·8 %) v. those in moderately (48·1 %) or severely food-insecure households (50·8 %). More modest differences were observed for intake of total UPF and UPF subgroups by sex, education, income adequacy and region of residence. CONCLUSION: Levels of UPF consumption in 2015 in Canada were pervasive in all socio-demographic groups and highest among children and adolescents, non-immigrants and those living in food-insecure households. These findings can inform public health interventions to reduce UPF consumption and promote healthier diets in various socio-demographic groups.

Sociodemographic Characteristics and Digital Behaviors Associated with the Use of Fitness and Diet Apps Among Adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Numerous health apps focusing on fitness, nutrition, and physical activity are available, yet many adolescents have never used them. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of the use of fitness and diet apps and related socio-demographic factors and digital behaviors among high school students. Study Design: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: High school students were recruited from 4 out of 21 public high schools in Belgrade, Serbia. Participants filled out an anonymous questionnaire about socio-demographic characteristics and digital behaviors, along with the e-health literacy scale (eHEALS). Adjusted logistic regression was applied for data analysis using SPSS 20. RESULTS: Of the 702 students who completed the questionnaire, 670 used smartphones (95.4%; average age 16.5±1.2 years). The prevalence of fitness and diet app use among girls was 29.7% and 9.6%, as well as 17.3% and 3.6% among boys, respectively. Having higher family income, having better e-health literacy, browsing websites about fitness and diet, and using diet apps but not watching YouTube were associated with the use of fitness apps among girls. Being younger and browsing fitness websites and YouTube were associated with the use of fitness apps among boys. Being younger, browsing websites about diet, and using fitness apps were associated with the use of diet apps among girls. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings, girls used fitness and diet apps more often than boys. Practical demonstrations on how to utilize certain health apps could be an additional opportunity to support positive health behaviors among adolescents.

Assessment of sociodemographic and psychiatric characteristics of transgender adults seen at a Midwest tertiary medical center.

Background: The National Academy of Medicine has formally identified transgender adults as an understudied population in critical need of health research. While national surveys, like the US Transgender survey, have characterized higher rates of depression, anxiety, suicidality and socioeconomic need in the transgender community, studies have not examined the impact of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics on mental health related outcomes. Objective: To describe the sociodemographic and mental health characteristics of transgender adults seen at a large Midwest transgender clinic and to determine factors associated with self-reported mental health conditions. Methods: Descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional study of new transgender patients 18 years and older seen at a large Midwest transgender clinic between December 2019 and June 2022. Results: A total of 482 charts were reviewed. During their initial evaluation, 11.6% (56/482) reported having a history of suicide attempt and 81.3% (392/482) reported a mental health diagnosis with the most common being depression, anxiety, attention deficit disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Multivariable logistic regression results show no single factor was significantly associated with mental health diagnosis after adjusting for the effect of age and race. Patients who were new to gender affirming hormone therapy (54%, 254/468) are 2.0 (95% CI 1.4-2.9) times more likely to report having a mental health care provider than patients who were seen for continuation of therapy (46%, 214/468). Ten records with race not disclosed, 3 records with gender identity "other" and 2 records with gender identity not disclosed were excluded from analysis. Conclusion: This study reinforces the finding that transgender adults have an increased lifetime prevalence of mental health conditions. The higher prevalence of mental health conditions in our clinic was not associated with sociodemographic factors included in the study. Furthermore, transgender patients are less likely to have seen mental healthcare providers after initiation of gender affirming hormone therapy.

Health-promoting lifestyle behaviors and its association with sociodemographic characteristics in hospital clinical staff.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine hospital clinical staff' health-promoting lifestyle behaviors, and explore associations between nurse demographic factors and lifestyle behaviors. Methods: This cross-sectional investigation focused on the clinical personnel employed at hospitals associated with Baqiyatullah University. A sample of 341 clinical staff of hospitals was collected using convenience sampling. In this study, the questionnaire of Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II) was used to assess health-promoting behaviors. Results: In the present study, the mean HPLP score was 131 ± 23. The score of health-promoting behaviors was significantly higher in the nursing major (p = 0.029). Also, a difference was found between the major and the subscales of health responsibility (p = 0.000), stress management (p = 0.004), physical activity (p = 0.004) and nutrition (p = 0.001). The score of health responsibility, stress management, physical activity and nutrition subscales was higher in nursing. There was a significant relationship between education and stress management (p = 0.033) and physical activity subscales (p = 0.001). The physical activity score was also higher in individuals with master's and doctoral degrees, and the stress management score was higher in participants with master's degrees. Based on the findings presented herein, age (p = 0.001) and gender (p = 0.016) were associated with the nutrition subscale, and the nutrition score was higher in the age group of over 30 years and in women. Additionally, a significant relationship was observed between marriage and the subscales of spiritual growth (p = 0.013) and nutrition (p = 0.024), and the score of spiritual growth, and nutrition was higher in married people. There was a significant relationship between job and health responsibility (p = 0.013) and nutrition (p = 0.022), and the score of health responsibility and nutrition score was found to be higher in nurses. Conclusion: Health-promoting behaviors of hospital employees are at an average level and are related to the educational levels of the employees, so these behaviors are more in nurses, while this relationship was not present in physicians. These findings may be helpful in providing recommendations for developing healthy lifestyle programs for clinical staff aimed at promoting health behaviors.

Sociodemographic associated factors with non-disclosure of HIV sero-status to sexual partners in Maputo, Mozambique.

The HIV prevalence in Maputo city is 16.2%. There is a lack of data describing associated factors with disclosure or non-disclosure of HIV-positive sero-status to sexual partners. This analysis describes associated factors of non-disclosure of HIV sero-status to sexual partners among people living with HIV (PLHIV) participating in a serostatus disclosure support program at three health facilities in Maputo, Mozambique. We used a cross-sectional design of PLHIV aged over 18 years. Datas were collected between December 2019 and September 2020. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate factors associated of non-disclosure of HIV sero-status. A total of 377 patients were enrolled in the HIV sero-status disclosure Program. Of these, nearly two-thirds (61.5%) were women, 52.9% had completed secondary school, 47.7% were 25-34 years old, 50.9% had informal employment with low income, and 73.2% were married. Univariate logistic regression model showed greater odds of non-disclosure among patients who had an employment contract with a maximum wage (Crude Odds Ratio [cOR] 2.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15-3.55, p = 0.015); were single (cOR 3.85, 95% CI 2.22-6.69, p < 0.001); were living with parents (cOR 2.30, 95% CI 1.07-4.93, p = 0.033); received financial support for their monthly household expenses from parents or a close relative (cOR 7.15, 95% CI 2.19-23.36, p = 0.001); or brought a parent/close relative and/or a friend as a confidant during HIV care(cOR 3.17, 95% CI 1.74-5.76, p < 0.001; and cOR 5.97, 95% CI 1.57-22.66, p = 0.009, respectively). Multivariable logistic regression model showed: from parents/close relative and from partner (Adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] 8.19, 95% CI 1.44-46.46, p = 0.018; and aOR 4.34, 95% CI 1.05-17.17, p = 0.043), respectively); in those who brought a parent/close relative and/or a friend as a confidant during HIV care (aOR 8.86, 95% CI 2.16-36.31, p = 0.002; and 195 aOR 21.68, 95% CI 3.02-155.87, p = 0.002, respectively). Non-disclosure of serostatus is a critical issue for HIV care and treatment programs, given that non-disclosure of HIV serostatus increases risk of HIV transmission. Understanding the factors associated with non-disclosure is crucial for designing strategies to address these factors and end the HIV epidemic by 2030. Our findings suggest that HIV serostatus disclosure programs might target the sociodemographic factors strongly associated with non-disclosure.