Predictive ability of the health belief model in HIV testing and counselling uptake among youth aged 15-24 in La-Nkwantanang-Madina Municipality, Ghana.

BACKGROUND: Majority of new Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-positive persons in Ghana are aged 15-24. HIV prevalence among persons aged 15-24 years, a proxy for new infections, remained stable at 1.5% for 2017 and 2018, making it a significant public health concern. Yet only 26.4% of females and 8.6% of males aged 15-24 years know their HIV status. This study determined the predictive ability of the Health Belief Model (HBM) in HIV testing and counselling (HTC) uptake among youth (15-24 years) in the La-Nkwantanang Madina Municipality, Ghana. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was adopted for the study, using a multistage sampling method to select 415 youth aged 15-24. Data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire, and analysed using binomial logistic regression with STATA software version 16.0 at p < 0.05 significance level and at 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: HTC uptake was 29.2%. Perceived susceptibility, perceived barriers, and perceived self-efficacy predicted HTC uptake. Youths with a high-risk perception for contracting HIV [OR = 3.03; 95% CI = 1.46, 6.30, p = 0.003], who perceived that they can contract HIV if not protected [OR = 3.69; 95% CI = 1.47, 9.22, p = 0.005], and worry about getting HIV [OR = 3.03, 95% CI = 1.61, 5.69, p < 0.001] (perceived susceptibility) were more likely to uptake HTC. Youths who had no trust issues with health workers [OR = 3.53; 95% CI = 1.46, 8.53, p = 0.005] and those who were not afraid of positive HIV test results [OR = 5.29; 95% CI = 2.66, 10.51, p,0.001] (perceived barriers) were more likely to uptake HTC. Youths who had no difficulties in turning up for appointments (perceived self-efficacy) had higher odds of HTC uptake [OR = 11.89, 95% CI = 6.73, 20.98, P < 0.001]. For the modifying factors, being married [OR = 2.96; 95% CI = 1.65-5.33], and having knowledge of HTC [OR = 9.10; 95% CI = 2.16-38.3], significantly influenced HTC uptake. CONCLUSION: Health promotion interventions to increase HTC uptake should focus on heightening the perception of susceptibility to HIV, reducing the barriers to HTC uptake, and increasing the self-efficacy for HTC uptake. The interventions should also target the significant modifying factors.

Self-help support: The Alzheimer's telephone from the user's perspective.

Background: Telephone counseling is an important form of support for informal carers of persons with dementia. The quality and benefit of this kind of service have rarely been evaluated in Germany. Methods: We developed a survey to assess the quality of telephone counseling. We conducted an online survey among 201 users of the telephone hotline "Alzheimer-Telefon" (Alzheimer's telephone service) provided by the German Alzheimer's Association after the consultation. The aim of the study was to determine whether this form of telephone support meets certain quality criteria and the callers' needs. Results: Of the 201 participants, 80% were female. The mean age of the callers was 51 years. 74% of cases were one-off consultations; 26% of the callers sought advice twice or more often. The most common reasons for calling included behavioral changes (45%) and finding a nursing home (41%). Other family members were significantly (p=0.036) more likely to seek local respite options. Based on the 201 online questionnaires evaluated, most callers were highly satisfied with the counseling services provided by the Alzheimer's telephone service. Those seeking advice were particularly satisfied with the appreciative and empathetic communication style of the advisors and their professional competence. This also applies to the accessibility of the telephone. More than three quarters were fully satisfied with the information they received. Almost half of the callers were sure that the advice would help to solve their issue. 14% of people seeking advice were uncertain about how to implement the suggested solutions.A further survey would be worthwhile to determine to what extent the topics of the consultation can be implemented. The feedback from relatives who use the Alzheimer's telephone repeatedly could be used for this purpose - the repetition rate is currently 25% and the trend is rising. Results could be interesting for successful counseling and for the development of further support services. Conclusion: The telephone hotline is a useful component of dementia care in Germany and an important contribution to the National Dementia Strategy.

Climate-sensitive health counselling in Germany: a cross-sectional study about previous participation and preferences in the general public.

BACKGROUND: In response to climate change (CC), medicine needs to consider new aspects in health counselling of patients. Such climate-sensitive health counselling (CSHC) may include counselling patients on preventing and coping with climate-sensitive diseases or on leading healthy and climate-friendly lifestyles. This study aimed to identify previous participation in and preferences for CSHC as well as associated sociodemographic and attitudinal factors among the general public in Germany. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study in a population-based online panel in five German federal states (04-06/2022). We performed descriptive statistics and multivariable regression analysis to assess prior participation in CSHC and content preferences regarding CSHC, as well as associations between sociodemographic variables and general preference for CSHC. RESULTS: Among 1491 participants (response rate 47.1%), 8.7% explicitly reported having participated in CSHC, while 39.9% had discussed at least one CSHC-related topic with physicians. In the studied sample, 46.7% of participants would like CSHC to be part of the consultation with their physician, while 33.9% rejected this idea. Participants aged 21 to 40 years (versus 51 to 60), individuals alarmed about CC (versus concerned/cautious/disengaged/doubtful/dismissive), and those politically oriented to the left (vs. centre or right) showed greater preference for CSHC in the multivariable regression model. Most participants wanted to talk about links to their personal health (65.1%) as opposed to links to the health of all people (33.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Almost half of the participants in this sample would like to receive CSHC, especially those who are younger, more alarmed about CC and more politically oriented to the left. More research and training on patient-centred implementation of CSHC is needed.

Does the job performance of academics' influence burnout and psychological counselling? A comparative analysis amongst high-, average-, low-, and non-performers.

BACKGROUND: Extensive research has been conducted treating burnout as an independent variable and performance as a dependent variable to proffer possible solutions to burnout and job performance among academics. Despite this, the burnout crises persist and are exacerbated by the ongoing global proliferation of higher education. Acknowledging this, the current study explored whether performance may contribute to the emergence of burnout. METHODS: The study's sample population comprised 689 academics from Jiangsu province, China. Key Performance Indicator (KPI) results served to measure performance. Psychological counselling and Burnout were calculated using mental health results garnered from the universities. Data was collected on respondents' demographic characteristics and work situations. The mean scores were 0.517 (SD = 0.5) for gender and 1.586 (SD = 1.103) for age. The relationship among performance, job burnout, and psychological counselling was analysed via a cross-sectional survey deploying grouped regression. RESULTS: Academics' job performance was found to regulate their burnout (ß = -0.058, P < 0.01). Higher performance of academics was significantly associated with lower job burnout and psychological counselling. Furthermore, psychological counselling significantly moderated job burnout (ß = -0.012, P < 0.05) among academics without regulating their job performance. CONCLUSION: The paper supplements the discourse on job burnout and academic performance by suggesting a pre-counselling measure as a strategy to address the crises of burnout. The paper argued that the continued competence of employees should prevent burnout in Higher education and ensure better job performance.

Tracking and Profiling Repeated Users Over Time in Text-Based Counseling: Longitudinal Observational Study With Hierarchical Clustering.

BACKGROUND: Due to their accessibility and anonymity, web-based counseling services are expanding at an unprecedented rate. One of the most prominent challenges such services face is repeated users, who represent a small fraction of total users but consume significant resources by continually returning to the system and reiterating the same narrative and issues. A deeper understanding of repeated users and tailoring interventions may help improve service efficiency and effectiveness. Previous studies on repeated users were mainly on telephone counseling, and the classification of repeated users tended to be arbitrary and failed to capture the heterogeneity in this group of users. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to develop a systematic method to profile repeated users and to understand what drives their use of the service. By doing so, we aimed to provide insight and practical implications that can inform the provision of service catering to different types of users and improve service effectiveness. METHODS: We extracted session data from 29,400 users from a free 24/7 web-based counseling service from 2018 to 2021. To systematically investigate the heterogeneity of repeated users, hierarchical clustering was used to classify the users based on 3 indicators of service use behaviors, including the duration of their user journey, use frequency, and intensity. We then compared the psychological profile of the identified subgroups including their suicide risks and primary concerns to gain insights into the factors driving their patterns of service use. RESULTS: Three clusters of repeated users with clear psychological profiles were detected: episodic, intermittent, and persistent-intensive users. Generally, compared with one-time users, repeated users showed higher suicide risks and more complicated backgrounds, including more severe presenting issues such as suicide or self-harm, bullying, and addictive behaviors. Higher frequency and intensity of service use were also associated with elevated suicide risk levels and a higher proportion of users citing mental disorders as their primary concerns. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents a systematic method of identifying and classifying repeated users in web-based counseling services. The proposed bottom-up clustering method identified 3 subgroups of repeated users with distinct service behaviors and psychological profiles. The findings can facilitate frontline personnel in delivering more efficient interventions and the proposed method can also be meaningful to a wider range of services in improving service provision, resource allocation, and service effectiveness.

Missed Opportunities for HIV Prevention in a Large County Safety Net Health System.

INTRODUCTION: HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is effective at reducing HIV transmission. However, PrEP uptake is low for racial and ethnic minorities and women, especially in the Southern US Health care clinicians should be prepared to identify all patients eligible for PrEP, provide counseling, and prescribe PrEP. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of persons newly diagnosed with HIV was conducted at a large public health system from January 2015 to June 2021. Interactions with the health system in the 5 years preceding HIV diagnosis were analyzed, and missed opportunities for HIV prevention interventions, including PrEP and condom use counseling, were identified. RESULTS: We identified 454 patients with a new HIV diagnosis with previous health system interactions. 166(36.6%) had at least 1 identifiable indication for PrEP: 42(9.3%) bacterial STI, 63(13.9%) inconsistent condom use, or 82(18%) injection drug use before HIV diagnosis. Only 7(1.5%) of patients were counseled on PrEP. Most patients (308; 67.8%) had no documented condom use history in the EHR before diagnosis, a surrogate marker for obtaining a sexual history. Patients who exclusively interacted with the emergency care setting did not receive PrEP education and were less likely to receive condom use counseling. CONCLUSION: Missed opportunities to offer HIV prevention before diagnosis were common among patients newly diagnosed with HIV. Most patients did not have sexual history documented in the chart before their HIV diagnosis. Educational interventions are needed to ensure that clinicians are prepared to identify those eligible and discuss the benefits of PrEP.

National trends in counseling for stress and depression and COVID-19 pandemic-related factors among adults, 2009-2022: A nationwide study in South Korea: Stress, depression, and pandemic.

To investigate the long-term trends in counseling for stress and depression using data from a nationwide survey in South Korea. We conducted a nationwide serial, large-scale, cross-sectional, survey-based study using data from 2,903,887 Korean adults from the Korea Community Health Survey, 2009-2022. Our study investigated the trends and risk factors for counseling for stress and depression during the pre-pandemic (2009-2019) and pandemic era (2020-2022). The prevalence of counseling for stress and depression increased across pre-pandemic (counseling for stress: ß, 0.217 [95 % CI, 0.194 to 0.241]; counseling for depression: ß, 0.136 [0.118 to 0.154]) and pandemic periods (ß, 0.324 [0.287 to 0.360]; ß, 0.210 [0.182 to 0.239], respectively). The prevalence of counseling for stress and depression showed steeper slopes for increasing trends after the outbreak. In addition, subgroups with female sex, urban residence, lower household income, lower self-rated health, shorter sleep time, and higher worries about contracting COVID-19 were the risk factors associated with the increased prevalence of counseling for stress and depression. Our study analyzed the trends in counseling for stress and depression among over two million South Korean adults in 2009-2022, revealing a significant escalation during the pandemic. These findings emphasize the need for mental health policies to support vulnerable groups during the pandemic.

Factors associated with voluntary HIV counseling and testing among young students engaging in casual sexual activity: a cross-sectional study from Eastern China.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the factors associated with voluntary HIV counseling and testing (VCT) among young students engaging in casual sexual activity and to establish a scientific rationale for developing targeted intervention strategies for preventing HIV/AIDS in this population. METHODS: Stratified cluster sampling was used to conduct a survey using questionnaires to collect demographic and behavioral information for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Data from 611 young students, who reported engaging in casual sexual activity, were included in the statistical analysis. Among these, 68 (11.13%) students underwent the VCT. Among young students who engaged in casual sexual activity, those who were non-Zhejiang residents (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.11; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.17-3.80), those who had received AIDS-themed lectures or health education courses from the school in the past year (aOR = 3.96, 95% CI = 1.49-10.50), those who had received HIV risk self-assessment conducted by the school in the past year (aOR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.17-4.59), and those who had engaged in commercial sex activity in the past year (aOR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.07-3.66) were more inclined to have undergone VCT. Male students (aOR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.18-0.77) and those who used condoms consistently during casual sexual activity (aOR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.21-0.97) were less likely to undergo VCT. CONCLUSION: Casual sexual activity was relatively prevalent among young students, posing a potential risk for HIV transmission. These findings will be instrumental in the development more effective HIV prevention and control strategies for young students. Additionally, it highlights the necessity of promoting and popularizing VCT among young students without Zhejiang province residency, who are involved in commercial sexual activity, and/or those who lacking HIV education. Moreover, additional research and implementation of refined HIV behavioral interventions specifically tailored to young students are necessary to enhance their awareness and knowledge of HIV prevention.

Dietary Counseling Documentation Among Patients Recently Hospitalized for Cardiovascular Disease.

BACKGROUND: Diet intervention forms the cornerstone for cardiovascular disease (CVD) management. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to measure the frequency of dietary counseling documentation for patients recently hospitalized with CVD. DESIGN: This was an observational study. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Patients were included from the Michigan Value Collaborative Multipayer Claims Registry from October 2015 to February 2020. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The study measured the frequency of medical claims that document dietary counseling ≤90 days after hospitalization (ie, an episode of care) for CVD events (coronary artery bypass grafting, acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and percutaneous coronary intervention). Dietary counseling documentation was defined as having an encounter-level International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision code for dietary counseling or current procedural terminology code for medical nutrition therapy or cardiac rehabilitation. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Multivariable logistic regression was used to measure variation in documentation across gender, age, comorbidities, hospital geography, CVD event, and insurer. RESULTS: There were 175,631 episodes of care (congesitve heart failure 47.1%, acute myocardial infarction 28.7%, percutaneous coronary intervention 17.0%, and coronary artery bypass grafting 7.3%) among 146,185 individuals. Most episodes occurred among men (55.8%) and those older than age 65 years (71.9%). Dietary counseling was documented for 22.8% of episodes and was more common as cardiac rehabilitation (18.6%) than other encounter types (5.1%). In multivariable analysis, there was lower odds for dietary counseling documentation among those older than age 65 years (odds ratio [OR] 0.77; P < .001), women (OR 0.83; P < .001), with chronic kidney disease (OR 0.74; P < .001), or diabetes (OR 0.95; P < .001), but greater odds for those with obesity (OR 1.28; P < .001) and nonmetropolitan hospitals (OR 1.31; P < .001). Compared with coronary artery bypass grafting, acute myocardial infarction (OR 0.29; P < .001), confestive heart failure (OR 0.12; P < .001), and percutaneous coronary intervention (OR 0.36; P < .001) episodes had lower odds to have dietary counseling coded. Compared with Traditional Medicare, Medicaid and Medicare Advantage health maintenance organization plans had lower odds, whereas Commercial or Medicare Advantage preferred provider organization and Commercial health maintenance organization plans had higher odds to have dietary counseling documented. Results were mostly similar when evaluated by race. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary counseling was infrequently documented after hospitalization for CVD episodes in medical claims in a Michigan-based multipayer claims database with large variation by reason for hospitalization and patient factors.

Effects of Breastfeeding Peer Counseling on County-Level Breastfeeding Rates Among WIC Participants in Greater Minnesota.

OBJECTIVE: U.S. breastfeeding outcomes consistently fall short of public health targets, with lower rates among rural and low-income people, as well as participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The U.S. Department of Agriculture funded a subset of local WIC agencies in Minnesota to implement Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Programs (BFPCs) aimed at improving breastfeeding rates. We examined the impact of BFPCs on breastfeeding rates among WIC participants in Greater Minnesota (outside the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area). METHODS: We used data from the Minnesota WIC Information System for the years 2012 through 2019 to estimate the impact of peer counseling on breastfeeding duration using difference-in-differences models. Additionally, we examined results among rural counties and assessed the possibility of spillover effects by stratifying whether a county without BFPCs bordered one with BFPCs. RESULTS: Availability of BFPCs resulted in a 3.1 to 3.4 percentage-point increase in breastfeeding rates at 3 months and a 3.2 to 3.7 percentage-point increase in breastfeeding rates at 6 months among WIC participants in Greater Minnesota. Among rural counties, results showed a statistically significant 4.1 to 5.2 percentage-point increase in breastfeeding duration rates. Both border and nonborder counties experienced positive impacts of BFPCs on breastfeeding rates, suggesting wide-ranging program spillover effects. CONCLUSIONS: BFPCs had a significant positive impact on breastfeeding duration. Findings indicate an opportunity for improving rural breastfeeding rates through increased funding for WIC BFPCs.

Cigarette Smoking Cessation Counselling in Pregnant Smokers with Mental Illness/Substance Use Disorders.

Our objective was to determine if past-year mental illness and substance use disorders (SUD) among pregnant smokers predicted the probability of receipt of counselling for cigarette smoking cessation. A secondary analysis of data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health 2016-2019 was conducted. We found that approximately 83% of pregnant smokers (N = 373) received screening for cigarette smoking, and 65% received cessation counselling. Having mental illness predicted the probability of receipt of counselling for smoking cessation in pregnant smokers (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 3.75; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.25-11.27). However, having SUD (alcohol [AOR: 2.30; 95%CI: 0.57-9.26] or illicit drug use [AOR: 1.32; 95%CI: 0.26-6.82]) or comorbid mental illness and SUD (AOR: 0.23; 95%CI: 0.03-2.03) was not associated with receipt of counselling for smoking cessation. Practice guidelines and policy initiatives are needed to reduce cigarette use and its related adverse health outcomes in pregnant smokers with SUD.

Tendencia de consejerías en actividad física y enfermedades cardiometabólicas en el Maule, Chile: estudio previo a pandemia por COVID-19 entre 2012 y 2019 / Trend in Physical Activity Counseling and Cardiometabolic Diseases in Maule, Chile: COVID-19 Pre-Pandemic Study between 2012 and 2019

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) practice reduces the adverse effects of COVID-19. PA counseling promotes healthy lifestyles and prevents cardiometabolic diseases. AIM: To assess the trend in cases of PA counseling and the cardiometabolic disease between 2012 and 2019 (before COVID-19) in a southern Chilean region. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Records of Maule Region Health Service for 731.163 men, and 829.097 women aged < 10 to ≥ 65 years were analyzed. The average annual percentage change (AAPC) during the study period and the annual percentage change (APC) during intermediate periods, were calculated. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in PA counseling in women in the study period (AAPC: −13.6%). In the 2012-2017 period a significant decrease in counseling for total, men and women were observed (APC: −18.1, −16.5 and −19.1%, respectively). Obesity increased significantly in total, men and women in the 2012-2019 period (AAPC: 10.1, 8.5 and 10.7%, respectively). The same trend was observed for hypertension (AAPC: 8.1, 8.5 and 7.6% respectively) and elevated blood glucose (AAPC: 10, 11.5 and 9.6%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In the study period PA counseling decreased along with an increase in obesity, hypertension and high blood glucose. Increasing PA counseling is a mainstay in the prevention of cardiometabolic diseases and probably to prevent contagion and complement the treatment of COVID-19.

Peer-led counselling with problem discussion therapy for adolescents living with HIV in Zimbabwe: A cluster-randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents living with HIV have poor virological suppression and high prevalence of common mental disorders (CMDs). In Zimbabwe, the Zvandiri adolescent peer support programme is effective at improving virological suppression. We assessed the effect of training Zvandiri peer counsellors known as Community Adolescent Treatment Supporters (CATS) in problem-solving therapy (PST) on virological suppression and mental health outcomes. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Sixty clinics were randomised 1:1 to either normal Zvandiri peer counselling or a peer counsellor trained in PST. In January to March 2019, 842 adolescents aged 10 to 19 years and living with HIV who screened positive for CMDs were enrolled (375 (44.5%) male and 418 (49.6%) orphaned of at least one parent). The primary outcome was virological nonsuppression (viral load ≥1,000 copies/mL). Secondary outcomes were symptoms of CMDs measured with the Shona Symptom Questionnaire (SSQ ≥8) and depression measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9 ≥10) and health utility score using the EQ-5D. The adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using logistic regression adjusting for clinic-level clustering. Case reviews and focus group discussions were used to determine feasibility of intervention delivery. At baseline, 35.1% of participants had virological nonsuppression and 70.3% had SSQ≥8. After 48 weeks, follow-up was 89.5% for viral load data and 90.9% for other outcomes. Virological nonsuppression decreased in both arms, but there was no evidence of an intervention effect (prevalence of nonsuppression 14.7% in the Zvandiri-PST arm versus 11.9% in the Zvandiri arm; AOR = 1.29; 95% CI 0.68, 2.48; p = 0.44). There was strong evidence of an apparent effect on common mental health outcomes (SSQ ≥8: 2.4% versus 10.3% [AOR = 0.19; 95% CI 0.08, 0.46; p < 0.001]; PHQ-9 ≥10: 2.9% versus 8.8% [AOR = 0.32; 95% CI 0.14, 0.78; p = 0.01]). Prevalence of EQ-5D index score <1 was 27.6% versus 38.9% (AOR = 0.56; 95% CI 0.31, 1.03; p = 0.06). Qualitative analyses found that CATS-observed participants had limited autonomy or ability to solve problems. In response, the CATS adapted the intervention to focus on empathic problem discussion to fit adolescents' age, capacity, and circumstances, which was beneficial. Limitations include that cost data were not available and that the mental health tools were validated in adult populations, not adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: PST training for CATS did not add to the benefit of peer support in reducing virological nonsuppression but led to improved symptoms of CMD and depression compared to standard Zvandiri care among adolescents living with HIV in Zimbabwe. Active involvement of caregivers and strengthened referral structures could increase feasibility and effectiveness. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Pan African Clinical Trials Registry PACTR201810756862405.

Impact of a regional smoking cessation intervention for vascular surgery patients.

OBJECTIVE: Tobacco use is common among vascular surgery patients and negatively impacts outcomes and longevity. In the second quarter of 2018, a statewide vascular quality collaborative launched an initiative across its 35 participating hospitals to promote smoking cessation at the time of surgery. This intervention was based on the Vascular Physician Offer and Report (VAPOR) trial and consisted of 3 components: brief physician-delivered advice, referral to telephone-based counseling, and nicotine replacement therapy. The goal of this study is to evaluate the results of this intervention. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing vascular surgery between 2018 and 2020. Procedures included open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, endovascular aneurysm repair, open vascular bypass, open thrombectomy, carotid endarterectomy, and carotid stenting. The primary explanatory variables were receipt of tobacco cessation interventions as documented in the medical record. The primary outcome was tobacco cessation, captured during 30-day and 1-year chart review and/or patient follow-up. A multivariable logistic regression model was calculated to estimate the association of covariates with smoking cessation while adjusting for patient and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 13,890 patients underwent surgery during the study period. The mean age was 69.4 ± 10 years; 4687 patients (34%) were female, and 5158 patients (37%) were current smokers. At least one smoking cessation component was delivered to 2245 patients (44% of smokers). The quit rate was 35% among 4671 patients with 30-day follow-up and 43% among 2936 patients with 1-year follow up. On multivariable regression, at 30 days, receiving two intervention components was associated with 1.29 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-1.55) higher odds of quitting. At both time points, smoking cessation was also associated with undergoing an emergent procedure (30-day odds ratio [OR], 1.52; 95% CI, 1.16-1.99; 1-year OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.01-1.97) and undergoing open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (30-day OR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.20-2.43; 1-year OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.11-2.78). CONCLUSIONS: In a cohort of vascular surgical patients where tobacco use was common, nearly one-half of patients quit smoking 1 year after surgery. Receiving two smoking cessation intervention components was associated with quitting at 30 days. Overall, these results demonstrate encouraging quit rates and identify an opportunity for longer-term intervention to maintain even greater 1-year tobacco cessation.

Screening and counseling for nicotine use in youth with diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To assess current practice patterns and identify knowledge gaps among pediatric endocrinologists in the United States regarding screening and counseling for combustible tobacco and e-cigarette use in youth with diabetes. INTRODUCTION: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are the most used tobacco product among adolescents and may be associated with an increased risk of progression to combustible cigarette smoking, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. Diabetes mellitus is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and nicotine products can increase this risk. We sought to assess current practice patterns and identify knowledge gaps among pediatric endocrinologists in the United States regarding screening and counseling for combustible tobacco and e-cigarette use in youth with diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted an anonymous, online-based survey of Pediatric Endocrine Society members who provide care to youth with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. The survey collected information about provider demographics and smoking habits, knowledge and attitudes regarding screening and counseling for combustible tobacco and e-cigarette use, and current practice patterns. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 106 individuals of whom 64 reported providing care to youth with diabetes mellitus and ever asking about combustible tobacco or e-cigarette use. The majority of respondents were female, attending providers, and working in academic medical centers. None reported a history of formal training in e-cigarette counseling but recognized the harms of e-cigarette use. Nearly all (98%) who ever screen for nicotine use reported routinely screening for combustible tobacco use, while 18% never screen for e-cigarette use (p < 0.01). Over 80% of respondents reported feeling confident or very confident about discussing the harms of combustible tobacco, compared to 58% reporting the same confidence in discussing harms of e-cigarette use (p < 0.0001). Over 90% of respondents agreed that pediatric endocrinology providers should ask about nicotine use with over half agreeing that counseling reduces the risk of initiating nicotine product use, and 30% reported lack of change with counseling as a barrier to discussing nicotine use. Lack of visit time was the most reported barrier to discussing nicotine use. More providers cited lack of knowledge regarding e-cigarettes compared to combustible tobacco as a barrier to discussing its use. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric endocrinology providers recognize the harms of e-cigarette use, but more frequently ask about combustible tobacco use compared to e-cigarette use. This may be related to lower reported confidence and provider knowledge in counseling about e-cigarette use. Increased utilization of existing resources and expanding opportunities for providers to learn more about e-cigarettes may increase provider confidence and comfort in screening and counseling.

Effect of a community-based child health counselling intervention on health-seeking behaviours, complementary feeding and nutritional condition among children aged 6-23 months in rural China: A pre- and post-comparison study.

In China, the prevalence of undernutrition among children under 5 years of age has declined significantly during recent decades. However, noticeable gaps exist between rural and urban areas. Since 2012, a government-funded nutrition programme, Ying Yang Bao (YYB; soybean powder-based iron-rich supplement) programme, has been implemented in poor rural areas to decrease the risk of developing anaemia among children aged 6-23 months, but there are still inadequate health care awareness, feeding knowledge and skills among caregivers. From June 2018 to December 2020, a child health counselling intervention was delivered through a home visit based on the YYB programme in Liangshan. Child health messages were given by trained village child health assistants while distributing YYB. Surveys were conducted before and after the intervention to analyse changes in child health check-up frequency, complementary feeding practice and prevalence of undernutrition. After the intervention, the proportion of children who had regular health check-ups, who were vaccinated and who met the minimum YYB consumption significantly increased from 26.0%, 81.6%, and 67.8% to 59.7%, 95.0%, and 79.2%. Increased rates of IYCF indicators (introduction of solid, semisolid, or soft foods, minimum dietary diversity and consumption of iron-rich or iron-fortified foods) were observed after the intervention. The prevalence of stunting, underweight, wasting, and anaemia significantly decreased from 26.3% to 10.8%, 13.4% to 8.7%, 14.0% to 10.5%, and 52.1% to 43.9%. This intervention can be well integrated into the YYB programme with less additional resources. Children in resource-limited areas will benefit more from a comprehensive nutritional package, including food supplements and child health education.

Individual and facility-level factors associated with women's receipt of immediate postpartum family planning counseling in Ethiopia: results from national surveys of women and health facilities.

BACKGROUND: Immediate postpartum family planning (IPPFP) helps prevent unintended and closely spaced pregnancies. Despite Ethiopia's rising facility-based delivery rate and supportive IPPFP policies, the prevalence of postpartum contraceptive use remains low, with little known about disparities in access to IPPFP counseling. We sought to understand if women's receipt of IPPFP counseling varied by individual and facility characteristics. METHODS: We used weighted linked household and facility data from the national Performance Monitoring for Action Ethiopia (PMA-Ethiopia) study. Altogether, 936 women 5-9 weeks postpartum who delivered at a government facility were matched to the nearest facility offering labor and delivery care, corresponding to the facility type in which each woman reported delivering (n = 224 facilities). We explored women's receipt of IPPFP counseling and individual and facility-level characteristics utilizing descriptive statistics. The relationship between women's receipt of IPPFP counseling and individual and facility factors were assessed through multivariate, multilevel models. RESULTS: Approximately one-quarter of postpartum women received IPPFP counseling (27%) and most women delivered government health centers (59%). Nearly all facilities provided IPPFP services (94%); most had short- and long-acting methods available (71 and 87%, respectively) and no recent stockouts (60%). Multivariate analyses revealed significant disparities in IPPFP counseling with lower odds of counseling among primiparous women, those who delivered vaginally, and women who did not receive delivery care from a doctor or health officer (all p < 0.05). Having never used contraception was marginally associated with lower odds of receiving IPPFP counseling (p < 0.10). IPPFP counseling did not differ by age, residence, method availability, or facility type, after adjusting for other individual and facility factors. CONCLUSION: Despite relatively widespread availability of IPPFP services in Ethiopia, receipt of IPPFP counseling remains low. Our results highlight important gaps in IPPFP care, particularly among first-time mothers, women who have never used contraception, women who delivered vaginally, and those who did not receive delivery care from a doctor or health officer. As facility births continue to rise in Ethiopia, health systems and providers must ensure that equitable, high-quality IPPFP services are offered to all women.

Self-Management Education Class Attendance and Health Care Provider Counseling for Physical Activity Among Adults with Arthritis - United States, 2019.

Arthritis is a highly prevalent and disabling condition among U.S. adults (1); arthritis-attributable functional limitations and severe joint pain affect many aspects of health and quality of life (2). Self-management education (self-management) and physical activity can reduce pain and improve the health status and quality of life of adults with arthritis; however, in 2014, only 11.4% and 61.0% of arthritis patients reported engaging in each, respectively. To assess self-reported self-management class attendance and health care provider physical activity counseling among adults with doctor-diagnosed arthritis, CDC analyzed 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. In 2019, an age-standardized state median of one in six (16.2%) adults with arthritis reported ever attending a self-management class, and 69.3% reported ever receiving health care provider counselling to be physically active. Prevalences of both differed by state and sociodemographic characteristics; decreased with lower educational attainment, joint pain severity, and urbanicity; and were lower in men than in women. Health care providers can play an important role in promoting self-management class attendance and physical activity by counseling arthritis patients about their benefits and referring patients to evidence-based programs (3).

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Impact of Different Intensity of Dietary Counselling on Cardiometabolic Health in Middle-Aged and Older Adults.

Dietary counselling has been identified as one of the nutritional strategies to alleviate cardiometabolic health conditions. Its effectiveness however may vary due to factors such as intensity level and provider while this has not been comprehensively studied. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the effects of dietary counselling on the cardiometabolic health in middle-aged and older adults and the sub-group analyses with dietary counselling intensity and the provider were also assessed. Four databases including PubMed, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Cochrane Library and EMBASE were systematically searched. Data from 22 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were compiled and those from 9 RCTs were utilised for meta-analysis. Dietary counselling lowered total cholesterol (TC) and fasting blood sugar (FBS) but had no impact on triglycerides (TG) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Sub-group analysis revealed significant lowering effect of high intensity dietary counselling for TG (weighted mean difference (WMD): -0.24 mmol/L, 95% confidence intervals (CIs): -0.40 to -0.09), TC (WMD: -0.31 mmol/L, 95% CIs: -0.49 to -0.13), LDL (WMD: -0.39 mmol/L, 95% CIs: -0.61 to -0.16) and FBS (WMD: -0.69 mmol/L, 95% CIs: -0.99 to -0.40) while medium or low intensity dietary counselling did not show favouring effects. Counselling provider showed differential responses on cardiometabolic health between dietitian and all other groups. The findings from this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that dietary counselling is a beneficial dietary strategy to improve cardiometabolic health in middle-aged and older adults with the emphasis on the counselling intensity.