Estrategias de afrontamiento y estrés. Estudio longitudinal con estudiantes de Medicina y Veterinaria de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México / Coping strategies and stress. A longitudinal study of medical and veterinary students at the National Autonomous University of Mexico

Introducción: Medicina y Veterinaria son licenciaturas con alta demanda académica que tiende a ocasionar niveles elevados de estrés entre sus estudiantes. Objetivo: El propósito de esta investigación fue indagar sobre el papel de las estrategias utilizadas por los alumnos para afrontar el estrés. Sujetos y métodos. Se aplicó una encuesta en línea a 244 estudiantes del primer año de ambas carreras en la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, al inicio del ciclo escolar y cuatro meses después. La encuesta incluyó la escala de estrés percibido de 10 ítems, el inventario de estilos de afrontamiento, y un apartado que indagó sobre aspectos sociodemográficos y académicos. Resultados: Se observó un incremento en el estrés de los alumnos de ambas licenciaturas, que fue estadísticamente significativo sólo en veterinaria (t(140)= –3,4; p < 0,001; d de Cohen = –0,29). El análisis estadístico mostró que mayores recursos económicos percibidos, mayor equilibrio entre la vida personal y académica, mayor resolución del problema y evitación del problema, así como menor expresión emocional, pensamiento desiderativo y autocrítica, notificados al inicio del ciclo académico, fueron los factores que se asociaron significativamente con un menor estrés percibido después de cuatromeses (F(15,228) = 14,16; p < 0,0001). Conclusión: Se destaca que las escuelas deberían incorporar actividades durante el proceso de formación de los futuros médicos y veterinarios, centradas en guiarlos y motivarlos para que desarrollen y utilicen estrategias que les permitan manejar adecuadamente situaciones desafiantes. De este modo, ellos pueden evitar el incremento de los niveles de estrés y el posible impacto negativo en su desempeño académico y salud mental.(AU)

Introduction: Medicine and Veterinary are careers with high academic demands that tend to cause high levels of stressamong students. Objective: This study investigated the role of strategies used by students to deal with stress.Subjects and methods. An online survey was administered to 244 medical and veterinary students at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, at the beginning of their first academic cycle and four months later. The survey included the perceived stress scale-10, the coping strategies inventory, as well as a section that inquired about sociodemographic and academic characteristics. Results: An increase in the stress of the students in both degrees was noted but this was only statistically significant (t(140) = –3.4, p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = –0.29) among students enrolled in veterinary. Perception of higher financial resources to cover tuition and fees, greater life and school balance, increased problem-solving and problem-avoidance, less emotional expression, wishful thinking, and self-criticism, mentioned at the beginning of the academic cycle were significantly associated with a lower perception of stress four months later (F(15,228) = 14.16, p < 0.0001).Conclusion: It is highlighted that schools should incorporate activities during the training process of future doctors and veterinarians, focused on guiding and motivating them to develop and use strategies that allow them to adequately handle challenging situations. In this way, they will be able to avoid increased stress levels and the possible negative impact on their academic performance and mental health.(AU)

Gender differences in symptomatology, socio-demographic information and quality of life in Spanish population with long COVID condition: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Long COVID patients experience a decrease in their quality of life due to the symptomatology produced by the disease. It is also important to understand how long COVID affects both men and women. The objective of this study is to examine the impact of long COVID symptomatology on the quality of life of Spanish adults from a gender perspective. Methods: An observational and cross-sectional study was carried out. Participants were able to complete an online questionnaire using an online platform. A sample of 206 people participated in the study. Results: The 80.6% of the sample were women with a mean age of 46.51 (±8.28) and the 19.4% were men with a mean age of 48.03 (±9.50). The medium score in the PAC19-QoL test was 141.47 (±24.96) and segmented by gender, 141.65 (±23.95) for women and 140.82 (±28.66) for men. The most common symptoms in women were muscle and joint pain (94.6%), fatigue (94.0%), discomfort (92.2%), difficulty concentrating (91.0%), and memory loss (88.6%). For men the symptoms included muscle and joint pain (97.5%) and fatigue (97.5%) both occupying first position, discomfort (92.0%), difficulty concentrating (90.0%), mood disturbances (90.0%), and memory loss (87.5%). The chi-square test showed statistical significance (p < 0.005) for socio-demographic information, quality of life scores, and long COVID symptoms by intensities. Conclusion: This study shows that there are gender differences in the way that long COVID is experienced.

Disparities in Mistreatment During Childbirth.

Importance: Lack of respectful maternity care may be a key factor associated with disparities in maternal health. However, mistreatment during childbirth has not been widely documented in the US. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of mistreatment by health care professionals during childbirth among a representative multistate sample and to identify patient characteristics associated with mistreatment experiences. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study used representative survey data collected from respondents to the 2020 Pregnancy Risk and Monitoring System in 6 states and New York City who had a live birth in 2020 and participated in the Postpartum Assessment of Health Survey at 12 to 14 months' post partum. Data were collected from January 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022. Exposures: Demographic, social, clinical, and birth characteristics that have been associated with patients' health care experiences. Main Outcomes and Measures: Any mistreatment during childbirth, as measured by the Mistreatment by Care Providers in Childbirth scale, a validated measure of self-reported experiences of 8 types of mistreatment. Survey-weighted rates of any mistreatment and each mistreatment indicator were estimated, and survey-weighted logistic regression models estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs. Results: The sample included 4458 postpartum individuals representative of 552 045 people who had live births in 2020 in 7 jurisdictions. The mean (SD) age was 29.9 (5.7) years, 2556 (54.4%) identified as White, and 2836 (58.8%) were commercially insured. More than 1 in 8 individuals (13.4% [95% CI, 11.8%-15.1%]) reported experiencing mistreatment during childbirth. The most common type of mistreatment was being "ignored, refused request for help, or failed to respond in a timely manner" (7.6%; 95% CI, 6.5%-8.9%). Factors associated with experiencing mistreatment included being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer identifying (unadjusted OR [UOR], 2.3; 95% CI, 1.4-3.8), Medicaid insured (UOR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1-1.8), unmarried (UOR, 0.8; 95% CI, 0.6-1.0), or obese before pregnancy (UOR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.0-1.7); having an unplanned cesarean birth (UOR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2-2.2), a history of substance use disorder (UOR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.3-5.1), experienced intimate partner or family violence (UOR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.3-4.2), mood disorder (UOR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1-2.2), or giving birth during the COVID-19 public health emergency (UOR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1-2.0). Associations of mistreatment with race and ethnicity, age, educational level, rural or urban geography, immigration status, and household income were ambiguous. Conclusions and Relevance: This cross-sectional study of individuals who had a live birth in 2020 in 6 states and New York City found that mistreatment during childbirth was common. There is a need for patient-centered, multifaceted interventions to address structural health system factors associated with negative childbirth experiences.

Health activism, vaccine, and mpox discourse: BERTopic based mixed-method analyses of tweets from sexual minority men and gender diverse (SMMGD) individuals in the U.S.

Objectives: To synthesize discussions among sexual minority men and gender diverse (SMMGD) individuals on mpox, given limited representation of SMMGD voices in existing mpox literature. Methods: BERTopic (a topic modeling technique) was employed with human validations to analyze mpox-related tweets (n = 8,688; October 2020-September 2022) from 2,326 self-identified SMMGD individuals in the U.S.; followed by content analysis and geographic analysis. Results: BERTopic identified 11 topics: health activism (29.81%); mpox vaccination (25.81%) and adverse events (0.98%); sarcasm, jokes, emotional expressions (14.04%); COVID-19 and mpox (7.32%); government/public health response (6.12%); mpox symptoms (2.74%); case reports (2.21%); puns on the virus' naming (i.e., monkeypox; 0.86%); media publicity (0.68%); mpox in children (0.67%). Mpox health activism negatively correlated with LGB social climate index at U.S. state level, ρ = -0.322, p = 0.031. Conclusions: SMMGD discussions on mpox encompassed utilitarian (e.g., vaccine access, case reports, mpox symptoms) and emotionally-charged themes-advocating against homophobia, misinformation, and stigma. Mpox health activism was more prevalent in states with lower LGB social acceptance. Public Health Implications: Findings illuminate SMMGD engagement with mpox discourse, underscoring the need for more inclusive health communication strategies in infectious disease outbreaks to control associated stigma.

Delays in Care by Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic Using Cross-Sectional Data From the National Institutes of Health's All of Us Research Program.

PURPOSE: Delays in receiving medical care are an urgent problem. This study aims to determine whether the odds of, and reasons for, experiencing care delays differ by gender, race-ethnicity, and survey completion before versus during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of survey data from participants age ≥18 in the National Institutes of Health's All of Us Research Program collected from May 6, 2018, to January 1, 2022. Logistic regressions were performed to assess the association of gender, race-ethnicity, and survey completion date with any of nine reasons for delaying care in the past 12 months. RESULTS: Of 119,983 participants, 37.8% reported delaying care in the past 12 months. After adjusting for employment status, education, income, marital status, health insurance, and age, women of every race-ethnicity and Black and other race-ethnicity men were more likely than white men to report delays in care: Asian women (odds ratio [OR] 1.23; 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.13, 1.34]), Black men (OR 1.15; 95% CI [1.05, 1.25]) and women (OR 1.46; 95% CI [1.38, 1.54]), Hispanic women (OR 1.36; 95% CI [1.28, 1.44]), white women (OR 1.55; 95% CI [1.50, 1.60]), and other race-ethnicity men (OR 1.15; 95% CI [1.05, 1.27]) and women (OR 1.79; 95% CI [1.67, 1.91]). A small but statistically significant difference was seen in reports of care delays for non-pandemic-related reasons during versus before the COVID-19 pandemic (OR 0.88; 95% CI [0.83, 0.93]). CONCLUSIONS: In this study of a diverse group of U.S. participants, women and Black and other race-ethnicity men were more likely than white men to report delays in care, both before and during COVID-19. Addressing care delays may be necessary to ameliorate health disparities by race-ethnicity and gender.

Making sense of COVID-19: manifestations of health capital during the pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Grounded in Bourdieu's theory of human practice, this study aims to examine how individuals as social agents made sense of and acted upon their COVID-19 experiences. A recent conceptualization of health capital is utilized to explain the practices of patients in the pandemic, in relation to their biographical background. METHODS: This is a qualitative research in which the data were collected by biographical narrative interviews through a theoretical sampling approach. Eighteen interviews with COVID-19 patients were conducted and 8 of them were analyzed by the Documentary Method. RESULTS: The informants made sense of their illness experiences through their health capital, which is manifested in their self-perception of health, their attitudes towards the healthcare system, their conception of terms such as luck, their work status, and the gendered division of labour at home in the COVID-19 pandemic. All the manifestations are mediated by the social, cultural, and economic capital of the informants, and their habitual practices are based on their symbolic capital. CONCLUSION: The study depicts how social agents' health capital manifested in the pandemic, relying on their symbolic capital, and shaping their practices. Further research across diverse contexts is needed to fully understand extra dimensions of health capital as a descriptor of the social determinants of health.

Age, Gender, and Liver Enzyme Impact Hospital Stay in COVID-19 Minority Patient with Cancer in the USA: Does Race Matters in the Pandemic?

Patients with cancer are known to have a poor prognosis when infected with SARS-CoV-2 infection. We aimed in this study to assess health outcomes in COVID-19 patients with different cancers in comparison to non-cancer COVID-19 patients from different centers in the United States (US). We evaluated medical records of 1,943 COVID-19 Cancer patients from 3 hospitals admitted between December 2019 to October 2021 and compared them with non-cancer COVID-19 patients. Among 1,943 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 18.7% (n=364) have an active or previous history of cancer. Among these 364 cancer patients, 222 were African Americans (61.7%) and 121 were Caucasians (33.2%). Cancer patients had significantly longer hospitalization compared to controls (8.24 vs 6.7 days). Overall, Lung cancer is associated with high mortality. Patients with a previous history of cancer were more prone to death (p=0.04) than active cancer patients. In univariate and multivariate analyses, predictors of death among cancer patients were male sex, older age, presence of dyspnea, elevated troponin, elevated AST (0.001) and ALT (0.05), low albumin (p=0.04) and mechanical ventilation (p=0.001). Patients with a previous history of cancer were more prone to death when compared to active cancer COVID-19 patients. Early recognition of cancer COVID-19 patients' death-associated risk factors can help determine appropriate treatment and management plans for better prognosis and outcome.

Gender health care inequalities in health crisis: when uncertainty can lead to inequality.

BACKGROUND: In health crisis, inequalities in access to and use of health care services become more evident. The objective of this study is to analyse the existence and evolution of gender inequalities in access to and use of healthcare services in the context of the COVID-19 health crisis. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study using data from all individuals with a confirmed COVID-19 infection from March 2020 to March 2022 in Aragón (Spain) (390,099 cases). Health care access and use was analysed by gender for the different pandemic waves. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to evaluate the effect of sex in health care. Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition methods were performed to explain gender gaps observed. RESULTS: The health care received throughout the COVID-19 pandemic differed between men and women. Women were admitted to hospital and intensive care units less frequently than men and their stays were shorter. Differences observed between men and women narrowed throughout the pandemic, but persisted even after adjusting for age, socioeconomic status, morbidity burden or the patient's place of residence. Differences in sociodemographic characteristics and morbidity burden could explain partially the gender inequalities found, mainly in the later phases of the pandemic, but not in the earlier waves. CONCLUSIONS: There were gender inequalities in access to and use of health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Inequalities were greater in the first waves of the pandemic, but did not disappear. Analysis of health crises must take into account an intersectional gender perspective to ensure equitable health care.

Evaluation of Sexual Function According to Gender and Sexual Orientation during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Turkey: A National Online Survey Study. / Türkiye'de COVID-19 Küresel Salgini Sirasinda Cinsel Islevlerin Cinsiyet ve Cinsel Yönelime Göre Degerlendirilmesi: Ulusal Çevrim Içi Anket Çalismasi.

OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus Diseases-19 (COVID-19) pandemic that has caused the death of thousands of people affected negatively not only people's physical wellbeing but also their mental health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sexual function, depression, anxiety and stress, and fear of COVID-19 of individuals according to gender and sexual orientation during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHOD: The questionnaire form included sociodemographic data form, the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX), the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-Short Form (DASS-21), and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S). The form was distributed on social media platforms. RESULTS: 1593 sexually active participants were included in the study. 47.5% of the participants were females and 52.5% were males. 86.9% of them were heterosexuals and 13.1% were lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. ASEX, DASS-21 Depression, Anxiety, and Stress, and FCV-19S scores were significantly higher in females than males (p<0.001). When anxiety, depression, stress, and fear of COVID-19 were controlled, level of sexual dysfunction continued to be higher in women. We found that while the ASEX and FCV-19S scores were similar between the heterosexuals and LGBs (respectively p=0.66 and p=0.31), the DASS-21 Depression, Anxiety, and Stress scores were higher in LGBs (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results reveal the effect of the pandemic period on female sexual functions and the importance of addressing this topic in clinical practice and research.

The relationship between gender, psychosocial factors, pain, health literacy and health-related quality of life in parents of Norwegian adolescents one year into the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Stress impacts healthy behaviours and may influence life and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). A stressful event occurred when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020. The present study aims to explore possible gender differences in stress, psychosocial factors (self-efficacy, self-esteem, loneliness), pain, HL, and HRQOL in parents of adolescents one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, and to explore possible associations between gender, demographic and psychosocial factors, pain, HL, and HRQOL. METHODS: Parents of adolescents aged 16-17 took part in the study from January to February 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic was ongoing. Data on socio-demographics, stress, self-efficacy, self-esteem, pain, HL, loneliness, and HRQOL were collected. HRQOL was assessed using RAND-36. RESULTS: Among the 320 parents from the general population, the mean age was 47.6 (standard deviation (SD) = 4.6) years, 81% were mothers, 79% were married or cohabiting, 81% had a university degree, and the majority worked full time (78%) or part time (13%). The average pain score was low, 0.48 (95% CI [0.43-0.54]). However, 50% of the parents reported persistent pain and more mothers reported persistent pain compared to fathers (53% vs. 37%). The parents' mean (SD) score for RAND-36 was 52.1 (95% CI [51.2-53.0]) for the physical component summary (PCS) score and 51.0 (95% CI [50.0-52.1]) for the mental component summary (MCS) score. Mothers reported significantly lower scores for all the eight RAND-36 domains and the PCS and MCS scores. Adjusting for gender, age, living condition, education, pain, HL, self-efficacy and loneliness, we revealed no associations between stress and RAND-36-PCS. University education of four years or more was positively associated (B = 3.29, 95% CI: [0.78-5.80]) with RAND-36-PCS, while persistent pain was negatively associated (B = -7.13, CI: [-9.20- -5.06]). We identified a strong negative association between RAND-36-MCS and stress (B = -43.11, CI: [-48.83- -37.38]) and a positive association with older age (B = 0.21, CI: [ 0.04, 0.39)]. CONCLUSION: One year into the COVID-19 pandemic, we identified a strong negative association between stress and mental HRQOL, while pain was strongly negatively associated with physical HRQOL.

Inequality on the frontline: A multi-country study on gender differences in mental health among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Healthcare workers (HCWs) were at increased risk for mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic, with prior data suggesting women may be particularly vulnerable. Our global mental health study aimed to examine factors associated with gender differences in psychological distress and depressive symptoms among HCWs during COVID-19. Across 22 countries in South America, Europe, Asia and Africa, 32,410 HCWs participated in the COVID-19 HEalth caRe wOrkErS (HEROES) study between March 2020 and February 2021. They completed the General Health Questionnaire-12, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and questions about pandemic-relevant exposures. Consistently across countries, women reported elevated mental health problems compared to men. Women also reported increased COVID-19-relevant stressors, including insufficient personal protective equipment and less support from colleagues, while men reported increased contact with COVID-19 patients. At the country level, HCWs in countries with higher gender inequality reported less mental health problems. Higher COVID-19 mortality rates were associated with increased psychological distress merely among women. Our findings suggest that among HCWs, women may have been disproportionately exposed to COVID-19-relevant stressors at the individual and country level. This highlights the importance of considering gender in emergency response efforts to safeguard women's well-being and ensure healthcare system preparedness during future public health crises.

How social is social media for transgender and gender-diverse youth? Association of online social experiences with internalizing mental health problems.

Adolescents spend a critical amount of their free time on the Internet and social media. Transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) adolescents, who report elevated rates of mental health issues, especially internalizing problems, have both positive and negative online social experiences (e.g., support and cyberbullying). This can have both beneficial and/or harmful effects on their mental health. Given the lack of research, the present study examined TGD adolescents' online (social) experiences and the association of positive and negative online social experiences with internalizing problems. The sample consisted of n = 165 TGD adolescents (11-18 years) diagnosed with gender dysphoria who attended a Gender Identity Service for children and adolescents (Hamburg GIS) in Germany between January 2020 and December 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Positive (use of online support networks) and negative online social experiences (cyberbullying or other adverse online interactions) were assessed using study-specific items and internalizing problems using the Youth Self-Report. Frequencies of various online (social) experiences were analyzed, and a multiple linear regression analysis was performed to test their association with internalizing problems. In total, 42% of participants reported positive online social experiences (use of online support networks) and 51% of participants reported negative online social experiences (cyberbullying or other adverse online interactions). There was no significant association between negative online social experiences and internalizing problems but between positive online social experiences and more internalizing problems (adjusted R2 = .01). TGD adolescents may seek online support, especially when struggling with mental health problems. Therefore, it is crucial to support youth navigating these online spaces more safely and positively and to empower them to buffer against potentially harmful experiences. Furthermore, strengthening offline relations with peers and family members is pivotal, given their importance for TGD adolescents' mental health.

Young people's experiences of physical activity insecurity: a qualitative study highlighting intersectional disadvantage in the UK.

BACKGROUND: Intersecting socioeconomic and demographic reasons for physical activity (PA) inequalities are not well understood for young people at risk of experiencing marginalisation and living with disadvantage. This study explored young people's experiences of PA in their local area, and the associated impacts on opportunities for good physical and emotional health and wellbeing. METHODS: Seven local youth groups were purposefully sampled from disadvantaged areas across urban, rural and coastal areas of England, including two that were specifically for LGBTQ + young people. Each group engaged in three interlinked focus groups which explored young people's perceptions and lived experience of PA inequalities. Data were analysed using an inductive, reflexive thematic approach to allow for flexibility in coding. RESULTS: Fifty five young people aged 12-21 years of different sexualities, gender and ethnicity took part. Analysis yielded four themes: PA experiences across spaces; resigned to a lack of inclusivity and 'belonging'; safety first; complexities in access and accessibility. Young people felt more comfortable to be active in spaces that were simpler to navigate, particularly outdoor locations largely based in nature. In contrast, local gyms and sports clubs, and the school environment in general, were spoken about often in negative terms and as spaces where they experienced insecurity, unsafety or discomfort. It was common for these young people to feel excluded from PA, often linked to their gender and sexuality. Lived experiences or fears of being bullied and harassed in many activity spaces was a powerful message, but in contrast, young people perceived their local youth club as a safe space. Intersecting barriers related to deprivation, gender and sexuality, accessibility, disability, Covid-19, affordability, ethnicity, and proximity of social networks. A need emerged for safe spaces in which young people can come together, within the local community and choose to be active. CONCLUSIONS: The overarching concept of 'physical activity insecurity' emerged as a significant concern for the young people in this study. We posit that PA insecurity in this context can be described as a limited or restricted ability to be active, reinforced by worries and lived experiences of feeling uncomfortable, insecure, or unsafe.

Predictors of Depression in Elderly According to Gender during COVID-19: Using the Data of 2020 Community Health Survey.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine factors influencing depression according to gender in people during COVID-19. METHODS: This study was conducted on 61,147 elderly individuals over the age of 65 who participated in the 2020 Community Health Survey (CHS). Data analysis was conducted using SAS 9.4. RESULTS: Elderly females had a higher perceived fear of COVID-19 than males. The common factors affecting depression in elderly individuals were age, monthly income, economic activity, stress, subjective health status, and social support. Among elderly women, changes in residential areas and daily life due to COVID-19 were identified as factors affecting depression. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, during COVID-19, it was necessary to provide customized depression relief programs for the elderly, and it was necessary to find ways for them to positively perceive their health status and increase healthcare efficacy. In the future, it is necessary to pay attention to elderly women living in rural areas and make efforts to ensure that their daily lives are not interrupted by infectious diseases.

Blueprint of differentially expressed genes reveals the dynamic gene expression landscape and the gender biases in long COVID.

BACKGROUND: Long COVID has appeared as a significant global health issue and is an extra burden to the healthcare system. It affects a considerable number of people throughout the globe. However, substantial research gaps have been noted in understanding the mechanism and genomic landscape during the long COVID infection. A study has aimed to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in long COVID patients to fill the gap. METHODS: We used the RNA-seq GEO dataset acquired through the GPL20301 Illumina HiSeq 4000 platform. The dataset contains 36 human samples derived from PBMC (Peripheral blood mononuclear cells). Thirty-six human samples contain 13 non-long COVID individuals' samples and 23 long COVID individuals' samples, considered the first direction analysis. Here, we performed two-direction analyses. In the second direction analysis, we divided the dataset gender-wise into four groups: the non-long COVID male group, the long COVID male group, the non-long COVID female group, and the long COVID female group. RESULTS: In the first analysis, we found no gene expression. In the second analysis, we identified 250 DEGs. During the DEG profile analysis of the non-long COVID male group and the long COVID male group, we found three upregulated genes: IGHG2, IGHG4, and MIR8071-2. Similarly, the analysis of the non-long COVID female group and the long COVID female group reveals eight top-ranking genes. It also indicates the gender biases of differentially expressed genes among long COVID individuals. We found several DEGs involved in PPI and co-expression network formation. Similarly, cluster enrichment and gene list enrichment analysis were performed, suggesting several genes are involved in different biological pathways or processes. CONCLUSIONS: This study will help better understand the gene expression landscape in long COVID. However, it might help the discovery and development of therapeutics for long COVID.

Years of Potential Life Lost due to COVID-19 according to race/color and gender in Brazil between 2020 and 2021. / Anos Potenciais de Vida Perdidos devido à COVID-19, segundo a raça/cor e gênero, no Brasil, entre 2020 e 2021.

Mortality caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted indicators of Years of Potential Life Lost (YPLL) worldwide. This study aimed to estimate the YPLL due to mortality caused by COVID-19, according to sex, age group, and race/color in Brazil, from March 2020 to December 2021. Deaths caused by COVID-19 were characterized, in which the rates and ratios of standardized YPLL rates, the average number of years of potential life lost (ANYPLL), and the average age at death (AAD) were estimated and compared. Overall, 13,776,969.50 potential years of life were lost, which resulted in an average loss of 22.5 potential years not lived. A greater loss of potential years of life was identified in men (58.12%) and in the age groups from 0 to 59 years in the black (58.92%) and indigenous (63.35%) populations, while in the age groups of 60 years and over, a greater loss of YPLL was observed in the white (45.89%) and yellow (53.22%) populations. Women recorded the highest ADD, with the exception of indigenous women. White men (1.63), brown men (1.59), and black men (1.61) had the highest rates when compared to white women. Although COVID-19 has a greater impact on the elderly, it was the black and indigenous populations under the age of 60 who had the greatest loss of potential years of life.

A mortalidade provocada pela pandemia da COVID-19 tem produzido impactos aos indicadores de Anos Potenciais de Vida Perdidos (APVP) em nível mundial. Objetiva-se estimar os APVP devido à mortalidade por COVID-19, segundo sexo, faixa etária e raça/cor, no período de março de 2020 a dezembro de 2021, no Brasil. Foram caracterizadas as mortes por COVID-19, estimadas e comparadas as taxas e razão de taxas padronizadas de APVP, a média de anos potenciais de vida não vividos (APVNV) e a idade média do óbito (IMO). No geral, foram perdidos 13.776.969,50 anos potenciais de vida, o que determinou uma perda média de 22,5 anos potenciais não vividos. Houve maior perda de anos potenciais de vida nos homens (58,12%) e nas faixas etárias de 0 a 59 anos nas populações negra (58,92%) e indígena (63,35%), enquanto nas faixas etárias de 60 anos e mais foi observada maior perda de APVP nas populações branca (45,89%) e amarela (53,22%). As mulheres registraram as maiores IMO, com exceção das mulheres indígenas. Homens brancos (1,63), pardos (1,59) e pretos (1,61) tiveram as maiores taxas em comparação às mulheres brancas. Apesar da COVID-19 ter tido maior impacto em idosos, foram as populações negra e indígena na faixa de menos de 60 anos quem teve maior perda de anos potenciais de vida.

A commentary on domestic firearm violence against women (2018-2021).

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed some of our best and worst qualities as a country. This commentary on "Domestic Firearm Violence Against Women (2018-2021)" discusses weaknesses in federal legislation and proposes ways for states to fill these gaps.

Excess suicides in Japan: A three-year post-pandemic assessment of gender and age disparities.

This study offers an in-depth analysis of Japan's suicide trends three years after the COVID-19 outbreak. Using data from the National Police Agency (January 2010-May 2023), we examined suicide rates across genders and age groups. Employing the quasi-Poisson regression, we predicted monthly death counts. Findings indicate a steady rise in female suicides from April 2020 to January 2023. Notably, male cohorts aged 50-59 and over 80 in 2022 displayed heightened death rates. While these trends may reflect the impacts of the pandemic, it is essential to consider other factors, including socio-economic changes, to fully understand the context of Japan's suicide patterns.

Sex and gender differences in adverse events following receipt of influenza and COVID-19 vaccination among healthcare workers.

Introduction: Active and passive surveillance studies have found that a greater proportion of females report adverse events (AE) following receipt of either the COVID-19 or seasonal influenza vaccine compared to males. We sought to determine the intersection of biological sex and sociocultural gender differences in prospective active reporting of vaccine outcomes, which remains poorly characterized. Methods: This cohort study enrolled Johns Hopkins Health System healthcare workers (HCWs) who were recruited from the annual fall 2019-2022 influenza vaccine and the fall 2022 COVID-19 bivalent vaccine campaigns. Vaccine recipients were enrolled the day of vaccination and AE surveys were administered two days post-vaccination (DPV) for bivalent COVID-19 and Influenza vaccine recipients. Data were collected regarding the presence of a series of solicited local and systemic AEs. Open-ended answers about participants' experiences with AEs also were collected for the COVID-19 vaccine recipients. Results: Females were more likely to report local AEs after influenza (OR=2.28, p=0.001) or COVID-19 (OR=2.57, p=0.008) vaccination compared to males, regardless of age or race. Males and females had comparable probabilities of reporting systemic AEs after influenza (OR=1.18, p=0.552) or COVID-19 (OR=0.96, p=0.907) vaccination. Exogenous hormones from birth control use did not impact the rates of reported AEs following COVID-19 vaccination among reproductive-aged female HCWs. Women reported more interruptions in their daily routine following COVID-19 vaccination than men and were more likely to seek out self-treatment. More women than men scheduled their COVID-19 vaccination before their days off in anticipation of AEs. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the need for sex- and gender-inclusive policies to inform more effective occupational health vaccination strategies. Further research is needed to evaluate the potential disruption of AEs on occupational responsibilities following mandated vaccination for healthcare workers and to more fully characterize the post-vaccination behavioral differences between men and women. KEY MESSAGE: What is already known on this topic: ⇒ Among diversely aged adults 18-64 years, females report more AEs to vaccines, including the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, than males.⇒ Vaccine AEs play a role in shaping vaccine hesitancy and uptake.⇒ Vaccine uptake related to influenza and COVID-19 are higher among men than women.⇒ Research that addresses both the sex and gender disparities of vaccine outcomes and behaviors is lacking.What this study adds: ⇒ This prospective active reporting study uses both quantitative and qualitative survey data to examine sex and gender differences in AEs following influenza or COVID-19 vaccination among a cohort of reproductive-aged healthcare workers.How this study might affect research, practice, or policy: ⇒ Sex and gender differences in AEs and perceptions relating to vaccination should drive the development of more equitable and effective vaccine strategies and policies in occupational health settings.

An Exploratory Analysis of Contributors to Cognitive Functioning Among Sexual and Gender Minority Individuals Who Had COVID-19.

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals face mental health disparities. However, research analyzing SGM people's mental health after a COVID-19 diagnosis is scarce. In this secondary analysis of a remote study, we 1) examined associations between cognitive and psychosocial health and 2) explored differences between these health outcomes among SGM (n = 14) and heterosexual cisgender (n = 64) U.S. adults who had COVID-19. We used the Patient Reported Outcome Measures Information System (PROMIS) v2.0 to assess subjective cognition and the BrainCheck cognitive test to analyze objective cognition. We administered the Perceived Stress Scale and PROMIS 57 Profile V.2.0 to measure psychosocial health. SGM COVID-19 survivors had worse scores in depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, pain, stress, and objective cognition than heterosexual cisgender participants (p-values < .05). Objective cognition was associated with age, SGM classification, racial or ethnic minority classification, income, comorbidities, COVID-19 severity, number of symptoms, and pain (|0.137| < r < |0.373|, p-values < .05). Subjective cognition was associated with comorbidities, number of symptoms, depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, pain, and stress (|0.158| < r < |0.537|, p-values < .05). Additional studies are needed to expand what is known about post-COVID-19 health disparities and to guide policies and interventions that promote cognitive functioning.