A spatial examination of alcohol availability and the level of disadvantage of schools in Ireland.

BACKGROUND: The availability of alcohol is a major factor in underage drinking and according to the alcohol harm paradox, those living in more deprived communities are more susceptible to the negative consequences of alcohol use, despite drinking the same or less than those from more affluent areas. Alcohol availability within the vicinity of the home or school normalises alcohol for schoolchildren. For the first time in the Republic of Ireland, this study examines the number of premises licensed to sell alcohol within 300 m of all schools in Ireland and differences in this number between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged schools. METHODS: Using publicly available data from the Department of Education and Revenue, the addresses of all schools (n = 3,958) and all premises with at least one liquor licence (n = 14,840) were geocoded and analysed using the Geographic Information System software, Quantum GIS (QGIS). Schools were identified by their disadvantaged classification using the HP Pobal Deprivation Index and the number of liquor licences within 300 m of each school type was examined. To test for significant differences between schools' level of disadvantage, a combination of Mann-Whitney U tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests and Dunn-Bonferroni tests were used. RESULTS: There was a mean of two licenced premises within 300 m of all schools in Ireland, but when disadvantaged schools were compared to non-disadvantaged schools, there was a significantly higher number of licenced premises around disadvantaged schools (p < .001). Primary schools are further classified according to their level of disadvantage and the results indicated that those schools classified as the most disadvantaged had a significantly greater number of liquor licences within 300 meters (p < .001). There was no significant difference in density of licenced premises when comparing disadvantaged secondary schools with non-disadvantaged secondary schools (p = .705). CONCLUSION: Ireland is considering increasing alcohol availability through the Sale of Alcohol Bill, 2022. However, this analysis indicates already problematic numbers of licenced premises within close proximity of schools in Ireland. It is essential that the harms associated with alcohol availability are considered, especially for those living and attending school in disadvantaged communities, where higher numbers of licenced premises were identified.

Exploring the sugar-sweetened beverage tax (SSBT) pass-through rate in the Irish hospitality sector.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) supports the use of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxes (SSBTs) as a fiscal lever to help reduce sugar consumption and tackle obesity. Obesity is associated with a range of adverse health outcomes. In response to increasing levels of obesity in Ireland, an SSBT was introduced in 2018. Previous research in Ireland has noted that the pass-through rate of the SSBT in retail (off-site consumption) settings was poor. However, to date, no research has examined the SSBT pass-through rate in hospitality (on-site consumption) venues in Ireland. METHODS: This research examines the SSBT pass-through rate on Coca-Cola versus diet versions of Coca-Cola in a convenience sample of 100 hospitality venues in two provincial Irish cities. RESULTS: Wilcoxon signed rank test analysis revealed that regular Coca-Cola was significantly more expensive compared to the price charged for diet versions of Coca-Cola. However, in 85.6% of cases the same price was charged for both full-sugar and sugar-free drinks. The mean pass-through rate of the SSBT was 33.8%. CONCLUSION: The effective functioning of the SSBT is premised on persistent price differences between soft drink prices based on sugar content. However, this is barely evident in the hospitality sector in Ireland. A number of recommendations are suggested, including both increasing the SSBT, and increasing it annually in line with inflation.

An examination of Ireland's sugar sweetened beverage tax (sugar tax) in practice.

BACKGROUND: In the face of rising obesity levels, Ireland introduced a sugar sweetened beverage tax (SSBT) in 2018, the scope of which was extended in 2019. To date, there is a dearth of research on the actual impact of the SSBT on the pricing. METHOD: This study involved an examination of the relative cost of leading brand full-sugar and sugar-free carbonated soft drinks in a convenience sample of 14 different Irish supermarkets. In light of manufacturers' reformulation of certain brands (7UP, Sprite and Fanta), information was collected on the relative in-store pricing of three brands (Coca Cola, Pepsi and Club). RESULTS: In-store comparisons of equivalent size and unit number indicate that, in ~60% of cases, the full-sugar and sugar-free versions of the same drink are being offered at the same price. Even when full-sugar versions of these brands were more expensive than the sugar-free alternatives, the price differential was sometimes less than the SSBT rate. CONCLUSIONS: The pass-through rate of the SSBT to consumers is sub-optimal. Future policy and research suggestions are outlined.

Keep calm and carry on: moral panic, predatory publishers, peer review, and the emperor's new clothes.

The moral panic over the impact of so-called predatory publishers continues unabated. It is important, however, to resist the urge to simply join in this crusade without pausing to examine the assumptions upon which such concerns are based. It is often assumed that established journals are almost sacrosanct, and that their quality, secured by peer review, is established. It is also routinely presumed that such journals are immune to the lure of easy money in return for publication. Rather than looking at the deficits that may be apparent in the practices and products of predatory publishers, this commentary invites you to explore the weaknesses that have been exposed in traditional academic journals but are seldom discussed in the context of predatory publishing. The inherent message for health and medical services staff, researchers, academics, and students is, as always, to critically evaluate all sources of information, whatever their provenance.

"Blacklists" and "whitelists": a salutary warning concerning the prevalence of racist language in discussions of predatory publishing.

This commentary addresses the widespread use of racist language in discussions concerning predatory publishing. Examples include terminology such as blacklists, whitelists, and black sheep. The use of such terms does not merely reflect a racist culture, but also serves to legitimize and perpetuate it.

The Prevention Paradox Mark II: an appeal for diversity in public health.

The vast majority of public health students exhibit the kind of 'clean living' that is routinely advocated as highly desirable by health promoters. However, this social and cultural distance from many of the most important health issues faced in our society creates a barrier for understanding and working with other population groups. Insider status, knowledge and understanding is essential in developing true insight in developing culturally appropriate interventions. Referencing Rose's influential prevention paradox, a revision is suggested stating that prevention measures are often developed by individuals outside the population in question and may offer little actual benefit to that population. Diversity is public health is essential. This diversity needs to encompass not just traditional foci such as race and ethnicity, but also socio-economic status and numerous other demographic variables.

Leprosy in Nepal: a re-emerging threat.

Nepal has long been known as a leprosy endemic country. However, in 2010, the application of World Health Organization guidelines in Nepal led to the misleading determination that leprosy had been 'eliminated' there. This misnomer has contributed to the current situation in which leprosy is on the increase. A national active case finding program is urgently required.

Angiopoietin-2, a regulator of vascular permeability in inflammation, is associated with persistent organ failure in patients with acute pancreatitis from the United States and Germany.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with severe acute pancreatitis (AP) typically develop vascular leak syndrome, resulting in hemoconcentration, hypotension, pulmonary edema, and renal insufficiency. Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) and 2 (Ang-2) are autocrine peptides that reduce or increase endothelial permeability, respectively. The aim of this study was to determine whether Ang-1 and/or Ang-2 levels are predictive biomarkers of persistent organ failure (>48 h) and prolonged hospital course. METHODS: Banked serum from 28 patients enrolled in the Severity of Acute Pancreatitis Study at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) and 58 controls was analyzed for Ang-1 and Ang-2 levels. Separately, serum from 123 patients and 103 controls at Greifswald University (GU), Germany was analyzed for Ang-2 levels. Angiopoietin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: In all, 6 out of 28 UPMC patients (21%) and 14 out of 123 GU patients (13%) developed persistent organ failure and were classified as severe AP. Ang-2 was significantly higher on admission in patients who developed persistent organ failure compared with those who did not in UPMC (3,698 pg/ml vs. 1,001 pg/ml; P=0.001) and GU (4,945 pg/ml vs. 2,631 pg/ml; P=0.0004) cohorts. After data scaling, admission Ang-2 levels showed a receiver-operator curve of 0.81, sensitivity 90%, and specificity 67% in predicting persistent organ failure. In addition, Ang-2 levels remained significantly higher in severe AP compared with mild AP patients until day 7 (days 2-4: P<0.005; day 7: P<0.02). Ang-1 levels were not significantly different between mild and severe AP patients on admission. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated serum Ang-2 levels on admission are associated with and may be a useful biomarker of predicting persistent organ failure and ongoing endothelial cell activation in AP.