Academic literature on the topic 'Communicable diseases Public opinion Psychological aspects'

Objective: to evaluate behavioral risk factors (BRF) in patients with arterial hypertension (AH) and to determine the ways of improvement of the approaches to preventive consulting targeted to increase medico-economic efficiency of the prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).Material and methods. A total of 107 patients aged 40–60 years old that attended health-promoting schools for patients with AH at the institutions of primary medical help in Moscow in 2017–2019 were surveyed. The authors used diagnostic criteria of the risk factors for noncommunicable diseases that have behavioral character according to the classification of the World Health Organization (WHO). Along with that, the authors reviewed the opinion of 128 top managers of the institutions of primary medical help that attended the courses of their qualification improvement “Organization of public healthcare” in 2019. The course was dedicated to the possible ways of improvement of preventive consulting of patients with AH and BRF. The methods of content analysis, synthesis, statistical analysis, comparison, etc. were applied. The authors analyzed the documentation on the prevention of CVDs, scientific publications on the subject from eLibrary, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus databases, and official sites of biomedical journals.Results. The sociological survey revealed data on the presence of BRF of non-communicable diseases in patients aged 40–60 years old with verified AH based on scientifically proven criteria and WHO classification. These criteria allowed to evaluate the degree of the proneness of patients with AH to the influence of harmful risk factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating habits) and their combinations. The sociological survey data obtained from the top management of institutions of primary medical help indicated the necessity of the improvement of approaches to group preventive consulting of patients with AH and BRF.Conclusion. The results of the study revealed the main areas of the systemic mistakes in the preventive consulting of patients with AH that have BRF, associated with the evaluation of individual-psychological peculiarities of a personality, and in the organizational aspects of preventive counseling.

More than 61% of all human pathogens are zoonotic, representing 75% of all emerging pathogens during the past decade. Albeit significant technological leaps in diagnostics development and disease surveillance, zoonotic emerging infectious diseases are evermore a matter of concern, particularly in modern days where global warming keeps providing ideal climatic conditions to the introduction of exotic infectious agents or disease vectors in new territories. Worryingly, the 2019 novel coronavirus epidemic acts as an extreme reminder of the role animal reservoirs play in public health, accounting for over 4,200,000 deaths worldwide until today. In this Special Issue, we approach a myriad of zoonotic infectious diseases and their complex mechanisms. This Special Issue is composed of three reviews on zoonotic diseases of African Lions, hemogregarine classification, and hepatitis E virus in Brazil, followed by one letter and one opinion piece that broadens the spectrum of disease emergence to mechanistic aspects of emerging non-communicable diseases. The Special Issue is completed by six research papers covering a wide array of emerging and re-emerging diseases of poultry, bovine, poultry and tortoises, of various nature such as parasitic, bacterial, and viral. This is a brief but assertive collection that showcases the need to address health at the animal–human–environment interface, in a One Health perspective.

There is currently no curative drug therapy for COVID-19. The spread of the virus seems relentless despite the unprecedented epidemiological measures. Prevention remains the only feasible option to stop the pandemic; without population-level vaccination, we are unlikely to regain the quality of social life and the unrestricted economy/commerce we enjoyed before. Anti-vaxxers and conspiracy theorists are seemingly oblivious to the detrimental effect of COVID-19 both at an individual and societal level. These groups have (and probably will) continue to attempt to undermine efforts to eradicate the virus despite the fact that the major reduction in morbidity/and mortality of infectious diseases of the past century was achieved through the development of vaccines and improved hygiene. Conspiracy theories are directly associated with reduced vaccine uptake and unfortunately neither anti-vaxxers nor vaccine hesitants cannot be persuaded (debunked) with logical arguments; hence, prescribers must not only be aware of the truth underlying the dense web of misinformation but must fully understand the psychological aspects as well to be able to efficiently counsel about the potential benefits and harms. Such knowledge is pivotal to help the lay public to make informed decisions about SARS CoV-2 in general and vaccination in particular; as the COVID-19 situation can probably be best controlled with mass inoculation and novel immune therapies. The lessons learnt regarding the importance of efficient communication and the adherence to the proven epidemiological measures hopefully would be leaving us better prepared for the future if challenged by novel communicable diseases of pandemic potential.

Inconsistent training programs for public health emergency (PHE) have been criticized as a contributing factor in PHE's managerial weak points. In response, to analyze the relevant discrepancies among the medical students in the class of 2021 from Xiangya School of Medicine of Central South University, the present study conducted an online questionnaire survey using convenience sampling. The questionnaire comprised four sections, including the basic information, the subjective cognition in PHE, the rescue knowledge and capabilities of PHE, and the mastery of PHE regulations and psychological intervention abilities. To compare the abovementioned aspects, related data were collected from 235 medical students divided into two groups, namely, clinical medical students (Group A) and preventive medical students (Group B). We found a more positive attitude in PHE (P = 0.014) and a better grasp of the PHE classification (P = 0.027) and the reporting system in group B compared with group A. In addition, even if group B showed the same response capability in communicable diseases as group A, the former had less access to clinical practice, resulting in poorer performance in the noncommunicable diseases during a fire, flood, and traffic accidents (P = 0.002, P = 0.018, P = 0.002). The different emphasis of each training program contributed to the uneven distribution of abilities and cognition. Meanwhile, the lack of an integrated PHE curriculum led to unsystematic expertise. Hence, to optimize the PHE management system, equal attention should be paid to medical students with diverse majors along with a complete integrated PHE curriculum.

AbstractBackgroundInequalities in healthcare utilization exist across ethnic groups; however, the contributions of health-related knowledge and psychosocial factors to these inequalities remain unclear. We examined associations of social determinants of health, psychological factors, knowledge, attitudes and health practices, with hospitalizations in internal medicine divisions, among Israeli adults, Jews and Arabs, with non-communicable diseases, in a setting of universal health insurance.MethodsA retrospective study was undertaken among 520 Jews and Arabs aged 40 years or older with non-communicable diseases, members of a large health maintenance organization. Hospitalization (at least once during 2008) in an internal medicine division was determined based on documentation in electronic health records. Participants were randomly selected in strata of sex, population-group and hospitalization status (yes/no). Data were collected from medical records and via face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Main independent variables included comorbidity burden, health behaviors, mental health wellbeing and self-rated health. Scales measuring health knowledge and attitudes/beliefs were constructed using factor analysis.ResultsComorbidity burden (OR 1.41 [95% CI 1.24–1.61]) and self-rated health (not good vs. good) (OR 1.88 [95% CI 1.13–3.12]) were positively associated with hospitalizations in an internal medicine division, while an inverse association was found with better mental health wellbeing (OR 0.98 [95% CI 0.96–0.99, for each 1-point score increase). Among Jewish participants, positive associations were found of the number of offspring, comorbidity burden and perceived difficulty, with hospitalizations. No significant associations were found with hospitalizations of other sociodemographics, health behaviors, knowledge and attitudes/beliefs.ConclusionsComorbidity burden was the main risk factor of hospitalizations in internal medicine divisions. Psychosocial factors, such as self-rated health, a complex variable affected by social capital, mental wellbeing, the number of offspring, and perceived burden and difficulty, seem also to contribute. These findings suggest the involvement of broad family and social factors, beyond individual level characteristics and medical needs, in hospitalizations in internal medicine divisions. Interventions to reduce hospitalizations should be comprehensive and integrate aspects of mental health wellbeing; they should build on familial characteristics (e.g., number of offspring), factors related to social capital such as self-rated health, and perceived burden and difficulty.

Introduction: Personal lifestyle and air pollution are potential risk factors for major non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, these risk factors have experienced dramatic changes in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) region in recent years, and few cohorts have focused on identifying risk factors for major NCDs in this specific region. The current study is a large, prospective, long-term, population-based cohort study that investigated environmental and genetic determinants of NCDs in BTH areas. The results of this study may provide scientific support for efforts to develop health recommendations for personalized prevention.Methods: About 36,000 participants 18 years or older would be obtained by multistage, stratified cluster sampling from five cities for the baseline assessment. Participants underwent seven examinations primarily targeting respiratory and circulatory system function and filled out questionnaires regarding lifestyle behavior, pollutant exposure, medical and family history, medication history, and psychological factors. Biochemistry indicators and inflammation markers were tested, and a biobank was established. Participants will be followed up every 2 years. Genetic determinants of NCDs will be demonstrated by using multiomics, and risk prediction models will be constructed using machine learning methods based on a multitude of environmental exposure, examination data, biomarkers, and psychosocial and behavioral assessments. Significant spatial and temporal differentiation is well-suited to demonstrating the health determinants of NCDs in the BTH region, which may facilitate public health strategies with respect to disease prevention and survivorship-related aspects.

Introduction: The abrupt development of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has posed a threat to persons with chronic diseases' compliance with treatment, which is critical to improving their health, life expectancy, and lowering death and morbidity rates. The public health control measures for the pandemic have been heavily politicized. The focus on the COVID-19 epidemic has resulted in a neglect for chronic disease management. As a result, the goal of this study was to review the literature in order to gain a broader perspective on how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted chronic disease management, as well as to investigate various strategies to deal with similar occurrences in the future when faced with medical emergencies, in order to reduce the potential harm of these measures to non-communicable disease control. Methodology: To analyze and identify full-text studies relevant to the influence of COVID-19 on the management of chronic diseases conducted in an African environment from 2019 to 2021, the suggested reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses were used. Six databases were searched to find relevant studies, which include CINAHL Plus (EBSCO), PubMed, Google Scholar, Medline, ProQuest, and APA PsychINFO. Researchers performed a quality assessment for each included paper prior to data synthesis, as well as a formal risk-of-bias assessment. Results: Out of 119 abstracts reviewed, 17 full-text studies were included. Three themes were identified: the impact of COVID-19 on the healthcare system; the psychological impact on people with chronic diseases and healthcare providers; and the digitalization of healthcare services. The majority of studies were conducted in South Africa and other African countries in collaboration with western countries. The majority of studies focused on lessons learned during periods of strict public health measures, however a few empirical investigations of patients or healthcare providers were done. It is recommended that African countries should develop an integrated community-based non-communicable disease (NCD) and infectious disease care model and protocols, initiate innovative ways of central dispensing, pre-packaging and home delivery of medications to stable patients, use of telemedicine, and emphasize mental health services during medical emergencies. Contribution: The study’s findings could improve policy implementation regarding the management of chronic diseases during a medical emergency; in this case, COVID-19. It could also improve self-care management. The main goal is to maintain adherence and compliance with treatment to reduce complications and the disease burden. The study mainly focused on the African context. Conclusion: The literature revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on the management of chronic diseases and disrupted access to related healthcare services in terms of prevention, diagnosis, routine clinical care, and self-care. In addition, the mental health of both patients and healthcare providers has been affected. Chronic diseases should also be considered a public health emergency and should be given the same attention and priority as infectious diseases during a pandemic to reduce the burden of disease, especially in low and middle-income African countries already experiencing a shortage of resources. Rather than depending on the researcher's opinion, viewpoint, and notes taken during the COVID-19 lockdown, primary investigations should be done to address the inadequacies brought to light on the management of chronic diseases due to COVID-19.

Abstract Background Increasing overweight and obesity rates represent one of the global health challenges in the 21st century. Obesity is a gateway to many non-communicable diseases and shorter life expectancy. Understanding individual capability, opportunity, and motivation for health behavior change (COM-B) may help to develop effective public health interventions. However, so far, only a very few studies examined interventions based on behavior change theories. Thus, we aimed to assess the potential facilitators and barriers to behavior change in weight management using the COM-B model. Methods We included 146 people with overweight and obesity (66.7% female; mean age 46.62±14.51 years; body mass index 32.46±6.51 kg/m2) from primary care settings. All participants completed the Brief Measure of Behavior Change (COM-B), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSE), and the Self-Rated Heath scale (SRH). Multiple linear regression analyses were used to analyze the data. Results In univariate analyses COM-B domains were positively associated with female gender, living with a partner, lower body mass index, and higher SRH. However, the associations between sociodemographic and clinical variables and COM-B domains were no longer significant when self-esteem and general self-efficacy were added to the multivariate regression models. Self-efficacy was associated with reflective motivation (β: 0.53; p < 0.001), physical capability (β: 0.43; p < 0.001), and psychological capability (β: 0.44; p < 0.001) the most significantly. Self-esteem was strongly associated with physical capability (β: 0.41; p < 0.01). Total explained variances in the final models varied from 17.7% to 25.0%. Conclusions Personal resources may play a significant role in weight management and should be included in tailored public health interventions (Grant support: VEGA: 1/0748/22). Key messages • Interventions focused on the enhancement of personal resources may improve weight management. • Behavioral and cultural aspects should be considered when designing effective public health interventions.