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Analysis | Global coverage and design of sugar-sweetened beverage taxes

5 Apr, 2023 | 12:43h | UTC

Global Coverage and Design of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxes – JAMA Network Open

Related:

The introduction of sugary drinks tax in the UK was followed by a drop in obesity cases among children

WHO manual on sugar-sweetened beverage taxation policies to promote healthy diets.

M-A: Outcomes following taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages.

Public Policies to Reduce Sugary Drink Consumption in Children and Adolescents – Pediatrics

Cutting back on sugar-sweetened beverages: What works? – Cochrane Library

Association of a Beverage Tax on Sugar-Sweetened and Artificially Sweetened Beverages With Changes in Beverage Prices and Sales at Chain Retailers in a Large Urban Setting – JAMA

Association between tax on sugar sweetened beverages and soft drink consumption in adults in Mexico: open cohort longitudinal analysis of Health Workers Cohort Study – The BMJ

Potential impact on prevalence of obesity in the UK of a 20% price increase in high sugar snacks: modelling study – The BMJ

Changes in food purchases after the Chilean policies on food labelling, marketing, and sales in schools: a before and after study – The Lancet Planetary Health

Association of a Sweetened Beverage Tax With Soda Consumption in High School Students – JAMA Pediatrics

Sugar-sweetened beverage taxes: Lessons to date and the future of taxation – PLOS Medicine

Banning the promotion of soft drinks could be more effective than a sugar tax – The Conversation

Sugar tax: why health experts want it but politicians and industry are resisting – The Guardian

 

Commentary on Twitter

 


Updated WHO Guidelines | COVID-19 boosters no longer routinely recommended for low-risk groups

30 Mar, 2023 | 14:33h | UTC

Summary: The WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) has revised its COVID-19 vaccination roadmap in light of the Omicron variant and widespread population immunity. The revised roadmap prioritizes protecting those at the highest risk of severe disease and death while maintaining resilient health systems. It introduces cost-effectiveness considerations for vaccinating lower-risk individuals, such as healthy children and adolescents, and presents revised booster dose recommendations.

Priority groups are categorized as high, medium, and low, based on factors like risk of severe disease and death. People in the high-priority group, consisting of older adults, individuals with significant comorbidities or immunocompromising conditions, pregnant persons, and frontline health workers, are advised to receive additional boosters 6 or 12 months after the last dose. The medium priority group, which includes healthy adults without comorbidities and children with comorbidities, is recommended to receive primary series and first booster doses. However, SAGE no longer routinely recommends additional boosters for this group due to limited public health gains.

For the low-priority group, encompassing healthy children and adolescents, vaccination decisions should take into account factors such as disease prevalence and cost-effectiveness. It is important to note that the public health benefits of vaccinating healthy children and adolescents are considerably lower compared to established essential vaccines for children, like rotavirus, measles, and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines.

News Release: SAGE updates COVID-19 vaccination guidance – World Health Organization

Commentaries:

No More COVID-19 Boosters for Healthy People, WHO Experts Recommend – Health Policy Watch

WHO vaccine advisers update COVID vaccine recommendations – CIDRAP

 


Alcohol minimum unit pricing in Scotland led to substantial decrease in alcohol-attributable deaths and hospitalizations

29 Mar, 2023 | 13:28h | UTC

Evaluating the impact of alcohol minimum unit pricing on deaths and hospitalisations in Scotland: a controlled interrupted time series study – The Lancet

News Release: Minimum unit pricing for alcohol associated with a 13% decrease in deaths from alcohol consumption in Scotland – Lancet

Commentaries:

Expert reaction to study looking at alcohol-related deaths and hospitalisations in Scotland since the minimum unit pricing for alcohol policy was introduced – Science Media Centre

Minimum pricing averts alcohol deaths, study claims – BBC

Scotland’s minimum pricing linked to 13% drop in alcohol-related deaths, study finds – The Guardian

 

Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)

 


RCT | Electronic nudges resulted in modest increase in influenza vaccination uptake in older adults

22 Mar, 2023 | 13:10h | UTC

Electronic nudges to increase influenza vaccination uptake in Denmark: a nationwide, pragmatic, registry-based, randomised implementation trial – The Lancet (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

News Release: Electronic Messages Improved Influenza Vaccination Rates in Nationwide Danish Study – Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Commentary: Linking Flu Vaccine to Cardiovascular Benefit Could Increase Uptake in Older Adults – HCP Live

 


M-A | Comparison of mental health symptoms before and during the covid-19 pandemic

21 Mar, 2023 | 13:40h | UTC

Comparison of mental health symptoms before and during the covid-19 pandemic: evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis of 134 cohorts – The BMJ

Editorial: Mental health and the covid-19 pandemic – The BMJ

News Release: Study suggests little deterioration in mental health linked to the pandemic – BMJ Newsroom

Commentaries:

A patient’s perspective on mental health and the pandemic – The BMJ

Expert reaction to systematic review and meta-analysis on mental health before and during the COVID-19 pandemic – Science Media Centre

World’s most comprehensive study on COVID-19 mental health – McGill University

 


M-A | The efficacy of Kangaroo-Mother care to the clinical outcomes of LBW and premature infants

21 Mar, 2023 | 13:35h | UTC

Summary: Kangaroo-Mother Care (KMC) is a method that involves skin-to-skin contact between the mother and newborn, frequent exclusive or almost exclusive breastfeeding, and early discharge. KMC is an alternative to traditional care interventions for low birthweight (LBW) infants, and the World Health Organization has recommended its use for LBW infants for over a decade.

The authors conducted a meta-analysis including 17 randomized clinical trials involving 17,668 participants. They found that KMC can significantly reduce neonatal mortality, lower hypothermia and sepsis rates, and reduce the duration of hospital stay. The authors suggest that KMC should be promoted, popularized, and standardized in clinical practice.

Article: The efficacy of Kangaroo-Mother care to the clinical outcomes of LBW and premature infants in the first 28 days: A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials – Frontiers in Pediatrics

Related:

Immediate “Kangaroo Mother Care” and Survival of Infants with Low Birth Weight – New England Journal of Medicine

Effect of community-initiated kangaroo mother care on survival of infants with low birthweight: a randomised controlled trial – The Lancet

Effect of Community-Initiated Kangaroo Mother Care on Postpartum Depressive Symptoms and Stress Among Mothers of Low-Birth-Weight Infants: A Randomized Clinical Trial – JAMA Network Open

Kangaroo mother care to reduce morbidity and mortality in low birthweight infants – Cochrane Library

Preterm care during the COVID-19 pandemic: A comparative risk analysis of neonatal deaths averted by kangaroo mother care versus mortality due to SARS-CoV-2 infection – EclinicalMedicine

 


Analysis | Networks of care to strengthen primary healthcare in resource constrained settings

21 Mar, 2023 | 13:08h | UTC

Networks of care to strengthen primary healthcare in resource constrained settings – The BMJ

 


Evidence for harmful cardiovascular effects of ambient ozone: Insights from a multi-city time-series study in China

14 Mar, 2023 | 13:32h | UTC

Ozone pollution and hospital admissions for cardiovascular events – European Heart Journal

News Release: Ozone pollution is linked with increased hospitalizations for cardiovascular disease – European Society of Cardiology

 


The global burden of metabolic disease: data from 2000 to 2019

13 Mar, 2023 | 14:39h | UTC

The global burden of metabolic disease: Data from 2000 to 2019 – Cell Metabolism (free for a limited period)

 


New WHO guidelines to boost the use of life-saving safety restraints in vehicles

10 Mar, 2023 | 14:40h | UTC

News Release: New global guidelines to boost the use of life-saving safety restraints in vehicles – World Health Organization

Guideline: Occupant Restraints: A Road Safety Manual for Decision-Makers and Practitioners – World Health Organization

 


WHO urges countries to implement comprehensive sodium reduction policies to combat cardiovascular disease

10 Mar, 2023 | 14:43h | UTC

Summary:

A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) has shown that the world needs to catch up to achieve its global target of reducing sodium intake by 30% by 2025. The report highlights that only 5% of WHO member states have mandatory and comprehensive sodium reduction policies.

Sodium, found in table salt and other condiments, increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and premature death when eaten in excess. Implementing highly cost-effective sodium reduction policies could save an estimated seven million lives globally by 2030.

WHO suggests a number of policies, such as reducing the amount of sodium in food products, introducing front-of-pack labeling, launching mass media campaigns, and enforcing public policies related to food service and sales.

The report urges member states to implement sodium intake reduction policies without delay, and calls on food manufacturers to set ambitious targets for sodium reduction in their products.

Article: WHO global report on sodium intake reduction – World Health Organization

News Release: Massive efforts needed to reduce salt intake and protect lives – World Health Organization

Related:

Reducing daily salt intake in China by 1 g could prevent almost 9 million cardiovascular events by 2030: a modelling study – BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health

Adding salt to foods and hazard of premature mortality – European Heart Journal

New WHO benchmarks help countries reduce salt intake and save lives – World Health Organization

WHO global sodium benchmarks for different food categories – World Health Organization

 

Commentary on Twitter

 


Cohort Study | Analysis of mortality among transgender and gender diverse adults in England

10 Mar, 2023 | 14:19h | UTC

Analysis of Mortality Among Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults in England – JAMA Network Open

 

Commentary on Twitter

 


RCT | Assessment of a text message–based smoking cessation intervention for adult smokers

9 Mar, 2023 | 14:09h | UTC

Assessment of a Text Message–Based Smoking Cessation Intervention for Adult Smokers in China: A Randomized Clinical Trial – JAMA Network Open

 

Commentary on Twitter

 


Position Statement | Telemedicine in obstetrics — quality and safety considerations

8 Mar, 2023 | 14:23h | UTC

Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Special Statement: Telemedicine in obstetrics—quality and safety considerations -American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology

 

Commentary on Twitter

 


E-Scooter users more likely to suffer serious trauma compared to bicycle users: a nationwide study in England and Wales

8 Mar, 2023 | 14:13h | UTC

Summary:
The study aimed to determine the incidence, demographics, and injury patterns involved in E-Scooter-related hospital admissions due to significant trauma compared with bicycle-related trauma within England and Wales. The retrospective cohort study was based on data submitted to the UK Trauma Audit and Research Network (TARN) registry between 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021.

The study found that E-Scooter users were more likely to be admitted to a major trauma center or a critical care unit than bicycle users. Serious head and limb trauma occurred more frequently among E-Scooter users, while serious chest and pelvic trauma were greater among bicycle users. Over one-third of E-Scooter injuries were incurred outside the current legislation by patients who were intoxicated by alcohol and drugs or under the age of 17.

The study suggests a greater relative incidence of serious trauma and an alternative pattern of injury among E-Scooter users compared with bicycle users. The study concludes that further legislation and tighter regulation of E-Scooter rental are required to reduce the already significant burden of injury associated with this mode of transport.

Article: Major trauma among E-Scooter and bicycle users: a nationwide cohort study – Injury Prevention

News Release: Crashing an e-scooter likely to lead to more serious injuries than crashing a bike – British Medical Journal

Commentary: E-scooter riders more likely than cyclists to sustain serious injuries – BBC

 


Report | Economic impact of overweight and obesity to surpass $4 trillion by 2035

6 Mar, 2023 | 14:32h | UTC

Summary:

A recent report from the World Obesity Federation has issued a warning that the number of people worldwide suffering from overweight or obesity could increase significantly by 2035, surpassing the 50% mark. The report, called the World Obesity Atlas 2023, also highlights the significant economic impact of this trend, estimating that the cost of overweight and obesity could reach $4.32tn annually by 2035, equivalent to almost 3% of the global GDP.

The report also identifies two groups that are particularly at risk: children and individuals from lower-income countries. Childhood obesity is a growing concern, as the report predicts it could double by 2035. Additionally, lower-income countries face a rapid increase in obesity prevalence, with nine out of 10 countries with the greatest expected increases in obesity coming from low or lower-middle income countries.

 

Report: World Obesity Atlas 2023

News release: Economic impact of overweight and obesity to surpass $4 trillion by 2035

Commentary: Report: Obesity could cost the world over $4 trillion a year by 2035 – STAT

Related:

Report: Tenfold increase in childhood and adolescent obesity in four decades

Global cost of obesity-related illness to hit $1.2tn a year from 2025

Trends and predictions of malnutrition and obesity in 204 countries and territories: an analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 – eClinicalMedicine

Global inequalities in the double burden of malnutrition and associations with globalization: a multilevel analysis of Demographic and Healthy Surveys from 55 low-income and middle-income countries, 1992–2018.

The Lancet Series: The Double Burden of Malnutrition

 


Cluster RCT | Effectiveness of a non-physician community health-care provider-led intensive BP intervention vs. usual care on CVD

6 Mar, 2023 | 14:20h | UTC

Summary:

The study evaluated the effectiveness of a non-physician community health-care provider-led intensive blood pressure intervention on cardiovascular disease compared to usual care. The trial randomly assigned 326 villages to the intervention or usual care, and recruited individuals aged at least 40 years with hypertension. Trained non-physician community health-care providers initiated and titrated antihypertensive medications according to a simple stepped-care protocol and delivered health coaching for patients in the intervention group during the 36-month follow-up.

The study found that the intervention effectively reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause death. There was a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (23.1 mm Hg) and diastolic blood pressure (9.9 mm Hg) in the intervention group compared to the usual care group, with an increased risk of hypotension in the intervention group.

 

Article: Effectiveness of a non-physician community health-care provider-led intensive blood pressure intervention versus usual care on cardiovascular disease (CRHCP): an open-label, blinded-endpoint, cluster-randomised trial – The Lancet (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Related:

Approaches and outcomes of community health worker’s interventions for hypertension management and control in low-income and middle-income countries: systematic review – BMJ Open

Cluster Randomized Trial: A Community-Based Intervention for Managing Hypertension in Rural South Asia

#ESCCongress – Randomized Trial: A Community-based Comprehensive Intervention to Reduce Cardiovascular Risk in Hypertension

Cohort Study: Impact of Community Based Screening for Hypertension in Older Adults

Randomized Trial: Community-Based Interventions to Improve Cardiovascular Risk in High-Risk Patients

Cluster-Randomized Trial of Blood-Pressure Reduction in Black Barbershops

Research: Effect of a Community Health Worker–Led Multicomponent Intervention on Blood Pressure Control

 


Estimates and projections of the global economic cost of 29 cancers in 204 countries and territories from 2020 to 2050

3 Mar, 2023 | 14:09h | UTC

Summary: The study aimed to estimate the global economic cost and distribution of 29 cancers in 204 countries and territories from 2020 to 2050. The study’s findings suggest that the global economic cost of cancers from 2020 to 2050 is estimated at $25.2 trillion. The five cancers with the highest financial costs are tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer; colon and rectum cancer; breast cancer; liver cancer; and leukemia. China and the US face the highest economic costs, and the financial and health burdens are distributed unequally across countries, world regions, and country income groups.

Article: Estimates and Projections of the Global Economic Cost of 29 Cancers in 204 Countries and Territories From 2020 to 2050 – JAMA Oncology

News Release: The price of cancer – International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis

 

Commentary on Twitter

 


Perspective | The other long Covid: the pandemic took young people’s present. What will it do to their future?

3 Mar, 2023 | 14:05h | UTC

The other long Covid: The pandemic took young people’s present. What will it do to their future? – Vox

 


Cohort Study | Association between a healthy lifestyle and memory decline in older adults

3 Mar, 2023 | 13:44h | UTC

Summary: This study examined the association between a healthy lifestyle and memory decline in older adults over a 10-year period. The study included 29,072 participants aged 60 or older with normal cognition and apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotyping at baseline. Six healthy lifestyle factors were assessed: a healthy diet, regular physical exercise, active social contact, active cognitive activity, never or former smoker, and never drinking alcohol. Participants were categorized into three groups based on their lifestyle factors: favorable, average, and unfavorable. The results showed that participants in the favorable group had slower memory decline than those in the unfavorable group, even in the presence of the APOE ε4 allele. These findings have important implications for public health initiatives to protect older adults against memory decline.

Article: Association between healthy lifestyle and memory decline in older adults: 10 year, population based, prospective cohort study – The BMJ

Editorial: Healthy lifestyles for dementia prevention – The BMJ

News Release: Healthy lifestyle linked to slower memory decline in older adults – BMJ Newsroom

Commentary: Healthful Lifestyle May Slow Memory Loss, Even for APOE Gene Carriers – JAMA

 

Commentary on Twitter

Under a http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ license

 


M-A | Combination of multiple low-risk lifestyle behaviors and incident type 2 diabetes

1 Mar, 2023 | 14:06h | UTC

Summary: This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the association between multiple low-risk lifestyle behaviors (LRLBs) and the incidence of type 2 diabetes. The study examined 30 cohort comparisons involving 1,693,753 participants and 75,669 cases of type 2 diabetes. The LRLBs evaluated in the study were maintaining a healthy body weight, healthy diet, regular exercise, smoking abstinence or cessation, and light alcohol consumption. Results showed that the highest adherence to these LRLBs was associated with an 80% lower risk of type 2 diabetes compared to the lowest adherence group. Thus, targeting these LRLBs could be an effective strategy for the primary prevention of type 2 diabetes. However, the authors recommend promoting only four LRLBs, excluding alcohol intake, due to its association with increased harm. The potential benefits of small alcohol intake remain a controversial issue since most studies on the subject are observational and subject to residual confounding.

Article: Combination of Multiple Low-Risk Lifestyle Behaviors and Incident Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies – Diabetes Care (free for a limited period)

 

Commentary from the author on Twitter (thread – click for more)

 


Physicians are more burned out than ever — here’s what can be done about it

28 Feb, 2023 | 13:57h | UTC

Physicians Are More Burned Out Than Ever—Here’s What Can Be Done About It – JAMA (free for a limited period)

Related Report: Addressing Health Worker Burnout – The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on Building a Thriving Health Workforce

Related:

AAP Clinical Report | Physician health and wellness.

M-A | Physicians suffering burnout are twice as likely to be involved in patient safety incidents.

Systematic Review | Predictors of burnout among healthcare providers.

Prevalence of burnout among GPs: a systematic review and meta-analysis – British Journal of General Practice

Physician Well-being 2.0: Where Are We and Where Are We Going? – Mayo Clinic Proceedings

Consensus Study – Taking Action Against Clinician Burnout: A Systems Approach to Professional Well-Being – National Academies of Medicine

Consensus Study – Taking Action Against Clinician Burnout: A Systems Approach to Professional Well-Being – National Academies of Medicine

Assessment of Risk Factors for Suicide Among US Health Care Professionals

Beyond Burnout: Docs Decry ‘Moral Injury’ From Financial Pressures of Health Care

Hospital administration response to physician stress and burnout – Journal of Hospital Practice

Opinion: It’s Time to Talk About Physician Burnout and Moral Injury

Systematic Review: Effect of Organization-Directed Workplace Interventions on Physician Burnout

The 3 Causes Of Physician Burnout (And Why There’s No Simple Solution) – Forbes

Physician Burnout: A Global Crisis

The Burnout Crisis in American Medicine – The Atlantic

To Combat Physician Burnout and Improve Care, Fix the Electronic Health Record – Harvard Business Review

Physician burnout costs up to $17B a year, task force says – HealthcareDive

Systematic Review: Prevalence of Burnout Among Physicians

Prevalence of Burnout in Medical and Surgical Residents: A Meta-Analysis – International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Association Between Physician Burnout and Patient Safety, Professionalism, and Patient Satisfaction

 


M-A | Global and regional prevalence of multimorbidity in the adult population in community settings

22 Feb, 2023 | 12:47h | UTC

Summary: The article presents a systematic review and meta-analysis of surveys that estimate the prevalence of multimorbidity among adults in community settings. The study analyzed data from 126 peer-reviewed studies, including nearly 15.4 million people from 54 countries worldwide. The overall global prevalence of multimorbidity was 37.2%, with South America having the highest prevalence, followed by North America, Europe, and Asia. The study also found that females have a higher prevalence of multimorbidity than males, and that more than half of the adult population worldwide above 60 years of age had multimorbid conditions.

Article: Global and regional prevalence of multimorbidity in the adult population in community settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis – eClinicalMedicine

Related:

Comparison of 6 Mortality Risk Scores for Prediction of 1-Year Mortality Risk in Older Adults With Multimorbidity – JAMA Network Open

Costs of multimorbidity: a systematic review and meta-analyses – BMC Medicine

Variation in the estimated prevalence of multimorbidity: systematic review and meta-analysis of 193 international studies – BMJ Open

Italian guidelines on management of persons with multimorbidity and polypharmacy – Aging Clinical and Experimental Research

Management of High-Need, High-Cost Patients: A “Best Fit” Framework Synthesis, Realist Review, and Systematic Review – Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Designing a High-Performing Health Care System for Patients with Complex Needs: Ten Recommendations for Policymakers – The Commonwealth fund

Effective Care for High-Need Patients: Opportunities for Improving Outcomes, Value, and Health – National Academy of Medicine

Systematic review of high-cost patients’ characteristics and healthcare utilization – BMJ Open

Effectiveness of interventions for managing multiple high-burden chronic diseases in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis – Canadian Medical Association Journal

Multimorbidity: a priority for global health research – The Academy of Medical Sciences

The global burden of multiple chronic conditions: a narrative review – Preventive Medicine Reports

Redesigning Care for High-Cost, High-Risk Patients – Harvard Business Review

Multimorbidity: clinical assessment and management – NICE Guideline

Multimorbidity in Older Adults with Cardiovascular Disease – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology

Richard Smith: The challenge of high need, high cost patients – The BMJ Blogs

Better Care for People with Complex Needs – Institute for Healthcare Improvement

 


Trends and predictions of malnutrition and obesity in 204 countries and territories: an analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

22 Feb, 2023 | 12:17h | UTC

Trends and predictions of malnutrition and obesity in 204 countries and territories: an analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 – eClinicalMedicine

 


Hidden harms of indoor air pollution — five steps to expose them

16 Feb, 2023 | 15:13h | UTC

Hidden harms of indoor air pollution — five steps to expose them – Nature

 

Commentary on Twitter

 


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