Public Health
Analysis | Global coverage and design of sugar-sweetened beverage taxes
5 Apr, 2023 | 12:43h | UTCGlobal Coverage and Design of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxes – JAMA Network Open
Related:
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
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
With 105 national SSB taxes in effect covering 51% of the world’s population, SSB taxes are no longer a novel policy tool. https://t.co/P0TvIdB4D3
— JAMA Network Open (@JAMANetworkOpen) March 29, 2023
Updated WHO Guidelines | COVID-19 boosters no longer routinely recommended for low-risk groups
30 Mar, 2023 | 14:33h | UTCSummary: 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 | UTCNews Release: Minimum unit pricing for alcohol associated with a 13% decrease in deaths from alcohol consumption in Scotland – Lancet
Commentaries:
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)
Minimum unit pricing for #alcohol was introduced in Scotland in 2018 (50p per unit) with the aim of reducing alcohol consumption in the heaviest drinkers.
A new study analyses the impact of the policy on alcohol-specific hospitalisations and deaths. https://t.co/ehoHjbc8lw
— The Lancet (@TheLancet) March 21, 2023
RCT | Electronic nudges resulted in modest increase in influenza vaccination uptake in older adults
22 Mar, 2023 | 13:10h | UTCElectronic 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 | UTCEditorial: 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
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 | UTCSummary: 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.
Related:
Kangaroo mother care to reduce morbidity and mortality in low birthweight infants – Cochrane Library
Analysis | Networks of care to strengthen primary healthcare in resource constrained settings
21 Mar, 2023 | 13:08h | UTCNetworks 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 | UTCOzone 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 | UTCThe 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 | UTCNews Release: New global guidelines to boost the use of life-saving safety restraints in vehicles – World Health Organization
WHO urges countries to implement comprehensive sodium reduction policies to combat cardiovascular disease
10 Mar, 2023 | 14:43h | UTCSummary:
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:
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
Eating too much salt is one of the top risk factors for heart disease, stroke, and death.
WHO’s first global report on sodium intake reduction shows only 5% of WHO Member States are protected by mandatory and comprehensive sodium reduction policies?https://t.co/hiocdiXUiy pic.twitter.com/NXSv0oe7fn
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) March 9, 2023
Cohort Study | Analysis of mortality among transgender and gender diverse adults in England
10 Mar, 2023 | 14:19h | UTCAnalysis of Mortality Among Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults in England – JAMA Network Open
Commentary on Twitter
Transgender and gender diverse adults in England have higher mortality compared to cisgender people, particularly due to suicide, homicide, accidental poisoning. https://t.co/gNzxBiRGac
— JAMA Network Open (@JAMANetworkOpen) January 30, 2023
RCT | Assessment of a text message–based smoking cessation intervention for adult smokers
9 Mar, 2023 | 14:09h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
RCT: Personalized text messages for a smoking cessation intervention in China improves biochemically-verified continuous abstinence at 6 months, 7% vs 3% with non-personalized messaged. https://t.co/DFTQoGfT7x
— JAMA Network Open (@JAMANetworkOpen) March 1, 2023
Position Statement | Telemedicine in obstetrics — quality and safety considerations
8 Mar, 2023 | 14:23h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Special Statement: Telemedicine in obstetrics—quality and safety considerations https://t.co/15knjAg4tc @MySMFM @acog #telemedicine pic.twitter.com/jUL7inHuu4
— AJOG (@AJOG_thegray) March 7, 2023
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 | UTCSummary:
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 | UTCSummary:
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
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 | UTCSummary:
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:
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
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 | UTCSummary: 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.
News Release: The price of cancer – International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
Commentary on Twitter
The estimated global economic cost of cancers in 2020–2050 is $25.2 trillion, or $2,857 per capita. Global efforts to curb the health and economic burden of cancers are urgently warranted. https://t.co/xAMOGX3Dtl
— JAMA Oncology (@JAMAOnc) February 23, 2023
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
Cohort Study | Association between a healthy lifestyle and memory decline in older adults
3 Mar, 2023 | 13:44h | UTCSummary: 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.
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
A healthy lifestyle is associated with slower memory decline, even in the presence of the [high risk] APOE ε4 allele.
Most to least impactful: diet, cognitive activity, physical exercise, active social contact, never/former smoking, & never drinking.https://t.co/j21cH2wyo6 pic.twitter.com/6qgd9bJ2Gr
— Joseph C. Watso, PhD (@Joseph_Watso) January 27, 2023
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 | UTCSummary: 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)
Our research shows that adherence to multiple low-risk lifestyle behaviours including healthy diet and exercise can significantly reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes https://t.co/mWEEw9xYtQ #healthylifestyle #lowriskhabits #healthresearch
— Tauseef Khan (@tauseefkhan) February 22, 2023
Physicians are more burned out than ever — here’s what can be done about it
28 Feb, 2023 | 13:57h | UTCPhysicians 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.
Physician Well-being 2.0: Where Are We and Where Are We Going? – Mayo Clinic Proceedings
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
Physician burnout costs up to $17B a year, task force says – HealthcareDive
Systematic Review: Prevalence of Burnout Among Physicians
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 | UTCSummary: 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.
Related:
Costs of multimorbidity: a systematic review and meta-analyses – BMC Medicine
Systematic review of high-cost patients’ characteristics and healthcare utilization – BMJ Open
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
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
Hidden harms of indoor air pollution — five steps to expose them
16 Feb, 2023 | 15:13h | UTCHidden harms of indoor air pollution — five steps to expose them – Nature
Commentary on Twitter
Dirty outdoor air might grab the headlines, but learning how pollutants inside buildings form, accumulate and affect our health is equally crucial, argue Alastair Lewis, Deborah Jenkins and @CMO_England in a @Nature Comment article. https://t.co/C8MrWEwfE2
— Nature Portfolio (@NaturePortfolio) February 8, 2023