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BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 22;18(1):782. Epub 2018 Jun 22.

Department of Clinical, Neuro & Developmental Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Background: People living on the banks of polluted rivers with yearly flooding lived in impoverished and physically unhealthy circumstances. However, they were reluctant to move or be relocated to other locations where better living conditions were available. This study aimed to investigate the health status, quality of life (QoL), happiness, and life satisfaction of the people who were living on the banks of one of the main rivers in Jakarta, Indonesia, the Ciliwung. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 22;18(1):781. Epub 2018 Jun 22.

School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.

Background: Meningitis, a disease of the Central Nervous System is described as inflammation of the covering of the brain and spinal cord (meninges). It is characterised by fever, severe headache, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, photophobia, altered consciousness, convulsion/seizures and coma. In December, 2015, twelve suspected cases of meningitis were reported in Tain district in Brong Ahafo region (BAR). Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 22;18(1):780. Epub 2018 Jun 22.

Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skoyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway.

Background: There has been an absolute and relative increase in the number of patients with cannabis-related disorders as the principal diagnosis in many countries in recent years. Cannabis is now the most frequently mentioned problem drug reported by new patients in Europe, and cannabis patients constituted one third of all drug treatment patients in 2015. There is limited knowledge with regard to patient characteristics, the extent and types of health and psychosocial problems, as well as their association with long-term outcomes. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 20;18(1):775. Epub 2018 Jun 20.

Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium.

Background: Despite increasing of the Belgian health expenditures, several indicators related to population health showed poor results. The objectives of this study were to perform an in-depth analysis of the secular trend of Belgian health status using the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2016 study results for Belgium, and to compare these results with other European countries.

Methods: We collected results of the Global Burden of Disease 2016 study through the GBD results and visualization tools. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 20;18(1):774. Epub 2018 Jun 20.

Centre for Geographic Medicine Research Coast, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), P.O Box 230, Kilifi, Kenya.

Background: Health risk behavior (HRB) is of concern during adolescence. In sub-Saharan Africa, reliable, valid and culturally appropriate measures of HRB are urgently needed. This study aims at assembling and psychometrically evaluating a comprehensive questionnaire on HRB of adolescents in Kilifi County at the coast of Kenya. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 20;18(1):777. Epub 2018 Jun 20.

College of Medicine and Health Science, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.

Background: The health of migrants has become an important issue in global health and foreign policy. Assessing the current status of research activity and identifying gaps in global migration health (GMH) is an important step in mapping the evidence-base and on advocating health needs of migrants and mobile populations. The aim of this study was to analyze globally published peer-reviewed literature in GMH. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 20;18(1):773. Epub 2018 Jun 20.

Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 2024 E. Monument Street, Suite #2-500, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.

Background: Ethnic minority populations in the United States (US) are disproportionately affected by cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, including hypertension, overweight/obesity, and diabetes. The size and diversity of ethnic minority immigrant populations in the US have increased substantially over the past three decades. However, most studies on immigrants in the US are limited to Asians and Hispanics; only a few have examined the prevalence of CVD risk factors across diverse immigrant populations. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 20;18(1):770. Epub 2018 Jun 20.

National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Background: A systematic attempt to summarize the literature that examines working conditions and occupational health among immigrant in Europe and Canada.

Methods: We established inclusion criteria, searched systematically for articles included in the Medline, Embase and Social Sciences Citation Index databases in the period 2000-2016 and checked the reference lists of all included papers.

Results: Eighty-two studies were included in this review; 90% were cross-sectional and 80% were based on self-report. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 20;18(1):776. Epub 2018 Jun 20.

The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

Background: Papua New Guinea (PNG) has some of the highest prevalence of urogenital sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Pacific Asia, but to date, anorectal STI prevalence data do not exist, and diagnosis of anorectal STIs does not occur. The purpose of this study was to document the acceptability of anorectal STI testing and self-collection of anorectal swabs for testing among populations at risk of anorectal STIs, in advance of a large bio-behavioural survey during which this approach to specimen collection was planned among key populations in PNG.

Methods: Four focus groups were conducted, collecting data from a purposive sample of 35 members of two civil society groups representing female sex workers, men who have sex with men and transgender women in Port Moresby and Goroka. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 21;18(1):749. Epub 2018 Jun 21.

Institute of Public Health and Nursing Research, Department of Social Epidemiology, University of Bremen, Grazer Strasse 4, 28359, Bremen, Germany.

Backround: Meta-analysis of the impact of public smoking bans on children's exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure at home.

Methods: The electronic databases of PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFo, ASSIA, CINAHL were searched. German public health journals not captured by these databases and grey literature were considered in addition. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 20;18(1):771. Epub 2018 Jun 20.

UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, 650 Charles E. Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA.

Background: Immigrants to the United States are usually healthier than their U.S.-born counterparts, yet the health of immigrants declines with duration of stay in the U. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 20;18(1):778. Epub 2018 Jun 20.

Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Shanghai CDC), Shanghai, China.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Our study aimed to investigate the prevalence of two conditions, angina and stroke, and relevant risk factors among older adults in six low- and middle- income countries(LMICs).

Methods: The data was from World Health Organization (WHO) Study on global AGEing and adult Health (SAGE) Wave 1 in China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russian Federation and South Africa. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 19;18(1):765. Epub 2018 Jun 19.

Institute of Human Virology, Abuja, Nigeria.

Background: Sub-Saharan Africa remains one of the regions with modest health outcomes; and evidenced by high maternal mortality ratios and under-5 mortality rates. There are complications that occur during and following pregnancy and childbirth that can contribute to maternal deaths; most of which are preventable or treatable. Evidence shows that early and regular attendance of antenatal care and delivery in a health facility under the supervision of trained personnel is associated with improved maternal health outcomes. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 19;18(1):764. Epub 2018 Jun 19.

Biomedical Global Institute of Healthcare Research & Technology (BIGHEART), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.

Background: As smartphone becomes increasingly prevalent and affordable, more youths today can own a smartphone device and download applications in various application stores. Smartphone applications have been proven to be useful for youths in various aspects. However, there has been a paucity of data looking into the preferences of Vietnamese youths and adolescents with regards to health-related applications and their receptiveness towards smartphone apps. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 19;18(1):769. Epub 2018 Jun 19.

Department of Global Health and Development, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK.

Background: In Kenya, most sexual violence survivors either do not access healthcare, access healthcare late or do not complete treatment. To design interventions that ensure optimal healthcare for survivors, it is important to understand the characteristics of those who do and do not access healthcare. In this paper, we aim to: compare the characteristics of survivors who present for healthcare to those of survivors reporting violence on national surveys; understand the healthcare services provided to survivors; and, identify barriers to treatment. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 19;18(1):767. Epub 2018 Jun 19.

Institute of Lifestyle Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Republic of Korea.

Background: Several anthropometric indices such as body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) have been examined as indicators of cardiovascular diseases, in both adults and children. However, the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) is considered a better predictor for the detection of cardiovascular risk factors, than BMI. We investigated the association between the WHtR and incident hypertension. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 19;18(1):766. Epub 2018 Jun 19.

Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Na2818, Postbus 2040, 3000, CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Background: Web-based lifestyle interventions at the workplace have the potential to promote health and work productivity. However, the sustainability of effects is often small, which could be enhanced by adding face-to-face contacts, so-called 'blended care'. Therefore, this study evaluates the effects of a blended workplace health promotion intervention on health and work outcomes among employees with increased cardiovascular risk. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 19;18(1):768. Epub 2018 Jun 19.

School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation Springfield College, Springfield Massachusetts, MA, 01109, USA.

Background: High levels of sedentary behavior are linked to increased mortality. In the United States, individuals spend 55-70% of their waking day being sedentary. Since most individuals spend large portions of their daily lives at work, quantifying the time engaged in sedentary behavior at work is emerging as an important health determinant. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 18;18(1):751. Epub 2018 Jun 18.

Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA.

Background: Homeless veterans are at high risk for co-occurring disorders (COD), defined as mental illnesses that include at least one alcohol or other drug use disorder and at least one non-drug related mental disorder. However, epidemiological studies examining the prevalence of COD and associated mental health status in this population are limited. The objectives of the study were: (1) to describe a history of diagnosed mental disorders among homeless veterans admitted to a transitional housing program, and (2) to examine the associations of the prior diagnosed COD and other mental disorders with current mental health status. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 19;18(1):762. Epub 2018 Jun 19.

University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.

Background: Many asylum seekers have complex mental health needs which can be exacerbated by the challenging circumstances in which they live and difficulties accessing health services. Regular moderate physical activity can improve mental health and would be a useful strategy to achieve this. Evidence suggests there are barriers to engaging black and minority ethnic groups in physical activity, but there is little research around asylum seekers to address the key barriers and facilitators in this group. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 18;18(1):756. Epub 2018 Jun 18.

General Practice Research Unit, Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.

Background: Motivational interviewing (MI), mainly used and shown effective in health care (substance abuse, smoking cessation, increasing exercise and other life style changes), is a collaborative conversation (style) about change that could be useful for individuals having problems related to return to work (RTW). The aim of this paper is to describe the design of a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of MI on RTW among sick listed persons compared to usual care, in a social security setting.

Methods: The study is a randomized controlled trial with parallel group design. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 18;18(1):753. Epub 2018 Jun 18.

School of Sport, Exercise & Health Sciences, National Centre for Sport & Exercise Medicine, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK.

Background: Screen-time and unhealthy dietary behaviours are highly pervasive in young children and evidence suggests that these behaviours often co-occur and are associated. Identifying clusters of unhealthy behaviours, and their influences early in childhood, can assist in the development of targeted preventive interventions. The purpose of this study was to examine the sociodemographic, behavioural, and home physical environmental correlates of co-occurring screen-time and unhealthy eating behaviours and to assess the clustering of screen-time and unhealthy dietary behaviours in young children. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 18;18(1):752. Epub 2018 Jun 18.

Biostatistics Core, Department of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, Biosciences Building, Suite 211, 651 Ilalo Street, Honolulu, HI, 96813, USA.

Background: Diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, and chronic kidney disease are three major chronic conditions that develop with increasing risks among adults as they get older. The interconnectedness of these three chronic conditions is well known, while each condition acts as a prognostic risk factor for the other two. It is important to understand the progressive relationships of these three conditions over time in terms of transitioning between clinical states and the impact on patients' survival. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 18;18(1):748. Epub 2018 Jun 18.

Clinical Epidemiology Unit - Department of Epidemiology and Preclinical Research, National Institute for Infectious Diseases "L. Spallanzani", IRCCS, Via Portuense 292, 00149, Rome, Italy.

Background: Globally the access to HIV testing has greatly increased over the past 30 years. Nonetheless, a high proportion of people living with HIV remains undiagnosed, even in resource rich countries. To increase the proportion of people aware of their HIV serostatus and their access to medical care, several strategies have been proposed including HIV rapid test programs offered outside health facilities. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 18;18(1):755. Epub 2018 Jun 18.

Department of Physiology and Pharmacology/Toxicology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Nablus, Palestine.

Background: In the past few decades Arab countries had witnessed several intra-regional conflicts and civil wars that led to the creation of millions of refugees and migrants. Assessment of research activity is an indicator of national and international efforts to improve the health of those millions of war victims. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze published literature in international Arab migrants. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 19;18(1):763. Epub 2018 Jun 19.

Demography and Population Studies Program, School of Public Health and Social Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Background: Stigma and discrimination remains a barrier to uptake of HIV/AIDS counselling and treatment as well as effective HIV reduction programmes. Despite ethnic diversity of Nigeria, studies on determinants of HIV stigma incorporating the ethnic dimension are very few. This paper provides empirical explanation of the ethnic dimension of determinant of HIV stigma and discrimination in Nigeria. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 18;18(1):754. Epub 2018 Jun 18.

Institute of Epidemiology II, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research, Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany.

Background: Job insecurity has been associated with impaired self-rated health (SRH) in cross-sectional studies, but prospective findings with short, medium and long-term follow-up yielded mixed findings. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the long-term association between perceived job insecurity and SRH, after controlling for baseline levels of health status and life-style choices. Furthermore, three different follow-up periods (14, 19 and 24 years) were considered. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 18;18(1):747. Epub 2018 Jun 18.

Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.

Background: Egypt has the largest proportion of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection worldwide and there is an urgent need to increase community awareness and knowledge about the disease in the country. The main aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge and awareness about HCV in clinically diagnosed HCV patients in Egypt.

Methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional study conducted between 1 February 2014 and 30 April 2014 in Cairo, Egypt using validated questionnaire as an instrument for data collection. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 19;18(1):759. Epub 2018 Jun 19.

School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, 38th Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, China.

Background: Daytime napping has been postulated as both a protective and a risk factor for depression in previous studies. In addition to these conflicting results, research gaps also exist with regard to controlling confounding bias between daytime napping and depression and examining the potential association within the Chinese population. To facilitate the prevention and diagnosis of depression, this study aims to provide insight into the association of daytime napping and depression in 0. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 19;18(1):761. Epub 2018 Jun 19.

Institute on Aging, Ajou University Medical Center, Suwon, Korea.

Background: Little is known about longitudinal associations of exercise with different types of cancer, particularly in Asian populations. The purpose of this research was to estimate the association between the duration of exercise and all-cause and cancer-specific mortality.

Method: Data were obtained from the Korean Metabolic Syndrome Mortality Study (KMSMS), a prospective cohort study of 303,428 Korean adults aged 20 years or older at baseline between 1994 and 2004 after exclusion of individuals with missing variables on smoking and exercise. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 19;18(1):758. Epub 2018 Jun 19.

Partnership for Work, Health and Safety, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.

Background: The objectives of this study were (1) to identify age and sex trends in the disability burden of compensated work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in Canada and Australia; and (2) to demonstrate a means of comparing workers' compensation data internationally.

Methods: All non-fatal, work-related MSD claims with at least one day of compensated time-loss were extracted for workers aged 15-80 during a 10-year period (2004-2013) using workers' compensation data from five Canadian and eight Australian jurisdictions. Disability burden was calculated for both countries by sex, age group, and injury classification, using cumulative compensated time-loss payments of up to two years post-injury. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 19;18(1):760. Epub 2018 Jun 19.

MRC Biostatistics Unit, Cambridge Institute of Public Health, Cambridge, UK.

Background: With declining rates of participation in epidemiological studies there is an important need to attempt to understand what factors might affect response. This study examines the pattern of response at different adult ages within a contemporary cross-sectional population-based cohort, the Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience (Cam-CAN).

Methods: Using logistic regression, we investigated associations between age, gender and Townsend deprivation level for both participants and non-participants. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 18;18(1):750. Epub 2018 Jun 18.

Gender, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health, (CESP), F-94807, Villejuif, France.

Background: Sexual health in the military comprises a range of concerns including sexually transmitted infections (STI), unintended pregnancy, sexual violence and sexual dysfunction. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of sexual health concerns by gender in the French military and compare these prevalences to estimates in the general population.

Methods: COSEMIL, the first sexual health survey in the French military comprises a probability sample of 1500 military personnel. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 19;18(1):757. Epub 2018 Jun 19.

KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Background: Increasing the rate of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) to 50% in the first six months of life is one of six major global targets set by the United Nations Decade of Nutrition, and is essential to achieve the sustainable development goals to eradicate hunger and end malnutrition by 2030.

Methods: A survey using multistage random sampling design included 99 primary health care (PHC) clinics in all 11 districts in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). All mothers and caregivers of infants 14 weeks of age attending the clinics in the study period were requested to participate in a structured interview to explore feeding practices since birth. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 15;18(1):743. Epub 2018 Jun 15.

Centre for Alcohol and Drug research, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 10, Copenhagen, 8000, Denmark.

Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) is regarded as consisting of education, income and employment. However, the relationship of these three components to alcohol use behaviours, such as risky single occasion drinking (RSOD) is unclear. The aim of the present paper is to specify how the three SES components relate to RSOD in a cross-sectional survey sample of the Danish general population. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 15;18(1):744. Epub 2018 Jun 15.

Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, 38 Xueyuan Rd, Beijing, 100191, China.

Background: Understanding the correlates of self-rated health (SRH) can help public health professionals prioritize health-promotion and disease-prevention interventions. This study aimed to investigate the association between multiple comorbidities and global SRH and age-comparative SRH.

Methods: A total of 512,891 participants aged 30-79 years old were recruited into the China Kadoorie Biobank study from ten regions between 2004 and 2008. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 15;18(1):746. Epub 2018 Jun 15.

National Farm Medicine Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, 1000 North Oak Ave, Marshfield, WI, 54449, USA.

Background: Parental attitudes play a key role in their decisions to vaccinate adolescents against the human papillomavirus (HPV). Little is known, however, about the formative experiences that shape parents' attitudes about the HPV vaccine.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 25 parents of 11-17 year old adolescents in Wisconsin who changed their HPV vaccine attitudes (per prior surveys) over one year. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 15;18(1):745. Epub 2018 Jun 15.

Evolution and Ecology Program, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria.

Background: Dengue is becoming more common in Pakistan with its alarming spreading rate. A historical review needs to be carried out to find the root causes of dengue dynamics, the factors responsible for its spread and lastly to formulate future strategies for its control.

Methods: We searched (January, 2015) all the published literature between 1980 and 2014 to determine spread/burden of dengue disease in Pakistan. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 15;18(1):742. Epub 2018 Jun 15.

Faculty Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, 2308, Australia.

Background: People with psychosis die on average 25 years earlier than those in the general population, with cardiovascular disease (CVD) contributing to much of the excess mortality. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the relationship between lifestyle risk factors for CVD - poor nutrition, smoking and low physical activity levels - and dyslipidaemia, hypertension and hyperglycaemia while controlling for potential confounders in 1825 people from the Survey of High Impact Psychosis (SHIP) in Australia. We also aimed to identify clustering patterns of lifestyle risk factors and associated demographic variables. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 15;18(1):739. Epub 2018 Jun 15.

Department of Child Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.

Background: Broadly defined learning and coordination disorders (LCDs) are common in the population and have previously been associated with familial social risk factors and male sex. However, comprehensive nationwide studies of these risk factors in LCD subgroups are lacking. Our objective was to assess different LCDs in relation to sex and maternal education, marital status and socioeconomic status based on occupation. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 15;18(1):738. Epub 2018 Jun 15.

Guangzhou Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.

Background: HIV-related discrimination amongst healthcare providers is one of the strongest obstacles to effectively responding to HIV. This study was conducted to explore the occurrence of and other factors related to discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS amongst healthcare providers in Guangzhou, China.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study, conducted between July and October 2016, that enrolled healthcare providers from 9 healthcare institutions in Guangzhou, China. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 15;18(1):737. Epub 2018 Jun 15.

International Health Policy Program (IHPP), Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand.

Background: Food advertising is a key factor which influences children's food preferences. This study assessed the rates, nutritional quality and contents of food and beverage advertising in children's, youth and family television programmes in Thailand.

Methods: Free TV was recorded for two weeks in March 2014 from six to ten am and three to eight pm on weekends and three to eight pm on weekdays across all four channels; a total of 344 h recorded. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 15;18(1):740. Epub 2018 Jun 15.

Department of Health Promotion, Maastricht University (CAPHRI), PO Box 616, 6200, MD, Maastricht, the Netherlands.

Background: Displaying tobacco products at point-of-sale (PoS) has become an important marketing strategy for the tobacco industry. This study was designed to (1) examine how support for a PoS cigarette display ban changed among Dutch smokers between 2010 and 2015 and (2) identify the variables that predict support among smokers for a PoS cigarette display ban.

Methods: Longitudinal data from six annual survey waves (2010-2015) from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Netherlands Survey were analyzed. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 14;18(1):736. Epub 2018 Jun 14.

Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, 6021, New Zealand.

Background: Previous studies have found extensive geographic and demographic differences in tobacco use. These differences have been found to be reduced by effective public policies, including banning smoking in public spaces. Smokefree outdoor spaces reduce secondhand smoke exposure and de-normalize smoking. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 15;18(1):741. Epub 2018 Jun 15.

Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.

Background: Despite progress towards increasing global vaccination coverage, measles continues to be one of the leading, preventable causes of death among children worldwide. Whether and how to target sub-national areas for vaccination campaigns continues to remain a question. We analyzed three metrics for prioritizing target areas: vaccination coverage, susceptible birth cohort, and the effective reproductive ratio (R) in the context of the 2010 measles epidemic in Malawi. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 14;18(1):733. Epub 2018 Jun 14.

Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, PO Box 14428, Melbourne, VIC, 8001, Australia.

Background: The number of deaths per year attributed to non-communicable diseases is increasing in low- and middle-income countries, including Thailand. To facilitate the development of evidence-based public health programs and policies in Thailand, research on physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) is needed. The aims of this scoping review were to: (i) map all available evidence on PA and SB in Thailand; (ii) identify research gaps; and (iii) suggest directions for future research. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 14;18(1):735. Epub 2018 Jun 14.

Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Occupational Therapy, Prosthetics and Orthotics, OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University, St. Olavs plass, NO-0130, Oslo, Norway.

Background: Harmful alcohol consumption is a major risk factor for ill-health on an individual level, a global public health challenge, and associated with workplace productivity loss. This study aimed to explore the proportion of risky drinkers in a sample of employees, investigate sociodemographic associations with risky drinking, and examine implications for intervention needs, according to recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Methods: In a cross-sectional design, sociodemographic data were collected from Norwegian employees in 14 companies (n = 3571) across sectors and branches. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 13;18(1):731. Epub 2018 Jun 13.

Primary Care Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SR, UK.

Background: Physical activity (PA) and fruit and vegetable intake (FVI) are two key modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Achieving change in these behaviours is challenging and affected by many variables including psychosocial factors. We aimed to investigate the association between social support, stress and mood, and change in PA and FVI following provision of CVD risk information and web-based lifestyle advice. Read More

BMC Public Health 2018 Jun 14;18(1):734. Epub 2018 Jun 14.

School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, No.10 Xitoutiao, Youanmenwai, Beijing, 100069, China.

Background: Haze leads to many direct serious public health impacts. Understanding haze related knowledge can not only help adolescents organize health protection awareness to prevent the harmful effects that haze has on the body, but also promote their normal growth and development.

Methods: By considering, as the theoretical basis, the reasons behind the formation of haze and the underlying mechanisms of the diseases that it causes, in addition to also investigating extensive literature references, our research team developed the Adolescent Haze Related Knowledge Awareness Assessment Scale (AHRKAAS-I). Read More