Traumatic Experiences and Psychopathological symptoms in Prison Population and General Population

Traumatic events are stressful episodes that exceed an individual's coping resources and have been related to physical and mental health problems, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder. This study aims to compare the prison population and the general population in terms of trauma and psychopathological symptoms derived from exposure to traumatic events in the context of Ecuador. It is a descriptive-comparative and cross-sectional study. The study sample consisted of 99 incarcerated individuals and 84 persons from the general population of Ambato-Ecuador. The results indicate that persons from the prison population have experienced multiple traumas and re-victimization to a greater extent and present a higher percentage of PTSD and psychopathological symptoms than the general population. In that sense, it is a population that requires more significant intervention to reduce symptoms and prevent violent behavior.

Los eventos traumáticos son hechos estresantes que exceden los recursos de afrontamiento de un individuo y han sido relacionados con problemas de salud física y mental, particularmente con el trastorno de estrés postraumàtico. El objetivo de este estudio es comparar las experiencias traumáticas y los síntomas psicopatológicos entre la población penitenciaria y la población general. Es un estudio descriptivo-comparativo de corte transversal. La muestra del estudio estuvo conformada por 99 individuos encarcelados y 84 individuos de la población general de Ambato (Ecuador). Los resultados indican que los participantes de la población penitenciaria han experimentado en mayor medida múltiples traumas y revictimización; presentan un mayor número de síntomas psicopatológicos y un porcentaje más elevado de TEPT que la población general. Las diferencias que se presentan entre la población penitenciaria y la población general pueden deberse a que las personas encarceladas son más vulnerables a estar expuestas a eventos potencialmente traumáticos por su propia situación social. La población penitenciaria requiere una mayor intervención para reducir los síntomas psicopatológicos provocados por el trauma.

J-shaped association between dietary zinc intake and new-onset hypertension: a nationwide cohort study in China / 医学前沿

We aimed to investigate the relationship of dietary zinc intake with new-onset hypertension among Chinese adults. A total of 12,177 participants who were free of hypertension at baseline from the China Health and Nutrition Survey were included. Dietary intake was assessed by three consecutive 24-h dietary recalls combined with a household food inventory. Participants with systolic blood pressure ≽ 140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≽ 90 mmHg or diagnosed by a physician or under antihypertensive treatment during the follow-up were defined as having new-onset hypertension. During a median follow-up duration of 6.1 years, 4269 participants developed new-onset hypertension. Overall, the association between dietary zinc intake and new-onset hypertension followed a J-shape (P for non-linearity < 0.001). The risk of new-onset hypertension significantly decreased with the increment of dietary zinc intake (per mg/day: hazard ratio (HR) 0.93; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.88-0.98) in participants with zinc intake < 10.9 mg/day, and increased with the increment of zinc intake (per mg/day: HR 1.14; 95% CI 1.11-1.16) in participants with zinc intake ≽ 10.9 mg/day. In conclusion, there was a J-shaped association between dietary zinc intake and new-onset hypertension in general Chinese adults, with an inflection point at about 10.9 mg/day.

Crenças sobre a violência conjugal: uma explicação a partir dos valores humanos / Beliefs about Conjugal Violence: An Explanation from Human Values

Objetivo. O presente trabalho objetivou conhecer a relação entre valores humanos e crenças sobre a violência conjugal. Método. Contou com uma amostra composta por 202 sujeitos da população geral da cidade de Parnaíba-PI, com uma média de idade de 28,52 anos (DP = 10,33). Estes responderam as seguintes escalas: Escala de Crenças sobre a Violência Conjugal (ECVC), Questionário de Valores Básicos (QVB-18) e um Questionário Sociodemográfico. O software SPSS (versão 22) auxiliou na execução das análises descritivas, correlação (r de Pearson), e regressão (Métodos Stepwise). Resultados. Os resultados apontaram que as subfunções Interativa, Suprapessoal, e Existência apresentam correlações significativas e inversas com todas as dimensões da ECVC; ou seja, ratificam a capacidade dos valores humanos de explicarem construtos sociais, como a violência conjugal.

Objective. The The present work aimed to discover the relationship between human values and beliefs about marital violence. Method. The sample was composed by 202 subjects from the general population of the city of Parnaíba-PI. The average age was 28.52 years (SD = 10.33). They were administered the following instruments: Belief on Marital Violence Scale (BMVS), Basic Values ​​Questionnaire (BVQ-18), and a Socio-demographic Questionnaire. The SPSS software (version 22) assisted in the execution of descriptive analysis, Pearson's correlation (r), and regression (Stepwise Methods). Results. The results showed that the Interactive, Suprapersonal, and Existence subfunctions present significant and inverse correlations with all dimensions of BMVS; they ratify the ability of human values to explain social constructs such as marital violence.

Gender differences in emotional regulation capacity among the general population

Background: Emotional regulation plays crucial part in overall psychological well-being of an individual as it impacts how he responds to stimuli. Evidences from past suggest that there are differences in emotional regulation strategies based on gender in patients suffering from different illnesses. However there is limited literature on emotional regulation strategies in general population. Material and methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted at a tertiary care centre on 60 subjects comprised of both genders, with no psychiatric or physical co-morbidity at present or in past. Emotional regulation among both genders was studied using Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale (DERS). Results: There was no significant difference in the socio-demographics of male and female participant groups. Among both gender, males had significantly higher difficulties in acceptance of emotions (P=0.035) and impulse dyscontrol (P=0.014) when compared to women. However, women had significantly lesser emotional clarity compared to men (P=0.003). Conclusion: These differences in emotional regulation strategies may be responsible for differences in clinical presentation and prevalence of various psychiatric illnesses among the gender group. Knowledge about emotional regulation strategies among both genders would help initiate gender specific interventions to avoid maladaptive behaviors and to prevent the onset or progression of illness.

Actitudes hacia la vacuna contra la COVID-19 en la población general paraguaya / Attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccine in the general paraguayan population

Introducción: La pandemia de COVID-19 ha provocado cambios que afectan los sistemas de salud y el abordaje de las enfermedades infecciosas a nivel mundial. La esperanza de recuperar un cierto nivel de "normalidad" se basa en el desarrollo de vacunas. Objetivos: El objetivo de este estudio fue describir las actitudes hacia la vacuna COVID-19 en la población paraguaya, explorando factores que podrían ser abordados para apoyar la campaña de vacunación contra el SARS-CoV-2. Materiales y métodos: Estudio transversal y descriptivo. Los participantes fueron reclutados a través de una encuesta basada en Internet, difundida a través de las redes sociales, durante el mes de marzo de 2021. Todos los participantes recibieron información completa sobre el objetivo del estudio, la privacidad y el procesamiento de datos. Resultados: De los 2297 participantes, el 67,9% (n=1559) eran mujeres, el 49,9% (n=1147) estaban empleados, el 89,1% (n=2046) reportaron educación universitaria y el 96,6% (n=2218) eran de áreas urbanas. En general, el 81,8 % (n=1879) de los participantes afirmó que estarían dispuestos a vacunarse contra el COVID-19 si hubiera una vacuna disponible. Se ha encontrado una relación significativa entre haber solicitado la vacuna antigripal y la intención de vacunarse frente al COVID-19 (p<0,0001), con un OR: 3,09 (IC 95% 2,1-4,5). Conclusión: El porcentaje de participantes inclinados a vacunarse contra el COVID-19 es similar al de aquellos que esperan una inmunización adecuada de la vacuna. Las agencias gubernamentales y de salud deben hacer un esfuerzo para brindar información precisa que responda a las inquietudes de las personas sobre la vacunación, en cualquier nivel de la sociedad.

Introduction: Insufficient physical activity is one of the main public health problems globally. Teen behavior patterns and lifestyle may affect their physical and mental health. Objectives: The objective of this study was to know the patterns of physical activity and sedentary behaviors in the adolescent population nationwide. Materials and methods: A quantitative, observational, descriptive cross-sectional study, the questionnaire of the Global School Health Survey was applied in school adolescents of the eighth and ninth grades of the 3rd cycle of Basic School Education and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd year of Secondary Education in 49 schools and colleges in the country. 1,803 students aged 13 to 15 years were included in this study. Results. 27% of adolescents between the ages of 13 and 15 in Paraguay are active, being significantly higher in men than in women (p-value 0.000) and 22% are inactive more frequently in women than in men (p-value 0.000). It was observed that 33.5% of the adolescents had sedentary behavior, 43.4% of the adolescents did not use active displacement to attend school. Adolescents who did not participate in physical education classes at school accounted for 15.6%. Conclusion: Although 27% of adolescents between the ages of 13 and 15 are active, the large percentage of inactive adolescents with sedentary behavior is worrying.

An online cross-sectional study of the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 lockdown on general population of Haryana, India

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has not only posed serious medical challenges but also significant psychological, social, and economic challenges acutely as well as in the long-term. There is evidence that this pandemic has caused intense psychological distress among people which is further likely to get compounded by administrative decision of nationwide lockdown. Aim: To determine the psychosocial impact of lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic on the general population of Haryana, India. Method: It was an online cross-sectional study conducted on the general population of Haryana from 15th April to 5th May 2020 using a snowball sampling technique. A pre-tested, self-designed questionnaire comprising three sections, viz. sociodemographic characteristics, general life during lockdown, and psychological impact, was prepared using google forms and the link was sent to the participants through social media. Results: A total of 640 participants responded to the survey within the stipulated time. The most common depressive symptoms were insomnia (56%) followed by hopelessness (45%) and irritability (36%). Hypochondriacal preoccupation and obsessional ruminations were present in 87% and 23% of the respondents respectively. Twenty seven per cent of the people experienced autonomic symptoms of anxiety. Fear of death due to COVID (68.4%) and excessive COVID-related information being circulated through news and social media (26.2%) generated maximum stress. They coped with this stress by engaging themselves with television (TV)/social media (57%) and physical exercises (48.4%). Social life followed by professional life was the most affected facet of life. Lockdown had adversely affected the family bond in one per cent of the participants. Conclusion: The study concludes that lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic had an adverse psychosocial impact on the general population of Haryana resulting in a magnitude of psychological issues.

Prevalence of infection by human T Cell lymphotropic viruses (HTLV-1/2) in adult population in Vitoria-ES

ABSTRACT Introduction: Brazil has a high number of HTLV-1/2 infections which are unequally distributed in the country. Most prevalence studies have focused on specific populations, such as blood donors and pregnant women. Some areas, for example the state of Bahia, have robust information about HTLV-1/2 infection, however there is no information available about this infection in the general population of Vitoria, Espírito Santo, Brazil. Objective: To determine the prevalence of HTLV-1/2 infection in adults from the municipality of Vitoria, ES. Methods: A cross sectional study was performed from September 2010 to December 2011, in individuals of both sexes, aged 18 or older living in Vitoria-ES. Venous blood samples were collected and tested for anti-HTLV-1/2 antibodies by chemiluminescent immunoassay (CMIA). Individuals with CMIA reactive results were submitted to a new blood collection for retesting by CMIA, followed by PCR to confirm infection and discriminate the viral type. Results: From 1502 tested samples, eight were reactive in CMIA and all were confirmed by PCR. Therefore, the prevalence of HTLV-1/2 was 0.53% (8/1502, 95% CI: 0.2-1.0%). The infection rate was 0.7% in men (5/711, 95% CI: 0.17-1.51%), and 0.38% in women (3/791, 95% CI: 0 -0.81%). Conclusions: The prevalence of HTLV-1/2 infection was 0.53% (8/1502; 95% CI: 0.2 -0.9%). Confirmatory test using real-time PCR (qPCR) identified seven individuals positive for HTLV-1 and one for HTLV-2. Considering the risk of infected individuals to develop high morbidity and mortality diseases, it would be important to implement public health policies aimed at stopping transmission of these viruses in this municipality. 2021 Sociedade Brasileira de Infectologia. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license

Knowledge and Awareness about the Mode of Transmission of Vector Borne Diseases among General Public

Vector borne diseases account for more than 17% of other contagious diseases and can be caused either by parasites, bacteria or viruses. Malaria is a parasitic infection caused by female Anopheles mosquitoes. It causes millions of cases globally and most deaths occur in children. Dengue is another vector disease caused by Aedes mosquito and also affects millions of people, also causing more deaths. Other vector diseases may include yellow fever, zika fever, west nile fever, chikungunya, elephantiasis etc.  The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge and awareness about the mode of transmission of vector borne disease among the general public and also to analyse the correlation between gender and the level of awareness about vector borne disease among them. A cross sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among people in the region of Chennai. A set of 15 questions including questions on knowledge and awareness on the mode of transmission of vector borne diseases among the general population. It included questions like examples of vector borne diseases, mode of transmission of disease, preventive measures etc. The people of age group between 25-45 years were involved in the survey. There were 100 responses to the survey. The duration of the study was about 7 days. It is clear that the population was aware about the vector borne diseases but not very clear about the preventive measures to be taken to prevent the spread of vector borne diseases.

Validation of the Portuguese version of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences and characterization of psychotic experiences in a Brazilian sample

Objective: We investigated: i) the reliability and validity of a Brazilian version of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE), developed to detect and characterize psychotic experiences in the general population; and ii) the association between psychotic experiences, childhood adversity, and cannabis use in a population-based sample. Methods: We performed factorial analyses and generalized linear models with CAPE scores as the dependent variable in a sample composed of 217 first-episode psychosis patients, 104 unaffected biological siblings, and 319 non-psychotic population-based participants. Results: After removing seven items from its positive dimension and two items from its negative dimension, a 33-item Brazilian version of the CAPE showed acceptable adjustment indices (confirmatory fit index = 0.895; goodness of fit index = 0.822; parsimony goodness of fit index = 0.761; root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.055, p [RMSEA ≤ 0.05] = 0.04) and internal consistency in all its dimensions (> 0.70). Childhood adversity was associated with higher scores in all three dimensions, as well as with total score. Lifetime cannabis use was associated with higher scores only in the positive dimension. Conclusion: The proposed Brazilian version of the CAPE corroborates the tridimensional approach for assessing psychosis-proneness, and the frequency and severity of psychotic manifestations are distributed as a spectrum in the general population.

Reference Data, Characteristics and Related Factors of Quality of Life Assessed by a Questionnaire of Patient’s Behavior Survey in the General Population in Japan

To decide the policy to promote palliative care properly, a new questionnaire has been added to Patient’s behavior survey to assess Quality of Life (QOL) of inpatients and outpatients in Japan. The aim of this study was to survey QOL score of general population in Japan by using a questionnaire of patient’s behavior survey. A large nationwide postal survey was conducted from January through February 2013 in Japan. A total of 2400 subjects were selected randomly from among members of the general population who were 20 to 79 years of age and lived in Japan. A total of 978 (41.1%) questionnaires were analyzed, and reference data of QOL score weighted by the national standard value of sex-age group population were calculated. Correlation coefficients were calculated between QOL score and SF-8TM, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG), Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) score. In addition, sociodemographic factors related to QOL score were evaluated. From the perspectives of public health and administrative policy, the results of this survey will provide important basic data to evaluate patient’s behavior survey broadly and continuously with the goal of establishing a palliative care system in Japan.

Mental health status and its influencing factors among general population and medical personnel in Guangdong Province during COVID-19 pandemic / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the mental health status and its influencing factors among general population and healthcare professionals in Guangdong Province during COVID-19 pandemic.@*METHODS@#A online questionnaire-based survey was conducted from March 11st to March 15th, 2020.The questionnaire consisted of 4 parts to survey the participants'basic information, understanding of COVID-19 outbreak-associated information, cognition of COVID-19 pandemic and status of anxiety and depression.A total of 1433 valid responses were collected, including 706 from the general population and 727 from healthcare professionals.Cronbach's α coefficient and exploratory factor analysis were used for reliability and validity assessment.Chi-square, Wilcoxon and Kruskal-Wallis test were used for univariate analysis and ordinal or nominal logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis of the data.@*RESULTS@#There was no significant difference between the general population and the healthcare professionals in terms of anxiety, depression and cognition of COVID-19 outbreak after adjustment for demographic variables, but the levels of anxiety and depression of these participants were both higher than those before the pandemic.In the participants from the general population, multivariate logistic regressions showed an OR for anxiety of 1.93(1.18, 3.17) among those who spent 1-2 h a day in reading COVID-19-related news, while those who spent over 3 h had an OR value for anxiety of 1.88(1.14, 3.11);the unmarried individuals had a depression OR of 2.19(1.51, 3.18). Inaccurate cognition of COVID-19 outbreak was positive correlated with the occurrence of anxiety and depression.Unmarried individuals and those with higher educational levels had better cognition of COVID-19 outbreak.Among the healthcare professionals, multivariate logistic regressions suggested that insufficient rest time and worries about contracting the virus contributed to the occurrence of anxiety and depression.Among the nursing staff, the OR of obvious depression was 2.99(1.45, 6.18).Compared to healthcare professionals not working in designated hospital for COVID-19, those who work in the designated hospitals had ORs for obvious and severe depression of 0.48(0.25, 0.93) and 0.39(0.17, 0.89), respectively.Concerns over contracting the virus increased the possibility of incorrect cognition of COVID-19.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Psychological interventions are essential for both the general population and healthcare professionals, especially for unmarried individuals in the general population and the nursing staff.An excessive exposure to COVID-19-related information may have detrimental effects on the mental health.For healthcare professionals, sufficient rest needs to be ensured, and education programs on COVID-19 should be implemented among both residents and healthcare professionals to improve their mental health.

Association between high psychological distress and poor oral health-related quality of life (OHQoL) in Japanese community-dwelling people: the Nagasaki Islands Study

BACKGROUND@#We investigated the association between psychological distress and oral health status/oral health-related quality of life (OHQoL) in Japanese community-dwelling people.@*METHODS@#We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Nagasaki Islands Study. A total of 1183 (455 men and 728 women) has been analyzed in this study. Psychological distress was measured using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). Oral health status was measured by dental examination. The OHQoL was measured using the General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI). We defined the total score of ≥5 points on the K6 as high psychological distress (high-K6 group).@*RESULTS@#The multiple linear regression analysis to identify the GOHAI showed that gender, K6, the total number of teeth, the number of dental caries, and visiting a dental clinic within the past 6 months significantly associated with the GOHAI. Among all of these variables, high-K6 (≥ 5) was a substantial contributing factor of the GOHAI (β = - 0.23, 95% Cl - 2.31 to -1.41, p < 0.0001).@*CONCLUSIONS@#It is likely that the individual with high psychological distress was strongly related to poor OHQoL even in the general population.

Comparative assessment of antibiotic self-medication practices among under-graduate medical students and general population

Background: Self-medication with antibiotics is a global problem and increases the risk of antibiotic resistance which impacts morbidity and mortality.Methods: A total of 180 Medical students and the same number of people from general population were given a pre-validated questionnaire. The total respondents were 168 among general population and 173 among medical students. Results: 21.42% respondents from general population and 82.08% medical students practiced antibiotic self-medication. 66.66% respondents from general population practiced antibiotic self- medication to save time and money. 57.04% medical students had previous experience of treating similar symptoms.83.33% respondents from general population and 89.43% medical students used antibiotics to treat fever, cough, cold, sore throat and similar symptoms. 50.00% respondents from general population consulted the chemist/pharmacist before using the antibiotics.38.02% students consulted their textbooks for drug information. Only 16.66% respondents from general population and 24.64% students continued the antibiotics till full recovery.Conclusions: Antibiotic self- medication is more prevalent among medical students as compared to general population. Medical students need to be targeted repeatedly during their education and be taught the value of using antibiotics with caution. Public awareness and strict enforcement of law to control the sale of antibiotics without a valid prescription are needed to minimize antibiotic self- medication and associated risks.

Encuesta en población abierta respecto a términos relacionados con decisiones al final de la vida / Open population survey regarding terms related to decisions at the end of life

Resumen Introducción: Conceptos relacionados con las decisiones que se toman al final de la vida, como eutanasia, cuidados paliativos, voluntad anticipada y obstinación terapéutica son poco comprendidos por la población en general, que en el momento de enfrentar una situación terminal no está preparada para elegir la mejor opción. Objetivo: Estudio piloto (n = 544) para conocer lo que la población abierta entiende acerca de términos utilizados al final de la vida en cuatro ciudades de la república mexicana. Método: Encuesta vía internet de 18 preguntas sobre los distintos términos. Se trató de un estudio descriptivo, transversal, con análisis estadístico. Resultados: Se eligieron personas mayores de 18 años que no trabajaran en profesiones relacionadas con la salud. Conclusiones: La mayoría de los términos del final de la vida no interesaron ni fueron entendidos por parte de la población. El término menos reconocido fue la obstinación terapéutica (62.8 %) y el más conocido, cuidados paliativos (91 %); se confunden los términos eutanasia y suicidio asistido (47.8 %). La edad y escolaridad resultaron de mayor influencia en los resultados, que las otras variables demográficas.

Abstract Introduction: Concepts related to end-of-life decisions, such as euthanasia, palliative care, advance directives and therapeutic obstinacy, are poorly understood by the general population, which, when facing a terminal situation, is not prepared to choose the best option. Objective: Pilot study (n = 544) to find out what the open population understands about terms used in end-of-life situations in four cities of the Mexican Republic. Method: Survey via Internet with 18 questions about different terms. It was a descriptive, cross-sectional study. Statistical analysis was carried out. Results: People older than 18 years who were not engaged in health-related professional activities were selected. Conclusions: Most terms related to end-of-life decisions were found not to be interesting to or understood by a part of the population. The least recognized term was therapeutic obstinacy (62.8%), and the most widely known, palliative care (91%); there was confusion between the terms euthanasia and assisted suicide (47.8%). Age and education level had more influence in the results, than other demographic variables.

Effects Of Inappropriate Waste Management On Health: Knowledge, Attitude And Practice Among Malaysian Population

@#Numerous health issues can arise from improper domestic waste management. Uncollected wastes provide food and breeding sites for insect, bird and rodent which can expose the community to vector borne disease. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the community awareness towards domestic waste management. This study is a cross-sectional study conducted at Bandar Baru Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia. The questionnaire consists of five sections with a total of 57 questions. The questionnaire consists of four parts: Socio-demographic, knowledge, attitude and practice. The data were analysed using SPSS version 22.0. T-test, ANOVA test, Chi-squared test were used according to the type of variables and significance level will be taken at 95% or p-value of less than 0.05. A total of 355 respondents participated in this study. The mean age was 40.52 ±14.94. The majority of them were male (52.1%), Malay (71.0%), married (71.3%), with secondary educational (81%) and employed (41.1%). The majority of respondents mentioned that inappropriate waste management can cause dengue fever and leptospirosis (98.0%, 97.2%; respectively). Property type, education, occupation, ethnicity, religions and household income were significant influenced the knowledge of the participants towards domestic waste management. For attitude, gender, education, ethnicity, religion and income significantly influenced the attitude of the participants towards domestic waste management. For practice, ethnicity, religion and occupation were significantly influenced the practice of the participants towards domestic waste management. In conclusion, the community has moderate awareness of domestic waste management. Awareness of waste management should also be taught in school so that the next generation of people will have a better understanding and eventually have better practice in domestic waste management. It is also hoped that a carefully thought-out strategy can be developed to further improve the community awareness towards domestic waste management which will shed a new light on tackling this issue.

Awareness Of Driving Safety Measures In General Population Visiting Tertiary Care Hospital

BACKGROUND:Road traffic accident is a preventable global disaster. In developing countries, the existing road safety policies are ineffective in preventing casualties, mainly because of lack of knowledge regarding the same in the general population. The early assessment of awareness of driving safety measures in general population will thus go a long way to help in reducing existing high fatalities. MATERIALAND METHODS: Aclose ended questionnaire based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 participants of age 16 years and above with a valid driving license to assess the awareness regarding driving safety measures. The data was collected and analyzed for number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t test and Chi-square test. RESULTS: 80.8% of the urban population and 60.5% of the rural population were aware of the legal age for driving vehicles. Majority of the participants were aware regarding wearing helmets while driving. Use of seatbelt and prohibition of alcohol intake while driving was comparatively less in rural population. Awareness of prohibition of use of mobile phone while driving and sign of speed limit was observed in 2/3rd of the population. Less than half of the rural population was unaware of the basic traffic signs like stop, no parking, no horn, school ahead, and one way. CONCLUSION:Awareness regarding driving safety measures in general population was comparatively less among rural population than urban. Traffic awareness campaigns in hospitals in association with Regional Transport Office would be one of the beneficial measures to minimize fatalities arising due to lack of knowledge of safe driving measures.

Distribution of Elevated Serum Cholesterol and Triglyceride Levels in the General Adult Population of Ngaoundere, Cameroon

Background: Dyslipidemia is a major cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor with an increasing occurrence in sub-Saharan Africa. Aim: To determine the distribution of elevated serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and assess the level of awareness of dyslipidemias in the general adult population of Ngaoundere, Cameroon. Methodology: This was a community-based cross-sectional study conducted from February to December 2015 in Ngaoundere town. Following a three-stage sampling method, a total 932 participants of at least 20 years old were enrolled. Demographic data were collected, and body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose (FBG), serum total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) were measured. Results: The overall prevalence of raised cholesterol and triglyceride levels were 25.97% (n=242) and 5.26% (n=49) respectively. The overall mean concentrations of TC and TG were 207.30± 54.18 mg/dL and 105.49 ± 51.22 mg/dL respectively. The population’s level of awareness of dyslipidemias was recorded at 0.77% (n=2), and no participant was on lipid-lowering drugs. The 40-64 years (OR:2.21, P<0.001) and ≥ 60 years (OR:2.19, P=0.006) age ranges, abdominal obesity (OR:1.76, P=0.026) and hypertriglyceridemia (OR:4.53, P<0.001) were independently associated with hypercholesterolemia, while the age range 40-64 years (OR:2.11, P=0.027), hypertension (OR:2.38, P=0.011) and hypercholesterolemia (OR:4.63,P<0.001) were independently associated with hypertriglyceridemia. Conclusion: The present study portrayed a high prevalence of elevated serum cholesterol level, a very low level of awareness and poor treatment coverage of dyslipidemias in the Ngaoundere population while reaffirming the relationships between advance age, abdominal obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemias.

National trends in alcohol consumption in Mexico: results of the National Survey on Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Consumption 2016-2017 / Tendencias nacionales del consumo de alcohol en México: resultados de la Encuesta Nacional de Consumo de Drogas, Alcohol y Tabaco 2016-2017

Abstract: Introduction: Worldwide, binge drinking of alcohol has increased, especially among young people. In Mexico, various epidemiological sources allow us to account for the growth this pattern of consumption has had. Given this context, the Encuesta Nacional de Consumo de Drogas 2016-2017 (ENCODAT) shows the evolution in alcohol consumption. Objective: To determine the prevalence and national and regional trends, as well as state variations of alcohol consumption in the population aged 12 to 65. Method: The ENCODAT 2016-2017 is a random, probabilistic, and multi-stage study with national and state representation. The sample consisted of 56 877 people who answered a standardized questionnaire through ACASI (self-administered computer interviews) that collects information about the use of tobacco, alcohol, and medical and illegal drugs. Results: Binge drinking past month increased from 12.3% to 19.8% from 2011 to 2016. A similar situation occurs in daily use (from .8% to 2.9%) and weekly binge drinking (from 5.4% to 8.5%). The age of onset has remained stable since 2011 (16.6 years for men, 19.2 years for women in 2016). Meanwhile, 2.2% reported alcohol dependence. The states with the highest prevalence of binge drinking are Nuevo León (30.3%), Jalisco (27.7%) and, Coahuila (27.5%). Discussion and conclusion: The results show that alcohol use increased with respect to 2011, especially in women; data on treatment seeking indicate that women who use alcohol are also the least likely to seek help. Given this context, it is necessary to have specialized spaces that provide treatment in keeping with use-based needs and gender condition.

Resumen: Introducción: A nivel internacional, el consumo excesivo de alcohol ha aumentado, principalmente entre la población joven. En México, diversas fuentes epidemiológicas dan cuenta del crecimiento de este patrón de consumo. Dado este contexto, la Encuesta Nacional de Consumo de Drogas, Alcohol y Tabaco 2016-2017 (ENCODAT) muestra la evolución en el consumo de alcohol. Objetivo: Conocer las prevalencias y tendencias nacionales y regionales, así como las variaciones estatales del consumo de alcohol en la población de 12 a 65 años. Método: La ENCODAT 2016-2017 es un estudio aleatorio, probabilístico y polietápico con representatividad nacional y estatal. En la muestra participaron 56 877 personas que contestaron un cuestionario estandarizado mediante ACASI (entrevistas auto-administradas por computadoras), que recaba información sobre consumo de tabaco, alcohol y drogas médicas e ilegales. Resultados: El consumo excesivo en el último mes se incrementó de 12.3% a 19.8% de 2011 a 2016. Una situación similar ocurre en el consumo diario (de .8% a 2.9%) y consuetudinario (de 5.4% a 8.5%). La edad de inicio se ha mantenido estable desde 2011 (16.6 años hombres; 19.2 años mujeres en 2016). En tanto, el 2.2% reportó dependencia al consumo de alcohol. Las entidades con las prevalencias más altas en consumo excesivo son Nuevo León (30.3%), Jalisco (27.7%) y Coahuila (27.5%). Discusión y conclusión: Los resultados muestran que el consumo de alcohol creció con respecto a 2011, especialmente en mujeres. Datos sobre la asistencia a tratamiento, indican que éstas son también quienes menos acuden. Dado este contexto, es necesario contar con espacios especializados que brinden atención conforme a las necesidades de consumo y de condición de género.

Lead, Mercury, and Cadmium Exposure in the Korean General Population

BACKGROUND: Lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd) are well-known environmental pollutants. They are unnecessary in the biological processes of humans. This study was performed to estimate the representative background exposure levels to the metals by measuring concentrations in whole blood of the Korean general population. METHODS: This population-based cross-sectional study included 4,000 subjects (1,886 males and 2,114 females) 0–83 years of age in 2010 and 2011. Adult subjects (≥ 19 years of age) were collected by sex- and age-stratified probability method, and preschool- and school-aged subjects were recruited by a cluster sampling method. Written consent was provided prior to blood sampling. Pb and Cd blood concentrations were determined by a flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and blood Hg was analyzed by a direct Hg analyzer. RESULTS: The geometric mean, median and 95th percentile of blood Pb was 1.82 µg/dL, 1.83 µg/dL, and 3.78 µg/dL, respectively. The respective values were 2.92 µg/L, 2.87 µg/L, 9.12 µg/L for Hg, and 0.56 µg/L, 0.59 µg/L, 2.20 µg/L for Cd. Blood Pb and Hg were higher in males than in females, but no sex difference was observed, respectively, in subjects 0–4 years of age for Pb and in subjects less than 20 years for Hg. However, blood Cd was higher in females than in males and no sex difference was observed in subjects < 30 years of age. CONCLUSION: This study provides representative data of human exposure to Pb, Hg, and Cd covering whole age groups of the general population in Korea.

Relationship between Suicidal Ideation and Plasma C-Reactive Protein Level in General Population : The Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey / 우울ㆍ조울병

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to inquire into the relationship between the association of suicidal ideation and the plasma C-reactive protein level in the general population.METHODS: This study selected a total of 5,090 subjects who have responded to the survey item on suicidal ideation status, and received the plasma C-reactive protein test, as a research subject using the 2015 data of the National Health and Nutrition Survey. This study conducted a covariance analysis by correcting a potential influence of demographic and hematological factors. Besides, this study intended to define the cut-off value of the optimum plasma C-reactive protein level, which once identified can distinguish between a subject with and without suicidal ideation using the model of the decision tree.RESULTS: The Plasma C-reactive protein level of a subject having suicidal ideation was noted as being significantly higher than the one having no suicidal ideation in the covariance analysis (p=0.046). In addition, the proper cut-off value of the plasma C-reactive protein level between the subjects with and without suicidal ideation was found to be 1.30 mg/L (p=0.003).CONCLUSION: It is noted that the high plasma C-reactive protein level showed a significant correlation with individuals with noted suicidal ideation. In addition, this study has significance in that it presented that the plasma C-reactive protein concentration has the possibility as an accurate and significant marker of suicidal ideation in the general population.