Evaluation of the Association between Self-Perceptions of Aging and Care Deferrals Among US Adults Aged >=50 Years during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objectives: Self-perceptions of aging (SPA) have been shown to influence healthcare-seeking behaviors among middle-aged and older adults. Negative SPA may intensify the COVID-19 pandemic-related healthcare disruptions in this population. Therefore, this study seeks to evaluate the association between SPA and care deferrals among community-dwelling adults aged >=50 years in the US during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method(s): A cross-sectional study of the eligible sample was conducted using data from the 2020 wave of the Health and Retirement Study. SPA score was measured using a validated eight-item instrument with higher scores indicating negative SPA. The association between SPA and care deferrals during the COVID-19 pandemic was assessed using multivariable logistic regression adjusted for respondents' sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, past COVID-19-related experiences, and COVID-19 worry. Result(s): The final sample consisted of 4,153 community-dwelling adults aged >=50 years. 30% reported care deferrals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among respondents who deferred care, the majority were aged 50-64 years (46.6%), females (65.4%), and White (64.5%). Most commonly reported care deferrals were dental appointments (74.5%) and physician visits (56.5%). Care deferrals were mainly due to clinic/office rescheduling or cancelling appointments (57.5%), respondent deciding the care could wait (33.8%), and COVID-19 fear (21.8%). Respondents reporting care deferrals reported higher mean SPA scores, indicating negative aging attitudes, compared those who did not defer care (Mean (SD): 3.24 (1.02) vs. 3.05 (1.04), p<0.001). After accounting for covariates, higher SPA scores were associated with significantly higher odds of care deferrals (aOR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.11 - 1.30, p<0.001). Conclusion(s): This study found that negative SPA were associated with care deferrals during the COVID-19 pandemic among community-dwelling adults aged >=50 years. As healthcare delivery rebounds to pre-pandemic levels, the role of SPA in healthcare-seeking behaviors should be recognized. Health promotion efforts may target positive aging attitudes to encourage timely and proactive use of healthcare.Copyright © 2023

COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2: The science and clinical application of conventional and complementary treatments

Since the end of December 2019, the world has been battling with a global health emergency called COVID-19. This ongoing pandemic has claimed millions of lives worldwide and made a serious impact on global healthcare. The information and facts about the virus and the pandemic are constantly evolving, expanding and are present in a scattered manner. Above all, various rumors and false information are also spreading through word of mouth or social media in relation to the pandemic. In situations like this, it becomes hard for a common person as well as professionals to keep track of the fundamental concepts, ongoing scientific advancements and differentiate between the facts and myths. COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2: The Science and Clinical Application of Conventional and Complementary Treatments covers the fundamental concepts regarding SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 as well as common concerns and issues ensuring optimal understanding of the latest basic science and clinical content. The comparative coverage of Conventional Medical Science with Complementary and Alternative Systems of Medicine in relation to the ongoing pandemic makes this book unique compared to other books available on COVID-19. Written in textbook format and in semi-technical style, it provides basic to advanced concepts and multidimensional clinical perspectives keeping in mind the diverse needs of academicians, researchers, students and common people. Key Features: Contains simple, lucid and concise presentation of contents. Emphasizes core knowledge and concepts. Presents evidence based and up to date information from a multidisciplinary perspective. Includes illustrations with good quality diagrams and colored photographs for ease of understanding. COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 covers concepts and protocols from holistic perspective relating to core Molecular Biology of SARS-CoV-2, Clinical and Therapeutic Aspects, Multidisciplinary Treatment and Management Strategies like Conventional Pharmacological Treatments, Vaccines, Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, Holistic Nutrition Therapy, Nutraceutical Therapy, Biochemic Medicine, and Issues and Concerns relating to Public Health and Ongoing Advances in Research in relation to COVID-19. Written in semi-technical language easily understandable by readers from all domains, this book provides multidisciplinary perspective, knowledge and understanding regarding COVID-19 in one place, thus bridging the knowledge gap that exists between Conventional Sciences and Complementary and Alternative Medicine Systems. © 2022 selection and editorial matter, Srijan Goswami and Chiranjeeb Dey. All rights reserved.

Fitness Industry Propelling on IoT

In the contemporary work-from-home period and the previous Covid-19 times, fitness or, to put it another way, obesity, has emerged as a significant issue. Technology usage has suddenly increased and become ingrained in our daily lives. For the development of such individuals, we are developing the fitness application FITWORLD, which supports individuals in achieving their objectives by offering customised training and dietary regimens. Our proposal is based on research into the workout habits of many individuals with various objectives and BMIs. These guidelines are simple to follow and help boost immunity, which further guards against Covid. We are leveraging a variety of technologies and tools, including: •Android Studio •Kotlin •XML •Draw.io •Figma •Star UML •Firebase As a consequence, we are striving to create Fitworld, an app, employing the tools and technologies indicated above. By assisting individuals in maintaining a healthy lifestyle via the use of our app, we want to make our nation healthy and fit in the future. © 2022 IEEE.

Malaria vaccine: the tale of terror, triumph, tyranny, and trust

Malaria is an endemic disease in a true sense. It is an acute febrile disease caused due to the parasite Plasmodium. However, unlike COVID-19, it failed to raise an international concern or gain the scientific limelight. Most of the 200 million globally affected by malaria, half of them are from Africa. Four of the nations, Nigeria (25%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (11%), Mozambique (5%), and Uganda (4%), account for half of the world's malaria burden and is the leading cause of illness and death. In 2019, an estimated 5-6 million people died of malaria - most of them are young children in sub-Saharan Africa. Many of the countries affected by malaria have the lowest economic status. In the malaria-endemic region, the most vulnerable groups are young children and pregnant women. The costs of malaria are enormous to individuals, families, communities, societies, and nations. After a struggle for three decades, the much-awaited malaria vaccine, RTS, S (brand name Mosquirix), was finally launched;but it came with its controversies and allegations. This review explored the different angles of this disease, the vaccine development, and the emerging debates.

Perspectives Moving Forward

Growing differentiation among developing countries, declining capital flows and remittances, uncertain external aid, weakening global architecture, and rising China are reviewed. In 2021, developed countries, led by the United States, had begun a recovery. Considerable progress was achieved in developing countries prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in reducing poverty;infant and child mortality, stunting, wasting, anemia;increasing food security and nutrition;and improving gender empowerment. Impacts of the pandemic on the poverty-food security-nutrition-health nexus and implications for action are described. Agricultural total factor productivity growth across regions and countries shows huge differences in aggregate productivity growth performance. Countries with low growth also lagged in structural transformation. Premature deindustrialization in developing countries peaks at earlier levels of per capita GDP than for industrialized countries. All farm sizes can achieve productivity growth and success, but smallholders require the functioning of factor and product markets, with strong public policy. Productivity growth measures have not included changes in the quality or quantity of natural resources, but that is changing. Overall, the issue of low financial flows to developing countries needs to be addressed, and available resources need to be used strategically to leverage greater public and private investments to food and agriculture. Substantial investments are needed in human and institutional capital and physical infrastructure for new technologies. The G20's contribution to the global architecture for food and agriculture has not met its potential relative to a promising early start. For 54 industrial and emerging countries monitored by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, changes in their agricultural policies offer scope for improvement in the overall policy environment and investment climate at the global level, including release of valuable resources for building better. © Uma Lele, Manmohan Agarwal, Brian C. Baldwin, and Sambuddha Goswami 2021.

Changing Global Governance Context for Food Security and Nutrition

Through collective action, global governance helps identify, understand, and address problems that spill over national boundaries. Those problems include maintaining peace and security;developing and implementing rules with regard to trade in commodities and services, capital flows, and migration;containing transboundary pests and diseases;slowing global warming;and providing aid for needy countries and peoples. Specific international organizations (five discussed in Chapter 6) address these issues). The difference between global and national governance is that there is no global government. Global governance, through various international bodies and institutions, complements regional, national, and local governance in an important way and is the sum total of the informal and formal ideas, values, rules, norms, procedures, practices, policies, and institutions that govern all actors—states, intergovernmental organizations, civil society, nongovernmental organizations, transnational corporations, and the general public. The number of actors on the global governance scene has proliferated, as has the sheer number of international initiatives that have been started to mobilize incremental international funding in support of food security and nutrition since the 2007 food crisis. Many of the initiatives are reviewed in this chapter, showing that the amount of incremental funding in support of food security and nutrition, beyond traditional sources raised, was insignificant compared to the number of international consultations held. The Global Agriculture and Food Security Program was a notable exception, as well as the Agricultural Market Information System. This situation appears to have changed for the better since the COVID-19 pandemic. The chapter examines the relationship between global, regional, national, and local governance. © Uma Lele, Manmohan Agarwal, Brian C. Baldwin, and Sambuddha Goswami 2021.

Food for All: International Organizations and the Transformation of Agriculture

This book is a historical review of international food and agriculture since the founding of the international organizations following the Second World War, including the World Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and into the 1970s, when CGIAR was established and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) was created to recycle petrodollars. The book concurrently focuses on the structural transformation of developing countries in Asia and Africa, with some making great strides in small farmer development and in achieving structural transformation of their economies. Some have also achieved Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG2, but most have not. Not only are some countries, particularly in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, lagging behind, but they face new challenges of climate change, competition from emerging countries, population pressure, urbanization, environmental decay, dietary transition, and now pandemics. Lagging developing countries need huge investments in human capital, and physical and institutional infrastructure, to take advantage of rapid change in technologies, but the role of international assistance in financial transfers has diminished. The COVID-19 pandemic has not only set many poorer countries back but starkly revealed the weaknesses of past strategies. Transformative changes are needed in developing countries with international cooperation to achieve better outcomes. Will the change in US leadership bring new opportunities for multilateral cooperation?. © Uma Lele, Manmohan Agarwal, Brian C. Baldwin, and Sambuddha Goswami 2021.

Role strain and COVID-era burden among South Asian caregivers of individuals with brain health conditions and disabilities

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has renewed attention to the conflicting demands placed on caregivers worldwide. Nowhere is this more evident than in South Asia, where cultural norms and a scarcity of long-term care facilities have made the home the locus of caregiving for individuals with brain health conditions and disabilities. A hidden cost of this informal arrangement is the burden experienced by the primary caregiver. This may be exacerbated when traditional caregiving expectations clash with personal aspirations outside the family. Method(s): The COVID-19 pandemic has renewed attention to the conflicting demands placed on caregivers worldwide. Nowhere is this more evident than in South Asia, where cultural norms and a scarcity of long-term care facilities have made the home the locus of caregiving for individuals with brain health conditions and disabilities. A hidden cost of this informal arrangement is the burden experienced by the primary caregiver. This may be exacerbated when traditional caregiving expectations clash with personal aspirations outside the family. Result(s): The COVID-19 pandemic has renewed attention to the conflicting demands placed on caregivers worldwide. Nowhere is this more evident than in South Asia, where cultural norms and a scarcity of long-term care facilities have made the home the locus of caregiving for individuals with brain health conditions and disabilities. A hidden cost of this informal arrangement is the burden experienced by the primary caregiver. This may be exacerbated when traditional caregiving expectations clash with personal aspirations outside the family. Conclusion(s): Role strain may be a significant driver of burden when the caretaker's educational and professional potential collide with traditional South Asian family obligations. The burden reported by our respondents suggests that role strain may elevate stress among young, educated caregivers. Our results, therefore, provide indirect evidence concerning the changing economic and socio-cultural context of caregiving in South Asian households. Copyright © 2022 the Alzheimer's Association.