Status of self-medication and the relevant factors regarding drug efficacy and safety as important considerations among adolescents aged 12-18 in China: a cross-sectional study.

The objective of this study was to investigate self-medication behavior among Chinese adolescents aged 12-18 years and explore the factors associated with whether adolescents prioritize drug efficacy or safety when engaging in self-medication behavior. In 2021, a questionnaire investigation was conducted in the Chinese mainland using a multi-stage sampling approach. After a statistical description, logistic regression was used to analyze the factors associated with considering drug efficacy and safety. The self-medication rate among Chinese adolescents aged 12-18 years was 96.61%. Of these, 65.84% considered drug safety to be essential, while 58.72% prioritized drug efficacy. Regression analysis showed that individuals with better healthcare were more likely to consider drug efficacy an important factor. Additionally, those with a healthier family lifestyle were more likely to prioritize efficacy. When individuals engage in self-medication, those residing in urban areas and possessing advanced preventive health literacy and ample family health resources tend to prioritize drug safety to a greater extent. Conversely, those with higher monthly household incomes and only children exhibit a decreased inclination towards prioritizing safety during self-medication. Self-medication is a frequently observed practice among Chinese adolescents aged 12-18. Several factors, such as demographic and sociological characteristics, health literacy, and family health status, have been found to be associated with the extent to which adolescents prioritize medication safety and efficacy when engaging in self-medication practices. Higher levels of health literacy and better family health status were positively correlated with considering both the efficacy and safety of drugs as important factors when self-medicating.

Association of plant-based dietary patterns with depression and anxiety symptoms in Chinese older adults: A nationwide study.

BACKGROUND: The associations of plant-based dietary patterns with depression and anxiety symptoms among older adults have not been extensively studied. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine these associations in Chinese older adults. METHODS: Data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) was employed in the present study. The simplified food frequency questionnaire was used to assess the overall plant-based diet index (PDI), healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI), and unhealthful plant-based diet index (uPDI). The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-10 (CES-D-10) was used to evaluate depression symptoms, and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7) was used to assess anxiety symptoms. This study employed logistic regression and linear regression to examine the associations between plant-based dietary patterns and symptoms of depression and anxiety. RESULTS: This study included 11,971 older adults, with a mean age of 83.23 ± 11.10 years. The results indicated that PDI and hPDI were negative associated with depression symptoms (adjusted ß -0.09, 95 % CI -0.11, -0.07) (adjusted ß -0.09, 95 % CI -0.11, -0.07) and anxiety symptoms (adjusted ß -0.03, 95 % CI -0.04, -0.02) (adjusted ß -0.04, 95 % CI -0.05, -0.02), while uPDI was positive associated with depression symptoms (adjusted ß 0.09, 95 % CI 0.07, 0.11) and anxiety symptoms (adjusted ß 0.04, 95 % CI 0.03, 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this study have the potential to promote healthy dietary patterns in older adults, and may have implications for the prevention and management of depression and anxiety in this population.

Factors associated with eating behaviors in older adults from a socioecological model perspective.

BACKGROUND: The eating behaviors of older adults are associated with multiple factors. To promote older adults' healthy diets, it is imperative to comprehensively study the factors associated with the eating behaviors of the aging population group. This study aimed to probe the associated factors of older adults' eating behaviors from a socioecological model (SEM) perspective. METHODS: In 2021, a cross-sectional survey was performed to recruit participants in China. The survey data were analyzed using a multivariate generalized linear model to identify the factors associated with eating behaviors in older adults. Standardized regression coefficients (ß) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using a multivariate generalized linear model. RESULTS: The survey contained 1147 valid older adult participants. Multivariate generalized linear model results showed that older adults with older age [aged 71-80 (ß = -0.61), ≥ 81 (ß = -1.12)], conscientiousness personality trait (ß = -0.27), and higher family health levels (ß = -0.23) were inclined to have better eating behaviors. The older adults with higher education levels [junior high school and high school (ß = 1.03), junior college and above (ß = 1.71)], higher general self-efficacy (ß = 0.09), more severe depression symptoms (ß = 0.24), and employment (ß = 0.82) tended to have poorer eating behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified factors that are specifically associated with older adults' eating behaviors from an SEM perspective. The comprehensive multiple-angle perspective consideration may be a valuable idea for studying healthy eating behaviors in older adults.