Food insecurity and suicidal behaviors among Bangladeshi university students: a multi-institutional cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Suicidal behaviors among students pose a significant public health concern, with mental health problems being well-established risk factors. However, the association between food insecurity (FIS) and suicidal behaviors remains understudied, particularly in Bangladesh. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between FIS and suicidal behaviors among Bangladeshi university students. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey using convenience sampling was conducted between August 2022 and September 2022. Information related to socio-demographic, mental health problems, FIS and related events, and suicidal behaviors were collected. Chi-squared tests and multivariable logistic regression models, both unadjusted and adjusted, were employed to examine the relationship between FIS and suicidal behavior. SETTING: Six public universities in Bangladesh. PARTICIPANTS: 1,480 students from diverse academic disciplines. RESULTS: A substantial proportion of respondents experienced FIS, with 75.5% reporting low or very low food security. Students experiencing FIS had significantly higher prevalence of suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts compared to food-secure students (18.6% vs. 2.8%, 8.7% vs. 0.8%, and 5.4% vs. 0.3%, respectively; all p<0.001). In addition, students who have personal debt and participate in food assistance programs had higher risk of suicidal behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: This study sheds light on the association between FIS and suicidal behaviors among university students. Targeted mental health screening, evaluation, and interventions within universities may be crucial for addressing the needs of high-risk students facing FIS.

Self-Medication Practices among Adult Population in Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: The practice of self-medication (SM) is common worldwide and is an important component of medical self-care. However, improper practice can be dangerous. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of SM and the factors associated with it among Bangladeshi adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between April and June 2021 among Bangladeshi adults (aged > 19 years) using convenient sampling. A total of 1320 subjects were collected through face-to-face interviews using a standardized questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with the practice of SM. RESULTS: Overall, 41% of adults in our survey reported SMP. The most common illnesses that prompted SM were common cold/flu (66.4%), gastric problems (65%), and headache (64.4%). The most frequent reasons for SM were to get better-perceived quality of care (30.6%), perceiving SM without side effects (23.3%), and saving time with effectiveness (14.56%). Potential risk factors included 10 years (AOR = 1.91; 95% CI: 1.04-3.50) and >12 years of schooling (AOR = 5.03; 95% CI: 2.27-11.15), being a businessman (AOR = 4.64; 95% CI: 1.74-12.37), having ≤6 family members (AOR = 2.13; 95% CI: 1.40-3.24), being a member of a social group (AOR = 1.53; 95% CI: 1.10-2.12), a health status check after every six months (AOR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.08-2.13), and current ill-health (AOR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.06-1.87). Protective factors identified included ≤30 years of age (AOR = 0.40; 95% CI: 0.17-0.93), and practice of modern (AOR = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.22-0.69) and herbal (AOR = 0.45; 95% CI: 0.21-0.97) treatment modality. CONCLUSION: More than one-third of the study participants reported practicing SM. Increasing the community's awareness of the adverse outcomes of SM and not just the average experience might sway individuals away from SM, and implementing strict jurisdiction could be a way to minimize inappropriate SM.

Prevalence and factors associated with digital addiction among students taking university entrance tests: a GIS-based study.

BACKGROUND: The surge in digital media consumption, coupled with the ensuing consequences of digital addiction, has witnessed a rapid increase, particularly after the initiation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite some studies exploring specific technological addictions, such as internet or social media addiction, in Bangladesh, there is a noticeable gap in research focusing on digital addiction in a broader context. Thus, this study aims to investigate digital addiction among students taking the university entrance test, examining its prevalence, contributing factors, and geographical distribution using GIS techniques. METHODS: Data from a cross-sectional survey were collected from a total of 2,157 students who were taking the university entrance test at Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh. A convenience sampling method was applied for data collection using a structured questionnaire. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS 25 Version and AMOS 23 Version, whereas ArcGIS 10.8 Version was used for the geographical distribution of digital addiction. RESULTS: The prevalence of digital addiction was 33.1% (mean score: 16.05 ± 5.58). Those students who are attempting the test for a second time were more likely to be addicted (42.7% vs. 39.1%), but the difference was not statistically significant. Besides, the potential factors predicted for digital addiction were student status, satisfaction with previous mock tests, average monthly expenditure during the admission test preparation, and depression. No significant difference was found between digital addiction and districts. However, digital addiction was higher in the districts of Manikganj, Rajbari, Shariatpur, and Chittagong Hill Tract areas, including Rangamati, and Bandarban. CONCLUSIONS: The study emphasizes the pressing need for collaborative efforts involving educational policymakers, institutions, and parents to address the growing digital addiction among university-bound students. The recommendations focus on promoting alternative activities, enhancing digital literacy, and imposing restrictions on digital device use, which are crucial steps toward fostering a healthier digital environment and balanced relationship with technology for students.

Side Effects of COVID-19 Vaccines and Perceptions about COVID-19 and Its Vaccines in Bangladesh

IntroductionOne of the primary reasons for hesitancy in taking COVID-19 vaccines is the fear of side effects. This study primarily aims to inspect the potential side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines circulated in Bangladesh. MethodsThe study was a cross-sectional anonymous online survey conducted across Bangladesh. Data were collected from December 2 to December 26, 2021. The study included consenting (informed) Bangladeshi individuals aged 12 and above who had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccines. Analyses were carried out through exploratory analysis, Chi-square test, and logistic regression. ResultsA total of 1,180 (males-63.89%, age 50 years or over-65.4%, rural-52.86%) vaccinated people participated in the study. Less than half of the participants (39.48%) reported at least one side effect after receiving their COVID-19 vaccine. Injection-site pain, fever, headache, redness/swelling at the injection site, and lethargy were the most commonly reported adverse effects, all of which were mild and lasted 1-3 days. Side effects were most prevalent (about 80%) among individuals who received Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines and were least common among those who received Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines (21%-28%). When compared to the Sinopharm vaccines, the OxfordAstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Moderna vaccines were 4.51 (95% CI: 2.53-8.04) times, 5.37 (95% CI: 2.57-11.22) times, and 4.28 (95% CI: 2.28-8.05) times likelier to produce side effects. Furthermore, males, those over 50 years old, urban dwellers, smokers, and those with underlying health issues had a considerably increased risk of developing side effects. A lack of confidence in vaccines efficacy and a substantial level of hesitancy in allowing children (age five years or over) and older people (70 years or over) to receive COVID-19 vaccines were also observed. ConclusionSide effects of COVID-19 vaccines are minimal, demonstrating their safety. Further studies are required to establish the efficacy of the vaccines. What is already known?Significant COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy has been observed globally, mainly due to vaccine safety and efficacy concerns. Until now, most of the data on COVID-19 vaccine safety and efficacy have been published in manufacturer-funded trials that adhere to regulatory criteria and are monitored by third parties. A lack of independent studies on vaccine safety may have a detrimental effect on vaccine acceptance, which should be intensified to combat the deadly virus. What are the new findings?After receiving the COVID-19 vaccines, less than half of the subjects experienced at least one side effect. The side effects were mild and regular and lasted 1-3 days only. Side effects were most prevalent among individuals who received Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines and were least common among those who received Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines. A lack of confidence in vaccines efficacy and a substantial level of hesitancy in allowing children (age five years or over) and older people (70 years or over) to receive COVID-19 vaccines were also observed. What do the new findings imply?Side effects of COVID-19 vaccines are minimal and regular, demonstrating their safety. Efforts should be made to disseminate such findings among marginalized people worldwide who showed greater vaccine hesitancy.

The risk of COVID hospital admission and COVID mortality during the first COVID 19 wave with a special emphasis on Ethnic Minorities: an observational study of a single, deprived, multi ethnic UK health economy

ObjectivesTo address the generalisability of COVID-19s outcomes to the well-defined but diverse communities of a single City area. DesignAn observational study of COVID-19 outcomes using quality-assured and integrated data from a single UK hospital contextualised to its feeder population and its associated factors (comorbidities, ethnicity, age, deprivation). Setting/ParticipantsSingle city hospital with a feeder population of 228,632 adults in Wolverhamptons city area. Main Outcome MeasuresHospital admissions and mortality. Results5558 patients admitted, 686 died (556 in hospital); 930 were COVID-19 admissions (CA),of which 270 were hospital COVID deaths, 47 non-COVID deaths, 36 deaths post-discharge; 4628 non-COVID-19 admissions (NCA), 239 in-hospital deaths (2 COVID), 94 deaths post-discharge. 223,074 adults not admitted, 407 died. Age, gender, multi-morbidity and Black ethnicity (OR 2.1 [95% CI 1.5-3.2] p<0.001, absolute excess risk of <1/1,000) were associated with COVID-19 admission and mortality. The South Asian cohort had lower CA and NCA, lower mortality (CA (0.5 [0.3-0.8], p<0.01), NCA (0.4 [0.3-0.6] p<0.001), community deaths (0.5 [0.3-0.7] p<0.001). Despite many common risk factors for CA and NCA, ethnic groups had different admission rates, and within-groups differing association of risk factors. Deprivation impacted only in White ethnicity, in the oldest age bracket and in a lesser (not most) deprived quintile. ConclusionsWolverhamptons results, reflecting high ethnic diversity and deprivation, are similar to other studies for Black ethnicity, age and comorbidity risk in COVID-19 but strikingly different in South Asians and for deprivation. Sequentially considering population and then hospital based NCA and CA outcomes, we present a complete single health-economy picture. Risk factors may differ within ethnic groups; our data may be more representative of communities with high BAME populations, highlighting the need for locally focussed public health strategies. We emphasise the need for a more comprehensible and nuanced conveyance of risk. Strengths and limitations of this studyO_LIThe rapidly developing COVID-19 pandemic has led to numerous studies (published, preprints and national public health reports) of its health impacts in relation to ethnicity, co-morbidities and other factors; few studies, however, have attempted to evaluate infection patient data in terms of morbidity and mortality in context of the feeder population and most are limited by incompleteness of data and inability to account for regional variations in factors such as ethnicity and deprivation C_LIO_LIOur observational study used a high quality and complete dataset from the local population and the hospital serving it to examine the association of purported risk factors with severity and mortality and the results reveal the importance of evaluating such risks in the local, and not just national, population setting taking into account the local variations in patient backgrounds C_LIO_LIWe found an increased risk of COVID-19 mortality for Black ethnicity (OR 2.1) but a decreased risk (OR 0.5) for South Asians, compared with white ethnicity; Our analysis reveals that a nuanced approach to studying risk factors associated with COVID-19 severity and mortality is important - factoring in regional variation in ethnicity, deprivation etc. specifically linked to the source population C_LIO_LIWe suggest, based on our findings, that understandably rapid analysis and dissemination of studies of COVID-19 risk needs to be tempered by careful consideration of the real implications; we further urge caution in conveying risk messages to the wider community because of an ethical imperative to ensure such messages do not lead to unnecessary fear and deter individuals, particularly from specific ethnic backgrounds, from seeking needed medical assistance. C_LI