Addressing loneliness and social isolation in 52 countries: a scoping review of National policies.

BACKGROUND: Even prior to the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was ample evidence that loneliness and social isolation negatively impacted physical and mental health, employability, and are a financial burden on the state. In response, there has been significant policy-level attention on tackling loneliness. The objective of this scoping review was to conduct a loneliness policy landscape analysis across 52 countries of the UN European country groups. Our policy analysis sought to highlight commonalities and differences between the different national approaches to manage loneliness, with the goal to provide actionable recommendations for the consideration of policymakers wishing to develop, expand or review existing loneliness policies. METHODS: We searched governmental websites using the Google search engine for publicly available documents related to loneliness and social isolation. Seventy-eight documents were identified in total, from which 23 documents were retained. Exclusion of documents was based on predetermined criteria. A structured content analysis approach was used to capture key information from the policy documents. Contextual data were captured in a configuration matrix to highlight common and unique themes. RESULTS: We could show that most policies describe loneliness as a phenomenon that was addressed to varying degrees in different domains such as social, health, geographical, economic and political. Limited evidence was found regarding funding for suggested interventions. We synthesised actionable recommendations for the consideration of policy makers focusing on the use of language, prioritisation of interventions, revisiting previous campaigns, sharing best practice across borders, setting out a vision, evaluating interventions, and the need for the rapid and sustainable scalability of interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides the first overview of the national loneliness policy landscape, highlighting the increasing prioritisation of loneliness and social isolation as a major public health and societal issue. Our findings suggest that policymakers can sustain this momentum and strengthen their strategies by incorporating rigorous, evidence-based intervention evaluations and fostering international collaborations for knowledge sharing. We believe that policymakers can more effectively address loneliness by directing funds to develop and implement interventions that impact the individual, the community and society.

Equity in oncology care: addressing disparities in cancer treatment in Georgia.

This research delves into the disparities in access to oncology care among cancer patients in Georgia, with a specific focus on the distinct challenges faced by African American (AA) individuals compared to non-African American (Non-AA) counterparts. Leveraging data from the 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey and supplementary online resources, the study meticulously examines socioeconomic factors, including income, education, and insurance coverage, which significantly influence the quality of cancer care received. The analysis reveals substantial income gaps between AA and Non-AA patients, underscoring the critical implications for healthcare access. Moreover, AA patients exhibit lower rates of full insurance coverage for cancer-related treatments, posing additional barriers to comprehensive care. By investigating the intersections of race, income, and education, the research aims to pinpoint the root causes of these disparities and proposes evidence-based solutions to address the identified challenges. The ultimate objective is to contribute valuable insights that inform targeted policy recommendations and community-based interventions, fostering a more equitable landscape for oncology care in Georgia. This study seeks to amplify awareness and advocate for tangible measures, striving toward healthcare equity for all cancer patients, irrespective of their racial or socioeconomic backgrounds.

An international comparative study of rare earth research from the perspective of bibliometrics.

Rare earth refers to a type of strategic resource. Countries worldwide have invested considerable money in relevant research. This bibliometric study was to evaluate the global situation of published rare earth research to discover rare earth research strategies in a wide range of countries. In this study, 50,149 SCI papers related to rare earth were collected. In addition, we divided the above papers into 11 main research fields according to discipline and keyword clustering, and divided the above theoretical cultures into different industry fields according to the keywords of the above papers. After that, the research directions, research institutions, funding, and other aspects of rare earth research in numerous countries were compared. The result of this study suggests that China's rare earth research has been generally in the leading position worldwide, whereas there are still some problems in the discipline layout, strategic strategies, green development, and fund support. Other countries place a greater focus on areas regarding national security strategies (e.g., mineral exploration, smelting, and permanent magnetism).

The Association Between Social Determinants of Health and Population Health Outcomes: Ecological Analysis.

BACKGROUND: With the increased availability of data, a growing number of studies have been conducted to address the impact of social determinants of health (SDOH) factors on population health outcomes. However, such an impact is either examined at the county level or the state level in the United States. The results of analysis at lower administrative levels would be useful for local policy makers to make informed health policy decisions. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the ecological association between SDOH factors and population health outcomes at the census tract level and the city level. The findings of this study can be applied to support local policy makers in efforts to improve population health, enhance the quality of care, and reduce health inequity. METHODS: This ecological analysis was conducted based on 29,126 census tracts in 499 cities across all 50 states in the United States. These cities were grouped into 5 categories based on their population density and political affiliation. Feature selection was applied to reduce the number of SDOH variables from 148 to 9. A linear mixed-effects model was then applied to account for the fixed effect and random effects of SDOH variables at both the census tract level and the city level. RESULTS: The finding reveals that all 9 selected SDOH variables had a statistically significant impact on population health outcomes for ≥2 city groups classified by population density and political affiliation; however, the magnitude of the impact varied among the different groups. The results also show that 4 SDOH risk factors, namely, asthma, kidney disease, smoking, and food stamps, significantly affect population health outcomes in all groups (P<.01 or P<.001). The group differences in health outcomes for the 4 factors were further assessed using a predictive margin analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis reveals that population density and political affiliation are effective delineations for separating how the SDOH affects health outcomes. In addition, different SDOH risk factors have varied effects on health outcomes among different city groups but similar effects within city groups. Our study has 2 policy implications. First, cities in different groups should prioritize different resources for SDOH risk mitigation to maximize health outcomes. Second, cities in the same group can share knowledge and enable more effective SDOH-enabled policy transfers for population health.

Recommendations for maternal mental health policy in India.

Mental illnesses are a serious concern in India where every seventh person suffers from mental health problems-with women more affected than men. While the burden of perinatal mental illnesses grows, India lacks exclusive policies to address it. The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on routine antenatal care and institutional deliveries and has also affected the mental health of pregnant women and mothers. We evaluated existing policies. Policy options were evaluated against criteria like cost-benefit analysis, administrative feasibility, human resources, and equity along with the intended and unintended consequences. We propose three policy options: (1) strengthening and focused implementation of the existing national mental health program (NMHP), (2) integrating mental health in the ongoing Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Program, and (3) including a 'maternal' component in NMHP. We offered policy recommendations to fill the gap in addressing the maternal mental health challenge in India.

Assessing the GHG mitigation effect of the National VI Emissions Standard for light duty vehicles in China.

Assessing the mitigation effect on greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction of the National VI Emissions Standard bears great significance in enhanced actions on climate change in China. This research established a reference scenario and National VI scenario to evaluate whether the National VI Emissions Standard could make a contribution to synergistic emission reduction. Here are the main conclusions: carbon dioxide (CO2) was the majority GHG emissions type, accounting for around 99% of GHG emissions between 2019 and 2025 for these two scenarios; implementing the National VI Emissions Standard will not mitigate total GHG emissions from 2019 to 2025, but the National VI Emissions Standard could help mitigate methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), not CO2 if considering the mitigation effect from the perspective of GHG type. Based on the results and discussion, this research suggests to consider the economic and technical feasibility of incorporating carbon emissions limits into the National VII Emissions Standard while continuing the evaluation of the National VI Emissions Standard.

COVID-19 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Scenario analysis through fuzzy cognitive map modeling.

The COVID-19 crisis has immensely impacted the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development worldwide. This research aims at providing a policy response to support achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) taking the COVID-19 long-term implications into account. To do so, a qualitative analytical method was employed in the following four steps. First, a fuzzy cognitive map was developed to specify causal-effect links of the interdependent SDGs in Iran as a developing country in the Middle East. Second, potential effects of the pandemic on the SDGs achievement were analyzed. Third, five strategies were formulated, including green management, sustainable food systems, energizing the labor market, inclusive education, and supporting research and technology initiatives in the energy sector. And finally, different scenarios corresponding to the five proposed strategies were tested based on the identified interconnections among the SDGs. The analysis showed that applying each of the five considered strategies or their combination would mitigate the effect of COVID-19 on the SDGs only in case of a medium pandemic activation level. Moreover, implementing a single strategy with a high activation level leads to better outcomes on the SDGs rather than applying a combination of strategies in low or medium activation levels during the pandemic situation. The provided insights support stakeholders and policy-makers involved in the post-COVID-19 recovery action plan towards implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Perennial biomass cropping and use: Shaping the policy ecosystem in European countries.

Demand for sustainably produced biomass is expected to increase with the need to provide renewable commodities, improve resource security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with COP26 commitments. Studies have demonstrated additional environmental benefits of using perennial biomass crops (PBCs), when produced appropriately, as a feedstock for the growing bioeconomy, including utilisation for bioenergy (with or without carbon capture and storage). PBCs can potentially contribute to Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) (2023-27) objectives provided they are carefully integrated into farming systems and landscapes. Despite significant research and development (R&D) investment over decades in herbaceous and coppiced woody PBCs, deployment has largely stagnated due to social, economic and policy uncertainties. This paper identifies the challenges in creating policies that are acceptable to all actors. Development will need to be informed by measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of greenhouse gas emissions reductions and other environmental, economic and social metrics. It discusses interlinked issues that must be considered in the expansion of PBC production: (i) available land; (ii) yield potential; (iii) integration into farming systems; (iv) R&D requirements; (v) utilisation options; and (vi) market systems and the socio-economic environment. It makes policy recommendations that would enable greater PBC deployment: (1) incentivise farmers and land managers through specific policy measures, including carbon pricing, to allocate their less productive and less profitable land for uses which deliver demonstrable greenhouse gas reductions; (2) enable greenhouse gas mitigation markets to develop and offer secure contracts for commercial developers of verifiable low-carbon bioenergy and bioproducts; (3) support innovation in biomass utilisation value chains; and (4) continue long-term, strategic R&D and education for positive environmental, economic and social sustainability impacts.

Exploration of Food Security Challenges towards More Sustainable Food Production: A Systematic Literature Review of the Major Drivers and Policies.

Food security is a central priority for international policy as one of the world's most significantly urgent targets to achieve. It is considered one of the most pressing issues in many countries, the degree of food security representing the level of self-sufficiency and well-being of citizens. In particular, in the current COVID-19 pandemic era, it has more than ever become a mission-critical goal. In this research, we report on the food security drivers and the current state of recommended policies addressing chronic food insecurity aimed at ensuring the sustainability of future food production. Mapping the determinants of food security contributes to a better understanding of the issue and aids in the development of appropriate food security policies and strategies to enhance the sustainability of food production in all facets; namely environmental, social, and economic. Adopting the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) data screening and selection guidelines and standards, we carried out a comprehensive, reliable, systematic, and rigorous review of research from the last ten years in order to identify the most frequently mentioned drivers and policies of food security in the literature available in two databases: Scopus and Web of Science (WOS). The number of extracted articles was 141 papers in total. An analysis revealed 34 drivers of food security and 17 most recommended policies for the mitigation of food insecurity. The existence of food loss and waste (FLW) policies was the primary driver of food security, followed by food security policies (FSP) in their different forms. However, FSP were the most recommended policies, followed by FLW policies. The identified food security drivers and recommended policies should be used by policy-makers to improve food security, thus contributing to sustainable food production. Our research findings, reflected in the latest version of the Global Food Security Index (GFSI), resulted in more tangible policy implications, suggesting the addition of two dimensions regarding food security. We also identified elements not listed under the GFSI that could be considered in its future revision, including environmental policies/indicators, consumer representation, and traceability throughout the entire supply chain. Overall, it can be concluded that food security is a complicated and multi-faceted issue that cannot be restricted to a single variable, necessitating the deeper integration of various multi-disciplinary interventions.

Music students' workload, stress, and coping in higher education: Evidence-based policymaking.

Evidence-based policies are needed to support students as they cope with their experiences of workload and stress in higher music education. This subject was explored in the Music Student Workload Project as a collaboration between Finland and the United Kingdom in seven studies: (1) a theoretical study scrutinizing diverse higher music education systems in connection with equality and cultural reproduction; (2) a systematic review mapping international research on music students' workload; (3) a methodological study discussing the transcendental phenomenological approach as a method for obtaining a meaningful understanding of music students' experiences in higher education; (4) a qualitative study exploring music students' workload experiences in connection with their meaningful engagement in music; (5) a mixed-method study shedding light on music students' proactive coping styles in connection with workload and stress; (6) a mixed-method study examining music students' experienced workload, stress, and livelihoods; and (7) a qualitative study exploring teachers' ways of supporting music students' workload and stress. The meta-narrative synthesis was conducted by triangulating the key elements of these studies to generate four actionable policy and intervention recommendations to inform educational policies and practices for supporting students in coping with workload and stress in higher music education: (1) support music students' proactive coping skills; (2) find solutions to the unequal workload and stress experiences between low-income and well-off students, different genders, and different study programs; (3) ensure teachers' continuing professional development, particularly in the learner-centered pedagogical approaches; and (4) invest resources for providing more longitudinal, cross-cultural, and interventional research investigating music students' discipline-specific experiences of workload and stress.

Generating Evidence from Expanded Access Use of Rare Disease Medicines: Challenges and Recommendations.

Patients with rare diseases often have limited or no options for approved treatments or participation in clinical trials. In such cases, expanded access (or "compassionate use") provides a potential means of accessing unapproved investigational medicines. It is also possible to capture and analyze clinical data from such use, but doing so is controversial. In this perspective, we offer examples of evidence derived from expanded access programs for rare diseases to illustrate its potential value to the decision-making of regulators and payers in the European Union and the United States. We discuss ethical and regulatory aspects to the use of expanded access data, with a focus on rare disease medicines. The heterogeneous approach to expanded access among countries within the European Union leaves uncertainties to what extent data can be collected and analyzed. We recommend the issuance of new guidance on data collection during expanded access, harmonization of European pathways, and an update of existing European compassionate use guidance. We hereby aim to clarify the supportive role of expanded access in evidence generation. Harmonization across Europe of expanded access regulations could reduce manufacturer burdens, improve patient access, and yield better data. These changes would better balance the need to generate quality evidence with the desire for pre-approval access to investigational medicine.

An Overview of Malaria Transmission Mechanisms, Control, and Modeling.

In sub-Saharan Africa, malaria is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity. As a result of the interplay between many factors, the control of this disease can be challenging. However, few studies have demonstrated malaria's complexity, control, and modeling although this perspective could lead to effective policy recommendations. This paper aims to be a didactic material providing the reader with an overview of malaria. More importantly, using a system approach lens, we intend to highlight the debated topics and the multifaceted thematic aspects of malaria transmission mechanisms, while showing the control approaches used as well as the model supporting the dynamics of malaria. As there is a large amount of information on each subject, we have attempted to provide a basic understanding of malaria that needs to be further developed. Nevertheless, this study illustrates the importance of using a multidisciplinary approach to designing next-generation malaria control policies.

[Status quo of global bioindustry and its policy implications].

The advent of the bioeconomy era is triggers a new wave of technology and industrial revolution. Bioeconomy has become the commanding heights that major developed countries and emerging economies try to seize. This paper analyzes the spatiotemporal characteristics of global bioindustry development from four perspectives: biomedical industry, genetically modified crop planting industry, bioenergy industry, and bio-based chemical industry. Then it summarizes the main characteristics of the development of the global bioindustry, and further put forward policy recommendations for the bottleneck problems in the development of China's bioindustry, which can guide the future development of China's bioeconomy.

Transport policymaking that accounts for COVID-19 and future public health threats: A PASS approach.

The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has had wide-reaching and unprecedented impacts on the transport sector worldwide. At present, there is no globally agreed timeframe for when this pandemic will end. The current and near-future potential impacts must be addressed in a relatively comprehensive and seamless way. The present study proposed a PASS (P: Prepare-Protect-Provide; A: Avoid-Adjust; S: Shift-Share; S: Substitute-Stop) approach for policymaking that accounts for COVID-19 and future public health threats. The PASS approach was illustrated conceptually, and then policy measures were recommended by referring to the past and ongoing best practices. Policymaking challenges and research issues were discussed.

Workshop Report: Governance of Emerging Nanotechnology Risks in the Semiconductor Industry.

Assessment of risk in the field of nanotechnology requires an integrated multidisciplinary approach due to the complex and cross-disciplinary framework for materials and activities at the nanoscale. The present paper summarizes the workshop "Governance of emerging nano-risk in the semiconductor industry" held on April 26, 2018 in Brussels, Belgium. The event targeted representatives of stakeholder communities involved in the risk assessment and governance of the engineered nanomaterials. Nanoelectronics was selected as an impactful use case for risk assessment approaches and comparison to bottom-up nanofabrication. The workshop outlined key data gaps impeding successful assessment of risks associated with nanoparticle use in the industry, using the semiconductor industry as an example. The workshop outlined mitigation strategies informing future regulatory decisions and identified some directions for future efforts.

[Policy recommendation for the regulation of heated tobacco products based on evidence review of their health effects and influence on tobacco control].

Objective This report aimed to present policy recommendations on the regulation of heated tobacco products based on a review of the literature on the use of heated tobacco products, component analysis of harmful chemical substances, and product characteristics as nicotine delivery device, and on an examination of the influence of the product's increasing usage to the main measures of tobacco control.Methods The literature search was performed using Japan Centra Revuo Medicina and PubMED database. The search yielded 11 articles that examined the use of heated tobacco products, component analysis of harmful chemical substances, and product characteristics as nicotine delivery device. Eight articles were additionally collected from reports of public health research in Japan and public reports in foreign countries. The six main policies advocated by World Health Organization as MPOWER (Monitor, Protect, Offer, Warn, Enforce, Raise) were adopted in considering the expected influence of this product's increasing usage this product epidemic on tobacco control. In addition to the abovementioned 19 articles, 26 documents and materials related to the status of tobacco control were collected and used to examine the influence of the product's increasing usage to the main measures of tobacco control.Results In Japan, heated tobacco products have been available since December 2013, and the spread of use has risen remarkably since 2016. As of October 2016, Japan consumed more than 90% of the heated tobacco products sold internationally. Compared with cigarettes, heated tobacco products can reduce exposure to harmful substances except nicotine. However, their use does not lead to reduced risk of illness. The reduction of exposure to harmful substances cannot be expected when used in combination with cigarettes. Heated tobacco products and cigarettes have similar nicotine exposure levels and pharmacokinetics; thus, use of the former results in nicotine dependence and exacerbates the difficulty in discontinuing tobacco consumption. The popularity of heated tobacco products could adversely affect any of the six main measures of tobacco control.Conclusion Although public health concerns have been identified for the popularity of heated tobacco products, evidence remains insubstantial for the formulation of regulatory implications. Additional research is needed on the health effects to users and bystanders, effects on cigarettes use, and influence on tobacco control policy. From the perspective of the precautionary principle of public health, the same regulation as for cigarettes should be implemented as regards heated tobacco products until their health effects are fully elucidated.

Status quo of global bioindustry and its policy implications / 生物工程学报

The advent of the bioeconomy era is triggers a new wave of technology and industrial revolution. Bioeconomy has become the commanding heights that major developed countries and emerging economies try to seize. This paper analyzes the spatiotemporal characteristics of global bioindustry development from four perspectives: biomedical industry, genetically modified crop planting industry, bioenergy industry, and bio-based chemical industry. Then it summarizes the main characteristics of the development of the global bioindustry, and further put forward policy recommendations for the bottleneck problems in the development of China's bioindustry, which can guide the future development of China's bioeconomy.

Stocking Analysis on TCM Human Resources under Characteristic Medical Reform in Gansu Province / 中国中医药信息杂志

Human resources are the key to TCM development. This article explored the effective channels to construct the system by deeply studying and identifying problem of the quantity, quality, configuration, development and training of TCM human resources under the characteristic medical reform of Gansu Province to provide references for better research and plan of TCM human resources for relevant department, further to realize the sustabile development of TCM characteristic medical reform in Gansu Province.

Discussion on the Necessity and Feasibility of Setting Up the Qualification of Licensed Assistant Pharma-cists / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE:To provide reference for improving licensed pharmacist qualification system and the legislation of Li-censed Pharmacist Law in China. METHODS:The implementation of licensed pharmacist system in China was introduced;based on the experience of licensed assistant physician system in China and pharmacy technician qualification system in USA,the necessi-ty and feasibility of setting up licensed assistant pharmacist were interpreted. RESULTS&CONCLUSIONS:At present,it is neces-sary to draw lessons from licensed assistant physician system in China and pharmacy technician qualification system in USA and set up licensed assistant pharmacist because of the shortage of licensed pharmacist,low threshold of qualification admittance,non-stan-dard licensed qualification of primary(assistant)pharmacy technician,absence of Licensed Pharmacist Law. It is recommended to promote the legislation of Licensed Pharmacist Law through clearing the definition and responsibility of licensed assistant pharma-cist,confirming examination scope and the threshold of qualification admittance,etc.

The Status of Hospice Care Policy in Our Country / 中国医学伦理学

This paper discussed the development of hospice care in our country form five respects , detailed e-laborated our country the main manifestations of lacking hospice medical service policy : relevant policies render fragments;relevant policy interoperability is not strong;Relevant policy lack of financial support;the lack of pub-licity related policy .On this basis , put forward the hospice career development needs of related policies , inclu-ding:set up complete medical security system;establish perfect hospice service classification management mecha-nism;establish and perfect the government funds allocated for hospice care medical services .