Latest APA Survey Reveals Deepening Concerns About Connection Between Chronic Disease and Stress: Psychologists warn of a rising public health dilemma, especially for high-risk groups

2012 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Risk Groups

scholarly journals COVID-19: Rethinking the Lockdown Groupthink

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ari R. Joffe
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Herd Immunity ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Risk Groups ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Care Systems

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) worldwide pandemic in 2020. In response, most countries in the world implemented lockdowns, restricting their population's movements, work, education, gatherings, and general activities in attempt to “flatten the curve” of COVID-19 cases. The public health goal of lockdowns was to save the population from COVID-19 cases and deaths, and to prevent overwhelming health care systems with COVID-19 patients. In this narrative review I explain why I changed my mind about supporting lockdowns. The initial modeling predictions induced fear and crowd-effects (i.e., groupthink). Over time, important information emerged relevant to the modeling, including the lower infection fatality rate (median 0.23%), clarification of high-risk groups (specifically, those 70 years of age and older), lower herd immunity thresholds (likely 20–40% population immunity), and the difficult exit strategies. In addition, information emerged on significant collateral damage due to the response to the pandemic, adversely affecting many millions of people with poverty, food insecurity, loneliness, unemployment, school closures, and interrupted healthcare. Raw numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths were difficult to interpret, and may be tempered by information placing the number of COVID-19 deaths in proper context and perspective relative to background rates. Considering this information, a cost-benefit analysis of the response to COVID-19 finds that lockdowns are far more harmful to public health (at least 5–10 times so in terms of wellbeing years) than COVID-19 can be. Controversies and objections about the main points made are considered and addressed. Progress in the response to COVID-19 depends on considering the trade-offs discussed here that determine the wellbeing of populations. I close with some suggestions for moving forward, including focused protection of those truly at high risk, opening of schools, and building back better with a economy.

Peer Crowd Identification and Adolescent Health Behaviors: Results From a Statewide Representative Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey W. Jordan ◽  
Carolyn A. Stalgaitis ◽  
John Charles ◽  
Patrick A. Madden ◽  
Anjana G. Radhakrishnan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Health Behaviors ◽  
Representative Sample ◽  
Risky Behaviors ◽  
Risk Groups ◽  
Representative Study ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Peer Crowds

Purpose. Peer crowds are macro-level subcultures that share similarities across geographic areas. Over the past decade, dozens of studies have explored the association between adolescent peer crowds and risk behaviors, and how they can inform public health efforts. However, despite the interest, researchers have not yet reported on crowd size and risk levels from a representative sample, making it difficult for practitioners to apply peer crowd science to interventions. The current study reports findings from the first statewide representative sample of adolescent peer crowd identification and health behaviors. Methods. Weighted data were analyzed from the 2015 Virginia Youth Survey of Health Behaviors ( n = 4,367). Peer crowds were measured via the I-Base Survey™, a photo-based peer crowd survey instrument. Frequencies and confidence intervals of select behaviors including tobacco use, substance use, nutrition, physical activity, and violence were examined to identify high- and low-risk crowds. Logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios for each crowd and behavior. Results. Risky behaviors clustered in two peer crowds. Hip Hop crowd identification was associated with substance use, violence, and some depression and suicidal behaviors. Alternative crowd identification was associated with increased risk for some substance use behaviors, depression and suicide, bullying, physical inactivity, and obesity. Mainstream and, to a lesser extent, Popular, identities were associated with decreased risk for most behaviors. Conclusions. Findings from the first representative study of peer crowds and adolescent behavior identify two high-risk groups, providing critical insights for practitioners seeking to maximize public health interventions by targeting high-risk crowds.

scholarly journals A Global Perspective on Psychologists' and Their Organizations' Response to a World Crisis

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. e1713
Author(s):  
Germán Gutiérrez ◽  
Oscar Barbarin ◽  
Martina Klicperová-Baker ◽  
Prakash Padakannaya ◽  
Ava Thompson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
General Public ◽  
Risk Groups ◽  
Global Perspective ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
World Crisis

Around the world, individual psychologists have stepped up to deliver essential services to address the social and emotional sequelae of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many psychological organizations have also responded to this public health crisis, though their efforts may be less widely recognized. Psychological organizations engaged in preventive and mitigation efforts targeted, among others, the general public, local communities, and high-risk groups such as health care providers. They disseminated mental health information to the general public, trained laypersons to provide psychological first aid, and used research to design and evaluate public health responses to the pandemic. In some countries, psychological organizations contributed to the design and implementation of public health policies and practices. The nature of these involvements changed throughout the pandemic and evolved from reactive to proactive, from local to international. Several qualities appear key to the value, impact, and success of these efforts. These include organizational agility and adaptability, the ability to overcome their political inertia and manage conflict, recognizing the need to address cultural differences, and allocating limited resources to high-risk and resource-depleted constituencies where it was needed most.

scholarly journals Role of community-based active case finding in screening tuberculosis in Yunnan province of China

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin-Ou Chen ◽  
Yu-Bing Qiu ◽  
Zulma Vanessa Rueda ◽  
Jing-Long Hou ◽  
Kun-Yun Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
High Risk ◽  
General Population ◽  
Yunnan Province ◽  
Risk Groups ◽  
Case Finding ◽  
Active Case Finding ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Active Case ◽  
Incidence Proportion

Abstract Background The barriers to access diagnosis and receive treatment, in addition to insufficient case identification and reporting, lead to tuberculosis (TB) spreads in communities, especially among hard-to-reach populations. This study evaluated a community-based active case finding (ACF) strategy for the detection of tuberculosis cases among high-risk groups and general population in China between 2013 and 2015. Methods This retrospective cohort study conducted an ACF in ten communities of Dongchuan County, located in northeast Yunnan Province between 2013 and 2015; and compared to 136 communities that had passive case finding (PCF). The algorithm for ACF was: 1) screen for TB symptoms among community enrolled residents by home visits, 2) those with positive symptoms along with defined high-risk groups underwent chest X-ray (CXR), followed by sputum microscopy confirmation. TB incidence proportion and the number needed to screen (NNS) to detect one case were calculated to evaluate the ACF strategy compared to PCF, chi-square test was applied to compare the incidence proportion of TB cases’ demography and the characteristics for detected cases under different strategies. Thereafter, the incidence rate ratio (IRR) and multiple Fisher’s exact test were applied to compare the incidence proportion between general population and high-risk groups. Patient and diagnostic delays for ACF and PCF were compared by Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results A total of 97 521 enrolled residents were visited with the ACF cumulatively, 12.3% were defined as high-risk groups or had TB symptoms. Sixty-six new TB patients were detected by ACF. There was no significant difference between the cumulative TB incidence proportion for ACF (67.7/100000 population) and the prevalence for PCF (62.6/100000 population) during 2013 to 2015, though the incidence proportion in ACF communities decreased after three rounds active screening, concurrent with the remained stable prevalence in PCF communities. The cumulative NNS were 34, 39 and 29 in HIV/AIDS infected individuals, people with positive TB symptoms and history of previous TB, respectively, compared to 1478 in the general population. The median patient delay under ACF was 1 day (Interquartile range, IQR: 0–27) compared to PCF with 30 days (IQR: 14–61). Conclusions This study confirmed that massive ACF was not effective in general population in a moderate TB prevalence setting. The priority should be the definition and targeting of high-risk groups in the community before the screening process is launched. The shorter time interval of ACF between TB symptoms onset and linkage to healthcare service may decrease the risk of TB community transmission. Furthermore, integrated ACF strategy in the National Project of Basic Public Health Service may have long term public health impact.

scholarly journals Human rabies in Lebanon: lessons for control

2000 ◽  
Vol 125 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. R. BIZRI ◽  
A. AZAR ◽  
N. SALAM ◽  
J. MOKHBAT
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Risk Groups ◽  
Human Rabies ◽  
Post Exposure Prophylaxis ◽  
American University ◽  
American University Of Beirut ◽  
Exposure Prophylaxis

Human rabies is known to be endemic in countries bordering Lebanon, but its prevalence in Lebanon has not been studied before. All eight cases of human rabies reported to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health between 1991 and 1999 were reviewed, as well as three other cases admitted to the American University of Beirut Medical Center. A total of 1102 cases of animal bites to humans, the majority of which were dog bites, were reported to the Ministry of Public Health between 1991 and 1996. In this period, 2487 doses of rabies vaccine were administered to the above group, as post-exposure prophylaxis. Veterinarians, a high risk and educated group, were interviewed, and only 7 out of 72 were found to have been vaccinated. Major improvements in surveillance and reporting, better control of animal rabies, more awareness especially among high risk groups, and regional cooperation, are all needed to prevent and control this deadly infection.

scholarly journals Developing a national research agenda to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and increase safe water access and consumption among 0- to 5-year-olds: a mixed methods approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily W Duffy ◽  
Megan M Lott ◽  
Emily J Johnson ◽  
Mary T Story
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Risk Groups ◽  
Consumption Patterns ◽  
Water Access ◽  
Beverage Consumption ◽  
Key Informant

AbstractObjective:Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption in early childhood is a public health concern. Adequate hydration in early childhood is also important. We developed a national research agenda to improve beverage consumption patterns among 0–5-year-olds. This article focuses on the process used to develop this research agenda.Design:A mixed methods, multi-step process was used to develop the research agenda, including: (i) a scientific advisory committee; (ii) systematic reviews on strategies to reduce SSB consumption and increase water access and consumption; (iii) two stakeholder surveys to first identify and then rank strategies to reduce SSB consumption and increase water access and consumption; (iv) key informant interviews to better understand determinants of beverage consumption and strategies to improve beverage consumption patterns among high-risk groups; (v) an in-person convening with experts; and (vi) developing the final research agenda.Setting:This process included research and stakeholders from across the United States.Participants:A total of 276 participants completed survey 1 and 182 participants completed survey 2. Key informant interviews were conducted with 12 stakeholders. Thirty experts attended the convening, representing academia, government, and non-profit sectors.Results:Thirteen key issue areas and 59 research questions were developed. Priority topics were beverage consumption recommendations, fruit-flavoured drink consumption, interventions tailored to high-risk groups, and family engagement in childcare.Conclusions:This research agenda lays the groundwork for research efforts to improve beverage patterns of young children. The methods used can be a template to develop research agendas for other public health issues.

scholarly journals Seventy Years of Tuberculosis Prevention: Efficacy, Effectiveness, Toxicity, Durability, and Duration

2019 ◽  
Vol 188 (12) ◽  
pp. 2078-2085 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Salazar-Austin ◽  
David W Dowdy ◽  
Richard E Chaisson ◽  
Jonathan E Golub
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Risk Groups ◽  
Preventive Therapy ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Human History ◽  
Household Contacts ◽  
Tuberculosis Prevention ◽  
School Of Public Health ◽  
Living With Hiv

Abstract Tuberculosis (TB) has been a leading infectious cause of death worldwide for much of human history, with 1.6 million deaths estimated in 2017. The Department of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has played an important role in understanding and responding to TB, and it has made particularly substantial contributions to prevention of TB with chemoprophylaxis. TB preventive therapy is highly efficacious in the prevention of TB disease, yet it remains underutilized by TB programs worldwide despite strong evidence to support its use in high-risk groups, such as people living with HIV and household contacts, including those under 5 years of age. We review the evidence for TB preventive therapy and discuss the future of TB prevention.

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