scholarly journals Prefecture-level economic conditions and risk of suicide in Japan: a repeated cross-sectional analysis 1975–2010

2014 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 949-954 ◽  
Author(s):  
Etsuji Suzuki ◽  
Saori Kashima ◽  
Ichiro Kawachi ◽  
S. V. Subramanian

Abstract Background: Geographical inequalities in suicide have risen dramatically across 47 prefectures in Japan since 1995. We sought to examine temporal changes in the associations between prefecture-level economic conditions and completed suicide during the recent 35 years, controlling for individual composition in each prefecture. Methods: Based on quinquennial vital statistics and census data from 1975 to 2010, we analysed the entire population aged 25–64 years. The total number of suicides was 87 553 men and 34 559 women. As indicators of prefecture-level economic conditions, we used average yearly income, average savings and income inequality (measured by Gini coefficients for yearly income). For each sex, we estimated odds ratios and 95% credible intervals for suicide using multilevel logistic regression models, with cells at level 1, years at level 2 and prefectures at level 3. Results: Even after adjusting for individual age, occupation and time trends, low average savings at prefecture level were associated with a higher risk of suicide among men (odds ratio in low vs. high savings: 1.13, 95% credible interval: 1.05–1.21), whereas no clear patterns were observed with other economic indicators. When we further examined the associations in year-specific models by conducting a two-level analysis, both average yearly income and average savings were inversely associated with suicide risk in recent years. No clear association was found between income inequality and suicide risk for either sex. Conclusion: The present findings suggest that low area socioeconomic status may be driving the growing geographical inequalities in suicide in Japan, primarily among men.

ABSTRACT The study analyses the socio-economic status, degree of income inequality and perceived socio-economic conditions of the fish farmers of the four districts of Sikkim. A total sample size of 200 fish farmers was selected from the four districts depending upon the presence of the number of farmers in each district. Purposive random sampling method was used and the results were analysed from descriptive statistics such as frequency count and percentages. The degree of income inequality was analysed through Gini coefficients. The factors that determined the perceived socio-economic living conditions were analysed with a logistic regression model. The socio-economic status of the people was found to be in good condition and there were not many variations among the fish farmers of different districts. Most of the respondents had pucca houses with the combination of firewood and LPG as a source of cooking fuel and also had access to basic amenities like electricity, drinking water and sanitation facilities in the households. The study also found that income inequality was not so severe amongst the fish farmers of the three districts except for the East district which had the strongest income inequality. The per capita income, housing condition and ratio of above primary education to total members had a significant impact on the perceived living conditions of the fish farmers. Keywords


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (OCE2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Allès ◽  
Philippine Fassier ◽  
Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot ◽  
Julia Baudry ◽  
Sandrine Péneau ◽  
...  

AbstractIntroductionDietary supplements (DS) containing nutrients found mainly in animal products might be useful for individuals following specific type of vegetarian diet. However, the nutritional quality of the overall diet has been reported better in vegetarians compared to meat eaters, nuancing this potential interest. Little information is available about DS use according to the different types of vegetarian diets. This cross-sectional study aimed to describe DS use among fish eaters, vegetarians, vegans and meat eaters and to investigate its impact on nutritional inadequacy and its association with sociodemographic characteristics. Potentially at-risk DS use which include DS-drugs contraindicated associations; use of DS pointed out by safety authorities; and excess of tolerable upper intake levels were also described.Material and methods76,925 participants to the NutriNet-Santé cohort who completed a quantitative DS questionnaire and three 24 h dietary records were classified into 4 diet groups: 74,558 meat eaters, 1,126 fish eaters, 793 strict vegetarians and 448 vegans. A composition database including > 8000 DS was used. The prevalence of nutritional inadequacy was determined based on usual dietary intakes corrected by variance reduction, and analyses were weighted according to the French census data. Multivariable logistic regression models were performed to estimate the associations between sociodemographic characteristics and DS use.ResultsThe proportion of DS users (at least one DS during the last 12 months) was 42.4% in meat eaters, 65.7% in fish eaters, 61.7% in strict vegetarians and 76.7% in vegans. As compared to food intake alone, DS use lead to low decrease in nutritional inadequacy (< 5%), except in vegan for whom substantial decrease in inadequacy was observed for zinc (-5%), riboflavin (-11%) and vitamin B12 (-28%). Compared to meat eaters, fish eaters and vegetarians DS users showed highest proportions of DS-drugs contraindicated associations, use of DS pointed out by safety authorities, and subjects exceeding tolerable upper intake. Vegan DS users showed the lowest proportions of DS-drugs contraindicated associations and use of DS pointed out by safety authorities. DS use was associated with higher education in fish eaters, higher education and being non-smoker in vegetarians, and higher income in vegans (all p < 0.001).DiscussionOur results suggest that DS contribute to reducing the risk of inadequate intake for specific animal product-related nutrients mostly in vegans. DS use was associated with different sociodemographic characteristics depending on the vegetarian diet type. Potential benefits or risks associated with DS use in vegetarians should be assessed in further longitudinal studies.


Crisis ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Stogner ◽  
Courtney Patterson

Abstract. Background: Case studies have linked synthetic cannabinoid (SC) use to suicide risk both during and following acute psychoactive effects. No study has explored whether a meaningful relationship exists between SC use and suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts within a generalizable sample. Aims: This work attempted to determine whether SC use is significantly associated with suicidal thoughts, planning, or attempts and whether the association between SC use and suicide may be stronger in certain demographic groups. Method: Cross-sectional self-report data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System were utilized. Logistic regression models were explored within a sample of 29,384 adolescents. Results: A clear connection emerged between SC use and suicidal thoughts and attempts. SC use and suicide risk were strongly related within the lesbian, gay, and bisexual and African Americans populations, even after controlling for depressive symptoms. Limitations: The study was cross-sectional and respondents may have underreported substance use or suicidal thoughts. Conclusion: Whether SC use has an impact on suicidal ideation directly, indirectly, or if it is simply a co-occurring phenomenon, it may serve as a flag of enhanced risk. Physicians must remain cognizant of the SC–suicide risk connection, particularly among African American and/or lesbian, gay, or bisexual patients.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiqing Xia ◽  
Huiting Ma ◽  
Gary Moloney ◽  
Héctor A. Velásquez García ◽  
Monica Sirski ◽  
...  

Background: There is a growing recognition that strategies to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission should be responsive to local transmission dynamics. Studies have revealed inequalities along social determinants of health, but little investigation was conducted surrounding geographic concentration within cities. We quantified social determinants of geographic concentration of COVID-19 cases across sixteen census metropolitan areas (CMA) in four Canadian provinces. Methods: We used surveillance data on confirmed COVID-19 cases at the level of dissemination area. Gini (co-Gini) coefficients were calculated by CMA based on the proportion of the population in ranks of diagnosed cases and each social determinant using census data (income, education, visible minority, recent immigration, suitable housing, and essential workers) and the corresponding share of cases. Heterogeneity was visualized using Lorenz (concentration) curves. Results: Geographic concentration was observed in all CMAs (half of the cumulative cases were concentrated among 21-35% of each city's population): with the greatest geographic heterogeneity in Ontario CMAs (Gini coefficients, 0.32-0.47), followed by British Columbia (0.23-0.36), Manitoba (0.32), and Québec (0.28-0.37). Cases were disproportionately concentrated in areas with lower income, education attainment, and suitable housing; and higher proportion of visible minorities, recent immigrants, and essential workers. Although a consistent feature across CMAs was concentration by proportion visible minorities, the magnitude of concentration by social determinants varied across CMAs. Interpretation: The feature of geographical concentration of COVID-19 cases was consistent across CMAs, but the pattern by social determinants varied. Geographically-prioritized allocation of resources and services should be tailored to the local drivers of inequalities in transmission in response to SARS-CoV-2's resurgence.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 7580
Author(s):  
Sheila Sánchez Castillo ◽  
Lee Smith ◽  
Arturo Díaz Suárez ◽  
Guillermo Felipe López Sánchez

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are important conditions which often coexist. Higher rates of comorbidities among people with asthma-COPD overlap (ACO) may complicate clinical management. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of 30 different comorbidities and to analyze associations between these comorbidities and physical activity (PA) in Spanish people with ACO. Cross-sectional data from the Spanish National Health Survey 2017 were analyzed. A total of 198 Spanish people with ACO aged 15–69 years (60.6% women) were included in this study. PA was measured with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) short form. Diagnosis of chronic conditions were self-reported. Associations between PA and comorbidities were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression models. The most prevalent comorbidities were chronic allergy (58.1%), chronic lumbar pain (42.4%), chronic cervical pain (38.4%), hypertension (33.3%) and arthrosis (31.8%). A PA level lower than 600 MET·min/week was significantly associated with urinary incontinence (OR = 3.499, 95% CI = 1.369–8.944) and osteoporosis (OR = 3.056, 95% CI = 1.094–8.538) in the final adjusted model. Therefore, the potential influence of PA on reducing the risk of these conditions among people with ACO should be considered, not only because of the health benefits, but also because PA can contribute to a more sustainable world.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mi Hong Yim ◽  
Keun Ho Kim ◽  
Bum Ju Lee

AbstractPeptic ulcer disease (PUD) is caused by many sociodemographic and economic risk factors other than H. pylori infection. However, no studies reported an association between PUD and the number of household members. We showed the number of family members affected by PUD based on sex in a Korean population. This cross-sectional study used 1998–2009 data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Multiple binary logistic regression models adjusted for confounders were constructed to analyze the association of PUD with the number of household members. The number of household members was associated with PUD, age, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, hemoglobin, glucose, location (urban/rural), income, education level, stress, current drinking, and smoking in both sexes. Men with other household members had a higher PUD risk compared to men or women living alone (reference), and the opposite was observed for women. Men with 4 household members had a higher PUD risk than men living alone in the model adjusted for age, BMI, income, location, education, and stress (OR = 2.04 [95% CI 1.28–3.27], p value = .003). Women with more than 6 household members had a lower PUD risk than women living alone in the adjusted model (OR = 0.50 [0.33–0.75], p value = .001). Women with more household members had a lower PUD risk. However, more men had PUD than women regardless of the number of household members.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard C Gerkin ◽  
Kathrin Ohla ◽  
Maria G Veldhuizen ◽  
Paule V Joseph ◽  
Christine E Kelly ◽  
...  

Abstract In a preregistered, cross-sectional study we investigated whether olfactory loss is a reliable predictor of COVID-19 using a crowdsourced questionnaire in 23 languages to assess symptoms in individuals self-reporting recent respiratory illness. We quantified changes in chemosensory abilities during the course of the respiratory illness using 0-100 visual analog scales (VAS) for participants reporting a positive (C19+; n=4148) or negative (C19-; n=546) COVID-19 laboratory test outcome. Logistic regression models identified univariate and multivariate predictors of COVID-19 status and post-COVID-19 olfactory recovery. Both C19+ and C19- groups exhibited smell loss, but it was significantly larger in C19+ participants (mean±SD, C19+: -82.5±27.2 points; C19-: -59.8±37.7). Smell loss during illness was the best predictor of COVID-19 in both univariate and multivariate models (ROC AUC=0.72). Additional variables provide negligible model improvement. VAS ratings of smell loss were more predictive than binary chemosensory yes/no-questions or other cardinal symptoms (e.g., fever). Olfactory recovery within 40 days of respiratory symptom onset was reported for ~50% of participants and was best predicted by time since respiratory symptom onset. We find that quantified smell loss is the best predictor of COVID-19 amongst those with symptoms of respiratory illness. To aid clinicians and contact tracers in identifying individuals with a high likelihood of having COVID-19, we propose a novel 0-10 scale to screen for recent olfactory loss, the ODoR-19. We find that numeric ratings ≤2 indicate high odds of symptomatic COVID-19 (4&lt;OR&lt;10). Once independently validated, this tool could be deployed when viral lab tests are impractical or unavailable.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauriane Segaux ◽  
Amaury Broussier ◽  
Nadia Oubaya ◽  
Claire Leissing-Desprez ◽  
Marie Laurent ◽  
...  

AbstractAlthough frailty can arise in middle age, very few studies have investigated frailty before 65 years. Our objectives were to assess the prevalence of frailty parameters in middle-aged individuals and probe the association with future adverse events. We performed cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of community-dwelling individuals aged 50 to 65 (n = 411, median age: 59.0) having undergone a multidomain geriatric assessment (2010–2015) in an outpatient clinic in the greater Paris area of France (SUCCEED cohort). The primary outcome was a composite measure of adverse events (non-accidental falls, fractures, unplanned hospitalizations, death), recorded in 2016/2017. Multivariable logistic regression models were built to identify independent predictors. Six frailty parameters were highly prevalent (> 20%): low activity (40.1%), exhaustion (31.3%), living alone (28.5%), balance impairment (26.8%), weakness (26.7%), and executive dysfunction (23.2%). Female sex (odds ratio: 2.67 [95% confidence interval: 1.17–6.11]), living alone (2.39 [1.32–4.33]), balance impairment (2.09 [1.16–3.78]), executive dysfunction (2.61, [1.18–5.77]), and exhaustion (2.98 [1.65–5.39]) were independent predictors of adverse events. Many frailty parameters are already altered in middle-aged individuals and are predictive of adverse health events. Our findings highlight a possible need for frailty screening and preventive programs targeting middle-aged individuals.


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