Smoking and COVID-19: A Literature Review of Cohort Studies in Non-Chinese Population Settings

Background: Smoking history and its potential association with COVID-19 has attracted many researchers and the lay public alike. However, the studies published to date have several methodological limitations and are mainly from China. We set out to synthesize evidence on smoking and COVID-19 relationship drawn on cohort studies only which are published in non-Chinese population settings. Method: A systematic literature search was undertaken drawn on predefined eligibility criteria and a comprehensive search strategy following the PRISMA guideline between January 2020 and August 2020, excluding preprints and gray literature. Three specific outcomes were examined: smoking history, SARS-CoV2 infection, and COVID-19 severity. Results: Of an eligible 40 full-text studies, 7 cohort studies outside of China were finally included in this literature review through independent reviewing. Four studies were from the UK, 2 from the United States, and 1 from Turkey. The sample size ranged from 200 to more than 5000 participants. The findings broadly point to 1 direction, a higher smoking prevalence and an increased risk of smoking history on both SARS-CoV2 infection and on COVID-19 severity. Conclusion: A smoking history (either current or past) seems to negatively impact both SARS-CoV2 infection and COVID-19 severity. However, such an observation strengthens the argument to continue smoking cessation efforts both for individuals and for the general population health and well-being.

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Asian American Older Adults and Social Isolation: A Systematic Literature Review

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1051 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 328-328

Author(s):

Simona Kwon ◽

Deborah Min ◽

Stella Chong

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Older Adults ◽

Literature Review ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Asian Americans ◽

Systematic Literature Review ◽

Asian American ◽

Minority Group ◽

The United States ◽

Eligibility Criteria

Abstract Asian Americans are the fastest growing racial and ethnic minority group in the United States, whose population is aging considerably. Previous studies indicate that social isolation and loneliness disproportionately affects older adults and predicts greater physical, mental, and cognitive decline. A systematic literature review using PRISMA guidelines was conducted to address this emerging need to understand the scope of research focused on social isolation and loneliness among the disparity population of older Asian Americans. Four interdisciplinary databases were searched: PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and AgeLine; search terms included variations on social isolation, loneliness, Asian Americans, and older adults. Articles were reviewed based on six eligibility criteria: (1) research topic relevance, (2) study participants aged >60 years, (3) Asian immigrants as main participants, (4) conducted in the United States, (5) published between 1995-2019, and (6) printed in the English language. The search yielded 799 articles across the four databases and 61 duplicate articles were removed. Abstracts were screened for the 738 remaining studies, 107 of which underwent full-text review. A total of 56 articles met the eligibility criteria. Synthesis of our review indicates that existing research focuses heavily on Chinese and Korean American immigrant communities, despite the heterogeneity of the diverse Asian American population. Studies were largely observational and employed community-based sampling. Critical literature gaps exist surrounding social isolation and loneliness in Asian American older adults, including the lack of studies on South Asian populations. Future studies should prioritize health promotion intervention research and focus on diverse understudied Asian subgroups.

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Kinship Care and Child Protection in High-Income Countries: A Scoping Review

Trauma Violence & Abuse ◽

10.1177/15248380211036073 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 152483802110360

Author(s):

Nutmeg Hallett ◽

Joanna Garstang ◽

Julie Taylor

Keyword(s):

Home Care ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Child Protection ◽

Kinship Care ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

High Income ◽

Out Of Home Care ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Abuse And Neglect

Kinship care is a global phenomenon with a long history, which in high-income countries (HICs) at least, is being increasingly formalized through legislation and policy. There are many benefits to kinship care, including improved child mental health and well-being when compared to other types of out-of-home care. Despite this, kinship care is not without its risks with a lack of support and training for kinship carers putting children at an increased risk of abuse and neglect. This scoping review was conducted across 11 databases to explore the breadth and depth of the literature about abuse and neglect within kinship care in HICs and to provide initial indications about the relationship between kinship care and abuse. Of the 2,308 studies initially identified, 26 met the inclusion criteria. A majority of studies were from the United States, and most used case review methods. From the included studies, rates of re-abuse, and particularly rates of physical and sexual abuse, appear to be lower in kinship care settings when compared to other out-of-home care settings, but rates of neglect are often higher. This review has demonstrated that a small but significant number of children living in kinship care experience neglect or abuse.

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Reflex syncope in the UK Armed Forces

BMJ Military Health ◽

10.1136/bmjmilitary-2021-001945 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. bmjmilitary-2021-001945

Author(s):

Iain Parsons ◽

J Ellwood ◽

M J Stacey ◽

N Gall ◽

M Grundy-Bowers ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Information ◽

Armed Forces ◽

Well Being ◽

British Army ◽

Royal Air Force ◽

Reflex Syncope ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Case Rate ◽

The Uk ◽

The Military

IntroductionReflex syncope is the most common subtype of syncope and, despite not being associated with increased mortality, often results in significant morbidity and costly diagnostics. Reflex syncope can be of concern for certain occupational groups and may be exacerbated by some occupations. Reflex syncope in the military is anecdotally common but the extent in the UK Armed Forces (UKAF) is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence and prevalence of reflex syncope in the UKAF.MethodsA retrospective search of the Defence Medical Information Capability Programme using prespecified read-codes was performed at defence primary healthcare centres over the period of 1 January 2019 to 1 January 2020. Data were obtained on 76 103 service personnel (SP) (53% of the UKAF).ResultsThe overall syncope case rate for the UKAF was 10.5 per 1000 person-years (p-yrs). In comparing services there was a significantly increased risk of syncope in the British Army (10.7 per 1000 p-yrs) compared with the Royal Air Force (8.6 per 1000 p-yrs) (p=0.0365), SP who served overseas (16.7 per 1000 p-yrs) in comparison with UK medical centres (10.3 per 1000 p-yrs) (p<0.0001), and British Army units that regularly took part in State Ceremonial and Public Duties (15.8 per 1000 p-yrs vs 10.2 per 1000 p-yrs) (p=0.0035). Army training units conferred a significantly reduced risk of syncope (p<0.0001).ConclusionsThese data are the first to define the incidence and prevalence of syncope in the UKAF. Orthostasis and heat are probable triggers, although recruits are potentially protected. These data offer opportunities to improve the health and well-being of SP, with economic, logistical and reputational benefits for the UKAF. Further research to identify personnel at risk of future syncopal events may allow for targeted use of countermeasures.

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Trends in Childhood Obesity Research: A Brief Analysis of NIH-Supported Efforts

The Journal of Law Medicine & Ethics ◽

10.1111/j.1748-720x.2007.00119.x ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 148-153 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Terry T-K Huang ◽

Mary N. Horlick

Keyword(s):

Childhood Obesity ◽

Behavioral Change ◽

Population Level ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Obesity Epidemic ◽

Obesity Research ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Economic Well Being

Childhood obesity continues to rise in the United States, with now over 17% of children and adolescents considered overweight. Childhood obesity predisposes an entire generation to increased risk of chronic diseases and disabilities and is a severe threat to the economic well-being of the nation. At first thought, the solution to the obesity epidemic may seem simple: encourage people to eat less and exercise more. However, the reality is that behavioral change is difficult to achieve without also considering the interplay of genetics, biological processes, and social and environmental mechanisms. As such, investment in obesity research has been considered an important tool to combat obesity and obesity-related diseases. Childhood obesity research, in particular, has drawn considerable attention, given the lower cost of prevention relative to treatment and the high potential for long-term benefits at a population level.

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Food Insecurity and Anthropometry in Adolescents: A Literature Review

Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences ◽

10.3889/oamjms.2020.4998 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (F) ◽

pp. 234-240

Author(s):

Nikmah Utami Dewi ◽

Nurulfuadi Nurulfuadi ◽

Ummu Aiman ◽

Diah Ayu Hartini ◽

Fendi Pradana ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Literature Review ◽

Nutritional Status ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Cohort Studies ◽

Pubmed Central ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Height For Age ◽

Weight For Age ◽

Actual Relationship

BACKGROUND: The increased risk of malnutrition is affected by food insecurity. Studies in adolescents still show mixed results. AIM: This article aimed to evaluate the association between food insecurity and anthropometry measurements in studies involving adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The databases used to obtain the literature were PubMed, ScienceDirect, MEDLINE, and PubMed Central. The keywords used were food security, food insecurity, hunger, malnutrition, obesity, adolescence, adolescents, teenagers, teens, and youth in studies published from 2010 to 2019. A total of 12 articles were used in this review. RESULTS: The association between food insecurity and the incidence of malnutrition in adolescents in various regions is still diverse. Food insecurity had a negative correlation with BMI-for-age in three studies (33.3%), but one study (11.1%) showed the opposite result. Food insecurity was positively related to low height-for-age (stunting) in 50% of studies, while five other studies (55.6%) showed that food insecurity was not related to BMI-for-age or weight-for-age. Three studies (50%) showed that there was no association between food insecurity and height-for-age. CONCLUSION: Longitudinal studies, such as Cohort studies, need to be conducted to ensure the actual relationship between food insecurity and nutritional status in various regions.

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Arts engagement facilitated by artists with individuals with life-limiting illness: A systematic integrative review of the literature

Palliative Medicine ◽

10.1177/02692163211045895 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 026921632110458

Author(s):

Jenny Baxley Lee ◽

Sonja McIlfatrick ◽

Lisa Fitzpatrick

Keyword(s):

Palliative Care ◽

Sense Of Self ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Health Condition ◽

Future Research ◽

Eligibility Criteria ◽

The Arts ◽

Art Form ◽

Arts Engagement

Background: Living with life-limiting illness significantly impacts quality of life. A growing body of evidence suggests that arts engagement facilitated by artists promotes well-being. However, no synthesis of the literature exists to describe arts engagement delivered by artists with individuals receiving palliative care. Aim: To systematically review and synthesize evidence to identify outcomes and key knowledge gaps to inform future research and practice. Design: A systematic integrative literature review was conducted using a pre-defined search strategy and reported using PRISMA guidelines. Analysis was conducted iteratively and synthesis achieved using constant comparison to generate themes. Data sources: PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase were searched for studies published between database inception and August 2020. Search terms included variations on arts/artists; patients/service users; and palliative or end-of-life care. Eligibility criteria was applied and study quality assessed. Results: Seven reviewed studies explored literary, performing, and visual arts engagement in hospitals, hospice and community settings in England, the United States, France, and Canada. Study designs, interventions and findings were discussed. Themes identified across studies associated arts engagement with (1) a sense of well-being, (2) a newly discovered, or re-framed, sense of self, (3) connection with others, and (4) challenges associated with practice. Conclusion: Recommendations for future research were offered in order to maximize benefits, minimize risks and address complexity of artists’ engagement in palliative care including: (1) consistency in methods and reporting; (2) inclusion of wider perspectives; and (3) key considerations for adapting the arts by health condition and art form.

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Loneliness and Health

Psychology ◽

10.1093/obo/9780199828340-0253 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Aparna Shankar

Keyword(s):

Health Effects ◽

Social Relationships ◽

Subjective Experience ◽

Well Being ◽

Risky Health Behaviors ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Teenagers And Young Adults ◽

Health Studies ◽

The Uk ◽

Perceived Social Isolation

In January 2018, the UK became the first country in the world to appoint a Minister for Loneliness. This highlights growing concerns about loneliness in societies, and its deleterious effects on individual health and well-being. Loneliness or perceived social isolation is a subjective experience relating to dissatisfaction with one’s social relationships. Most research has focused on the experience of loneliness in old age, but levels of loneliness are also known to be high among teenagers and young adults. While poor health may be associated with increased feelings of loneliness, there is now considerable evidence on the role of loneliness as a risk factor for poor mental and physical health. Studies suggest that loneliness is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia and chronic diseases, and also with a higher rate of Mortality. Risky Health Behaviors, a poor cardiovascular profile, and compromised immune functioning have all been proposed as potential pathways through which loneliness may affect health. However, much still remains to be understood about these Mechanisms. This bibliography starts with a section on chapters and reviews that provide a theoretical basis for understanding the associations between social relationships and health, as well as some reviews of the Health Effects of loneliness. This is followed by sections that focus on specific outcomes, health effects (mortality, general health and physical function, cognitive function and Mental Health), and Healthcare Utilization. The subsequent section examines research into the pathways through which loneliness affects health. The final section examines interventions to reduce loneliness and the associated effects on health outcomes.

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Social Isolation Among Older Military Veterans

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.2064 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 540-540

Author(s):

Kirsten Laha-Walsh ◽

Zainab Suntai

Keyword(s):

Social Isolation ◽

Military Service ◽

Military Veterans ◽

Well Being ◽

Critical Issue ◽

The United States ◽

Civilian Life ◽

Explanatory Variables ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Socially Isolated

Abstract Social isolation is an increasingly critical issue among older adults and has been found to affect several domains of well-being, including physical, psychological, and cognitive health. Research has found that military veterans often experience hardships in the transition back to civilian life including emotional trauma, depression, substance misuse and pain from combat-related injuries, which have been shown to persist well into older adulthood. As such, this study aimed to examine the prevalence of social isolation among older military veterans and determine which veterans are most at-risk of experiencing social isolation, using the Berkman-Syme Social Network Index as a framework. Data were derived from Round 1 of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), an annual longitudinal panel survey of adults aged 65 and older living in the United States. Results showed that about 4.5% of veterans in the NHATS are severely socially isolated while another 20.9% are socially isolated. After controlling for other explanatory variables, being White, being 85 and older, having lower educational attainment, being unmarried/unpartnered and having lower income were associated with an increased risk of experiencing social isolation. Interventions aiming to improve the well-being of older veterans should consider employing both preventative and amendatory measures. These may include the creation and administration of a standardized social isolation scale during visits to veterans’ affairs (VA) medical centers and a general effort to address stressors from military service by destigmatizing and improving access to mental health services.

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An International Comparison Of Survival Disparities In Patients With Lymphoma and Myeloma

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v122.21.2925.2925 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 122 (21) ◽

pp. 2925-2925

Author(s):

Dianne Pulte ◽

Theresa Redaniel ◽

Mona Jeffreys

Keyword(s):

Older Patients ◽

Excess Mortality ◽

Conflicts Of Interest ◽

Relative Survival ◽

The United States ◽

Life Tables ◽

Younger Patients ◽

Increased Risk ◽

The Us ◽

The Uk

Abstract Background Relative survival in older patients with lymphomas is significantly lower than in younger patients. Possible reasons for the discrepancy may include increased aggressiveness of the disease in older patients, increased frailty and co-morbidities complicating treatment in older patients, and under-treatment of older patients due to concern about increased risk of intolerance to treatment. Distinguishing between these problems on a population basis can be difficult as clinical trial data often provides data only on the “ideal” patient and may not be applicable to the general population. Here, we determine 5-year relative survival and excess mortality by age for patients diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and multiple myeloma. Methods Data was obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database in the United States (US) and Cancer Registry data covering the whole of England (UK) for all patients diagnosed with HL, NHL and myeloma between 1996 and 2010. Five year relative survival was calculated by categories of age (15-24; 25-44; 45-64; 65-74 and 75+ years) using period analysis. Relative survival was calculated using age, race, gender, and country specific life tables. In addition, region specific life tables were used in the UK. Excess mortality modellingwas used to determine excess risk for older compared to younger patients, using patients age 25-44 for the reference group. Results Five year relative survival was lower for older patients diagnosed with HL, NHL, and myeloma in the US and UK. The most dramatic difference in survival by age was observed for patients with HL among whom survival for 15-24 year olds was 96.2% and 92.5% in 2006-10 in the US and UK, respectively but only 51.0% and 22.8%, respectively, for patients age 75+, representing an excess mortality of 14.02 (95% CI 12.22-16.09) and 15.69 (14.21-17.33), respectively, for the US and UK for patients age 75+ compared to 25-44. Similar, although less extreme, differences were observed for NHL and myeloma (see Table). Excess mortality ratios of 1.91 (1.84-1.99) and 3.81 (3.67-3.96) was observed for patients with NHL at age 75+ as compared to 25-44 in the US and UK, respectively. For patients with myeloma, excess mortality ratios of 2.79 (2.52-3.09) and 3.60 (3.27-3.962) for patients age 75+ compared to 25-44 were observed, respectively, for the US and UK. Adjustment for gender, ethnicity, period of diagnosis, and income (UK data only) did not significantly affect excess mortality ratios. Conclusions Survival of patients with lymphoma, especially patients with HL, is dramatically lower for older patients in both the US and UK. Older patients with lymphoma had a higher survival in the US as compared to the UK. This finding suggests that older patients in the UK may experience under-treatment. Physicians should be encouraged to evaluate patients' frailty and co-morbidities as well as their age when considering treatment options for patients with lymphoma and myeloma. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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The potential of prison-based democratic therapeutic communities

International Journal of Prisoner Health ◽

10.1108/ijph-08-2016-0036 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 19-24 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Jamie Bennett ◽

Richard Shuker

Keyword(s):

Literature Review ◽

Design Methodology ◽

Therapeutic Community ◽

Well Being ◽

Therapeutic Communities ◽

Content Type ◽

Wide Range ◽

Sexually Violent ◽

Self Harm ◽

The Uk

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the work of HMP Grendon, the only prison in the UK to operate entirely as a series of democratic therapeutic communities and to summarise the research of its effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach The paper is both descriptive, providing an overview of the work of a prison-based therapeutic community, and offers a literature review regarding evidence of effectiveness. Findings The work of HMP Grendon has a wide range of positive benefits including reduced levels of disruption in prison, reduced self-harm, improved well-being, an environment that is experienced as more humane and reduced levels of reoffending. Originality/value The work of HMP Grendon offers a well established and evidenced approach to managing men who have committed serious violent and sexually violent offences. It also promotes and embodies a progressive approach to managing prisons rooted in the welfare tradition.

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