A time series analysis of the relationship between ambient temperature and ischaemic stroke in the Ljubljana area: immediate, delayed and cumulative effects

Abstract Background Stroke is a major health problem around the world. Several studies have examine the influence of ambient temperature on incidence of stoke, but they reported different results for different types of stroke and different geographical regions. Hence, effect of ambient temperature is still much of interest, when focusing on ischemic stroke (IS) in regions that have not been examined yet. The aim of our study is to analyse association between IS incidences and short, delayed and cumulative effect of average daily ambient temperature, humidity and pressure in central Europe. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first IS study conducted between 45° and 50° latitude where large part of Central European population resides. Methods We linked daily hospitals’ admission data for whole population and separately for two specific age groups with ambient temperature data. We considered patients coming from Ljubljana basin and its immediate surrounding. Data were gathered daily from January 2012 to December 2017. To measure the effect of average ambient temperature, humidity and pressure we used generalized linear model with a log-link-function and a Poisson distribution. Results The results of our study show a statistically significant immediate, delayed and cumulative effects of ambient temperatures on IS incidence for the whole population and the population older than 65 years. Specifically, 1 °C reduction in ambient temperature on a given day (Lag 0) increases the IS risk for approximately 5‰ (all population) or 6‰ (population older than 65 years). Similar effects were found for lags from 1 to 6. Analysis of time windows from 0 to 1 days up to 0–28 days also show statistically significant cumulative effect for the same two age groups. IS incidence was not found to be significantly related to pressure or humidity in any group. Conclusion The findings of this study may help healthcare authorities in central Europe improve existing stroke prevention measures and raise public awareness.

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Elhízó Magyarország. A túlsúly és az elhízás trendje és prevalenciája Magyarországon, 2015

Orvosi Hetilap ◽

10.1556/650.2016.30389 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 157 (31) ◽

pp. 1248-1255 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Imre Rurik ◽

Tímea Ungvári ◽

Judit Szidor ◽

Péter Torzsa ◽

Csaba Móczár ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

Waist Circumference ◽

Body Mass ◽

Educational Level ◽

Public Awareness ◽

Age Groups ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

Political Support ◽

Geographical Regions ◽

Wide Range

Introduction: The prevalence of obesity is growing continuously worldwide, even in Hungary. Since 1988, when the first professional wide-range evaluation was performed, only limited data are available. Aim: Authors present the results of the ever largest Hungarian obesity-prevalence surveys, performed by family and occupational physicians. Method: Data from 0.55% of the population above 18 year were registered in all geographical regions of Hungary (43,287 persons; 17,901 males and 25,386 females), close to the proper national representativeness. Age, body mass index, waist circumference, educational level, presence of hypertension and/or diabetes were analyzed statistically and compared with previous data. Results: The overall prevalence rate of overweight and obesity among men was 40% and 32%, respectively, while overweight and obesity occurred in 32% of women. In the different age groups of men, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was: 32.7% and 18.2% in 18–34 years; 40.1% and 34.4% in 35–59 years; 43.5% and 38.8% in over 60 years, respectively. In the same age groups of women, overweight and obesity occurred in 19.6% and 15.7%, 36.8% and 38.7%, and 36.5% and 39.7%, respectively. Body mass index and waist-circumference were presented according to age, by decades and by type of residency as well. The highest ratio of overweight was registered among men with the highest educational level, while highest ratio of obesity among women having the lowest education. Obesity according to Body mass index and abdominal obesity was the highest in the villages, especially among females. Registered metabolic morbidities were strongly correlated with body mass index and both were inversely related to the level of urbanization. Conclusions: Over the previous decades, the ratio of the overweight and even the number of obese persons increased significantly, and it was most prominent among males, mainly in younger generation. Obesity means a serious medical, public health and economic problem, and it requires higher public awareness and political support. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(31), 1248–1255.

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Family-, Media-, and School-Related Risk Factors of Video Game Addiction

Journal of Media Psychology Theories Methods and Applications ◽

10.1027/1864-1105/a000093 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 25 (3) ◽

pp. 118-128 ◽

Cited By ~ 53

Author(s):

Florian Rehbein ◽

Dirk Baier

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Video Game ◽

Age Groups ◽

Well Being ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Prevention Measures ◽

School Life ◽

Video Game Addiction ◽

Effective Prevention ◽

Game Addiction

In recent years, a variety of epidemiological studies have provided empirical data on the prevalence of video game addiction (GA) in different age groups. However, few studies investigated the causes of GA and could explain why video game playing as a widespread phenomenon leads to a comparatively small percentage of addicted players. Additionally, the existing longitudinal studies mainly consider psychological trait variables and neglect the possible explanatory value of predictors in socialization regarding media availability, media use, and family and everyday school life. In this paper, the results of a two-wave longitudinal study comprising a sample of students from Grades 4 to 9 (N = 406) are presented. The data show that 15-year-old video game addicts had already exhibited a number of specific risk factors at the age of 10. Students from single-parent families seem to be particularly at risk, as are students with low experienced school well-being and with a weaker social integration in class. The data also indicate that problematic use of video games in childhood increases the risk of GA in adolescence. Male students are especially vulnerable for developing GA. The results of this study are an important contribution to understanding risk factors for GA in adolescents, thereby laying the groundwork for effective prevention measures.

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Understanding Suicide in Our Community through the Lens of the Pediatric ICU: An Epidemiological Review (2011–2017) of One Midwestern City in the US

Children ◽

10.3390/children8020059 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 59

Author(s):

Andrew Kampfschulte ◽

Matthew Oram ◽

Alejandra M. Escobar Vasco ◽

Brittany Essenmacher ◽

Amy Herbig ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Local Community ◽

Hospital Admissions ◽

Age Groups ◽

Care Facility ◽

Pediatric Intensive Care ◽

High Volume ◽

Temporal Variables ◽

Geographical Regions ◽

Icd 10 ◽

Pediatric Icu

Suicide frequency has tripled for some pediatric age groups over the last decade, of which, serious attempts result in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admissions. We paired clinical, aggregate geospatial, and temporal demographics to understand local community variables to determine if epidemiological patterns emerge that associate with risk for PICU admission. Data were extracted at an urban, high-volume, quaternary care facility from January 2011 to December 2017 via ICD 10 codes associated with suicide. Clinical, socioeconomic, geographical, and temporal variables were reviewed. In total, 1036 patients over the age of 9 were included, of which n = 161 were PICU admissions. Females represented higher proportions of all suicide-related hospital admissions (67.9%). Looking at race/ethnicity, PICU admissions were largely Caucasian (83.2%); Blacks and Hispanics had lower odds of PICU admissions (OR: 0.49; 0.17, respectively). PICU-admitted patients were older (16.0 vs. 15.5; p = 0.0001), with lower basal metabolic index (23.0 vs. 22.0; p = 0.0013), and presented in summer months (OR: 1.51, p = 0.044). Time-series decomposition showed seasonal peaks in June and August. Local regions outside the city limits identified higher numbers of PICU admissions. PICUs serve discrete geographical regions and are a source of information, when paired with clinical geospatial/seasonal analyses, highlighting clinical and societal risk factors associated with PICU admissions.

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Bovine trypanosomosis in Gimbi district of Western Oromia, Ethiopia

Animal Biology ◽

10.1163/157075610x491653 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 60 (2) ◽

pp. 123-131 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ashenafi Hagos ◽

Hailu Yacob ◽

Asoke Basu ◽

Degneh Efrem

Keyword(s):

Sea Level ◽

Rainy Season ◽

Age Groups ◽

Trypanosoma Congolense ◽

Dry Season ◽

Major Health Problem ◽

Major Health ◽

Glossina Morsitans Submorsitans ◽

Bovine Trypanosomosis ◽

Significant Difference

AbstractA study on the epidemiology of bovine trypanosomosis was conducted from September 2006 to April 2007 in six villages of the Gimbi district in west Wollega zone of Ethiopia. The prevalence of the disease, the apparent densities and distribution of tsetse and other biting flies in two seasons, the dry and rainy, were determined. The results of a questionnaire survey from 80 farmers revealed that trypanosomosis was a major health problem affecting animals and impeding agricultural activities.A total of 568 blood samples were collected from randomly selected animals (280 animals in rainy and 288 in dry season) and revealed the presence of Trypanosoma congolense Broden, 1904 and T. vivax Zieman, 1905 in the area. Trypanosoma congolense was the dominant species that accounted for 66.2% of the infections. The mean packed cell volume (PCV) concentrations were 22.77% (95% CI =19.99-21.55) in parasitaemic and 25.25% (95% CI=24.88-25.61) in aparasitaemic animals with a significant difference (P<0.005). There was a significant (P<0.012) difference in trypanosome infection between age groups of cattle, being higher in adults. The overall prevalence of trypanosomosis was 12.5%, while the disease prevalence was higher during the rainy season (15 %) than the dry season (10.1%). In three villages of lowland areas (below 1600 meter above sea level), a higher prevalence was recorded 20.9% and 7.9% as compared to three villages of midland areas (≥ 1600 meter above sea level) 11.8% and 8.3% in late rainy and dry season, respectively.A fly-survey was conducted by using 80 monoconical pyramidal traps and revealed that two tsetse species, namely Glossina morsitans submorsitans Newstead and Glossina tachinoides Westwood were found along with other biting flies (Tabanus, Haematopota and Stomoxys species). Higher numerical catches of Glossina were recorded in late rainy season and the apparent density was positively correlated (r=0.5171) with the prevalence of infection.

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Trade-Off between Foraging Activity and Infestation by Nest Parasites in the Primitively Eusocial BeeHalictus scabiosae

Psyche A Journal of Entomology ◽

10.1155/2010/707501 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 2010 ◽

pp. 1-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Andrea Lienhard ◽

Lea Mirwald ◽

Thomas Hötzl ◽

Ilse Kranner ◽

Gerald Kastberger

Keyword(s):

Ambient Temperature ◽

Time Windows ◽

Activity Patterns ◽

Small Time ◽

Foraging Activity ◽

Morning Temperature ◽

Eastern Austria ◽

Halictine Bees ◽

Primitively Eusocial ◽

Match Factor

Diurnal activities ofHalictus scabiosaebees and their nest parasites (major bee-flies, cuckoo wasps, ichneumon wasps,Sphecodesbees, and velvet ants) were investigated at a study site with 159 nests in Eastern Austria. Foraging activity correlated with ambient temperature only before midday and decreased in the afternoon. The activity of nest-infesting parasites increased during the day and correlated with ambient temperature. The match factorfmbetween the ratios of the foraging activities ofH. scabiosaeand the ratios of aspects of morning temperature was assessed on three consecutive days with different weather. The activity patterns of halictine bees and their nest parasites differed: the parasites exhibited only small time windows in which their activities were synchronised with those of their hosts. The bees exhibited an anticyclic behaviour and collected food in times of low parasite pressure and decreased foraging activity when parasite pressure increased.

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Smoking Ban: A Long-term Analysis of the Malta Paradox in a Population of over 400,000 Subjects

International Cardiovascular Forum Journal ◽

10.17987/icfj.v1i4.50 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 1 (4) ◽

pp. 184 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Caroline Magri ◽

Robert Xuereb ◽

Sandra Distefano ◽

Neville Calleja ◽

Victor Grech

Keyword(s):

Hospital Admissions ◽

Public Awareness ◽

Age Groups ◽

Admission Rate ◽

Coronary Heart Disease Mortality ◽

Smoking Ban ◽

Annual Data ◽

Public Areas ◽

Coronary Syndromes ◽

The Impact

Objectives: The introduction of laws that make indoor public areas and workplaces smoke-free has resulted in a significant reduction in the incidence of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Malta was the second European country to introduce the smoking ban legislation in April 2004. The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of the smoking ban in Malta on ACS morbidity and mortality. Methods: The number of ACS hospital admissions and the number of cardiovascular deaths were retrospectively analysed. The annual data for 5 years prior to and following the introduction of the Tobacco Act were obtained according to age-groups for both genders. Poisson regression analyses were performed to assess for decline in ACS admission and cardiovascular death. Results: The ACS admission rate increased throughout the 5 years following the introduction of the smoking ban. There was no change in mortality rate in the 5 years following the legislation, except in 2007 when a small but significant decline was noted. Conclusions: The Malta smoking ban did not have a significant impact on cardiovascular mortality and ACS admissions rates, indicating the need for proper enforcement of the public smoking ban and increase in public awareness regarding the adverse effects of smoking. Key words: Coronary heart disease; Mortality; Prevention; Smoking.

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Six Year Trend Analysis of Malaria Prevalence at University of Gondar Specialized Referral Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, from 2014-2019

10.21203/rs.3.rs-656381/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Amanuel Mulugeta ◽

Atsede Assefa ◽

Atsede Eshetie ◽

Birhanie Asmare ◽

Meseret Birhanie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Problem ◽

Age Groups ◽

Plasmodium Species ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

Northwest Ethiopia ◽

Referral Hospital ◽

Major Public Health Problem ◽

African Countries ◽

Major Health Problem ◽

Predominant Species

Abstract Background: Malaria is disease caused by plasmodium species and transmitted by the bite of female anopheles mosquito. Globally, it is still the major public health problem that causes morbidity and mortality especially in tropical and sub-tropical African countries including Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to assess the Six year trend of malaria at University of Gondar Specialized Referral Hospital, northwest Ethiopia, from 2014-2019Method: A retrospective study was conducted by reviewing the laboratory registration logbook at University of Gondar Specialized Referral Hospital by using data extraction tool. The data was analysized by SPSS version 20. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the socio-demographic characteristics of study participants and presented by graphs, tables and texts. The binary logistic regression was also used test the association of trend of malaria and different factors like sex, age, year, and season. Result: From a total 17,500 malaria suspected patients, 1341 (7.7%) were confirmed for malaria and (47.2%), (45.6%) and (7.2%) were P.vivax, P. falciparum and mixed infection, respectively. P.vivax was the predominant species in the first three years and P. falciparum became the predominant species in the last three years. The trend prevalence was showed a fluctuated significantly decrement. It decreased by 68%, 60% and 69% in the year of 2017, 2018 and 2019 compare to 2014, respectively. The positivity rate were significantly higher in the males (1.41 times higher) than females. It was also significantly higher in lower age groups compare to the older age groups (> 54 years old). It was 1.60, 1.64, 2.45 and 1.82 times higher in the age group of < 5, 5-14, 15-24 and 25-54 years old, respectively.Conclusion: There has been a significant declining trend of malaria in the study area. However, it is still a major health problem and requires extra efforts for further reduction. Even, autumn was the season when the highest peak of malaria cases in was observed, there was high fluctuation from year to year. Therefore, control activities should be continued and strengthened manner in the study area considering these variability.

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Cross-sectional study on the role of public awareness in preventing the spread of COVID-19 outbreak in India

Postgraduate Medical Journal ◽

10.1136/postgradmedj-2020-138349 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. postgradmedj-2020-138349

Author(s):

Manish Kaushik ◽

Divya Agarwal ◽

Anil K Gupta

Keyword(s):

Public Awareness ◽

Age Groups ◽

Preventive Measure ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Indian Society ◽

Personal Hygiene ◽

Economic Activities ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Social Distancing ◽

Hygiene Measures

Background WHO has recommended personal hygiene (respiratory hygiene, using face masks, washing hands with warm water and soap, use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, avoid touching mouth, eyes & nose, cleanliness), social distancing and careful handling of purchased products as an effective preventive measure for COVID-19 disease. The growing pandemic of COVID-19 disease requires social distancing and personal hygiene measures to protect public health. But this message is not clear and well understood among people. The aim of this study is to determine the awareness, knowledge and attitude about COVID-19 and relate the behaviour of Indian society, especially when the country is restarting all its economic activities, after the complete lockdown. Method The present paper is based on an extensive survey among 21 406 adult participants of various sections of Indian society with different age groups between 18 and 80 years to introspect the level of public awareness with respect to cause, spread, prevention and treatment of disease caused by spread of COVID-19 viral outbreak, which will be automatically reflected in the societal behavioural response of rigorous precautionary measures. Conclusions There is a need to extend the knowledge base among individuals to enhance their active participation in the prevention mechanisms with respect to the spread of the pandemic. There is a need to elaborate the Indian socio-cultural aspects, so that society starts appreciating and voluntarily following social distancing. This should improve the adaptability of people with livelihood resilience to let them protect themselves not only from the present pandemic but also from all other unforeseen infections, and to provide care to patients.

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Age-related mortality in 61,993 confirmed COVID-19 cases over three epidemic waves in Aragon, Spain. Implications for vaccination programmes

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0261061 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (12) ◽

pp. e0261061

Author(s):

Diego Casas-Deza ◽

Vanesa Bernal-Monterde ◽

Angel Nicolás Aranda-Alonso ◽

Enrique Montil-Miguel ◽

Ana Belen Julián-Gomara ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Age Groups ◽

Case Fatality ◽

The Elderly ◽

Progressive Increase ◽

University Hospital ◽

Rapid Progression ◽

Targeted Prevention ◽

Older Individuals ◽

Prevention Measures ◽

Age Related

Background Risk for severe COVID-19 increases with age. Different vaccination strategies are currently being considered, including those aimed at slowing down transmission and those aimed at providing direct protection to those most at risk. Methods The objectives of the current study were i) to assess age-related incidence and survival between PCR-diagnosed COVID-19 cases (n = 61,993) in the Autonomous Community of Aragon from March to November 2020, and ii) to characterize age differences regarding the course of the disease in hospitalized patients in a tertiary university hospital. Results We found a similar incidence of COVID-19 in individuals between 10 and 79 years. Incidence increased in those over 80 years possibly because of the elevated transmission within the nursing homes. We observed a profound disparity among age groups; case fatality rates (CFRs) were near 0 in cases younger than 39 years throughout different waves. In contrast, there was an age-dependent and progressive increase in the CFRs, especially during the first pandemic wave. SARS-CoV-2 infection caused a more severe and rapid progression in older patients. The elderly required faster hospitalization, presented more serious symptoms on admission, and had a worse clinical course. Hospitalized older individuals, even without comorbidities, had an increased mortality risk directly associated with their age. Lastly, the existence of comorbidities dramatically increased the CFRs in the elderly, especially in males. Conclusion The elevated incidence of COVID-19 and the vulnerability of the elderly call for their prioritization in vaccination and targeted prevention measures specifically focused on this aged population.

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Pedestrian Mortality Trends In Children Over Four Decades In Transitional Lithuania

Sveikatos mokslai ◽

10.5200/sm-hs.2016.065 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 26 (5) ◽

pp. 13-19

Author(s):

Birutė Strukčinskienė ◽

Robert Bauer ◽

Sigitas Griškonis ◽

Vaiva Strukčinskaitė

Keyword(s):

Time Series ◽

Young People ◽

Road Safety ◽

Road Traffic ◽

Age Groups ◽

Age Group ◽

Prevention Measures ◽

Mortality Trends ◽

Road Users ◽

The Impact

The aim of the study was to examine the long-term trends in pedestrian mortality for children (aged 0 to 14 years) and young people (aged 15 to 19 years) over four decades in transitional Lithuania. Methods. Road traffic fatality data were obtained from Statistics Lithuania and the Archives of Health Information Centre. Trends were analysed by linear regression using “Independence” as a slopechanging intervention in 1991 and population as a further explanatory factor in structural time series models. Results. The impact of the interventions, along with the reforms and changes related with the Independence, on pedestrian fatality trends in our time series model was found highly statistically significant for children 0 to 14 years (p<0.001) and still significant for young people 15 to 19 years (p<0.05). No significant impact on the trend of road traffic deaths was found for the “control-groups” of non-pedestrian road users in the age group 0 to 14 years and adult pedestrians (over 19 years of age). For the age group 15 to 19 years the effect of reforms was also significant for non-pedestrians (p<0.05). These results indicate that the effect of measures and changes used in the post-independence period was more specific in children that participated in road traffic as pedestrians than in adult pedestrians, or in nonpedestrian road users. Conclusions. Pedestrian deaths in Lithuania fell significantly in the age groups 0-14 and 15-19 years. A declining trend was found in road traffic fatalities and in pedestrian deaths in transitional Lithuania in the post-independence period. Socioeconomic and political transformations, systematic reforms in healthcare along with sustainable preventive measures may have contributed to this decrease. Targeted road safety measures were road traffic regulations, pedestrian education and environmentally based prevention measures. As child pedestrians are the most vulnerable group of road users, continued road safety education and promotion are recommended in order to maintain this trend, and to involve adult pedestrians in this development.

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