scholarly journals Sociodemographic characteristics determine download and use of a Corona contact tracing app in Germany—Results of the COSMO surveys

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. e0256660
Author(s):  
Eva Grill ◽  
Sarah Eitze ◽  
Freia De Bock ◽  
Nico Dragano ◽  
Lena Huebl ◽  
...  

During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic mobile health applications indicating risks emerging from close contacts to infected persons have a large potential to interrupt transmission chains by automating contact tracing. Since its dispatch in Germany in June 2020 the Corona Warn App has been downloaded on 25.7 Mio smartphones by February 2021. To understand barriers to download and user fidelity in different sociodemographic groups we analysed data from five consecutive cross-sectional waves of the COVID-19 Snapshot Monitoring survey from June to August 2020. Questions on the Corona Warn App included information on download, use, functionality, usability, and consequences of the app. Of the 4,960 participants (mean age 45.9 years, standard deviation 16.0, 50.4% female), 36.5% had downloaded the Corona Warn App. Adjusted analysis found that those who had downloaded the app were less likely to be female (Adjusted Odds Ratio for men 1.16 95% Confidence Interval [1.02;1.33]), less likely to be younger (Adjusted Odds Ratio for age 18 to 39 0.47 [0.32;0.59] Adjusted Odds Ratio for age 40 to 64 0.57 [0.46;0.69]), less likely to have a lower household income (AOR 0.55 [0.43;0.69]), and more likely to live in one of the Western federal states including Berlin (AOR 2.31 [1.90;2.82]). Willingness to disclose a positive test result and trust in data protection compliance of the Corona Warn App was significantly higher in older adults. Willingness to disclose also increased with higher educational degrees and income. This study supports the hypothesis of a digital divide that separates users and non-users of the Corona Warn App along a well-known health gap of education, income, and region.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 205031212110245
Author(s):  
Getu Mosisa ◽  
Bikila Regassa ◽  
Bayise Biru

Introduction: Hypertension remains an emerging public health problem globally, particularly in developing countries. Age, income level, obesity, alcohol consumption, smoking, vegetables and fruit consumption, physical activity and chat chewing were some risk factors of hypertension. However, there are limited data on the epidemiology of hypertension in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess Epidemiology of Hypertension among the community of selected towns of Wollega zones. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 to 30 June 2019 in selected towns of Wollega zones. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 840 study participants. Data were collected using the WHO STEP wise approach. The data were coded and entered into EpiData 3, and exported to SPSS version 20.0 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted. Statistical significance was declared at p-value < 0.05. Results: The study included a total of 838 respondents with a response rate of 99.7%. The prevalence of hypertension was found to be 189 (22.6%) (95% confidence interval = 19.9%–25.2%). Of this, 108 (12.9%) and 81 (9.7%) of female and male were hypertensive, respectively. Age groups of 30–44 years (adjusted odds ratio = 2.65 (1.43, 4.89)), 45–59 years (adjusted odds ratio = 3.55 (1.79, 7.04)), above 60 years (adjusted odds ratio = 2.97 (1.43, 6.18)), having history of alcohol consumption (adjusted odds ratio = 4.29 (2.4, 7.66)), involving in vigorous physical activity (adjusted odds ratio = 0.096 (0.028, 0.33)), not walking to and from the work (adjusted odds ratio = 13.12 (8.34, 20.67)), being overweight (adjusted odds ratio = 1.98 (1.21, 3.25)), inadequate fruits serving per day (adjusted odds ratio = 2.93 (1.75, 4.88)) were significantly associated with hypertension. Conclusion: The prevalence of hypertension was found to be high in the study area. Older age, alcohol consumption, not engaging in vigorous activity, physical inactivity, being overweight and inadequate intake of fruits were found to be risk factors for hypertension. Therefore, health care providers should provide extensive health education and promotion on recommended lifestyle modification to tackle the burden of hypertension.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 205031212198949
Author(s):  
Cylia Nkechi Iweama ◽  
Olaoluwa Samson Agbaje ◽  
Prince Christian Ifeanachor Umoke ◽  
Chima Charles Igbokwe ◽  
Eyuche Lawretta Ozoemena ◽  
...  

Introduction: Tuberculosis is a public health problem in Nigeria. One of the most effective ways of controlling tuberculosis is the directly observed treatment short-course. However, some factors influence tuberculosis patients’ treatment nonadherence via directly observed treatment short-course. The study objective was to assess medication nonadherence and associated factors among tuberculosis patients in north-west Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional study enrolled tuberculosis patients using directly observed treatment short-course in public health facilities in Kano and Kaduna States from January 2015 to June 2016. The sample selection was conducted via a multistage sampling procedure. Data were collected using tuberculosis patients’ demographic and clinical characteristics forms, well-validated structured instruments, and medical records. SPSS version 20 was used for data analysis. Logistic and multivariable logistic regression analyses to determine factors of medication nonadherence ( P < 0.05) Results: Complete responses from 390 patients out of the 460 patients recruited for the study were used for data analyses. The mean age was 51.5 (standard deviation = ±13.8) years. The mean tuberculosis medication adherence questionnaire score was 4.35 ± 1.12. The prevalence of nonadherence to tuberculosis medication was 30.5%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that having a monthly income between #100,000 and #199, 000 (adjusted odds ratio = 0.01; 95% confidence interval: 0.00–0.13), being widowed (adjusted odds ratio = 26.74, 95% confidence interval: 2.92–232.9), being married (adjusted odds ratio = 120.49, 95% confidence interval: 5.38–271.1), having a distance <5 km to directly observed treatment short-course center from home (adjusted odds ratio = 0.06, 95% confidence interval: 0.00–0.01), having a tuberculosis/HIV co-infection (adjusted odds ratio = 0.01, 95% confidence interval: 0.12–0.35), use of antiretroviral treatment and cotrimoxazole prophylaxis therapy medications (adjusted odds ratio = 24.9, 95% confidence interval: 19.6–304.3) were associated with tuberculosis medication nonadherence. Conclusion: Tuberculosis medication nonadherence was high among the patients. Thus, patient-specific adherence education, attenuation of potential factors for tuberculosis medication nonadherence, and continual resource support for tuberculosis patients are needed to improve treatment outcomes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 205031212097800
Author(s):  
Damtew Asrat ◽  
Atsede Alle ◽  
Bekalu Kebede ◽  
Bekalu Dessie

Background: Over the last 100 years, the development and mass production of chemically synthesized drugs have revolutionized health care in most parts of the world. However, large sections of the population in developing countries still depend on traditional medicines for their primary health care needs. More than 88% of Ethiopian parents use different forms of traditional medicine for their children. Therefore, this study aimed to determine factors associated with parental traditional medicine use for children in Fagita Lekoma Woreda. Method: Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 to 30 March 2019 in Fagita Lekoma Woreda. Data collection tool was a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to present the data. Odds ratio and binary and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to measure the relationship between dependent and independent variables. Results: Among 858 participants, 71% of parents had used traditional medicine for their children within the last 12 months. Parents who cannot read and write (adjusted odds ratio = 6.42, 95% confidence interval = 2.1–19.7), parents with low monthly income (adjusted odds ratio = 4.38, 95% confidence interval = 1.58–12.1), and those who had accesses to traditional medicine (adjusted odds ratio = 2.21, 95% confidence interval = 1.23–3.98) were more likely to use traditional medicine for their children. Urban residents (adjusted odds ratio = 0.20, 95% confidence interval = 0.11–0.38) and members of community-based health insurance (adjusted odds ratio = 0.421, 95% confidence interval = 0.211–0.84) were less likely to use traditional medicine for their children. Conclusions: Our study revealed that the prevalence of traditional medicine remains high. Educational status, monthly income, residence, accessibility to traditional medicine, and being a member of community-based health insurance were predictors of potential traditional medicine use. Therefore, the integration of traditional medicine with modern medicine should be strengthened. Community education and further study on efficacy and safety of traditional medicines should be also given great attention.


Author(s):  
Krishna C. Poudel ◽  
Kalpana Poudel-Tandukar ◽  
Paula H. Palmer ◽  
Tetsuya Mizoue ◽  
Masamine Jimba ◽  
...  

In Asian concentrated HIV epidemics, data on coinfection of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among HIV-positive individuals are limited. The authors measured the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhea (NG), and syphilis, and their correlates among 319 HIV-positive individuals in Kathmandu, Nepal. The authors tested blood samples for syphilis and urine samples for CT and NG. Overall, 17 (5.3%) participants had at least 1 STI (CT: 1.3%, NG: 2.8%, and syphilis: 1.2%). Of 226 participants who had sex in past 6 months, 51.3% did not always use condoms. Older (aged 35-60 years) participants were more likely (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.83; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.19-12.33; P = .024) and those who were currently married (AOR = 0.30; 95% CI = 0.09-0.97; P = .046) or on antiretroviral therapy (AOR = 0.21; 95% CI = 0.06-0.71; P = .012) were less likely to have at least 1 STI. Our results suggest the need to strengthen the efforts to screen and treat STIs and to promote safer sexual practices among Nepalese HIV-positive individuals.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sisay Shine ◽  
Sindew Muhamud ◽  
Solomon Adnew ◽  
Alebachew Demelash ◽  
Makda Abate

Abstract Background: Diarrhea is responsible for 525,000 children under-five deaths and 1.7 billion cases globally and is the second leading cause of death among children under-five every year. It is a major public health problem in low income countries like Ethiopia. The main aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of diarrhea and associated risk factors among children under-five in Debre Berhan Town, Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 420 parent or caretaker/children pairs in Debre Berhan town between 13–18 April 2018. A multi-stage sampling strategy was used to select the study participants. Data were collected using pre-tested and structured questionnaires. Data were entered in Epi-info computer software version 3.5.1 and exported to SPSS Window Version-16 for analysis. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals were used to assess the level of significance. Results: The two week prevalence of diarrhea among children under-five was 16.4% (69/351). Children aged 7-11 months (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 4.2, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2 - 15.3), being the second-born child (AOR: 3.9, 95%CI: 1.8 - 8.5), not vaccinated against rotavirus (AOR: 10.3, 95%CI: 3.2 - 91.3) and feeding children by hand (AOR: 2.5, 95%CI: 1.1 - 6.1) were significant predictors of diarrhea. Conclusions: This study revealed that the two weeks period prevalence of diarrhea among children under-five years was 16.4%. Education programs on the importance of vaccination against rotavirus, increasing breast feeding frequency with complementary food after six months and the critical points of hand washing are recommended.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 205031212097414
Author(s):  
Feysal Mohammed Hussen ◽  
Hassen Abdi Adem ◽  
Hirbo Shore Roba ◽  
Bezatu Mengistie ◽  
Nega Assefa

Background: Self-care practice is the activity that a hypertensive patient undertakes intending to improve their health. Poor self-care practice leads to uncontrolled hypertension. Therefore, strategies designed to prevent and control hypertension-related death, disability, and morbidity should consider the level of the patient’s self-care practice and risk factors. This study assessed self-care practice and associated factors among hypertensive patients in public health facilities of Harar Town in eastern Ethiopia. Method: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 398 randomly selected hypertensive patients from 25 March 2019 to 16 April 2019. Pretested structured questionnaires adapted from validated tools were used to collect data from participants using electronic Open Data Kit software through face-to-face exit interview. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 24. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with self-care practice. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was used to report association and the significance was declared at p-value < 0.05. Results: Level of good self-care practice was 29.9% (95% confidence interval: 25.3% and 34.7%). Age ⩾ 60 years (adjusted odds ratio = 3.4, 95% confidence interval: 1.2 and 9.3), formal education (adjusted odds ratio = 2.3, 95% confidence interval: 1.3 and 4.2), absence of comorbidities (adjusted odds ratio = 1.8, 95% confidence interval: 1.1 and 3.1), adequate knowledge about hypertension (adjusted odds ratio = 4.7, 95% confidence interval: 2.5 and 8.8), good social support (adjusted odds ratio = 2.7, 95% confidence interval: 1.6 and 4.7), and being khat abstainer (adjusted odds ratio = 1.9, 95% confidence interval: 1.1 and 3.5) were significantly associated with good self-care practice. Conclusion: The prevalence of good self-care practice was low. In this study, good self-care practice was significantly associated with age, formal education, comorbidities, knowledge about hypertension, social support, and current khat chewing condition. Regular check-up and follow-up of patients’ compliance with self-management protocol, and more emphasis should be given to identify factors that potentially impeding patients’ adherence to hypertension self-management protocol.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 204800401986323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dina Eufemia D San Gabriel ◽  
Julia Slark

Background There is a paucity of data relating to the association of gout with the occurrence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus in patients with stroke. This study aimed to determine the association of gout with the risk of hypertension and diabetes mellitus in a cohort of stroke patients from Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among stroke survivors in South and East Auckland, New Zealand from the years 2010 to 2014. Electronic health record data were collected and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science version 23. Multivariate logistic regression modelling adjusted for age, gender, and ethnicity was conducted to determine the association of gout with the risk of hypertension and diabetes mellitus in patients discharged with a diagnosis of stroke. Results The age-, gender-, and ethnicity-adjusted odds ratio for having hypertension and diabetes mellitus among stroke survivors with gout history were 3.25 (95% confidence interval 1.32–8.03) and 1.94 (95% confidence interval 1.12–3.36), respectively. Māori stroke survivors with gout history had the highest risk of having diabetes mellitus with age- and gender-adjusted odds ratio of 5.10 (95% confidence interval 1.90–18.93). Conclusion The findings from this study suggest gout may be independently associated with an increased risk of hypertension and diabetes mellitus in patients with stroke. Māori who are the indigenous population of New Zealand show a greater risk of diabetes mellitus associated with a gout diagnosis compared to other populations. This finding highlights the importance of the need for further research with Māori stroke survivors and other indigenous populations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Soo Hwan Byun ◽  
Dae Myoung Yoo ◽  
Minwook Chang ◽  
Hyo Geun Choi ◽  
Seok Jin Hong

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the association between periodontitis and glaucoma. This prospective cohort study used epidemiological data from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study performed between 2004 and 2016. Among 173,209 participants, 9572 patients with periodontitis and 115,332 controls (nonperiodontitis) were selected. We analysed the history of glaucoma in periodontitis and control participants. The participants were interviewed regarding their history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidaemia, periodontitis, glaucoma, smoking, and alcohol consumption by trained interviewers. A logistic regression model was created to analyse the odds ratio of having a history of glaucoma among patients with periodontitis. Two-tailed analyses using chi-square and independent t-tests were used for statistical analysis. The adjusted odds ratio of periodontitis as a risk factor for glaucoma was 3.44 (95% confidence interval = 2.99–3.97, p < 0.001 ). This study demonstrated that glaucoma was associated with periodontitis.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. e897-e905 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ravi B. Parikh ◽  
Justin E. Bekelman ◽  
Qian Huang ◽  
Joseph R. Martinez ◽  
Ezekiel J. Emanuel ◽  
...  

PURPOSE: The Oncology Care Model (OCM) is Medicare’s first bundled payment program for patients with cancer. We examined baseline characteristics of OCM physician participants and markets with high OCM physician participation to inform generalizability and complement the ongoing practice-level evaluation of the OCM. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we identified characteristics of US medical oncologists practicing in 2016, using a national telephone-verified physician database. We linked these data with Dartmouth Atlas and Medicare claims data from 2011 through 2016 to identify characteristics of markets with high OCM participation. We used logistic regression to examine relationships between market characteristics and OCM participation. RESULTS: Of 10,428 US medical oncologists, 2,605 (24.9%) were listed in an OCM practice. There were no differences in sex or medical training between OCM participants and nonparticipants, although OCM participants were slightly younger. OCM participants practiced in larger (median daily patient volume, 80 v 55 patients) and urban practices (95.2% v 90.7%) and were less likely to be part of a health system (41.0% v 60.4%) or solo practice (45.5% v 67.4%; all P < .001). Participation was higher in southern and mid-Atlantic markets. Markets with high OCM physician participation had higher specialist density, hospital care intensity, and acute care use at the end of life (all P < .001). Market-level penetration of Accountable Care Organizations (adjusted odds ratio, 4.65; 95% CI 3.31 to 6.56; P < .001) and Medicare Advantage (adjusted odds ratio 2.82; 95% CI, 1.97 to 4.06; P < .001) were associated with higher OCM participation. CONCLUSION: In the first description of oncologists participating in the OCM, we found differences in practice demographics, care intensity, and exposure to nontraditional payment models between OCM-participating and nonparticipating physicians. Such provider-level differences may not be captured in Medicare’s practice-level analysis.


Author(s):  
Matthew O. Gribble ◽  
Jennifer R. Head ◽  
Dorairaj Prabhakaran ◽  
Deksha Kapoor ◽  
Vandana Garg ◽  
...  

Aims: In this study, we aimed to estimate cross-sectional associations of fish or shellfish consumption with diabetes and glycemia in three South Asian mega-cities. Methods: We analyzed baseline data from 2010–2011 of a cohort (n = 16,287) representing the population ≥20 years old that was neither pregnant nor on bedrest from Karachi (unweighted n = 4017), Delhi (unweighted n = 5364), and Chennai (unweighted n = 6906). Diabetes was defined as self-reported physician-diagnosed diabetes, fasting plasma glucose ≥126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L), or glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥6.5% (48 mmol/mol). We estimated adjusted and unadjusted odds ratios for diabetes using survey estimation logistic regression for each city, and differences in glucose and HbA1c using survey estimation linear regression for each city. Adjusted models controlled for age, gender, body mass index, waist–height ratio, sedentary lifestyle, educational attainment, tobacco use, an unhealthy diet index score, income, self-reported physician diagnosis of high blood pressure, and self-reported physician diagnosis of high cholesterol. Results: The prevalence of diabetes was 26.7% (95% confidence interval: 24.8, 28.6) in Chennai, 36.7% (32.9, 40.5) in Delhi, and 24.3% (22.0, 26.6) in Karachi. Fish and shellfish were consumed more frequently in Chennai than in the other two cities. In Chennai, the adjusted odds ratio for diabetes, comparing more than weekly vs. less than weekly fish consumption, was 0.81 (0.61, 1.08); in Delhi, it was 1.18 (0.87, 1.58), and, in Karachi, it was 1.30 (0.94, 1.80). In Chennai, the adjusted odds ratio of prevalent diabetes among persons consuming shellfish more than weekly versus less than weekly was 1.08 (95% CI: 0.90, 1.30); in Delhi, it was 1.35 (0.90, 2.01), and, in Karachi, it was 1.68 (0.98, 2.86). Conclusions: Both the direction and the magnitude of association between seafood consumption and glycemia may vary by city. Further investigation into specific locally consumed seafoods and their prospective associations with incident diabetes and related pathophysiology are warranted.


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