Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Commensal Neisseria in the General Population and Men Who Have Sex with Men in Belgium: A Cross Sectional Survey

AbstractNon-pathogenic Neisseria are a reservoir of antimicrobial resistance genes for pathogenic Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at risk of co-colonization with resistant non-pathogenic and pathogenic Neisseria. We assessed if the antimicrobial susceptibility of non-pathogenic Neisseria among MSM differs from a general population and if antimicrobial exposure impacts susceptibility. We recruited 96 participants at our center in Belgium: 32 employees, 32 MSM who did not use antibiotics in the previous 6 months, and 32 MSM who did. Oropharyngeal Neisseria were cultured and identified with MALDI-TOF–MS. Minimum inhibitory concentrations for azithromycin, ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin were determined using E-tests® and compared between groups with non-parametric tests. Non-pathogenic Neisseria from employees as well as MSM were remarkably resistant. Those from MSM were significantly less susceptible than employees to azithromycin and ciprofloxacin (p < 0.0001, p < 0.001), but not ceftriaxone (p = 0.3). Susceptibility did not differ significantly according to recent antimicrobial exposure in MSM. Surveilling antimicrobial susceptibility of non-pathogenic Neisseria may be a sensitive way to assess impact of antimicrobial exposure in a population. The high levels of antimicrobial resistance in this survey indicate that novel resistance determinants may be readily available for future transfer from non-pathogenic to pathogenic Neisseria.

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AWARENESS ABOUT INDOOR AIR POLLUTION IN GENERAL POPULATION OF RAWALPINDI AND ISLAMABAD

Pakistan Journal of Public Health ◽

10.32413/pjph.v8i2.118 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 80-83

Author(s):

Nadia Tariq ◽

Tamkeen Jaffry ◽

Rahma Fiaz ◽

Abdul Majid Rajput ◽

Sadaf Khalid

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

General Population ◽

Indoor Air ◽

Indoor Air Pollution ◽

Economic Status ◽

Educational Status ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Significant Difference

Background: Indoor air pollutants are increasingly being associated with respiratory illnesses leading to high degree of morbidity and mortality. There are not sufficient epidemiological studies from Pakistan which assess level of awareness of indoor air pollution resulting in respiratory diseases in population. Methods: This cross sectional survey was carried out on general population of Rawalpindi/Islamabad. Sample size was 223 study subjects selected by non-probability convenient sampling. Knowledge of the study subjects was determined with regard to indoor air pollution, its effects on health and different sources of indoor air pollution with the help of a questionnaire. The influence of age, gender, educational status and socio economic status on the level of awareness was also analyzed. Results: Out of total 223 participants, 115 were males and108 females. Participants aware of indoor air pollution were 91.5% and adequate awareness about its sources was 80.7%. Those who knew indoor air pollution is detrimental to health were 95.1%. Awareness about building construction dust as source of indoor air pollution was maximum (84.8%). There was significant difference in awareness among participants with different monthly incomes and educational status and also between males and females. Conclusion: This study concludes that general population of Rawalpindi/Islamabad has fairly good awareness about sources of indoor air pollution. Use of harmful material causing indoor air pollution should be limited or substituted with better ones where possible.

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Psychological Impacts of COVID-19 During the First Nationwide Lockdown in Vietnam: Web-Based, Cross-Sectional Survey Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.24776 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Khanh Ngoc Cong Duong ◽

Tien Nguyen Le Bao ◽

Phuong Thi Lan Nguyen ◽

Thanh Vo Van ◽

Toi Phung Lam ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

General Population ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Online Survey ◽

Survey Study ◽

Limited Information ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Event Scale ◽

The Impact

BACKGROUND The first nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic was implemented in Vietnam from April 1 to 15, 2020. Nevertheless, there has been limited information on the impact of COVID-19 on the psychological health of the public. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of psychological issues and identify the factors associated with the psychological impact of COVID-19 during the first nationwide lockdown among the general population in Vietnam. METHODS We employed a cross-sectional study design with convenience sampling. A self-administered, online survey was used to collect data and assess psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress of participants from April 10 to 15, 2020. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) were utilized to assess psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress of participants during social distancing due to COVID-19. Associations across factors were explored using regression analysis. RESULTS A total of 1385 respondents completed the survey. Of this, 35.9% (n=497) experienced psychological distress, as well as depression (n=325, 23.5%), anxiety (n=195, 14.1%), and stress (n=309, 22.3%). Respondents who evaluated their physical health as average had a higher IES-R score (beta coefficient [B]=9.16, 95% CI 6.43 to 11.89), as well as higher depression (B=5.85, 95% CI 4.49 to 7.21), anxiety (B=3.64, 95% CI 2.64 to 4.63), and stress (B=5.19, 95% CI 3.83 to 6.56) scores for DASS-21 than those who rated their health as good or very good. Those who self-reported their health as bad or very bad experienced more severe depression (B=9.57, 95% CI 4.54 to 14.59), anxiety (B=7.24, 95% CI 3.55 to 10.9), and stress (B=10.60, 95% CI 5.56 to 15.65). Unemployment was more likely to be associated with depression (B=3.34, 95% CI 1.68 to 5.01) and stress (B=2.34, 95% CI 0.84 to 3.85). Regarding worries about COVID-19, more than half (n=755, 54.5%) expressed concern for their children aged <18 years, which increased their IES-R score (B=7.81, 95% CI 4.98 to 10.64) and DASS-21 stress score (B=1.75, 95% CI 0.27 to 3.24). The majority of respondents (n=1335, 96.4%) were confident about their doctor’s expertise in terms of COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment, which was positively associated with less distress caused by the outbreak (B=–7.84, 95% CI –14.58 to –1.11). CONCLUSIONS The findings highlight the effect of COVID-19 on mental health during the nationwide lockdown among the general population in Vietnam. The study provides useful evidence for policy decision makers to develop and implement interventions to mitigate these impacts. CLINICALTRIAL

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Exposure of Petrol Station Attendants and Auto Mechanics to Premium Motor Sprit Fumes in Calabar, Nigeria

Journal of Environmental and Public Health ◽

10.1155/2009/281876 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 2009 ◽

pp. 1-5 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

N. E. Udonwa ◽

E. K. Uko ◽

B. M. Ikpeme ◽

I. A. Ibanga ◽

B. O. Okon

Keyword(s):

General Population ◽

Potential Risk ◽

Venous Blood ◽

Population Based ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Petrol Station ◽

Risk Of Exposure ◽

Structured Questionnaire

A population-based-cross-sectional survey was carried out to investigate the potential risk of exposure to premium motor spirit (PMS) fumes in Calabar, Nigeria, among Automobile Mechanics (AM), Petrol Station Attendants (PSA) and the general population. Structured questionnaire was administered on the randomly chosen subjects to elicit information on their exposure to PMS. Duration of exposure was taken as the length of work in their various occupations. Venous blood was taken for methaemoglobin (MetHb) and packed cells volume (PCV). Mean MetHb value was higher in AM (7.3%) and PSA (5.8%) than in the subjects from the general population (2.7%). PCV was lower in PSA (30.8%), than AM (33.3%) and the subjects from the general population (40.8%). MetHb level was directly proportional, and PCV inversely related, to the duration of exposure. The study suggested increased exposure to petrol fumes among AM, PSA, and MetHb as a useful biomarker in determining the level of exposure to benzene in petrol vapour.

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COVID-19 and the Risk for Increased Intimate Partner Violence Among Gay, Bisexual and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men in the United States

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/0886260521997454 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 088626052199745

Author(s):

Rob Stephenson ◽

Tanaka M.D. Chavanduka ◽

Matthew T. Rosso ◽

Stephen P. Sullivan ◽

Renée A. Pitter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Social Contact ◽

The United States ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Sex With Men ◽

First Time

Stay at home orders–intended to reduce the spread of COVID-19 by limiting social contact–have forced people to remain in their homes. The additional stressors created by the need to stay home and socially isolate may act as triggers to intimate partner violence (IPV). In this article, we present data from a recent online cross-sectional survey with gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in the United States to illustrate changes in IPV risks that have occurred during the U.S. COVID-19 epidemic. The Love and Sex in the Time of COVID-19 survey was conducted online from April to May 2020. GBMSM were recruited through paid banner advertisements featured on social networking platforms, recruiting a sample size of 696 GBMSM. Analysis considers changes in victimization and perpetration of IPV during the 3 months prior to the survey (March-May 2020) that represents the first 3 months of lockdown during the COVID-19 epidemic. During the period March-May 2020, 12.6% of participants reported experiencing any IPV with higher rates of emotional IPV (10.3%) than sexual (2.2%) or physical (1.8%) IPV. Of those who reported IPV victimization during lockdown, for almost half this was their first time experience: 5.3% reported the IPV they experienced happened for the first time during the past 3 months (0.8% physical, 2.13% sexual, and 3.3% emotional). Reporting of perpetration of IPV during lockdown was lower: only 6% reported perpetrating any IPV, with perpetration rates of 1.5% for physical, 0.5% for sexual, and 5.3% for emotional IPV. Of those who reported perpetration of IPV during lockdown, very small percentages reported that this was the first time they had perpetrated IPV: 0.9% for any IPV (0.2% physical, 0.2% sexual, and 0.6% emotional). The results illustrate an increased need for IPV resources for GBMSM during these times of increased stress and uncertainty, and the need to find models of resource and service delivery that can work inside of social distancing guidelines while protecting the confidentiality and safety of those who are experiencing IPV.

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HIV-1 seroprevalence in the general population of Salvador, Bahia State, Northeast Brazil

Cadernos de Saúde Pública ◽

10.1590/s0102-311x2007000100004 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

pp. 25-32 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Inês Dourado ◽

Craig A. Milroy ◽

Marco Antônio Gomes Mello ◽

Geraldo Argolo Ferraro ◽

Humberto Castro-Lima Filho ◽

...

Keyword(s):

General Population ◽

Minimum Wage ◽

Family Income ◽

Dna Amplification ◽

Income Group ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Subtype B ◽

Wide Range ◽

Hiv 1

To estimate HIV-1 seroprevalence in the general population of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of 3,437 residents from 1998 to 2000. Subjects were drawn from 30 sentinel areas representing a wide range of living conditions. Plasma samples were screened for HIV-1 antibodies by ELISA and confirmed by immunofluorescent assay. Subtype determination by HMA was performed after proviral DNA amplification. Phylogenetic analysis using parsimony was performed with the neighbor-joining method. Overall HIV-1 seroprevalence was 0.55% (19/3,446): 0.8% for men and 0.36% for women. Seroprevalence was higher in the 31-45-year age group (1%) and among persons with family income less than twice the minimum wage (0.78%) as compared to 0.33% for the higher income group. Syphilis was detected in 37% of HIV seropositive individuals. Phylogenetic inferences identified 10 samples as subtype B in the env region and 2 samples with Benv/Fgag/Fpol and Fenv/Bgag. Age > 30 years, male gender, and income < 2 times the minimum wage were identified as risk factors for HIV-1 infection. Extrapolating the proportion of seropositive individuals to Salvador, the number of HIV-1 infected individuals was estimated at 13,750.

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Acceptance Rates and Beliefs toward COVID-19 Vaccination among the General Population of Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Survey

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene ◽

10.4269/ajtmh.21-0297 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Farah Yasmin ◽

Waleed Asghar ◽

Maryam Salma Babar ◽

Hiba Khan ◽

Shoaib Ahmad ◽

...

Keyword(s):

General Population ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Vaccine Hesitancy ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Public ◽

Polio Vaccination ◽

Acceptance Rates ◽

To Receive ◽

Do So

Developing countries like Pakistan have previously suffered from barriers to acceptance of vaccination by the public because of financial and belief barriers. This study aims to explore these beliefs and highlight concerns regarding vaccine hesitancy in the general population of Pakistan since they are a hindrance to an effective coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) immunization in the country. A cross-sectional study was performed involving 1,778 participants from all four provinces of Pakistan. Results from the study showed more than half of the participants to be unsure of the safety (50%) and efficacy (51%) of the vaccine, whereas 42% were concerned about the side effects of the vaccine. About 72% of the respondents planned to get vaccinated, whereas 28% refused to do so. Internationally made imported vaccines were more trusted by the participants. Forty-four percent of the participants agreed to receive the vaccine upon recommendation from a physician. Lastly, participants who believed in the efficacy of the polio vaccination also considered the COVID-19 vaccine to be safe and effective.

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Prevalence and Associated Factors of Unprotected Anal Intercourse with Regular Male Sex Partners among HIV Negative Men Who Have Sex with Men in China: A Cross-Sectional Survey

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0119977 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. e0119977 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Dongliang Li ◽

Chunrong Li ◽

Zixin Wang ◽

Joseph T. F. Lau

Keyword(s):

Associated Factors ◽

Anal Intercourse ◽

Unprotected Anal Intercourse ◽

Sex Partners ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Male Sex ◽

Sex With Men ◽

Hiv Negative

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Abstract 204: Cross-sectional Survey of Quality of Life and Workload Among Japanese Physicians Working in Stroke Care: The Nationwide Survey of Acute Stroke Care Capacity for Proper Designation of Comprehensive Stroke Center in Japan (J-ASPECT) Study

Circulation Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes ◽

10.1161/circoutcomes.8.suppl_2.204 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 8 (suppl_2) ◽

Author(s):

Fumiaki Nakamura ◽

Kunihiro Nishimura ◽

Misa Takegami ◽

Yoshihiro Miyamoto ◽

Koji Iihara

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

General Population ◽

Short Form ◽

Stroke Care ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Neurosurgical Society ◽

The Mean ◽

Population Norm

Objective: Approximately 40% of stroke physicians in Japan are in a state of burnout. The quality of life (QOL) of physicians working in stroke care is unclear. We aimed to compare health-related QOL (HRQOL) between physicians working in stroke care and the general population, and to evaluate personal and professional characteristics associated with HRQOL of physicians working in stroke care. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting and Participants: All board-certified members of the Japanese Neurosurgical Society and the Societas Neurologica Japonica working in Japan. Main outcome measure: Scores of HRQOL (physical and mental) as assessed by the Short-Form 8 (SF-8). Statistical analysis: We compared scores of physician’s HRQOL with standard values of the general population. Factors associated with HRQOL were identified by multivariable regression analysis with stepwise variable selection. Results: Of 11,211 stroke physicians who received the survey, 2279 (20.3%) completed the surveys. The mean physical QOL score was 49.4 points (95% CI: 49.1 to 49.7), which was similar to the population norm. However, the mean mental QOL score was below the population norm (46.1 points [95% CI: 45.7 to 46.4]), and 20.8% (475/2279) of stroke physicians had a score lower than one standard deviation below the population norm. The physical QOL score was lower in women than in men (coefficient = –1.66 [95% CI: –2.82 to –0.50]). An increase in nights on call per week was associated with a lower physical QOL (each additional 1 time per week = –0.39 [–0.53 to –0.25]), and an increase in mean sleep time was associated with a higher physical QOL score (each additional 1 hour = 0.87 [0.55 to 1.20]). Physicians who worked more than 40 hours per week had a lower mean mental QOL score than those who worked less than 40 hours per week (each additional 10 hour = –0.40 [–0.57 to –0.24]). A higher salary was associated with a higher mental QOL score (lower than $100 000 = reference; $100 000-149 000 = 0.08 [–1.10 to 1.27]; $150 000-199 000 = 0.68 [–0.61 to 1.97]; $200 000 or more = 1.90 [0.46 to 3.34]), and an increase of 1 day off per week was associated with an increase in mental QOL score (each additional 1 day = 0.88 [0.24 to 1.52]). Limitation: This study was based on a cross-sectional design and was thus unable to determine the causal effects of factors. Conclusion: Mental QOL scores of stroke physicians are significantly lower than those of the population norm. Work hours, salary, and numbers of days off are associated with the mental QOL score.

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