Accidental Consumption of Aspartame in Phenylketonuria: Patient Experiences

Aspartame is a phenylalanine containing sweetener, added to foods and drinks, which is avoided in phenylketonuria (PKU). However, the amount of phenylalanine provided by aspartame is unidentifiable from food and drinks labels. We performed a cross-sectional online survey aiming to examine the accidental aspartame consumption in PKU. 206 questionnaires (58% female) were completed. 55% of respondents (n = 114) were adults with PKU or their parent/carers and 45% (n = 92) were parents/carers of children with PKU. 74% (n = 152/206) had consumed food/drinks containing aspartame. Repeated accidental aspartame consumption was common and more frequent in children (p < 0.0001). The aspartame containing food/drinks accidentally consumed were fizzy drinks (68%, n = 103/152), fruit squash (40%, n = 61/152), chewing gum (30%, n = 46/152), flavoured water (25%, n = 38/152), ready to drink fruit squash cartons (23%, n = 35/152) and sports drinks (21%, n = 32/152). The main reasons described for accidental consumption, were manufacturers’ changing recipes (81%, n = 123/152), inability to check the ingredients in pubs/restaurants/vending machines (59%, n = 89/152) or forgetting to check the label (32%, n = 49/152). 23% (n= 48/206) had been prescribed medicines containing aspartame and 75% (n = 36/48) said that medicines were not checked by medics when prescribed. 85% (n = 164/192) considered the sugar tax made accidental aspartame consumption more likely. Some of the difficulties for patients were aspartame identification in drinks consumed in restaurants, pubs, vending machines (77%, n = 158/206); similarities in appearance of aspartame and non-aspartame products (62%, n = 127/206); time consuming shopping/checking labels (56%, n = 115/206); and unclear labelling (55%, n = 114/206). These issues caused anxiety for the person with PKU (52%, n = 106/206), anxiety for parent/caregivers (46%, n = 95/206), guilt for parent/carers (42%, n = 87/206) and social isolation (42%, n = 87/206). It is important to understand the impact of aspartame and legislation such as the sugar tax on people with PKU. Policy makers and industry should ensure that the quality of life of people with rare conditions such as PKU is not compromised through their action.

Download Full-text

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on resident physicians: A cross-sectional study

Work ◽

10.3233/wor-205253 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Anja Barac ◽

Paola Krnjaic ◽

Nikola Vujnovic ◽

Nino Matas ◽

Edita Runjic ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Personal Lives ◽

Resident Physicians ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Stress At Work ◽

The Impact

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 presents a threat to the mental health of the medical staff working with COVID-19 patients. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of working during the COVID-19 pandemic on resident physicians. METHODS: The study was conducted via anonymous online survey and included resident physicians. The survey contained questions about sociodemographic information, general job satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their personal lives. RESULTS: This study included a response from 728 resident physicians. The majority of residents rated that the COVID-19 pandemic had a mostly negative impact on their satisfaction with professional life (59.9%) and quality of work (62.8%), their personal lives (44.7%) and quality of life (57.1%). Half of all residents indicated that they did not have enough personal protective equipment (PPE). About one-third of residents indicated that the level of stress at work during the COVID-19 pandemic was higher. CONCLUSIONS: Working as resident physicians during COVID-19 pandemic had a negative effect on participants’ professional and personal lives. Residents did not have all the necessary PPE nor felt safe working with patients with suspected or proven COVID-19. Further action is needed to provide support for physician residents working during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Download Full-text

Participation in physical activity decreased more in people with rheumatoid arthritis than the general population during the COVID-19 lockdown: a cross-sectional study

Rheumatology International ◽

10.1007/s00296-021-05054-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Christopher Balchin ◽

Ai Lyn Tan ◽

Oliver J. Wilson ◽

Jim McKenna ◽

Antonios Stavropoulos-Kalinoglou

Keyword(s):

Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Body Weight ◽

Online Survey ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Impact ◽

Exercise Equipment

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing restrictions have significantly reduced population-wide physical activity (PA) levels. However, the impact of the pandemic and relevant restrictions on PA participation, and any potential barriers to it, in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are not clear. Furthermore, we are unsure if any such PA changes have affected their body weight, mental wellbeing, and/or quality of life (QoL). Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the impact of the lockdown on PA participation in people with RA, versus people without RA. Participants (n = 128; RA = 27, non-RA = 101) completed a self-administered online survey, which included questions on PA, body weight, mental wellbeing and QoL. PA participation during lockdown was significantly lower among RA versus non-RA participants (p < 0.001). Additionally, a similar profile of results was found where more RA participants vs non-RA participants reported reduced habitual PA (59% vs 33%) and increased body weight (59% vs 35%). Mental wellbeing scores were similarly low in both groups during lockdown (RA: 20.8 ± 4.2; non-RA: 22.2 ± 3.4, p = 0.080). Matched group comparisons identified similar trends to full sample analyses. In the first months of the lockdown, more people with RA reported decreased PA participation and increased body weight than their non-RA counterparts. Access to exercise equipment and facilities appears to be the main cause for these results. Looking beyond COVID-19, specific PA promotion for people with RA will be required to prevent a pandemic of inactivity.

Download Full-text

Psychological Impact of COVID-19 Confinement and Its Relationship with Meditation

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17186642 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (18) ◽

pp. 6642 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Óliver Jiménez ◽

Laura C. Sánchez-Sánchez ◽

José M. García-Montes

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Protective Factor ◽

Short Form ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Self Compassion ◽

Key Variables ◽

The Impact

The objective of this study was to evaluate the psychological impact of confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, considering any protective factors, such as the practice of meditation or self-compassion, and their relationship with different lifestyles and circumstances of adults residing in Spain. A cross-sectional study was done using an anonymous online survey in which 412 participants filled out the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-2; the Impact of Events Scale; and the Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form, reporting severe symptomatology of posttraumatic stress and mild anxiety and depression. Quality of cohabitation and age were found to be key variables in the psychological impact of confinement. The impact of confinement was more negative for those who reported very poor cohabitation as opposed to very good (F (3, 405) = 30.75, p ≤ 0.001, d = 2.44, r = 0.054) or for those under 35 years of age compared to those over 46 (F (2, 409) = 5.14, p = 0.006, d = 0.36). Practicing meditation was not revealed as a protective factor, but self-compassion was related to better cohabitation during confinement (F (3, 403) = 11.83, p ≤ 0.001, d = 1.05). These results could be relevant in designing psychological interventions to improve coping and mental health in other situations similar to confinement.

Download Full-text

Measuring the impact of COVID-19 on the quality of life of the survivors, partners and family members: a cross-sectional international online survey

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-047680 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. e047680

Author(s):

Rubina Shah ◽

Faraz M Ali ◽

Stuart J Nixon ◽

John R Ingram ◽

Sam M Salek ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Online Survey ◽

Outcome Measure ◽

Family Members ◽

Psychosocial Health ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Five Dimensions ◽

Euroqol Group ◽

The Impact

ObjectiveThis study aimed to measure the impact of COVID-19 on the quality of life (QoL) of survivors and their partners and family members.Design and settingA prospective cross-sectional global online survey using social media.ParticipantsPatients with COVID-19 and partners or family members (age ≥18 years).InterventionOnline survey from June to August 2020.Main outcome measureThe EuroQol group five dimensions three level (EQ-5D-3L) to measure the QoL of survivors of COVID-19, and the Family Reported Outcome Measure (FROM-16) to assess the impact on their partner/family member’s QoL.ResultsThe survey was completed by 735 COVID-19 survivors (mean age=48 years; females=563) at a mean of 12.8 weeks after diagnosis and by 571 partners and 164 family members (n=735; mean age=47 years; females=246) from Europe (50.6%), North America (38.5%) and rest of the world (10.9%). The EQ-5D mean score for COVID-19 survivors was 8.65 (SD=1.9, median=9; range=6–14). 81.1% (596/735) reported pain and discomfort, 79.5% (584/735) problems with usual activities, 68.7% (505/735) anxiety and depression and 56.2% (413/735) problems with mobility. Hospitalised survivors (20.1%, n=148) and survivors with existing health conditions (30.9%, n=227) reported significantly more problems with mobility and usual activities (p<0.05), with hospitalised also experiencing more impact on self-care (p≤0.001). Among 735 partners and family members, the mean FROM-16 score (maximum score=highest impact =32) was 15 (median=15, range=0-32). 93.6% (688/735) reported being worried, 81.7% (601/735) frustrated, 78.4% (676/735) sad, 83.3% (612/735) reported impact on their family activities, 68.9% (507/735) on sleep and 68.1% (500/735) on their sex life.ConclusionCOVID-19 survivors reported a major persisting impact on their physical and psychosocial health. The lives of their partners and other family members were also severely affected. There is a need for a holistic support system sensitive to the needs of COVID-19 survivors and their family members who experience a major ‘secondary burden’.

Download Full-text

The impact of the use of a footrest on the quality of chest compressions. A prospective, randomized, cross-sectional study

Postępy Nauk Medycznych ◽

10.25121/pnm.2018.31.3.133 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Jolanta Majer ◽

Sandra Pyda ◽

Jerzy Robert Ladny ◽

Antonio Rodriguez-Nunez ◽

Lukasz Szarpak

Keyword(s):

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Chest Compressions ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Impact

Download Full-text

Correlation of Altmetric Attention Scores with Citations in Major Pharmacy Journals (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.13129 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Dave L Dixon ◽

William L Baker

Keyword(s):

Citation Count ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Scientific Output ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Promotion And Tenure ◽

Article Type ◽

Key Factor ◽

Number Of Citations ◽

The Impact

BACKGROUND The impact and quality of a faculty members publications is a key factor in promotion and tenure decisions and career advancement. Traditional measures, including citation counts and journal impact factor, have notable limitations. Since 2010, alternative metrics have been proposed as another means of assessing the impact and quality of scholarly work. The Altmetric Attention Score is an objective score frequently used to determine the immediate reach of a published work across the web, including news outlets, blogs, social media, and more. Several studies evaluating the correlation between the Altmetric Attention Score and number of citations have found mixed results and may be discipline-specific. OBJECTIVE To determine the correlation between higher Altmetric Attention Scores and citation count for journal articles published in major pharmacy journals. METHODS This cross-sectional study evaluated articles from major pharmacy journals ranked in the top 10% according to the Altmetric Attention Score. Sources of attention that determined the Altmetric Attention Score were obtained, as well each articles open access status, article type, study design, and topic. Correlation between journal characteristics, including the Altmetric Attention Score and number of citations, was assessed using the Spearman’s correlation test. A Kruskal-Wallis 1-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the Altmetric Attention Scores between journals. RESULTS Six major pharmacy journals were identified. A total of 1,376 articles were published in 2017 and 137 of these represented the top 10% with the highest Altmetric Attention Scores. The median Altmetric Attention Score was 19 (IQR 15-28). Twitter and Mendeley were the most common sources of attention. Over half (56.2%) of the articles were original investigations and 49.8% were either cross-sectional, qualitative, or cohort studies. No significant correlation was found between the Altmetric Attention Score and citation count (rs=0.07, P = 0.485). Mendeley was the only attention source that correlated with the number of citations (rs=0.486, P<0.001). The median Altmetric Attention Score varied widely between each journal (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS The overall median Altmetric Attention score of 19 suggests articles published in major pharmacy journals are near the top 5% of all scientific output. However, we found no correlation between the Altmetric Attention Score and number of citations for articles published in major pharmacy journals in the year 2017.

Download Full-text

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

Download Full-text

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Working Conditions, Employment, Career Development and Well-Being of Refugee Researchers

Societies ◽

10.3390/soc11030071 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 71

Author(s):

Ourania Tzoraki ◽

Svetlana Dimitrova ◽

Marin Barzakov ◽

Saad Yaseen ◽

Vasilis Gavalas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Well Being ◽

Appropriate Technology ◽

Public Authorities ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Home Setting ◽

The Public ◽

Work From Home ◽

The Impact

The ongoing ‘refugee crisis’ of the past years has led to the migration of refugee researchers (RRs) to European countries. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, RRs often had to work from home and/or to continue their social, cultural and economic integration process under new conditions. An online survey carried out to explore the impact of the pandemic on the refugee researchers showed that RRs found it difficult to adapt their everyday working life to the ‘home’ setting. The majority have had neither a suitable work environment at home nor the appropriate technology. Although they stated that they are rather pleased with the measures taken by the public authorities, they expressed concern about their vulnerability due to their precarious contracts and the bureaucratic asylum procedures, as the pandemic has had a negative impact on these major issues. The majority of RRs working in academia seem not to have been affected at all as far as their income is concerned, while the majority of those employed in other sectors became unemployed during the pandemic (58%). Recommendations are provided to the public authorities and policy makers to assist RRs to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic on their life.

Download Full-text

Quantity and quality of childcare and children’s educational outcomes

Journal of Population Economics ◽

10.1007/s00148-021-00835-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jo Blanden ◽

Emilia Del Bono ◽

Kirstine Hansen ◽

Birgitta Rabe

Keyword(s):

School Achievement ◽

Additional Term ◽

Publicly Funded ◽

Highly Qualified ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Quality Rating ◽

Quality Of Childcare ◽

The Impact ◽

School Records

AbstractPolicy-makers wanting to support child development can choose to adjust the quantity or quality of publicly funded universal pre-school. To assess the impact of such changes, we estimate the effects of an increase in free pre-school education in England of about 3.5 months at age 3 on children’s school achievement at age 5. We exploit date-of-birth discontinuities that create variation in the length and starting age of free pre-school using administrative school records linked to nursery characteristics. Estimated effects are small overall, but the impact of the additional term is substantially larger in settings with the highest inspection quality rating but not in settings with highly qualified staff. Estimated effects fade out by age 7.

Download Full-text

Changes in Consumers’ Food Practices during the COVID-19 Lockdown, Implications for Diet Quality and the Food System: A Cross-Continental Comparison

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13010020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 20

Author(s):

Blain Murphy ◽

Tony Benson ◽

Amanda McCloat ◽

Elaine Mooney ◽

Chris Elliott ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diet Quality ◽

Food Systems ◽

Online Survey ◽

Food System ◽

Vegetable Intake ◽

Saturated Fat ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Food Practices ◽

The Impact

COVID-19 has led to dramatic societal changes. Differing movement restrictions across countries have affected changes in consumers’ food practices, with a potentially detrimental impact on their health and food systems. To investigate this, this research explored changes in consumers’ food practices during the initial COVID-19 phase and assessed the impact of location on these changes. A sample of 2360 adults from three continents (Island of Ireland (IOI), Great Britain (GB), United States (USA), and New Zealand (NZ)) were recruited for a cross-sectional online survey (May–June 2020). Participants completed questions in relation to their cooking and food practices, diet quality, and COVID-19 food-related practices. Significant changes in consumers’ food practices during the pandemic were seen within and between regions, with fewer cooking practices changes found in the USA. Food practices, which may put added pressure on the food system, such as bulk buying, were seen across all regions. To prevent this, organisational food practices, including planning ahead, should be emphasized. Additionally, while positive cooking-related practices and increases in fruit and vegetable intake were found, an increase in saturated fat intake was also seen. With the additional pressure on individuals’ physical and mental health, the essentiality of maintaining a balanced diet should be promoted.

Download Full-text