Category: Statistics

Stomatologiia (Mosk). 2024;103(4):67-69. doi: 10.17116/stomat202410304167.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To reveal need for prosthodontics in permanent teeth in children aged 8-18 years.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was performed in Khimki Dental Municipal Clinic. Dental examination and radiological studies were conducted in 97 primary patients aged 8-18 years. Indications for prosthodontics in permanent teeth were occlusal deterioration index more than 40% and crown decay of more than 50% in incisors and canines. Additional features were registered including DMFT index, the presence of extracted teeth and teeth after root canal treatment, as well and teeth with extensive restorations with resins and marginal seal quality.

RESULTS: From 97 primary patients (27.8%) children needed prosthodontics in permanent teeth (in average 2.3±2.1 teeth): 1 tooth in 10 children, 2 teeth in 11 children, 3 teeth in 1 child, 4 teeth in 3 children and 4 teeth in 2 children. Mean DMFT was 8.1±4.5 teeth. Six children already had extracted permanent teeth (9 teeth in total). Half of the teeth (49.2%) which needed orthodontic treatment had history of root canal treatment while 46% needed primary or secondary endodontic treatment. Occlusal deterioration index was more than 40% in 41.3% of cases, more than 60% in 49.2% of teeth and more than 80% in 9.52% of teeth. From all the teeth restored with composite resins 41.7% had good marginal seal but 58.3% showed macroscopic signs of marginal leakage.

CONCLUSION: Our study shows high percentage of adolescents having need for prosthodontics in permanent teeth and unjustified widening of indications for direct resin restorations in this group of patients.

PMID:39171346 | DOI:10.17116/stomat202410304167

Front Public Health. 2024 Aug 6;12:1390636. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1390636. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Compared to civilians and non-medical personnel, military medical doctors are at increased risk for sleep disturbances and impaired psychological well-being. Despite their responsibility and workload, no research has examined sleep disturbances and psychological well-being among the medical doctors (MDs) of the Swiss Armed Forces (SAF). Thus, the aims of the proposed study are (1) to conduct a cross-sectional study (labeled ‘Survey-Study 1’) of sleep disturbances and psychological well-being among MDs of the SAF; (2) to identify MDs who report sleep disturbances (insomnia severity index >8), along with low psychological well-being such as symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, but also emotion regulation, concentration, social life, strengths and difficulties, and mental toughness both in the private/professional and military context and (3) to offer those MDs with sleep disturbances an evidence-based and standardized online interventional group program of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (eCBTi) over a time lapse of 6 weeks (labeled ‘Intervention-Study 2’).

METHOD: All MDs serving in the SAF (N = 480) will be contacted via the SAF-secured communication system to participate in a cross-sectional survey of sleep disturbances and psychological well-being (‘Survey-Study 1’). Those who consent will be provided a link to a secure online survey that assesses sleep disturbances and psychological well-being (depression, anxiety, stress, coping), including current working conditions, job-related quality of life, mental toughness, social context, family/couple functioning, substance use, and physical activity patterns. Baseline data will be screened to identify those MDs who report sleep disturbances (insomnia severity index >8); they will be re-contacted, consented, and randomly assigned either to the eCBTi or the active control condition (ACC) (‘Intervention-Study 2’). Individuals in the intervention condition will participate in an online standardized and evidence-based group intervention program of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (eCBTi; once the week for six consecutive weeks; 60-70 min duration/session). Participants in the ACC will participate in an online group counseling (once the week for six consecutive weeks; 60-70 min duration/session), though, the ACC is not intended as a bona fide psychotherapeutic intervention. At the beginning of the intervention (baseline), at week 3, and at week 6 (post-intervention) participants complete a series of self-rating questionnaires as for the Survey-Study 1, though with additional questionnaires covering sleep-related cognitions, experiential avoidance, and dimensions of self-awareness.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES: Survey-Study 1: We expect to describe the prevalence rates of, and the associations between sleep disturbances (insomnia (sleep quality); sleep onset latency (SOL); awakenings after sleep onset (WASO)) and psychological well-being among MDs of the SAF; we further expect to identify specific dimensions of psychological well-being, which might be rather associated or non-associated with sleep disturbances.Intervention-Study 2: We expect several significant condition-by-time-interactions. Such that participants in the eCBTi will report significantly greater improvement in sleep disturbances, symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress reduction both at work and at home (family related stress), and an improvement in the overall quality of life as compared to the ACC over the period of the study.

CONCLUSION: The study offers the opportunity to understand the prevalence of sleep disturbances, including factors of psychological well-being among MDs of the SAF. Further, based on the results of the Intervention-Study 2, and if supported, eCBTi may be a promising method to address sleep disturbances and psychological well-being among the specific context of MDs in the SAF.

PMID:39171319 | PMC:PMC11337202 | DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1390636

Front Public Health. 2024 Aug 7;12:1392813. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1392813. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), as organic pollutants widely present in daily environments, have been shown by existing epidemiological studies to be significantly associated with deficits in learning and memory functions in children and adults. However, the association between exposure to PAHs and cognitive function in older adults remains unclear. Additionally, existing related studies have only assessed the association between individual PAH exposures and cognitive assessments, overlooking the risks posed by mixed exposures. This study aims to use three statistical models to investigate the individual and overall effects of mixed PAH exposures on the cognition of older adults in the United States.

METHODS: The study cohort was obtained from the NHANES database, which included individuals aged 60 and older from 2011 to 2014. Weighted generalized linear models (GLM), weighted quantile sum (WQS) models, and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models were utilized to evaluate the connections between urinary PAH metabolites and the standardized Z-scores of four cognitive tests: Immediate Recall Test (IRT), Delayed Recall Test (DRT), Animal Fluency Test (AFT), and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST).

RESULTS: Our analysis involved 899 individuals aged 60 and above. In the fully adjusted GLM, 2-hydroxynaphthalene (2-OHNa), 3-hydroxyfluorene (3-OHFlu), and 2-hydroxyfluorene (2-OHFlu) demonstrated negative associations with DSST Z-scores. In the WQS model, six urinary PAH metabolites were negatively linked to AFT Z-scores (β (95% confidence intervals [CI]): -0.120 (-0.208, -0.033), p = 0.007) and DSST Z-scores (β (95% CI): -0.182 (-0.262, -0.103), p < 0.001). In both assessments, 2-OHNa exerted the greatest influence among the urinary PAH metabolites. In the BKMR model, there was an overall negative correlation between urinary PAH metabolites and AFT and DSST Z-scores when the concentration was within the 25th to 75th percentile, where 2-OHNa dominated the main effect of the mixture. The WQS and BKMR models were adjusted for all covariates.

CONCLUSION: Increased concentrations of urinary PAH metabolites are associated with cognitive decline in older adults, mainly on language ability, executive function, sustained attention, working memory, and information processing speed, with 2-OHNa playing a major effect.

PMID:39171318 | PMC:PMC11335504 | DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1392813

Front Public Health. 2024 Aug 7;12:1436415. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1436415. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Monoterpenes, a subset of the terpene family composed of two isoprene units, have garnered significant attention in research circles owing to their potential medicinal benefits. Recent experimental studies indicate that they might exert positive effects on bone health. Nevertheless, the impact of monoterpenes exposure on bone health remains unexplored in humans.

METHODS: We examined 748 adults (age ≥ 40 years) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2014 to explore the correlation between three monoterpenes (α-pinene, β-pinene, and limonene), bone mineral density (BMD) in the total lumbar spine and proximal femur, FRAX^® scores, and prior bone fracture history.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Our analysis unveiled a significant inverse association between a one-unit increase in the natural logarithm (ln) of α-pinene and limonene and total proximal femur BMD (ß = -0.027, S.E. = 0.008, P = 0.004 and ß = -0.019, S.E. = 0.007, P = 0.016, respectively). As serum α-pinene levels ascended across quintiles, there was a notable decrease in total proximal femur BMD (P for trend = 0.025). The inverse relationship between ln α-pinene levels and total proximal femur BMD was more pronounced in women, especially pre-menopausal women. Compared to subjects with α-pinene and limonene levels at or below the 50^th percentiles, those exceeding this threshold exhibited the lowest mean value of total proximal femur BMD (0.8628 g/cm2, S.E. = 0.026, P = 0.009). However, the trend was not statistically significant (P = 0.070). Additionally, all three monoterpenes were linked to a higher prevalence of previous spine fractures, whereas β-pinene showed a reduced incidence of other types of fractures. In this comprehensive survey of American adults aged 40 and above, higher serum levels of α-pinene and limonene correlated with decreased total proximal femur BMD. Furthermore, our findings suggest a potential combined effect of α-pinene and limonene on total proximal femur BMD. Further investigation is essential to elucidate the clinical relevance and causative nature of our findings.

PMID:39171315 | PMC:PMC11335497 | DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1436415

Front Public Health. 2024 Aug 6;12:1450935. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1450935. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Recent years have seen an increase in school refusal behavior among adolescents, potentially due to factors like excessive short-form video viewing, bullying, and school anxiety. Limited research has investigated how these factors contribute to school refusal behavior. This study used random forest regression, path analysis, and network analysis to identify key variables and pathways leading to school refusal behavior.

METHODS: In this cross-sectional questionnaire-based study, 2,056 (996 male, 1,060 female, mean age: 14.79 ± 1.24 years) middle and senior high school students were asked to complete the School Refusal Behavior Assessment questionnaire to assess school refusal behavior features, the Excessive Short-Form Video Viewing Scale as well as self-reported viewing times during leisure days to assess excessive short-form video viewing, the SNAP-IV Rating Scale to assess the severity of inattention symptoms, and the self-administered questionnaires to assess experiences of being bullied and school anxiety.

RESULTS: The prevalence of school refusal behavior in the surveyed adolescents was found to be 31.9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 29.8-33.9%]. In terms of significance, the severity of inattention symptoms exhibited the greatest predictive power, while excessive short-form video viewing accounted for the most variance. Path analysis revealed that excessive short-form video viewing not only directly affects school refusal behavior features but also does so indirectly through severity of inattention symptoms and school anxiety. Key bridge factors in this pathway include intense fear and anxiety associated with school attendance, manifesting as somatic symptoms and avoidance behaviors.

CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that not only does excessive short-form video viewing directly influence school refusal behavior features in adolescents, but it also indirectly impacts these features through mechanisms involving severity of inattention symptoms and school anxiety. The bridge factors highlight potential targets for interventions among the SRB features and predictors.

PMID:39171313 | PMC:PMC11337196 | DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1450935

Front Public Health. 2024 Aug 7;12:1443844. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1443844. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Landscaping studies related to public health education in India do not exclusively focus on the most common Masters of Public Health (MPH) program. The field of public health faces challenges due to the absence of a professional council, resulting in fragmented documentation of these programs. This study was undertaken to map all MPH programs offered across various institutes in India in terms of their geographic distribution, accreditation status, and administration patterns.

METHODOLOGY: An exhaustive internet search using various keywords was conducted to identify all MPH programs offered in India. Websites were explored for their details. A data extraction tool was developed for recording demographic and other data. Information was extracted from these websites as per the tool and collated in a matrix. Geographic coordinates obtained from Google Maps, and QGIS software facilitated map generation.

RESULTS: The search identified 116 general and 13 MPH programs with specializations offered by different universities and institutes across India. India is divided into six zones, and the distribution of MPH programs in these zones is as follows, central zone has 20 programs; the east zone has 11; the north zone has 35; the north-east zone has 07; the south zone has 26; and the west zone has 17 MPH programs. While 107 are university grants commission (UGC) approved universities and institutes, only 46 MPH programs are conducted by both UGC approved and National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) accredited universities and institutes. Five universities are categorized as central universities; 22 are deemed universities; 51 are private universities; and 29 are state universities. Nine are considered institutions of national importance by the UGC, and four institutions are recognized as institutions of eminence. All general MPH programs span 2 years and are administered under various faculties, with only 27 programs being conducted within dedicated schools or centers of public health.

CONCLUSION: The MPH programs in India show considerable diversity in their geographic distribution, accreditation status, and administration pattern.

PMID:39171312 | PMC:PMC11335718 | DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1443844

Front Public Health. 2024 Aug 7;12:1368360. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1368360. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Using data from a nationwide survey among high school students in Denmark, the aim of the current study is to measure the prevalence of online bullying and online sexual harassment and assess gender and age differences in exposure.

METHODS: We used data from the Danish National Youth Study 2019, which is a nationwide web survey among high school students, including general, commercial, preparatory and technical high schools. Data were collected from January to April 2019 through a self-administered questionnaire in the classroom. A total of 29,086 students participated (response rate: 66%). The survey included questions about online sexual harassment (victimization and perpetration) and online bullying.

RESULTS: Approximately 11% of students reported receiving sexually offensive inquiries online, and about 10% received a sexual image/video of others without the subjects’ consent. Additionally, 4% experienced that other people shared a sexual image/video of them without their consent within the last 12 months. The most common type of online bullying was feeling ignored by others online (25%), followed by someone spreading rumors or writing nasty things about them (13%), and receiving threats/unpleasant messages (12%). Gender results were mixed.

PMID:39171309 | PMC:PMC11335486 | DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1368360

Front Public Health. 2024 Aug 7;12:1386441. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1386441. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Metal carpentry includes a wide range of work activities such as welding and cutting metallic components, use of solvents and paints. Therefore, the employees in these types of activities are mainly exposed to welding fumes and volatile organic solvents. Here, we present an NMR-based metabolomic approach for assessing urinary profiles of workers in the same company that are exposed to two different risk factors.

METHODS: The study enrolled 40 male subjects exposed to welding fumes, 13 male subjects exposed to volatile organic compounds of a metal carpentry company, and 24 healthy volunteers. All samples were collected, in the middle of the working week at fast. Thirty-five urinary metabolites belonging to different chemical classes such as amino acids, organic acids and amines were identified and quantified. Results were processed by multivariate statistical analysis for identifying significant metabolites for each working group examined, compared to controls.

RESULTS: Workers exposed to welding fumes displayed urinary increase in glutamine, tyrosine, taurine, creatine, methylguanidine and pseudouridine associated to oxidative impairment, while workers exposed to volatile organic compounds showed higher urinary levels of branched chain aminoacids.

CONCLUSION: Our work identified specific urinary profile related to each occupational exposure, even if it is below the threshold limit values.

PMID:39171307 | PMC:PMC11335539 | DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1386441

Front Public Health. 2024 Aug 7;12:1413772. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1413772. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The older adult migrant population in China is on the rise, which presents challenges for the national public health service system. However, the heterogeneity of public health service utilization and its relationship with social integration among the older adult migrant population remains unclear. This study aims to explore the heterogeneity the public health service utilization and how it relates to their social integration.

METHODS: A total of 6,178 older adult migrants from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS) in 2017 were included in this study. Exploratory factor analysis was used to categorize social integration into four dimensions. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify different sub-groups of public health service utilization. ANOVA and multivariate logistic regression were used to determine the characteristics of different sub-groups.

RESULTS: Three potential classes of public health service utilization were identified: low utilization of basic public health services class (N = 3,264,52.756%), medium utilization of basic public health services class (N = 1,743,28.172%), and high utilization of basic public health services class (N = 1,180,19.072%). Gender, education, extent of mobility, and move alone or not, flow time were all predictors of the class of public health service utilization. There were significant differences in social integration across potential categories (p<0.0001).

CONCLUSION: The utilization of public health services of the older adult migrants is affected by many aspects. Social integration deserves attention as a significant influencing factor in the utilization of public health services. The government should pay attention to the characteristics of the older adult migrants and formulate relevant policies in a targeted manner in order to improve the utilization of public health services of the older adult migrants.

PMID:39171305 | PMC:PMC11335552 | DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1413772

Front Public Health. 2024 Aug 7;12:1412496. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1412496. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Anaemia remains a primary concern of public health in developing countries. Indigenous populations are a significant and frequently underreported group at risk for anaemia. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anaemia and identify its determinants in the Temiar sub-ethnic indigenous Orang Asli (OA) community in Peninsular Malaysia.

METHODOLOGY: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 640 indigenous Temiar OA participants from a remote settlement in Gua Musang, Kelantan, Malaysia. Data was collected using face-to-face interviews with a standardised pretested questionnaire and through blood samples collected for haemoglobin (Hb) testing. Anaemia status was determined using the Hb level cut-off established by the World Health Organization (WHO). Descriptive analysis was used to determine the prevalence of anaemia, while multiple logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with anaemia.

RESULTS: The overall anaemia prevalence was 44.7% (286/640), and the prevalence rates of mild, moderate and severe anaemia were 42.7, 50.7 and 6.6%, respectively. Anaemia-specific prevalence varied significantly by age group (p < 0.001) and was highest in the ≤5 group for both moderate anaemia (43.4%) and severe (42.1%), followed by the 6-17 age group for mild anaemia (39.3%). The prevalence of anaemia was also highest among students (53.9%), with a significant difference observed between the three anaemia severity classifications (p = 0.002). In the multivariate logistic regression, only age groups of 6-17 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.38, p < 0.001), 18-40 (aOR 0.18, p < 0.001) and > 40 (aOR 0.25, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with the lower odds of anaemia in the population.

CONCLUSION: This study has highlighted the high prevalence of anaemia among indigenous OA in Peninsular Malaysia and revealed that younger children were positively associated with childhood anaemia. Effective interventions and special attention to this indigenous population need to be implemented to reduce the risk of anaemia.

PMID:39171304 | PMC:PMC11336250 | DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1412496