Categories
Nevin Manimala Statistics

Trends in fertility and abortion in Czechia

Cas Lek Cesk. 2024;162(7-8):299-306.

ABSTRACT

The assessment of the development of fertility and abortion rates over the last three decades shows that Czechia has reached the top position in Europe with a total fertility rate of 1.83 children per woman in 2021. The postponement of fertility to women’s older age, which was behind the sharp drop in fertility to 1.1, has been gradually slowed down and halted between 2015 and 2021. In recent years, there has been an increase in fertility rates for women aged 30 and older as well as a balanced increase for women under 30. In the European context Czechia has maintained its position as a country with lower rates of reproductive ageing. The favourable demographic position of Czechia among European countries is also illustrated by the relatively low level of the abortion rate. The postponement of female fertility to older ages has not been accompanied by an increase in the abortion rate among young women, but on the contrary a decline in fertility has been accompanied by a decline in the abortion rate. Given the year-on-year increase in total fertility (from 1.71 in 2020 to 1.83 in 2021), the initial effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on fertility can be assessed positively. However, the subsequent decline to 1.62 in 2022 is already the result of a combination of adverse effects stemming from the consequences of antipandemic measures and worsening economic conditions, to which new security risks associated with the war in Ukraine have subsequently been added. This has created the conditions for a further postponement of fertility until women are older.

PMID:38981716

Categories
Nevin Manimala Statistics

Mild traumatic brain injury caused by workplace violence in a US workers’ compensation system

Occup Environ Med. 2024 Jul 9:oemed-2024-109437. doi: 10.1136/oemed-2024-109437. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Approximately 81% of traumatic brain injury cases are considered to be mild (mTBI), but few studies have reviewed mTBI caused by workplace violence (WPV). This study aimed to (1) determine the incidence of mTBI secondary to WPV in a statewide workers’ compensation system using International Classification of Disease codes and (2) analyse and compare factors associated with return-to-work outcomes between WPV mTBI cases versus other mechanisms.

METHODS: Using a retrospective cohort of claims data from the California Workers’ Compensation Information System during 2015-2019, cases with a return-to-work date were classified as WPV if the injury description contained keywords such as assault, gunpoint, harassed, intimidated, punch, threat, robbery, violent or verbal abuse.

RESULTS: Of the 14 089 mTBI claims analysed in this study, 11.2% were caused by WPV. When comparing WPV to non-WPV claims, the variables with statistically significant (p≤0.001) differences were age, income, industry and job class. There were no significant differences between groups for leave duration. In a linear mixed model, the variable of interest (WPV) was not associated with recovery duration after adjusting for other factors.

CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine WPV mTBI claims in the USA. The findings suggest that the public administration, education and healthcare and social services industries are at higher risk for WPV mTBI. WPV and job class were the only modifiable factors in the model and therefore should be the focus of additional research.

PMID:38981678 | DOI:10.1136/oemed-2024-109437

Categories
Nevin Manimala Statistics

Ovarian cancer deaths attributable to asbestos exposure in Lombardy (Italy) in 2000-2018

Occup Environ Med. 2024 Jul 9:oemed-2023-109342. doi: 10.1136/oemed-2023-109342. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to estimate the fraction of deaths from ovarian cancer attributable to asbestos exposure in Lombardy Region, Italy, using a novel approach that exploits the fact that ovarian cancer asbestos exposure is associated with pleural cancer and other risk factors for breast cancer.

METHODS: This ecological study is based on the Italian National Institute of Statistics mortality data. We formulate a trivariate Bayesian joint disease model to estimate the attributable fraction (AF) and the number of ovarian cancer deaths attributable to asbestos exposure from the geographic distribution of ovarian, pleural and breast cancer mortality at the municipality level from 2000 to 2018. Expected deaths and standardised mortality ratios were calculated using regional rates.

RESULTS: We found shared dependencies between ovarian and pleural cancer, which capture risk factors common to the two diseases (asbestos exposure), and a spatially structured clustering component shared between ovarian and breast cancer, capturing other risk factors. Based on 10 462 ovarian cancer deaths, we estimated that 574 (95% credibility interval 388-819) were attributable to asbestos (AF 5.5%; 95% credibility interval 3.7-7.8). AF reaches 34%-47% in some municipalities with known heavy asbestos pollution.

CONCLUSIONS: The impact of asbestos on ovarian cancer occurrence can be relevant, particularly in areas with high asbestos exposure. Estimating attributable cases was possible only by using advanced Bayesian modelling to consider other risk factors for ovarian cancer. These findings are instrumental in tailoring public health surveillance programmes and implementing compensation and prevention policies.

PMID:38981677 | DOI:10.1136/oemed-2023-109342

Categories
Nevin Manimala Statistics

Cigarette smoking decline among US young adults from 2000 to 2019, in relation to state-level cigarette price and tobacco control expenditure

Tob Control. 2024 Jul 9:tc-2023-058483. doi: 10.1136/tc-2023-058483. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of state-level cigarette price and tobacco control expenditure with the large 2000-2019 decline in cigarette smoking among US 18-24 year-olds.

METHODS: Smoking behaviour was assessed in the 24 most populous US states using the 1992-2019 Tobacco Use Supplements to the Current Population Survey; association with price and expenditure was tested using adjusted logistic regression. States were ranked by inflation-adjusted average price and tobacco control expenditure and grouped into tertiles. State-specific time trends were estimated, with slope changes in 2001/2002 and 2010/2011.

RESULTS: Between 2000 and 2010, the odds of smoking among US young adults decreased by a third (adjusted OR, AOR 0.68, 95% CI 0.56 to 0.84). By 2019, these odds were one-quarter of their 2000 level (AOR 0.24, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.31). Among states in the lowest tertile of price/expenditure tobacco control activity, initially higher young adult smoking decreased by 13 percentage points from 2010 to 2018-2019, to a prevalence of 5.6% (95% CI 4.5% to 6.8%), equal to that in the highest tobacco-control tertile of states (6.5%, 95% CI 5.2% to 7.8%). Neither state tobacco control spending (AOR 1.0, 95% CI 0.999 to 1.002) nor cigarette price (AOR 0.96, 95% CI: 0.92 to 1.01) were associated with young adult smoking in statistical models. In 2019, seven states had prevalence over 3 SDs higher than the 24-state mean.

CONCLUSION: National programmes may have filled a gap in state-level interventions, helping drive down the social acceptability of cigarette smoking among young adults across all states. Additional interventions are needed to assist high-prevalence states to further reduce smoking.

PMID:38981671 | DOI:10.1136/tc-2023-058483

Categories
Nevin Manimala Statistics

Qualitative evaluation of a molecular point-of-care testing study for influenza in UK primary care

BJGP Open. 2024 Jul 9:BJGPO.2024.0112. doi: 10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0112. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Influenza contributes to the surge in winter infections and the consequent winter pressures on the health service. Molecular point-of-care testing(POCT) for influenza might improve patient management by providing rapid and accurate clinical diagnosis to inform the timely initiation of antiviral therapy and reduce unnecessary admissions and antibiotics use.

AIM: To explore factors that influence the adoption or non-adoption of POCT in English general practices and provide insights to enable its integration into routine practice workflows.

DESIGN & SETTING: A qualitative implementation evaluation was conducted in ten general practices within the English national sentinel network (Oxford-RCGP Research and Surveillance Centre), from April to July 2023.

METHOD: Using the nonadoption, abandonment, scale-up, spread, and sustainability framework, data collection and analysis were conducted across ten practices. We made ethnographic observations of the POCT workflow and surveyed the practice staff for their perspectives on POCT implementation. Data were analysed using a mix of descriptive statistics, graphical modelling techniques and framework approach.

RESULTS: Ethnographic observations identified two modes of POCT integration into practice workflow: 1) clinician POCT workflow – typically involving batch testing due to time constraints, 2) research nurse/healthcare assistant POCT workflow – characterised by immediate testing of individual patients. Survey indicated that most primary care staff considered the POCT training offered was sufficient, and these practices were ready for change and had the capacity and resources to integrate POCT in workflows.

CONCLUSION: General practices should demonstrate flexibility in the workflow and workforce they deploy to integrate POCT into routine clinical workflow.

PMID:38981656 | DOI:10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0112

Categories
Nevin Manimala Statistics

Evaluation of mandibular condyle position in Class III patients after bimaxillary orthognathic surgery: A cone-beam computed tomography study

Korean J Orthod. 2024 Jul 10. doi: 10.4041/kjod23.188. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This retrospective study evaluated the mandibular condyle position before and after bimaxillary orthognathic surgery performed with the mandibular condyle positioned manually in patients with mandibular prognathism using cone-beam computed tomography.

METHODS: Overall, 88 mandibular condyles from 44 adult patients (20 female and 24 male) diagnosed with mandibular prognathism due to skeletal Class III malocclusion who underwent bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy (BSSRO) and Le Fort I performed using the manual condyle positioning method were included. Cone-beam computed tomography images obtained 1-2 weeks before (T0) and approximately 6 months after (T1) surgery were analyzed in three planes using 3D Slicer software. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05 level.

RESULTS: Significant inward rotation of the left mandibular condyle and significant outward rotation of the right mandibular condyle were observed in the axial and coronal planes (P < 0.05). The positions of the right and left condyles in the sagittal plane and the distance between the most medial points of the condyles in the coronal plane did not differ significantly (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: While the change in the sagittal plane can be maintained as before surgery with manual positioning during the BSSRO procedure, significant inward and outward rotation was observed in the axial and coronal planes, respectively, even in the absence of concomitant temporomandibular joint disorder before or after the operation. Further long-term studies are needed to correlate these findings with possible clinical consequences.

PMID:38981647 | DOI:10.4041/kjod23.188

Categories
Nevin Manimala Statistics

Reporting of surrogate endpoints in randomised controlled trial reports (CONSORT-Surrogate): extension checklist with explanation and elaboration

BMJ. 2024 Jul 9;386:e078524. doi: 10.1136/bmj-2023-078524.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:38981645 | DOI:10.1136/bmj-2023-078524

Categories
Nevin Manimala Statistics

WHO REPORTS WIDESPREAD OVERUSE OF ANTIBIOTICS IN PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID-19

Neurosciences (Riyadh). 2024 Jul;29(3):213-214.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:38981631

Categories
Nevin Manimala Statistics

Assessment of clinician adherence to Fingolimod instructions and its effect on patient safety

Neurosciences (Riyadh). 2024 Jul;29(3):184-189. doi: 10.17712/nsj.2024.3.20240040.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To assess clinicians’ adherence to fingolimod’s effective use according to the prescribed recommendations to reduce safety risk, identify the consequences, and highlight areas for improvement to policy makers for the benefit of both patient and care-giver.

METHODS: A retrospective observational study conducted at a tertiary hospital targeting multiple sclerosis patients on fingolimod from January 2017 to December 2021. The physicians’ adherence to the manufacturer’s instructions was assessed and categorized into good, moderate, and poor based on adherence to fingolimod instructions and monitoring measures. Four monitoring measures were assessed: bradycardia observation, ophthalmic examination, liver enzymes, and infections. In addition, the impact of adherence on patient safety was also assessed.

RESULTS: A total of 140 patients were included. Seventy-twopatients (51.4%) had physician with poor adherence (followed only one instruction or none). Sixty-five patients (46.4%) had 2-3 manufacture recommendations where physician’s adherence was moderate. Three patients (2.10%) had all manufacturer’s recommendations. In terms of fingolimod complications, 18 patients found to have bradycardia after the first does, macular oedema and infections was reported in 4 patients, and the elevation in hepatic enzymes was reported in 6 patients. Poor physician’s adherence has resulted in treatment incompleteness and highest fingolimod discontinuation or switching to other treatment options.

CONCLUSION: Adherence to fingolimod instructions was poor among physicians which resulted in highest drug switching or discontinuing rate.

PMID:38981628 | DOI:10.17712/nsj.2024.3.20240040

Categories
Nevin Manimala Statistics

Reporting of surrogate endpoints in randomised controlled trial protocols (SPIRIT-Surrogate): extension checklist with explanation and elaboration

BMJ. 2024 Jul 9;386:e078525. doi: 10.1136/bmj-2023-078525.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:38981624 | DOI:10.1136/bmj-2023-078525