bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
4.L. Skills building seminar: Skills building seminar: Enhancing your elevator pitch: persuading a policymaker in seconds
Authors:   Organised by: EUPHAnxt, EUPHA,   Chair persons: Monica Brînzac (EUPHAnxt), Jinane Ghattas (EUPHAnxt)
Published: October 2024

Numerous public health researchers aim to influence evidence-based policymaking with their scientific discoveries. However, bridging the gap between research and policy remains a significant challenge. While researchers excel in data analysis and publishing, effectively communicating with policymakers requires additional skills. One crucial skill is the ability to succinctly present research findings, such as in an elevator pitch. In this seminar, top-scoring abstract presenters will have the opportunity to convey their work in just 60 seconds to a panel of policymakers and politicians. Through a hands-on approach, both presenters and attendees will learn, as each pitch receives immediate feedback from the panel. Are they interested? Do they remember the key message? And if all goes well, do you get an invitation to come back and present more of your work?

Since several years the European Public Health Association (EUPHA) has been organising skills-building seminars on the elevator pitch. Building forward on those previous five successful and well-attended workshops, the current workshop will follow up on this series and take forward where the previous editions ended. Lessons learned at the previous elevator pitch workshops:

- Have a clear ask (keep it simple) and show enthusiasm.

- Appeal to the policymaker’s own interests and priorities.

- Spell out how action will be beneficial for the policymaker.

- Be aware of upcoming elections.

- Build a relationship with the assistants of politicians.

- Consider the ‘policy window’.

- Make the comparison with the policy plan.

- Propose an action the politician should undertake.

- Identify the relevant stakeholders and groups affected by the problem.

For this sixth edition we take the elevator pitch to the next level. Whereas previous editions allowed pitches up to 2 minutes, the current seminar will set the timer at 60 seconds. The previous editions showed that keeping the pitch very short was more successful. The session will be wrapped up by a key note with reflections on the pitches exercise and linking this to what the literature says about influencing healthy policy making.

Key messages

• The elevator pitch is a useful skill to have for public health researchers to facilitate the outcomes of their research feed into health policies.

• There are numerous tools available to effectively communicate public health messages to policymakers and promote evidence-informed policy making.

Speakers/Panelists

Charlotte Marchandise

EUPHA
Childhood socioeconomic status and depression in adulthood: systematic review
Authors: Damianakou S , Lamnisos D , Heraclides A
Published: October 2024

Background

Low socioeconomic status (SES) is generally associated with poorer mental health, particularly depression. We carried out a systematic review to address the question of whether childhood SES is associated with depression in adulthood and the potential pathways which may explain this association.

Methods

We followed a systematic search strategy in PubMed and Scopus with specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. After removing duplicates, studies were screened for eligibility and quality was assessed independently by two assessors using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale.

Results

After the selection process, 20 observational studies (7 cohort and 13 cross-sectional) that examine the association between SES during childhood and depression in adulthood were included in the systematic review. The most common measures of childhood SES were parental education, occupation or family income, estimated subjectively and/or objectively. In 17 of the studies an inverse relationship between childhood SES and depression was shown. In 17 studies, models were employed to demonstrate the possible pathways which explain the relationship between childhood SES and depressive symptoms. The most important mediators were adult SES, psychosocial factors, childhood trauma and physical health.

Conclusions

Our findings reveal the long-term association between childhood socioeconomic conditions and depression later in life. Suboptimal childhood SES seems to be an important risk factor for depression in adulthood. Improving childhood socioeconomic conditions can potentially have lasting effects well beyond childhood.

Key messages

• Protecting children against the effects of socioeconomic adversity could reduce depression in adult life.

• Policy makers should direct resources towards alleviating childhood disadvantage for promoting health in adulthood.
Disparities in the Incidence and Prevalence of Psychotic Disorders Between With and Without Disabled
Authors: Yeob K E , Kim S Y , Park J H
Published: October 2024

Background

Numerous epidemiological studies on psychotic disorders have been conducted, however, most of the studies were conducted from an etiological perspective, and conducted with small sample sizes relatively few focused on all types of disabled, especially with a long observation period. Moreover, no study has included the whole adult population of a country.

Methods

This study was conducted using a data set linking the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, and disability registration data. Age-standardized incidence or prevalence rates were calculated during 2008-2017 according to the presence, severity, and type of the disability. Factors associated with psychotic disorders were examined by multivariate logistic regression.

Results

The age-standardized incidence and prevalence of psychotic disorders was higher among the disabled than among those without disabled across all years, especially those with severe disabled, and intellectual disabled. The gap in the prevalence of psychotic disorders between the disabled and the non-disabled has widened over time. The severe disabled and intellectual disabled showed the strongest associations with the incidence(aOR=3.04,95% CI = 2.93-3.15;aOR=6.18, 95% CI = 5.90-6.47) and prevalence(aOR=7.64,95% CI = 7.58-7.69;aOR=53.62, 95% CI = 53.04-54.22) of psychotic disorders.

Conclusions

The incidence and prevalence of psychotic disorders were higher in people with disabled, especially those with severe disabled, and intellectual disabled. The government must increase effort to narrow the gap between the non-disabled and disabled. Financial support: This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Education (No. 2022R1I1A3070074, and 2022R1I1A1A01068449), and a grant of Patient-Centered Clinical Research Coordinating Center funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (No. HC23C016500).

Key messages

• The incidence and prevalence of psychotic disorders were higher in the disabled, especially severe disabled, and intellectual disabled.

• Important reasons for these finding may be the ‘low socioeconomic status’ and ‘mental health’ of the disabled.
The role of the organisational context in the implementation of a complex mental health intervention
Authors: Rasmussen A N , Maindal H T , Burau V
Published: October 2024

Introduction

The 2021 framework for complex interventions introduced by the UK Medical Research Council highlights context as one of the core elements. In the implementation phase, context is considered especially critical as it affects the intervention’s effect, sustainability, and transferability. However, in public health implementation research, there is a lack of understanding of the interrelatedness between intervention and context conditions. This study aimed to explore the role of the organisational context in implementing a complex mental health intervention.

Methods

The study was designed as an ethnographic case study. This design enabled a comprehensive exploration of the relation between the case and its context by providing insights into the process of change implied in the implementation and how this collides with the organisational norms, culture, and structure. Four general practices participating in The Healthy Mind Intervention were included as cases. One-person interviews with clinic owners, focus group interviews with personnel, and observations of intervention activities and everyday life in the practices were used to collect data.

Results

Three themes were identified. First, existing organisational norms, ideals, and values were replicated in the implementation process and either inhibited or facilitated the process of change. Second, different narratives of both implementation and context existed among some of the professional groups, which complicated the collaborative efforts in the implementation. Last, conflicts in the organisations were actualised in the implementation process, which enabled a discussion and improvement of these issues.

Conclusions

Ethnographic case studies provide extensive insights into the role of the organizational context in implementing complex interventions, which is critical for the implementation to be effective, qualified, and sustainable.
Rapid response Task Force: addressing the detection of Aedes albopictus in Lisbon, Portugal
Authors: Grau-Pujol B , Moreira A , Vieira Martins J , Costa Osório H , Ribeiro L , Dinis A , Sousa C , João Alves M , Pinto Leite P , Vasconcelos P
Published: October 2024

Issue

The invasive Aedes albopictus mosquitoes are spreading in southern Europe and pose a heightened risk of mosquito-borne diseases, like Dengue and Chikungunya. On September 2023, A. albopictus was first identified in Lisbon through community-based surveillance and a multidisciplinary national Task Force (TF) was convened.

Description of the problem

The TF included experts in epidemiology, entomology, environmental health, laboratory diagnosis, prevention and control and communication. The objectives were to i) confirm A.albopictus presence in Lisbon and adjust the risk assessment, ii) raise awareness and prevent mosquitoes’ spread, iii) revise national guidelines on arboviruses surveillance and control. During September-December 2023, the National Network for Vectors Surveillance (REVIVE) and the Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Institute sampled mosquito-prone habitats within 2km-radius of the detection point using QGIS software. They used snowball sampling to identify any new foci. They placed ovitraps for ongoing surveillance and conducted morphological analysis and xenomonitoring for pathogen DNA and RNA detection at the national reference laboratory.

Results

By November 2023, A.albopictus was detected in two new foci. No mosquitoes tested positive for arboviruses, and no autochthonous cases of mosquito-borne diseases were identified. The TF developed national guidelines for vector prevention and control and awareness for arboviruses and trained municipality workers. To raise awareness, we communicated with experts and the public through existing channels and media. As of April 2024, no new foci have been detected.

Lessons

Community-based surveillance and REVIVE approach were crucial for invasive A.albopictus detection and monitoring in Lisbon. Rapid multidisciplinary TF coordination may have been key for timely vector control.
5.E. Round table: Crafting Policies for Health Promotion: evidence from local settings
Authors:   Organised by: WHO Regions for Health Network,   Chair persons: Ana M Carriazo (Spain), Bettina Maria Menne (Italy)
Published: October 2024

As communities vary in their needs, challenges, and resources, tailoring health promotion policies to specific contexts becomes imperative for effectiveness. Drawing upon the expertise of seasoned practitioners, policymakers, and researchers, this workshop offers a multifaceted perspective on navigating the complexities inherent in designing, implementing, and evaluating locally tailored health promotion policies, with a specific focus on environmental and social factors. The workshop will make it possible to compare different experiences from various European countries, with high-level speakers who have different backgrounds and roles in their countries and regions, thus providing an interesting and interactive way of comparing and examining real-world examples and best practices. The examples provided delve into: participatory techniques to design healthier environments, to identifying, collecting and elaborating evidence upon which to build policies and actions that are effective in addressing specific health challenges. Through the examples presented, we will seek to make the case for multi-actor and multisectoral collaboration. In addition, we will try to understand How do subnational authorities and partners identify priorities for action. A common question asked to the speakers will therefore: how can a variety of actors (local and regional authorities, university and research centres...) come together to support cross-sectoral action? How can policymakers be supported towards creating environments that prioritize the well-being of all, ensuring a healthier and more prosperous future for everyone? The end goal will be to enable attendees to be equipped with actionable strategies and tools to foster meaningful change within their own communities, by understanding the intricate interplay between community dynamics, stakeholder engagement, evidence-based practices, and policy implementation strategies. The workshop is being organized by the WHO Regions for Health Network (RHN).

Key messages

• Tailoring health promotion policies to specific contexts is imperative for effectiveness, considering the diverse needs, challenges, and resources of different communities.

• Subnational authorities and partners must identify priorities for action and collaborate across sectors to address specific health challenges effectively.

Speakers/Panelists

Klara Dokova

Medical University of Varna, Varna, Bulgaria

Camilla Ihlebaek

Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway

Jo Peden

Public Health Wales, Cardiff, UK

Odile Mekel

NRW Centre for Health, Bochum, Germany

Liesbeth van Holten

Province of Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
5.I. Scientific session: Epidemiological insights into vaccine hesitancy in Europe: building bridges and overcoming barriers
Authors:   Organised by: EUPHA-EPI, -ETH, -IDC, -HTA, Faculty of Public Health (UK),   Chair persons: Chiara de Waure (EUPHA-HTA), Farhang Tahzib (EUPHA-ETH)
Published: October 2024

Vaccine hesitancy remains a pivotal challenge in public health, undermining immunization efforts and the containment of infectious diseases across Europe. This scientific session aims to dissect the complex nature of vaccine hesitancy, uncovering epidemiological trends and barriers to vaccine acceptance, particularly in diverse demographic contexts. The objective is to facilitate a comprehensive understanding among public health stakeholders and to foster actionable strategies through enriched dialogue and interaction. This session will delve into recent studies and projects that highlight the variability of vaccine hesitancy within Europe. First, an exploration of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance will reveal how sociodemographic factors influence vaccine-related behaviors across 20 European nations. This will be complemented by an analysis of targeted interventions designed to enhance vaccine uptake among migrant populations, drawing lessons from the RIVER-EU project. Additionally, a focus on national efforts to combat measles vaccine hesitancy will provide a case study on the challenges and successes in altering public health narratives. Based on the feedback received on last year’s session, the format is intended not only to provide a platform to present empirical evidence and insights but also to encourage a participatory environment where attendees can exchange ideas and propose innovative solutions. For this reason, the session will engage the audience through an interactive discussion period at the end of each of the three presentations, stimulating thought-provoking dialogues that could lead to effective and innovative public health practices. Fostering international and interdisciplinary collaboration in the field of vaccine hesitancy is key for continued monitoring and reporting on the vaccine hesitancy phenomenon and inspiring actionable solutions.

Key messages

• Sociodemographic factors are associated with vaccine hesitancy across Europe indicating the potential for targeted strategies.

• A platform to share insights and inspire actionable public health solutions to combat vaccine hesitancy amomg European public health professionals is needed.
Exploring the association between low birthweight and adolescent mental health in the United Kingdom
Authors: Carroll C , Keller M
Published: October 2024

Low birthweight (LBW) is associated with a range of medical conditions including behavioural and emotional problems over the life course. This study aimed to explore the association between LBW and internalising and externalising mental health problems (MHP) in adolescents born in the United Kingdom between 2000 and 2002. Data were analysed for 10,485, 9,228, and 8,402 Millennium Cohort Study participants at ages 11, 14 and 17, respectively. Internalising and externalising MHP were measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). LBW was subcategorised by size for gestational age and prematurity. Crude and adjusted associations between LBW subgroup and internalising and externalising MHP were estimated using binary logistic regression. Internalising MHP were more prevalent in LBW than NBW participants at ages 11 (14.2% vs 10.3%, p < 0.001), 14 (19.4% vs 13.7%, p < 0.001), and 17 (parent-report: 20.3% vs 14.8%, p < 0.001; self-report: 25.7% vs 20.1%, p < 0.001), respectively. Externalising MHP were more common amongst LBW participants at ages 11 (9.4% vs 7.3%, p = 0.02) and 14 (9.0% vs 6.6%, p = 0.01). Compared with NBW peers, the odds of internalising (males: aOR 2.18, 95% CI 1.21-3.73, p = 0.007; females: aOR 2.17, 95% CI 1.22-3.66, p = 0.005) and externalising MHP (males: aOR 2.01, 95% CI 1.05-3.60, p = 0.014; females: aOR 2.58, 95% CI 1.14-5.24, p = 0.016) were significantly increased in male and female premature small for gestational age (SGA) participants at age 11. Externalising MHP were significantly increased amongst premature SGA females aged 14 (aOR: 2.53, 95% CI 1.01-5.66, p = 0.016). Internalising MHP were significantly increased in premature SGA females at age 17 based on parent (aOR: 2.41, 95% CI 1.38-4.22, p = 0.005) and self-report (aOR: 1.95, 95% CI 1.14-3.31, p = 0.014). Amongst LBW individuals, premature SGA females have the greatest risk of internalising and externalising MHP during adolescence, thus identifying an important target group for intervention.

Key messages

• This study provides evidence for the longitudinal association between low birth weight and mental health in adolescents born in the United Kingdom in the 21st century.

• Stratification of low birth weight individuals by size for gestational age and prematurity enabled the identification of a subgroup of adolescents for mental health promotion.
Trends in the association between alcohol use and generalized anxiety in Finnish adolescents
Authors: Berg N , Kiviruusu O
Published: October 2024

Background

During the past two decades, alcohol use has decreased among adolescents, but on the contrary, anxiety symptoms have increased (at least among females). These diverging trends set interesting opportunities to examine whether the strength of the well-known correlation/co-occurrence between alcohol use and anxiety has also changed. This study aims to examine changes in the co-occurrence and associations between heavy episodic drinking (HED) and generalized anxiety among adolescents in Finland from 2013 to 2023.

Methods

Data from the Finnish School Health Promotion Study between 2013-2023 covered 874 110 participants aged 13-20. Generalized anxiety was measured using Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) (range 0-21), and heavy episodic drinking was measured as reported heavy drunkenness once a month or more often versus less than once a month. Yearly prevalence estimates of co-occurrence were analyzed for those with moderate to severe anxiety symptoms (>10) and monthly or more frequent HED. Associations between anxiety and HED were analyzed using logistic regression and time-varying effect modelling. Interactions between time and anxiety predicting HED were also considered.

Results

The moderate to severe anxiety symptoms increased from 10.7% to 20.9% and HED decreased from 18.0% to 11.8% between 2013 and 2023. The proportion of those with both HED and moderate to severe anxiety increased from 2.9% in 2013 to 3.6% in 2023. The association between anxiety symptoms and HED was stable during the study period, with odds ratios ranging between 1.06 and 1.07.

Conclusions

During the past decade, diverging trends in generalized anxiety symptoms and heavy episodic drinking have not changed the association between them. The proportion of adolescents with these co-occurring health concerns has increased in females. This calls for continuous efforts to strengthen the integration of mental health and substance use prevention and services.

Key messages

• The association between generalized anxiety and heavy episodic drinking has not changed in adolescents in Finland between 2013 and 2023.

• The proportion of those with both moderate to severe anxiety symptoms and heavy episodic drinking has increased in females and remained stable in males during the past decade (2.9% - 3.6%).
Vitamin D status and its determinants in pregnant women form the Faroe Islands
Authors: Veyhe A S , Johannesen H L , Hansen S , Weihe P , Petursdóttir J , Strøm M , Petersen M S , Andersen S
Published: October 2024

Background

In regions like the Faroe Islands, where sunlight may be insufficient for vitamin D synthesis, alternative sources such as diet and supplements become crucial. This study focuses on assessing the vitamin D status of pregnant women in the Faroe Islands during the early second trimester, considering the potential implications for maternal and fetal health.

Methods

A nationwide cross-sectional study (June 2020-April 2022) with 652 women providing blood samples and a questionnaire on demographics, vitamin D intake, and diet. Binary logistic regression assessed predictors of low 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels (<50nmol/L). Plasma 25OHD concentrations were analysed at the local National Hospital using the Alinity i 25-OH Vitamin D assay, employing chemiluminescence microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) for quantitative determination.

Results

The mean age was 30.7 (SD, 4.9) years; 86% were locally born; 45% resided in the capital area; 49% were overweight (BMI ≥25.0), with a mean pre-pregnancy BMI of 26.0. Most participants (95%) reported vitamin D intake (median of 10µg/day) and consumed vitamin D-rich foods 5.3 times per week. Low 25OHD concentrations were observed in 26% of participants, associated with residency, vitamin D intake, dietary habits, overweight, and sampling time. Maternal age, education, BMI, smoking, and traditional food showed no significant associations. During winter, vitamin D intake correlated more strongly with plasma 25OHD levels (Spearman’s rho, winter: 0.4, p < 0.001; summer: 0.2, p = 0.002).

Conclusions

Our study’s findings are essential for the health of Faroese pregnant women. 74% of them had sufficient 25OHD levels, which is encouraging. However, low levels were associated with residence, diet, overweight, and winter. This underscores the need for public health efforts to focus on monitoring vitamin D status, promoting vitamin D-rich foods, especially in winter, and monitoring dietary intake to protect maternal and fetal health.

Key messages

• No previous data on vitamin D status in Faroese pregnant women.

• Seasonal variation is observed.
5.O. Scientific session: Exploring incidence and access to care for migrants and ethnic minorities with long-COVID
Authors:   Organised by: University of Copenhagen (Denmark),   Chair persons: Marie Nørredam (Denmark), Charles Agyemang (Netherlands)
Published: October 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected migrants and ethnic minorities throughout Europe leading to the assumption that long-COVID would also affect these groups to a larger extent than the majority populations. So far, the few studies on long-covid including data on migrants and ethnic minorities suggest that they are also disproportionately impacted by long-covid, but conclusive findings are lacking in European countries and beyond. However, a large number of migrants and ethnic minorities suffering from long-COVID is a major concern for equity in health. Given that migrants and ethnic minorities are more likely to experience barriers to health services, it may also be the case in terms of their ability to access services for long-covid. This would have an unknown impact on long-COVID related. Further, long-COVID may have more far-reaching implications among these populations as they are often more socio-economically vulnerable, holding more temporary jobs with a greater job insecurity. Consequently, unattended long-COVID among migrants and ethnic minorities is likely to exacerbate existing social inequalities and inequalities in health. The aim of the workshop is therefore to discuss different novel perspectives on long-COVID among migrants and ethnic minorities to share their insights from recently published or upcoming studies with leading scientific researchers on the topic. We include both qualitative and quantitative studies focusing on both the incidence and risk factors and on experiences with diagnostic pathways in accessing health care services for long-COVID. We have invited four researchers representing four different European countries to obtain a diversity of perspectives with different country contexts. The format of the workshop is a scientific session. After an introduction by the chair, four researchers will present new studies and different perspectives on long-COVID among migrants and ethnic minorities. Each presenter will have 7 min for presentation and 3 minutes for questions. After the presenters there are 20 minutes for discussion headed by the co-chair.

Key messages

• Document and discuss the effect of the pandemic regarding long-COVID on some of the most hard hit populations.

• Lessons learned that can inform future pandemic policy and structural efforts to reach the most vulnerable.
Risk of long COVID and associated symptoms after acute SARS-COV-2 infection in ethnic minorities: a Danish nationwide cohort study
Authors: Mkoma G , Goldschmidt M , Holm Petersen J , Benfield T , Cederström A , Rostila M , Agyemang C , Norredam M
Published: October 2024

Background and aim

Ethnic minorities living in high-income countries have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 in terms of infection rates, hospitalisations, and deaths; however, less is known about long COVID in these populations. Our aim was to examine the risk of long COVID and associated symptoms among ethnic minorities.

Methods

We used Danish nationwide register-based cohort data on individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 aged ≥18 years (n = 2 334 271) between January 2020 and August 2022. We calculated the risk of long COVID diagnosis and long COVID symptoms among ethnic minorities compared with native Danes using multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression and logistic regression, respectively.

Results

Of the diagnosed COVID-19 cases, 1 973 998 (84.6%) were native Danes and 360 273 (15.4%) were ethnic minorities. After adjustment for age, sex, civil status, education, family income, and Charlson comorbidity index, ethnic minorities from North Africa (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.41, 95% CI [1.12,1.79]), Middle East (aHR 1.38, 95% CI [1.24,1.55]), Eastern Europe (aHR 1.35, 95% CI [1.22,1.49]), and Asia (aHR 1.23, 95% CI [1.09,1.40]), had significantly greater risk of long COVID diagnosis than native Danes. In the analysis by largest countries of origin, the greater risks of long COVID diagnosis were found in Iraqis (aHR 1.56, 95% CI [1.30,1.88]), Turks (aHR 1.42, 95% CI [1.24,1.63]), and Somalis (aHR 1.42, 95% CI [1.07,1.91]). A significant factor associated with an increased risk of long COVID diagnosis was COVID-19 hospitalisation.

Conclusions

Migrants and ethnic minorities had higher risk of long-COVID compared to native Danes.
Development of the Unbiased Disease Network Using Health Insurance Claims Big Data in South Korea
Authors: Lee K M , Nam J W , Yoo K B
Published: October 2024

Background

Research on the overall relationship between disease is needed. The disease network model can comprehensively show the complex relationships between diseases and progression patterns. Existing disease network studies were estimated by univariate relative risks. We aim to develop the unbiased disease network.

Methods

We used NHIS national data of 50 million patients, collected from 2008 to 2022. We used only the primary diagnosis codes (three-digit codes) and defined 603 disease categories based on the special tabulation list for morbidity in the detailed subcategories of ICD-10, prior research, and the frequency of diseases in the dataset. To develop a more unbiased disease network, we first adjusted for age, sex, period, season, and encounter type, then added the confounding disease exposure according to the Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) and performed Poisson regression to estimate relative risk (RR) applying Inverse Probability Weighting (IPW). We identified statistically significant disease pairs (RR > 1.10, p < 0.001) and repeated the IPW analysis up to the third round because the network would be updated every round. The significant disease pairs identified in the last round were connected to develop the overall network and subnetworks by age and sex.

Results

We repeated the process up to the third round for all 346,948 disease pairs and fitted 9,024 pairs as significant. We identified general population disease network and subnetwork per age and sex subgroups.

Conclusions

These disease networks represented the overall progression relationship between diagnosis codes.

Key messages

• We developed the unbiased disease network that shows progression patterns by adjusting for confounders and using IPW.

• The disease network can be used to extract features from various diagnosis codes in EHR/Claims data, analyze causal effects, and predict disease or healthcare usage using RR or graph embedding.
Work-related factors associated with workplace wellbeing in marginalized groups: a scoping review
Authors: Kraljevic K , Doan P N , Demou E , Craig P , Kromydas T
Published: October 2024

Background

Workplace wellbeing, or the physical, psychosocial, and emotional health aspects of working life, can be a predictor of overall health. Promoting workplace wellbeing is key for employers and employees because it impacts productivity, engagement, and physical and mental health. At present there is a gap in our understanding of how workplace wellbeing differs in specific worker populations. This review’s objective is to evaluate which work-related factors are associated with workplace wellbeing of marginalized groups in the European Union (EU). We used job quality, work-life balance and job satisfaction to represent workplace wellbeing.

Methods

We followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) methodology. Our population of interest was women, immigrant, ethnic minority and/or disabled workers in the EU. We searched the MEDLINE, CINAHL, EconLit, SCI-Expanded, SSCI and SCOPUS databases. Results were restricted to English-language titles published since 1992. No restriction was placed on study design. We used Synthesis Without Meta-analysis (SWiM) guidance to synthesize the results narratively.

Results

We retrieved 2,594 results from the search terms. After full-text screening, 191 studies were included, of which 94 (49.2%) looked at job quality, 50 (26.2%) at work-life balance and 75 (39.3%) at job satisfaction. The most reported negative factors were healthcare jobs, manual work and workplace discrimination; educational attainment and policy co-production were the most frequent positive factors.

Conclusions

Our results indicate prominent inequalities in the workplace wellbeing of marginalized groups across the EU. Additionally, the evidence base on workplace wellbeing in ethnic minority, immigrant and disabled workers is limited. To address this, a larger-scale analysis using cross-EU data and comparing the impact of EU policies on workplace wellbeing of marginalized workers is needed.

Key messages

• Workplace wellbeing is an important predictor of overall health.

• Our review finds marginalized workers have poorer workplace wellbeing than non-marginalized workers, which could affect their health.
Forecasting Psychological Distress Across Waves Of The COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multi-country Longitudinal Study
Authors: Witteveen A B , Sijbrandij M
Published: October 2024

The current study used a longitudinal multi-country cohort survey (N = 8013 at baseline; age (M) = 40.3, SD = 15; female 76%) to investigate whether psychological distress assessed at five waves (May-June 2020; September-October 2020; December 2020-January 2021; March-April 2021 and March-May 2022) during the COVID-19 outbreak can be forecasted by a variety of socio-demographic and psychological- and COVID-related factors assessed at baseline. Psychological distress was defined by elevated depression and/or anxiety scores (PHQ-9 and GAD-7 > = 10). Predictors included demographic characteristics (e.g., gender, age, education), infections with COVID-19, loss of income, substance abuse, domestic violence, contamination fear, basic value orientations, social support and coping strategies. A Random Forest (RF) prediction model within a machine learning context was used to estimate the association between the independent variables and the presence of psychological distress among respondents completing all waves (N = 1052). Preliminary RF results showed that psychological distress at multiple waves, both during the initial phases (2020) as well as the more protracted phases (2021 and 2022), was adequately forecasted by scores on a number of basic value orientations (e.g., lower tradition and conformity, higher security and predictability), by demographic characteristics (e.g., younger age), by the fear of being contaminated, and by lower levels of social support and higher levels of loneliness. It is concluded that during a pandemic, certain personal values may elicit more vulnerability for psychological distress than others. Effective psychological intervention strategies should encompass personal traits and values and factors such as low social support levels and feelings of loneliness to mitigate distress. These insights can help in accurately pinpointing high-risk groups for heightened distress in future public health crises.
Association of healthy lifestyle on overweight and obesity among adolescents in Luxembourg
Authors: Mendes F G , Lopes Ferreira J , Catunda C
Published: October 2024

Background

Adolescent overweight and obesity are significant public health challenges. Understanding the impact of healthy lifestyle behaviours is crucial for effective intervention strategies. The aim of this study is to analyse the association between healthy lifestyle behaviours with overweight and obesity among adolescents in Luxembourg.

Methods

The study was based on the HBSC Luxembourg 2022 survey and includes 8415 adolescents aged 11 to 18 years. Adolescents self-reported the frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity, height, and body mass. Eating and physical activity behaviours were categorized based on WHO recommendations. Body Mass Index categorization followed International Obesity Task Force criteria. Binomial logistic regression of obesity and overweight with the interaction between healthy diet and physical activity was performed, controlling for age, gender, family affluence, migration background, and family structure.

Results

The results indicated a significant protective effect of healthy lifestyle behaviours against overweight and obesity. For overweight, adolescents engaging in either fruit and vegetable consumption (OR = 0.829, 95% CI [0.697-0.986]) or physical activity (OR = 0.719, 95% CI [0.566-0.913]) showed reduced odds compared to those with unhealthy behaviours. For obesity, similar associations were observed. Adolescents engaging in physical activity (OR = 0.407, 95% CI [0.235-0.705]) showed reduced odds compared to those with unhealthy behaviours. Combining both behaviours resulted in the lowest risk of obesity (OR = 0.366, 95% CI [0.177-0.760]) and overweight (OR = 0.473, 95% CI [0.340-0.658]).

Conclusions

Promoting health eating and physical activity behaviours are important strategies for preventing overweight and obesity in youth in Luxembourg. Implementing targeted interventions aimed to promote these behaviours could mitigate the burden of overweight and obesity in this population.

Key messages

• Healthy lifestyle matters: Fruit and vegetables consumption or regular physical activity significantly reduce the risk of overweight and obesity among adolescents.

• Combining behaviours counts: Concurrent engagement in both fruit and vegetables consumption and physical activity offers the greatest protection against overweight and obesity.
I am frail and my robot is stuck on the corridor: cohabitation of people with frailty and robots
Authors: Chrysikou E , Biddulph J , Loizides F , Hobbs H
Published: October 2024

UK and European policies promote research and innovation for people living with frailty (PLWF), as realistic strategies for independent living. Yet homes are not designed for PLWF or robots, even though robots could support PLWF with activities, i.e., exercise and companionship. Adoption of robots in homes is limited to devices such as automated vacuum cleaners and voice assistants. Robotics aimed at assisting PLWF have been thus far been tested in laboratories and the study of real homes for the co-habitation of robots and older people is often neglected. We draw on expertise from human-robot interaction, built environment, public health and clinical practice to facilitate optimisation of human and robot cohabitation for PLWF. For this, we have reviewed different robots-for-frailty, in terms of, ability to fit and move within homes. We utilised a range of methods and sources of information including meetings with allied health professionals, visited the Robot House and explored the available robots from a fit for purpose perspective, audited five flats for PLWF in Gloucester, England in accordance with the needs of those with frailty, simulated robot’s function within the home environment, using persona’s for different use case scenarios, trial testing of selected robots in the home environment for comparison with simulation, using knowledge gained to extrapolate this data to estimate suitability for frail individuals in their homes. Most robots currently available would not adequately fit in an independent living accommodation or the smaller ones could be a tripping hazard. The communal areas of independent living would be more realistic for such human robot interactions, rather than the actual households. The research informs the process facilitating the adoption of robots to benefit PLWF both feasible and desired. The research produced a framework that can lead to future research exploring robot and PLWF co-habitation in real home settings.

Key messages

• The cohabitation of humans and robots currently faces barriers relevant to independent living built-environment spatial restrictions.

• Technologies that support independent living and frailty must develop in spatially-unobtrusive ways.
Monitoring event data extracted from online news for outbreak detection
Authors: Shen Y , Steele R , Buckeridge D
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Digital disease surveillance (DDS) detects public health events from internet-based data e.g., online news. Event features depicting epidemiological and social characteristics of health events can be extracted from news using the natural language process techniques. However, few studies have leveraged the event features to support anomaly detection in DDS. We aimed to understand the distribution of the event features and explore anomaly detection using the frequency of these features.

Methods

We collected event data from COVID-19-related news collected from October 1 to December 31, 2021, sourced from BioCaster, an infectious-disease-focused DDS system. The predefined event features in BioCaster include disease, pathogen, location and 14 binary features, such as if an event was caused by an unclassified virus. We described the distribution of the features and detected changes in the frequency of event features using a Bayesian online change point detection. We compared the change points with the number of new cases and of genomic samples collected.

Results

We included 170,168 news articles reporting COVID-19 in 155 countries. The event feature indicating that an event was caused by an unclassified virus was identified as positive among 3831 (2.25%) news and 12.91% of news had positive value for the feature indicating cases who had travelled across international borders. The change points detected from these two features were temporally correlated to the emergence of the Omicron variant in corresponding countries, which was more significant in countries with at least 300 news articles. Conversely, event features irrelevant to this case study, e.g., if the cases were military workers, were identified as negative in all news and no change points were detected.

Conclusions

Our study highlights the potential of monitoring the frequency of event features extracted from online news for anomaly detection in DDS, which relies on sufficient news coverage.

Key messages

• Monitoring the event features extracted from online news provide is useful approach for automatic anomaly detection in digital disease surveillance.

• Increasing media coverage is fundamental for improving the early detection in a digital disease surveillance system.
The Food industry barrier to achieving the SDGs
Authors: Mialon M
Published: October 2024

The presentation will use the food industry and the model of the commercial determinants of health to illustrate how commercial actors are a major barrier to progress towards the SDGs. Ultra-processed foods, whose consumption is linked to ill-health, are indeed aggressively marketed - thus directly posing a barrier to progress towards SDG 3 (health and well-being). The industry also uses its corporate political activity to prevent the introduction of measures that limit the consumption of such harmful products and halt harmful practices. SDG 17, which promotes partnerships for the goals, is in direct contradiction with these realities. The presentation will also discuss why the current political-economic system needs to be reformed. The presentation will end with a discussion on solutions, including pitfalls if we are to address the commercial determinants of health for a better food system.
Ethically challenging situations in teachers’ work: role of school neighborhood socioeconomic status
Authors: Kauppi M , Silomaa P , Ervasti J
Published: October 2024

Background

Ethically challenging situations are common in the teaching profession and can lead to significant stress. In particular, teachers working in socially disadvantaged areas may face these kinds of situations more often due to conflicts between educational needs and available resources. We investigated the link between school neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) and the prevalence of ethically challenging situations among teachers.

Methods

Data were from primary school teachers (n = 1265) participating to the Finnish Public Sector study in 2022. Experiences on ethically challenging situations were assessed with two questions: In your work how often do you feel that you have to 1) reflect on ethically challenging situations and 2) act contrary to rules, norms, or personal values (at least weekly vs. less frequently). Survey data were linked to information on school neighborhood SES obtained from national grid database. Log-binomial regression models were used to analyze the relationship between school neighborhood SES and ethically challenging situations.

Results

Of the respondents, 61% reported having to reflect on ethically challenging situations, and 18% felt they had to act against rules or personal values at least weekly. Teachers in schools located in the most disadvantaged areas were more likely to feel that they had to act against rules, norms, or values weekly compared to teachers in schools in the most advantaged areas (adjusted RR 1.43, 95% CI 1.01-2.02). No association was observed between reflecting on ethically challenging situations and school neighborhood (adjusted RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.87, 1.11).

Conclusions

School neighborhood SES appears to be associated with teachers’ possibilities to choose action in ethically challenging situations.

Key messages

• School neighborhood SES appears to be associated with teachers’ possibilities to choose action in ethically challenging situations.

• It is essential to develop strategies to support teachers in managing ethically challenging situations in their work environments.
Mind the gap: from real-world policies to health impact assessment modelling
Authors: Croes S , Devleesschauwer B , Gorasso V
Published: October 2024

When conducting health impact assessments (HIA), researchers often face the challenges of trying to align as closely as possible with policy scenarios. This phase concerns the translation of real-world policies into estimates usable in models. Most of the time, researchers need to address a policy-impact gap between what is needed by the policymakers and what is believed to be reliable data fitted for the model. These mismatches can stem from differences in how exposure and outcomes are studied compared to the policy plan. By looking at a case study of the planned Belgian policy to reduce tobacco selling points, challenges during the pre-modelling phase were identified. The question of what an effect size should be and its importance in the HIA process were considered fundamental for the analysis. In particular, literature on exposure to tobacco sales points differed in outcomes, as it would target proximity to someone’s home, while the policy itself focuses on the reduction of points of sale of a specific store type. Similarly, smoking behaviour can be measured in various ways, such as initiation, cessation, relapse rates, or overall smoking prevalence. The policies’ effect on these various outcomes differed significantly. In this presentation, the discussion will focus on the alignment of the existing literature with the specific details outlined in the policy. We will explore the challenges that arose when existing research criteria and assumptions did not fully match the policy, taking the new Belgian tobacco plan as an example. Lastly, we will highlight the opportunity to set up monitoring systems to evaluate tobacco interventions to extract reliable estimates for HIA and strengthen evidence-based tobacco policies in the future.