bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Benefits and risks of sharing genetic data for research purposes: the views of patients and carers
Authors: Amorim M , Silva S , Maia T , de Freitas C 
Published: October 2020

Abstract

Background
Public health genomics research has the potential to predict, prevent, diagnose and treat a large number of diseases. This demands access to large genomic datasets. Understanding people's motivations for and concerns with sharing genetic data is essential to promote engagement and to develop ethical, legal and social frameworks for genomic research. This study aims to assess patients' and carers' views about the benefits and risks associated with genetic data sharing for research purposes.

Methods
A cross-sectional study was performed with 157 patients and 487 carers (participation rate=89.3%) followed at two rare genetic diseases reference centres in Portugal (June 2019-January 2020). Participants selected, from five options, the two most important benefits and risks associated with sharing genetic data for research. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results
Potential to discover a cure for untreatable diseases was viewed as the most relevant benefit by patients and carers (87%), followed by the possibility to develop new drugs and treatments (46%). Lack of security and control regarding access to information was the most reported risk (63%), particularly by patients, younger participants, students and those less willing to share their data (p &lt; 0.05). The possibility of extracting information that exceeds the research objectives was the second most reported risk (58%), specifically by carers, participants with high education, employed, with upper white-collar occupations and who were involved in patient organizations (p &lt; 0.05).

Conclusions
Young patients' concerns about data security and control may reduce their willingness to share genetic data. Socially advantaged carers worry about their data being used for purposes other than research. Assessing patients' and carers' views about genetic data sharing is important to meet their expectations for data protection and use and to guarantee respect for their rights.

Key messages
Patients and carers expect genetic research to contribute for discovering a cure for untreatable diseases and for developing new drugs and treatments. Patients are concerned about genetic data security and control and carers are worried about their genetic data being used for purposes other than research.
Extreme heat exposure in pregnancy and risk for preterm birth, low birth weight and stillbirths
Authors: Böckmann M , Chersich M F , Pham M D , Areal A , Haghighi M M , Manyuchi A , Swift C , Wernecke B , Robinson M , Hetem R S 
Published: October 2020

Abstract

Background
Exposure to high ambient temperatures during pregnancy may increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes due to physiological and anatomical changes in pregnancy compromising the ability to thermoregulate.

Methods
A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that assessed associations between ambient heat, and preterm birth, birth weight and stillbirths. Articles were identified through a search of Medline (PubMed) and Web of Science. Titles and abstracts were screened, eligible studies extracted and risk of bias assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute appraisal tools.

Results
14,880 records were screened and a total of 70 studies included. In 40 of 47 studies, preterm births were more frequent at higher than lower temperatures. In random effects meta-analysis, the odds of a preterm birth rose 1.05-fold per 1 °C increase in temperature (95%CI=1.03, 1.07), and 1.16 fold during heat waves (95%CI=1.10, 1.23). Reduced birth weight associated with higher temperature was found in in 18 of 28 studies, with considerable heterogeneity. Studies on stillbirths (n = 8) all showed temperature-stillbirth associations, with stillbirths increasing 1.05-fold per 1 °C rise in temperature (95%CI=1.01, 1.08). Associations between temperature and outcomes were largest among women in lower socioeconomic groups and at age extremes. The multiple temperature metrics and lag analyses limited comparison between studies and settings.

Conclusions
As frequency of heat exposures is increasing, prevention for pregnant women during heat waves should become a standard aspect of heat adaptation.

Key messages
Increase in extreme temperature events may have major implications for child health unless much more is done to provide heat adaptation services for pregnant women. Links between socio-economic status and study outcomes suggest higher vulnerability for already disadvantaged groups.
Public healthcare co-payments in Botswana: the dynamics and consequences of policy amnesia
Authors: Pagiwa V , Shiell A , Barraclough S 
Published: October 2020

Abstract

Background
When policy implementation is not regularly monitored and evaluated, it risks irrelevance to changing conditions and, over time, its original purpose can even be forgotten. In 1975, the government of Botswana instituted co-payments for public healthcare, a policy which has remained largely unaltered since its introduction with the exception of two increases in the fee-level. Therefore, this study aims to critically analyze the institutional design and operation of Botswana's co-payment policy for public healthcare.

Methods
Using documentary analysis and interviews with 32 key informants, Botswana's longstanding policy requiring a modest co-payment in public healthcare facilities was analysed. Data were analysed thematically in an inductive way.

Results
The findings revealed the policy was not monitored, rarely evaluated and became both ineffective and inefficient, costing more to administer than was received in revenue. The Ministry of Health and Wellness no longer had a copy of the original policy and there was no corporate memory of its original purpose. Informants were confused about the policy and why it was still in place after four decades. There was absence of requirements for monitoring and evaluation in the original policy. The top-down policy development failed to explain rationale for policy and mobilize popular support leading to civil society ignorant of the policy.

Conclusions
The consequences of policy amnesia in this study are evident. The lack of timely policy evaluation influenced discretionary powers for administrators applying the co-payment leading to the problems of partiality. Uneconomic financial returns as a result of inflation and poor enforcement mechanisms continued without causing concerns. That might have been undermined by placing emphasis on the role of central actors and ignoring the involvement and significance of the local actors, who are in a much better situation to propose and implement purposeful policies.

Key messages
Lack of regular policy monitoring and evaluation risks irrelevance to changing conditions, and overtime, the policy’s original purpose is easily forgotten. Requirements for policy monitoring and evaluation need to be explained with the initial policy and enforcement mechanisms put in place.
Knowledge transfer in Leadership, advocacy and analysis
Authors: Newton J 
Published: October 2020

Abstract

Background
The UK Faculty recognises the importance of the effective use of evidence and data in the past, present and future practice of public health. In setting standards for education and training and in its advocacy and leadership roles the Faculty emphasises use of three types of knowledge quantitative information from statistics and surveillance, research evidence and evidence from experience. To equip the public health workforce of the future it is important to understand likely knowledge requirements across these areas.

Objectives
To describe areas of work in current public health advocacy and leadership where knowledge transfer is being used to improve health and reduce health inequalities. To illustrate how the Faculty works with partner organisation to influence policy based on the best knowledge and evidence.

Body of the session
The session will briefly consider the current policy context for public health in the UK and propose a set of areas in which the Faculty sees a role for the use of data and evidence to improve health. The talk will give examples of how the Faculty works with partners such as the Academy of Royal Colleges, Government agencies, and other professional groups representing public health professionals to support individual professionals, to develop its own advocacy positions and to influence policy. A recent example of the English Government's Green Paper on prevention will be used to illustrate the approach.

Conclusions
Effective public health practice can greatly improve the quality and value of public health policy. However, to be effective public health leaders need to be trained and equipped to deliver the best advice effectively and have good access to the relevant evidence. They also need to be supported by strong leadership organisations such as the Faculty that have earned the respect of policy makers.
Using patient–centered approach for improving adherence to treatment in DS/DR–TB patients in Ukraine
Authors: Geliukh E , Tabunshchyk V , Kamenska N , Islam Z 
Published: October 2020

Abstract

Issue/problem
Ukraine is among 30 high MDR-TB burden countries with about 6500 laboratory confirmed MDR-TB cases annually. Ukraine provides full coverage for first- and second-line TB drugs from the state budget. Nevertheless, successful treatment outcomes are one of the lowest in EECA region - 49% in MDR/RR-TB cases and 37% in XDR-TB. High rates of lost to follow-up (15.8%), treatment failed (18%) and died (15.9%) among MDR-TB cases contribute to unsuccessful treatment outcomes.

Description of the problem
A new intervention was introduced aimed at improving patients' adherence to treatment. Medical-psycho-social services (MPSS) provision based on patient-centered approach is provided to all patients. In 2018, project funded by GFATM was launched in 8 oblasts of Ukraine. All patients are assessed on treatment adherence before discharge from hospitals. Those with low adherence are referred to NGOs. MPSS starts from the patient's needs assessment followed by development of individual plan of support. MPSS is provided during the whole period of outpatient treatment and may include DOT/VOT, social workers' permanent support, food kits, psychologist counselling, transport and/or cell reimbursement, housing, documents restore, legal services and other services as per patients' needs. Electronic depersonalized database SyrEx is used for the project related notes.

Results
Total amount of TB/DR-TB patients treated in 2018-2019 is 8640 and 4246 accordingly. Cohort analysis is used for treatment outcomes assessment.
Intervention allowed reducing the number of patients lost to follow up in DS/DR-TB (to 1.2% and 2.5% accordingly), treatment failed (to 5.4% and 10.9%) and number of died (to 2.1% and 3.2%)

Lessons
MPSS based on patient-centered approach improved successful treatment outcomes: to 91% in DS-TB patients and 82.3% in DR-TB. Further initiative scale-up is required as well as transition of MPSS services from donor funding to domestic.
Poland
Authors: Löblová O , Moise A , Zabdyr-Jamróz M , Kowalska-Bobko I 
Published: October 2020

Abstract

Background
Research into the politics of health reforms usually looks at parties in a unidimensional way, in the classical left-right axis, where right parties are expected to marketize healthcare while left parties are expected to do the opposite. Populist Radical Right (PRR) parties do not neatly fit this unidimensional approach. The case of the Law and Justice party (PiS) in Poland is illustrative of the tenuous link between traditional neoliberal right-wing health policies and the PPR agenda.

Methods
We conducted a review of available primary sources (legal and policy documents) and secondary literature (academic, press, and think-tank publications). Resulting data was analysed thematically.

Results
Since its rise to power in 2015, PiS has departed from the previous center-right government's market-oriented healthcare policies. It retracted regulations aimed at commercialisation of public healthcare providers, introduced networks of hospitals to reduce internal market of providers and proposed the establishment of National Health Service (later abandoned). It continued the previous government's expansion of health coverage to universal by principle. In the 2019 election manifesto entitled “Polish Model of Welfare State” PiS explicitly states they “reject principles of neoliberalism”. Its most overtly right-wing stances were limited to strictly “cultural wars” context: reproductive health, sexual education, IVF reimbursement etc. Yet even in this instance the harshest proposals (such as stricter abortion laws) were not implemented.

Conclusions
PiS' health policies show that some PRR parties do not conform to a unidimensional left-right divide but rather combine left-wing redistributive policies with right-wing socially conservative stances. In many respects, the current government has enacted health policies that can be described as neo-Weberian and traditionally social-democratic.
8.K. Workshop: Shared impact: How to foster innovation in public health data
Authors:   Organised by: CanWaCH (Canada),   Chair persons: Jessica Ferne - Canada, Antu Hossain - Canada
Published: October 2020

Abstract
In 2018, Canadian Partnership for Women and Children's Health (CanWaCH), a network of Canadian civil society, professional, and academic actors working collectively on global health and gender equality, launched 'The Canadian Collaborative in Global Health'. This initiative was designed specifically to build the capacity of Canadian actors, and their global partners, to better collect, analyze, synthesize and report data and evaluation activities through new, innovative approaches, in order to strengthen their impact in the areas of SDGs 3 and 5. Through this interactive workshop, participants will be able to (a) learn about the 3 diverse innovations that are being incubated under the Collaborative model through diverse multi-sectoral partnerships; (b) dive deeply into 3 innovative practices focusing on nutrition, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and adolescent health; and (c) explore how they might replicate this approach, and discuss critical issues relating to the fostering innovative thinking and approaches when it comes to data collection in public health. Representatives from civil society organisations, academic institutions, and private sector will outline strategies for how interdisciplinary collaborations can be effectively implemented and executed.

Key messages
CanWaCH’s innovative participatory methodology has generated significant new findings to guide accountability, programming, policy and advocacy. and can/should be replicated elsewhere. Three specific global health data innovations will be presented, featuring brand new tools, indicators, and strategies which can help participants with their work.
COVID-19 lockdown: housing built environment’s effects on mental health
Authors: Morganti A , Brambilla A , Amerio A , Aguglia A , Odone A , Costanza A , Signorelli C , Serafini G , Amore M , Capolongo S 
Published: October 2020

Abstract

Background
Since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak a pandemic on March 11th, severe 'lockdown' measures have been adopted by the Italian Government. For over two months of stay-at-home, houses became the only place where people slept, ate, worked, practiced sports, and socialized. As consolidated evidence exists on housing as a determinant of health, it is of great interest to explore the impact that COVID-19 response-related lockdown measures had on mental health and wellbeing.

Methods
We conducted a large web-based survey on 9261 subjects in Northern Italy, one of the Regions most heavily hit by the pandemic in Europe. Participants were recruited among university staff, faculty and students. The questions included socio-demographic features of the participants; international evaluation scales designed to recognize depressive-, anxiety- and sleep-related symptoms, impulsivity, quality of life; architectural parameters investigating housing physical characteristics.

Results
As emerges from our analysis poor housing is associated with increased risk of depressive symptoms during lockdown. In particular, living in apartments &lt; 60 m2, with poor quality view and indoor area is associated with, respectively, 1.31 (95CI), 1.368 (95CI), and 2.253 (95CI) time the risk of moderate/severe and severe depressive symptoms. Subjects reporting worsened working performance from home were over four times more likely to also report depression (OR = 4.28, 95%CI).

Conclusions
Our findings suggest housing played a major role in influencing people mental health and wellbeing during COVID-19 pandemic. We argue strengthened multi-interdisciplinary approach involving urban planning, public mental health, environmental health, epidemiology, and sociology, is needed to inform the planning implementation and monitoring of housing policies centered on population health.

Key messages
COVID-19 lockdown mitigation measures strongly impacted on Mental Health. Living in apartments &lt; 60 m2, with poor quality view and indoor area significatively increase the risk of moderate and severe depressive symptoms.
How to foster cities resilient to the COVID-19 pandemic through Urban Health strategies
Authors: Capolongo S , Buffoli M , D'Alessandro D , Fara G M , Appolloni L , Signorelli C 
Published: October 2020

Abstract

Background
The ongoing pandemic of COVID-19, which nowadays has exceeded 2.5 million notified infections in the world and about 200,000 deaths, is a strong reminder that urbanization has changed the way that people and communities live, work, and interact, and it's necessary to make the systems and local capacities resilient to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. How we can re-design the concept of Public Health in relation to the built environment and the contemporary cities?

Methods
According to the previous statements and scenario, aim of this paper is to integrate the Urban Health strategic objectives, focusing the possible responses, both immediate and medium-long term, to the current environmental, social, and economic aspects of the “period” of physical distancing.

Results
Immediate Actions are 01. program the flexibility of city schedules; 02. plan a smart and sustainable mobility network; 03. define a neighborhood services' plan; 04. develop a digitization of the urban context, promoting the smart communities; 05. re-think the accessibility to the places of culture and tourism. Medium-long term Actions are 06. design the indoor flexibility of domestic living spaces; 07. re-think building typologies, fostering the presence of semi-private or collective spaces; 08. renovate the basic care services' network; 09. integrate the existing environmental emergency plans, with those related to the health emergencies; 10. improve stakeholders' awareness of the factors affecting Public Health in the cities.

Conclusions
The Decalogue of Public Health opportunities may provide a useful basis for Designers (Architects and Urban Planners), Policy Makers, Public Health experts and Local Health Agencies, in promoting actions and policies aimed to transform our cities in healthier and Salutogenic living environments.

Key messages
The strategies described in this paper are at the basis of a social and infrastructural rethinking of the city, careful to the Welfare and Public Health needs. The physical distancing imposed, may have amplified population's social and health inequalities.
Mediterranean diet, sociodemographic factors and ultra-processed food consumption in Portugal
Authors: Moraes M M , Oliveira B , Afonso C , Santos C , Miranda R C , Rauber F , Levy R B , Rodrigues S 
Published: October 2020

Abstract

Background
Mediterranean diet has been shown to promote beneficial effects on health, while ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption has been associated with lower diet quality and higher risk for non-communicable diseases. Our aims were to explore the adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP) in Portugal and its association with sociodemographic factors and UPF consumption.

Methods
Participants were from the Portuguese National Food, Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey 2015-2016, aged 18-84y (n = 3,852). CAPI face-to-face interviews were used including 2 dietary 24-h recalls. UPF were identified using NOVA classification. Adherence to MDP was defined by the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS), which may vary from 0 to 9. MDS≥6 was considered as high adherence. Weighted multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore associations of high adherence to MDP with sex, age, region, educational level, family income and dietary share of UPF groups.

Results
High adherence to MDP was observed for 19.6% of participants and was inversely associated with higher consumption of UPF, namely, sugar-sweetened beverages (OR = 0.924; 95%CI 0.883-0.966), confectionery (OR = 0.893; 95%CI 0.816-0.977), sweet snacks (OR = 0.953; 95%CI 0.923-0.985), cakes/desserts (OR = 0.956; 95%CI 0.934-0.978) and meat products (OR = 0.922; 95%CI 0.874-0.972). Being female (OR = 0.629; 95%CI 0.471-0.841) and not from the North or Alentejo regions were inversely associated with high adherence to MDP. There was no relation between income and adherence to MDP. The higher the level of education or age, the higher the odds of high adherence to MDP (OR = 2.573; 95%CI 1.741-3.803 and OR = 1.028; 95%CI 1.020-1.037, respectively).

Conclusions
Actions to improve adherence to MDP in Portugal should consider discouraging UPF consumption and be addressed to specific subgroups.

Funding
POCI-01-0145-FEDER-032090 (FCT/FEDER); FAPESP 2018/07391-9, 2019/05972-7 (MCR), 2016/14302-7 (FR).

Key messages
High adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern was observed for near 20% of Potuguese over 18 years old. The higher the level of education or age, the higher the odds of high adherence to MDP. High adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern was inversely associated with higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, confectionery, sweet snacks, cakes/desserts and meat products.