bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Barriers to adopting a plant-based diet in various Finnish sociodemographic groups
Authors: Sares-Jäske L , Paalanen L , Tapanainen H , Kaartinen N E , Kaljonen M , Konttinen H , Männistö S 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
According to nutrition recommendations, plant-based diets are favorable for both climate and health. However, the adoption of such diets varies between sociodemographic groups. Aims of this study are to examine how large proportions of the population have shifted towards plant-based diets to combat climate change, and to identify perceived barriers to dietary changes by gender, age, urbanization level, education, and household income.

Methods
The study is based on the Healthy Finland Survey conducted in 2022-2023, including 5390 participants (56% women) aged 20-74 years. Questions related to plant-based diet had pre-defined response options.

Results
Women reported that they had changed their diets to be more plant-based more often than men (46% vs. 31%). Women and men living in urban areas, having high education, or belonging to the highest income quartile had made changes more often than those in other sociodemographic groups. Women and men reported barriers in shifting to more plant-based diets, such as uncertainty about nutritional value (20% and 24%) and lacking skills to prepare tasty vegetarian food (30% and 28%). Disliking vegetarian foods (23%) or not being interested in the topic (28%) were also frequent issues in men, while women commonly cited the preferences of their close ones as preventing them from making vegetarian food (17%). These perceived barriers also differed between sociodemographic groups. For example, while uncertainty about nutritiousness of plant-based diets was most common in the oldest age group (29%), lack of skills to prepare tasty vegetarian food was most common in the youngest age group (35%). One third of men living in remote rural areas or with basic education reported not being interested in the topic.

Conclusions
Understanding barriers that prevent people in different sociodemographic groups from changing their diets to more plant-based is critical in tailoring more targeted and effective health promotion and policy.

Key messages
• Moving towards more plant-based diets to combat climate change and perceived barriers to dietary changes vary by gender, age, urbanization level, education, and household income.
• Understanding barriers preventing people in different sociodemographic groups from changing their diets to more plant-based is critical in tailoring targeted and effective health promotion and policy.
The role of weight stigma and food literacy in eating behaviour
Authors: Timkova V , Katreniakova Z , Mikula P , Nagyova I 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
Overweight/obesity is associated with negative health outcomes that may be caused by experience and internalization of weight stigma. Weight stigma seems to diminish weight control efforts and may be associated with unhealthy eating behaviours. Moreover, lack is known about the protective factors against stigmatization. We aimed to assess the role of weight stigma and food literacy in eating behaviour in people with overweight and obesity controlling for sociodemographic and clinical variables.

Methods
A total of 189 participants with overweight/obesity (52.9% female; mean age 48.8±14.5 years; body-mass index (BMI) 32.6±6.5 kg/m2; waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) 0.6±0.1) completed the Experienced Weight Stigma Questionnaire and the Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire. To examine eating behaviours including cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating, and emotional eating we used the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed.

Results
Higher WHtR and BMI were associated with emotional eating and uncontrolled eating. Experienced weight stigma was associated with emotional eating but was no longer significant when self-stigmatization was added to the regression model. Self-stigmatization was associated with emotional eating and uncontrolled eating. This association attenuated when food literacy was added to the final models. Low food literacy was significantly associated with emotional and uncontrolled eating. No role of weight-related measures, stigma or food literacy in the cognitive restrain was found. The explained variance in the final regression models for emotional eating and uncontrolled eating was 41%, and 32.7%, respectively.

Conclusions
Emotional eating and uncontrolled eating may represent crucial components to address in health and weight management. Nutrition literacy may have a positive effect on diminishing associations between weight stigma and unhealthy eating patterns. [Funding: VEGA: 1/0748/22].

Key messages
• Eating disorder symptoms and their association with obesity should be considered when designing public health interventions.
• Interventions targeting weight stigmatization and food literacy may mitigate the negative impact of weight stigma on eating behaviours.
SustentAÇÃO: E-learning training on food sustainability for teachers in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area
Authors: Sousa J , Gouveia C , Coutinho I , Pinto A M , Pinto M L , Ferreira O , da Silva V D , Nogueira T , Vieira R , Mendes M 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
It is essential to address food sustainability (FS) within the school community to enhance both public and environmental health. In Portugal, in the scope of AML Alimenta, teachers’ training on FS was identified as a priority. Therefore, local partners along with academia developed, implemented, monitored, and evaluated the SustentAÇÃO.

Objectives
SustentAÇÃO aimed to empower school teachers in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area to teach students between 6 and 14 years old on FS. The program consisted of 10 hours of asynchronous online learning (MoodleTM), structured in 4 modules, and 10 hours of autonomous learning (5 students’ educational sessions), offering autonomy and flexible time management. The contents were adapted for different age groups. The teacher’s performance was monitored and evaluated continuously. A process evaluation was conducted for both teachers and students.

Results
Of the 79 teachers enrolled, 47% completed the program. Teachers’ performance (0-20) on the 4 evaluation questionnaires was on average 17,9±3,13. Most teachers found the program benefited their work (94%) and considered it essential for enhancing student’s knowledge (98%). Considering overall satisfaction, 85% of teachers were satisfied or very satisfied with the training and 91% would recommend it to their colleagues. Additionally, 86% of students enjoyed the activities delivered, 76% considered that they were wasting less food, and 78% believed they had improved their ability to make healthier and more sustainable food choices.

Conclusions
Through a collaborative work between local partners and academia, an innovative e-learning training programme on FS was developed, implemented, monitored, and evaluated, responding to the local needs identified. SustentAÇÃO complies with national education guidelines and contributes to the sustainable development goals agenda.

Key messages
• SustentAÇÃO E-learning training highlights the importance of collaborative work, based on an initial assessment to target local needs.
• SustentAÇÃO E-learning training improve teachers’ knowledge on FS and benefit their students.
Exploring the multiple dimensions of perceived food access in the local food environment
Authors: D’Hooghe S , Inaç Y , Vandevijvere S , Deforche B , De Ridder K , Van Dyck D , Van de Weghe N , Dury S 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Persons in socioeconomically disadvantaged situations (PSEDs) are more susceptible and disproportionally exposed to unhealthy food environments, resulting in poorer dietary outcomes. Food access plays an important role within the wider food environment. This qualitative paper explores the context-specific relationships between the dimensions of perceived food access within the local food environment among PSEDS. 23 participants were recruited through purposeful convenience sampling until data saturation was achieved in two municipalities in Flanders, Belgium. Utilizing the photovoice and photo-elicitation method, participants expressed their perceptions of food access within their local food environment and its role in their eating behaviour, both individually (n = 16) and in group (n = 7). Applying the access framework to our analysis, the dimensions of perceived food access among PSEDS were divided into the personal (acceptability and convenience), perceived external (accommodation and desirability) or both personal and perceived external (awareness, availability, accessibility and affordability) domain. Our results suggest that awareness (e.g. of local opportunities available) precedes the other dimensions and that affordability is related to all dimensions among PSEDs. This study underscores the importance of perceived food access in healthy eating among PSEDS. The identified food access dimensions can inform policy, urban planning and community-based interventions to promote equitable access to healthy food.

Key messages
• Understanding perceived food access is essential to identify ways in which inequalities in food access can be addressed.
• Perceived food access interacts between external and personal domains.
The health profile of Lithuanian beekeepers and use of bee products for health purposes
Authors: Sladkevicius P , Jakubauskiene M 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
There is little research about the health profile and attitude of beekeepers themselves who are the main suppliers of apitherapy products to the general public. The study aims to describe the health profile of Lithuanian bee keepers and identify their attitudes towards use of bee products for health purposes.

Methods
A cross-sectional survey was carried out from November 2023 to February 2024 among beekeepers in Lithuania. A representative sample of N = 369 (5% margin of error) has been enrolled in the study. A mixed-model approach was used for data collection. Research instrument consisted of a two-part questionnaire covering socio-demographic variables and questions on the use of bee products.

Results
369 respondents participated in the study: 73% (n = 270) males and 27% (n = 99) of females. The mean age was 57.8 years (SD = 14.4). Beekeepers assessed their health as good and only 2% assessed it as bad, while the Lithuanian rate is 12%. 95% of the respondents used bee products for health purposes, 5% did not use at all. Large beekeepers (&gt;100 beehives) were more likely not to choose bee products (p &lt; 0.001). No correlation was found between chronic diseases and consumption of bee products, except for diabetes mellitus (p = 0.001). The most common reasons for choosing apitherapy products included respiratory (62%), digestive (31%) diseases, immunity boosting (77%), dermatological conditions (53%). Propolis was pointed out in the survey as being used by 74%. Elder beekeepers (&gt;65 years) were found to be more likely to use propolis (p &lt; 0.001). They were also more likely to use it for prevention (p &lt; 0.001) and in case of toothache (p = 0.001).

Conclusions
The majority of beekeepers use bee products for health purposes. The most common reasons for consuming honey and other bee products are immunity boosting and colds. It was found that beekeepers over 65 years of age are more likely to use propolis for prevention and toothache treatment.

Key messages
• Although the consumption of bee products is high among beekeepers, elder generation and owners of smaller apiaries are more likely to use bee products for health purposes.
• Chronic diseases are not associated with consumption of bee products, except for beekeepers with diabetes mellitus who do not consume it.
Company commitments on nutrition and sustainability: A three-country comparison
Authors: Steele M , Campos S , Nova R , Dastoum S , Vandevijvere S , Harrington J , Oliveira A , Rodrigues A , Vaz-Velho M 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
The Business Impact Assessment (BIA) tools were developed by INFORMAS to document companies’ commitments on population nutrition (BIA-Obesity) and environmental sustainability (BIA-Sustainability). As part of the EU-funded Food Systems that Support Transitions to Healthy and Sustainable Diets (FEAST) project, we used the BIA-Obesity and BIA-Sustainability to map the public commitments of a range of national and international food companies active in Belgium, Ireland, and Portugal.

Methods
We selected companies (Belgium n = 37; Ireland n = 39; Portugal n = 36) across the packaged food, soft drinks, quick service restaurant, grocery retailers, infant formula, and catering industries. Selection was based primarily on the companies’ market shares in each country, but minor adaptations were made to enable comparison of findings between the countries. We searched each company’s website, annual reports, and other public sources, logging all commitments relevant to the domains of the BIAs. Domains and criteria were adapted to reflect the regulatory and legislative environment in each country.

Results
In all three countries, commitments on sustainability were significantly stronger than those on nutrition, though still falling short of best practice. Within sustainability, commitments found in Belgium and Portugal were significantly stronger than those found in Ireland. Nutrition-related commitments were more consistent across the three countries, with companies in Ireland and Portugal showing the highest-scoring commitments in relation to product formulation.

Conclusions
Companies across all industry sectors and countries fall short of best practices, with a stronger commitments to environmental sustainability than to tackling obesity and non-communicable diseases. These results underscore the critical necessity for more ambitious government regulations at both European and national levels.

Key messages
• Critical necessity for government regulations at both European and national levels to adress environmental and nutritional challenges.
• Industry need stronger commitments to tackling obesity and non-communicable diseases.
Combating antimicrobial resistance: A framework for educational tool innovation
Authors: Nowbuth A A , Parmar V S 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Issue
The World Health Organization (WHO) stresses the need for educational and training initiatives to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) across human, animal, and agricultural sectors. AMR, a growing public health threat, was responsible for approximately 4.95 million deaths in 2019. Traditional educational frameworks tackling AMR are often applied in isolated sectors, failing to incorporate a holistic or collaborative approach.

Description of the Policy
The Holistic Engagement and Adaptive Response Theoretical framework (HEARTf) proposes a comprehensive, innovative approach combining behavioral theories, and persuasive technology, including the Theory of Planned Behavior, Persuasive Technology, and Diffusion of Innovation. The framework is designed to integrate stakeholders in developing and accessing educational tools, specifically a game designed to teach students about AMR. HEARTf emphasizes a multidisciplinary methodology, beginning with Phase 1 (exploratory phase) to gather baseline information from potential prescribers in Norway and Zambia.

Results
Initial application of HEARTf is leading the development of an educational game on AMR. This game uniquely combines behavioral theories and digital design, focusing on high-impact areas of AMR. Preliminary feedback indicates enhanced stakeholder engagement and a heightened willingness to adopt AMR best practices across different sectors.

Lessons
The HEARTf approach demonstrates the potential for enhancing AMR education through innovative, theory-based game design and development. It advocates for the continued integration of comprehensive educational strategies into global health initiatives to combat AMR effectively. These actions, being tailored to diverse sectors, suggest that similar holistic, theory-driven approaches may be beneficial in other public health crises.

Key messages
• HEARTf fosters innovative, multidisciplinary AMR education, enhancing stakeholder engagement and adoption of best practices.
• Theory-based educational tools in AMR developed using HEARTf can significantly impact global health strategies and should be integrated into broader public health efforts.
A year of rapid reviews: evidence-based decision support for Austrian social insurances & hospitals
Authors: Jeindl R , Mayer-Ferbas J , Wild C 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
The Austrian Institute for Health Technology Assessment (AIHTA) has supported the decisions of Austrian social insurance funds and hospital providers with rapid reviews since 2023. This summary of rapid reviews aims to provide insights on findings, as well as experiences and challenges of conducting the rapid reviews after one year.

Methods
We included all rapid reviews that were requested to the AIHTA team in 2023. For research questions that were withdrawn, the reasoning was documented. The completed rapid reviews were grouped into medical specialties, depending on the intervention analysed. The conclusions of the rapid reviews were presented in tabular form, with the strength of the available evidence classified as high, moderate, low or insufficient.

Results
The rapid reviews on interventions (n = 9) cover a variety of medical specialties (orthopaedics, gynaecology, neurology, physical medicine, ophthalmology, vascular surgery and dermatology). In three rapid reviews, the analysed evidence on the intervention was insufficient for benefit (compared to standard of care). In four rapid reviews, the evidence indicated a potential benefit with some limitations (e.g. indication-specific results, or minimal clinically important difference not clearly achieved). In two rapid reviews, the evidence indicated a potential benefit. For three topics, no rapid review was conducted (topic scope too broad for rapid review, change in prioritisation). Challenges include time constraints, as well as narrowing the research questions to be suitable for rapid reviews.

Conclusions
The overview of rapid reviews highlights evidence-based findings on medical interventions. Further steps include collecting feedback from inquirers, on the extent to which the evidence from rapid reviews was used to support the decision-making. Rapid reviews are a feasible tool but require continuous evaluation and further adaptation of methods.

Key messages
• The rapid reviews to inform decision-making processes for Austrian social insurance funds and hospitals spanned multiple specialties and revealed varying levels of evidence.
• To improve the implementation of rapid reviews, and to overcome challenges of time constraints and narrowing down research questions, feedback from stakeholders should be collected.
Indicators of the clinical utility of genetic or genomic testing: a scoping review
Authors: Valz Gris A , Pezzullo A , Diego T , Porcelli M , Di Pumpo M , Scarsi N ,   WP3 PROPHET Collaboration Group, Boccia S 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
Genetic or genomic tests are the cornerstones of personalized prevention. Previous reviews primarily focused on theoretical frameworks rather than actual assessments and assessed dimensions rather than specific indicators within these dimensions. Our scoping review aimed to review the dimensions and the specific indicators measured in the published assessment reports of genetic or genomic tests.

Methods
We selected formal assessments of genetic and genomic test used for prevention through PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, websites of 20 different organizations, Google, and Google Scholar. Also, through a separate analysis we identified ten comprehensive dimensions of clinical utility through an analysis of 30 theoretical frameworks for genetic and genomic tests. From the included assessments, we extracted all the indicators, clustering them based on the comprehensive dimensions.

Results
From 3054 unique references and 12000 grey literature search results, we collected 57 assessments, all from high income-countries (in Europe (53%) and North America (47%)). The assessment methods were HTA (42%), EGAPP (25%), ACCE (21%) and other (12%). 951 disease-specific indicators were extracted from the assessments. Analytic validity (60%), clinical validity (79%) clinical efficacy (79%), economic impact (58%) were the most common dimensions (had at least one indicator). However, only 12 assessments (21%) include indicators that compared health outcomes between tested and untested groups. Equity, acceptability, legitimacy, and personal value were evaluated in less than 15% of the documents.

Conclusions
Our study illustrate that, although dimensions such as equity and acceptability, are significantly emphasized in traditional evaluation frameworks, these are often not considered in the assessments. Additionally, our study has underscored a significant dearth of primary evidence concerning the clinical efficacy of these technologies.

Key messages
• Our study highlights the prevalence of evaluations lacking indicators for equity, acceptability, and legitimacy dimensions and a lack of direct evidence of clinical efficacy.
• The catalog of indicators was openly provided as a resource for researchers and institutions working in evidence-based evaluations of personalized preventive healthcare.
Hemato-oncology services and COVID-19 Pandemic: The experience of Kazakhstan
Authors: Yerdenova M , Myrkassymova A , Iskakova B , Izekenova A , Izekenova A , Bukharbayeva A , Mergenova G 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Objectives
The COVID-19 pandemic in Kazakhstan disrupted numerous healthcare services, including those critical for hemato-oncology patients, due to the strained healthcare system. This study examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected access to hemato-oncology healthcare services in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Methods
We retrospectively analyzed patient data from two tertiary centers, City Clinical Hospital 7 (H7) and Kazakh Institute of Oncology and Radiology (KazIOR), from March 1, 2019, to February 28, 2022. Variables included age, gender, residence, hospitalization rate, treatment outcomes (discharged/deceased/transferred), diagnoses (acute leukemia, lymphoproliferative diseases, myeloproliferative diseases), and referral sources. The Statistical Yearbook of Kazakhstan provided comparative data.

Results
From 2019-2022, 6,763 hemato-oncology hospitalizations were registered: 3,583 in H7 and 3,180 in KazIOR. The mean age was 55.04 (SD = 16.07) for females and 51.2 (SD = 16.7) for males. Urban and rural patient proportions were 6,191 (92%) and 571 (8.4%), respectively (Chi-square 13.8, P = 0.001). Fewer patients were discharged in 2020-2021 (n = 2,047) compared to 2019-2020 (n = 2,387) and 2021-2022 (n = 2,081) (Chi-square 20.09, P = 0.003). The death rate was higher in 2020-2021 (3.5%) than in 2019-2020 (3.2%) and 2021-2022 (2.6%) (Chi-square 20.09, P = 0.003). Emergency admissions were 403 (19%) in 2020-2021, 368 (14.8%) in 2019-2020, and 394 (18.3%) in 2021-2022 (Chi-square 2,231, P &lt; 0.001). Transfers from other hospitals increased by 12.4% in 2020-2021.

Conclusions
The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted access to hemato-oncology services, increasing mortality. Further studies are needed to understand the factors affecting hospitalization and mortality trends during healthcare crises. Funding: Grant No. AP09260497.

Key messages
• Access to healthcare services during COVID-19 pandemic for hemato-oncology patients.
• Impact of the pandemic on access to healthcare.