bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The COVID-19 HL School Principal Survey (Wales) linked to routinely collected anonymised health data
Authors: Marchant E , Seaborne M , Brophy S 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Background
Evidence before the pandemic suggests that school headteachers report high work-related stress and psychological/physical burden compared to other professional groups (1). There is an evidence gap exploring the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on senior leaders in schools who have experienced high demands as a result of COVID-19. This is important because in the UK, teacher retention is policy priority.

Methods
The COVID-19 HL: School Leadership Survey aimed to explore the burden and stress that school leaders in Wales, UK experienced during COVID-19, part of a global study with the COVID-HL network (3). 172 school leaders (62% female) from 130 primary (age 3-11) and 30 secondary schools (age 11-16) completed an online survey between July-Nov 2021, exploring topics such as work-related stress and mental health. A unique aspect is the use of data linkage using the SAIL (Secure Anonymised Information Linkage) Databank. SAIL is data repository containing individual-level, anonymised population-scale data for Wales.

Results
Initial descriptive findings show 54% of senior leaders have depression (WHO-5), and lower wellbeing scores compared to other UK professions. 83% report moderate-high perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale) and physical (38%) and mental (57%) work exhaustion. The next stage of this study is to perform data linkage of survey responses to health records and administrative data. Logistic regression analyses will examine wellbeing and work-related stress with outcomes including mental health (e.g. anxiety/depression) diagnosis and time off work.

Conclusions
Preliminary results show high levels of stress, exhaustion and low wellbeing amongst school leaders in Wales. The next part of this study will examine this in greater detail using data linkage of routine records. Data linkage allows this sample to be extrapolated to population level to theorise work-related stress for all school leaders in Wales.
Household deprivation, comorbidities and COVID-19 hospitalization in 690,115 children/adolescents
Authors: Dragano N , Dortmann O , Timm J , Mohrmann M , Wehner R , Rupprecht CJ , Scheider M , Mayatepek E , Wahrendorf M 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Background
Studies document that adults in disadvantaged socio-economic positions have elevated risks of a severe course of COVID-19, but it is unclear if this holds true for children. We investigate in this population-based study whether young people from socio-economically disadvantaged households in Germany had a higher risk of COVID-19 hospitalization compared with more affluent counterparts. We also examined if differences were related to comorbidities that predict severe courses in children.

Methods
We included data from all 690,115 children and adolescents (0-18 years) enrolled in a statutory health insurance carrier. Daily hospital diagnoses of COVID-19 were recorded from 1.1.2020 to 13.7.2021. Logistic regressions were used to compare children from households with an indication of poverty (e.g. long- or short-term unemployed) with children from households with insurance holders in regular employment. We also assessed socio-economic characteristics of the area of residence. We controlled for age, sex, days under observation, nationality, and comorbidities (e.g. obesity).

Findings
A COVID-19 hospital diagnosis was a rare event (n = 1637). Children of long-term unemployed parents had a 1·36 times (95% CI 1·21-1·51) higher adjusted odds of hospitalization compared with those of employed parents. Elevated odds were also found for short-term unemployed or low-wage employment. Those living in poor areas had a 3·02 (1·81-5·22) higher odds of hospitalization than those in less deprived areas. Comorbidities were strongly related to hospitalization, but their adjustment did not change main estimates for household deprivation.

Discussion
Results suggest that children from poor households are at higher risk of severe courses of COVID-19 than their affluent counterparts. This underlies the need to implement effective Public Health strategies to protect deprived children from COVID-19 and other infectious disease even in high income countries such as Germany.

Key messages
• Children and adolescents from poor families seem to be at higer risk for sever courses of COVID-19.
• Comorbidities were no key mediating factor in this study.
Psychotherapy – A Sound Investments In (Mental) Health Capital?
Authors: Turunen J , Gluschkoff K , Kausto J , Selinheimo S , Koskinen A , Väänänen A 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Introduction
The concept of health capital views health as a form of capital that produces healthy time to individual. This stock of capital - health that is - can decrease or increase. The potential of psychotherapy as individual's investment to (mental) health capital has been rarely studied in population level.

Objectives
The aim of our study is to shed light on the returns on individual-level investments in health capital. We consider the use of psychotherapy as an investment in health capital. This investment offers potential returns for individual as a higher level of subsequent income. However, these returns are potentially heterogenous: we aim to show to whom the use of psychotherapy is a sound investment in health capital.

Methods
We model the effects of mental health, and subsequent treatments such as the use of psychotropics and psychotherapy on income using two-way fixed effects regression.

Results
Preliminary results show that different parts of working-age population seem to have different potential returns related to the use of psychotherapy. These heterogenous effects are related to previously reported socioeconomic status related disparities: the level of human capital i.e. income and education play a role in the profitability of the individual level investment made in the health capital by the use of psychotherapy.

Conclusions
The use of psychotherapy has heterogenous effects on the income of individuals. The potential of this investment to produce health capital varies with education, the level of income prior to the use of psychotherapy.
Distinctive mental health profiles in the working population: A nation-wide study from Finland
Authors: Väänänen A , Kausto J , Gluschkoff K , Kokkinen L , Selinheimo S 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Introduction
Studies on mental health inequalities are usually based on limited sets of mental health indicators.

Objectives
Using a large number of mental health indicators, we explored whether it is possible to identify similar hierarchical rankings regardless of mental health indicators (incl. psychotherapy) among employees representing different socio-demographic statuses, and which groups of employees have the highest mismatch between mental health symptom and treatment.

Methods
Employees representing different occupational classes and employees from four different areas of Finland were studied and compared. We used national register data to define psychotropic medication (purchases), sickness absence for mood disorders, and the use of psychotherapy between 2017 and 2019 and national survey data from the FinHealth 2017 Study to define the level of psychological symptoms (BDI, GHQ). We assessed the risk of each outcome by population group separately for men and women, and estimated the mismatch between symptoms (BDI/GHQ caseness) and treatment (psychotropic drugs/therapy).

Results
In all the studied groups, the prevalence of mental health indicators was mostly considerably higher among women than men. The risk of register-based mental health indicators was typically higher among lower non-manual employees. In the case of some mental health indicators, we observed significant interactions between occupation class and region. Some stark mismatches were detected between symptoms and treatment in some populations, whereas at the other end of the spectrum, the correspondence between symptoms and the mobilization of care was rather high.

Conclusions
Although gender is strongly linked to mental health indicators, occupational class and region influence mental health profiles in the population. There are considerable inequalities between populations in the level of professional care associated with mental health problems.
Time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective examination of psychosocial health in people with and without type 2 diabetes using digital phenotyping
Authors: McInerney A , Schmitz N , Matthews M , Deschenes S 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Introduction
Societal restrictions due to COVID-19 have had a profound effect on our ability to connect with one another and limited our personal mobility. There is evidence that loneliness, social isolation, and psychological distress increased during restrictions for people with diabetes. Fluctuating restrictions provide a unique opportunity to utilise continuous GPS data from personal smartphones (digital phenotypes) to explore the relationship between time-at-home and psychosocial health for people with diabetes. This study aims to (1) describe the digital phenotypes of time-at-home during varying societal COVID-19 restrictions for people with and without type 2 diabetes and (2) to explore associations between these digital phenotypes and loneliness, social support, and other psychosocial factors and compare for people with and without type 2 diabetes.

Methods
Data come from a longitudinal observational study in the Republic of Ireland that ran between March and August 2021. Participants are seventy-four adults (64.8% female; median age-group = 50-54) with (N = 40) and without (N = 34) diabetes. Continuous GPS data were recorded for 2 months through the Beiwe smartphone application. Loneliness (UCLA-3), social support (MSPSS), diabetes stigma (DSAS-2; diabetes cohort only) as well as other demographic, psychosocial, and lifestyle questionnaires were assessed at baseline, 1 month, and 2 months follow-up.

Analysis
GPS data are being processed. The GPS-derived features of time-at-home, overall movement, and location variance will be computed. Associations between these digital phenotypes and psychosocial factors will be explored and changes over time examined using multilevel modeling.

Conclusions
We expect this study to be the first to describe and compare the digital phenotypes of people with and without diabetes during varying societal COVID-19 restrictions, providing new insights into the effects of such policies on the psychosocial health of people with diabetes.
Green space availability and mental health – results from a cross-sectional study in Northwestern Germany
Authors: Sisenop F , Lindert J 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Background
A relationship between green space and health has been shown in several epidemiological studies. The impact of different types of green space is still relatively unknown. To start filling this gap, we looked at associations between different green space types and health outcomes (depression and mental health).

Methods
Data are obtained from a cross-sectional study (n = 479). Depression (assessed with PHQ-9) and mental health (assessed with GHQ-28) are dependent variables. Availability of green space in the surrounding neighborhood was assessed as independent variable by the percentage of green space ( &gt; =1ha) within a 250m radius participants residence. Survey data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 26 and Geo data using QGIS 3.18.0.

Results
N = 479 participants of a cross-sectional study in 2018 provided data (49.4%, n = 240 women; 49.6%, n = 239 men). Participants had a mean age of 57.55 years (SD: 18.80, min-max:18-95), majority (75.2%, n = 360) were married or partnered, had a lower educational qualification than A-levels equivalent (56.8%, n = 272), were not employed (53%, n = 254), had a net household income of at least 3. 000€ per month (40.1%, n = 192) and at least sometimes financial worries (51.4%, n = 246). Green areas without agricultural areas show an association with frequency of depression (B(SE)=0.056(0.024), p = 0.018). This contrasts with green spaces including agricultural areas, where there is no statistically significant association (B(SE)=0.007(0.012), p = 0.564).

Discussion
We found an association between type of green space and depression. Further studies are needed to establish a grid for assessing characteristics and quality criteria of green spaces. However, it can already be assumed that there is an association between quality of green spaces and psychosocial outcomes.
The relationship between well-being and digital health literacy in university students from Romania
Authors: Ungureanu M , Coman MA 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Background
Digital Health Literacy (DHL) gained traction in recent years in the health promotion and well-being field as a possible protective factor.

Methods
A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a self-reported web-based questionnaire on students enrolled at a university from Romania between December 2020 and February 2021. Descriptive statistics, correlation tests, and logistics regressions were employed to analyze the relationship between DHL, well-being, subjective social status (SSS), and future anxiety among students.

Results
The data set included 1381 valid surveys (out of 1877 total surveys) completed by students aged between 18 and 39 years (mean = 21.9, SD = 3.701), the majority (69%) being males. Most of the students were studying at Bachelor level (83%), while the rest were Master or PhD students. Responses showed that 49% of the students expressed low well-being, 48% expressed a high level of future-anxiety and 59% considered they have a low SSS. For the DHL subscale of evaluating the reliability of the information, 56% of students had limited DHL, while for the subscale of determining the relevance of information, 64% of students presented limited DHL. The DHL subscale of adding self-generated content showed the highest correlation with well-being, followed by the determining relevance of the information subscale. Sufficient DHL was associated with higher levels of well-being when controlling for age, gender, and study program.

Conclusions
Well-being is influenced by actions such as adding self-generated health content, determining the relevance of health information, and anxiety for the future, all being important actions in health promotion. Individual factors such as age and gender are also relevant in mediating the relationship between DHL and well-being.
Digital health literacy and well-being of students at Sofia University – Bulgaria
Authors: Patias I , Kaloyanova K 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Background
During the Covid-19 pandemic the students in the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics at Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’ applied their abilities for searching health-related information and use it as a factor to improve their well-being.

Methods
The study used the Questionnaire developed by Dadaczynski, K., Okan, O. & Rathmann, K. in 2020 as COVID-19 Health Literacy Survey: University Students (COVID-HL Survey), and the respective Scale Documentation under the Public Health Centre Fulda (PHZF) at the Fulda University of Applied Sciences & Interdisciplinary Centre for Health Literacy Research at Bielefeld University. 216 students, almost 13% (12.78%) of 1.690 students approached, participated.

Results
There is a correlation as our students reported Very easy or easy to the question how easy they deal with the coronavirus information on the Internet - with 71% choosing from all the information they find, 91% using the proper words to find the information, and 71% finding the exact information. Those results were achieved as our students reported feeling over the last two weeks 27.12% very low, 18.08% low, and only 54.80% high (&gt;50) well-being, measuring the dimensions of psychological general well-being by the WHO-5.

Conclusions
Our students reported they can search and retrieve the appropriate information on the coronavirus or related topics, and they are satisfied with the information found. Our students’ abilities to search and retrieve health-related information are applicable even under the pandemic pressure, where they contribute to the improvement of their well-being feelings. [This research is supported by the National Scientific Program “eHealth” in Bulgaria.]
Digital health literacy and well-being in university students in Germany
Authors: Dadaczynski K , Messer M , Rathmann K , Okan O 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Background
Digital communication technologies had a crucial role during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the internet and Social Media as highly frequented sources for retrieving health information. University student's health and well-being were highly affected and most interaction with peers and professionals migrated to the digital realm, which made digital health literacy (DHL) a key competence to navigate digital health environments. The main goal of the study was to explore DHL of students in Germany.

Methods
A cross-sectional online survey among students (N = 14916) from 130 universities in Germany was implemented as part of the global Covid-HL Network, collecting data on DHL, physical and mental health, SoC and sociodemographics. Data was analyzed using univariate, bivariate and regression analyses.

Results
Assessing the reliability of information (5964/14,103, 42.3%) and determining commercial interest of information posed the most difficult tasks (5489/14,097, 38.9%). Difficulties were revealed for finding information (4282/14,098, 30.4%). Female students reported lower DHL and social media use was associated with lower judgment skills. 38% of all students reported low and very low well-being and 29% reported at least two health complaints weekly, while health outcomes follow a social gradient (lower SES and gender). Regression analysis showed significant association between SoC and well-being (OR: 1.2-2.03) and health complaints (OR: 1.58-1.71). Higher future worries were with low well-being (OR: 2.83) and multiple health complaints (OR: 2.84).

Conclusions
There is an urgent need to enhance DHL and SoC of students and implement health promotion strategies, using target group specific intervention. Gender and socioeconomic differences must be taken into account and interventions could be delivered within the university. Measures should also address student mental health.
11.J. Workshop: Enabling participation of vulnerable groups in primary health and long-term care
Authors:   Organised by: Bielefeld University (Germany),   Chair persons: Kerstin Haemel (Germany), Anja Dieterich (Germany)
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Enabling individual and collective participation or vulnerable people in health and social care is fundamental to achieving equitable, people-centered care. However, for vulnerable groups and clients, unfolding opportunities for participation in their care is closely related with experiences of empowerment and disempowerment. The workshop focuses on primary health and long-term care, as those are the pillars of resilient health care systems able to meet the complex care needs of vulnerable people. From a public health perspective, the facets of participation range from providing access to comprehensive services for people in need, to developing a shared understanding between clients and health professionals regarding clients’ everyday and care preferences, to sharing decision-making on health and care matters. In this workshop, we will discuss how helpful public health interventions between individual, professional and systemic-structural approaches should or could be designed, to (better) enable participation of vulnerable groups in primary and long-term care. The workshop presentations draw on empirical research with members of vulnerable groups, health professionals and key informants in care policy and practice conducted in Brazil, Germany, India, and Spain. By focusing on different primary and long-term care settings as well as vulnerable groups (undocumented persons, older people in need of care, people living with chronic illnesses) we will address and discuss the following questions:
• What ideas can we find to strengthen participation of vulnerable groups in primary and long-term care settings?
• Which opportunities and barriers are involved?
• How can individual, professional, and structural approaches ‘fit together’ to enable greater participation of vulnerable groups in their (self-)care?

Key messages
• Practitioners’ efforts to enable participation have to be accompanied by qualification- and governance-oriented public health approaches to achieve patient oriented health and social care systems.
• Present barriers and opportunities for vulnerable groups are instructive indicators for broader challenges towards comprehensive people-centered care.
COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in five Western Balkan countries
Authors: Matovic Miljanovic S , Cvjetkovic S , Jeremic-Stojkovic V , Mandic-Rajcevic S 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Background
The vaccine hesitancy is a matter of global concern with inadequate global uptake postponing the moment of reaching herd immunity and bringing the COVID-19 pandemics under control. Countries in the Western Balkans struggle with vaccine hesitancy, trying to bring vaccine acceptance and ways to improve it into the focus.

Methods
A cross-sectional study on vaccine hesitancy was conducted from July to September 2021 and included adult population from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia (1605 individuals). Convenience sampling was applied using anonymized online questionnaire (shared through social media) measuring, among others, trust in societal factors, social responsibility and, the credibility of information sources about COVID-19 vaccines.

Results
The highest degree of trust in societal factors was found in North Macedonia (M = 3.65, SD = 1.06), followed by Montenegro (M = 3.50, SD = 1.19) and Serbia (M = 3.24, SD = 1.26). In Albania 44.7% respondents believed in reluctance of pharmaceutical companies to publish detailed research reports on the risks of adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines. The view that the health authorities when they encourage vaccination do so with the best intentions supported 66,3% respondents in North Macedonia and 49% in Albania and Serbia. The highest level of social responsibility (M = 4.12, SD = 1.09) was revealed in North Macedonia. Primary care physicians, health professionals in media, webpages of public health institutions, and scientific literature are the most trusted sources of information about COVID-19 in all countries.

Conclusions
The study demonstrated moderate trust in societal factors and moderately high level of social responsibility in all countries. The health professionals enjoy the greatest trust, which implies that medical doctors, especially physicians in primary health care should have a pivotal role in promoting vaccination and educating the general public in the Western Balkans.