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BMC Public Health Jun 2024Epilepsy is a global health and economic burden with major problems that have an impact on physical, psychological, and social activities. Quality of life (QoL) is often... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Epilepsy is a global health and economic burden with major problems that have an impact on physical, psychological, and social activities. Quality of life (QoL) is often disturbed and can be influenced by many factors, like anti-seizure medication side effects, the sociocultural environment, and various disease-related factors. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to provide an overview of the most recent information available regarding the pooled prevalence of poor quality of life and associated factors among adult people with epilepsy in Ethiopia.
METHODS
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) is an appropriate set of guidelines for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses. This systematic review and meta-analysis protocol was registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) with CRD42024527914. To find publications for the systematic review and meta-analysis, we used both manual and electronic searches. The publications were searched by PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and other grey publications were searched by Google Scholar. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) for cross-sectional study quality assessment was employed to evaluate the methodological quality of the studies included in this review. The data was extracted in Microsoft Excel, and then it was exported into STATA 11.0 for analysis. A funnel plot and an objective examination of Egger's regression test were used to check for publication bias.
RESULTS
We have included 7 studies conducted in Ethiopia with 2123 study participants, of whom 1163 (54.78%) were male individuals, and 1196 (56.34%) of the participants were living without marriage (either single, divorced, or widowed). The pooled prevalence of poor quality of life among people with epilepsy in Ethiopia is 45.07 (95% CI: 39.73-50.42%). Further, in subgroup analysis regarding the assessment tool of poor quality of life of people with epilepsy, QOLIE-31 accounted for 50.05% (95%CI: 46.65-53.45) and WHO QOL BREF accounted for 39.72% (95%CI: 27.67-51.78). Among the associated factors, being unable to read and write, anxiey and depression were significantly linked to the quality of life of people with epilepsy.
CONCLUSION
This review found that there was a high pooled prevalence of poor quality of life related to people with epilepsy in Ethiopia. This study may provide further information to concerned bodies that do early screening and manage the quality of life of individuals with epilepsy. Also, screening and intervention for anxiety and depression problems should be considered in regular epilepsy care management.
Topics: Humans; Ethiopia; Quality of Life; Epilepsy; Adult; Prevalence
PubMed: 38844872
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19018-3 -
Health Science Reports Feb 2024Multimorbidity among older adults is a growing concern in India. Multimorbidity is defined as the coexistence of two or more chronic health conditions in an individual....
BACKGROUND
Multimorbidity among older adults is a growing concern in India. Multimorbidity is defined as the coexistence of two or more chronic health conditions in an individual. Primary studies have been conducted on risk factors of multimorbidity in India, but no systematic review has been conducted on this topic. This systematic review aimed to synthesize the existing evidence on risk factors of multimorbidity among older adults in India.
METHODS
The JBI and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines were followed. Several databases were searched for published and unpublished studies until August 03, 2022. The screening of titles and abstracts and full texts, data extraction, and quality assessment were conducted by two independent reviewers. Any disagreements were resolved through discussion or by involving a third reviewer. Data synthesis was conducted using narrative synthesis and random effects meta-analysis, where appropriate.
RESULTS
Out of 8781 records identified from the literature search, 16 and 15 studies were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis, respectively. All included studies were cross-sectional, and 10 met a critical appraisal score of more than 70%. Broadly, sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health conditions-related factors were explored in these studies. The pooled odds of multimorbidity were higher in people aged ≥70 years compared to 60-69 years (odds ratio (OR) 1.51; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20-1.91), females compared to males (1.38; 1.09-1.75), single, divorced, separated, and widowed compared to married (1.29; 1.11-1.49), economically dependent compared to economically independent (1.54; 1.21-1.97), and smokers compared to non-smokers (1.33; 1.16-1.52) and were lower in working compared to not working (0.51; 0.36-0.72).
CONCLUSION
This systematic review and meta-analysis provided a comprehensive picture of the problem by synthesizing the existing evidence on risk factors of multimorbidity among older adults in India. These synthesized sociodemographic and lifestyle factors should be taken into consideration when developing health interventions for addressing multimorbidity among older adults in India.
PubMed: 38420204
DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.1915 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2023Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is considered a preclinical stage of Alzheimer's disease. However, reliable prevalence estimates of SCD in the Chinese population are... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is considered a preclinical stage of Alzheimer's disease. However, reliable prevalence estimates of SCD in the Chinese population are lacking, underscoring the importance of such metrics for policymakers to formulate appropriate healthcare strategies.
OBJECTIVE
To systematically evaluate SCD prevalence among older Chinese adults.
METHODS
PubMed, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, Embase, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, CBM, and Airiti Library databases were searched for studies on SCD in older Chinese individuals published before May 2023. Two investigators independently screened the literature, extracted the information, and assessed the bias risk of the included studies. A meta-analysis was then conducted using Stata 16.0 software via a random-effects model to analyze SCD prevalence in older Chinese adults.
RESULTS
A total of 17 studies were included (n = 31,782). The SCD prevalence in older Chinese adults was 46.4% (95% CI, 40.6-52.2%). Further, subgroup analyzes indicated that SCD prevalence was 50.8% in men and 58.9% among women. Additionally, SCD prevalence in individuals aged 60-69, 70-79, and ≥ 80 years was 38.0, 45.2, and 60.3%, respectively. Furthermore, SCD prevalence in older adults with BMI <18.5, 18.5-24.0, and > 24.0 was 59.3, 54.0, and 52.9%, respectively. Geographically, SCD prevalence among older Chinese individuals was 41.3% in North China and 50.0% in South China. In terms of residence, SCD prevalence was 47.1% in urban residents and 50.0% among rural residents. As for retired individuals, SCD prevalence was 44.2% in non-manual workers and 49.2% among manual workers. In the case of education, individuals with an education level of "elementary school and below" had an SCD prevalence rate of 62.8%; "middle school, "52.4%; "high school, "55.0%; and "college and above, "51.3%. Finally, SCD prevalence was lower among married individuals with surviving spouses than in single adults who were divorced, widowed, or unmarried.
CONCLUSION
Our systematic review and meta-analysis identified significant and widespread SCD prevalence in the older population in China. Therefore, our review findings highlight the urgent requirement for medical institutions and policymakers across all levels to prioritize and rapidly develop and implement comprehensive preventive and therapeutic strategies for SCD.: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023406950, identifier: CRD42023406950.
Topics: Aged; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; China; Cognitive Dysfunction; Prevalence; Schools; East Asian People; Aged, 80 and over
PubMed: 38106895
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1277995 -
Value in Health Regional Issues Jan 2024Social preference values of health states are a fundamental input for the preparation of studies in health economics. Several countries have undertaken studies to obtain...
OBJECTIVES
Social preference values of health states are a fundamental input for the preparation of studies in health economics. Several countries have undertaken studies to obtain these values. Our objective was to conduct a structured and systematic literature review of articles that calculates this set of representative values at the national level in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
METHODS
In this systematic review, we searched the Embase, MEDLINE, Ovid, SciELO, and LILACS databases, among others, for studies published up to June 2022 that estimated nationally representative health states preferences values for LMICs. We summarized the information qualitatively and assessed the risk of bias in each article using the consensus-based standards for selecting health measurement instruments checklist tool.
RESULTS
Of the 23 663 articles identified, 35 studies were eligible for inclusion. The studies were from 19 countries in Latin-American, Europe, Africa, and Asia. No studies were found for low-income countries. The most commonly applied generic instrument for measuring health-related quality of life was the 5-level version of EQ-5D and 3-level version of EQ-5D. Preference was given to face-to-face administration of these instruments. The sociodemographic variables with the most significant negative correlation versus utility were older adults, marital status (widowed or divorced), and low educational level and income.
CONCLUSIONS
Worldwide, there have been few studies that have estimated, in a nationally representative manner, the social values of health states preferences in LMICs. We consider the local estimate of this set of societal values relevant for any society to improve decision making in allocating resources in health budgets.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Quality of Life; Developing Countries; Income; Europe; Africa
PubMed: 37976776
DOI: 10.1016/j.vhri.2023.07.004 -
Heliyon Feb 2023The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected women and threatens to overturn four decades of progress in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Gender Equality... (Review)
Review
The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected women and threatens to overturn four decades of progress in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment. To better grasp the key areas of concern that gender inequality exists, gender studies and sex-disaggregated evidence are required. Using the PRISMA technique, this review paper is the first attempt to present a comprehensive and current picture of the gendered dimensions of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh regarding economic well-being, resource endowments, and agency. This study found that women were more likely to face hardship as widows, mothers, or sole breadwinners after the loss of husbands and male household members because of the pandemic. The evidence suggests that the advancement of women during this pandemic was hampered by poor reproductive health outcomes; girls' dropping out of school; job loss; less income; a comparable wage gap; a lack of social security; unpaid work burnout; increased emotional, physical, and sexual abuse; an increase in child marriages; and less participation in leadership and decision-making. Our study found inadequate sex-disaggregated data and gender studies on COVID-19 in Bangladesh. However, our research concludes that policies must account for gender disparities and male and female vulnerability across multiple dimensions to achieve inclusive and effective pandemic prevention and recovery.
PubMed: 36811121
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13773 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2022Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) can be seen in people of all ages. CRS heavily affects the quality of a patient's daily life and also causes tremendous economic burdens on... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) can be seen in people of all ages. CRS heavily affects the quality of a patient's daily life and also causes tremendous economic burdens on patients' families and society. The prevalence of CRS in different countries varies and no systematic review of the prevalence of CRS among Chinese has been published previously. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to determine the prevalence of CRS among Chinese and to explore the main risk factors of CRS among Chinese.
METHODS
Using relevant keywords, data resources including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Embase, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge of Infrastructure (CNKI), WANGFANG, VIP, and China Biomedical Literature database (CMB) were searched to obtain literature reporting the prevalence of and risk factors of CRS among Chinese which were clearly diagnosed with CRS from inception to 30 June 2022. The random/fixed effect model was used for meta-analysis, and the I index was employed to assess heterogeneity among studies. All analyses were performed by using the STATA version 16.0 software. The study was registered with PROSPERO, register number. CRD42022341877.
RESULT
A total of 12 relevant kinds of literature were qualified for the present systematic review, including 4,033 patients. The results showed that the overall prevalence of CRS among Chinese was 10% (95%CI: 0.06-0.13, I = 99.6%, < 0.001). The prevalence of CRS among Chinese who lived in urban cities was 18% (95%CI: -0.07 to 0.43, I = 99.9%, < 0.001), which was obviously lower than the prevalence of CRS among Chinese who lived in rural areas (27%, 95%CI: -0.14 to 0.68, I = 99.8%, < 0.001). The prevalence of CRS among Chinese before 2010 was 23% (95%CI: -0.05 to 0.50, I = 99.8%, < 0.001), which was remarkably higher than the prevalence of CRS among Chinese after 2010 (7%, 95%CI: 0.05-0.09, I = 99.0%, < 0.001). The prevalence of CRS among Chinese who were divorced was 17% (95%CI: 0.12-0.22, I = 0.0%, = 0.436), while the prevalence of CRS among Chinese who were married, widowed, and unmarried was 9% (95%CI: 0.06-0.11, I = 88.1%, = 0.004), 9% (95%CI: 0.06-0.11, I = 0.0%, = 0.863), and 9% (95%CI: 0.08-0.10, I = 0.0%, = 0.658), respectively. The prevalence of CRS among Han and minority Chinese was 8% (95%CI: 0.07-0.10, I = 69.6%, = 0.070) and 12% (95%CI: 0.10-0.15, I = 38.6%, = 0.202), respectively. The prevalence of CRS among Chinese who was never exposed to moldy or damp environments was 8% (95%CI: 0.08-0.09, I = 0.0%, = 0.351), the prevalence of CRS among Chinese who was occasionally exposed to moldy or damp environments was 16% (95%CI: 0.10-0.22, I = 78.9%, = 0.030), and the prevalence of CRS among Chinese who was frequently or every day exposed to moldy or damp environments was up to 20% (95%CI: 0.15-0.24, I = 0.0%, = 0.558).
CONCLUSION
This meta-analysis shows that the prevalence of CRS among Chinese is at a high level. People who have some risk factors, such as occasional or frequent or everyday exposure to moldy or damp environments, have a higher prevalence of CRS. We should attach more importance to the risk factors of CRS in clinical practice and disseminate scientific information and carry out education to lower the prevalence of CRS in China.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=341877, identifier: CRD42022341877.
Topics: Humans; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Asian People; Chronic Disease; Minority Groups
PubMed: 36699933
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.986026 -
International Journal of Environmental... Nov 2022Food plays a key role in people's health and quality of life. Inadequate eating habits or a deficient diet can lead to the development of non-communicable diseases... (Review)
Review
Food plays a key role in people's health and quality of life. Inadequate eating habits or a deficient diet can lead to the development of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The present review aims to describe the health and social factors related to food insecurity (FI) in adults in high-income countries and evaluate their impact on cardiometabolic risk (CMR). Following the PRISMA procedures, a systematic review was conducted by searching in biomedical databases. Full articles were screened (nf = 228) and critically appraised, and 12 studies met the inclusion criteria. Based on the selected studies, the results grouped information based on (i) the characteristics of the population in FI, (ii) the impact of FI on NCDs, and (iii) the cardiovascular and all-cause mortality risk of the FI population. Considering the minimum and maximum percentage data, people of the categories female sex (46.2-57.6%), education level lower than high school (11-67.46%), non-Hispanic white ethnicity (37.4-58%), single or separated or widowed (45-64.8%), and current smoker (35.5-61.1%) make up the population with FI in high-income countries. All of these factors presented a significant association ( < 0.001) with cardiovascular risk factors. The highest odds ratios (OR) for the FI population are described for obesity (OR = 2.49, 95% CI; 1.16-5.33) and myocardial infarction (OR = 2.19, 95% CI). Interventions that integrate FI screening and the measurement of CMR factors into routine clinical care may be an important step to identify vulnerable populations and subsequently improve and prevent NCDs. Thus, food-diet policies and public-health-based interventions are needed to be included in the measurement of CMR in the assessment of FI.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Female; Food Supply; Social Factors; Quality of Life; Food Insecurity; Noncommunicable Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases
PubMed: 36361326
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192114447 -
Cancer Medicine Jan 2023In recent years, authors have repeatedly reported on the significance of social support in cancer survival. Although overall the studies appear to be convincing, little... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
In recent years, authors have repeatedly reported on the significance of social support in cancer survival. Although overall the studies appear to be convincing, little is known about which types of social support promote better survival rates, and which subgroups of cancer patients are more susceptible to the benefits of it. The aim of this study was to identify, organize, and examine studies reporting on the significance of social support in cancer survival.
METHODS
The PubMed, CINAHL and EBSCO databases were searched using the keywords social support/marital status, cancer, and survival/mortality. Where possible we used a meta-analytical approach, specifically a random effect model, in order to combine the results of the hazard ratios in studies from which this information could be obtained. When interpreting clinical relevance, we used the number needed to treat (NNT).
RESULTS
Better survival was observed in married patients when compared to unmarried (single, never-married, divorced/separated, and widowed) in overall and cancer-specific survival. Gender group differences showed that the association was statistically significant only in cancer-specific survival when comparing divorced/separated male and female cancer patients (p < 0.001), thus confirming results from the previous meta-analysis.
CONCLUSIONS
Being unmarried is associated with significantly worse overall and cancer-specific survival. The most vulnerable group found in our study were divorced/separated men. The results of this review can motivate physicians, oncologists, and other healthcare professionals to be aware of the importance of patients' social support, especially in the identified sub-group.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Marital Status; Neoplasms; Divorce; Single Person; Proportional Hazards Models
PubMed: 35789072
DOI: 10.1002/cam4.5003 -
BMJ Global Health Apr 2022Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) are of notable public health importance worldwide, owing to their potential to cause explosive outbreaks and induce debilitating... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
INTRODUCTION
Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) are of notable public health importance worldwide, owing to their potential to cause explosive outbreaks and induce debilitating and potentially life-threatening disease manifestations. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess the relationship between markers of socioeconomic position (SEP) and infection due to arboviruses with mosquito vectors.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic search on PubMed, Embase, and LILACS databases to identify studies published between 1980 and 2020 that measured the association of SEP markers with arbovirus infection. We included observational studies without geographic location or age restrictions. We excluded studies from grey literature, reviews and ecological studies. Study findings were extracted and summarised, and pooled estimates were obtained using random-effects meta-analyses.
RESULTS
We identified 36 observational studies using data pertaining to 106 524 study participants in 23 geographic locations that empirically examined the relationship between socioeconomic factors and infections caused by seven arboviruses (dengue, chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis, Rift Valley fever, Sindbis, West Nile and Zika viruses). While results were varied, descriptive synthesis pointed to a higher risk of arbovirus infection associated with markers of lower SEP, including lower education, income poverty, low healthcare coverage, poor housing materials, interrupted water supply, marital status (married, divorced or widowed), non-white ethnicities and migration status. Pooled crude estimates indicated an increased risk of arboviral infection associated with lower education (risk ratio, RR 1.5 95% CI 1.3 to 1.9); I=83.1%), interruption of water supply (RR 1.2; 95% CI 1.1 to 1.3; I=0.0%) and having been married (RR 1.5 95% CI 1.1 to 2.1; I=85.2%).
CONCLUSION
Evidence from this systematic review suggests that lower SEP increases the risk of acquiring arboviral infection; however, there was large heterogeneity across studies. Further studies are required to delineate the relationship between specific individual, household and community-level SEP indicators and arbovirus infection risks to help inform targeted public health interventions.
PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER
CRD42019158572.
Topics: Animals; Arbovirus Infections; Arboviruses; Humans; Mosquito Vectors; Socioeconomic Factors; Zika Virus; Zika Virus Infection
PubMed: 35428678
DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-007735 -
International Journal of Environmental... Mar 2022This study presents a systematic review of the sociodemographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors associated with distress in elderly cancer patients. Relevant studies... (Review)
Review
This study presents a systematic review of the sociodemographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors associated with distress in elderly cancer patients. Relevant studies were identified using four electronic databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and ProQuest. Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies exploring factors associated with distress in people over 60 years of age were included and independently assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Assessment Checklists. A total of 20 studies met the inclusion criteria. Research showed that being a woman, being single, divorced or widowed, having low income, having an advanced diagnosis, having functional limitations, having comorbidities, and having little social support were factors consistently associated with emotional distress. Data further showed that the impact of age, cancer type, and cancer treatment on symptoms of anxiety and/or depression in elderly patients is not yet well established. The findings of this review suggest that the emotional distress of elderly cancer patients depends on a myriad of factors that are not exclusive, but coexisting determinants of health. Future research is still needed to better understand risk factors for distress in this patient population, providing the resources for healthcare providers to better meet their needs.
Topics: Aged; Anxiety; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Patients; Social Support
PubMed: 35329112
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19063424