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Journal of Clinical Medicine Jun 2024ACTION-FRANCE (Awareness, Care, and Treatment In Obesity maNagement in France) aims to identify the perceptions, attitudes, behaviors, and potential barriers to...
ACTION-FRANCE (Awareness, Care, and Treatment In Obesity maNagement in France) aims to identify the perceptions, attitudes, behaviors, and potential barriers to effective obesity management in France and guide collaborative actions. ACTION-FRANCE is a cross-sectional survey of people with obesity (PwO) and healthcare professionals (HCPs) in France. The PwO and HCP survey questionnaire periods ran from 27 September 2022 to 1 February 2023 and from 19 December 2022 to 31 March 2023, respectively. The study, encompassing 1226 PwO and 166 HCPs, reveals a shared recognition of obesity as a chronic condition. However, despite being requested by most PwO, weight-related discussions are surprisingly infrequent, leading to delayed diagnosis and care. PwO and HCPs held different views as to why: HCPs often attributed it to PwO's lack of motivation or disinterest, whereas PwO avoided them because they felt weight management was their own responsibility and were uncomfortable discussing it. When weight was discussed, primarily with general practitioners (GPs), discussions mostly focused on physical activity and diet. However, results identified the strong psychosocial impact of obesity: 42% of respondents reported anxiety/depressive symptoms, and many more hesitated to engage in certain social activities because of their weight. Psychotherapy was only discussed by 55% of HCPs. Pharmaceutical options were also rarely discussed (19.5% of HCPs), though 56.1% of PwO reported they would want to. HCPs' and PwO's perceptions differed significantly and need to converge through enhanced communication. A holistic approach, integrating comprehensive training for GPs and recognizing psychological comorbidities, would help to bridge perceptual gaps effectively and foster more empathetic and effective patient care.
PubMed: 38930048
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13123519 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Jun 2024: Sex differences characterize the prevalence and attitudes toward weight management. Despite limited evidence suggesting greater weight loss in women with anti-obesity...
: Sex differences characterize the prevalence and attitudes toward weight management. Despite limited evidence suggesting greater weight loss in women with anti-obesity pharmacotherapy, sex-specific analysis remains underexplored. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the sex-specific response to liraglutide 3.0 mg treatment in people with obesity without type 2 diabetes (T2D). : Data were collected from 47 patients (31 women, 16 men) with age > 18 years; BMI ≥ 30 kg/m; absence of T2D; and exclusion of prior anti-obesity treatment, comorbidities, or bariatric surgery. Only patients who maintained the liraglutide 3.0 mg dose for at least 6 months were included. : Both sexes showed significant reductions in weight and BMI at 3 and 6 months. Men achieved greater weight loss (WL), BMI reduction, %WL, WL > 5%, and >10% than women, and they also showed more significant improvements in metabolic parameters (total and LDL cholesterol, Fibrosis-4 Index FIB-4). No significant sex differences were observed in glucose metabolism or renal function. : This study showed a greater therapeutic effect of liraglutide 3.0 mg in men. Given men's higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and underrepresentation in clinical weight loss programs, these findings may increase male engagement and improve their CVD risk.
PubMed: 38929898
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13123369 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) May 2024: Inadequate treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) might have a negative impact on their progression. Inhalation therapy is the...
: Inadequate treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) might have a negative impact on their progression. Inhalation therapy is the cornerstone of pharmacotherapy for these conditions. However, challenges such as low adherence, negative attitudes, and misconceptions about inhaled medications still persist, impeding effective disease management. This study aimed to evaluate adherence, ascertain the level of disease control in asthma and COPD, explore potential misconceptions surrounding inhalation therapy among patients with obstructive lung diseases and the general population in Vojvodina, and evaluate the reliability of newly developed questionnaires employed in the study. : This cross-sectional study utilized a battery of questionnaires encompassing sociodemographic data, the Asthma Control Test (ACT), the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), along with two novel questionnaires-one for assessing adherence and another for analyzing attitudes toward inhalation therapy. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS software, version 25.0. : The average ACT score among patients with asthma was 17.31, while it was 19.09 for the CAT questionnaire among COPD patients. The composite score on the newly developed adherence assessment questionnaire was 2.27, exhibiting a reliability coefficient lower than recommended (α = 0.468). Significant statistical differences emerged among sample subgroups regarding attitudes and misconceptions toward inhalation therapy. The reliability coefficient for this questionnaire was deemed satisfactory (α = 0.767). : Adherence rates were notably suboptimal in both subgroups of the studied population. The disease control levels were higher among asthma patients, while they exhibited less prevalent misconceptions regarding inhalation therapy compared to COPD patients and the healthy population.
Topics: Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; Male; Female; Middle Aged; Surveys and Questionnaires; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Adult; Administration, Inhalation; Aged; Medication Adherence; Asthma; Respiratory Therapy; Reproducibility of Results
PubMed: 38929470
DOI: 10.3390/medicina60060853 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Jun 2024Conflicts between human populations and Nile crocodiles are widespread with crocodiles posing significant threats to fisherfolk and riverine communities across r-Saharan...
Conflicts between human populations and Nile crocodiles are widespread with crocodiles posing significant threats to fisherfolk and riverine communities across r-Saharan Africa. Hundreds of deadly attacks take place annually, and mortality rates may range from 50% to 100%. Attitudes and perceptions towards crocodiles were studied using structured questionnaires among fisherfolk along the River Nile and the Sudd wetlands in South Sudan. Local communities used crocodiles for their meat and skin/leather trades. The meat is regarded to enhance longevity, sexual potency, and protection against witchcraft. Crocodiles are perceived as a main threat to lives and livelihoods as they restrict people's freedom of movement along water bodies, attack livestock and humans, and devastate fishing equipment. To assess whether responses were influenced by the intensity of crocodile threats, published data on fatal crocodile attacks on humans and livestock were analysed using Generalised Linear Models (GLMs). This analysis indicated a direct link between the number of crocodile attacks and human attitudes. Crocodiles were generally feared and hated, and there was the agreement of the need to destroy breeding habitats. However, some attitudes were complex and nuanced as highlighted by the agreement of local communities on the need to destroy Nile Crocodile breeding habitats on the one hand and the need to establish crocodile sanctuaries as the the preferred strategy to mitigate risks and conflict on the other hand. There is a need for the creation of a crocodile sanctuary in the Sudd wetlands to minimise the risks of illegal hunting and to buffer the increasing pressure on crocodiles due to human population growth and economic upturn after the civil war.
PubMed: 38929437
DOI: 10.3390/ani14121819 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Jun 2024This paper describes the selection and validation of supporting measures (SMs) aimed at enhancing biosecurity compliance within Italian poultry farms. A tailored...
This paper describes the selection and validation of supporting measures (SMs) aimed at enhancing biosecurity compliance within Italian poultry farms. A tailored methodology, based on a stakeholders' survey involving farmers and advisors, included a virtual farm tour, group discussion, and farmer coaching. Virtual farm tours and group discussions were delivered during two meetings targeting meat and egg production stakeholders, separately. Coaching was validated in 26 pilot farms (PFs) by assessing farmers' attitudes towards change (i.e., ADKAR) and farms' biosecurity score (i.e., Biocheck.Ugent) before and after a minimum six-month period. A total of 20 out of 26 farmers agreed to implement at least one action plan (AP). Full implementation of the agreed APs was observed in ten farms, while others only partially implemented ( = 7) or did not implement ( = 3) the improvement. Most APs focused on enhancing house hygiene locks ( = 7), followed by bacterial auto-control after cleaning and disinfection ( = 4). Scoring tools indicated minimal or no variations in farmers' attitudes towards change and farm biosecurity. Virtual farm tours and group discussions were found to be effective in fostering interaction and facilitating the exchange of experiences and knowledge among farmers and stakeholders of poultry production. Coaching indicated that farmers might prefer implementing minor changes possibly influenced by time and cost constraints associated with structural interventions. These limitations could have also impacted the scores of the farmer/farm. The findings of this study provide a foundation for further application of SMs to improve biosecurity in Italian poultry farms.
PubMed: 38929353
DOI: 10.3390/ani14121734 -
Children (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024This study explores longitudinal influences of various factors on Black parents' involvement in their children's education. Guided by Hoover-Dempsey & Sandler's Model of...
This study explores longitudinal influences of various factors on Black parents' involvement in their children's education. Guided by Hoover-Dempsey & Sandler's Model of Parent Involvement, this research examines whether parents' school climate perceptions, attitudes about involvement, self-efficacy, and children's academic performance predict parent involvement over time. Utilizing data from the Maryland Adolescence in Context Study with a sample of 560 Black parents, we found that positive school climate perceptions and favorable attitudes towards involvement significantly predict increased parent involvement in later years. The results underscore the importance of supportive school environments and parent attitudes in fostering their involvement.
PubMed: 38929301
DOI: 10.3390/children11060722 -
Children (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Materialism is an attitude that considers material goods to be central in life. Nowadays, adolescents appear to have a high level of materialism, which is related to...
Materialism is an attitude that considers material goods to be central in life. Nowadays, adolescents appear to have a high level of materialism, which is related to risky behaviors. Nevertheless, there is a lack of measurement tools with adequate psychometric properties to assess materialism in this age group. For this reason, two studies were conducted to investigate the psychometric properties of the original and short (MVS) in adolescents. In Study 1, participants were randomly split into two subsamples to compare psychometric properties of the original version of MVS with those of the short one. The first subsample consisted of 1054 adolescents (58% male; age = 16.34; = 1.15), and the second one of 1058 adolescents (57% male; age = 16.26; = 1.04). In Study 2, the psychometric properties of a revised version of the short MVS (without item 8) were investigated to confirm its adequacy with a new sample composed of 1896 adolescents (60% male; age = 16.40; = 2.76). Results of Study 1 showed that the short version appeared to be a better measuring tool with respect to the long form to investigate materialism in adolescents. Nevertheless, problems with item 8 emerged. Results of Study 2 attested to the adequacy of the psychometric properties of the revised version of the short MVS (by excluding item 8) in this age group, in terms of dimensionality, reliability, and validity. Findings show that the revised short version of the MVS could be a valid and reliable tool for measuring the multidimensional construct of materialism in Italian adolescents.
PubMed: 38929254
DOI: 10.3390/children11060675 -
Children (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Evidence has shown that parenting intervention programmes improve parental knowledge, attitudes, and practices, which helps in promoting child development. This study...
Evidence has shown that parenting intervention programmes improve parental knowledge, attitudes, and practices, which helps in promoting child development. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of parenting intervention in improving child behaviours. This is a secondary analysis of data from a cluster-randomised controlled trial with depressed mothers aged 18-44 years with a child aged 0 to 36 months. This paper reports findings from the dataset of participants with a child aged between 24 and 36 months. Villages ( = 120) were randomised into either of two arms: learning through play plus (LTP Plus) or treatment as usual (TAU). LTP Plus is a 10-session, group parenting intervention integrated with cognitive behaviour therapy, delivered over 3 months. This secondary analysis reports findings on the Eyberg Child Behaviour Inventory (ECBI) and the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME). Findings show a significant improvement in child behaviour (ECBI) scores ( < 0.011) and HOME scores ( < 0.001) in the intervention group compared to TAU at 3-month follow-up. In a low-resource setting, low-cost group parenting intervention delivered by community health workers has the potential to improve child behaviours and quality of the home environment. Parenting interventions aimed at improving child behavioural problems can have significant implications for the child, family, and broader societal outcomes. Addressing behavioural problems in early years, parenting interventions can potentially reduce long-term consequences and costs associated with untreated child behavioural issues.
PubMed: 38929226
DOI: 10.3390/children11060646 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jun 2024A scoping review was conducted to synthesize available evidence of knowledge, attitudes, and practices of dental practitioners in providing care to children in... (Review)
Review
A scoping review was conducted to synthesize available evidence of knowledge, attitudes, and practices of dental practitioners in providing care to children in out-of-home care (OOHC). Scientific databases and the grey literature were searched: 855 studies were screened after removing duplicates; 800 studies were excluded based on the title and/or abstract, and the full text of 55 studies was reviewed, with 7 included in the analysis. These included three peer-reviewed articles regarding the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of dental practitioners in providing care to children in OOHC, as well as four guidelines. Dental practitioners had some knowledge of the high health care needs of OOHC children, but knowledge regarding when children entering care received dental assessment and about OOHC dental care pathways was low. Practices of dental practitioners were varied, most gave oral hygiene instructions, but there was inconsistency in practices regarding continuity of care following placement changes and failure to attend policies. There was more consensus with dental practitioner attitudes, with practitioners in private settings seeming to prefer not to treat children in OOHC. Three of the identified guidelines provided logistical information about OOHC and consent. The final guideline gave practical information on treating children with a background of adverse childhood events (ACEs), including children in OOHC. Further research and education is warranted to aid dental practitioners in providing care to children in OOHC.
Topics: Humans; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Child; Dentists; Dental Care for Children; Attitude of Health Personnel
PubMed: 38929048
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21060802 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jun 2024Air pollution has emerged as a global public health concern. Specifically, in Medellín, Colombia, episodes of elevated air pollution have been documented. Medical...
Air pollution has emerged as a global public health concern. Specifically, in Medellín, Colombia, episodes of elevated air pollution have been documented. Medical students' knowledge of air pollution is paramount for implementing future interventions directed toward patients. The aim of this research was to delineate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding air pollution among medical students at a private university in Medellín. A cross-sectional study involving 352 medical students was conducted. A questionnaire was administered, generating scores ranging from 0 to 100, where a higher score signified better knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Data were analyzed using frequencies, summary measures, non-parametric tests, and linear regression. : In total, 31% rated the education received at the university on the relationship between health and air quality as fair to poor, and 81% perceived the air quality in the city as poor. The knowledge score was 77.8 (IQR 71.1-85.6), with 90% acknowledging that exposure to air pollution increases the risk of various diseases. The attitudes score was 82.1 (IQR 71.8-87.2), and 25.9% believed that air pollution is a multifactorial problem, rendering their actions ineffective. In terms of practices, the score was 50 (IQR 42.9-57.1), indicating that students either did not employ protective measures against pollution or used inappropriate practices such as masks or air purifiers. Regression analysis revealed no association between knowledge and practices. The findings of this study underscore that medical students possess commendable knowledge regarding the health effects of air pollution. However, their adoption of inappropriate practices for self-protection is evident. The lack of correlation between knowledge and practices highlights the necessity of educational initiatives to be complemented by regulatory and cultural interventions.
Topics: Humans; Students, Medical; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Female; Male; Air Pollution; Cross-Sectional Studies; Colombia; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult; Adult
PubMed: 38929035
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21060789