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Ambio Dec 2022The degradation of ecosystems threatens the provision of ecosystem services and limits human well-being. This systematic literature review evaluates the threats... (Review)
Review
The degradation of ecosystems threatens the provision of ecosystem services and limits human well-being. This systematic literature review evaluates the threats surrounding cultural ecosystem services (CES), namely recreation and landscape aesthetics in European permanent grasslands. We identified underlying causes, direct threats, consequences and suggested solutions for threat mitigation. The most common threats were land-use and management change processes, followed by social attitude, industrial developments and natural threats. However, recreational activities also created negative feedback, affecting the ecosystem, biodiversity and CES, most frequently in the form of various touristic activities. Suggested solutions were most commonly socio-economic and institutional measures to enhance rural communities, as well as improving communication with relevant stakeholders. CES play a crucial role in reconnecting people with nature, and their consequent acknowledgement and incorporation into future ecosystem service frameworks and agri-environmental policy developments are key elements in supporting future sustainable grassland management.
Topics: Humans; Ecosystem; Grassland; Conservation of Natural Resources; Agriculture; Biodiversity
PubMed: 35793012
DOI: 10.1007/s13280-022-01755-7 -
Family Medicine and Community Health Nov 2022Artificial intelligence (AI) will have a significant impact on healthcare over the coming decade. At the same time, health inequity remains one of the biggest...
OBJECTIVE
Artificial intelligence (AI) will have a significant impact on healthcare over the coming decade. At the same time, health inequity remains one of the biggest challenges. Primary care is both a driver and a mitigator of health inequities and with AI gaining traction in primary care, there is a need for a holistic understanding of how AI affect health inequities, through the act of providing care and through potential system effects. This paper presents a systematic scoping review of the ways AI implementation in primary care may impact health inequity.
DESIGN
Following a systematic scoping review approach, we searched for literature related to AI, health inequity, and implementation challenges of AI in primary care. In addition, articles from primary exploratory searches were added, and through reference screening.The results were thematically summarised and used to produce both a narrative and conceptual model for the mechanisms by which social determinants of health and AI in primary care could interact to either improve or worsen health inequities.Two public advisors were involved in the review process.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Peer-reviewed publications and grey literature in English and Scandinavian languages.
INFORMATION SOURCES
PubMed, SCOPUS and JSTOR.
RESULTS
A total of 1529 publications were identified, of which 86 met the inclusion criteria. The findings were summarised under six different domains, covering both positive and negative effects: (1) access, (2) trust, (3) dehumanisation, (4) agency for self-care, (5) algorithmic bias and (6) external effects. The five first domains cover aspects of the interface between the patient and the primary care system, while the last domain covers care system-wide and societal effects of AI in primary care. A graphical model has been produced to illustrate this. Community involvement throughout the whole process of designing and implementing of AI in primary care was a common suggestion to mitigate the potential negative effects of AI.
CONCLUSION
AI has the potential to affect health inequities through a multitude of ways, both directly in the patient consultation and through transformative system effects. This review summarises these effects from a system tive and provides a base for future research into responsible implementation.
Topics: Humans; Artificial Intelligence; Health Inequities; Gray Literature; PubMed; Primary Health Care
PubMed: 36450391
DOI: 10.1136/fmch-2022-001670 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Apr 2022Dengue (DENV), Ross River (RRV) and Barmah Forest viruses (BFV) are the most common human arboviral infections in Australia and the Pacific Island Countries and... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Dengue (DENV), Ross River (RRV) and Barmah Forest viruses (BFV) are the most common human arboviral infections in Australia and the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) and are associated with debilitating symptoms. All are nationally notifiable in Australia, but routine surveillance is limited to a few locations in the PICTs. Understanding the level of human exposure to these viruses can inform disease management and mitigation strategies. To assess the historic and current seroprevalence of DENV, RRV and BFV in Australia and the PICTs we conducted a systematic literature review of all published quantitative serosurveys.
METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
The Preferred Reporting of Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses procedures were adopted to produce a protocol to systematically search for published studies reporting the seroprevalence of DENV, RRV and BFV in Australia and the PICTs. Data for author, research year, location, study population, serosurvey methods and positive tests were extracted. A total of 41 papers, reporting 78 serosurveys of DENV, RRV and BFV including 62,327 samples met the inclusion criteria for this review. Seroprevalence varied depending on the assay used, strategy of sample collection and location of the study population. Significant differences were observed in reported seropositivity depending on the sample collection strategy with clinically targeted sampling reporting the highest seroprevalence across all three viruses. Non-stratified seroprevalence showed wide ranges in reported positivity with DENV 0.0% - 95.6%, RRV 0.0% - 100.0%, and BFV 0.3% - 12.5%. We discuss some of the causes of variation including serological methods used, selection bias in sample collection including clinical or environmental associations, and location of study site. We consider the extent to which serosurveys reflect the epidemiology of the viruses and provide broad recommendations regarding the conduct and reporting of arbovirus serosurveys.
CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE
Human serosurveys provide important information on the extent of human exposure to arboviruses across: (1) time, (2) place, and (3) person (e.g., age, gender, clinical presentation etc). Interpreting results obtained at these scales has the potential to inform us about transmission cycles, improve diagnostic surveillance, and mitigate future outbreaks. Future research should streamline methods and reduce bias to allow a better understanding of the burden of these diseases and the factors associated with seroprevalence. Greater consideration should be given to the interpretation of seroprevalence in studies, and increased rigour applied in linking seroprevalence to transmission dynamics.
Topics: Alphavirus; Animals; Arboviruses; Australia; Chickens; Culicidae; Dengue; Forests; Humans; Seroepidemiologic Studies
PubMed: 35486651
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010314 -
PeerJ 2023Insomnia and depression often co-occur. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) seems to be effective and safe for mitigating insomnia and depression. However,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Insomnia and depression often co-occur. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) seems to be effective and safe for mitigating insomnia and depression. However, the efficacy of digitally-delivered CBT-I (dCBT-I) remains unclear. Therefore, this meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was to systematically review and evaluate the efficacy of dCBT-I in adults with insomnia and depression.
METHODS
A systematic search in PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Web of Science databases (as of June 5, 2022) was conducted for RCTs on dCBT-I. Statistical analyses were performed using Revan Manager. The effects of dCBT-I on insomnia and depression were expressed as standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
RESULTS
Seven studies involving 3,597 participants were included. This meta-analysis showed that dCBT-I reduced the severity of insomnia (SMD = -0.85, 95% CI [-1.00 to -0.69], < 0.001) and depression (SMD = -0.47, 95% CI [-0.55 to -0.38], < 0.001) in short terms, and also mitigated the severity of insomnia (SMD = -0.71, 95% CI [-1.00 to -0.44], < 0.001) and depression (SMD = -0.42, 95% CI [-0.68 to -0.15], = 0.002) in long terms. The effect of dCBT-I was comparable to that of traditional face-to-face CBT-I, and was generally maintained at follow-ups of 6 weeks to 6 months.
CONCLUSION
dCBT-I seems to be effective in alleviating insomnia and depression and might be considered as a viable treatment option for depression.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders; Depression; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
PubMed: 37927792
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16137 -
Journal of the Saudi Heart Association 2020The study aims to review the literature regarding abnormalities predisposing to Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) in young Middle Eastern and African competitive athletes... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
The study aims to review the literature regarding abnormalities predisposing to Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) in young Middle Eastern and African competitive athletes between the years 2009-2019 and aims to assess cardiac pre-participation screening methods.
METHODS
A PubMed search was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The search targeted articles that reported the prevalence of cardiac abnormalities found in Middle Eastern and African athletes, and it also focused on comparing cardiac screening methods for assessment of athletes.
RESULTS
our studies fell within the inclusion criteria and were included in the study. Results identified a shortage in the literature regarding prevalence rates of SCD in the Middle East and Africa. Additionally, there seems to be a lack of ethnicity-specific cardiac pre-participation screening programs in the region. Nevertheless, the prevalence of SCD-related abnormalities (HCM, ARVC, etc …) ranged from 0.47 to 4.29%. Included studies conveyed only male athletes with no reports on the female athletic population.
CONCLUSION
The present study highlights a need to develop an efficient cardiac pre-participation screening program specific to Arab and African athletes due to their high false-positive rates in contrast to Caucasian athletes. Significant evidence proves that an adequate cardiac screening program can prevent SCD in young competitive athletes. Therefore, it is imperative that future studies highlight the prevalence of abnormalities directly related to SCD in order to create a valid screening program that can be implemented in the region to mitigate the risk of shocking events.
PubMed: 33154912
DOI: 10.37616/2212-5043.1047 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2020Currently, climate change represents an existential, physical, and psychological threat. Therefore, mitigation and adaptation actions and measures have become...
Currently, climate change represents an existential, physical, and psychological threat. Therefore, mitigation and adaptation actions and measures have become increasingly necessary to preserve individual and collective well-being. The psychological distance is one of the main psychological constructs that explains the most concrete or abstract perception of the objects and events surrounding people. The psychological distance is a multidimensional construct, and in accordance with the construal level theory (CLT), temporal, hypothetical, spatial, and social distance are considered the most critical dimensions. This systematic review aims to provide an update of the literature on the role of psychological distance in the commitment to engagement mitigation and adaptation attitudes toward climate change. The review was carried out following PRISMA guidelines and a systematic search was performed on PubMed, Psycinfo, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Scopus databases. Nineteen articles have been identified as being eligible for the final synthesis. Results showed, in general, that individuals have a higher propensity to perform pro-environmental and resilient behaviors against climate change when it is perceived as more proximal and concrete within the construct of psychological distance. However, not all studies show this result. Some studies showed that, despite people considering climate changes as real and tangible, they do not perform mitigation and adaptation behaviors. Other studies showed that people implement these behaviors despite perceiving climate changes as distal and abstract. The current literature shows the existence of a relation among psychological distance and pro-environmental and resilient behaviors applied to climate change. For a deeper understanding of the conflicting results that emerged, more studies are necessary to explore the possible presence of further psychological variables involved in the relation within psychological distance, mitigation, and adaptation in environmental contexts.
PubMed: 33329207
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.568899 -
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex... Aug 2013The addition of calcium carbonate to catchments or watercourses--liming--has been used widely to mitigate freshwater acidification but the abatement of acidifying... (Review)
Review
The addition of calcium carbonate to catchments or watercourses--liming--has been used widely to mitigate freshwater acidification but the abatement of acidifying emissions has led to questions about its effectiveness and necessity. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of liming streams and rivers on two key groups of river organisms: fish and invertebrates. On average, liming increased the abundance and richness of acid-sensitive invertebrates and increased overall fish abundance, but benefits were variable and not guaranteed in all rivers. Where B-A-C-I designs (before-after-control-impact) were used to reduce bias, there was evidence that liming decreased overall invertebrate abundance. This systematic review indicates that liming has the potential to mitigate the symptoms of acidification in some instances, but effects are mixed. Future studies should use robust designs to isolate recovery due to liming from decreasing acid deposition, and assess factors affecting liming outcomes.
Topics: Animals; Calcium Compounds; Environmental Restoration and Remediation; Fishes; Fresh Water; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Invertebrates; Oxides; Rivers; Water Pollutants
PubMed: 23707951
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2013.04.019 -
Public Health Jul 2023Individuals from the community who volunteer within prisons are an understudied population, despite previous research indicating the increase in involvement of the penal...
BACKGROUND
Individuals from the community who volunteer within prisons are an understudied population, despite previous research indicating the increase in involvement of the penal voluntary sector and benefits to both prisons and prisoners from effective implementation of volunteer programmes.
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to identify the characteristics, motivations and experiences of individuals who volunteer in prisons.
STUDY DESIGN
This was a systematic review conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines.
METHODS
Peer-reviewed publications were identified through searchers of five electronic databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts and Social Sciences Database) without date restrictions, supplemented by hand searching and reference checking of retrieved articles. Explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria determined study eligibility. Study quality was appraised using standard tools. A narrative synthesis was conducted, and motivations were organised according to the Volunteer Function Inventory.
RESULTS
Eight studies (five qualitative and three quantitative) reported a total of 764 volunteers across five countries. More than half of the included studies investigated individuals providing primarily religious volunteer support; volunteers in these studies were typically middle aged, White and female. Prison volunteers frequently described motivations related to altruistic or humanitarian values, as well as social reasons. Positive experiences of volunteering were related to personal benefits to volunteers. Negative experiences were related to a lack of support and challenges in volunteers' relationships with prison staff.
CONCLUSIONS
Prison volunteer programmes have the ability to improve the psychological health of prisoners and provide a range of potential benefits to penal systems and volunteers themselves, but research on individuals who volunteer in prisons is limited. Difficulties in the volunteer role could be mitigated by developing formal induction and training packages, promoting closer integration with paid prison staff and providing ongoing supervision. Interventions to improve the volunteer experience should be developed and evaluated.
Topics: Middle Aged; Humans; Female; Prisons; Prisoners; Volunteers; Motivation; Narration
PubMed: 37327562
DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2023.04.008 -
Advances in Nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) Nov 2014The potential cost-effectiveness and feasibility of dietary interventions aimed at reducing hypertension risk are of considerable interest and significance in public... (Review)
Review
The potential cost-effectiveness and feasibility of dietary interventions aimed at reducing hypertension risk are of considerable interest and significance in public health. In particular, the effectiveness of restricted sodium or increased potassium intake on mitigating hypertension risk has been demonstrated in clinical and observational research. The role that modified sodium or potassium intake plays in influencing the renin-angiotensin system, arterial stiffness, and endothelial dysfunction remains of interest in current research. Up to the present date, no known systematic review has examined whether the sodium-to-potassium ratio or either sodium or potassium alone is more strongly associated with blood pressure and related factors, including the renin-angiotensin system, arterial stiffness, the augmentation index, and endothelial dysfunction, in humans. This article presents a systematic review and synthesis of the randomized controlled trials and observational research related to this issue. The main findings show that, among the randomized controlled trials reviewed, the sodium-to-potassium ratio appears to be more strongly associated with blood pressure outcomes than either sodium or potassium alone in hypertensive adult populations. Recent data from the observational studies reviewed provide additional support for the sodium-to-potassium ratio as a superior metric to either sodium or potassium alone in the evaluation of blood pressure outcomes and incident hypertension. It remains unclear whether this is true in normotensive populations and in children and for related outcomes including the renin-angiotensin system, arterial stiffness, the augmentation index, and endothelial dysfunction. Future study in these populations is warranted.
Topics: Blood Pressure; Diet; Humans; Hypertension; Meta-Analysis as Topic; Observational Studies as Topic; Potassium; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Sodium
PubMed: 25398734
DOI: 10.3945/an.114.006783 -
Regenerative Therapy Dec 2024Cerebrovascular accidents, also known as strokes, are the leading cause of permanent disability in society, presenting significant socioeconomic and healthcare costs.... (Review)
Review
Cerebrovascular accidents, also known as strokes, are the leading cause of permanent disability in society, presenting significant socioeconomic and healthcare costs. They can be caused by ischemic factors or hemorrhages, with ischemic strokes being the most common among the population. Therapies for patients suffering from this condition are limited and primarily focus on acute-phase treatment. In recent years, there has been an increase in cellular therapies, employing Stem Cells to mitigate or eliminate the consequences arising from this disease. Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) hold substantial therapeutic potential in Nervous System pathologies due to their low antigenicity and capacity to differentiate into various human tissues, such as adipogenic, chondrogenic, and osteogenic tissues. This study conducts a literature review using the "clinical trials" and "Pubmed" database, summarizing all ongoing clinical trials for ischemic strokes that utilize MSCs as treatment.
PubMed: 38633415
DOI: 10.1016/j.reth.2024.03.026