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Public Health Nutrition Aug 2016Poor dietary intake is the most important behavioural risk factor affecting health globally. Despite this, there has been little investment in public health nutrition... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Poor dietary intake is the most important behavioural risk factor affecting health globally. Despite this, there has been little investment in public health nutrition policy actions. Policy process theories from the field of political science can aid understanding why policy decisions have occurred and identify how to influence ongoing or future initiatives. The present review aims to examine public health nutrition policy literature and identify whether a policy process theory has been used to analyse the process.
DESIGN
Electronic databases were searched systematically for studies examining policy making in public health nutrition in high-income, democratic countries.
SETTING
International, national, state and local government jurisdictions within high-income, democratic countries.
SUBJECTS
Individuals and organisations involved in the nutrition policy-making process.
RESULTS
Sixty-three studies met the eligibility criteria, most were conducted in the USA and a majority focused on obesity. The analysis demonstrates an accelerating trend in the number of nutrition policy papers published annually and an increase in the diversity of nutrition topics examined. The use of policy process theory was observed from 2003; however, it was utilised by only 14 % of the reviewed papers.
CONCLUSIONS
There is limited research into the nutrition policy process in high-income countries. While there has been a small increase in the use of policy process theory from 2003, an opportunity to expand its use is evident. We suggest that nutrition policy making would benefit from a pragmatic approach that ensures those trying to influence or understand the policy-making process are equipped with basic knowledge around these theories.
Topics: Humans; Nutrition Policy; Nutritional Status; Policy Making; Politics; Public Health
PubMed: 26443533
DOI: 10.1017/S1368980015002712 -
Journal of Medical Internet Research Jul 2023The minimum data set (MDS) is a collection of data elements to be grouped using a standard approach to allow the use of data for clinical and research purposes. Health... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The minimum data set (MDS) is a collection of data elements to be grouped using a standard approach to allow the use of data for clinical and research purposes. Health data are typically voluminous, complex, and sometimes too ambiguous to generate indicators that can provide knowledge and information on health. This complexity extends further to the rare disease (RD) domain. MDSs are essential for health surveillance as they help provide services and generate recommended population indicators. There is a bottleneck in international literature that reveals a global problem with data collection, recording, and structuring in RD.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to identify and analyze the MDSs used for RD in health care networks worldwide and compare them with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.
METHODS
The population, concept, and context methodology proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute was used to define the research question of this systematic review. A total of 4 databases were reviewed, and all the processes were reported using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) methodology. The data elements were analyzed, extracted, and organized into 10 categories according to WHO digital health guidelines. The quality assessment used the STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) checklist.
RESULTS
We included 20 studies in our review, 70% (n=14) of which focused on a specific health domain and 30% (n=6) of which referred to RD in general. WHO recommends that health systems and networks use standard terminology to exchange data, information, knowledge, and intelligence in health. However, there was a lack of terminological standardization of the concepts in MDSs. Moreover, the selected studies did not follow the same standard structure for classifying the data from their MDSs. All studies presented MDSs with limitations or restrictions because they covered only a specific RD, or their scope of application was restricted to a specific context or geographic region. Data science methods and clinical experience were used to design, structure, and recommend a fundamental global MDS for RD patient records in health care networks.
CONCLUSIONS
Our study highlights the difficulties in standardizing and categorizing findings from MDSs for RD because of the varying structures used in different studies. The fundamental RD MDS designed in this study comprehensively covers the data needs in the clinical and management sectors. These results can help public policy makers support other aspects of their policies. We highlight the potential of our results to help strategic decisions related to RD.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
PROSPERO CRD42021221593; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=221593.
INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)
RR2-10.1016/j.procs.2021.12.034.
Topics: Humans; Rare Diseases; Administrative Personnel; Checklist; Data Science; Public Policy
PubMed: 37498666
DOI: 10.2196/44641 -
European Journal of Epidemiology Dec 2020Determine age-specific infection fatality rates for COVID-19 to inform public health policies and communications that help protect vulnerable age groups. Studies of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Determine age-specific infection fatality rates for COVID-19 to inform public health policies and communications that help protect vulnerable age groups. Studies of COVID-19 prevalence were collected by conducting an online search of published articles, preprints, and government reports that were publicly disseminated prior to 18 September 2020. The systematic review encompassed 113 studies, of which 27 studies (covering 34 geographical locations) satisfied the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. Age-specific IFRs were computed using the prevalence data in conjunction with reported fatalities 4 weeks after the midpoint date of the study, reflecting typical lags in fatalities and reporting. Meta-regression procedures in Stata were used to analyze the infection fatality rate (IFR) by age. Our analysis finds a exponential relationship between age and IFR for COVID-19. The estimated age-specific IFR is very low for children and younger adults (e.g., 0.002% at age 10 and 0.01% at age 25) but increases progressively to 0.4% at age 55, 1.4% at age 65, 4.6% at age 75, and 15% at age 85. Moreover, our results indicate that about 90% of the variation in population IFR across geographical locations reflects differences in the age composition of the population and the extent to which relatively vulnerable age groups were exposed to the virus. These results indicate that COVID-19 is hazardous not only for the elderly but also for middle-aged adults, for whom the infection fatality rate is two orders of magnitude greater than the annualized risk of a fatal automobile accident and far more dangerous than seasonal influenza. Moreover, the overall IFR for COVID-19 should not be viewed as a fixed parameter but as intrinsically linked to the age-specific pattern of infections. Consequently, public health measures to mitigate infections in older adults could substantially decrease total deaths.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; COVID-19; Cause of Death; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Models, Statistical; Mortality; Pandemics; Predictive Value of Tests; Public Policy; SARS-CoV-2; Severity of Illness Index; Young Adult
PubMed: 33289900
DOI: 10.1007/s10654-020-00698-1 -
Malaria Journal Dec 2016Reliable and comprehensive information on the burden of malaria is critical for guiding national and international efforts in malaria control. The purpose of this review... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Reliable and comprehensive information on the burden of malaria is critical for guiding national and international efforts in malaria control. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of published data and available information on malaria resulting from field studies/investigations conducted in the Republic of Congo (RoC) from 1992 to 2015, as baseline for assisting public health authorities and researchers to define future research priorities as well as interventions.
METHODS
This review considers data from peer-reviewed articles and information from the National Malaria Control Programme reports, based on field investigations or samples collected from 1992 to 2015. Peer-reviewed papers were searched throughout online bibliographic databases PubMed, HINARI and Google Scholar using the following terms: "malaria", "Congo", "Brazzaville", "prevalence", "antimalarial", "efficacy", "falciparum", "genetic", "diversity". Original articles and reviews were included and selection of relevant papers was made.
RESULTS
Twenty-eight published articles were included in this review and two additional records from the National Malaria Control Programme were also considered. The majority of studies were conducted in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire.
CONCLUSION
The present systematic review reveals that number of studies have been conducted in the RoC with regard to malaria. However, their results cannot formally be generalized at the country level. This suggests a need for implementing regular multisite investigations and surveys that may be representative of the country, calling for the support and lead of the Ministry of Health.
Topics: Biomedical Research; Congo; Disease Transmission, Infectious; Health Policy; Humans; Malaria; Research
PubMed: 28010728
DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1617-7 -
Journal of Physical Activity & Health Jun 2023The previous review of physical activity (PA) among Croatian children and adolescents was conducted a decade ago. Therefore, the aim of this study was to summarize... (Review)
Review
Physical Activity of Children and Adolescents in Croatia: A Global Matrix 4.0 Systematic Review of Its Prevalence and Associated Personal, Social, Environmental, and Policy Factors.
BACKGROUND
The previous review of physical activity (PA) among Croatian children and adolescents was conducted a decade ago. Therefore, the aim of this study was to summarize recent evidence on PA of Croatian children and adolescents and associated personal, social, environmental, and policy factors.
METHODS
Eighteen experts reviewed the available evidence and provided ratings (from the lowest grade "F" to the highest grade "A+") for the 10 Global Matrix indicators. A systematic search with 100 keywords was conducted in Hrčak, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science for documents published from January 01, 2012, to April 15, 2022. We also conducted internet searches and secondary analyses of data (relative frequencies) from 6 studies.
RESULTS
After assessing 7562 references, we included 90 publications in the review and 18 studies (83.3% of medium-to-good quality) in evidence synthesis. We found a high prevalence of insufficient PA (especially among girls) and excessive screen time (especially among boys). PA participation of children and adolescents in Croatia has declined over time. The following grades were assigned to the indicators for Croatia: B- for overall PA, C- for organized sport and PA, C for active play, C- for active transportation, D+ for sedentary behavior, inconclusive for physical fitness, D+ for family and peers, B- for school, B- for community and environment, and D+ for government.
CONCLUSIONS
Coordinated actions are needed across sectors to improve PA promotion, with a focus on increasing PA among girls, reducing sedentary screen time among boys, improving parental support for PA, and further development of national PA policies.
Topics: Male; Female; Humans; Child; Adolescent; Exercise; Croatia; Prevalence; Health Promotion; Environment Design; Health Policy
PubMed: 37076241
DOI: 10.1123/jpah.2022-0500 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jan 2022Firefighters and military personnel are public safety personnel who protect the safety of individuals and their properties. They are usually exposed to traumatic events... (Review)
Review
A Scoping Review on the Prevalence and Determinants of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Military Personnel and Firefighters: Implications for Public Policy and Practice.
INTRODUCTION
Firefighters and military personnel are public safety personnel who protect the safety of individuals and their properties. They are usually exposed to traumatic events leaving them at risk of developing mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Increasing concern is being raised regarding the mental health impacts, specifically PTSD, among military personnel and firefighters.
OBJECTIVE
There is an increased exposure of firefighters and military personnel to traumatic events and the attendant risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder. It is crucial to ascertain the level of PTSD amongst this cohort and determinants to formulate policies and practices that mitigate the risk and protect public safety personnel. This scoping review sought to determine the prevalence of PTSD among this cohort globally and to explore determinants of this mental health condition.
METHODS
A literature search in databases including MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, and EMBASE was conducted electronically from May 2021 to 31 July 2021. Two reviewers independently assessed full-text articles according to the predefined inclusion criteria and screening process undertaken to identify studies for the review. Articles were screened with a third reviewer, resolving conflicts where necessary and further assessing them for eligibility. During article selection, the PRISMA checklist was adopted, and with the Covidence software, a total of 32 articles were selected for the final examination. For the eligible studies, data extraction was conducted, information was collated and summarized, and the findings were reported. Original qualitative and quantitative data on the prevalence and predictors of PTSD among veterans, military, and firefighters were reported.
RESULTS
The prevalence of PTSD was 57% for firefighters and 37.8% for military personnel. Demographic factors, job factors, social support, injuries, physical and psychological factors, and individual traits were the main predictors of PTSD in this cohort.
CONCLUSION
This information is vital for developing and implementing prevention and intervention strategies for PTSD in military personnel and firefighters. Recognizing and addressing factors that predict PTSD will help to improve mental wellbeing and increase productivity. More peer-reviewed studies are needed on the prevalence of PTSD amongst these cohorts.
Topics: Firefighters; Humans; Military Personnel; Prevalence; Public Policy; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
PubMed: 35162587
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031565 -
The Lancet. Global Health Jun 2023Smokeless tobacco, used by more than 300 million people globally, results in substantial morbidity and mortality. For smokeless tobacco control, many countries have...
BACKGROUND
Smokeless tobacco, used by more than 300 million people globally, results in substantial morbidity and mortality. For smokeless tobacco control, many countries have adopted policies beyond the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which has been instrumental in reducing smoking prevalence. The impact of these policies (within and outside the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control) on smokeless tobacco use remains unclear. We aimed to systematically review policies that are relevant to smokeless tobacco and its context and investigate their impact on smokeless tobacco use.
METHODS
In this systematic review, we searched 11 electronic databases and grey literature between Jan 1, 2005, and Sept 20, 2021, in English and key south Asian languages, to summarise smokeless tobacco policies and their impact. Inclusion criteria were all types of studies on smokeless tobacco users that mentioned any smokeless tobacco relevant policies since 2005, except systematic reviews. Policies issued by organisations or private institutions were excluded as well as studies on e-cigarettes and Electronic Nicotine Delivery System except where harm reduction or switching were evaluated as a tobacco cessation strategy. Two reviewers independently screened articles, and data were extracted after standardisation. Quality of studies was appraised using the Effective Public Health Practice Project's Quality Assessment Tool. Outcomes for impact assessment included smokeless tobacco prevalence, uptake, cessation, and health effects. Due to substantial heterogeneity in the descriptions of policies and outcomes, data were descriptively and narratively synthesised. This systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020191946).
FINDINGS
14 317 records were identified, of which 252 eligible studies were included as describing smokeless tobacco policies. 57 countries had policies targeting smokeless tobacco, of which 17 had policies outside the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control for smokeless tobacco (eg, spitting bans). 18 studies evaluated the impact, which were of variable quality (six strong, seven moderate, and five weak) and reported mainly on prevalence of smokeless tobacco use. The body of work evaluating policy initiatives based on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control found that these initiatives were associated with reductions in smokeless tobacco prevalence of between 4·4% and 30·3% for taxation and 22·2% and 70·9% for multifaceted policies. Two studies evaluating the non-Framework policy of sales bans reported significant reductions in smokeless tobacco sale (6·4%) and use (combined sex 17·6%); one study, however, reported an increased trend in smokeless tobacco use in the youth after a total sales ban, likely due to cross-border smuggling. The one study reporting on cessation found a 13·3% increase in quit attempts in individuals exposed (47·5%) to Framework Convention on Tobacco Control policy: education, communication, training, and public awareness, compared with non-exposed (34·2%).
INTERPRETATION
Many countries have implemented smokeless tobacco control policies, including those that extend beyond the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The available evidence suggests that taxation and multifaceted policy initiatives are associated with meaningful reductions in smokeless tobacco use.
FUNDING
UK National Institute for Health Research.
Topics: Adolescent; Humans; Tobacco, Smokeless; Tobacco Control; Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems; Smoking; Policy
PubMed: 37202029
DOI: 10.1016/S2214-109X(23)00205-X -
Journal of Nursing Scholarship : An... Jan 2019This article introduces the importance and nature of the role of the nurse scientist as a knowledge broker.
PURPOSE
This article introduces the importance and nature of the role of the nurse scientist as a knowledge broker.
DESIGN
A systematic literature review was completed using a modified version of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) appraisal tool to trace the emergence and characteristics of the knowledge broker role across disciplines internationally and in the United States.
METHODS
Salient publications were identified using PubMed, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Sociological Abstracts, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, as well as hand searches and searches of the grey literature. Authors used these resources to define the knowledge broker role and with their role-related experiences developed the Thompson Knowledge Brokering Model.
FINDINGS
A knowledge broker is one who connects science and society by building networks and facilitating opportunities among knowledge producers and knowledge users. The knowledge broker role includes three components: forming and sustaining partnerships; facilitating knowledge application; and creating new knowledge. There are five major strategies central to each role component: establish, engage, educate, empower, and evaluate.
CONCLUSIONS
The knowledge broker role has been increasingly recognized worldwide as key to translating science into practice and policy. The nurse scientist is ideally suited for this role and should be promoted worldwide. The Thompson Knowledge Brokering Model can be used as a guide for nurse scientists.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
The role of the knowledge broker is to facilitate translation of useful research to practice and policy by connecting stakeholders through meaningful engagement.
Topics: Access to Information; Decision Making; Evidence-Based Medicine; Health Policy; Humans; Interdisciplinary Communication; International Cooperation; Knowledge; Nurse's Role; Nurses; Nursing Research; Policy Making; Public Health; Translational Research, Biomedical; United States
PubMed: 30354032
DOI: 10.1111/jnu.12439 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jan 2023Urban agriculture (UA) can be used as an action to promote sustainability in cities and inform public health policies for urban populations. Despite this growing... (Review)
Review
UNLABELLED
Urban agriculture (UA) can be used as an action to promote sustainability in cities and inform public health policies for urban populations. Despite this growing recognition, its implementation still presents challenges in countries in the Global North and Global South.
BACKGROUND
In this context, this systematic review aims to identify the development of frameworks for the implementation of UA as a sustainable action and its main opportunities and shortcomings in meeting urban socio-environmental demands.
METHODS
In this review, using the PRISMA protocol, we evaluated 26 studies on the interplay between UA and sustainability surveyed on the Web of Science to provide an overview of the state of the art.
CONCLUSIONS
In summary, it was possible to identify many key challenges in UA adoption, which regard air and soil contamination, availability of green areas, layout of urban infrastructure, food distribution, among others. Due to numerous socio-economic and environmental contextual factors in cities, especially when comparing realities of the Global North and Global South, there is a need to develop a model that can be adaptable to these different contexts. Thus, it is recognized that the concept of sustainability does not present a universal understanding and that in its search it could be argued that one of the most important gaps is still to address social issues in relation to environmental ones.
Topics: Humans; Cities; Agriculture; Soil; Urban Population; Public Policy
PubMed: 36767476
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032110 -
International Journal of Health Policy... 2023Given the complex determinants of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and the dynamic policy landscape, researchers and policymakers are exploring the use of systems...
BACKGROUND
Given the complex determinants of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and the dynamic policy landscape, researchers and policymakers are exploring the use of systems thinking and complexity science (STCS) in developing effective policies. The aim of this review is to systematically identify and analyse existing applications of STCS-informed methods in NCD prevention policy.
METHODS
Systematic scoping review: We searched academic databases (Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE) for all publications indexed by 13 October 2020, screening titles, abstracts and full texts and extracting data according to published guidelines. We summarised key data from each study, mapping applications of methods informed by STCS to policy process domains. We conducted a thematic analysis to identify advantages, limitations, barriers and facilitators to using STCS.
RESULTS
4681 papers were screened and 112 papers were included in this review. The most common policy areas were tobacco control, obesity prevention and physical activity promotion. Methods applied included system dynamics modelling, agent-based modelling and concept mapping. Advantages included supporting evidence-informed decision-making; modelling complex systems and addressing multi-sectoral problems. Limitations included the abstraction of reality by STCS methods, despite aims of encompassing greater complexity. Challenges included resource-intensiveness; lack of stakeholder trust in models; and results that were too complex to be comprehensible to stakeholders. Ensuring stakeholder ownership and presenting findings in a user-friendly way facilitated STCS use.
CONCLUSION
This review maps the proliferating applications of STCS methods in NCD prevention policy. STCS methods have the potential to generate tailored and dynamic evidence, adding robustness to evidence-informed policymaking, but must be accessible to policy stakeholders and have strong stakeholder ownership to build consensus and change stakeholder perspectives. Evaluations of whether, and under what circumstances, STCS methods lead to more effective policies compared to conventional methods are lacking, and would enable more targeted and constructive use of these methods.
Topics: Humans; Health Policy; Noncommunicable Diseases; Policy Making; Obesity; Systems Analysis
PubMed: 37579437
DOI: 10.34172/ijhpm.2023.6772