Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · Jun 2023
ReviewPeripheral arterial disease (PAD) - A challenging manifestation of atherosclerosis.
The diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is not always evident as symptoms and signs may show great variation. As all grades of PAD are linked to both an increased risk for cardiovascular complications and adverse limb events, awareness of the condition and knowledge about diagnostic measures, prevention and treatment is crucial. This article presents in a condensed form information on PAD and its management.
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Preventive medicine · Jun 2023
ReviewThe impacts of COVID-19 on immigrants and the healthy immigrant effect: Reflections from Canada.
Discussions about potential long-term health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on immigrant health and the healthy immigrant effect (HIE) remain unaddressed. Drawing on Canada as a case study, we summarize the primary and secondary impacts of COVID-19 on immigrants. We find that recent and female immigrants as well refugees have fared far worse than either their more established and male counterparts or the Canadian-born population. ⋯ We highlight two structural conditions induced by the pandemic that may alter the health profile of immigrants; namely, immigration policy and delayed medical treatments. Reflections on the requisite data for monitoring and tracking the overall impact of COVID-19 on immigrants' health are included. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of the Canadian patterns and its potential relevance to immigrants and the HIE in the United States.
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Preventive medicine · Jun 2023
Longitudinal associations between exclusive, dual, and polytobacco use and asthma among US youth.
Little is known about the respiratory health effects of dual (two products) and polytobacco (three or more products) use among youth in the United States. Thus, we followed a longitudinal cohort of youth into adulthood using data from Waves 1-5 (2013-2019) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study, examining incident asthma at each follow-up (Waves 2-5). We classified past 30-day tobacco use as 1) no products (never/former use), 2) exclusive cigarettes, 3) exclusive electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), 4) exclusive other combustible (OC) tobacco products (cigars, hookah, pipe), 5) dual cigarettes/OC and ENDS, 6) dual cigarettes and OCs, and 7) polytobacco use (cigarettes, OCs, and ENDS). ⋯ In adjusted models, exclusive cigarette use (HR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.11-2.64) and dual cigarette and OC use (HR: 2.78, 95% CI: 1.65-4.70) were associated with incident asthma compared to never/former use, while exclusive ENDS use (HR: 1.50, 95% CI: 0.92-2.44) and polytobacco use (HR: 1.95, 95% CI: 0.86-4.44) were not. To conclude, youth who use cigarettes with or without OCs had higher risk of incident asthma. Further longitudinal studies on the respiratory health effects of ENDS and dual/polytobacco use are needed as products continue to evolve.
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Preventive medicine · Jun 2023
Sexual violence in early adolescence is associated with subsequent teen pregnancy and parenthood.
Being a victim of sexual violence (SV) is associated with risk for teen pregnancy in cross-sectional research. However, longitudinal data are necessary to determine if SV victimization plays a causal role in early pregnancy. To address this gap in research, we test whether experiencing SV victimization in early adolescence is associated with pregnancy and having children by mid-adolescence. ⋯ The present findings indicate that girls victimized by SV are at risk of becoming pregnant and becoming teen parents. The combined sequelae of SV and teen pregnancy impair health, economic, and social functioning across the lifespan and carry forward into future generations. Future research should explore mechanisms through which victimization confers risk for pregnancy to inform prevention strategies.
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Preventive medicine · Jun 2023
Patterns of childhood adversity and health outcomes in early adolescence: Results from the generation XXI cohort.
This longitudinal population-based birth cohort study aims to identify childhood adversity patterns over the first 13 years of life and to examine its association with health-related behaviours and outcomes in early adolescence. Using data from the Portuguese birth cohort Generation XXI, we performed latent class analysis to explore the underlying patterns of adversity from birth to early adolescence, using 13 adversity items assessed in five time points. Health-related behaviours and outcomes were evaluated at 13 years. ⋯ Boys also revealed increased odds of low consumption of fruits/vegetables (AOR:1.67; CI:1.24-2.23). Childhood adversity patterns are associated with unhealthy behaviours and depressive symptoms in early adolescence. Public policies and early interventions targeting vulnerable children, families and communities can potentially reduce the detrimental effects of adversities on health and promote individual and community resilience.