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Background: Suicide is recognized as a major problem worldwide and is particularly prevalent among specific groups, including individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs). The present study aimed to investigate alcohol consumption as a risk factor for suicidal ideation and attempts among those with substance use disorders (SUDs) in western Iran. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, involving 1,112 individuals with SUDs who sought treatment at Farabi Hospital in Kermanshah, Iran, between the years 2019 and 2021. These participants were included in the study through a convenient sampling method as part of an interview-based assessment study. Results: The participant's average age was 37.97 years, and 982 were male (94.7%). Overall, 285 (27.5%) individuals had a history of suicide attempts, 316 (30.5%) individuals reported suicidal ideation, and 463 (41.6%) were alcohol users. In individuals who consumed alcohol, the prevalence of suicidal ideation (172 (37.2%) individuals), and a history of suicide attempts (156 (33.8%) individuals) was significantly higher compared to non-alcohol users. There was a statistically significant relationship between alcohol consumption and a history of suicide attempts (p < 0.05). The probability of suicide attempted in people with a history of alcohol consumption was 1.5 times, and in patients with a history of simultaneous substance use, it was 1.4 times that of other patients (all Ps < 0.05). Conclusion: Our study results revealed that alcohol consumption among individuals with SUDs is associated with increased rates of suicidal ideation, attempts, and death. Therefore, clinicians should consider it as a separate suicide risk factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with well-being outcomes across studies; however, there is wide variation in its measurement, particularly in adolescence. One key difference in measures of SES concerns whether participants relay objective information—for example, years of education, household income—or subjective perceptions of socioeconomic status, either with or without reference to others or society. Although parents are often considered the best source of SES information—especially objective SES—within families, interviewing parents within the context of adolescent research is costly, time-consuming, and not always feasible. Given the importance of SES for outcomes in adolescence and cumulative effects over the lifespan, we used data from adolescents (N = 702) and parents (Ns = 664–730) to examine whether adolescent reports of SES serve as reasonable proxies for parent reports of both objective and subjective SES, as well as administrative data assessing family SES and neighborhood SES. Consistent with our hypotheses, adolescents' reports of subjective SES were moderately correlated with parent reports and administrative data tapping family SES. Moreover, adolescents' reports of subjective SES predicted adolescent-reported measures of well-being, including mental health, physical health, school performance, problem behavior, and alcohol use to the same degree as or better than parent reports of both subjective and objective SES and administrative data. These findings suggest that adolescent reports of subjective SES—using two different, easily understood measures—can stand in as reasonable alternatives to parent-reported SES and administrative data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The COVID-19 pandemic led to changes in alcohol consumption in England. Evidence suggests that one-fifth to one-third of adults increased their alcohol consumption, while a similar proportion reported consuming less. Heavier drinkers increased their consumption the most and there was a 20% increase in alcohol-specific deaths in England in 2020 compared with 2019, a trend continuing through 2021 and 2022. This study aimed to quantify future health, healthcare, and economic impacts of changes in alcohol consumption observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This study used a validated microsimulation model of alcohol consumption and health outcomes. Inputted data were obtained from the Alcohol Toolkit Study, and demographic, health and cost data from published literature and publicly available datasets. Three scenarios were modelled: short, medium, and long-term, where 2020 drinking patterns continue until the end of 2022, 2024, and 2035, respectively. Disease incidence, mortality, and healthcare costs were modelled for nine alcohol-related health conditions. The model was run from 2020 to 2035 for the population of England and different occupational social grade groups. Results: In all scenarios, the microsimulation projected significant increases in incident cases of disease, premature mortality, and healthcare costs, compared with the continuation of pre-COVID-19 trends. If COVID-19 drinking patterns continue to 2035, we projected 147,892 excess cases of diseases, 9,914 additional premature deaths, and £1.2 billion in excess healthcare costs in England. The projections show that the more disadvantaged (C2DE) occupational social grade groups will experience 36% more excess premature mortality than the least disadvantaged social group (ABC1) under the long-term scenario. Conclusions: Alcohol harm is projected to worsen as an indirect result of the COVID-19 pandemic and inequalities are projected to widen. Early real-world data corroborate the findings of the modelling study. Increased rates of alcohol harm and healthcare costs are not inevitable but evidence-based policies and interventions are required to reverse the impacts of the pandemic on alcohol consumption in England. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alcohol consumption continues to be a public health problem in Ethiopia. Previous investigations have been conducted on alcohol consumption in Ethiopia; however, these investigations were limited to specific localities, which could not represent the existing alcohol consumption in different parts of Ethiopia. Besides, the spatial variation of alcohol consumption was not well investigated in the previous studies, which could hinder the implementation of effective intervention towards alcohol consumption. Hence, this study aimed to determine the spatial distribution and determinant factors of alcohol consumption in Ethiopia. Methods: Secondary data from the 2016 Ethiopian demographic health survey was used in this study. A total of 44,023 weight samples were included using a stratified two-stage cluster sampling technique. The spatial variation of alcohol consumption was analyzed using ArcGIS version 10.7.1. The statistical significance of alcohol consumption clusters were identified using Kuldorff's SaTScan version 10.2. A multi-level analysis was also conducted to identify factors associated with alcohol consumption using STATA version 14. Results: In this study, 33.15% (95%CI: 32.5–33.8) of the study participants consumed alcohol with statistically significant spatial variation across regions of the country. Traditional religion (AOR = 13.7; 95%CI: 2.68–70.3), Regional variations (Amhara region—AOR = 3.56; 95%CI: 1.85–6.8, living in a low proportion of community literacy (AOR = 1.84; 95%CI: 1.1–3.18), cigarette smoking habit (AOR = 15.82; 95%CI: 4.31–58.1), and chewing Khat (AOR = 2.98; 95%CI: 1.22–7.27) were positively linked with alcohol consumption. Hot spot areas of alcohol consumption were found in Tigray, Amhara, and some parts of Oromia regions. The statistical significance of the primary clusters was also observed in Tigray and Amhara regions. Conclusions: We found that one-third of Ethiopia's population is consuming alcohol. Having a cigarette smoking habit, chewing khat, high proportion of community literacy, and traditional religion were associated factors for alcohol consumption. Therefore, the federal government of Ethiopia, and ministry of health, and other concerned bodies should work in collaboration to decrease the proportion of people consuming alcohol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated prevalence of alcohol use and violence, including gender-based violence (GBV); however, little is understood about the pandemic's impact on the relationship between the two. Data were collected from January 2021-April 2023 with adults who drink alcohol (N = 565) in the San Francisco Bay Area. Questions assessed prevalence of heavy alcohol use (≥4 drinks on one occasion ≥4 times a month) in the past 3 months and violence/GBV exposure before and during the pandemic. Logistic regression examined associations between violence and alcohol use. Overall, participants reported heavy alcohol use (73.7%), strong desire for alcohol (53.3%), ever experiencing violence (71.6%), and GBV (20.5%). During the pandemic, participants reported experiencing violence (26.1%), more violence than usual (13.8%), GBV (8.9%), and drinking more alcohol (43.7%). People who experienced violence during the pandemic had significantly greater odds of reporting heavy alcohol use (OR = 1.76, p = 0.05) and drinking more during the pandemic than usual (OR = 2.04, p<0.01). Those who reported experiencing more violence during the pandemic than usual had significantly greater odds of reporting heavy alcohol use (OR = 2.32, p = 0.04) and drinking more during the pandemic (OR = 2.23, p<0.01). People who experienced GBV during the pandemic reported a significantly stronger desire for alcohol (OR = 2.44; p = 0.02) than those not exposed. Alcohol-related harms increased over the COVID-19 pandemic, including increased violence/GBV, alcohol use, and an elevated desire to use alcohol among those who experienced violence during the pandemic. Future pandemic preparedness efforts must prioritize violence prevention strategies and adapt alcohol harm reduction, recovery, and treatment programs to pandemic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intake of alcohol is dangerous, and the smoking of tobacco is savage, but it is life-threatening to practice both smoking and drinking. According to the World Health Organisation, the world loses about 8.5 million people each year as a result of smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol. To study this, we present a mathematical model that investigates the co-dynamics of alcohol drinking and tobacco smoking, as well as some control strategies. In contrast, many studies focus solely on the dynamics of alcohol consumption or tobacco smoking. Also, these studies assume that an individual who may recover from both alcohol drinking and tobacco smoking may relapse. We determined the basic reproductive number by employing the next-generation matrix approach. We conducted local and global stability analyses for the drinking, smoking-free, and endemic states. We then conducted extensive research into secondary infections related to smoking and drinking. We then performed numerical simulations and analysis using the parameter values from the literature. The study further examined the influence of some key parameters on secondary co-dependence infections, which occur when one infected individual enters the population and recovers from both over time. For example, in this study, it was shown that the contact rates a1 and a2 have a direct relationship to the spread of drinking and smoking. In contrast, recovery rates δ1, δ2 showed an inverse relationship. In addition, we conducted an optimal control analysis by suggesting the following: drinking prevention efforts, smoking prevention efforts, recovery efforts on the co-dependence of drinking and smoking, recovery efforts on drinking, and recovery efforts on smoking. The simulations indicated that using these controls can help reduce the number of smokers and drinkers within eight weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The characteristics of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) related to COVID-19 have remained uncertain. To elucidate the clinical trend of ME/CFS induced by long COVID, we examined data for patients who visited our outpatient clinic established in a university hospital during the period from Feb 2021 to July 2023. Methods: Long COVID patients were classified into two groups, an ME/CFS group and a non-ME/CFS group, based on three diagnostic criteria. Results: The prevalence of ME/CFS in the long COVID patients was 8.4% (62 of 739 cases; female: 51.6%) and factors related to ME/CFS were severe illness, smoking and alcohol drinking habits, and fewer vaccinations. The frequency of ME/CFS decreased from 23.9% in the Preceding period to 13.7% in the Delta-dominant period and to 3.3% in the Omicron-dominant period. Fatigue and headache were commonly frequent complaints in the ME/CFS group, and the frequency of poor concentration in the ME/CFS group was higher in the Omicron period. Serum ferritin levels were significantly higher in female patients in the ME/CFS group infected in the Preceding period. In the ME/CFS group, the proportion of patients complaining of brain fog significantly increased from 22.2% in the Preceding period to 47.9% in the Delta period and to 81.3% in the Omicron period. The percentage of patients who had received vaccination was lower in the ME/CFS group than the non-ME/CFS group over the study period, whereas there were no differences in the vaccination rate between the groups in each period. Conclusion: The proportion of long COVID patients who developed ME/CFS strictly diagnosed by three criteria was lower among patients infected in the Omicron phase than among patients infected in the other phases, while the proportion of patients with brain fog inversely increased. Attention should be paid to the variant-dependent trends of ME/CFS triggered by long COVID (300 words). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Whilst public health measures were effective in reducing COVID-19 transmission, unintended negative consequences may have occurred. This study aims to assess changes alcohol consumption and the heavy episodic drinking (HED) during the pandemic. Methods: Data were from the Optimise Study, a longitudinal cohort of Australian adults September 2020–August 2022 that over-sampled priority populations at higher risk of contracting COVID-19, developing severe COVID-19 or experiencing adverse consequences of lockdowns. Frequency of alcohol consumption (mean number of days per week) and past-week HED were self-reported. Generalised linear models estimated the association between time and (1) the frequency of alcohol consumption and (2) heavy episodic drinking. Results: Data from 688 participants (mean age: 44.7 years, SD:17.0; 72.7% female) and 10,957 surveys were included. Mean days of alcohol consumption per week decreased from 1.92 (SD: 1.92) in 2020 to 1.54 (SD:1.94) in 2022. The proportion of participants reporting HED decreased from 25.4% in 2020 to 13.1% in 2022. During two lockdown periods, known as "lockdown five", (OR:0.65, 95%CI [0.47,0.90]) and "lockdown six" (OR:0.76, 95%CI [0.67,0.87]), participants were less likely to report HED. Conclusions: Participants alcohol drinking frequency and HED decreased during the pandemic. This study provides a strong description of alcohol consumption during the pandemic and suggests that lockdowns did not have the unintended consequences of increased alcohol consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the degree of persistence in the level of consumption of alcohol in the Group of Seven (G7) countries by using fractional integration. The series under examination are annual sales of pure alcohol in litres per person aged 15 years and older, annually from 1960 to 2021, and we look at the influence that external shocks might have had on the series in these countries. The results indicate that only France displays a significant negative trend and thus a continuous decrease in the level of alcohol consumption. For the rest of the countries, the time trend is insignificant. Dealing with persistence, Japan is the only country that shows clear evidence of reversion to the mean. Policy recommendations are reported at the end of the manuscript. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Alcohol use, combined with the heightened mental health crisis among college students highlighted during the pandemic, remains a significant public health concern. We examine (1) how college students' daily assessed sense of belonging with their institution, a key protective factor for better collegiate mental health, is associated with same-day alcohol-use behaviors (2) and how the associations are moderated by key sociodemographic characteristics relevant to this population (women, minoritized students, first-generation [FG], and students identifying as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, or Queer [LGBTQ]) amidst COVID-19. Method: We used mixed models using data from a 21-day daily diary study of college students (N = 2,012) in Spring 2021. Results: Results revealed that on days when students felt more uncertainty about their sense of belonging to their college (i.e., low belonging), they were less likely to drink, and drink less overall. This effect was observed after students were back on campus after pandemic-related college closures ended. Heterogeneity by minoritized student subgroups were also observed. Conclusions: College students' sense of belonging continues to be an important psychosocial determinant of health and health behaviors among young adults; at times in unintended ways. This reiterates the importance of examining dynamic relationships between belonging and population health. Public health significance statements: These results provide important insight into the linkages between a key psychosocial factor—students' sense of belonging in college—and their alcohol use patterns amidst COVID-19. Institutional programming and prevention efforts to curb alcohol misuse should be implemented with consideration of how those linkages may differ dynamically considering both between- and within-person variance in belonging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is most prevalent in young adults, yet scarce evidence is available regarding South Korean young adults' experience of IPV and culturally tailored IPV prevention programs. To address this gap, this study aimed to holistically assess IPV victimization and perpetration rates and the related risk and protective factors among Korean young adults. Using online survey data from 600 Korean young adults using simple random sampling, this study found that the lifetime prevalence of both IPV victimization and perpetration was about 30%. Both IPV victimization and perpetration had affected over 20% in the past 12 months. Independent variables in multiple logistic regression models explained 18% and 23% of variances in lifetime IPV victimization and perpetration, respectively. Korean young adults who reported more depressive symptoms were more likely to report IPV victimization. Those who reported more alcohol consumption, traditional attitudes about gender roles, being more tolerant of IPV, and poorer physical health status were also more likely to commit IPV. However, those who had experienced family neglect were less likely to report IPV perpetration. The findings of this study highlighted that childhood adverse experiences minimally explained IPV and that alcohol consumption, mental health, and attitudinal variables should be targets of IPV prevention among Korean young adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol consumption has been a central practice in Sabah, Malaysia. However, this region has witnessed a nuanced shift in drinking habits over the last decade, raising concerns about the health, economic, and social implications of alcohol use within the community in Sabah. This study explores the impact of gender narratives and cultural transformations on alcohol consumption within Sabah over the last decade. The objectives of this research include 1) assessing the shifts in alcohol consumption patterns over the last 10 years, 2) understand the role of gender differences in shaping these patterns, and 3) identify the economic consequences resulting from the changes. Employing a qualitative approach, we conducted focus group interviews with members of the native community, each group consisting of up to 7 participants. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes pertaining to gender roles, cultural practices, and socioeconomic influences of alcohol consumption. The data were then contextualized using Bronfenbrenner's social-ecological model and social role theory. The study reveals a significant shift in drinking habits. Historically, alcohol was mostly consumed by men, but now more women are drinking, changing long-standing gender roles related to alcohol use. Children often copy their parents' drinking behaviors, and with alcohol being more easily available, more people are drinking than before. Our findings also expose the complex consequences of alcohol use, which extend to health concerns, familial tension, and economic hardship. Despite the entrenched cultural status of alcohol, these negative outcomes are exacerbated by a lack of supportive healthcare services. In light of these insights, the study suggests the need for intervention plans that respect the cultural background of Sabah and account for gender dynamics while tackling the current issues of alcohol misuse. The research adds to the wider conversation about managing alcohol in different cultural settings and also recommended strategies based on the findings, such as cultural and gender sensitive community programs, youth centered programs, community-based healthcare services, employment support and training and development of laws and policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence and correlates of phosphatidylethanol (PEth) levels suggestive of unhealthy alcohol use among women living with and without HIV who self-reported no or low-risk drinking. We analyzed data from a cross-sectional study among women enrolled in the San Francisco Bay Area site of the Womens Interagency HIV Study (WIHS). Between October 2017 and March 2018, PEth was tested from dried blood spots in 192 women enrolled in the San Francisco site of the WIHS. Using multivariable logistic regression, we identified the correlates of PEth levels suggestive of unhealthy alcohol use (>50 ng/ml) among the 168 women who reported no or low-risk drinking ( 1 (aOR = 3.10, 95% CI = 1.18-8.13), higher high-density lipoprotein levels (aOR = 1.31 per 10 mg/dL increase, 95% CI = 1.01-1.70), and consuming a greater number of drinks per week in the past six months (aOR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.10-1.78). Nearly a third of women in this study had PEth levels suggestive of unhealthy alcohol use and potentially under-reported their use. To optimize alcohol related health care, there is a need to consider approaches to improve ascertainment of unhealthy alcohol use, especially among Black/African American women and those living with liver disease, so that interventions can be initiated.

Background: Internationally, adolescent alcohol consumption has been a major community concern for decades. Globally, there is a growing array of interventions aimed at preventing youth alcohol-related problems. Notably, the Communities that Care (CTC) process in the USA has proven to be a cost-effective intervention, leading to a reduction in adolescent alcohol-related problems. In Australia, the CTC trial has shown positive outcomes such as reduced adolescent alcohol and drug use, antisocial behaviors, and the availability of alcohol in the community. To encourage wider adoption, it is essential to ascertain the cost-effectiveness of the Australian CTC trial and its potential impact on addressing youth alcohol problems. Method: We conducted a limited societal perspective benefit-cost analysis focused on reducing adolescent (aged 10–14) alcohol use in the initial four CTC communities in Australia, spanning 2001 to 2015. To ensure accuracy, estimated benefits were adjusted for joint effects to prevent the double counting of the benefits over time. Results: The Australian CTC trial, as an adolescent alcohol prevention strategy, demonstrates robust economic credentials, delivering a return of AUD 2.6 for each dollar invested. The cost savings resulting from the reduction in alcohol consumption were estimated at AUD 123 per youth per 15 years and AUD 8 per person per year. The average cost of the CTC trial amounted to AUD 48 per youth over 15 years and AUD 3 per youth per year. The largest contribution to primary benefits were reductions in crime and violence with 93% of the total benefits. Conclusions: This study makes a valuable contribution to the international economic evidence related to youth alcohol prevention initiatives. The results affirm the strong cost-effectiveness potential of the initial CTC trial implementation in Australia. Moreover, conducting further cost-benefit modelling for additional outcomes and beyond the intervention's timeframe is likely to enhance the economic viability of the CTC trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Housing instability (HI) is a social determinant of health affecting adults in the United States (U.S.). Addressing HI among veterans is a national priority, and greater understanding of differences in HI between veteran and non-veteran populations would inform homeless services and research. We examined six-month prevalence and risk/protective factors associated with self-reported HI among veterans and non-veteran U.S. adults. Cross-sectional data from the All of Us Research Program (AoU) on 254,079 (24,545 veterans and 229,534 non-veterans) survey respondents were analyzed. Logistic regression models were constructed to examine rates of HI, and the association of HI with veteran status as well as demographic, socioeconomic, substance use, and health characteristics. Prevalence rates of HI were 14.9%, 11.5%, and 15.4%, in the general, veteran, and non-veteran populations, respectively. Veteran status was not significantly related to HI, after controlling for confounders. Male sex, middle age, unmarried status, lifetime cigarette smoking, and worse health were associated with greater HI odds, while higher income and health insurance availability were associated with lower HI odds, irrespective of veteran status. Racial disparities in HI were observed among non-veterans only. In addition, among non-veterans, adults who were unemployed or reported any lifetime alcohol consumption were more likely to experience HI, whereas any lifetime use of drugs was associated with lower likelihood of HI. In conclusion, although distinct sociodemographic and clinical correlates of HI were identified, HI did not differ by veteran status in a fully adjusted model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the relationship between alcohol outlet density and the proportion of alcohol consumption among Thai adolescents. We utilized the alcohol consumption data from the 2007, 2011, and 2017 Tobacco and Alcohol Consumption Survey in Thailand. We analyzed the relationships between alcohol sales license figures and consumption behavior using a spatiotemporal mixed model. Our data had two levels. The upper (provincial) level featured alcohol sales license density (spatial effect), the years of survey (temporal effect), and the social deprivation index. The lower (individual) level included the demographic data of the adolescents. A total of 9,566 Thai adolescents participated in this study, based on surveys conducted in 2007 (n = 4,731), 2011 (n = 3,466), and 2017 (n = 1,369). The density of alcohol sales licenses increased the odds for the one-year current drinker category (odds ratio [OR] = 1.08, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–1.45), especially in male adolescents (OR = 1.09, 95% CI, 1.04–1.14). Furthermore, it increased the odds for the heavy episodic drinker category for female adolescents (OR = 1.23, 95% CI, 1.05–1.44). Increased alcohol sales licenses are associated with higher alcohol consumption among Thai adolescents. This highlights the need for government organizations to develop and apply strategies to reduce the number of licenses for the sale of alcohol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alcohol use is a contributing factor in many cases of traumatic injury. There is conflicting evidence on the impact of alcohol use at the time of physical trauma on severity of injury and hospital course. Similarly, the significance of alcohol use disorder on outcomes in hospitalized trauma patients is unclear. This scoping review aims to provide a concise overview of the current literature surrounding peri-trauma alcohol use and alcohol use disorder on injury severity, in-hospital complications, patient outcomes, and long-term health impact of alcohol use in trauma. We will also explore the associated healthcare costs of this patient population. Methods: A systematic search of the following databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library will be completed to extract all studies that meet our inclusion criteria from January 2000 onwards. Case reports will be excluded. Two reviewers will screen all citations, abstracts, and full text articles. A third reviewer will act as tiebreaker at each stage of the screening process. A narrative synthesis without meta-analysis will be conducted and assessed based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Discussion: This review will contribute to the literature by providing a concise overview of the current data on the impact of alcohol on outcomes following trauma. We will explore the overall themes in the literature, limitations, and future directions to focus forthcoming research in this patient population. Scoping review registration: This project is registered via the Open Science Framework. The public registration is uniquely identified with the following DOI: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/Z84WK. Support: There were no funders or sponsors involved in the development of this protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The association between coffee consumption and constipation remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the relationship of coffee consumption with the risk of constipation, while also investigating potential effect modifiers. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 7844 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2010. Coffee consumption was extracted from the 24-hour dietary recall. Constipation was assessed using the Bristol Stool Form Scale. The association between coffee consumption and constipation was assessed using multivariable restricted cubic spline and logistic regression with odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: There was a J-shaped relationship between total coffee consumption and the risk of constipation in the whole population (p for nonlinearity = 0.049), with 1–2 cups/day of total coffee potentially reducing the risk of constipation by 39% (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.35–1.06, p = 0.07). As for caffeinated coffee, a J-shaped association between its consumption and the risk of constipation was also observed in the whole population (p for nonlinearity = 0.008), with 1–2 cups/day being significantly associated with a reduced risk (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.35–0.95, p = 0.03). When restricting to never drinkers of alcohol, the associations between total and caffeinated coffee consumption and constipation shifted to inverse linear trends, where at least 3 cups/day was significantly associated with an 88% reduction in constipation risk (total coffee: OR 0.12, 95% CI 0.02–0.68, p = 0.02; caffeinated coffee: OR 0.12, 95% CI 0.02–0.70, p = 0.02). Decaffeinated coffee showed no association with constipation. Conclusions: Consuming 1–2 cups of caffeinated coffee daily was associated with a reduced risk of constipation in the general population. Among never drinkers of alcohol, a linear protective effect was observed, with a notable 88% reduction in constipation risk for those consuming at least 3 cups per day. Moderate caffeinated coffee intake may therefore be a viable dietary strategy for managing constipation in the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the biggest contributor (17%) to years lived with disability. For offering diagnosis and appropriate health interventions options along with follow-up care, it is pertinent to have a thorough awareness of its associated risk factors. Objectives: The study aims to assess the prevalence and association between MSDs and risk factors among the Indian older adults above 45 years. Methodology: Prevalence of MSDs among 28,436 participants was estimated using nationally representative survey on older Indian adults. Spatial distribution maps were created to display the magnitude of MSD prevalence at Indian sub-national level. Association between presence of MSDs and associated risk factors (such as occupation, employment duration, physical activity, BMI, diabetes, hypertension, tobacco usage, and alcohol consumption) was explored through Multivariate logistic regression. P-value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: MSD was prevalent in over half of participants (53.5 (52.9–54.1)%), with more among females and in those aged >60 years (60.4 (59.3–61.4)%). Overall, joint pain (41.9 (41.3–41.4)%) was more common than back pain (32.6 (32.0–33.1)%). Prevalence was highest in Manipur (81.1 (77.9–83.9)%) and lowest in West Bengal (33.1 (30.7–35.5)%). MSD presence was positively associated with certain occupational groups, pre-obesity (BMI 25–29.9 Kg/m2), currently hypertensive, vigorous physical activity among overall population. Tobacco usage was positively associated, while alcohol consumption was linked to a lower occurrence of MSDs for 45–60 years age group. Conclusions: Customised policy interventions can be developed for specific age category of older Indian adults and musculoskeletal health can be improved by addressing modifiable risk factors such as physical inactivity, tobacco usage, avoiding workplace risks in occupations requiring manual labour as revealed by this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure, which models heavy binge ethanol intake in adolescence, leads to a variety of deficits that persist into adulthood—including suppression of the cholinergic neuron phenotype within the basal forebrain. This is accompanied by a reduction in acetylcholine (ACh) tone in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Voluntary wheel running exercise (VEx) has been shown to rescue AIE-induced suppression of the cholinergic phenotype. Therefore, the goal of the current study is to determine if VEx will also rescue ACh efflux in the mPFC during spontaneous alternation, attention set shifting performance, and epigenetic silencing of the cholinergic phenotype following AIE. Male and female rats were subjected to 16 intragastric gavages of 20% ethanol or tap water on a two-day on/two-day off schedule from postnatal day (PD) 25–54, before being assigned to either VEx or stationary control groups. In Experiment 1, rats were tested on a four-arm spontaneous alternation maze with concurrent in vivo microdialysis for ACh in the mPFC. An operant attention set-shifting task was used to measure changes in cognitive and behavioral flexibility. In Experiment 2, a ChIP analysis of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) genes was performed on basal forebrain tissue. It was found that VEx increased ACh efflux in the mPFC in both AIE and control male and female rats, as well as rescued the AIE-induced epigenetic methylation changes selectively at the Chat promoter CpG island across sexes. Overall, these data support the restorative effects of exercise on damage to the cholinergic projections to the mPFC and demonstrate the plasticity of cholinergic system for recovery after alcohol induced brain damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Harmful alcohol use is associated with significant risks to public health outcomes worldwide. Although data on harmful alcohol use have been collected by population-based HIV Impact Assessment (PHIA), there is a dearth of analysis on the effect of HIV/ART status on harmful alcohol use in the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries with PHIA surveys. Methods: A secondary analysis of the PHIA surveys: Namibia (n = 27,382), Tanzania (n = 1807), Zambia (n = 2268), Zimbabwe (n = 3418), Malawi (n = 2098), Namibia (n = 27,382), and Eswatini (n = 2762). Using R version 4.2, we analysed the uptake and correlates of harmful alcohol consumption in SSA. The cutoff point for statistically significant was P<0.05. Results: Of the 12,460 persons, 15% used alcohol harmfully. Harmful alcohol use varied by countries and ranged from 8.7% in Malawi to 26.1% in Namibia (P<0.001). Being female or HIV-positive and on ART were associated with less-likelihood of harmful alcohol consumption however persons that were HIV-positive and not on ART was associated with higher likelihood of harmful alcohol use (OR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.32–1.69, P<0.001). The best performing models were Lasso or Super Learner or Random Forest were the best performing models while gradient boosting models or sample mean did not perform well. Conclusion: Harmful alcohol use was high. Harmful alcohol use varied by countries, sex, age, HIV/ART status and marital status. Therefore, there is a need to introduce or enforce harmful alcohol use control policies in SSA through taking into account these characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A brief version of the Alcohol Consumption Consequences Evaluation Scale (ACCE) [38] was developed to promptly detect possible risks related to alcohol consumption, such as Binge Drinking (BD), in university students. Using the "snowball" method, a sample of 595 students aged 18 to 20 (65.4% women) from the University of Valencia (Spain) was obtained during the 2019–2020 academic year. Items with the highest values of the discrimination parameter in the original version (ACCE) were selected and the Rasch model was applied. To verify the usefulness of this version, ROC analyses were conducted separately for men and women using the Audit score as the criterion. In the overall sample, the analysis had an area of 0.812 (SE = 0.018). In men, the area was 0.796 (SE = 0.032) and for women, it was 0.823 (SE = 0.021). In addition, a logistic regression analysis was performed, using a cut-off point of 3 based on the ROC analysis, to assess the utility of this version in classifying BD and non-BD. The odds ratio was 3.812 (p = 0.000), correctly classifying 89.2% of the young people and indicating that the probability of engaging in BD is 3.8 times higher for individuals obtaining more than 3 points on this scale. This result confirms the usefulness of this brief version (ACCE10) as a screening tool for early intervention, especially in clinical or university settings, since it allows young people to be situated within a range of severity according to their consumption patterns. Furthermore, it may help stop the progression of the addictive process, create awareness of the need for change, and facilitate access to the most suitable interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in mental health issues and awareness among individuals, compared to previous times, has contributed to recognizing this as a significant public health issue. The necessity to explore potential factors behind mental health problems has become paramount and served as the primary impetus for the current research endeavor. This study aims to explore if there is a relationship between attitudes toward seeking psychological and psychiatric support. a significant relationship between sociodemographic factors and individuals' tendency to seek psychological and psychiatric help, and if so, in what direction are these relationships? and a significant relationship between individual and social factors and individuals' tendency to seek psychological and psychiatric help, and if so, in what direction are these relationships? Microdata from the Turkey Health Survey, conducted by the Turkish Statistical Institute and representative of Turkey, was used as the dataset. Increased the representative power of the data set over the universe by weighting the data set, and the Bivariate Probit Model was used to address the research questions. As a result of the study, various sociodemographic (gender, age, employment status, et al.), individual and social factors (general health status, participation in social activities, alcohol use et al.) may influence individuals' inclinations toward seeking psychological and psychiatric assistance. The research offers valuable insights for social policymakers and researchers into the behavioral tendencies of individuals seeking professional psychiatric help. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have identified racial-ethnic disparities in modifiable risk factors for cancers. However, the impact of US nativity on these risks is understudied. Hence, we assessed the association between US nativity and length of time in the US on modifiable cancer risk factors. Utilizing the 2010 and 2015 National Health Interview Survey datasets, we analyzed 8,861 US-born and non-US-born adults. Key variables included age, sex, race-ethnicity, education, income, diet, body mass index, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and smoking. Statistical methods included descriptive statistics and regression. Most respondents were US-born (n = 7,370), followed by long-term (≥15 years, n = 928), and recent (<15 years, n = 563) immigrants. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was higher among US-born individuals (342.45 minutes/week), compared to recent (249.74 minutes/week) and long-term immigrants (255.19 minutes/week). Recent immigrants consumed more fruits (1.37 cups/day) and long-term immigrants more vegetables (1.78 cups/day) than US-born individuals. Multivariate analyses found recent immigrants had lower odds of consuming alcohol (AOR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.21–0.50) and smoking (AOR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.19–0.46), and higher odds of meeting fruit consumption guidelines (AOR: 2.80, 95% CI: 1.76–4.45) compared to US-born individuals. Long-term immigrants had lower odds of alcohol consumption (AOR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.37–0.84) and smoking (AOR: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.30–0.59), and higher odds for meeting fruit (AOR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.22–2.86) and fiber (AOR: 2.03, 95% CI: 1.02–4.05) consumption guidelines. Our findings illustrate the importance of considering the impact nativity and length of US residency has on health. Our findings underscore the need for culturally tailored public health strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypertension is a silent killer disease and the global report revealed that half of the world's population lives with undiagnosed hypertension. The problem is expected to be worse in low-income countries such as in Horn of Africa countries. Thus, we planned to determine the trend, burden, and determinates of undiagnosed hypertension in this region and provide conclusive and tangible evidence for interventions. Method: Articles were searched on Google, Google Scholar, PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and the published articles' reference list. The JBI critical appraisal checklist was used for quality assessment. A sensitivity test and I2 statistics were conducted to evaluate the heterogeneity. The Begg's statistics in the random effect model were done to evaluate the publication bias. Result: The pooled prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension in the Horn of Africa was 17% (95% CI: 15%–20%) and it ranges from from 13% in 2006 to 20% in 2023. A trip time to a medical institution of less than 35 minutes (OR = 0.52, 95%CI: 0.35–0.79), no regular exercise (OR = 2.26, 95% CI: 1.54–3.32), age > = 45 years (OR = 2.51, 95% CI: 1.66–3.8), age 35–44 years (OR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.5–2.37), male (OR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.34–2.2), poor knowledge (OR = 3.29, 95%CI: 2.39,4.53), normal BMI (OR = 3.84, 95% CI: 2.96–4.98), Overweight (OR = 1.97, 95% CI: 2.96–4.98), poor health seeking (OR = 2.79, 95%CI: 2.01–3.86), low vegetable consumers (OR = 1.99, 95%CI:1.36–2.91), smoking (OR = 1.47, 95%CI: 1.13–1.93), high triglyceride (OR = 1.83, 95%CI:1.33–2.52), chat chewing (OR = 2.18, 95%CI: 1.54–3.09), and alcohol drinking (OR = 1.75, 95%CI: 1.32–2.33) were the determinats of undiagnosed hypertension. Conclusion and recommendation: The pooled prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension was low in the Horn of Africa but its trend was increased over time. Individual level variables were identified that affect the undiagnosed hypertension. Therefore, healthy lifestyle is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are limited epidemiological investigations of blood metal levels related to hyperlipidemia, and results indicating the association between blood lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and selenium (Se), and lipid biomarkers have been conflicting. Methods: We included populations for which NHANES collected complete data. Multivariate logistic regression and subgroup analyses were conducted to ascertain the relationship between blood Pb, Cd, and Se levels and hyperlipidemia. Nonlinear relationships were characterized by smoothed curve fitting and threshold effect analysis. Results: 5429 participants in all, with a mean age of 53.70 ± 16.63 years, were included; 47.1% of the subjects were male, and 3683 (67.8%) of them had hyperlipidemia. After modifying for variables with confounders in a multivariate logistic regression model, we discovered a positive correlation between blood Pb and Se levels and hyperlipidemia (Pb: OR:2.12, 95% CI:1.56–2.88; Se: OR:1.84, 95% CI:1.38–2.45). Gender, age, smoking status, alcohol use status, hypertension, diabetes, and body mass index were not significantly linked with this positive correlation, according to subgroup analysis and interaction test (P for interaction>0.05). Positive correlations between blood Pb, Cd, and Se levels and the risk of hyperlipidemia have been found using smooth curve fitting. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that higher blood levels of Pb, Cd, and selenium are linked to an increased risk of hyperlipidemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Bronchial asthma is a major public health issue that affects patients, families, and communities worldwide. Despite the growing importance of self-management and its clear link to better health outcomes, the uptake and use of self-management among asthmatic patients is not well understood. Thus, the study aimed to determine the level of self-management practice and associated factors among asthmatic patients on follow-up care at public tertiary hospitals found in south-west Ethiopia. Method: An institutional-based cross-sectional study design was employed from August 1 to September 30, 2022. The study included all asthmatic patients on follow-up care at public tertiary hospitals found in south west Ethiopia, among whom 274 were interviewed. All asthmatic patients who were registered at the chronic follow-up unit of each hospital and fulfilled inclusion criteria were included and interviewed consecutively. The data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire adapted from previous studies, entered into EpiData version 4.6, and exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the participant's characteristics. Linear regression was used to identify variables associated with asthma self-management practice, and variables with a p-value of 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Finally, tables, graphs, and text were used to present the data. Result: Out of 274 interviewed asthmatic patients, 45.26% 95% CI (39, 51) had good asthma self-management practices. Advancing in age (ß = -0.009, P = 0.043), being a smoker (ß = -0.346, 95%, P = 0.03, being alcohol drinker (ß = -0.217, P = 0.001), having depression (ß = -0.038, P = 0.005), having anxiety (ß = -0.029, P = 0.02) and having social support (ß = 0.022, P<0.001) were identified as factors affecting asthma self-management practice. Conclusion: The finding revealed that four of every nine asthmatic patients had good asthma self-management practices. Age, alcohol consumption, smoking, anxiety, depression, and social support were significantly associated with asthma self-management practice. Ongoing self-management support and collaborative target interventions aimed at improving asthma self-management practices and identified factors are very crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current prevalence of Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection is notably high, with individuals afflicted by HSV-2 facing recurrent outbreaks, challenges in achieving remission, and an elevated risk of HIV infection. This study aims to investigate the relationship between alcohol consumption and HSV-2 infection. Methods: The data for this study were sourced from 7257 participants who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2009 to 2016. The target population consisted of adults with reliable HSV-2 plasma results, and alcohol consumption was assessed using self-report methods. We evaluated the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association between alcohol consumption and HSV-2 infection. These estimations were derived from a logistic regression model that was adjusted for key confounding factors. Subgroup analysis specifically focused on alcohol consumption, and the interaction between HSV-2 infection, alcohol consumption, and other variables was assessed through stratified analysis. Results: Among the 7,257 participants included, 89.8% (6,518/7,257) reported varying levels of alcohol consumption history. Compared to individuals who never drinkers, the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for former drinkers, light drinkers, moderate drinkers, and heavy drinkers were 1.79 (95% CI: 1.34–2.4, p < 0.001), 1.38 (95% CI: 1.07–1.77, p = 0.012), 1.49 (95% CI: 1.15–1.94, p = 0.003), and 1.47 (95% CI: 1.14–1.9, p = 0.003), respectively. The results remained stable in subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses. Conclusion: Current research indicates that individuals with a history of alcohol consumption exhibit a higher risk of HSV-2 infection compared to those who have never drinkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alcohol use is a major contributor to mortality and morbidity worldwide. Uganda has a high level of alcohol use per capita. Compared to men, women are less likely to consume alcohol globally; however, women who drink have increased risks for co-occurring conditions, including depression, intimate partner violence, and HIV. This study assessed the prevalence of alcohol use and correlates of harmful alcohol use by gender and HIV status in rural Uganda. Methods: We used cross-sectional data from a study among women and men aged 15–59 residing in rural, central Uganda and accepting home-based HIV testing (Nov 2017 to Dec 2020). We estimated the prevalence of levels of alcohol use (categorized as no alcohol use (score 0), low (score 1–3 for men; 1–2 for women), medium (score 4–5 for men; 3–5 for women), high (score 6–7), and very-high (score 8–12) use with the AUDIT-C), stratified by gender and HIV status. We assessed correlates of harmful alcohol use using multivariable logistic regression models for women and men. Results: Among 18,460 participants, 67% (95% CI: 66–67%) reported no alcohol use, 16% (95% CI: 16–17%) reported low, 5% (95% CI: 4.8–5%) reported medium, 5% (95% CI: 4–5%) reported high, and 3% (95% CI: 2.8–3) reported very high alcohol use. Compared to women, men were more likely to report alcohol use (Chi-squared p-value<0.0001). People diagnosed with HIV (both newly diagnosed and previously aware of their status prior to home-based HIV testing) were more likely to report low, medium, high, and very high alcohol use compared to those who were HIV negative (Chi-squared p-value<0.0001). Among women, those who were newly diagnosed were more likely report alcohol use, compared to those who were HIV negative. In multivariable models, being newly diagnosed with HIV (compared to HIV negative) increased the odds of harmful alcohol use among women, but not men. Conclusion: While alcohol use was higher among men and people living with HIV, being newly diagnosed with HIV had a stronger relationship with harmful alcohol use among women than men. More research is needed to understand how alcohol use may increase the risks of HIV acquisition among women and to identify gender-responsive services to address harmful alcohol use and increase access to HIV testing and linkage to care for women who use harmful levels of alcohol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alcohol use has profound public health impact on women; however, modifiable factors that may influence alcohol use progression/recovery, including health service utilization, are understudied in women. Objective: To investigate the association between mental health (MH) and substance use (SU) treatment with alcohol use progression and recovery among women who currently use alcohol or have in the past. Methods: This study is a secondary data analysis of prospective data from waves 1 (2001–2002) and 2 (2004–2005) of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC; a US-nationally representative sample of adults). The analytic sample was limited to women who reported past or current alcohol use at wave 1 (N = 15,515). Latent transition analysis (LTA) examined whether receiving SU/MH treatment in the year prior to wave 1 was associated with transitioning between three empirically-derived stages of alcohol involvement (no, moderate, and severe problems classes), between Waves 1 and 2 adjusting for possible confounders using propensity score weight. Results: Compared to White female drinkers, female drinkers who were from Black, Hispanic, or other races were less likely to receive SU/MH treatment (p-values ≤. 001). SU/MH treatment in the year prior to wave 1 was associated with transitioning from the moderate problems class to the no problems class between Waves 1 and 2 (p-value =.04). Conclusion: Receipt of SU or MH treatment among women, was associated with a higher likelihood of remission from moderate alcohol use problems to no problems over time. Future research, including investigation into treatment characteristics (e.g., frequency, duration, type) should further explore why women initially experiencing severe alcohol use problems did not experience similar remission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obesity is associated with locality and alcohol use; however, less is known about how the interaction of these two factors may compound the risk of obesity among adolescents. Objectives: This study examines the relationship between alcohol use and obesity among adolescents from rural and urban areas in the United States. Methods: Data came from a sample of American adolescents aged 12–17 years from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2015–2019; n = 39,489). Obesity was regressed on age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, cigarette smoking, locality, and alcohol use, with an interaction term to examine locality x alcohol use. Predicted probabilities were plotted to assess the interaction. Results: Compared to adolescents from urban areas, those from rural areas had 1.35 times higher odds of being obese (95% CI 1.25, 1.47). Predicted probabilities indicated that the probability of being obese was higher for rural adolescents at lower levels of drinking, up to about 40 drinks in the past 12 months. Conclusions: Findings suggest rural-urban differences at the intersection of alcohol use and obesity could depend on the frequency of use, but overall adolescents from rural areas may be more at risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: For young adults and adolescents, excessive internet use has become a serious public health concern due to its negative impact on their health. It has been associated with detrimental effects on both physical and mental health. Negative academic outcomes were observed in the students, including missing classes, lower grades, and academic dismissal. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to identify factors associated with PIU among undergraduate students at the University of Gondar. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Gondar among 1514 undergraduate students from June 1–20, 2022. The study participants were selected using a stratified simple random selection procedure. Using structural equation modeling, the degree of relationship was ascertained. A p-value of less than 0.05 and an adjusted regression coefficient with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to interpret the data. Results: In our study, being from non-health departments [β = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.037, 0.181], current alcohol use [β = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.061, 0.187], depressive symptoms [β = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.175, 0.291], insomnia symptoms [β = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.060, 0.196], and ADHD symptoms [β = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.049, 0.166] had a significant positive effect on PIU, while having a history of head injury had a significant negative effect [β = -0.12, 95% CI: -0.226, -0.021] on PIU. Conclusion and recommendation: Factors such as current alcohol use, non-health department type, depressive symptoms, insomnia, and ADHD symptoms were positively associated with PIU. However, a history of head injuries was negatively associated with PIU. Therefore, strategies aimed at the early identification of PIU may lead to an improvement in the psychosocial health of university students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young people in sub-Saharan Africa and specifically in Eswatini (previously Swaziland), continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV despite having equitable access to antiretroviral treatment. Early sexual debut is one of the many factors linked to HIV infection that is discussed in the context of general public health. Monitoring this behavior is essential for developing preventative, evidence-based interventions. This study aims to describe the early and/or typical sexual debut among young people in Eswatini and examines sociodemographic and HIV risk factors associated with early and typical sexual debut timing. We analyzed cross-sectional secondary data from the 2016/17 Swaziland HIV Incidence Measurement Survey (SHIMS), which had a representative sample of 2,383 young people aged 18–24. Respondents were selected using a two-stage stratified probability sampling design. We applied descriptive statistics and multivariable multinomial logistic regressions to examine the data. Out of the 2,383 respondents, 71.3% had sexual experience, with 4.1% and 26.5% reporting early sexual debut (<15 years) and typical sexual debut (<18 years), respectively. Our study found that age, sex, education, marital status, wealth, sexual partners in the past 12 months, and alcohol use were significantly associated with early and/or typical sexual debut. It is crucial to consider the sociodemographic factors and HIV risk factors of young people when designing programs and interventions aimed at preventing early sexual debut or transition. This approach is necessary to promote better sexual and reproductive health in alignment with sustainable development goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) typically have comorbid chronic health conditions, including anxiety and depression disorders, increased sleep disruption, and poor nutrition status, along with gut microbial dysbiosis. To better understand the effects of gut dysbiosis previously shown in individuals with AUD, gut microbiome and metabolome were investigated between three cohorts. Two groups of individuals with AUD included treatment-seeking newly abstinent for at least six weeks (AB: N = 10) and non-treatment-seeking currently drinking (CD: N = 9) individuals. The third group was age, gender, and BMI-matched healthy controls (HC: N = 12). Deep phenotyping during two weeks of outpatient National Institutes of Health Clinical Center visits was performed, including clinical, psychological, medical, metabolic, dietary, and experimental assessments. Alpha and beta diversity and differential microbial taxa and metabolite abundance of the gut microbiome were examined across the three groups. Metabolites derived from the lipid super-pathway were identified to be more abundant in the AB group compared to CD and HC groups. The AB individuals appeared to be most clinically different from CD and HC individuals with respect to their gut microbiome and metabolome. These findings highlight the potential long-term effects of chronic alcohol use in individuals with AUD, even during short-term abstinence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of substance use in people with HIV (PWH) in the United States is higher than in the general population and is an important driver of HIV-related outcomes. We sought to assess if previously identified genetic associations that contribute to substance use are also observed in a population of PWH. METHODS: We performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of alcohol, smoking, and cannabis use phenotypes in a multi-ancestry population of 7,542 PWH from the Center for AIDS Research Network of Integrated Clinical Systems (CNICS). We conducted multi-ancestry GWAS for individuals of African (n = 3,748), Admixed American (n = 1,334), and European (n = 2,460) ancestry. Phenotype data were self-reported and collected using patient reported outcomes (PROs) and three questions from AUDIT-C, an alcohol screening tool. We analyzed nine phenotypes: 1) frequency of alcohol consumption, 2) typical number of drinks on a day when drinking alcohol, 3) frequency of five or more alcoholic drinks in a 30-day period, 4) smoking initiation, 5) smoking cessation, 6) cigarettes per day, 7) cannabis use initiation, 8) cannabis use cessation, 9) frequency of cannabis use during the previous 30 days. For each phenotype we considered a) variants previously identified as associated with a substance use trait and b) novel associations. RESULTS: We observed evidence for effects of previously reported single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related to alcohol (rs1229984, p = 0.001), tobacco (rs11783093, p = 2.22E-4), and cannabis use (rs2875907, p = 0.005). We also report two novel loci (19p13.2, p = 1.3E-8; and 20p11.21, p = 2.1E-8) associated with cannabis use cessation. CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses contribute to understanding the genetic bases of substance use in a population with relatively higher rates of use compared to the general population.

BackgroundComplex systems models of breast cancer have previously focused on prediction of prognosis and clinical events for individual women. There is a need for understanding breast cancer at the population level for public health decision-making, for identifying gaps in epidemiologic knowledge and for the education of the public as to the complexity of this most common of cancers.Methods and findingsWe developed an agent-based model of breast cancer for the women of the state of California using data from the U.S. Census, the California Health Interview Survey, the California Cancer Registry, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the literature. The model was implemented in the Julia programming language and R computing environment. The Paradigm II model development followed a transdisciplinary process with expertise from multiple relevant disciplinary experts from genetics to epidemiology and sociology with the goal of exploring both upstream determinants at the population level and pathophysiologic etiologic factors at the biologic level. The resulting model reproduces in a reasonable manner the overall age-specific incidence curve for the years 2008-2012 and incidence and relative risks due to specific risk factors such as BRCA1, polygenic risk, alcohol consumption, hormone therapy, breastfeeding, oral contraceptive use and scenarios for environmental toxin exposures.ConclusionsThe Paradigm II model illustrates the role of multiple etiologic factors in breast cancer from domains of biology, behavior and the environment. The value of the model is in providing a virtual laboratory to evaluate a wide range of potential interventions into the social, environmental and behavioral determinants of breast cancer at the population level.

Background: Changes in alcohol consumption may affect older adults' health. We examined prevalence and changes in the alcohol consumption of older women and men (≥65 years) in Norway over a 24-year period. Methods: Data from three population-based health surveys (The Trøndelag Health Study—HUNT2 1995–97, HUNT3 2006–08, HUNT4 2017–19) were used. Alcohol consumption was measured using self-reported measures and an objective measure of alcohol consumption (Phosphatidylethanol 16:0/18:1, PEth). Self-reported lifetime abstinence, former drinking, current drinking, frequent drinking (≥4 times/week), and risk drinking (≥8 units/week) were measured. The PEth concentrations were stratified: <0.03 μmol/l (abstinence/very low level of alcohol consumption); >0.06 μmol/l (indicating >1 unit/day); >0.10 μmol/l (indicating >3 units/day), and >0.30 μmol/l (heavy alcohol consumption). Results: In HUNT4, the prevalence of self-reported lifetime abstinence, frequent drinking, and risk drinking was 5.2%, 4.4%, and 5.6%, respectively, while prevalence of PEth <0.03 μmol/l was 68.1% and PEth >0.06 μmol/l was 21.2%. Over the course of the three surveys, the prevalence of self-reported lifetime abstinence decreased, while the prevalence of frequent drinking and risk drinking increased. Men were less often abstainers and more often frequent and risky drinkers than women in all three surveys. Gender differences for abstinence and current drinking reduced with time. From HUNT3 to HUNT4, the prevalence of PEth <0.03 μmol/l decreased, while the prevalence of PEth >0.06 μmol/l increased. Men compared to women, had less often PEth <0.03 μmol/l and more often PEth >0.06 and >0.10 μmol/l in HUNT3 and HUNT4. Women and men ≥75 years were just as likely to have PEth >0.30 μmol/l in HUNT4. The gender differences in PEth concentrations were reduced in HUNT4 among those aged 70–74 years or ≥75 years. Conclusion: Alcohol consumption has increased among Norwegian older adults over a 24-year period, but at a slower pace during the last decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to explore the bidirectional causal relationship between periodontal disease-related phenotype (PDRP) and knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in a European population using a two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) approach. Methods: We leveraged publicly available GWAS summary statistics for PDRP (n = 975) and KOA (n = 403,124), assessing their roles as both exposures and outcomes. Our comprehensive MR analysis employed various methods, including inverse variance weighting (IVW), weighted median, Egger regression, simple mode, and weighted mode, to enhance the robustness of our findings. To ensure the reliability of our instrumental variables, we implemented a rigorous screening process based on p-values and F-values, utilized Phenoscanner to investigate potential confounders, and conducted sensitivity analyses. Results: Our analysis identified five SNPs associated with PDRP and three SNPs with KOA, all surpassing the genome-wide significance threshold, as instrumental variables. The IVW method demonstrated a significant causal relationship from PDRP to KOA (beta = 0.013, SE = 0.007, P = 0.035), without evidence of directional pleiotropy (MR-Egger regression intercept = 0.021, P = 0.706). No support was found for reverse causality from KOA to PDRP, as further MR analyses yielded non-significant P-values. Additionally, funnel plots and Cochran's Q test detected no significant heterogeneity or directional pleiotropy, confirming the robustness of our results. In multivariate analysis, when considering smoking, alcohol consumption, BMI collectively no direct causal relationship between KOA and PDRP. Conversely, smoking and higher BMI were independently associated with an increased risk of KOA. Conclusion: In conclusion, our analysis revealed no direct causal relationship from KOA to PDRP. However, a causal relationship from PDRP to KOA was observed. Notably, when adjusting for potential confounders like smoking, alcohol intake, and BMI, both the causal connection from PDRP to KOA and the inverse relationship were not substantiated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been associated with poor mental health among people with HIV (PWH) globally. Social support may be a strategy to foster mental health among PWH. Little is known about whether the relationship between IPV and mental health differs by IPV type or level of social support. Interviews were conducted with 426 PWH initiating HIV care in Cameroon. Log binomial regression analyses were used to estimate the association between four types of IPV (controlling behavior and emotional, physical, and sexual IPV) and symptoms of depression or hazardous alcohol use, separately by IPV type and level of social support. Over half (54.8%) of respondents experienced moderate/high levels of controlling behavior, 42.0% experienced emotional IPV, 28.2% experienced physical IPV and 23.7% experienced sexual IPV. Controlling behavior was associated with greater prevalence of depressive symptoms. This relationship did not vary meaningfully by level of social support (low: aPR 2.4 [95% CI 1.2, 4.9]; high: 1.7 [95% CI 1.0, 2.7]). Emotional and physical IPV were associated with greater prevalence of depressive symptoms among those with low social support (emotional IPV: aPR 1.9 [95% CI 1.0, 3.4]; physical IPV: aPR 1.8 [95% CI 1.2, 2.8]), but not among those with high social support (emotional IPV: aPR 1.0 [95% CI 0.7, 1.6]; physical IPV: aPR 1.0 [95% CI 0.6, 1.6]). Controlling behavior, emotional IPV, and physical IPV were associated with a greater prevalence of hazardous alcohol use, with moderately larger effect estimates among those with high compared to low social support. Sexual IPV was not associated with depressive symptoms or hazardous alcohol use. Services to screen and care for people experiencing IPV are urgently needed among PWH in Cameroon. Future research to identify barriers, feasibility, acceptability, and organizational readiness to integrate IPV and mental health services into HIV care settings is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young adults experiencing homelessness (YAEH) are faced with instabilities in many areas of their lives, including their living situation, employment, and income. Little is known about how the experience of instability in these different domains might be associated with substance use. Leveraging data collected on 276 YAEH in Los Angeles County, regression analyses examine associations between three distinct types of instability (housing, employment, income) and participants' self-reported alcohol use, alcohol consequences, non-cannabis drug use, and substance use symptoms. Results indicated that recent instability in income, employment, and secure housing for those with access to it (but not housing in general or non-secure housing) were significantly associated with greater alcohol/drug use or substance use symptoms. Depression was also found to moderate the association between employment instability and alcohol use. Our findings suggest that efforts to reduce instability in income, employment, and secure housing may have positive benefits for substance using YAEH, especially those with depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study was to examine characteristics concerning frequent users of emergency medical services (EMS) transport by comparing patients who used EMS transport frequently for one year and those who used EMS transport for more than two years consecutively. Methods: A retrospective review for frequent use of EMS transport was conducted. The patients from the fire stations that transported more than 70% of all EMS transport to the study hospital emergency department (ED) were included. The study subjects were divided into consecutive group (frequent EMS transport for ≥ two years consecutively) and non-consecutive group (frequent EMS transport for only one year). Characteristics of patients who were frequent users of EMS transport and those of all cases with EMS transport were examined. Results: Of the total 205 patients and 1204 cases of frequent EMS transport, 85 (42%) patients and 755 (63%) cases were in the consecutive group. Patients in the consecutive group were more likely to have risky alcohol use, unemployed state, and medical aid type of payment for ED treatment than those in the non-consecutive group. More patients had previous experience of EMS transport to the study hospital ED in the consecutive group and the number of cases with alcohol ingestion was higher in the consecutive group. Elapsed time from EMS call to ED arrival was longer for the consecutive group. Conclusion: Risky alcohol use, unemployed state, and previous experience of EMS transport were associated with consecutive and frequent use of EMS transport in frequent users of EMS transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID pandemic placed a spotlight on alcohol use and the hardships of working within the food and beverage industry, with millions left jobless. Following previous studies that have found elevated rates of alcohol problems among bartenders and servers, here we studied the alcohol use of bartenders and servers who were employed during COVID. From February 12-June 16, 2021, in the midst of the U.S. COVID national emergency declaration, survey data from 1,010 employed bartender and servers were analyzed to quantify rates of excessive or hazardous drinking along with regression predictors of alcohol use as assessed by the 10-item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Findings indicate that more than 2 out of 5 (44%) people surveyed reported moderate or high rates of alcohol problem severity (i.e., AUDIT scores of 8 or higher)–a rate 4 to 6 times that of the heavy alcohol use rate reported pre- or mid-pandemic by adults within and outside the industry. Person-level factors (gender, substance use, mood) along with the drinking habits of one's core social group were significantly associated with alcohol use. Bartenders and servers reported surprisingly high rates of alcohol problem severity and experienced risk factors for hazardous drinking at multiple ecological levels. Being a highly vulnerable and understudied population, more studies on bartenders and servers are needed to assess and manage the true toll of alcohol consumption for industry employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects one in four women globally and is more commonly enacted by men than women. Rates of IPV in South Africa exceed the global average. Exploring the background and context regarding why men use violence can help future efforts to prevent IPV. Methods: We explored adult men's perspectives of IPV, livelihoods, alcohol use, gender beliefs, and childhood exposure to abuse through a secondary analysis of qualitative interviews that were conducted in South Africa. The setting was a peri-urban township characterized by high unemployment, immigration from rural areas, and low service provision. We utilized thematic qualitative analysis that was guided by the social ecological framework. Results: Of 30 participants, 20 were residents in the neighborhood, 7 were trained community members, and 3 were program staff. Men reported consumption of alcohol and lack of employment as being triggers for IPV and community violence in general. Multiple participants recounted childhood exposure to abuse. These themes, in addition to culturally prescribed gender norms and constructs of manhood, seemed to influence the use of violence. Conclusion: Interventions aimed at reducing IPV should consider the cultural and social impact on men's use of IPV in low-resource, high-IPV prevalence settings, such as peri-urban South Africa. This work highlights the persistent need for the implementation of effective primary prevention strategies that address contextual and economic factors in an effort to reduce IPV that is primarily utilized by men directed at women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alcohol consumption has become very common among adolescents in recent years and its prevalence varies in different countries. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of alcohol consumption and related factors in adolescents aged 11 to 16 years. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 288385 adolescents (girls, 53.9% of total) aged 11 to 16 years. In the present study, the GSHS data (2003–2018) available to public on the websites of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO was used. To investigate the factors affecting alcohol consumption, univariate and multivariate logistics models with 95% confidence limits were used. Results: The overall prevalence of alcohol consumption in adolescents was 25.2%, which was 28.3% and 22.4% in boys and girls, respectively. Among the surveyed countries, the highest prevalence was in Seychelles (57.9%) and the lowest in Tajikistan (0.7). Multivariate analysis showed that the Age for 16 and more than 16 years old (OR = 3.08,95%CI: 2.54–3.74), truancy for more than 10 days (OR = 1.24, 95%CI: 1.08–1.43), loneliness at sometimes of the times (OR = 1.04, 95%CI: 1.01–1.07), insomnia at most of the times (OR = 1.85, 95%CI: 1.70–2.01), daily activity (OR = 1.03, 95%CI: 1.00–1.07), bullied for 1–9 Days in a month (OR = 1.24, 95%CI: 1.09–1.40), cigarette (OR = 4.01, 95%CI: 3.86–4.17), used marijuana for more than 10 days in a month (OR = 5.58, 95%CI: 4.59–7.78), had sex (OR = 2.76, 95%CI: 2.68–2.84), and suicide plan (OR = 1.48, 95%CI: 1.42–1.54) were important factors affecting drinking alcohol. (Table 4). In this study, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 42.79%, 93.96%, 70.80%, and 82.75. Conclusions: According to the results of the present study, the prevalence of alcohol consumption among teenagers was high. Therefore, it is suggested that demographic, family, and psychological factors should be taken into consideration in health programs for the prevention and treatment of alcohol consumption in adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Existing evidence shows that people who report Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are more likely to exhibit health-risk behaviors. However, limited research on this topic pertains to oncology population. We aim to address this knowledge gap by estimating the prevalence of ACEs and investigating their association with self-reported health-risk behaviors among adult cancer survivors living in the U.S. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis using cross-sectional data from the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System ACE module. We included 4,126 adults, aged ≥18 years, with a history of cancer. The outcome variable was self-reported health-risk behaviors, which included cigarette smoking, e-cigarette use, and binge alcohol drinking. Self-reported ACEs history was the primary independent variable, comprised of 11 questions regarding child abuse and dysfunctional households. We conducted descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression to describe the relationship between the ACE history and health-risk behaviors. Results: Overall, 84.2% of cancer survivors self-reported as White, 58.4% were women, and 76.6% were aged 65+ years. Nearly two-thirds of the sample (63.2%) self-reported at least one ACE (prior to age 18) and 21.7% engaged in ≥1 health-risk-behaviors, such as cigarette smoking, binge alcohol drinking, or e-cigarette use. Experiencing ≥3 ACEs was associated with 145% increased odds of reporting at least one health-risk behavior (OR = 2.45, 95% CI [1.78–3.38]) when compared to those without a history of ACEs. Besides, survivors who were younger, divorced, less educated, and had low income had higher odds of reporting at least one health-risk behavior. Conclusions: Overall, a history of ACEs is associated with health-risk behaviors. These all can negatively impact cancer survivors' overall well-being. Early screening for ACE during oncologic visits can be a protective measure for preventing health-risk behaviors among cancer survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Unhealthy alcohol consumption is a severe public health problem. But low to moderate alcohol consumption is associated with high subjective well-being, possibly because alcohol is commonly consumed socially together with friends, who often are important for subjective well-being. Disentangling the health and social complexities of alcohol behavior has been difficult using traditional rating scales with cross-section designs. We aim to better understand these complexities by examining individuals' everyday affective subjective well-being language, in addition to rating scales, and via both between- and within-person designs across multiple weeks. Method: We used daily language and ecological momentary assessment on 908 US restaurant workers (12692 days) over two-week intervals. Participants were asked up to three times a day to "describe your current feelings", rate their emotions, and report their alcohol behavior in the past 24 hours, including if they were drinking alone or with others. Results: Both between and within individuals, language-based subjective well-being predicted alcohol behavior more accurately than corresponding rating scales. Individuals self-reported being happier on days when drinking more, with language characteristic of these days predominantly describing socializing with friends. Between individuals (over several weeks), subjective well-being correlated much more negatively with drinking alone (r = -.29) than it did with total drinking (r = -.10). Aligned with this, people who drank more alone generally described their feelings as sad, stressed and anxious and drinking alone days related to nervous and annoyed language as well as a lower reported subjective well-being. Conclusions: Individuals' daily subjective well-being, as measured via language, in part, explained the social aspects of alcohol drinking. Further, being alone explained this relationship, such that drinking alone was associated with lower subjective well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The factor structure of neuropsychological functioning among a large sample (N = 831) of American youth (ages 12-21 at baseline) was investigated in order to identify an optimal model. Candidate models were selected based on their potential to provide service to the study of adolescent development and the effects of heavy episodic alcohol consumption. Data on neuropsychological functioning were obtained from the NCANDA study. This is a longitudinal community study of the effects of alcohol exposure on neurodevelopment. Three conceptually motivated and one empirically motivated factor analysis model of neuropsychological domains were compared based on penalized-likelihood selection criteria and model fit statistics. Two conceptually-motivated models were found to have adequate fit and pattern invariance to function as a measurement model for the Penn Computerized Neurocognitive Battery (Penn CNB) anchored neuropsychological battery in NCANDA. Corroboration of previous factor analysis models was obtained, in addition to the identification of an alternative factor model that has higher discriminant capacity for neuropsychological domains hypothesized to be most sensitive to alcohol exposure in human adolescents. The findings support the use of a factor model developed originally for the Penn CNB and a model developed specifically for the NCANDA project. The NCANDA 8-Factor Model has conceptual and empirical advantages that were identified in the current and prior studies. These advantages are particularly valuable when applied in alcohol research settings.

Rich nature of social media data offers a great opportunity to examine social worlds of its users. Further to wide range of topics being discussed on social media, alcohol-related content is prevalent on social media and studies have found an association between this content and increased consumption of alcohol, cravings for alcohol and addiction. This study analyses social media data to examine social worlds of risky drinking in Victoria, Australia. This study conducted a scoping literature review and two online surveys, one with the general community and the other with health professionals, to determine key words to search for on social media sites. These keywords were used in a social media analytics tool called Talkwalker to generate quantitative and qualitative data on the social media users and their conversations. NVIVO was used for developing categories and themes in a sample of 172 posts. A total of 1,021 results were obtained from Twitter. The main demographic group found to be involved in conversations about drinking alcohol on Twitter was young fathers aged 25–34 years. The culture of alcohol consumption in Victoria for Twitter users is reflective of Australia's drinking culture within which risky drinking, and in particular binge drinking, is normalised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Alcohol intent (the susceptibility to initiating alcohol use) and alcohol sips (the initiation of alcohol) in youth are a multifactorial puzzle with many components. This research aims to examine the connection between genetic and environmental factors across sex, race and ethnicity. Methods: Data was obtained from the twin hub of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study at baseline (2016–2018). Variance component models were conducted to dissect the additive genetic (A), common (C) and unique environmental (E) effects on alcohol traits. The proportion of the total alcohol phenotypic variation attributable to additive genetic factors is reported as heritability (h2). Results: The sample (n = 1,772) included an approximately equal male-female distribution. The 886 same-sex twin pairs were 60.4% dizygotic (DZ), 39.6% monozygotic (MZ), 65.4% non-Hispanic Whites, 13.9% non-Hispanic Blacks, 10.8% of Hispanics with a mean age of 121.2 months. Overall, genetic predisposition was moderate for alcohol intent (h2= 28%, p =.006) and low for alcohol initiation (h2= 4%, p = 0.83). Hispanics (h2= 53%, p <.0001) and Blacks (h2= 48%, p <.0001) demonstrated higher alcohol intent due to additive genetic factors than Whites (h2= 34%, p <.0001). Common environmental factors explained more variation in alcohol sips in females (c2= 63%, p =.001) than in males (c2= 55%, p =.003). Unique environmental factors largely attributed to alcohol intent, while common environmental factors explained the substantial variation in alcohol initiation. Conclusion: Sex and racial/ethnic disparities in genetic and environmental risk factors for susceptibility to alcohol initiation can lead to significant health disparities. Certain populations may be at greater risk for alcohol use due to their genetic and ecological factors at an early age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]