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Objective. To examine the race-stratified relationships between labor income and health among working-age adults in the United States. Data Sources. Data from eight waves of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics from 1999 through 2013 were used for this study. Study Design. The study utilized a retrospective observational longitudinal design with repeated measures of labor income and health measures. System-generalized method of moment and heteroscedasticity-based instrument regressions were used to examine the relationships between labor income and physical and mental health measures, respectively. Dynamic panel models were used to examine the effect of loss in income on health measures. Data Collection/Extraction Methods. We performed secondary data analysis. Principal Findings. Adults in higher labor income quartiles had better self-rated health than those in the lowest quartile regardless of racial group. The relationship between labor income and psychological distress varied by race groups. Reductions in labor income were associated with increases in psychological distress among whites only. Conclusion. These findings suggest heterogeneous relationships between labor income and overall health across racial groups. Our results highlight the need to provide safety nets for adults who experience a decline in income to prevent deterioration in health. Key Words. Racial/ethnic differences in health, labor income and health economics, The relationship between economic status and health has been documented in the literature (Kawachi and Kennedy 1999; Meer, Miller, and Rosen 2003; Michaud and Van Soest 2008; Hajat et al. [...]

ABSTRACTBackground: The fight against malaria has been effective globally and Saudi Arabia is in the stage of malaria pre-elimination to nearly complete elimination.Aim:The current study assesses the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices towards the prevention of malaria among the residents of the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia.Methods: This was a community-based cross-sectional survey using a structured questionnaire that was developed and distributed among 600 randomly selected households (≥18 years) from 11 sub-regions located in Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. The collected data were analyzed using Stata 15.Results: The majority of respondents were aware that malaria is a deadly disease transmitted by mosquito bites. They were familiar with malaria symptoms and common source of information. Indoor residual spraying (IRS) was the most popular preventive measure, practiced by 68.2% of respondents, followed by repellent and mosquito bed nets. Most respondents indicated that they would prefer to seek malaria treatment from healthcare facilities (80.3%) instead of pharmacy or other alternatives. The level of knowledge about malaria and its prevention differed significantly among various age and educational groups; however, no significant difference was observed across genders.Conclusions: There is appreciable knowledge about malaria symptoms, its transmission, and preventative methods among this Saudi Arabian population but there nevertheless remains a need for increased awareness of effective malaria prevention practices in certain areas. The outcome of the study highlights a growing need for generating innovative local strategies to improve preventative practices in order to meet malaria elimination goals.

ABSTRACTBackground: Osteoporosis is a major health problem in most nations, including Saudi Arabia. Awareness among the Saudi population is essential for early detection, timely treatment and subsequent fracture prevention.Aim: The current study was intended to evaluate the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices towards osteoporosis among the general population residing in Jazan region, south-western Saudi Arabia.Study design: A community-based cross-sectional survey was developed, and a structured questionnaire was distributed among residents of Jazan. Data were collected from 400 male and female participants and analysed using STATA 15.0 software.Results: The data revealed that most of the participants were aware about osteoporosis risks, causes and symptoms. However, knowledge and attitude levels were significantly higher among females and individuals who were <30 years of age. Likewise, knowledge and positive attitude levels were higher among graduates compared to lower education groups. Almost 69.3% of participants were aware of women’s susceptibility towards osteoporosis as compared to men. Most of the participants showed a positive and advisable attitude towards osteoporosis. The practice of osteoporosis-related prevention was found to be very poor, but intake of calcium- and vitamin-rich food was found to be better among participants.Conclusion: An appreciable level of knowledge and positive attitudes towards osteoporosis was observed; however, practices for osteoporosis prevention still need improvement. The obvious gap between the osteoporosis prevention-related knowledge and practice requires innovative strategies based on local evidence to promote and encourage adoption and practice of personal protective measures.