Articles

Two decades of tobacco use prevention and control policies in Cameroon: results from the analysis of non-communicable disease prevention policies in Africa

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the world today. In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) proposed efficient and inexpensive “best buy” interventions for prevention of tobacco use ...

Authors: Clarisse Mapa-Tassou, Cecile Rénée Bonono, Felix Assah, Jennifer Wisdom, Pamela A. Juma, Jean-Claude Katte, Zakariaou Njoumemi, Pierre Ongolo-Zogo, Leopold K. Fezeu, Eugene Sobngwi and Jean Claude Mbanya

The evolution of non-communicable diseases policies in post-apartheid South Africa

Redressing structural inequality within the South African society in the post-apartheid era became the central focus of the democratic government. Policies on social and economic transformation were guided by ...

Authors: Catherine Ndinda, Tidings P. Ndhlovu, Pamela Juma, Gershim Asiki and Catherine Kyobutungi

Non-communicable disease prevention policy process in five African countries authors

The increasing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa is causing further burden to the health care systems that are least equipped to deal with the challenge. Countries are developing...

Authors: Pamela A. Juma, Shukri F. Mohamed, Beatrice L. Matanje Mwagomba, Catherine Ndinda, Clarisse Mapa-tassou, Mojisola Oluwasanu, Oladimeji Oladepo, Opeyemi Abiona, Misheck J. Nkhata, Jennifer P. Wisdom and Jean-Claude Mbanya

Influence of the WHO framework convention on tobacco control on tobacco legislation and policies in sub-Saharan Africa

The World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, enforced in 2005, was a watershed international treaty that stipulated requirements for signatories to govern the production, sale, dist...

Authors: Jennifer P. Wisdom, Pamela Juma, Beatrice Mwagomba, Catherine Ndinda, Clarisse Mapa-Tassou, Felix Assah, Misheck Nkhata, Shukri F. Mohamed, Oladepo Oladimeji, Opeyemi Oladunni, Mojisola Oluwasanu, Saliyou Sanni, Jean-Claude Mbanya and Catherine Kyobutungi

Facilitators and barriers in the formulation and implementation of tobacco control policies in Kenya: a qualitative study

Tobacco use has serious public health implications for both smokers and non-smokers and significant economic implications on health care spending for governments. Tobacco-related deaths are preventable through...

Authors: Shukri F. Mohamed, Pamela Juma, Gershim Asiki and Catherine Kyobutungi

Analysis of tobacco control policies in Nigeria: historical development and application of multi-sectoral action

Tobacco use is a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases and policy formulation on tobacco is expected to engrain international guidelines. This paper describes the historical development of tobacco co...

Authors: Oladimeji Oladepo, Mojisola Oluwasanu and Opeyemi Abiona

Assessment of the multi-sectoral approach to tobacco control policies in South Africa and Togo

Tobacco use is the world’s leading preventable cause of illness and death and the most important risk factor for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases (...

Authors: Saliyou Sanni, Charles Hongoro, Catherine Ndinda and Jennifer P. Wisdom

Alcohol policies in Malawi: inclusion of WHO “best buy” interventions and use of multi-sectoral action

Harmful use of alcohol is one of the most common risk factors for Non-Communicable Diseases and other health conditions such as injuries. World Health Organization has identified highly cost-effective interven...

Authors: Beatrice L. Matanje Mwagomba, Misheck J. Nkhata, Alex Baldacchino, Jennifer Wisdom and Bagrey Ngwira

Multi-sectoral action in non-communicable disease prevention policy development in five African countries

The rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Africa requires a multi-sectoral action (MSA) in their prevention and control. This study aimed to generate evidence on the extent of MSA application in NCD prev...

Authors: Pamela A. Juma, Clarisse Mapa-tassou, Shukri F. Mohamed, Beatrice L. Matanje Mwagomba, Catherine Ndinda, Mojisola Oluwasanu, Jean-Claude Mbanya, Misheck J. Nkhata, Gershim Asiki and Catherine Kyobutungi

Introduction: Non-communicable disease prevention policies in six African countries

Authors: Pamel A. Juma and Jennifer Wisdom

Sero-prevalence of yellow fever and related Flavi viruses in Ethiopia: a public health perspective

Yellow fever (YF) is a viral hemorrhagic fever, endemic in the tropical forests of Africa and Central and South America. The disease is transmitted by mosquitoes infected with the yellow fever virus (YFV). Eth...

Authors: Mesfin Mengesha Tsegaye, Berhane Beyene, Workenesh Ayele, Almaz Abebe, Israel Tareke, Amadou Sall, Sergio Yactayo, Messeret E. Shibeshi, Erin Staples, Desalegn Belay, Abrham Lilay, Abebe Alemu, Emana Alemu, Adugna Kume, Alemnesh H/Mariam, Olivier Ronveaux…

Vaginal washing and lubrication among female sex workers in the Mexico-US border region: implications for the development of vaginal PrEP for HIV prevention

To assess the potential acceptability and inform the development of behaviorally-congruent vaginal douche- or gel-based HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) products, we examined vaginal washing and lubrication...

Authors: Heather A. Pines, Shirley J. Semple, Steffanie A. Strathdee, Craig W. Hendrix, Alicia Harvey-Vera, Pamina M. Gorbach, Carlos Magis-Rodríguez, Gustavo Martinez and Thomas L. Patterson

Time trends and future prediction of coal worker’s pneumoconiosis in opencast coal mine in China based on the APC model

The opencast coal mine is a specific mine differing from the underground mine. There are differences in the way into the ore body, the organization of production, transport technology and other aspects. This s...

Authors: Yuting Li, Wei Xian, Haodi Xu, Jinbin Sun, Bing Han and Hongbo Liu

Pain and self-rated health among middle-aged and older Canadians: an analysis of the Canadian community health survey―healthy aging

Pain is an important health problem adversely affecting functionality and quality of life. Though self- rated health (SRH) is a major predictor of mortality, its relationship with pain is not well understood. ...

Authors: Batholomew Chireh and Carl D’Arcy

How adverse childhood experiences relate to single and multiple health risk behaviours in German public university students: a cross-sectional analysis

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been shown to be linked to health risk behaviours (HRBs). This study aims to identify risk factors for ACEs and to examine the associations between ACEs and single and...

Authors: Jascha Wiehn, Claudia Hornberg and Florian Fischer

Epidemiology of birth defects based on surveillance data from 2011–2015 in Guangxi, China: comparison across five major ethnic groups

The causes of birth defects (BDs) are complex and include genetic and environmental factors and/or their interactions. More research is needed to describe the epidemiology of BDs within specific regions of Chi...

Authors: Jichang Chen, Xuemei Huang, Bo Wang, Yu Zhang, Chokechai Rongkavilit, Dingyuan Zeng, Yongjiang Jiang, Ba Wei, Chawla Sanjay and Eric McGrath

Correction to: Complex multiple risk intervention to promote healthy behaviours in people between 45 to 75 years attended in primary health care (EIRA study): study protocol for a hybrid trial

It has been highlighted the original article (1) contained a typesetting mistake in the authorship, and that author Caterine Vicens was omitted.

Authors: Edurne Zabaleta-del-Olmo, Haizea Pombo, Mariona Pons-Vigués, Marc Casajuana-Closas, Enriqueta Pujol-Ribera, Tomás López-Jiménez, Carmen Cabezas-Peña, Carme Martín-Borràs, Antoni Serrano-Blanco, Maria Rubio-Valera, Joan Llobera, Alfonso Leiva, Caterina Vicens, Clara Vidal, Manuel Campiñez, Remedios Martín-Álvarez…

Population-level factors associated with maternal mortality in the United States, 1997–2012

In contrast to peer nations, the United States is experiencing rapid increases in maternal mortality. Trends in individual and population-level demographic factors and health trends may play a role in this cha...

Authors: Daniel B. Nelson, Michelle H. Moniz and Matthew M. Davis

Social relationships in adolescence and heavy episodic drinking from youth to midlife in Finland and Sweden — examining the role of individual, contextual and temporal factors

Applying the Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) model of the bioecological theory, this study considers whether proximal processes between the individual and the microsystem (social relationships within family...

Authors: Noora Berg, Olli Kiviruusu, Christopher G. Bean, Taina Huurre, Tomi Lintonen and Anne Hammarström

“I aspire to look and feel healthy like the posts convey”: engagement with fitness inspiration on social media and perceptions of its influence on health and wellbeing

Fitspiration is a popular social media trend containing images, quotes and advice related to exercise and healthy eating. This study aimed to 1) describe the types of fitspiration content that users access and...

Authors: Michelle Raggatt, Cassandra J. C. Wright, Elise Carrotte, Rebecca Jenkinson, Kate Mulgrew, Ivanka Prichard and Megan S. C. Lim

Quit outcomes among clients ineligible for cessation medication through the state quitline: a retrospective, observational study

Distribution of tobacco cessation medications through state quitlines increases service utilization and quit outcomes. However, some state quitlines have moved to models in which callers are instructed to obta...

Authors: Adrienne B. Lent, Patrick A. O’Connor, Ryan C. Reikowsky, Uma S. Nair and Melanie L. Bell

The quality of life of Croatian women after mastectomy: a cross-sectional single-center study

Measuring the quality of life (QoL) of women with breast cancer is an important aspect of measuring treatment success. In Croatia, no QoL studies have been carried out with a focus on patients after mastectomy...

Authors: Stana Pačarić, Jozo Kristek, Jure Mirat, Goran Kondža, Tajana Turk, Nikolina Farčić, Želimir Orkić and Ana Nemčić

Correction to: Identifying common barriers and facilitators to linkage and retention in chronic disease care in western Kenya

After the publication of the original article [1], it was highlighted that Fig. 1 was incorrectly labeled.

Authors: Beth Rachlis, Violet Naanyu, Juddy Wachira, Becky Genberg, Beatrice Koech, Regina Kamene, Jackie Akinyi and Paula Braitstein

Low potassium and high sodium intakes: a double health threat to Cape Verdeans

Cape Verde presents a high rate of cardiovascular diseases. Low potassium and high sodium intakes are related to cardiovascular diseases. However, studies regarding these two micronutrients continue to be rare...

Authors: Daniela Alves, Zélia Santos, Miguel Amado, Isabel Craveiro, António Pedro Delgado, Artur Correia and Luzia Gonçalves

Decomposing socioeconomic inequalities in alcohol use by men living in South African urban informal settlements

The prevalence of alcohol consumption among males living in urban settlements in South Africa is high. This paper aims to measure socioeconomic inequalities in alcohol use among men residing in informal settle...

Authors: Nozuko Lawana and Frederik Booysen

Sodium and potassium excretion in an adult Caribbean population of African descent with a high burden of cardiovascular disease

High sodium diets with inadequate potassium and high sodium-to-potassium ratios are a known determinant of hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The Caribbean island of Barbados has a high prevalence ...

Authors: Rachel M. Harris, Angela M. C. Rose, Ian R. Hambleton, Christina Howitt, Nita G. Forouhi, Anselm J. M. Hennis, T. Alafia Samuels and Nigel Unwin

Epidemiology and surveillance of human animal-bite injuries and rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, in selected counties in Kenya, 2011–2016

Human animal-bite injuries are a serious public health problem due to associated risk for rabies virus exposure. Animal-bite injuries especially dog bites are useful indicators for assessing the risk of rabies...

Authors: Jeremiah Ngurimu Ngugi, Alfred Kilango Maza, Owiti Jack Omolo and Mark Obonyo

The role of environmental health in the Basotho male initiation schools: neglected or restricted?

The aim of this paper is to point the Environmental Health (EH) profession in South Africa in the direction of their neglected function. The health inspection of initiation schools is one of the abandoned resp...

Authors: Phoka C. Rathebe

Promoting prompt help-seeking for symptoms – assessing the impact of a gynaecological cancer leaflet on presentations to primary care: a record-based randomised control trial

Information leaflets have been shown to significantly improve awareness of the symptoms of gynaecological cancers and to reduce perceived barriers to seeking medical help. This record-based, parallel, randomis...

Authors: Jackie Campbell, Kirty Vaghela, Stephen Rogers, Michelle Pyer, Alice Simon and Jo Waller

It’s not all about price: factors associated with roll-your-own tobacco use among young people - a qualitative study

Smoking prevalence in Ireland is falling in all age groups, but the prevalence of roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco use is rising among young people. This qualitative study aims to explore and understand the factors...

Authors: Elizabeth Breslin, Joan Hanafin and Luke Clancy

Production diversification, dietary diversity and consumption seasonality: panel data evidence from Nigeria

Despite some improvements towards reducing hunger, malnutrition remains to be a crucial challenge in the developing world. The objective of this paper is to analyze the interplay between production diversity a...

Authors: Habtamu Yesigat Ayenew, Sibhatu Biadigilign, Lena Schickramm, Getachew Abate-Kassa and Johannes Sauer

Migration and health: a global public health research priority

With 244 million international migrants, and significantly more people moving within their country of birth, there is an urgent need to engage with migration at all levels in order to support progress towards ...

Authors: Kolitha Wickramage, Jo Vearey, Anthony B. Zwi, Courtland Robinson and Michael Knipper

Current epidemiology of diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 1 diabetes: a national multicenter study in Brazil

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in economically active populations. The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence and to identify risk factors for diabetic retinopathy in patien...

Authors: Laura Gomes Nunes Melo, Paulo Henrique Morales, Karla Rezende Guerra Drummond, Deborah Conte Santos, Marcela Haas Pizarro, Bianca Senger Vasconcelos Barros, Tessa Cerqueria Lemos Mattos, André Araújo Pinheiro, Felipe Mallmann, Franz Schubert Lopes Leal, Fernando Korn Malerbi and Marilia Brito Gomes

Associations of physical activity and fruit and vegetable intake with well-being and depressive symptoms among obese schoolchildren in Wuhan, China: a cross-sectional study

The prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing and psychological disorder is a common comorbidity of obesity. We investigated the associations of physical activity (PA) and fruit and vegetable (FV) intake w...

Authors: Hong-jie Yu, Fang Li, Yong-feng Hu, Chang-feng Li, Xu-hao Yang, Shuai Yuan, Yao Huang, Bo-wen Tang, Jie Gong and Qi-qiang He

Prevalence of malaria in Woreta town, Amhara region, Northwest Ethiopia over eight years

Data on trends in malaria prevalence is significant to assist efforts in the control and prevention of the disease. This retrospective study was, therefore, aimed to determine the prevalence of malaria in Wore...

Authors: Amir Alelign, Zinaye Tekeste and Beyene Petros

Morbidity profile and sociodemographic characteristics of unaccompanied refugee minors seen by paediatric practices between October 2014 and February 2016 in Bavaria, Germany

This study aimed to investigate the morbidity profile and the sociodemographic characteristics of unaccompanied refugee minors (URM) arriving in the region of Bavaria, Germany, between October 2014 and Februar...

Authors: Teresa Kloning, Thomas Nowotny, Martin Alberer, Michael Hoelscher, Axel Hoffmann and Guenter Froeschl

Is early measles vaccination associated with stronger survival benefits than later measles vaccination?

Measles vaccine (MV) may protect against non-measles mortality. We tested whether survival depended on age of measles vaccination.

Authors: Jesper Sloth Hansen, Sanne Marie Thysen, Amabelia Rodrigues, Cesario Martins and Ane Bærent Fisker

Association between acute methanol poisoning and subsequent mortality: a nationwide study in Taiwan

Methanol poisoning (MP) often causes acute mortality and morbidities; however, the association between MP and subsequent mortality has not been well studied.

Authors: Jui-Yuan Chung, Chung-Han Ho, Yi-Chen Chen, Jiann-Hwa Chen, Hung-Jung Lin, Jhi-Joung Wang, Chien-Chin Hsu and Chien-Cheng Huang

mHealth versus face-to-face: study protocol for a randomized trial to test a gender-focused intervention for young African American women at risk for HIV in North Carolina

Disparities in the prevalence of HIV persist in the southern United States, and young African American women have a disproportionate burden of HIV as compared with young women of other racial/ethnic background...

Authors: Felicia A. Browne, Wendee M. Wechsberg, Paul N. Kizakevich, William A. Zule, Courtney P. Bonner, Ashton N. Madison, Brittni N. Howard and Leslie B. Turner

The effect of a community based health promotion intervention to change gender norms among women in a rural community in Sri Lanka

Gender norms practiced by respective societies increase the risk of violence by men against women. To date, there is a dearth of research evidence on changing gender norms through health promotion approaches a...

Authors: T. Herath, D. Guruge, M. Fernando, S. Jayarathna and L. Senarathna

Associations between psychosocial work environments and social capital: a multilevel analysis study in a Chinese context

Understanding the determinants of social capital is the prerequisite to building social capital. However there was few studies to explore factors related to workplace social capital. We aim to examine associat...

Authors: Junling Gao, Jing Wang, Denglai Yu, Junming Dai, Yongkai Zhu and Hua Fu

Comorbid symptoms of depression and musculoskeletal pain and risk of long term sickness absence

Symptoms of depression and musculoskeletal pain have both been found to be associated with increased risk of long term sickness absence (LTSA). The comorbidity between depression and pain i.e. simultaneous pre...

Authors: Ole Melkevik, Thomas Clausen, Jacob Pedersen, Anne Helene Garde, Andreas Holtermann and Reiner Rugulies

The economic burden of cardiovascular disease and hypertension in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review

The evidence on the economic burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs) remains scarce. We conducted a comprehensive systematic review to establish the magnitude and kn...

Authors: Adrian Gheorghe, Ulla Griffiths, Adrianna Murphy, Helena Legido-Quigley, Peter Lamptey and Pablo Perel

Recommendations for the screening of paediatric latent tuberculosis infection in indigenous communities: a systematic review of screening strategies among high-risk groups in low-incidence countries

Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a global public health concern. Due to the presence of multiple risk factors such as poor housing conditions and food insecurity in Canadian Indigenous communities, this popul...

Authors: Lena Faust, Anne McCarthy and Yoko Schreiber

Gut microbiota, short chain fatty acids, and obesity across the epidemiologic transition: the METS-Microbiome study protocol

While some of the variance observed in adiposity and weight change within populations can be accounted for by traditional risk factors, a new factor, the gut microbiota, has recently been associated with obesi...

Authors: Lara R. Dugas, Louise Lie, Jacob Plange-Rhule, Kweku Bedu-Addo, Pascal Bovet, Estelle V. Lambert, Terrence E. Forrester, Amy Luke, Jack A. Gilbert and Brian T. Layden

Adolescent perceptions of dissuasive sticks: a web survey among 16–20 year olds in Norway

While increasingly stringent rules for cigarette pack design restrict the advertising potential of cigarette packs, the cigarette stick itself remains a potential medium for marketing. Common design features a...

Authors: Ingeborg Lund and Janne Scheffels

Ideas for addressing electronic harassment among adolescents attending a video blogging convention

Electronic harassment affects 20–40% of adolescents and has been associated with significant negative outcomes including physical (ex. headache, abdominal pain), psychological (ex. depression, anxiety), and ps...

Authors: Ellen Selkie, Yolanda Evans, Adrienne Ton, Nikita Midamba and Megan A. Moreno

Exploring motivation to notify and barriers to partner notification of sexually transmitted infections in South Africa: a qualitative study

This article will review qualitative data from intervention-based counselling sessions to explore barriers to partner notification (PN) for South African men and women who have contracted sexually transmitted ...

Authors: Julia M. Wood, Jane Harries, Moira Kalichman, Seth Kalichman, Koena Nkoko and Catherine Mathews

Who perceives a higher personal risk of developing type 2 diabetes? A cross-sectional study on associations between personality traits, health-related behaviours and perceptions of susceptibility among university students in Denmark

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is on the rise among young adults (aged 20–39 years). A challenge for health risk communication is that young adults may not be aware or lack acknowledgement of their personal risk of dev...

Authors: Lotte Skøt, Jesper Bo Nielsen and Anja Leppin

Improving the healthcare response to domestic violence and abuse in primary care: protocol for a mixed method evaluation of the implementation of a complex intervention

Domestic violence and abuse remains a major health concern. It is unknown whether the improved healthcare response to domestic violence and abuse demonstrated in a cluster randomised controlled trial of IRIS (Ide...

Authors: Alex Hardip Sohal, Gene Feder, Estela Barbosa, Lee Beresford, Anna Dowrick, Farah El-Shogri, Annie Howell, Natalia Lewis, Medina Johnson, Claire Nightingale, Kambiz Boomla, Stephen Morris, Sandra Eldridge and Chris Griffiths