Public Health最新文献

{"title":"Regional differences in COVID-19 vaccine uptake and their determinants among Swedish older adults","authors":"Yiyi Xu ,&nbsp;Fredrik Nyberg ,&nbsp;Ailiana Santosa ,&nbsp;Ulrika Marking ,&nbsp;Jerker Jonsson ,&nbsp;Magnus Gisslén ,&nbsp;Jonas W. Wastesson ,&nbsp;Kristina Johnell","doi":"10.1016/j.puhe.2025.03.028","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.puhe.2025.03.028","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>Regional differences in vaccine uptake constitute a threat to vaccination efforts. This study investigated factors contributing to such variation in COVID-19 vaccination (throughout the pandemic, including first, sixth dose and a 2023 autumn booster) among adults ≥65 years in Sweden.</div></div><div><h3>Study design</h3><div>This Swedish nationwide register-based cohort study comprised over 2 million older adults. The study periods began on December 27, 2020 for the first dose, February 1, 2022 for the sixth dose, and October 1, 2023 for the seasonal booster dose, ending on January 31, 2024.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We calculated regional age- and sex-standardized vaccine uptake rates over these periods. We used mixed-effects Poisson regression to identify associations between potential predictors (both individual- and regional-level sociodemographic and health-related factors) and vaccine uptake.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The overall uptake was 95 % for the first dose, 66 % for the sixth, and 73 % for the seasonal booster. The time trend for uptake of the first dose was similar among the 21 Swedish regions. However, for the sixth and booster doses, larger, more populous regions were slower and had lower uptake rates. Individual-level factors were stronger predictors for vaccine uptake than regional-level. Male sex, born outside of Sweden, having low income and low education were associated with lower uptakes.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Regional differences in vaccine uptake emerged for subsequent doses as national prioritization and coordination was relaxed. Our findings underscore the importance of minimizing regional variation through targeted interventions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49651,"journal":{"name":"Public Health","volume":"242 ","pages":"Pages 324-331"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143760829","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How is the restrictive vaccine vial opening policy of the childhood vaccination programme experienced by health care workers and health facility users? A qualitative study in rural Guinea-Bissau","authors":"Julie Odgaard Vedel ,&nbsp;Jailson Sydenei Dias Martins ,&nbsp;Igualdino Da Silva Borges ,&nbsp;Quique Bassat ,&nbsp;Ane Bærent Fisker ,&nbsp;Maria Maixenchs","doi":"10.1016/j.puhe.2025.02.038","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.puhe.2025.02.038","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>Any remaining doses of unpreserved multi-dose vaccines must be discarded 6 h after reconstitution. In many countries, these multi-dose vaccines are only opened if a certain number of children are present. In Guinea-Bissau, this results in health facilities (HFs) limiting BCG, measles, and yellow fever vaccinations to predefined days.</div><div>This study aims to explore views, perceptions and experiences of caregivers of vaccine-eligible children and health care workers (HCWs) on the vaccination programme and restrictive vial opening policy (RVOP).</div></div><div><h3>Study design</h3><div>A qualitative study nested within an ongoing vaccine trial in rural Guinea-Bissau.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Focus group discussions (FGDs) and semi-structured interviews were conducted in the regions Biombo, Oio, and Farim and a thematic networks analysis was performed.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Vaccines were well considered, and no caregivers (n = 29, 4 FGDs) or HCWs (n = 9), expressed negative perceptions of vaccines.</div><div>Most caregivers reported several difficulties in seeking and obtaining vaccinations, especially unpreserved multi-dose vaccines, including vaccine stock-outs, HCW strikes, cost/availability of transportation, and waiting time at HFs. Many stated returning to the same HFs repeatedly was their only option for obtaining vaccinations.</div><div>Most HCWs perceived the RVOP as a logical result of limited vaccine availability but balancing vaccine uptake and dose wastage negatively affected their sense of purpose and job satisfaction.</div><div>To optimize the vaccination process, many participants recommended abandoning the RVOP, and allocating more resources to the HFs.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The RVOP afflicts both caregivers and HCWs and is one of several persisting barriers for vaccinations in rural Guinea-Bissau that should be addressed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49651,"journal":{"name":"Public Health","volume":"242 ","pages":"Pages 332-339"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143760830","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Global and regional burden of breast cancer attributable to high BMI, 1990–2036: A comprehensive analysis","authors":"Yuzhou Cai ,&nbsp;Ying Ye ,&nbsp;Jingxian Qian","doi":"10.1016/j.puhe.2025.03.025","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.puhe.2025.03.025","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study aimed to assess global, regional, and national trends in breast cancer burden attributable to high body mass index (BMI) from 1990 to 2021 and provide projections up to 2036 using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 study.</div></div><div><h3>Study design</h3><div>Systematic analysis of the GBD 2021 dataset.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We extracted high BMI-related breast cancer data from the GBD 2021 dataset, covering 204 countries and territories. Age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR), disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) were calculated to analyze temporal patterns and regional differences. Future trends were projected using the Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) model.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In 2021, high BMI contributed to 44,707 breast cancer deaths and 1,041,309 DALYs globally, reflecting a 138.5 % and 142.7 % increase, respectively, compared to 1990. While global age-standardized mortality and DALY rates remained relatively stable, the absolute burden significantly increased, particularly in low- and middle-SDI regions. High-SDI regions exhibited the highest age-standardized rates, but low-SDI regions showed the fastest growth. Projections indicate that the global burden of breast cancer due to high BMI will continue to rise until 2036, driven by increasing obesity rates and insufficient healthcare resources.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>High body mass index is a major driver of the global breast cancer burden, showing increasing trends not only in high-income regions but more prominently in low-SDI regions. Effective strategies, including public health interventions targeting obesity management, are needed to control the rising burden.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49651,"journal":{"name":"Public Health","volume":"242 ","pages":"Pages 340-351"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143760828","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antibiotic prescribing patterns in the community and primary care settings through a gender lens: A systematic review","authors":"Muhammad Asaduzzaman ,&nbsp;Md. Zamiur Rahaman ,&nbsp;Sadia Afrin ,&nbsp;Rifat Ara ,&nbsp;Seemab Mehmood ,&nbsp;Elena Boriani ,&nbsp;KM Saif-Ur-Rahman","doi":"10.1016/j.puhe.2025.03.020","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.puhe.2025.03.020","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>Gender differences affect exposure to infections, including drug-resistant ones. However, data on the relationship between gender and antibiotic use are limited. This systematic review examines gender differences in antibiotic prescribing patterns in community and primary care settings.</div></div><div><h3>Study design</h3><div>Systematic review.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We searched Web of Science (Core Collection), PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Database, and EMBASE for studies published between January 2014 and April 2024. We included studies of any design that analyzed antibiotic prescribing patterns for patients consulting general practitioners. We excluded studies that did not examine gender differences, unpublished reports, and non-English articles. We conducted a narrative synthesis of the findings. The review is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023476119).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Our search identified 12,853 citations, from which we included 11 studies conducted in 10 countries. Most studies (n = 7) were cross-sectional. Gender analysis of antibiotic prescribing in the included studies did not show a consistent pattern in the likelihood of antibiotic prescription based on gender. The most commonly prescribed antibiotics were azithromycin, amoxicillin, cephalexins, penicillin, clarithromycin, and metronidazole, primarily for respiratory infections, sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, COVID-19, skin, and musculoskeletal diseases. Most studies did not report dose compliance.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Our systematic review identifies gender as a factor in antibiotic prescribing that remains insufficiently explored. Further research and policy discussions are needed to examine global prescribing patterns through a gender lens.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49651,"journal":{"name":"Public Health","volume":"242 ","pages":"Pages 311-318"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143747485","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Residential greenness exposure and repeatedly measured hyperglycemic markers in women with gestational diabetes mellitus: A birth cohort study in Foshan, China","authors":"Man He ,&nbsp;Qingmei Lin ,&nbsp;Xi Su ,&nbsp;Yushi Liu ,&nbsp;Weidong Luo ,&nbsp;Zilong Zhang ,&nbsp;Huaicai Zeng ,&nbsp;Hualiang Lin ,&nbsp;Xiaoling Guo ,&nbsp;Yin Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.puhe.2025.03.024","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.puhe.2025.03.024","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To investigate the association between residential greenness exposure and repeatedly measured hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels during pregnancy in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).</div></div><div><h3>Study design</h3><div>This was a cohort study.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study was conducted in Foshan City, Southern China from January 1, 2016 to August 31, 2022. Women with GDM who had two HbA1c measurements during their pregnancy were included in the analysis. Residential greenness was assessed using the satellite-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) in different buffer areas. Multivariable linear regression models were used to investigate the associations between residential greenness exposure and glycemic levels during middle and late pregnancy. Linear mixed-effect models were used to analyze the association between greenness exposure and repeatedly measured glycemic levels.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among 5,814 pregnant women with GDM, the mean HbA1c levels were 5.04 (±0.54) % and 5.39 (±0.57) % in middle and late pregnancy, respectively. Greenness exposure before and throughout pregnancy was associated with decreased HbA1c levels from middle to late pregnancy. In the adjusted models, each 0.1 increase in NDVI and EVI value was associated with a 0.01 % (95 % confidence interval [CI]: −0.02 %, −0.01 %) to 0.03 % (95 % CI: −0.04 %, −0.01 %) decrease in HbA1c levels during middle and late pregnancy. Similar findings were observed in a longitudinal analysis of the associations between greenness exposure and HbA1c levels.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Greater residential greenness exposure was associated with lower HbA1c levels from middle to late pregnancy in women with GDM.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49651,"journal":{"name":"Public Health","volume":"242 ","pages":"Pages 304-310"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143747031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of alcohol control policy on assaults and sexual assaults in Lithuania: An interrupted time-series analysis","authors":"Laura Miščikienė ,&nbsp;Huan Jiang ,&nbsp;Alexander Tran ,&nbsp;Jürgen Rehm ,&nbsp;Mindaugas Štelemėkas ,&nbsp;Shannon Lange","doi":"10.1016/j.puhe.2025.03.027","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.puhe.2025.03.027","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>The aim of the current study was to test the impact of three alcohol control policy enactments (in 2008, 2017 and 2018) on assaults and sexual assaults in Lithuania. The hypothesis tested was that alcohol control policy implementation is associated with a reduction in the occurrence of both assaults and sexual assaults.</div></div><div><h3>Study design</h3><div>An interrupted time-series analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>To estimate the unique impact of three alcohol control policies, interrupted time-series analyses were conducted. Three alcohol policy enactments, based on the World Health Organization “best buys” framework, and the following stringent criteria: (1) pricing policies had to have resulted in decreased affordability, defined in terms of the price of alcohol increasing at a higher degree than average disposable income; or (2) availability policies that aimed to reduce alcohol use for a large portion of the general population were selected for evaluation.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The alcohol control policy implemented in 2017 was statistically significantly associated with a reduction of 29.9 % (exp(-0.35379)-1) in the rate of sexual assaults, after adjusting for the financial recession and COVID-19-related lockdowns and smooth functions of time.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Study provides evidence that alcohol control policies, particularly those focusing on major alcohol tax increases that reduces alcohol affordability can contribute to reducing rates of sexual assault. The current findings, along with the consistent evidence linking alcohol use to sexual violence, supports the need for comprehensive strategies for mitigating violence to include alcohol.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49651,"journal":{"name":"Public Health","volume":"242 ","pages":"Pages 319-323"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143747032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Family socioeconomic status and home nurture environment in early childhood development: A mediation analysis in children under three in rural China","authors":"Chunan Li ,&nbsp;Rui Chang ,&nbsp;Mengna Wei ,&nbsp;Yanfen Jiang ,&nbsp;Jianduan Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.puhe.2025.03.018","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.puhe.2025.03.018","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>Previous research has highlighted the impact of household socio-economic status (SES) and caregiving quality on child development. However, studies examining the dual effects of SES and parenting quality on early childhood development (ECD) outcomes in rural Chinese populations are limited. This study explores the mediating role of the home nurture environment in the relationship between SES and ECD outcomes in rural areas.</div></div><div><h3>Study Design</h3><div>ECD data were collected from 529 children aged 12–36 months in rural villages of Hubei province, China. The study investigates how the home nurture environment (HNE) mediates the relationship between SES and ECD.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The Child Home Nurture Environment Scales (CHNES), the Chinese version of Ages &amp; Stages Questionnaires, Third Edition (ASQ-C), and some socioeconomic indicators were used to assess HNE, ECD outcomes, and SES, respectively. Mediation models were applied to analyze the mediating effect.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The HNE accounted for 19.4 % of the total effect of SES on overall developmental delay. Specific subscales of the CHNES revealed that HNE explained 24.3 % of the effect on Social Adaptation/Self-Care, 13.9 % on Language/Cognition, and 11.1 % on Parental Warmth. Furthermore, HNE mediated the relationship between SES and the number of delayed developmental domains. In subgroup analyses, the mediating effect of HNE was stronger in girls, particularly within the Social Adaptation/Self-Care subscale, where it mediated 36.3 % of the total effect.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The development of children aged under three from low-SES households may be improved through fostering independent skills and encouraging daily exploration of their surroundings, particularly for girls.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49651,"journal":{"name":"Public Health","volume":"242 ","pages":"Pages 278-284"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143747033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Higher cumulative blood pressure is associated with increased risk of incident stroke but not heart disease among middle-aged and older Chinese adults: A prospective cohort study","authors":"Qingqing Jiang ,&nbsp;Yan Guo ,&nbsp;Rongxia Zhong ,&nbsp;Linlin Wang ,&nbsp;Yiling Lou ,&nbsp;Shen Huang ,&nbsp;Yulin Xie ,&nbsp;Furong Wang ,&nbsp;Shiyi Cao","doi":"10.1016/j.puhe.2025.03.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.puhe.2025.03.012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To examine the associations of cumulative systolic blood pressure (SBP)/diastolic blood pressure (DBP)/pulse pressure (PP) with the incident heart disease and stroke, as well as the dose-response relationship between them.</div></div><div><h3>Study design</h3><div>Longitudinal prospective cohort study.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The present cohort was drawn from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study during 2011–2018. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the cumulative incidence of heart disease and stroke by quartiles of cumulative BP among participants, and the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for heart diseases and stroke risk associated with the cumulative BP were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. Restricted cubic spline plots were used to elucidate the dose–response relationship.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>After adjusting for multiple covariates, higher levels of cumulative SBP/DBP were found to be associated with the increased risk of incident stroke (HR for cumulative SBP: 2.11, 95% CI: 1.31–3.41; HR for cumulative DBP: 1.97, 95% CI: 1.25–3.11), but not heart diseases (HR for cumulative SBP: 1.21, 95% CI: 0.83–1.78; HR for cumulative DBP: 1.17, 95% CI:0.81–1.68). In stratified analyses, we found that age modified the positive association between high cumulative DBP and incident stroke, which more evident in subjects younger than 65 years. Besides, cumulative BP had no nonlinear dose-response relationship with the risk of heart diseases or stroke (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These findings suggested that higher levels of cumulative SBP/DBP increased the risk of incident stroke, while no significant association was observed for incident heart disease and cumulative BP level.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49651,"journal":{"name":"Public Health","volume":"242 ","pages":"Pages 291-298"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143747486","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role and needs of teachers/schools in infection prevention and control post COVID-19","authors":"Rita Ochili ,&nbsp;Sarah Leaver ,&nbsp;Libby Eastwood ,&nbsp;Chloe Dyer ,&nbsp;Esther Taborn ,&nbsp;Jude Robinson ,&nbsp;Colin S. Brown ,&nbsp;Donna M. Lecky","doi":"10.1016/j.puhe.2025.03.022","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.puhe.2025.03.022","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>COVID-19 highlighted the importance of infection prevention and control (IPC) across all settings. This study aimed to understand current teacher IPC knowledge and measures in schools, the teacher's role in infectious disease outbreaks in schools, school/teachers' needs around IPC, and how all these may have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic.</div></div><div><h3>Study design</h3><div>This was a mixed-method cross-sectional study with teachers from England.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Quantitative data was collected via an online survey and qualitative data via focus group interviews. Survey questions were reviewed using descriptive analysis, and thematic analysis was used for the open-ended survey questions and focus group interviews.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 1000 teachers completed the survey across a range of teaching roles; 8 headteachers participated in the workshops.</div><div>Respondents reported that IPC measures are now less frequently implemented during an infectious disease outbreak than during the pandemic. About 71 % of respondents who have been teaching for at least 2 years (at the time of the survey) said their role has changed since the pandemic; now having more responsibility for pupil health and hygiene, and 72 % of them reported feeling better prepared to deal with a public health outbreak compared to pre-pandemic.</div><div>Furthermore, around 84 % reported they had no IPC training, and 1-in-3 (35 %) had unmet IPC needs.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Schools and teachers play a pivotal role in preventing the spread of communicable disease as highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Training and updated policies would support the educational workforce who feel their needs are not being met.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49651,"journal":{"name":"Public Health","volume":"242 ","pages":"Pages 285-290"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143747034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of loneliness in mediating the relationship between financial strain and mental health: Exploring gender differences in a UK longitudinal study","authors":"Lei Chai ,&nbsp;Senhu Wang ,&nbsp;Zhuofei Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.puhe.2025.03.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.puhe.2025.03.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study explores the association between financial strain and loneliness over time, investigates loneliness as a mediator in the relationship between financial strain and mental health, and examines the influence of gender.</div></div><div><h3>Study design</h3><div>Longitudinal study.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Using data from six waves (2017–2023) of the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS), which includes 34,535 participants (154,316 person-years), this study employs fixed-effects regression models.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Financial strain is significantly associated with increased loneliness over time (b = .155, <em>p</em> &lt; .001). Loneliness partially mediates the relationship between financial strain and mental health, accounting for approximately 15 % of the effect. Notably, the relationship between loneliness and mental health is moderated by gender (b = .120, <em>p</em> &lt; .001), with women experiencing more severe negative effects.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These findings suggest that alleviating financial strain could reduce loneliness and its detrimental effects on mental health. Addressing financial and social stressors is essential for public health strategies. Implementing gender-sensitive approaches is critical for addressing specific vulnerabilities, particularly among women.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49651,"journal":{"name":"Public Health","volume":"242 ","pages":"Pages 299-303"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143747487","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}