{"title":"The politicization of influenza: partisan changes in flu vaccination before and after COVID-19.","authors":"Evan W Sandlin","doi":"10.1093/pubmed/fdaf004","DOIUrl":"10.1093/pubmed/fdaf004","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Democrats are more likely to be vaccinated for COVID-19 than Republicans. It is unknown if political polarization surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine has affected flu vaccine uptake. The purpose of this study is to examine the partisan differences in annual flu vaccine uptake before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study uses longitudinal panel survey data from the Understanding America Study (UAS), spanning from 2015 to 2024. Using self-reported flu vaccination and partisanship over time, I estimate the odds ratios of flu vaccination for partisan groups before the COVID-19 pandemic, during the pre-vaccination phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, and after the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In pre-COVID years, the predicted probability of flu vaccination was 0.54 ([0.52,0.56], P < .000) among Republicans and 0.63 ([0.61,0.64], P < .00) among Democrats. After the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine, the average flu vaccination probability was 0.44 ([0.43,0.46], P < .00) among Republicans and 0.61 ([0.59,0.62], P < .00) among Democrats.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The COVID-19 pandemic increased the partisan gap in annual flu vaccination. Researchers should continue to investigate if the partisan gap in other types of vaccinations has grown post-COVID. Practitioners may need to tailor their flu vaccine messaging to vaccine-hesitant political demographics.</p>","PeriodicalId":94107,"journal":{"name":"Journal of public health (Oxford, England)","volume":" ","pages":"317-325"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143054654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shu Kay Ng, Peter Baade, Gary Wittert, Alfred K Lam, Ping Zhang, Saras Henderson, Belinda Goodwin, Joanne F Aitken
{"title":"Sex differences in the impact of multimorbidity on long-term mortality for patients with colorectal cancer: a population registry-based cohort study.","authors":"Shu Kay Ng, Peter Baade, Gary Wittert, Alfred K Lam, Ping Zhang, Saras Henderson, Belinda Goodwin, Joanne F Aitken","doi":"10.1093/pubmed/fdaf012","DOIUrl":"10.1093/pubmed/fdaf012","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Women have better survival than men patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), but the extent to which this is due to multimorbidity is unclear.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A population-based study of 1843 patients diagnosed with CRC in Australia. Data included patient's demographics, multimorbidity, tumour histology, cancer stage, and treatment. We estimated the risks of all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality due to cancer or non-cancer causes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Men had lower survival than women (P ≤ 0.010) amongst those diagnosed at Stages I-III (15-year survival: 56.0% vs 68.0%, 48.5% vs 60.7%, 34.8% vs 47.5%, respectively), excepting Stage IV (14.4% vs 12.6%; P = 0.18). Married men exhibit better survival than those who were never married (P = 0.006). Heart attacks (9.9% vs 4.3%, P < 0.001) and emphysema (4.8% vs 2.1%, P = 0.004) were more prevalent in men than women. Comorbid stroke and high cholesterol (adjusted hazard ratio, AHR = 2.22, 95% confidence interval, CI = 1.17-4.21, P = 0.014) and leukaemia (AHR = 6.36, 95% CI = 3.08-13.1, P < 0.001) increased the risk of cancer death for men only. For women, diabetes increased the risk of all-cause death (AHR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.02-1.86, P = 0.039) and high blood pressure increased the risk of death due to non-cancer causes (AHR = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.36-2.94, P < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Separate models of CRC care are needed for men and women with consideration of multimorbidity and social factors.</p>","PeriodicalId":94107,"journal":{"name":"Journal of public health (Oxford, England)","volume":" ","pages":"132-143"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12123309/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143191648","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Suicide and suicidality surveillance in military populations: a scoping review.","authors":"S Hodges, A Ramage, C Meurk, E Heffernan","doi":"10.1093/pubmed/fdaf026","DOIUrl":"10.1093/pubmed/fdaf026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Suicide and suicidality are a serious public health concern for military populations globally. Systematic surveillance is a key component to creating an evidence base for prevention strategies. The aim of this scoping review is to map how suicide and suicidality is surveilled in military populations, and to summarize key inclusions, limitations and gaps.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A scoping review of four databases (PubMed, PsychInfo, ProQuest and CINAHL) and a targeted grey literature search of official military websites using Google was conducted using variations of the search terms 'Suicidality,' 'Military' and 'Surveillance'. Sources that referenced systematic, population-level data collection on suicide and/or suicidality in active duty military personnel, written in English with any publication date, were considered. Sources that used veteran and part-time personnel data were excluded, as were sources that focused exclusively on subsets of the population such as one job role or one overseas deployment rotation. Descriptive analysis was conducted, comparing sources across surveillance type, data collection and usages, and limitations and author recommendations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty-six articles were identified by the search criteria. Most sources were from the USA (n = 14), and publication dates ranged from 1968 to 2023. The most common surveillance systems were military mortality databases focused on death by suicide. Ideation, non-suicidal self-injury and suicide attempts were under-surveilled, as were event and outcome characteristics. Best-practice guidelines were unable to be determined due to the heterogeneity of systems and paucity of published details.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study was the first scoping review to map the application of surveillance systems specifically in military populations. We identified an over-reliance on mortality databases, a paucity of surveillance of non-fatal suicidality and opportunities for improvement including enhanced data collection and the integration of lived experience perspectives. The findings of this review contribute new knowledge to the field and have important research and practical implications.</p>","PeriodicalId":94107,"journal":{"name":"Journal of public health (Oxford, England)","volume":" ","pages":"169-178"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12123316/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143559748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Implementing targeted vaccination activities to address inequalities in vaccination: a qualitative study.","authors":"Fay Bradley, Pauline A Nelson, Jo Dumville","doi":"10.1093/pubmed/fdaf006","DOIUrl":"10.1093/pubmed/fdaf006","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>As the UK COVID-19 vaccination programme progressed, greater emphasis was placed on the implementation of localized targeted vaccination activities to address inequalities in vaccination coverage. This study examines one UK region's approach to the delivery of targeted vaccination activities and identifies key factors influencing implementation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Qualitative interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of key individuals involved in vaccination delivery across Greater Manchester (GM). A rapid analysis approach was adopted. A template based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research helped to guide analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty-seven participants were interviewed, from nine of the 10 GM localities. All areas planned to implement targeted vaccination activity, but size and scope varied. Five factors influencing the implementation of targeted vaccination approaches were identified: (i) integrated working; (ii) data availability and monitoring, (iii) engagement with populations and communities, (iv) resources and infrastructure, and (v) external policies and procedures.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study provides wider lessons for future public health interventions around the need for collaborative working, adequately resourced community engagement, appropriate data, long-term workforce/system planning and coherence in policy and messaging. These findings have led to the generation of six key insights for the implementation of future targeted vaccination programmes.</p>","PeriodicalId":94107,"journal":{"name":"Journal of public health (Oxford, England)","volume":" ","pages":"258-267"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12123307/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143054513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
L Quinn, D Yu, M Lynch, K P Jordan, R Wilkie, G Peat
{"title":"An application of matching algorithms to generalize small-area estimates of chronic pain prevalence to neighbourhoods across England.","authors":"L Quinn, D Yu, M Lynch, K P Jordan, R Wilkie, G Peat","doi":"10.1093/pubmed/fdaf002","DOIUrl":"10.1093/pubmed/fdaf002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Local decision-makers lack granular data on the prevalence of chronic pain in their populations. We applied matching methods to generalize estimates from one local survey in England to other neighborhoods across the country with a similar sociodemographic composition.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used propensity score matching to match lower-layer super output areas (LSOA) across England with 230 surveyed LSOAs in North Staffordshire by age, sex, ethnicity, deprivation, and rurality. LSOA-specific crude prevalence of chronic pain and high-impact chronic pain in adults aged 35+ years were estimated and mapped for matched LSOAs.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Satisfactory matching was achieved for 24 871 of 31 580 LSOAs (79%). The 6709 LSOAs identified as either \"off common support\" or unmatched were principally inner-city neighborhoods with younger, more ethnically diverse populations. LSOA-specific estimates of chronic pain and high impact chronic pain ranged from 14% to 52% and from 4% to 31% respectively. Integrated Care Board estimates ranged from 27% to 38% and from 10% to 18%, respectively. Estimates for England were 31.9% and 12.6%, respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Using matching methods we have produced the first detailed map of the distribution of chronic pain in England but with several strong assumptions. Our estimates highlight substantial variation in prevalence within ICBs.</p>","PeriodicalId":94107,"journal":{"name":"Journal of public health (Oxford, England)","volume":" ","pages":"355-363"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12123305/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143030586","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Evdoxia Valavani, Vasilis Bellos, Fani Apostolidou-Kiouti, Alexis Benos, Elias Kondilis
{"title":"All-cause excess mortality following Storm Daniel flood event in Greece.","authors":"Evdoxia Valavani, Vasilis Bellos, Fani Apostolidou-Kiouti, Alexis Benos, Elias Kondilis","doi":"10.1093/pubmed/fdaf015","DOIUrl":"10.1093/pubmed/fdaf015","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Storm Daniel, characterized as the most severe 21st century flood event in Greece, struck the Regions of Thessaly and Central Greece in early September 2023, resulting in 17 reported direct fatalities.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study evaluated all-cause excess mortality in the prefectures of Fthiotida, Karditsa/Trikala and Magnesia affected by Storm Daniel. We compared weekly deaths during the first week and the 90 days following the flood, to expected deaths based on historical trends 2015-2019.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>During the week of the flooding event, Fthiotida, Karditsa/Trikala and Magnesia prefectures experienced mortality increases of 57% (95%CI: 19%-95%), 40% (95%CI: 13%-66%) and 39% (95%CI: 7%-70%) over expected levels, respectively. A total of 54 (95% CI: 31-77) excess deaths were recorded during the week of Storm Daniel's landfall, with the cumulative number of excess deaths reaching to 335 (95% CI: 250-420) over subsequent 90 days.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Conventional approaches that focus solely on immediate and direct flood fatalities underestimate the overall and actual health risks faced by flood-affected communities. Floods have complex and long-term health effects, necessitating continuous monitoring of the affected communities.</p>","PeriodicalId":94107,"journal":{"name":"Journal of public health (Oxford, England)","volume":" ","pages":"217-221"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12123314/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143412109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Claire Nickerson, Suzanne Wright, Lucy Pickering, Lee Adams, Nagamani Mandli, Nick Hex, Cameron Collins, Anne Webb, Jeffery Rayment, Karen Emery-Downing, Rebecca Maclean
{"title":"Quantitative analysis of 'virtual' SSP assessment clinics in the NHS bowel cancer screening programme in England.","authors":"Claire Nickerson, Suzanne Wright, Lucy Pickering, Lee Adams, Nagamani Mandli, Nick Hex, Cameron Collins, Anne Webb, Jeffery Rayment, Karen Emery-Downing, Rebecca Maclean","doi":"10.1093/pubmed/fdaf011","DOIUrl":"10.1093/pubmed/fdaf011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Bowel cancer screening in England is initially carried out using a home testing kit, with those who require further testing first being referred to an assessment clinic. During COVID-19, these assessment clinics became 'virtual' (telephone or video-call) where previously they had only been held face-to-face.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>A before and after study design was constructed to examine the impact of this change in clinic type on key programme metrics.</p><p><strong>Results and conclusions: </strong>The data showed fewer people changed their specialist screening practitioner appointments when the modality was virtual, with the virtual group also having higher clinic uptake and shorter times to first offered and first attended clinics.Despite clinical opinion that not being able to physically see a patient would negatively impact diagnostic test quality, suggesting that incomplete tests would rise, referrals to colonoscopy would fall, and bowel preparation quality would suffer, the data did not support any of these suppositions.Whilst the data indicated that diagnostic test uptake was lower in the virtual group, the presence of COVID-19 is likely to have skewed findings.The IT system is being developed to support virtual clinics, which will aid future data analysis/monitoring and assist staff with clinic management.</p>","PeriodicalId":94107,"journal":{"name":"Journal of public health (Oxford, England)","volume":" ","pages":"243-245"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143070559","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"How can Indonesia integrate community engagement with centralized TB control to address diverse challenges?","authors":"Jose Eric M Lacsa","doi":"10.1093/pubmed/fdae213","DOIUrl":"10.1093/pubmed/fdae213","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94107,"journal":{"name":"Journal of public health (Oxford, England)","volume":" ","pages":"e236"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141997135","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Income inequality, healthcare services and quality of life: how socio-economically disadvantaged Filipinos thrive?","authors":"Danilo V Rogayan, Marie Fe D De Guzman","doi":"10.1093/pubmed/fdae220","DOIUrl":"10.1093/pubmed/fdae220","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94107,"journal":{"name":"Journal of public health (Oxford, England)","volume":" ","pages":"e244-e245"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142057707","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Digging deeper into the problem of sexual and reproductive health in the Philippines.","authors":"Melanio L Leal","doi":"10.1093/pubmed/fdae217","DOIUrl":"10.1093/pubmed/fdae217","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94107,"journal":{"name":"Journal of public health (Oxford, England)","volume":" ","pages":"e240"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141997109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}