Reductions in the United Kingdom's Government Housing Benefit and Symptoms of Depression in Low-Income Households.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Reeves A
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5023793 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:ObjectiveWe aimed to evaluate the association between household food insecurity and maternal depression in Ethiopia. Design/Setting/Subjects In 2014, we conducted a cross-sectional study in southern Ethiopia, including 591 food-secure and 2500 food-insecure households. We measured depression status of women using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 validated for Ethiopia, with a cut-off of ≥5. We evaluated household-level food insecurity using a validated Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. We applied Bayesian modelling to evaluate the relationship between food insecurity and maternal depression accounting for other observed characteristics.ResultsAmong the analytic sample, 80·8 (95 % CI 79·4, 82·2) % of women were living in food-insecure households. The overall prevalence of probable depression (mild and moderate forms) was 4·7 (95 % CI 4·1, 5·6) %. All individual depressive symptoms had a significantly higher prevalence in the food-insecure group, except for suicidal ideation (but small numbers; P<0·001). In the Bayesian model adjusting for paternal characteristics, there was a significant dose-response linear relationship (trend) between household food insecurity and maternal depression (P<0·01). The adjusted OR (95 % Bayesian credible interval) for depression for differing levels of food insecurity were: mild food insecurity, 3·29 (1·63, 6·18); moderate, 3·82 (1·91, 7·45); severe, 12·50 (3·38, 32·70).ConclusionsThe study documented a high burden of depression among women who lived in food-insecure households. Given this finding, we recommend integrating mental health in the livelihood programmes in areas suffering from food insecurity.
| S-EPMC10260902 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Epidemiological efforts to model the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, are crucial to understanding and containing current and future outbreaks and to inform public health responses. Mutations that occur in viral genomes can alter virulence during outbreaks by increasing infection rates and helping the virus evade the host immune system. To understand the changes in viral genomic diversity and molecular epidemiology in Oxford during the first wave of infections in the United Kingdom, we analyzed 563 clinical SARS-CoV-2 samples via whole-genome sequencing using Nanopore MinION sequencing. Large-scale surveillance efforts during viral epidemics are likely to be confounded by the number of independent introductions of the viral strains into a region. To avoid such issues and better understand the selection-based changes occurring in the SARS-CoV-2 genome, we utilized local isolates collected during the UK's first national lockdown whereby personal interactions, international and national travel were considerably restricted and controlled. We were able to track the short-term evolution of the virus, detect the emergence of several mutations of concern or interest, and capture the viral diversity of the region. Overall, these results demonstrate genomic pathogen surveillance efforts have considerable utility in controlling the local spread of the virus.
| S-EPMC8564533 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectivesTo investigate Black-White disparities in suboptimal sleep and cardiometabolic health by government-assisted rental housing status.DesignNational Health Interview Survey (NHIS) pooled cross-sectional data (2004-2016).SettingUnited States.ParticipantsBlack and White adult participants (n = 80,880).MeasurementsPoisson regression with robust variance was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals for self-reported unrecommended (<6 hours), short (≤6-<7 hours), and long (>9 hours) sleep duration (each separately vs recommended (≤7-9 hours)) and sleep difficulties (eg, trouble falling/staying asleep ≥3 days/week) (yes vs no) among Blacks compared to Whites within rental housing categories (government-assisted vs unassisted), separately, for men and women. Within sex/housing categories, we applied the same approach to compare cardiometabolic health outcomes (ie, overweight/obesity, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, stroke) between Blacks with worse sleep and Whites with recommended sleep. Models were adjusted for age and other potential confounders.ResultsParticipants' mean age was 42 ± 18 years, 57% were female, and 30% Black. Blacks in unassisted housing had a higher prevalence of unrecommended and short sleep (PR = 1.22 [1.15-1.30] -men, PR = 1.14 [1.08-1.21] -women) compared to their White counterparts (phousing⁎race = 0.001 -men, phousing⁎race = 0.008 -women), but no Black-White differences (PR = 0.88 [0.73-1.07] -men, PR = 0.98 [0.89-1.09] -women) were observed among government-assisted renters. Generally, Blacks were less likely to report sleep difficulties than Whites. Cardiometabolic health disparities between Blacks with worse sleep and Whites with recommended sleep were generally smaller among government-assisted renters, but relationships varied by sex.ConclusionsThere were no racial disparities in short sleep duration, and cardiometabolic health disparities were generally attenuated when Blacks and Whites resided in government-assisted rental housing.
| S-EPMC6700739 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundHealthcare professionals play a key role in supporting physical activity participation for people with lower limb absence.ObjectivesThe objectives of this study were to survey healthcare professionals' views of people with lower limb absence in the United Kingdom, explore their awareness and knowledge of physical activity recommendations and investigate their current and desirable practice towards physical activity promotion.Study designCross-sectional study.MethodsPotential participants were identified from open-access health-related databases, educational institution databases, and the authors' professional networks. An online 40-item questionnaire was distributed electronically and by post. Survey items were multiple choice, Likert-type scale or open-ended questions to explore the characteristics of healthcare professionals, awareness/knowledge of physical activity guidelines, current and desired practice and views on physical activity promotion.ResultsIn total, 106 people responded. Physiotherapists had greater awareness/knowledge of physical activity guidelines compared to prosthetists/orthotists and other respondents. Awareness/knowledge of guidelines decreased as age, experience and time since qualification increased. The most common source of knowledge was self-directed learning.ConclusionContinuing and improving education on the content of physical activity guidelines may be helpful for healthcare professionals in promoting physical activity to those with lower limb absence.Clinical relevanceThis research aims to inform prosthetic rehabilitation professionals and academics about an under-researched area within physical activity for health. This knowledge could help develop interventions with the aim of improving physical activity promotion and participation, and ultimately the health and well-being of people with limb absence.
| S-EPMC7594372 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Maternal depression was recently conceptualized as a network of interacting symptoms. Prior studies have shown that low self-efficacy, as an index of maternal functioning, is one important source of stress that worsens depression. We have limited information, however, on the specific relationships between depression symptoms and self-efficacy. In this study, we used regularized partial correlation networks to explore the multivariate relationships between maternal depression symptoms and self-efficacy over time. Depressed mothers (n = 306) completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale at four time points, between four and eight weeks apart. We estimated (a) the network structure of the 20 CES-D depression symptoms and self-efficacy for each time point, (b) determined the centrality or structural importance of all variables, and (c) tested whether the network structure changed over time. In the resulting networks, self-efficacy was mostly negatively connected with depression symptoms. The strongest relationships among depression symptoms were 'lonely-sleep difficulties' and 'inability to get going-crying'. 'Feeling disliked' and 'concentration difficulty' were the two most central symptoms. In comparing the network structures, we found that the network structures were moderately stable over time. This is the first study to investigate the network structure and their temporal stability of maternal depression symptoms and self-efficacy in low-income depressed mothers. We discuss how these findings might help future research to identify clinically relevant symptom-to-symptom relationships that could drive maternal depression processes, and potentially inform tailored interventions. We share data and analytical code, making our results fully reproducible.
| S-EPMC5779701 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The emergency food system (EFS) is a critical part of the United States' social safety net. Using 2015-2020 Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement data, we identified trends in EFS use among food insecure, low-income households by estimating the probability of EFS use adjusting for demographics using multivariable logistic regression. From 2015-2019, between 31.0% and 34.4% of households received emergency food, while 42.4% did in 2020. EFS use did not increase in 2020 compared to prior years for older adults and non-metropolitan households. Targeted outreach should be used to expand the reach of this resource to underserved and marginalized populations."
| S-EPMC10002470 | biostudies-literature
Project description:A lack of affordable housing is a pressing issue for many low-income American families and can lead to eviction from their homes. Housing assistance programs to address this problem include public housing and other assistance, including vouchers, through which a government agency offsets the cost of private market housing. This paper assesses whether the receipt of either category of assistance reduces the probability that a family will be evicted from their home in the subsequent six years. Because no randomized trial has assessed these effects, we use observational data and formalize the conditions under which a causal interpretation is warranted. Families living in public housing experience less eviction conditional on pre-treatment variables. We argue that this evidence points toward a causal conclusion that assistance, particularly public housing, protects families from eviction.
| S-EPMC8011571 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundLow socioeconomic status (SES) residents living in social housing, which is subsidized by government or government-funded agencies, may have higher exposures to pesticides used in indoor residences since pesticides are applied due to structural deficiencies, poor maintenance, etc. OBJECTIVE: To estimate exposure of residents in low-SES social housing built in the 1970s to legacy and current-use pesticides and to investigate factors related to exposures.MethodsTwenty-eight particle-phase pesticides were measured in the indoor air of 46 units in seven low-income social housing, multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) in Toronto, Canada using portable air cleaners deployed for 1 week in 2017. Pesticides analyzed were legacy and current use in the classes: organochlorines, organophosphates, pyrethroids, and strobilurins.ResultsAt least one pesticide was detected in 89% of the units with detection frequencies (DF) for individual pesticides of up to 50%, including legacy organochlorines and current-use pesticides. Current-use pyrethroids had the highest DF and concentrations, with the highest particle-phase concentration for pyrethrin I at 32,000 pg/m3. Heptachlor, restricted for use in Canada in 1985, had the highest estimated maximum total air (particle plus gas phase) concentration of 443,000 pg/m3. Heptachlor, lindane, endosulfan I, chlorothalonil, allethrin, and permethrin (except in one study) had higher concentrations than those measured in low-income residences reported elsewhere. In addition to the intentional use of pesticides to control pests and their use in building materials and paints, tobacco smoking was significantly correlated with the concentrations of five pesticides used on tobacco crops. The distribution of pesticides with high DF in individual buildings suggested that pest eradication programs by the building management and/or pesticide use by residents were the major sources of measured pesticides.ImpactLow-income social housing fills a much-needed demand, but the residences are prone to pest infestation and hence pesticide use. We found exposure to at least 1 of 28 particle-phase pesticides in 89% of all 46 units tested, with the highest DF and concentrations for current-use pyrethroids and long-banned organochlorines (e.g., DDT, heptachlor) due to very high persistence indoors. Also measured were several pesticides not registered for use indoors, e.g., strobilurins used to treat building materials and pesticides used on tobacco crops. These results, which are the first Canadian data for most pesticides indoors, show widespread exposure to numerous pesticides.
| S-EPMC11303252 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundAlthough trafficked women and adolescents are at risk of unprotected or forced sex, there is little research on maternity care among trafficking survivors. We explored health care needs, service use and challenges among women who became pregnant while in the trafficking situation in the United Kingdom (UK) and clinicians' perspectives of maternity care for trafficked persons.MethodsCross-sectional survey and qualitative interviews with trafficking survivors recruited from statutory and voluntary sector organisations in England and qualitative interviews with maternity clinicians and family doctors undertaken to offer further insight into experiences reported by these women.FindingsTwenty-eight (29%) of 98 women who took part in a large study of trafficking survivors reported one or more pregnancies while trafficked, whose data are reported here. Twelve (42.8%) of these women reported at least one termination of pregnancy while in the trafficking situation and 25 (89.3%) experienced some form of mental health disorder. Nineteen (67.9%) women experienced pre-trafficking physical abuse and 9 (32.%) sexual abuse. A quarter of women were trafficked for sexual exploitation, six for domestic servitude and two for manual labour. Survivors and clinicians described service challenges, including restrictions placed on women's movements by traffickers, poor knowledge on how to access maternity care, poor understanding of healthcare entitlements and concerns about confidentiality. Maternity care clinicians recognised potential indicators of trafficking, but considered training would help them identify and respond to victims. Main limitations include that findings reflect women who had exited the trafficking situation, however as some had only recently exited the trafficking situation, difficulties with recall were likely to be low.ConclusionsMore than one in four women became pregnant while trafficked, indicating that maternity services offer an important contact point for identification and care. Given the prevalence of sexual exploitation and abuse among trafficking survivors, clinicians should ensure antenatal care and screening for sexually transmitted infections can be readily accessed by women. Clinicians require specialised training alongside designated pathways and protocols with clear referral options to ensure confidential maternity care tailored to each woman's needs.
| S-EPMC5699814 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Repeated testing leads to improved long-term memory retention compared to repeated study, but the mechanism underlying this improvement remains controversial. In this work, we test the hypothesis that retrieval practice benefits subsequent recall by reducing competition from related memories. This hypothesis implies that the degree of reduction in competition between retrieval practice attempts should predict subsequent memory for practiced items. To test this prediction, we collected electroencephalography (EEG) data across two sessions. In the first session, participants practiced selectively retrieving exemplars from superordinate semantic categories (high competition), as well as retrieving the names of the superordinate categories from exemplars (low competition). In the second session, participants repeatedly studied and were tested on Swahili-English vocabulary. One week after session two, participants were again tested on the vocabulary. We trained a within-subject classifier on the data from session one to distinguish high and low competition states. We then used this classifier to measure the change in competition across multiple successful retrieval practice attempts in the second session. The degree to which competition decreased for a given vocabulary word predicted whether it was subsequently remembered in the third session. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that repeated testing improves retention by reducing competition.
| S-EPMC6078947 | biostudies-literature