Latest news with #BehavioralRiskFactorSurveillanceSystem
Medscape
24-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Loneliness May Drive Depression, Poor Physical Health
TOPLINE: Frequent loneliness was associated with a higher probability of depression and an increased number of poor mental and physical health days per month than never feeling lonely in a new survey-based study. Additionally, significant disparities were observed across sex, race/ethnicity, and age groups. METHODOLOGY: Investigators assessed data for more than 47,000 US adults (62% women; 73% White individuals) obtained from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System between 2016 and 2023. They analyzed the potential association between loneliness and key health outcomes, including a diagnosis of depression and the self-reported number of days in the past month with poor mental or physical health. Participants self-reported the frequency of feeling lonely, which was categorized as always, usually, sometimes, rarely, and never. TAKEAWAY: Participants who reported always, usually, sometimes, and rarely feeling lonely had a significantly higher probability of depression (50%, 48%, 31%, and 16%, respectively; P < .001 for all) than those who reported never feeling lonely (10%). Those who reported always feeling lonely had 10.9 more poor mental health days and 5 more poor physical health days in a month on average than those who were never lonely (P < .001 for all). Women had a higher probability of depression than men across all loneliness levels (P < .001). There was also a significantly greater number of poor mental health days in women vs men who felt lonely sometimes (mean difference, 0.8 days; P = .002) and rarely (mean difference, 0.7 days; P = .003). Black and Hispanic individuals reporting loneliness had significantly lower probabilities of depression than their White peers (P < .05 for both). Among participants who felt always lonely, Black individuals reported fewer poor mental health days (mean difference, -3.8 days; P = .005) and fewer poor physical health days (mean difference, -3.6 days; P = .01) in a month than White individuals. Middle-aged (45-64 years) and older adults (> 64 years) with loneliness reported a greater number of poor physical health days in a month than younger adults (18-44 years) across all loneliness categories (P < .001 for all). However, older adults had a significantly lower risk for depression than younger adults across most loneliness levels. IN PRACTICE: 'Addressing loneliness may not only improve individual well-being but also reduce societal healthcare burdens,' the investigators wrote. 'The findings of this study carry urgent policy and practice implications. Given the pervasiveness and potency of loneliness, it should be prioritized alongside traditional risk factors in public health planning,' they added. SOURCE: The study was led by Oluwasegun Akinyemi, MD, PhD, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC. It was published online on July 9 in PLOS One. LIMITATIONS: Key limitations included the study's cross-sectional design, residual confounding by unmeasured factors, and its reliance on self-reported measures. Additionally, telephone-based survey methods may have underrepresented the most socially isolated individuals. DISCLOSURES: The study was funded in part by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. The investigators reported having no relevant conflicts of interest. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Medscape
01-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Depression Rates Differ By Occupation, Industry
TOPLINE: Employment in retail, food service, media, and healthcare support was associated with higher rates of depression and/or distress than employment in other industries and occupations, a new study showed. Depression rates were also higher among younger people and women. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a cross-sectional study using telephone survey data of more than 536,000 actively employed civilian adults from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System collected between 2015 and 2019 and across 37 US states. Primary outcomes were self-reported lifetime diagnosed depression and number of mentally unhealthy days (MUDs). Secondary outcomes were frequent mental distress (FMD, 14 or more MUDs in the past 30 days) and extreme distress (30 MUDs in the past 30 days). TAKEAWAY: The prevalence rates of lifetime diagnosed depression, FMD, and extreme distress in all workers combined were 14%, 10%, and 4%, respectively. Among industries, the highest prevalence of mental health issues was observed in workers in retail (adjusted prevalence ratio [APR] for lifetime diagnosed depression, 1.15; APR for FMD, 1.23) and in accommodation and food services (APR for lifetime diagnosed depression, 1.13; unadjusted extreme distress, 6.8%). Among occupations, the highest prevalence of FMD was observed in arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media (APR, 1.32), healthcare support (APR, 1.19), and food preparation and serving (APR, 1.20). The mean number of MUDs was higher among workers who were aged 18-34 years (11.3), single (11.0), or without healthcare coverage (11.9) than in the respective reference groups, irrespective of having lifetime diagnosed depression. Uninsured vs insured workers also reported higher prevalence of FMD (14% vs 9%) and extreme distress (7% vs 4%). Women had significantly higher prevalence of lifetime diagnosed depression (20% vs 10%), FMD (12% vs 8%), and extreme distress (5% vs 3%) than men. IN PRACTICE: 'Workplaces can play a role in identifying and reducing psychosocial hazards and promoting workers' mental health. More research is needed to evaluate work-related factors and workplace intervention effectiveness,' the investigators wrote. SOURCE: The study was led by Aaron L. Sussell, PhD, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Spokane, Washington. It was published online on June 6 in JAMA Network Open. LIMITATIONS: The study relied on self-reported diagnoses and symptoms of mental health conditions, possibly introducing recall or reporting bias. Industry and occupation classifications were based on participants' free-text responses, potentially leading to misclassification. The cross-sectional design also limited the ability to infer causality. Additionally, certain industry and occupation groups had small sample sizes, reducing the precision of some subgroup estimates. DISCLOSURES: The investigators reported having no relevant conflicts of interest. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Data on sexual orientation and gender is critical to public health – without it, health crises continue unnoticed
As part of the Trump administration's efforts aimed at stopping diversity, equity and inclusion, the government has been restricting how it monitors public health. Along with cuts to federally funded research, the administration has targeted public health efforts to gather information about sexual orientation and gender identity. In the early days of the second Trump administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took down data and documents that included sexual orientation and gender identity from its webpages. For example, data codebooks for the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were replaced with versions that deleted gender identity variables. The Trump administration also ordered the CDC to delete gender identity from the National Violent Death Reporting System, the world's largest database for informing prevention of homicide and suicide deaths. For many people, sexual orientation and gender identity may seem private and personal. So why is personal information necessary for public health? Decades of research have shown that health problems affect some groups more than others. As someone who has studied differences in health outcomes for over 15 years, I know that one of the largest health disparities for LGBTQ+ people is suicide risk. Without data on sexual orientation and gender identity, public health cannot do the work to sound the alarm on and address issues that affect not just specific communities, but society as a whole. Health is determined by the interplay of several factors, including a person's genetics, environment and personal life. Of these types of health information, data on personal lives can be the most difficult to collect because researchers must rely on people to voluntarily share this information with them. But details about people's everyday lives are critical to understanding their health. Consider veteran status. Without information that identifies which Americans are military veterans, the U.S. would never have known that the rate of suicide deaths among veterans is several times higher than that of the general population. Identifying this problem encouraged efforts to reduce suicide among veterans and military service personnel. Studying the rates of different conditions occurring in different groups of people is a vital role of public health monitoring. First, rates can set off alarm bells. When people are counted, it becomes easier to pick up a problem that needs to be addressed. Second, rates can be a benchmark. Once the extent of a health problem is known, researchers can develop and test interventions. They can then determine if rates of that health problem decreased, stayed the same or increased after the intervention. My team reviewed available research on how sexual orientation and gender identity are related to differences in mortality. The results were grim. Of the 49 studies we analyzed, the vast majority documented greater rates of death from all causes for LGBTQ+ people compared with people who aren't LGBTQ+. Results were worse for suicide: Nearly all studies reported that suicide deaths were more frequent among LGBTQ+ people. A great deal of other research supports this finding. Without data on sexual orientation and gender identity, these issues are erased. Higher death rates among LGBTQ+ people affect everyone, not just people in the LGBTQ+ community. And when suicide is a major driver of these death rates, the costs increase. There are societal costs. Deaths from suicide result in lost productivity and medical services that cost the U.S. an estimated $484 billion per year. There are also human costs. Research suggests that for every suicide death, about 135 people are directly affected by the loss, experiencing grief, sadness and anger. President Donald Trump's targeting of research on sexual orientation and gender identity comes at a time when more Americans than ever – an estimated 24.4 million adults – identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. That's more than the entire population of Florida. LGBTQ+ people live in every state in the country, where they work as teachers, executives, janitors, nurses, mechanics, artists and every other profession or role that help sustain American communities. LGBTQ+ people are someone's family members, and they are raising families of their own. LGBTQ+ people also pay taxes to the government, which are partly spent on monitoring the nation's health. Stopping data collection of sexual orientation and gender identity does not protect women, or anyone else, as the Trump administration claims. Rather, it serves to weaken American public health. I believe counting all Americans is the path to a stronger, healthier nation because public health can then do its duty of detecting when a community needs help. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: John R. Blosnich, University of Southern California Read more: Anti-LGBTQ+ policies harm the health of not only LGBTQ+ people, but all Americans Trans youth are significantly more likely to attempt suicide when gender dysphoria is met with conversion therapy than with hormone treatment RFK Jr's shakeup of vaccine advisory committee raises worries about scientific integrity of health recommendations John R. Blosnich receives funding from the National Institutes of Health. He is affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), however all time and effort into writing this piece was done outside of his work with the VA. The opinions expressed are those of Dr. Blosnich and do not necessarily represent those of his institution, funders, or any affiliations.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Cancer prevention report finds US smoking rates continue to fall but HPV vaccination rates stall
The United States has seen progress in reducing certain cancer risks, as overall smoking rates remain on a decline. But for other risk factors, such as those tied to cervical cancer, there is room for improvement, according to a new American Cancer Society report. The prevalence of people smoking fell from about 14% in 2019 to 11% in 2023, according to the report published Wednesday in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Cigarette smoking is known to significantly increase the risk of developing cancer. It's estimated to cause about 1 out of every 3 cancer deaths in the US. 'These latest findings are encouraging, mainly the reduction in smoking rates and screening for certain cancers, but it's clear urgent efforts are needed to address lagging cervical cancer prevention,' Dr. Priti Bandi, scientific director of cancer risk factors and screening surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the study, said in a news release. The prevalence of people being up-to-date on recommended cervical cancer screenings has dropped from 74.8% in 2019 to 73.4% in 2021 among ages 21 to 65, the report found, leaving more women at risk of not detecting disease early. The reported noted that the decrease is alarming as HPV vaccination rates have remained 'statistically unchanged' in recent years. In 2023, 61.4% of adolescents ages 13 to 17 were up-to-date for the HPV vaccination series, similar to 61.7% in 2021 and up from 54.2% in 2019. HPV or human papillomavirus is a group of more than 150 viruses that can cause certain types of cancer. Spread primarily through sexual contact, most cases of HPV clear on their own within two years, but when the infection does not go away, health problems like cancer may occur – which is why preventing these infections with vaccination has been key. The new report included data on US adults and their modifiable cancer risk factors in the years during and after the Covid-19 pandemic compared with the years prior to the pandemic. The data came from sources at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including the CDC's National Health Interview Survey, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the National Immunization Survey-Teen. It's estimated that nearly half – about 40% – of new cancer cases among US adults ages 30 and older could be attributed to preventable risk factors, such as cigarette smoking, excess body weight, an unhealthy diet, not exercising regularly, ultraviolet radiation exposure and cancer-causing infections like HPV. 'Despite historic reductions in smoking levels and improvements in breast and colorectal cancer screenings, including following the COVID-19 pandemic, obesity rates remain high and unchanged, physical activity levels remain suboptimal, and HPV vaccination levels have plateaued since 2021,' the American Cancer Society researchers wrote in the new report. They added that racial disparities in cancer rates and deaths persist as marginalized groups face barriers accessing healthcare. Staying up-to-date on cancer screenings can further prevent thousands of additional cancer cases and deaths, according to the American Cancer Society. A separate report released Monday found that the rate of people dying from cancer has stayed on a steady decline in the US from 2001 through 2022. But when it comes to the rate of people being diagnosed with cancer, the incidence rate among men fell from 2001 through 2013 and then stabilized through 2021, while incidence among women increased slightly every year between 2003 and 2021. Those trends were interrupted in 2020, when cancer incidence rates fell significantly, possibly because of disruptions in cancer screenings and medical care related to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer published in the journal Cancer. After 2020, they returned to expected levels. Sustained declines in lung cancer have been a major contributor to the overall improvements in cancer death rates in the US. Fewer people in the US are using tobacco, helping lower incidence and death rates for smoking-related cancers like lung, bladder and larynx, the report said. However, incidence rates are on the rise for several other cancers, including those linked with excess weight, such as pancreas and kidney cancers; uterine, breast and liver cancers among women; and colon and rectal cancers among adolescents and young adults. CNN's Katherine Dillinger contributed to this report.
CNN
23-04-2025
- Health
- CNN
Cancer prevention report finds US smoking rates continue to fall but HPV vaccination rates stall
The United States has seen progress in reducing certain cancer risks, as overall smoking rates remain on a decline. But for other risk factors, such as those tied to cervical cancer, there is room for improvement, according to a new American Cancer Society report. The prevalence of people smoking fell from about 14% in 2019 to 11% in 2023, according to the report published Wednesday in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Cigarette smoking is known to significantly increase the risk of developing cancer. It's estimated to cause about 1 out of every 3 cancer deaths in the US. 'These latest findings are encouraging, mainly the reduction in smoking rates and screening for certain cancers, but it's clear urgent efforts are needed to address lagging cervical cancer prevention,' Dr. Priti Bandi, scientific director of cancer risk factors and screening surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the study, said in a news release. The prevalence of people being up-to-date on recommended cervical cancer screenings has dropped from 74.8% in 2019 to 73.4% in 2021 among ages 21 to 65, the report found, leaving more women at risk of not detecting disease early. The reported noted that the decrease is alarming as HPV vaccination rates have remained 'statistically unchanged' in recent years. In 2023, 61.4% of adolescents ages 13 to 17 were up-to-date for the HPV vaccination series, similar to 61.7% in 2021 and up from 54.2% in 2019. HPV or human papillomavirus is a group of more than 150 viruses that can cause certain types of cancer. Spread primarily through sexual contact, most cases of HPV clear on their own within two years, but when the infection does not go away, health problems like cancer may occur – which is why preventing these infections with vaccination has been key. The new report included data on US adults and their modifiable cancer risk factors in the years during and after the Covid-19 pandemic compared with the years prior to the pandemic. The data came from sources at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including the CDC's National Health Interview Survey, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the National Immunization Survey-Teen. It's estimated that nearly half – about 40% – of new cancer cases among US adults ages 30 and older could be attributed to preventable risk factors, such as cigarette smoking, excess body weight, an unhealthy diet, not exercising regularly, ultraviolet radiation exposure and cancer-causing infections like HPV. 'Despite historic reductions in smoking levels and improvements in breast and colorectal cancer screenings, including following the COVID-19 pandemic, obesity rates remain high and unchanged, physical activity levels remain suboptimal, and HPV vaccination levels have plateaued since 2021,' the American Cancer Society researchers wrote in the new report. They added that racial disparities in cancer rates and deaths persist as marginalized groups face barriers accessing healthcare. Staying up-to-date on cancer screenings can further prevent thousands of additional cancer cases and deaths, according to the American Cancer Society. A separate report released Monday found that the rate of people dying from cancer has stayed on a steady decline in the US from 2001 through 2022. But when it comes to the rate of people being diagnosed with cancer, the incidence rate among men fell from 2001 through 2013 and then stabilized through 2021, while incidence among women increased slightly every year between 2003 and 2021. Those trends were interrupted in 2020, when cancer incidence rates fell significantly, possibly because of disruptions in cancer screenings and medical care related to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer published in the journal Cancer. After 2020, they returned to expected levels. Sustained declines in lung cancer have been a major contributor to the overall improvements in cancer death rates in the US. Fewer people in the US are using tobacco, helping lower incidence and death rates for smoking-related cancers like lung, bladder and larynx, the report said. However, incidence rates are on the rise for several other cancers, including those linked with excess weight, such as pancreas and kidney cancers; uterine, breast and liver cancers among women; and colon and rectal cancers among adolescents and young adults. CNN's Katherine Dillinger contributed to this report.
