Mellissa Withers

Background Non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) accounts for 90% of all malignant lymphomas. This study aimed to evaluate the global incidence, mortality, associated risk factors, and temporal trends of NHL by sex, age, and country. Methods Data from 185 countries globally were used for analysis. NHL incidence and mortality were collected via the GLOBOCAN (2020), CI5 series I‐X, WHO mortality database, the Nordic Cancer Registries, and the SEER Program. The WHO Global Health Observatory provided country‐level, age‐standardized prevalence of lifestyle and metabolic risk factors. Trends were examined and reported based on average annual percentage change (AAPC) calculated using Joinpoint regression analysis. Incidence and AAPC are based on data for the last 10 years across countries. Results Globally, age‐standardized incidence and mortality rates for NHL were recorded at 5.8 and 2.6 per …

This article explores the ethical implications of mandatory parental consent requirements for adolescents seeking sexual and reproductive health services (SRHS). Using a Reproductive Justice framework, which identifies systemic barriers to accessing healthcare services, we examine ageism as a potential factor restricting adolescents' access to SRHS. While the Reproductive Justice framework has addressed systemic issues like racism and ableism in healthcare, ageism involving adolescents has been less explored. The article challenges the pertinence of mandatory parental consent requirements—as a potential barrier—for adolescents’ access to SRHS. We argue that in the specific context of SRHS (contraceptives, abortion, testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections), adolescents’ autonomy (self-determination) should be respected if they request to access those services independently. From a …

Background:Though the laryngeal cancer only has 1% of the total cancer cases and related deaths, it is a type of head and neck cancers with the highest prevalence. This study aims to investigate the epidemiological trend of laryngeal cancer with updated data on the global distribution of the disease burden.Materials and methods:The incidence and mortality rate of laryngeal cancer was extracted from GLOBOCAN (2020), Cancer Incidence in Five Continents series IX, WHO mortality database, the Nordic Cancer Registries, and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. The Global Health data exchanges for the prevalence of its associated risk factors. A Joinpoint regression analysis was used to calculate Average Annual Percentage Change (AAPC).Results:The age-standardised rate (ASR) of laryngeal cancer incidence and mortality were 2.0 and 1.0 per 100 000 worldwide. The Caribbean (ASR …

Disease distribution and temporal trends of salivary gland cancer: A global population-based study Disease distribution and temporal trends of salivary gland cancer: A global population-based study Clin Transl Med. 2024 May;14(5):e1667. doi: 10.1002/ctm2.1667. Authors Junjie Huang 1 2 , Yat Ching Fung 1 , Wing Sze Pang 1 , Sze Chai Chan 1 , Veeleah Lok 3 , Lin Zhang 4 5 , Xu Lin 6 , Don Eliseo Lucero-Prisno 3rd 7 , Wanghong Xu 8 , Zhi-Jie Zheng 9 , Edmar Elcarte 10 , Mellissa Withers 11 , Martin CS Wong 1 2 8 9 ; NCD Global Health Research Group, Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) Affiliations 1 The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. 2 Centre for Health Education and Health Promotion, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. 3 Department of …

Background This study aims to investigate the global disease burden, risk factors, and temporal trends of eye cancer by sex and age group. Methods Databases including Cancer Incidence in Five Continents volumes I–XI, the Nordic Cancer Registries, the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program and the WHO IARC mortality database were accessed to extract incidence and mortality data. Joinpoint regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the Average Annual Percentage Change of the incidence and mortality. Results The age‐standardised rates of eye cancer incidence and mortality were 0.49 and 0.08 globally in 2020. Higher incidence rates were observed in Sub‐Saharan Africa (ASR = 4.06), Western Europe (ASR = 0.89), and Northern Europe (ASR = 0.84), but higher mortality was observed only in Sub‐Saharan Africa (ASR = 1.59). Lower HDI, higher prevalence of UV …

IntroductionThe emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has served as a call for enhanced global cooperation and a more robust pandemic preparedness and response framework. As a result of this pressing demand, dialogues were initiated to establish a pandemic treaty designed to foster a synchronized global strategy for addressing forthcoming health emergencies. In this review, we discussed the main obstacles to this treaty.ResultsAmong several challenges facing the pandemic treaty, we highlighted (1) global cooperation and political will, (2) equity in access to resources and treatments, (3) sustainable financing, (4) compliance and enforcement mechanisms, (5) sovereignty concerns, and (6) data sharing and transparency.ConclusionNavigating the hurdles facing the development of the pandemic treaty requires concerted efforts, diplomatic finesse, and a shared commitment to global solidarity. Addressing …

Nutrition policies are critical frameworks for tackling the triple burden of malnutrition, including undernutrition (i.e., stunting and wasting), overweight, and hidden hunger (i.e., micronutrient deficiencies). We examined (1) the alignment of recent National Nutrition Strategies and Action Plans (NNS) in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam with recent global and regional recommendations and standards with a focus on maternal, infant, and young child nutrition and (2) changes compared to the previous NNS. We extracted information regarding the context, objectives, interventions, indicators, strategies, and coordination mechanisms from the most recent NNSs in Cambodia (2019–2023), Laos (2021–2025), and Vietnam (2021–2030). Recent NNSs aimed to reduce malnutrition among priority populations and described program development, monitoring, and evaluation plans for the following interventions: breastfeeding promotion, improved complementary feeding, dietary diversity, safe water, food security, nutritional/health campaigns, strategies for vulnerable groups, and strengthening of policies related to food and nutrition. Direct interventions to improve women’s general nutrition (outside of pregnancy) and adolescent nutrition were not the focus of any NNSs. Although some indicators (e.g., wasting and exclusive breastfeeding) were covered in all recent NNSs, other indicators (e.g., low birth weight and childhood overweight and obesity) were inconsistently incorporated. In comparison to the previous NNS, the following interventions were discontinued in three countries: dietary counseling, maintaining physical activity, monitoring weight gain during …

AB010. Associations between non-communicable diseases and coronavirus disease 2019 related experience, behaviours, and mental health: a global study

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in changes in lifestyle habits and experiences of mental health outcomes, some of which were possibly related to weight gain, leading to an increase in the prevalence of obesity, which is associated with the development of several severe diseases. Concerns regarding weight gain and its impact on health outcomes are prevalent worldwide, with obesity being one of the highest causes of mortality in current society. Methods A self-reported questionnaire collected data from participants aged 18 years of age and above from 26 countries and regions worldwide. Post-hoc multiple logistic regression analyses have been done to evaluate the association between demographic and socioeconomic factors, and the perspectives that were identified to be associated with weight gain. Results Participants belonging to a younger age group; with a higher level of education; living in an urban area; living with family members; employed full-time; and had obesity were found to be more vulnerable to weight gain. After adjusting for socio-demographic factors, participants who were quarantined; exercised less prior to the pandemic; consumed unhealthy foods; and reported negative thoughts such as helplessness and the perceived risk of COVID-19, were more likely to experience weight gain; while negative thoughts such as having no means of control over the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic will have great personal effect were associated with females, students, and people living in the rural area. Conclusions Weight gain risk during the …

The high prevalence of overweight and obesity is a major contributor to the global burden of disease, and create an economic burden for nations, including both direct and indirect costs. Although the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is rapidly industrializing and the economy is now less dependent on oil, oil industry is still the main contributor to the Saudi labor force (41%). However, the productivity growth lags behind many developing countries. No studies have been conducted to explore the factors that can be associated with the lower productivity in this population of Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of overweight/obesity and examine the association between overweight/obesity and lifestyle habits among employees of petrochemical manufacturing companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A total of 1000 employees were surveyed. Chi-square test and logistic regression were used to predict …

BackgroundMelanoma of the skin is the most dangerous skin cancer in the world, though the numbers of reported new cases and melanoma-related deaths are low.ObjectiveThis study evaluated the global incidence, mortality, risk factors and temporal trends by age, sex and locations of melanoma skin cancer.Patients and MethodsCancer Incidence in Five Continents (CI5) volumes I–XI; the Nordic Cancer Registries (NORDCAN); the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program; and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) mortality database were accessed for worldwide incidence and mortality rates. Average Annual Percentage Change (AAPC) was calculated using a Joinpoint regression to examine trends.ResultsAge-standardized rates of cancer incidence and mortality were 3.4 and 0.55 per 100,000 worldwide in 2020. Australia and New …

Despite older workers’ value to an organization and no differences in job performance or productivity from younger workers (Rego et al., 2018), older job seekers encounter ageism in employment during their job search (Zaniboni et al., 2019). Ageism in employment and the workplace have detrimental effects on older job seekers, organizations, and society. Therefore, this conceptual paper explores the financial, emotional, psychological, and physical factors that should be considered when supporting older job seekers in navigating reeducation and learning to obtain employment. We collected and reviewed extant literature on this topic by consulting the following databases: EBSCOhost, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and PubMed and using search terms such as “older adult,” “workplace,” “ageism,” “employment.” Ageist practices and stereotypes can occur at any stage of the employment process, including …

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has induced a significant global concern on mental health. However few studies have measured the ability of individuals to “withstand setbacks, adapt positively, and bounce back from adversity” on a global scale. We aimed to examine the level of resilience, its determinants, and its association with maladaptive coping behaviours during the pandemic.MethodsThe Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) conducted a global survey involving 26 countries by online, self-administered questionnaire (October 2020-December 2021). It was piloted-tested and validated by an expert panel of epidemiologists and primary care professionals. We collected data on socio-demographics, socioeconomic status, clinical information, lifestyle habits, and resilience levels measured by the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) among adults aged ≥ 18 years. We …

IntroductionMesothelioma is an uncommon type of cancer which has received little attention. This study aims to evaluate the global disease burden; trends of mesothelioma by age, sex, and geographic locations; and its risk factors on the population level.MethodsThe Global Cancer Observatory, Cancer Incidence in Five Continents Plus, and Global Burden of Disease were accessed for mesothelioma incidence and its risk factors worldwide. The associations between mesothelioma incidence and asbestos were evaluated for each country by multivariable linear regression analysis by sex and age. Average annual percentage change (AAPC) was calculated using Joinpoint regression to evaluate the epidemiologic trends of mesothelioma.ResultsThe age-standardized rate of mesothelioma was 0.30 per 100,000 persons with Northern Europe reporting the highest incidence rates. The incidence rate of the male …

As the intergenerational transmission of family violence is associated with numerous negative outcomes, interventions are needed to interrupt this cycle. Our aim is to review the family violence intervention literature and to assess whether and how interventions interrupt the intergenerational transmission of family violence. Papers about interventions were identified through database searches (PubMed, JSTOR, CINAHL, PsycINFO), supplemented by review of references and relevant review papers. Eligibility criteria included: empirical studies detailing interventions to interrupt or prevent child abuse/maltreatment and/or intimate partner violence, published between January 2000 and August 2020, and written in English. Of the 14 papers included in this narrative review, only 3 explicitly stated that they aimed to break the cycle of family violence; 12 papers came from high-income countries, and 10 focused on …

Between 16 and 20% of perinatal women in low- and middle-income countries experience depression. Addressing postpartum depression (PPD) requires an appreciation of how it manifests and is understood in different cultural settings. This study explores postpartum Mongolian women's perceptions and experiences of PPD. We conducted interviews with 35 postpartum women who screened positive for possible depression to examine: (1) personal experiences of pregnancy/childbirth; (2) perceived causes and symptoms of PPD; and (3) strategies for help/support for women experiencing PPD. Unless extreme, depression was not viewed as a disease but rather as a natural condition following childbirth. Differences between a biomedical model of PPD and local idioms of distress could explain why awareness about PPD was low. The most reported PPD symptom was emotional volatility expressed as anger and …

BACKGROUND:Universities could positively impact the health and well-being of employees through workplace wellness programs (WWP).OBJECTIVE:To assess the prevalence of WWP among Asia-Pacific universities, identify gaps and challenges, and solutions to challenges.METHODS:An online survey was sent to members of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities to assess programs on physical fitness, nutrition/weight, mental health/stress, family support, chronic disease prevention, and safety.RESULTS:Employees at 28 universities in 13 economies completed the survey on behalf of their university. Most common WWP were paid maternity/paternity leave (89.3%/85.7%), disaster preparedness training (85.7%), fitness challenges (78.6%), written policies regarding discrimination/hate speech (75.0%), and quiet rest areas (71.4%). However, few addressed childcare, breastfeeding support, workplace sexual …

Kaplan Meier Curve Sa1926 ASSOCIATION OF ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD CONSUMPTION WITH RISK OF DIVERTICULITIS Chun-Han Lo, Wenjie Ma, Long H. Nguyen, Yiqing Wang, Edward Giovannucci, Lisa L. Strate, Andrew T. Chan Background & Aims Consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), or foods that are typically nutritionally imbalanced and made hyperpalatable by use of additives, has rapidly increased over the past two decades. In parallel, the incidence of diverticulitis has also risen. UPFs are believed to have pro-inflammatory potential and have been associated with chronic diseases, including colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. Here, we examined the association between UPF consumption and risk of diverticulitis. Methods In this prospective cohort study, we included participants from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS; 1986-2014), the Nurses’ Health …

Background Lip, oral and pharyngeal cancers make up a small percentage of total cancer cases worldwide and have reported lower rates of cancer‐related deaths globally in 2020, but their 5‐year survival rate in either early or advanced stages is different. The study evaluated the global incidence, mortality, risk factors, and temporal trends by age, gender, and geographical locations of lip, oral cavity, and pharyngeal cancer. Methods Incidence and mortality rates were extracted from Cancer Incidence in Five Continents (CI5) volumes I‐XI, the Nordic Cancer Registries (NORDCAN), the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, and the WHO IARC mortality database. Joinpoint regression was used to calculate the Average Annual Percentage Change to examine trends. Results The highest incidence rates were found in Melanesia and South‐Central Asia and mortality rates were 8.2 and 7.5 …

Background/Methods The Cancer Incidence in Five Continents Time Trends, Nordic Cancer Registries, Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results, WHO Mortality databases were assessed to extract the Age‐Standardised Rates (ASR) of cancer incidence and mortality among children aged 0–14 years old. By using the ASRs, the country‐specific Average Annual Percentage Change (AAPC) and its corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated to determine the epidemiological cancer trend. Results In 2020, the highest incidence of childhood cancer was found in countries with higher Human Development Index (HDI) (ASR = 15.7), yet the highest mortality was found in countries with lower HDIs (ASR = 4.8). As for incidence, seven countries had positive AAPC among boys; Slovakia (AAPC2001–2010 = 4.98, 95% CI [1.66–8.40]), Ecuador (AAPC2003–2012 = 4.07, 95% CI [0.67–7.59]) and …