DESERT DUST, SANDSTORMS, AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: A SCOPING REVIEW.

Desert dust and sandstorms influence air quality by elevating particulate matter concentrations and transporting anthropogenic pollutants, microorganisms, and toxic biogenic allergens. Although there is increasing concern about their role in spreading infectious diseases, the evidence remains limited. This scoping review synthesizes epidemiological literature on the association between desert dust exposure and infectious disease and identifies critical research gaps.

Short-term exposure to desert dust and sandstorms and all-cause and cause-specific mortality and morbidity: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Desert dust and sandstorms raise concerns about their adverse effects on human health. Over the last decade, special attention has been given to mineral dust particles from desert sand. However, evidence from previous literature reviews has yielded inconclusive results regarding their health effects.

Factors associated with barriers to healthcare access among ever-married women of reproductive age in Bangladesh: Analysis from the 2017-2018 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey.

Background: Globally, women experience healthcare inequalities, which may contribute to excessive mortality rates at various stages of their lives. Though Bangladesh has achieved excellent progress in providing healthcare, the country still has some critical challenges that need immediate attention. The objective of this study is to examine the association between social determinants and barriers to accessing healthcare among ever-married women aged 15-49 in Bangladesh.

Framing health taxes: learning from low- and middle-income countries.

Health taxes are effective policy instruments to save lives, raise government revenues and improve equity. Health taxes, however, directly conflict with commercial actors' interests. Both pro-tax health advocates and anti-tax industry representatives seek to frame health tax policy.

Estimating global changes in routine childhood vaccination coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020-2021.

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the distribution of routine immunizations globally. Multi-country studies assessing a wide spectrum of vaccines and their coverage rates are needed to determine global performance in achieving vaccination goals.

Methods: Global vaccine coverage data for 16 antigens were obtained from WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage.

Roles of Social Protection to Promote Health Service Coverage among Vulnerable People toward Achieving Universal Health Coverage: A Literature Review of International Organizations.

A wider range of social protection services, including social insurance and social assistance, are gaining global attention as a key driver of improved health service coverage and financial protection among vulnerable populations. However, only a few studies have investigated the associations between social protection and universal health coverage (UHC). Therefore, we conducted a literature review on relevant international organizations with respect to this topic.

Modelling of salt intake reduction by incorporation of umami substances into Japanese foods: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Evidence has demonstrated that excess sodium intake is associated with development of several non-communicable diseases. The main source of sodium is salt. Therefore, reducing salt intake in foods is an important global public health effort to achieve sodium reduction and improve health.

Effects of Desert Dust and Sandstorms on Human Health: A Scoping Review.

Desert dust and sandstorms are recurring environmental phenomena that are reported to produce serious health risks worldwide. This scoping review was conducted to identify the most likely health effects of desert dust and sandstorms and the methods used to characterize desert dust exposure from the existing epidemiological literature. We systematically searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus to identify studies that reported the effects of desert dust and sandstorms on human health.

Reducing salt intake with umami: A secondary analysis of data in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey.

Reducing sodium content in foods is an important public health measure to reduce salt intake and decrease the incidence of noncommunicable diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease. This study quantified the amount of salt intake that could potentially be reduced by using umami substances, including glutamate, inosinate, and guanylate, without compromising taste, for adults in the United Kingdom (UK). We used data comprised of 1834 adults aged 20 years and over from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS RP) 2016/2017-2018/2019.

The impact of social isolation from COVID-19-related public health measures on cognitive function and mental health among older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

We aimed to estimate the impact of social isolation on cognitive function and mental health among older adults during the two-year-and-a-half COVID-19 period. Pubmed Central, Medline, CINAHL Plus and PsychINFO were searched between March 1, 2020, and September 30, 2022. We included all studies that assessed proportions of older adults with the mean or the median with a minimum age above 60 reporting worsening cognitive function and mental health.

Factors influencing implementation of health-promoting interventions at workplaces: Protocol for a scoping review.

Introduction: Health-promoting interventions at workplaces can be effective in modifying lifestyle-related behavioral risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, the interventions are not always successful in the real-world setting, and the evidence for effective strategies to implement the interventions has been limited. We propose a scoping review to identify the topics in need of study and areas for future research on barriers to and facilitators of the implementation of workplace health-promoting interventions.

Attributable risk of household solid fuel use and second-hand smoke associated with under-5 mortality in 46 low- and lower-middle-income countries, 2010-2020.

Background: Household solid fuel use (including indoor and outdoor) and second-hand smoke (SHS) are considered to be major contributors of under-5 mortality (U5M) in low- and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). This study provides a comprehensive assessment of their odds ratios and attributable mortality in LMICs.

Methods: We used the Demographic Health Surveys data for under-5 children in 46 LMICs (n = 778,532) from 2010 to 2020.

Associations between parental socioeconomic position and health-seeking behaviour for diarrhoea and acute respiratory infection among under-5 children in Myanmar: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To examine the associations of parental social and economic position with health-seeking behaviour for diarrhoea and acute respiratory infection (ARI) among under-5 children in Myanmar and explore potential underlying mechanisms.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Setting: A secondary dataset from the nationwide 2015-2016 Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS).