The effect of comorbidities on diagnostic interval for lung cancer in England: a cohort study using electronic health record data.

Background: Comorbid conditions may delay lung cancer diagnosis by placing demand on general practioners' time reducing the possibility of prompt cancer investigation ("competing demand conditions"), or by offering a plausible non-cancer explanation for signs/symptoms ("alternative explanation conditions").

Method: Patients in England born before 1955 and diagnosed with incident lung cancer between 1990 and 2019 were identified in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink and linked hospital admission and cancer registry data. Diagnostic interval was defined as time from first presentation in primary care with a relevant sign/symptom to the diagnosis date.

The Sussex COVID-19 Modelling Cell: the methods and successes of a collaboration between public health teams in local authorities, NHS hospital trusts, NHS commissioners, and universities.

Background: The Sussex Modelling Cell (SMC) is a consortium, formed during the COVID-19 pandemic, of representatives from NHS Sussex, and the local authorities and universities in Sussex. The SMC aimed to provide public health teams with local-data-driven modelling, data analysis, and policy and commissioning advice to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the local population. It also aimed to answer operational questions, since the Government's forecasts were not suitably applicable.

Environmental risk factors for respiratory infection and wheeze in young children: A multicentre birth cohort study.

Introduction: Respiratory infections and wheeze have a considerable impact on the health of young children and consume significant healthcare resources. We aimed to evaluate the effect of environmental factors on respiratory infections and symptoms in early childhood.

Methods: Environmental risk factors including: daycare attendance; breastfeeding; siblings; damp within the home; environmental tobacco smoke (ETS); child's bedroom flooring; animal exposure; road traffic density around child's home; and solid fuel pollution within home were assessed in children recruited to the GO-CHILD multicentre prospective birth cohort study.

A hospital demand and capacity intervention approach for COVID-19.

The mathematical interpretation of interventions for the mitigation of epidemics in the literature often involves finding the optimal time to initiate an intervention and/or the use of the number of infections to manage impact. Whilst these methods may work in theory, in order to implement effectively they may require information which is not likely to be available in the midst of an epidemic, or they may require impeccable data about infection levels in the community. In reality, testing and cases data can only be as good as the policy of implementation and the compliance of the individuals, which implies that accurately estimating the levels of infections becomes difficult or complicated from the data that is provided.

Health and wellbeing of Nepalese migrant workers in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries: A mixed-methods study.

Introduction: Migrant workers support low- and middle-income economies through remittances, often bearing considerable health risks with long-term consequences. This study aims to understand the health and wellbeing issues of Nepalese migrant workers in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, a major destination for low-skilled Nepalese workers.

Methodology: We conducted a mixed-methods study in Dhading district of Nepal.

The Contribution of Environmental Science to Mental Health Research: A Scoping Review.

Mental health is influenced by multiple complex and interacting genetic, psychological, social, and environmental factors. As such, developing state-of-the-art mental health knowledge requires collaboration across academic disciplines, including environmental science. To assess the current contribution of environmental science to this field, a scoping review of the literature on environmental influences on mental health (including conditions of cognitive development and decline) was conducted.

Disparities in oesophageal cancer risk by age, sex, and nativity in Kuwait:1980-2019.

Background: This cross-sectional cohort study assessed the inequalities in oesophageal carcinoma risk by age, sex and nativity in Kuwait: 1980-2019.

Methods: Using oesophageal cancer incidence data from the Kuwait National Cancer Registry, relevant Kuwaiti population data and World Standard Population as a reference, age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR) (per 100,000 person-years) overall and by subcohorts were computed. The incident oesophageal cancer cases count was overdispersed with excessive structural zeros, therefore, it was analyzed using multivariable zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) model.

Mannose-binding lectin genotype is associated with respiratory disease in young children: A multicenter cohort study.

Background: Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is an important component of the innate immune system. Polymorphisms in the MBL2 gene and promoter region are directly associated with MBL-deficiency. We sought to determine the association between MBL genotype on the frequency of common childhood respiratory infections, respiratory symptoms, and atopic outcomes in early childhood.

Association between Smokeless Tobacco Use and Waterpipe Smoking and the Risk of Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Current Epidemiological Evidence.

Background: Smokeless tobacco and waterpipes are used by hundreds of millions of people worldwide and consumption rates exceed that of cigarette smoking in much of South East Asia and parts of the Middle East. However, the cancer risks of these methods of tobacco consumption are less well-characterized than those of cigarette smoking. The objective of this study was to systematically review the epidemiological evidence on the association between smokeless tobacco use and waterpipe smoking and lung cancer risk.

Changing epidemiology and age-specific incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma in England: An analysis of the national cancer registration data by age, gender and anatomical site, 1981-2018.

Background: The incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma, which is mostly attributable (86%) to UV radiation exposure, has been steadily increasing over the past four decades in predominantly fair-skinned populations. Although public health campaigns are increasing sun-protective behaviour in England, their effect on melanoma incidence is largely unknown. We conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study to examine whether there have been changes in the epidemiology of melanoma in England during the past four decades.

Predicting and forecasting the impact of local outbreaks of COVID-19: use of SEIR-D quantitative epidemiological modelling for healthcare demand and capacity.

Background: The world is experiencing local/regional hotspots and spikes in the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID-19 disease. We aimed to formulate an applicable epidemiological model to accurately predict and forecast the impact of local outbreaks of COVID-19 to guide the local healthcare demand and capacity, policy-making and public health decisions.

Methods: The model utilized the aggregated daily COVID-19 situation reports (including counts of daily admissions, discharges and bed occupancy) from the local National Health Service (NHS) hospitals and COVID-19-related weekly deaths in hospitals and other settings in Sussex (population 1.

Association between duration of residence and prevalence of type 2 diabetes among male South Asian expatriate workers in the United Arab Emirates: a cross-sectional study.

Unlabelled: Expatriates account for about 80% of the total population in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study aimed to evaluate the hypothesis that prevalence of type 2 diabetes in male South Asian expatriates increases with increased length of residence in the UAE.

Design, Settings And Participants: This cross-sectional study recruited a representative sample (n=1375) of male South Asian expatriates aged ≥18 years in Al Ain, UAE.

Health and well-being issues of Nepalese migrant workers in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Malaysia: a systematic review.

Objective: To summarise the evidence on health and well-being of Nepalese migrant workers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Malaysia.

Design: Systematic review.

Data Sources: EMBASE, MEDLINE, Scopus and Global Health databases.

Resilience-based alcohol education: developing an intervention, evaluating feasibility and barriers to implementation using mixed-methods.

Alcohol education must ensure that young people have appropriate information, motivation and skills. This article describes the fifth phase in a program of intervention development based on principles of social marketing and intervention mapping. The aim was to enhance drink refusal self-efficacy (DRSE) and help develop skills for non-drinking or moderate drinking.

Dental X-Rays and the Risk of Thyroid Cancer and Meningioma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Current Epidemiological Evidence.

Exposure to moderate-to-high doses of ionizing radiation is the only established environmental risk factor for thyroid cancer and brain and central nervous system tumors. Considering the high lifetime prevalence and frequency of exposure to dental X-rays, the most common source of diagnostic radiation exposure in the general population, even a small associated increase in cancer risk would be of considerable public health importance. With the objective to inform clinical practice and guidelines, we synthesized the current epidemiological evidence on the association between dental X-rays and the risk of thyroid cancer, meningioma, and other cancers of the head and neck region.

Feasibility of a randomised controlled trial to evaluate home-based virtual reality therapy in children with cerebral palsy.

Purpose: Evidence is increasing for effective virtual reality therapy for motor rehabilitation for children with Cerebral Palsy. We assessed the feasibility of a virtual reality therapy mode of intervention, appropriateness of measures, and potential cost-effectiveness.

Methods: A 12-week, 2-group, parallel-feasibility trial (ISRCT 17624388) using Nintendo Wii Fit at home.

A systematic review of economic evaluations of local authority commissioned preventative public health interventions in overweight and obesity, physical inactivity, alcohol and illicit drugs use and smoking cessation in the United Kingdom.

Background: Since 2013, local authorities in England have been responsible for commissioning preventative public health interventions. The aim of this systematic review was to support commissioning by collating published data on economic evaluations and modelling of local authority commissioned public health preventative interventions in the UK.

Methods: Following the PRISMA protocol, we searched for economic evaluations of preventative intervention studies in four different areas: overweight and obesity, physical inactivity, alcohol and illicit drugs use and smoking cessation.

Perceived barriers to accessing mental health services among black and minority ethnic (BME) communities: a qualitative study in Southeast England.

Objective: In most developed countries, substantial disparities exist in access to mental health services for black and minority ethnic (BME) populations. We sought to determine perceived barriers to accessing mental health services among people from these backgrounds to inform the development of effective and culturally acceptable services to improve equity in healthcare.

Design And Setting: Qualitative study in Southeast England.

Staying in the 'sweet spot': A resilience-based analysis of the lived experience of low-risk drinking and abstention among British youth.

Objective: The aim of this study was to understand how and why young people drink less or not at all when with their peers. Understanding the subjective experiences of moderate or non-drinkers may help identify protective processes facilitating resilience to cultural norm and influences that encourage excessive alcohol consumption among young people.

Design: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 moderate- or non-drinkers aged 17-25 years (13 young women) living in South East England.

Using qualitative methods within a mixed-methods approach to developing and evaluating interventions to address harmful alcohol use among young people.

Objective: This article illustrates how qualitative methods can be used in the development and evaluation of behavior change interventions. Although many campaigns advise young people to drink responsibly, few clarify how to convert this general advice into specific behavioral strategies. Resilience-based approaches argue that treating young non-drinkers and moderate drinkers as "experts" in responsible alcohol use may facilitate co-creation of acceptable interventions that focus on how to change behavior.