Public health economic modelling in evaluations of salt and/or alcohol policies: a systematic scoping review.

Background: Public health economic modelling is an approach capable of managing the intricacies involved in evaluating interventions without direct observational evidence. It is used to estimate potential long-term health benefits and cost outcomes. The aim of this review was to determine the scope of health economic models in the evaluation of salt and/or alcohol interventions globally, to provide an overview of the literature and the modelling methods and structures used.

Home Urine Dipstick Screening for Bladder and Kidney Cancer in High-Risk Populations in England: A Microsimulation Study of Long-Term Impact and Cost-Effectiveness.

Background: Testing high-risk populations for non-visible haematuria may enable earlier detection of bladder cancer, potentially decreasing mortality. This research aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of urine dipstick screening for bladder cancer in high-risk populations in England.

Methods:  A microsimulation model developed in R software was calibrated to national incidence data by age, sex and stage, and validated against mortality data.

Sexual dimorphism in hepatic PPAR alpha and CYP4a12a expression is associated with reduced development of drug-induced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in female IL-33 mice.

Males are at higher risk for developing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) than females; however, mechanisms mediating sexual dimorphism in MASH development are not completely understood. Nutrition-based mouse models suggest that dysregulated fatty acid biosynthesis promotes MASH. Drugs recapitulate MASH without diet variabilities.

Exploring How Patients Are Supported to Use Online Services in Primary Care in England Through "Digital Facilitation": Survey Study.

Background: Health service policy in many jurisdictions is driving greater investment into digital primary care services. While some patients and practices may benefit, there are concerns that not all are able or wish to access primary care services online. "Digital facilitation" is the "range of processes, procedures, and personnel seeking to support patients in their uptake and use of online services" and may address such concerns.

A systematic review of public health interventions to address breast cancer inequalities in low- and middle-income countries.

Background: Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in the world, with a worse prognosis documented in low- and middle-income countries. Inequalities pertaining to breast cancer outcomes are observed at within-country level, with demographics and socioeconomic status as major drivers.

Aim: This review aims to aggregate all available evidence from low- and middle-income countries on public health interventions that can be utilized to reduce breast cancer inequalities within the breast cancer continuum.

Understanding the Preferences and Considerations of the Public Towards Risk-Stratified Screening for Colorectal Cancer: Insights From Think-Aloud Interviews Based on a Discrete Choice Experiment.

Context: Risk stratification has been suggested as a strategy for improving cancer screening. Any changes to existing programmes must be acceptable to the public.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the preferences and considerations of individuals relating to the introduction of different risk-based strategies to determine eligibility for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening.

Health Care Access and COVID-19 Vaccination in the United States: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Background: Although federal legislation made COVID-19 vaccines free, inequities in access to medical care may affect vaccine uptake.

Objective: To assess whether health care access was associated with uptake and timeliness of COVID-19 vaccination in the United States.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Short-term hyperoxia-induced functional and morphological changes in rat hippocampus.

Excess oxygen (O) levels may have a stimulating effect, but in the long term, and at high concentrations of O, it is harmful to the nervous system. The hippocampus is very sensitive to pathophysiological changes and altered O concentrations can interfere with hippocampus-dependent learning and memory functions. In this study, we investigated the hyperoxia-induced changes in the rat hippocampus to evaluate the short-term effect of mild and severe hyperoxia.

Cross-model validation of public health microsimulation models; comparing two models on estimated effects of a weight management intervention.

Background: Health economic modelling indicates that referral to a behavioural weight management programme is cost saving and generates QALY gains compared with a brief intervention. The aim of this study was to conduct a cross-model validation comparing outcomes from this cost-effectiveness analysis to those of a comparator model, to understand how differences in model structure contribute to outcomes.

Methods: The outcomes produced by two models, the School for Public Health Research diabetes prevention (SPHR) and Health Checks (HC) models, were compared for three weight-management programme strategies; Weight Watchers (WW) for 12 weeks, WW for 52 weeks, and a brief intervention, and a simulated no intervention scenario.

A discrete choice experiment to understand public preferences and priorities for risk-stratified bowel cancer screening programmes in the UK.

Objective: Public acceptability of bowel cancer screening programmes must be maintained, including if risk stratification is introduced. We aimed to describe and quantify preferences for different attributes of risk-stratified screening programmes amongst the UK population, focussing on who to invite for bowel screening.

Methods: We conducted a discrete choice experiment (DCE) including the following attributes: risk factors used to estimate bowel cancer risk (age plus/minus sex, lifestyle factors and genetics); personalisation of risk feedback; risk stratification strategy plus resource implications; default screening in the case of no risk information; number of deaths prevented by screening; and number experiencing physical harm from screening.

Mild hypoxia-induced structural and functional changes of the hippocampal network.

Hypoxia causes structural and functional changes in several brain regions, including the oxygen-concentration-sensitive hippocampus. We investigated the consequences of mild short-term hypoxia on rat hippocampus . The hypoxic group was treated with 16% O for 1 h, and the control group with 21% O.

Implementation of risk stratification within bowel cancer screening: a community jury study exploring public acceptability and communication needs.

Background: Population-based cancer screening programmes are shifting away from age and/or sex-based screening criteria towards a risk-stratified approach. Any such changes must be acceptable to the public and communicated effectively. We aimed to explore the social and ethical considerations of implementing risk stratification at three different stages of the bowel cancer screening programme and to understand public requirements for communication.

Dietary Approaches to the Management Of type 2 Diabetes (DIAMOND) in primary care: A protocol for a cluster randomised trial.

Introduction: There is strong evidence that type 2 diabetes (T2D) remission can be achieved by adopting a low-energy diet achieved through total dietary replacement products. There is promising evidence that low-carbohydrate diets can achieve remission of T2D. The Dietary Approaches to the Management of type 2 Diabetes (DIAMOND) programme combines both approaches in a behaviourally informed low-energy, low-carbohydrate diet for people with T2D, delivered by nurses in primary care.

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of referral to a commercial open group behavioural weight management programme in adults with overweight and obesity: 5-year follow-up of the WRAP randomised controlled trial.

Background: There is evidence that commercially available behavioural weight management programmes can lead to short-term weight loss and reductions in glycaemia. Here, we aimed to provide the 5-year impact and cost-effectiveness of these interventions compared with a brief intervention.

Methods: WRAP was a non-blinded, parallel-group randomised controlled trial (RCT).

Triazole-derivatized near-infrared cyanine dyes enable local functional fluorescent imaging of ocular inflammation.

Near-infrared (NIR) chemical fluorophores are promising tools for in-vivo imaging in real time but often succumb to rapid photodegradation. Indocyanine green (ICG) is the only NIR dye with regulatory approval for ocular imaging in humans; however, ICG, when employed for applications such as labelling immune cells, has limited sensitivity and does not allow precise detection of specific inflammatory events, for example leukocyte recruitment during uveitic flare-ups. We investigated the potential use of photostable novel triazole NIR cyanine (TNC) dyes for detecting and characterising activated T-cell activity within the eye.

The health, cost and equity impacts of restrictions on the advertisement of high fat, salt and sugar products across the transport for London network: a health economic modelling study.

Background: Policies aimed at restricting the marketing of high fat, salt and sugar products have been proposed as one way of improving population diet and reducing obesity. In 2019, Transport for London implemented advertising restrictions on high fat, salt and sugar products. A controlled interrupted time-series analysis comparing London with a north of England control, suggested that the advertising restrictions had resulted in a reduction in household energy purchases.

Modelling cost-effective strategies for minimising socioeconomic inequalities in colorectal cancer screening outcomes in England.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality is higher in socioeconomically deprived groups for a variety of reasons, but is exacerbated by poorer screening uptake. However, many strategies for improving screening participation exist. This analysis aimed to model the impact of screening on CRC inequalities in England and then compare different strategies for increasing participation, to determine the most cost-effective methods for reducing screening-induced inequalities.

Estimating the impact of changes in weight and BMI on EQ-5D-3L: a longitudinal analysis of a behavioural group-based weight loss intervention.

Purpose: To estimate the association between changes in BMI and changes in Health-Related Quality of Life (EQ-5D-3L).

Methods: The WRAP trial was a multicentre, randomised controlled trial with parallel design and recruited 1267 adults (BMI ≥ 28 kg/m). Participants were allocated to Brief Intervention, a Commercial weight management Programme (WW, formerly Weight Watchers) for 12 weeks, or the same Programme for 52 weeks.

Optimizing the Design of a Repeated Fecal Immunochemical Test Bowel Cancer Screening Programme With a Limited Endoscopy Capacity From a Health Economic Perspective.

Objectives: In 2016, it was announced that the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) would replace the guaiac fecal occult blood test in the UK Bowel Cancer Screening Programme. England has limited endoscopy capacity. This study informed decision making by determining the most cost-effective FIT screening strategy (age range, frequency, and FIT threshold) under a constrained endoscopy capacity.

Modelling the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on bowel cancer screening outcomes in England: A decision analysis to prepare for future screening disruption.

The English Bowel Cancer Screening Programme invites people between the ages of 60 and 74 to take a Faecal Immunochemical Test every two years. This programme was interrupted during the coronavirus pandemic. The research aimed: (1) to estimate the impact of colorectal cancer (CRC) Faecal Immunochemical Test screening pauses of different lengths and the actual coronavirus-related screening pause in England, and (2) to analyse the most effective and cost-effective strategies to re-start CRC screening to prepare for future disruptions.

A community jury study exploring the public acceptability of using risk stratification to determine eligibility for cancer screening.

Introduction: Using risk stratification to determine eligibility for cancer screening is likely to improve the efficiency of screening programmes by targeting resources towards those most likely to benefit. We aimed to explore the implications of this approach from a societal perspective by understanding public views on the most acceptable stratification strategies.

Methods: We conducted three online community juries with 9 or 10 participants in each.

Using health economic modelling to inform the design and development of an intervention: estimating the justifiable cost of weight loss maintenance in the UK.

Background: There is a need to develop cost-effective weight loss maintenance interventions to prolong the positive impact of weight loss on health outcomes. Conducting pre-trial health economic modelling is recommended to inform the design and development of behavioural interventions. We aimed to use health economic modelling to estimate the maximum cost per-person (justifiable cost) of a cost-effective behavioural weight loss maintenance intervention, given an estimated intervention effect for individuals with: i) a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 28 kg/m or above without diabetes and ii) a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes prescribed a single non-insulin diabetes medication.

Development of a Web-Based, Guided Self-help, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-Based Intervention for Weight Loss Maintenance: Evidence-, Theory-, and Person-Based Approach.

Background: The long-term impact and cost-effectiveness of weight management programs depend on posttreatment weight maintenance. There is growing evidence that interventions based on third-wave cognitive behavioral therapy, particularly acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), could improve long-term weight management; however, these interventions are typically delivered face-to-face by psychologists, which limits the scalability of these types of intervention.

Objective: The aim of this study is to use an evidence-, theory-, and person-based approach to develop an ACT-based intervention for weight loss maintenance that uses digital technology and nonspecialist guidance to minimize the resources needed for delivery at scale.