A nationwide mobile phone survey for tobacco use in Tanzania: Sample quality and representativeness compared to a household survey.

We investigated the feasibility of an interactive voice response (IVR) survey in Tanzania and compared its prevalence estimates for tobacco use to the estimates of the 'Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2018'. IVR participants were enrolled by random digit dialing. Quota sampling was employed to achieve the required sample sizes of age-sex strata: sex (male/female) and age (18-29-, 30-44-, 45-59-, and ≥60-year-olds).

A Multimodal Ayurveda and Mind-Body Therapeutic Intervention for Chronic Symptoms Attributed to a Postinfectious Syndrome: A Pilot Study.

Evaluate feasibility and impact of a multimodal integrative therapeutic intervention in patients presenting with chronic symptoms attributed to a postinfectious syndrome. This was a prospective longitudinal single-center pilot study conducted from January 2019 to December 2020. University of Maryland Lyme Program, Baltimore Maryland.

Remote consent approaches for mobile phone surveys of non-communicable disease risk factors in Colombia and Uganda: A randomized study.

Introduction: Automated mobile phone surveys (MPS) can be used to collect public health data of various types to inform health policy and programs globally. One challenge in administering MPS is identification of an appropriate and effective participant consent process. This study investigated the impact of different survey consent approaches on participant disposition (response characteristics and understanding of the purpose of the survey) within the context of an MPS that measured noncommunicable disease (NCD) risk factors across Colombia and Uganda.

Prevalence, awareness, and control of hypertension among Bangladeshi adults: an analysis of demographic and health survey 2017-18.

Background: The prevalence of hypertension is increasing in Bangladesh, however, few recent studies investigated the proportion of people and factors associated with prevalence, awareness, and control of this condition in this country. This study investigated these among Bangladeshi adults.

Methods: Using Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2017-18 data, a cross-sectional study was conducted.

Cancer-work management: Hourly and salaried wage women's experiences managing the cancer-work interface following new breast cancer diagnosis.

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to report the baseline characteristics of EMPOWER participants-a group of newly diagnosed breast cancer survivors-and describe differences in hourly and salaried wage women's experiences regarding cancer and work management in the three months following breast cancer diagnosis.

Design And Setting: The EMployment and Potential Outcomes of Working through canceER (EMPOWER) project is a prospective longitudinal, mixed methods pilot study designed to evaluate how employment influences treatment decisions among women diagnosed with breast cancer. Participants were women diagnosed with new breast cancer and treated at one of two clinical sites of the University of Maryland Medical System.

Association of dengue disease severity and blood group: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Dengue disease encompasses various clinical manifestations including dengue fever (DF) and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). In this article, we aimed to systematically review and analyze the association between different blood groups and severity of dengue. We searched nine databases for eligible papers reporting prevalence, distribution, and frequency of blood group type among dengue patients.

Determinants of hypertension in Nepal using odds ratios and prevalence ratios: an analysis of the Demographic and Health Survey 2016.

This cross-sectional study investigated the factors associated with hypertension among Nepalese adults aged 18 years or above using data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2016. Prevalence ratios (PRs) and odds ratios (ORs) were obtained using log-binomial regression and logistic regression, respectively. Initially, unadjusted PRs and ORs were obtained.

Surgery associated with increased survival compared to radiation in clinically localized Gleason 9-10 prostate cancer: a SEER analysis.

Purpose: Men with Gleason score 9-10 prostate cancer have worse outcomes compared to those with Gleason 8 disease. Upfront treatments remain controversial for these patients. Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, we evaluated the impact of initial treatment with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), external beam radiation therapy with brachytherapy (EBRT + BT), or surgery on prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) and overall mortality (OM) in Gleason 9-10 disease.

Impact of the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guidelines on Prevalence of Hypertension in Ghana.

We investigated the prevalence of hypertension in Ghana using the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) criteria and compared with prevalence estimates using the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC7) criteria. Among 13,220 Ghanaians aged 15-49 years, the prevalence of hypertension was 30.4% (95% CI: 29.

Differences in prevalence and associated factors of underweight and overweight/obesity according to rural-urban residence strata among women of reproductive age in Bangladesh: evidence from a cross-sectional national survey.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the differences in prevalence and factors influencing underweight and overweight/obesity stratified by region of residence among women of reproductive age in Bangladesh.

Design: Secondary analysis of cross-sectional nationwide data.

Setting: This study used Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2014 data.

Prevalence and Determinants of Hypertension in India Based on the 2017 ACC/AHA Guideline: Evidence from the India National Family Health Survey.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence and determinants of hypertension in India based on a new definition by the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (2017 ACC/AHA) Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults, and compare prevalence estimates with those of the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC7).

Methods: We used the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) conducted in India (n = 212,007). We accounted for the sampling strategy by applying survey weights.

Prevalence and factors associated with underweight, overweight and obesity among women of reproductive age in India.

Introduction: Although the prevalence of underweight is declining among Indian women, the prevalence of overweight/obesity is increasing. This study examined the prevalence and factors associated with underweight and overweight/obesity among reproductive-aged (i.e.

Post-Discharge Mortality of Older Adults with Traumatic Brain Injury or Other Trauma.

Objectives: Prior studies of mortality following traumatic brain injury (TBI) have not focused specifically on older adults compared with a non-TBI trauma cohort or included specific causes of death. The objectives of this study were, among adults aged 65 years and older, to (1) generate standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) by cause of death for TBI and a non-TBI trauma cohort compared with a general population, and (2) assess risk of mortality associated with TBI compared with a non-TBI trauma cohort.

Design: Retrospective cohort study of adults aged 65 years and older who were treated at an urban trauma center from 1997 to 2008.

Age-stratified prevalence, treatment status, and associated factors of hypertension among US adults following application of the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline.

The 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults reduced the systolic/diastolic blood pressure thresholds to define hypertension, including recommendations about treatment initiations and goals. We estimated the age-stratified prevalence, treatment status, and factors associated with hypertension among US adults aged ≥ 20 years based on this guideline. This cross-sectional study used the 2011-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data.

Factors associated with low birth weight in Afghanistan: a cross-sectional analysis of the demographic and health survey 2015.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with low birth weight (LBW) in Afghanistan.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: This study used data collected from the Afghanistan Demographic and Health Survey 2015.

Racial/ethnic disparities in prevalence, treatment, and control of hypertension among US adults following application of the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guideline.

The 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults recommends reduced systolic/diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP) cutoffs to define hypertension (i.e., by changing these from ≥140/90 to ≥130/80 mmHg), including new recommendations about indications and goals of antihypertensive treatment.

Sex differences in prevalence and associated factors of prehypertension and hypertension among Bangladeshi adults.

Globally, complications of raised blood pressure are fundamental public health issues. There has been limited research if prevalence and risk factors vary by sex in many countries, including Bangladesh. We stratified the prevalence and associated factors of prehypertension and hypertension according to sex in Bangladesh.

Does mobile phone survey method matter? Reliability of computer-assisted telephone interviews and interactive voice response non-communicable diseases risk factor surveys in low and middle income countries.

Introduction: Increased mobile phone subscribership in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) provides novel opportunities to track population health. The objective of this study was to examine reliability of data in comparing participant responses collected using two mobile phone survey (MPS) delivery modalities, computer assisted telephone interviews (CATI) and interactive voice response (IVR) in Bangladesh (BGD) and Tanzania (TZA).

Methods: Using a cross-over design, we used random digit dialing (RDD) to call randomly generated mobile phone numbers and recruit survey participants to receive either a CATI or IVR survey on non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors, followed 7 days later by the survey mode not received during first contact; either IVR or CATI.

Prevalence and factors affecting underweight, overweight and obesity using Asian and World Health Organization cutoffs among adults in Nepal: Analysis of the Demographic and Health Survey 2016.

Objective: There is a little published data on prevalence and determinants of underweight, overweight and obesity among adults in Nepal. This study analysed the cross-sectional Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2016 to obtain these using the World Health Organization (WHO) and Asian-specific cutoffs of body mass index (BMI).

Methods: The 2016 NDHS used a multistage cluster-sampling design to obtain data on major health indicators in Nepal.

Estimated Change in Prevalence and Trends of Childhood Blood Pressure Levels in the United States After Application of the 2017 AAP Guideline.

Introduction: Childhood hypertension is associated with higher risks of cardiovascular disease during adulthood. This study estimated the prevalence of hypertension and high blood pressure among children aged 8 to 17 years in the United States per the 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guideline and compared that with the 2004 National Institutes of Health/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH/NHLBI) guideline's prevalence estimate during 2005-2008 and 2013-2016.

Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data.

Ethics of mobile phone surveys to monitor non-communicable disease risk factors in low- and middle-income countries: A global stakeholder survey.

Active public health surveillance has traditionally been carried out through face-to-face household surveys or contact with providers, which can be time and resource intensive. The increasing ubiquity of mobile phones and availability of phone survey platforms provide an opportunity to explore the use of mobile phone surveys (MPS) for active disease and risk factor surveillance, including for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Scholars are increasingly examining the ethics implications of mobile health (mHealth), but few have focused on the ethics of mHealth in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and even fewer on mHealth for active surveillance.