Conducting tobacco control surveys among schoolchildren in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan: A feasibility study.

Most of the world's 300 million smokeless tobacco (ST) users live in South Asia but ST policies for that region are poorly researched, developed and implemented. Longitudinal studies to understand the uptake and use of ST and smoking, and influences on these, such as health promotion strategies, are lacking. We planned to conduct longitudinal surveys among secondary school students in three countries with the highest ST burden: Bangladesh, India and Pakistan to explore ST and smoking uptake, use and health promoting strategies.

Developing a Consensus Statement to Target Oral Health Inequalities in People With Severe Mental Illness.

Introduction: Oral diseases are more prevalent in people with severe mental illness (SMI) compared to those without mental illnees. A greater focus on oral health is needed to reverse unacceptable but often neglected oral health inequality in people with SMI. This provided the impetus for developing 'The Right to Smile' consensus statement.

The Effect of Adult Smoking Behavior on Children's Exposure to Secondhand Smoke. An Analysis Based on Salivary Cotinine Levels Among Children in Dhaka and Karachi.

Introduction: Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) risks children's health. However, biomarkers are rarely used to study SHS exposure among children in low- and middle-income countries.

Aims And Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional data collected between March and November 2022 for a cluster-randomized controlled trial investigating a Smoke-Free Intervention in 2769 children aged 9-15 in 74 schools (34 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and 40 in Karachi, Pakistan).

Cross-culturally adapted psychological interventions for the treatment of depression and/or anxiety among young people: A scoping review.

Background: Mental health problems among young people are a major global public health challenge. Psychological interventions may improve mental health, yet most are developed in western cultures, and it is unclear whether they are applicable to other geographical settings and can be delivered successfully to diverse populations. We identified empirical studies focusing upon cross-culturally adapted psychological interventions and examined the cultural adaptation process used and the effectiveness of the interventions in the treatment of depression and/or anxiety disorders among young people (defined here as children and adolescents aged between 8-18 years).

Children Learning About Secondhand Smoke (CLASS III): a protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial of a school-based smoke-free intervention in Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Introduction: Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure is a major cause of premature death and disease, especially among children. Children in economically developing countries are particularly affected as smoke-free laws are typically only partially implemented and private homes and cars remain a key source of SHS exposure. Currently, firm conclusions cannot be drawn from the available evidence on the effectiveness of non-legislative interventions designed to protect children from SHS exposure.

The global impact of tobacco control policies on smokeless tobacco use: a systematic review.

Background: Smokeless tobacco, used by more than 300 million people globally, results in substantial morbidity and mortality. For smokeless tobacco control, many countries have adopted policies beyond the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which has been instrumental in reducing smoking prevalence. The impact of these policies (within and outside the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control) on smokeless tobacco use remains unclear.

Exploring the contextual factors, behaviour change techniques, barriers and facilitators of interventions to improve oral health in people with severe mental illness: A qualitative study.

People with severe mental illness (SMI) have significantly poorer oral health compared to people without SMI and interventions targetted to improve oral health in this population failed to show any long-term improvement. Interventions are influenced by many contextual factors ranging from individual to systems level. This study aimed to understand the contextual factors, behaviour change techniques of the available oral health interventions and explore the barriers to and facilitators for engagement with these interventions from the perspectives of people with SMI (service users) and related service providers.

A Qualitative Study Exploring the Barriers and Facilitators for Maintaining Oral Health and Using Dental Service in People with Severe Mental Illness: Perspectives from Service Users and Service Providers.

People with severe mental illness suffer from a high burden of oral diseases, which can negatively impact their physical and mental well-being. Despite the high burden, they are less likely to engage in oral health care including accessing dental services. We aimed to identify both the service users' and service providers' perspective on the barriers and facilitators for maintaining oral health and dental service use in people with severe mental illness.

The effectiveness of behaviour change interventions delivered by non-dental health workers in promoting children's oral health: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: Dental caries is the most common preventable childhood condition. Non-dental professionals and health workers are often well placed to support parents in adopting positive oral health behaviours for their children. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of behaviour change interventions and their individual component behaviour change techniques (BCTs), that were delivered by non-dental professionals and health workers.

Improving oral health in people with severe mental illness (SMI): A systematic review.

Background: Those with severe mental illness (SMI) are at greater risk of having poor oral health, which can have an impact on daily activities such as eating, socialising and working. There is currently a lack of evidence to suggest which oral health interventions are effective for improving oral health outcomes for people with SMI.

Aims: This systematic review aims to examine the effectiveness of oral health interventions in improving oral health outcomes for those with SMI.

The role of oral health-related quality of life in the association between dental caries and height, weight and BMI among children in Bangladesh.

Objectives: To examine whether oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) explained the negative associations between dental caries and anthropometric measures of child growth among a sample of 5- to 9-year-old children in Dhaka, Bangladesh, while taking potential confounding factors (maternal education, family income, study setting, child's birth weight and childhood diseases) into account. In addition, to test whether specific oral impacts had a role in explaining these associations.

Methods: Data collection was conducted via a cross-sectional survey among children and their parents from both hospital and school settings in Dhaka.

Co-producing an intervention for tobacco cessation and improvement of oral health among diabetic patients in Bangladesh.

Background: Tobacco consumption is a major risk factor for many diseases including diabetes and has deleterious effects on oral health. Diabetic patients are vulnerable to developing certain oral conditions. So far, no studies have attempted to co-develop a tobacco cessation intervention to be delivered in dental clinics for people with diabetes in Bangladesh.

Interventions for preventing type 2 diabetes in adults with mental disorders in low- and middle-income countries.

Background: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is increased in individuals with mental disorders. Much of the burden of disease falls on the populations of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Objectives: To assess the effects of pharmacological, behaviour change, and organisational interventions versus active and non-active comparators in the prevention or delay of type 2 diabetes among people with mental illness in LMICs.

Cross cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Bengali version of the Scale of Oral Health Outcomes for 5-year-old children (SOHO-5).

Background: The oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) of children in Bangladesh has not yet been measured, as there is no validated OHRQoL measure for that population. The aim of this study was to cross-culturally adapt the child self-report and parental proxy report versions of the Scale of Oral Health Outcomes for 5-year-old children (SOHO-5) into Bengali and test their psychometric properties: face validity, construct validity (convergent and discriminant validity) and reliability (internal consistency and test-retest reliability), among 5-9-year-old children and their parents in Bangladesh and assess associations between dental caries/sepsis and OHRQoL in this population.

Methods: The forward-backward translated Bengali SOHO-5 was piloted among 272 children and their parents to test its face validity.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Smoking Patterns in Pakistan: Findings From a Longitudinal Survey of Smokers.

Introduction: We investigated the influence of COVID-19 on smoking patterns in Pakistan.

Methods: In a longitudinal survey, we asked cigarette smokers in Pakistan about their smoking behaviors before and since COVID-19. Smokers were recruited before COVID-19 using two-stage random probability sampling.

Predictors of Cigarette Smoking, Smokeless Tobacco Consumption, and Use of both forms in Adolescents in South Asia: A Secondary Analysis of the Global Youth Tobacco Surveys.

Introduction: Tobacco uptake in adolescents is associated with a range of predictors. We examined the predictors of cigarette smoking, smokeless tobacco (ST) consumption, and use of both ST and cigarettes among adolescents in four South Asian countries.

Methods: We analyzed the Global Youth Tobacco Surveys (GYTS) data for Bangladesh (2013), India (2009), Pakistan (2013), and Sri Lanka (2015), using multinomial regression to examine associations between several predictors and tobacco use.

Protocol for a feasibility study of longitudinal surveys to assess the impact of policies on tobacco use among school-going adolescents in South Asia.

Smokeless tobacco (ST) use is common among youth in South Asia where 85% of the world's 300 million ST users live and use the most lethal ST forms. Little is known about the impact of tobacco control policies on the youth ST uptake in those countries. We planned to conduct longitudinal surveys among school going adolescents to evaluate existing tobacco control policies on tobacco uptake and use, and a feasibility study for that prospective, observational cohort study.

Global burden of disease due to smokeless tobacco consumption in adults: an updated analysis of data from 127 countries.

Background: Smokeless tobacco (ST) is consumed by more than 300 million people worldwide. The distribution, determinants and health risks of ST differ from that of smoking; hence, there is a need to highlight its distinct health impact. We present the latest estimates of the global burden of disease due to ST use.

Factors associated with regular physical activity participation among people with severe mental ill health.

Purpose: People with severe mental ill health (SMI) are less physically active and more sedentary than the general population. There is limited research investigating the correlates of physical activity (PA) in people with SMI impeding the development of successful interventions. This study aimed to assess the factors associated with regular participation of PA among a large sample of people with SMI.

Dental caries and anthropometric measures in a sample of 5- to 9-year-old children in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Aim: This study aimed to assess associations between dental caries and anthropometric measures among a sample of children aged 5-9 years in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 5- to 9-year-old children in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Data were collected from children and their parents attending the Dhaka Dental College Hospital and from three nearby primary schools.

Relationship between Untreated Dental Caries and Weight and Height of 6- to 12-Year-Old Primary School Children in Bangladesh.

Background. Children in low-income developing countries are likely to suffer from undergrowth. Dental caries is another common problem in these countries.