Internet Access and Nutritional Intake: Evidence from Rural China

Over the past 4 decades, China has experienced a nutritional transition and has developed the largest population of internet users. In this study, we evaluated the impacts of internet access on the nutritional intake in Chinese rural residents. An IV-Probit-based propensity score matching method was used to determine the impact of internet access on nutritional intake. The data were collected from 10,042 rural households in six Chinese provinces. The results reveal that rural residents with internet access have significantly higher energy, protein, and fat intake than those without. Chinese rural residents with internet access consumed 1.35% (28.62 kcal), 5.02% (2.61 g), and 4.33% (3.30 g) more energy, protein, and fat, respectively. There was heterogeneity in regard to the intake of energy, protein, and fat among those in different income groups. Moreover, non-staple food consumption is the main channel through which internet access affects nutritional intake. The results demonstrate that the local population uses the internet to improve their nutritional status. Further studies are required to investigate the impact of internet use on food consumed away from home and micronutrient intake.     

Measuring quality and level of care provided by family caregivers of persons with dementia: protocol for a systematic review of validated instruments

BackgroundChanges in the quality-of-life (QoL) of family caregivers as they care for their loved ones with dementia over time may affect the quality or level of care that these caregivers provide. We do not know if validated instruments exist to directly measure this quality or level of care. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify validated instruments for measuring the quality or level of care provided by family caregivers of persons with dementia.MethodsWe will include articles containing a validated instrument or questionnaire designed to measure quality or level of care provided by the aforementioned group of caregivers. The included articles may utilize the tools in primary or secondary data analyses, or evaluate the tools'' psychometric properties. The following electronic databases will be searched from inception date to the present: Medline, CINAHL Complete, Cochrane Central, and PsycINFO. We will also search the gray literature, the reference lists of included articles, and contact experts in the field to help identify relevant instruments. Included articles will be required to report on an instrument measuring at least one of the following outcomes: quality of care, level of care, appropriateness of care, amount of time spent providing care, and caregiver performance. Two reviewers will independently screen retrieved citations, extract data, and assess the methodological quality of each included article. A narrative synthesis method will be used to describe the findings.DiscussionResults of this systematic review will show whether validated instruments exist to measure the quality or level of care provided by family caregivers of persons living with dementia. This will make it possible to develop initiatives that are targeted towards improving the quality or level of care provided by family caregivers.     

Association of Creatinine-to-Cystatin C Ratio with Myosteatosis and Physical Performance in Older Adults: The Japan Shimanami Health Promoting Program

ObjectiveSarcopenia is a risk factor for poor outcomes in older adults. Identification of plasma markers may facilitate screening of sarcopenia. We previously reported that creatinine-to-cystatin C ratio is a simple marker of muscle mass. To further assess the clinical relevance of the creatinine-to-cystatin C ratio, we investigated its association with myosteatosis and physical performance.DesignObservational study.Setting and ParticipantsCross-sectional analysis of the dataset obtained from a Japanese population consisting of 1468 older (≥60 years of age) community residents.MethodsThe mean attenuation values of the skeletal muscle calculated from computed tomography images of the midthigh were used as an index of myosteatosis, while the cross-sectional area of the muscle was used as a proxy for muscle mass. Physical performance was assessed by 1-leg standing time.ResultsCreatinine-to-cystatin C ratio was positively associated with the cross-sectional area of muscle fiber-rich muscles, while it showed an inverse association with fat-rich muscle areas, resulting in the positive association between creatinine-to-cystatin C ratio and the mean attenuation value of the skeletal muscle [creatinine-to-cystatin C ratio quartiles (Q), Q1: 47.4 ± 4.8, Q2: 48.9 ± 4.4, Q3: 49.8 ± 4.1, Q4: 50.9 ± 3.7, P < .001]. The results of the linear regression analysis adjusted for major covariates (including muscle cross-sectional area) identified creatinine-to-cystatin C ratio as an independent determinant of the mean attenuation value (Q1: reference, Q2: β = 0.07, P = .019, Q3: β = 0.11, P < .001, Q4: β = 0.16, P < .001). Low creatinine-to-cystatin C ratio was independently associated with 1-leg standing time, although the association was attenuated substantially by adjusting for skeletal muscle cross-sectional area and mean attenuation value.Conclusion and ImplicationsCreatinine-to-cystatin C ratio was associated with myosteatosis in older adults, independent of the muscle mass. Creatinine-to-cystatin C ratio may serve as a convenient marker of sarcopenia.     

广西农村暗娼安全套坚持使用情况及影响因素分析

目的 了解广西农村地区暗娼人群商业性行为时安全套使用情况及影响因素, 为制定暗娼艾滋病综合干预措施提供参考依据。 方法 采用多级抽样的方法,2019年4—6月在国家和省级暗娼哨点招募农村暗娼进行横断面问卷调查,调查内容包括场所位置、一般人口学信息、艾滋病知识、性行为特征及安全套使用等。用多因素非条件logistic 回归方法分析最近一个月坚持使用安全套的相关因素。 结果 2019年共调查农村暗娼1 350人,平均年龄(42.71±8.62)岁,艾滋病知识知晓率为95.63%(1 291/1 530),最近一次商业性性行为使用安全套比例为94.72%(1 274/1 345),最近一个月商业性性行为每次均使用安全套的比例为87.85%(1 186/1 350)。多因素非条件logistic 回归显示,知晓艾滋病知识(OR=14.857,95%CI:8.196～26.932)是安全套坚持使用的促进因素;交易场所为村屯(OR=0.180,95%CI:0.106～0.304)、30岁及以上年龄(30～岁组,OR=0.275,95%CI:0.090～0.841;50～岁组,OR=0.131,95%CI:0.042～0.407)是安全套坚持使用的障碍因素。 结论 应进一步加强对农村地区、大年龄暗娼人群安全套推广使用等综合干预力度。     

四川省凉山州4个重点贫困县6~24月龄婴幼儿营养及喂养现状调查

目的 了解凉山州贫困地区4个重点贫困县6~24月龄婴幼儿营养状况和家长喂养行为,为开展儿童营养与健康干预促进工作提供依据。方法 2018年4-7月采用多阶段随机抽样法,抽取4个重点县1 244名6~24月龄婴幼儿进行体格测量、血红蛋白含量检测和家长问卷调查。结果 凉山州4个重点县6~24月龄婴幼儿贫血患病率为51.9%,低体重率为9.5%,生长迟缓率为25.6%。多因素分析显示,婴幼儿性别、月龄、母亲学历、母亲职业、是否认为满3个月就可以添加辅食、是否知道谷类泥糊状食物是最适合首先添加的辅食、是否知道动物血或红肉是婴幼儿补铁的最好来源、是否知道贫血与铁缺乏有关、是否吃过母乳、6月龄后是否继续母乳喂养是影响婴幼儿营养状况的主要因素(P<0.05)。结论 凉山州贫困地区6~24月龄婴幼儿营养状况亟待改善,婴幼儿看护人喂养知识不足。应加强宣传教育,提高家长的育儿素养,掌握营养包的有效服用方法,纠正不正确的的喂养方式。     

SARS-CoV-2 Serial Interval Variation,Montana, USA,March 1–July 31, 2020

We report mean severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 serial intervals for Montana, USA, from 583 transmission pairs; infectors’ symptom onset dates occurred during March 1–July 31, 2020. Our estimate was 5.68 (95% CI 5.27–6.08) days, SD 4.77 (95% CI 4.33–5.19) days. Subperiod estimates varied temporally by nonpharmaceutical intervention type and fluctuating incidence.