Gender and health literacy: men's health beliefs and behaviour in Trinidad

The Impact of Telehealth Expansion on Health Care Utilization, Access, and Outcomes During the Pandemic: A Systematic Review

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented change to the health care industry, including a large and rapid shift to providing care through telehealth technologies. Although the expansion of telehealth services was successful in continuing to provide patients with care while preventing the spread of disease, it is less clear how patient sociodemographic characteristics influenced telehealth use during this time. This study aims to systematically review the published literature on demographic differences in telehealth access, utilization, and health outcomes among a variety of adult patient types in the United States. Methods: Litcovid, PubMed, Web of Science, and MEDLINE databases were searched, resulting in a final sample of n = 32 studies. Results: Results found that studies could be categorized as addressing at least one of eight different areas of inquiry: sociodemographic differences in telehealth use (1) during and (2) before the pandemic, telehealth use versus nonuse (3) during and (4) before the pandemic, (5) telehealth modality, (6) satisfaction with telehealth, (7) outcomes associated with telehealth use, and (8) perceived or actual access to telehealth services. Discussion: Findings are robust across included studies with respect to racial, age, and socioeconomic differences in telehealth utilization and health outcomes, reflecting sociodemographic differences in health care access, utilization, and outcomes more broadly that persist despite this expansion of telehealth services owing to COVID-19. Additional findings across studies are summarized and areas for future research are discussed.

Prevalence and clinical characteristics of uveitic glaucoma: multicentric study in Bogotá, Colombia

OBJECTIVES

To describe the clinical features of patients diagnosed with uveitic glaucoma (UG) and ocular hypertension secondary to uveitis (OHT-SU).

METHODS

A multicentric cross-sectional study using medical records of patients with uveitis between 2013 and 2021. Uveitis and glaucoma specialists examined all patients. Variables were analyzed using the chi-square or Fisher's exact test for categorical variables. Additionally, t test, Mann-Whitney, and Kruskal-Wallis variance analysis were used for continuous variables. Finally, a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis for UG and OHT-SU development over time was done.

RESULTS

Of the 660 clinical records reviewed of patients with uveitis, 191 (28.9%) had OHT-SU in at least one visit, and 108 (16.4%) of them developed UG. In all ages, females were more affected than males. Anterior uveitis was the main anatomic localisation, and non-granulomatous, recurrent, and inactive uveitis were the most frequent clinical features. The mean final visual acuity was 0.3 (0.0-1.0) LogMAR. Also, 95.8% of the patients had additional sequelae related to uveitis regardless of UG and OHT-SU. Interestingly, males had earlier affection, with statistical significance in OHT for adults (P = 0.036) and UG for children (P = 0.04). Of all patients, 81.1% received topical hypotensive treatment and 29.8% required a surgical procedure.

CONCLUSIONS

UG and OHT-SU are common complications of uveitis in the Colombian population. These sight-threatening conditions were more common and appeared sooner in men at any age. Our results suggest that earlier and more aggressive treatment with topical hypotensive agents could positively influence the visual outcomes and the requirement of surgical procedures.

Settings for the development of health literacy: A conceptual review

Advances in conceptualizing settings in health promotion include understanding settings as complex and interlinked systems with a core commitment to health and related outcomes such as health literacy. Traditional settings for the development of health literacy include health care environments and schools. There is a need to identify and conceptualize non-traditional and emerging settings of twenty-first-century everyday life. The aim of this conceptual review is to inform a conceptual model of a "non-traditional" setting for the development of health literacy. The model uses the example of the public library to propose four equity-focused antecedents required in a setting for the development of health literacy: the setting acknowledges the wider determinants of health, is open access, involves local communities in how it is run, and facilitates informed action for health. The review concludes that a settings approach to the development of health literacy can be conceptualized as part of a coordinated "supersetting approach," where multiple settings work in synergy with each other.

COVID-19 in Brazil: Are there any differences in Mental Health Literacy between young and aged men?

OBJECTIVE

to analyze the Mental Health Literacy of young and aged men living in Brazil in the COVID-19 pandemic context.

METHOD

a qualitative study conducted with 87 men by means of an asynchronous online survey. The data were processed in the NVIVO12® software, structured with the Collective Subject Discourse method and analyzed through Anthony Jorm's theoretical concept of Mental Health Literacy.

RESULTS

six central ideas emerged from the analysis of a synthesis discourse on the components of the Mental Health Literacy, namely: Ability to recognize specific disorders or different types of psychological distress; Knowledge and beliefs about risk factors and causes; Knowledge and beliefs about self-help interventions; Knowledge and beliefs about available professional help; Attitudes that facilitate recognition and the search for adequate help; and Knowledge on how to seek information on mental health.

CONCLUSION

there are differences in the mental health literacy of young and aged men living in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aged men were more competent for mental health care management and protection than young men, in relation to the Mental Health Literacy levels.

COVID-19 en Brasil: ¿Hay diferencias entre la alfabetización en salud mental de los hombres jóvenes y la de los mayores?

Resumen Objetivo: analizar la Alfabetización en Salud Mental de hombres jóvenes y mayores residentes en Brasil en el contexto de la pandemia de COVID-19. Método: estudio cualitativo, realizado con 87 hombres, mediante survey online asincrónica. Los datos fueron procesados usando el software NVIVO12®, estructurados usando el método del Discurso del Sujeto Colectivo y analizados usando el concepto teórico de Alfabetización en Salud Mental de Anthony Jorm. Resultados: del análisis de un discurso síntesis sobre los componentes de la Alfabetización en Salud Mental, surgieron seis ideas centrales: capacidad para reconocer trastornos específicos o diferentes tipos de sufrimiento psíquico; conocimiento y creencias sobre factores y causas de riesgo; conocimiento y creencias sobre las intervenciones de autoayuda; conocimiento y creencias sobre la ayuda profesional disponible; actitudes que facilitan el reconocimiento y la búsqueda de ayuda adecuada; y conocimiento sobre cómo buscar información sobre salud mental. Conclusión: hay diferencias entre la Alfabetización en Salud Mental de los hombres jóvenes y la de los mayores que vivían en Brasil durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Los hombres mayores fueron más competentes para gestionar el cuidado y proteger su salud mental que los hombres jóvenes, según los niveles de Alfabetización en Salud Mental.

COVID-19 in Brazil: Are there any differences in Mental Health Literacy between young and aged men?

Objective:

to analyze the Mental Health Literacy of young and aged men living in Brazil in the COVID-19 pandemic context.

Method:

a qualitative study conducted with 87 men by means of an asynchronous online survey. The data were processed in the NVIVO12^® software, structured with the Collective Subject Discourse method and analyzed through Anthony Jorm’s theoretical concept of Mental Health Literacy.

Results:

six central ideas emerged from the analysis of a synthesis discourse on the components of the Mental Health Literacy, namely: Ability to recognize specific disorders or different types of psychological distress; Knowledge and beliefs about risk factors and causes; Knowledge and beliefs about self-help interventions; Knowledge and beliefs about available professional help; Attitudes that facilitate recognition and the search for adequate help; and Knowledge on how to seek information on mental health.

Conclusion:

there are differences in the mental health literacy of young and aged men living in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aged men were more competent for mental health care management and protection than young men, in relation to the Mental Health Literacy levels.

eHealth Literacy and Beliefs About Medicines Among Taiwanese College Students: Cross-sectional Study

Background

Good eHealth literacy and correct beliefs about medicines are beneficial for making good health care decisions and may further influence an individual's quality of life. However, few studies have discussed these two factors simultaneously. Moreover, gender differences are associated with health literacy and beliefs about medicines. Therefore, it is important to examine the multiple relationships between college students’ eHealth literacy and beliefs about medicines, as well as gender differences.

Objective

This study aims to (1) examine the multiple relationships between eHealth literacy and beliefs about medicines and (2) analyze gender differences in eHealth literacy and beliefs about medicines with Taiwanese college students.

Methods

We used a paper-and-pencil questionnaire that included age, gender, 3-level eHealth literacy, and beliefs about medicines to collect data. In total, 475 data points were obtained and analyzed through independent t tests and canonical correlation analyses.

Results

The t test (t₄₇₃=3.73; P<.001; t₄₇₃=–2.10; P=.04) showed that women had lower functional eHealth literacy and more specific concerns about medicines than men. Canonical correlation analyses indicated that the first and second canonical correlation coefficients between eHealth literacy and beliefs about medicines reached a significant level, implying that a multivariate relationship indeed existed.

Conclusions

These findings reveal that women in Taiwan have lower functional eHealth literacy and stronger concerns about medicines than men. In addition, students with higher eHealth literacy have more positive perceptions of and beliefs about medicines.

Promoting Men's Health With the "Don't Change Much" e-Program

Men's e-health promotion programs can offer end-user anonymity and autonomy that provide avenues for supporting positive health behavior change. The twofold purpose of the current study was to use a benchmark cohort as a reference group to: (1) describe associations between men's usage levels of the e-health program Don't Change Much (DCM) and their recent and intended health behavior changes, and (2) report an exploratory analysis of the moderating effects of demographic variables on the associations between DCM users and their recent and intended health behavior changes. Based on self-report, DCM users were classified into limited (n = 613, 34.7%), low (n = 826, 46.8%), and high (n = 327, 18.5%) exposure groups. Compared with the benchmark cohort, DCM high-exposure respondents had significantly increased odds for eight of the nine recent behavior changes, with the largest effect size observed for "Made an effort to sit less and walk more" (odds ratio [OR] 2.996, 95% CI [2.347, 3.826]). Eight of the nine intended health behavior changes in the DCM high-exposure group had significantly increased odds compared to the benchmark cohort, with "Reduce stress level" (OR 3.428, 95% CI [2.643, 4.447]) having the largest effect size. Significantly greater total numbers of recent (F(12, 2850) = 29.32; p = .001; R² = .086) and intended health behavior changes (F(12, 2850) = 34.59; p = .001; R² = 0.100) were observed among high exposure respondents while adjusting for demographics. Younger age, being employed, and household income <$120,000 had an enhancing moderator effect on DCM users' number of intended behavior changes.