The psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been widely discussed during the past few months, with scholars expressing concern about its potential debilitating consequences on youth mental ...health. Hence, this research aimed to provide a systematic review of the evidence on the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on youth mental health. We conducted a mixed methods integrated review to identify any empirical study that focused on young people ≤ 18 years old. Eight databases were systematically searched to identify studies of any type of research design. The selection procedure followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The protocol of this systematic review was registered with PROSPERO (protocol ID: CRD4202019375). Twelve studies deemed eligible for data extraction (
= 12,262). The findings show that COVID-19 has an impact on youth mental health and is particularly associated with depression and anxiety in adolescent cohorts. The quality appraisal indicated that all studies were of low or moderate methodological quality. The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting young people's lives, and thus generating robust research evidence to inform policy decisions is essential. Hence, the methodological quality of future research should be drastically improved.
AbstractObjective To identify and synthesise evidence on the role of school-based sex education interventions and to use a Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs) taxonomy to identify behaviour change ...techniques on sexual health behaviours.Methods The systematic review was informed by the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis and included the components of PICOS: participant/population, interventions, comparisons, outcomes and study design. Five electronic databases were searched up to February 2023 including PUBMED, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ERIC, Web of Science Core Collection and PsycINFO. Methodological quality was assessed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project, Quality Assessment tool. Results were presented as a narrative synthesis.Results Of the 1387 studies identified, twenty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies examined sexual health behaviours such as condom usage, frequency of sexual activity, initiation of sexual activity and number of sexual partners. More than half studies (56%) reported a statistically significant change on one or more sexual health behaviour outcomes. Nine (out of 93) BCTs were identified with the most used BCTs being information about health consequences and social and emotional consequences, demonstration of behaviour, behavioural practice/rehearsal and instructions on how to perform the behaviour.Conclusion School-based sex education interventions can be effective in promoting positive sexual health behaviours. The findings of this review provide understanding of such interventions in shaping sexual health behaviours. These also offer evidence-based knowledge for researchers, educators and policy makers in understanding how they can support future development of school-based sex education programmes.
Partner notification (PN) is a public health strategy widely applied to control the spread of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) by disrupting the transmission chain and by protecting against ...re-infection and health complications. Research suggests that individuals' own beliefs about the outcome of an action (outcome beliefs) and perceived ability to perform a specific behaviour (self-efficacy) influence intentions to notify sexual partner(s) for STI/HIV diagnoses. However, because HIV case management differs from other STI cases, there is a need to distinguish between PN related to STIs other than HIV and HIV. The present study aimed to examine the role of outcome beliefs and self-efficacy in predicting intentions to notify partner(s) separately of possible STI and HIV diagnoses. Participants were 177 adults (28.4 years, ± 9.04) who completed self-report measures of self-efficacy, outcome beliefs related to PN and PN intentions for STI and HIV diagnoses. Hierarchical regression models showed that self-efficacy was a significant unique predictor of intentions to notify sexual partners for STIs other than HIV after controlling for outcome beliefs, F (3, 174) = 9.82, p < 0.001. However, this was not evident for intentions to notify partners for HIV. These findings indicate that self-efficacy plays an important role in predicting intentions of notifying sexual partner (s) for STI diagnosis but not for HIV diagnosis. Given that self-efficacy has been successfully integrated in the delivery of education programmes aimed at promoting positive health behaviours, our findings suggest that it could be also incorporated into school-based sex education programmes.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) impose burdens on individuals and communities, while their prevalence in young people has risen continually in recent years. Partner notification is an ...effective public health strategy which can limit STI transmission.
This study aimed to explore young adults' sexual health behaviours, attitudes toward STI testing, and feelings toward visiting a sexual health clinic. It also aimed to investigate preferences for partner notification and the role of self-efficacy in people's intentions to notify a partner for STIs including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
A quantitative, cross-sectional design was applied. Participants were 400 adults aged 18-34 years (M = 23 years; SD = 4.27), recruited from the Republic of Ireland.
Over half of the participants reported never being tested for STIs. These young people placed less importance on undergoing regular STI testing and testing after unprotected sex than their counterparts who had been tested for STIs. Self-efficacy was significantly associated with intentions to notify partner(s) for STIs including HIV.
As STIs are becoming increasingly prevalent in young adults, it is important to gain a deeper understanding of the interventions used to break the transmission chain and how different beliefs and attitudes may affect them. Self-efficacy was a key component in PN intentions, suggesting that the belief in someone's ability or skillset to perform a sexual health behaviour is positively related to their intention to perform the behaviour.
To evaluate locoregional recurrence (LRR) after mastectomy and impact of postmastectomy radiation (PMRT) by breast cancer subtype.
Between 2000 and 2009, 5673 patients with stage I to III breast ...carcinoma underwent mastectomy and nodal evaluation; 30% received PMRT. Isolated LRR (iLRR) and LRR were compared across groups defined by biological subtype and receipt of trastuzumab: luminal A (estrogen ER/progesterone PR+, HER2-, low/intermediate grade), luminal B (ER/PR+, HER2-, high grade), HER2 with trastuzumab, HER2 without trastuzumab, and triple negative (TN; ER-, PR-, HER2-). LRR hazard ratios (HR) were estimated with multivariable Fine and Gray models. The effect of PMRT on LRR was evaluated with Fine and Gray models stratified by propensity for PMRT.
With a median follow-up time of 50.1 months, there were 19 iLRR and 109 LRR events. HER2 patients with trastuzumab had no iLRR and only a single LRR. Compared with luminal A patients, TN patients had significantly greater adjusted risk of iLRR (HR 14.10; 95% CI 2.97%-66.90%), with a similar trend among luminal B (HR 4.94; 95% CI 0.94%-25.82%) and HER2 patients without trastuzumab (HR 4.41; 95% CI 0.61%-32.11%). Although PMRT reduced LRR, the effect of PMRT varied by subgroup, with the greatest and smallest effects seen among luminal A (HR 0.17; 95% CI 0.05%-0.62%) and TN patients (HR 0.59; 95% CI 0.25%-1.35%), respectively.
TN patients had the highest risk of LRR and the least benefit from PMRT; these patients may benefit from alternative treatment strategies. In contrast, in the era of HER2-directed therapy, the role of local therapy may need to be reassessed among HER2 patients.
The proteoglycan decorin is expressed by sprouting but not quiescent endothelial cells, and angiogenesis is dysregulated in its absence. Previously, we have shown that decorin core protein can bind ...to and activate insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR) in endothelial cells. In this study, we show that decorin promotes α2β1 integrin-dependent endothelial cell adhesion and migration on fibrillar collagen type I. We provide evidence that decorin modulates cell-matrix interaction in this context by stimulating cytoskeletal and focal adhesion reorganization through activation of the IGF-IR and the small GTPase Rac. Further, the glycosaminoglycan moiety of decorin interacts with α2β1, but not α1β1 integrin, at a site distinct from the collagen I-binding A-domain, to allosterically modulate collagen I-binding activity of the integrin. We propose that induction of decorin expression in angiogenic, as opposed to quiescent, endothelial cells promotes a motile phenotype in an interstitial collagen I-rich environment by both signaling through IGF-IR and influencing α2β1 integrin activity.
The proteoglycan decorin is expressed by sprouting but not quiescent endothelial cells, and angiogenesis is dysregulated in its absence. Previously, we have shown that decorin core protein can bind ...to and activate insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR) in endothelial cells. In this study, we show that decorin promotes alpha2beta1 integrin-dependent endothelial cell adhesion and migration on fibrillar collagen type I. We provide evidence that decorin modulates cell-matrix interaction in this context by stimulating cytoskeletal and focal adhesion reorganization through activation of the IGF-IR and the small GTPase Rac. Further, the glycosaminoglycan moiety of decorin interacts with alpha2beta1, but not alpha1beta1 integrin, at a site distinct from the collagen I-binding A-domain, to allosterically modulate collagen I-binding activity of the integrin. We propose that induction of decorin expression in angiogenic, as opposed to quiescent, endothelial cells promotes a motile phenotype in an interstitial collagen I-rich environment by both signaling through IGF-IR and influencing alpha2beta1 integrin activity.
The proteoglycan decorin is expressed by sprouting but not quiescent endothelial cells, and angiogenesis is dysregulated in
its absence. Previously, we have shown that decorin core protein can bind ...to and activate insulin-like growth factor-I receptor
(IGF-IR) in endothelial cells. In this study, we show that decorin promotes α2β1 integrin-dependent endothelial cell adhesion
and migration on fibrillar collagen type I. We provide evidence that decorin modulates cell-matrix interaction in this context
by stimulating cytoskeletal and focal adhesion reorganization through activation of the IGF-IR and the small GTPase Rac. Further,
the glycosaminoglycan moiety of decorin interacts with α2β1, but not α1β1 integrin, at a site distinct from the collagen I-binding
A-domain, to allosterically modulate collagen I-binding activity of the integrin. We propose that induction of decorin expression
in angiogenic, as opposed to quiescent, endothelial cells promotes a motile phenotype in an interstitial collagen I-rich environment
by both signaling through IGF-IR and influencing α2β1 integrin activity.
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