The global prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among men who have sex with men: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to determine the global prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempts among men who have sex with men (MSM) as a systematic review, and meta-analysis.

METHODS

For this meta-analysis, a search in four international databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and EMBASE) was designed, and performed. In the next step, the information extraction checklist was prepared based on the study authors' opinions, and the quality of the articles was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) checklist. Data meta-analysis was performed using STATA16 software with a significance level below 0.05.

RESULTS

The results showed the prevalence of suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts among MSM was 21% (95% CI 17%-26%), and 12% (95% CI 8%-17%), respectively. The results of the subgroup analysis showed that the prevalence of suicidal ideation in the population of MSM living with Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was 40% (95% CI 35%-45%), and the prevalence of suicide attempts among MSM with HIV was 10% (95% CI 1%-27%). The prevalence of suicidal ideation in European MSM, and the prevalence of suicide attempts among American MSM were higher than other MSM in other geographical areas.

CONCLUSION

Considering that the prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempts among these people is many times higher than that among men in the general population, developing programs for the prevention of mental disorders with special attention to suicide is necessary for these people. Screening programs are also recommended for early diagnosis and prevention of suicide among these people.

Adverse childhood experiences and clustering of high-risk behaviors among high school students: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

This study assessed the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and clustering of high-risk behaviors in a sample of high school students.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional study.

METHODS

A sample of students who attended randomly selected classes in 99 high schools completed the 2019 Nevada Youth Risk Behavior Survey (N = 4959). The survey included six ACE measures: (1) physical abuse, (2) sexual abuse, (3) verbal abuse, (4) household physical abuse, (5) household mental illness, and (6) household substance abuse. Students were assigned a cumulative ACE score (range = 0-6). A count of high-risk behavior domains was created using multiple questions across the following domains: (1) violence behaviors, (2) suicidal indicators, (3) non-suicidal self-injury, (4) substance use, (5) high-risk sexual behaviors, (6) poor diet, (7) physical inactivity, and (8) high screen time (range = 0-8). The relationship between ACEs and the count of high-risk behavior domains was assessed using weighted negative binomial regression; incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were calculated adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics.

RESULTS

More than 40% of the sampled students reported high-risk behaviors across two or more domains. There was a strong, graded relationship between cumulative ACE score and the count of high-risk behavior domains. Compared with students who experienced zero ACEs, there was an increase in the count of high-risk behavior domains among students who experienced one ACE (adjusted IRR [aIRR] = 1.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.12-1.33), two ACEs (aIRR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.42-1.73), three ACEs (aIRR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.54-1.94), four ACEs (aIRR = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.84-2.33), five ACEs (aIRR = 2.69, 95% CI = 2.34-3.10), and six ACEs (aIRR = 2.91, 95% CI = 2.34-3.62).

CONCLUSION

Trauma-informed prevention efforts may be an efficient way to address multiple adolescent risk behaviors that cluster.

Post-lockdown Rebounding High-risk Behaviors and HIV Testing Among MSM in China in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic

BACKGROUND

Lockdown measures for controlling the COVID-19 epidemic were enforced in China between January and May 2020. Previous studies showed a decrease in HIV high- Risk Behaviors (HRBs) and updated testing during the lockdown, but little is known about these behaviors during the post-lockdown period.

OBJECTIVE

We conducted quantitative and qualitative assessments of HIV-related behaviors among MSM during the lockdown and post-lockdown periods in Changsha, south-central China.

METHODS

Face-to-face structured interviews with open-ended questions were conducted using the TimeLine Follow Back (TLFB) method for collecting retrospective data on frequencies of HRBs and testing. McNemar's Chi-square test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to comparing frequencies of behaviors between lockdown (January-May 2020) and post-lockdown periods (June- October 2020). Content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data on the reasons for rebounding HRBs and testing.

RESULTS

Of 159 MSM participants, 64% had at least one HRB during the post-lockdown period. Men had increased condomless sex (from 24% to 35%), multiple partners (23% to 35%), and substance abuse (16% to 27%) between the two study periods due to the negative emotions and increased use of social networks during the lockdown. HIV testing frequency also increased from 37% to 66% due to resuming routine testing services in the community-based organizations and increased HRBs among MSM during post-lockdown.

CONCLUSION

After lifting the lockdown measures, MSM had rebounding HRBs and uptake of testing. Effective preventive measures and healthcare services should be available to MSM after the lockdown measures are lifted.

Exploring the facilitators and barriers to high-risk behaviors among school transportation drivers: a qualitative study

Background

School transportation (ST) crashes are associated with serious adverse consequences, particularly for students in developing countries. High-risk behaviors (HRBs) of ST drivers are a major factor contributing to ST crashes. This study aimed at exploring the facilitators and barriers to HRBs among ST drivers.

Methods

This qualitative study was conducted in 2019–2020. Participants were ST drivers, students, parents, and school staff purposively selected from Tehran, Iran. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions and were concurrently analyzed through conventional content analysis.

Findings

Participants were fifteen ST drivers with a mean age of 45 ± 10.2 years and 24 students, parents, and school staff with a mean age of 28.62 ± 16.08 years. The facilitators and barriers to HRBs came into five main categories, namely previous experiences of HRBs, perceived gains and risks of HRBs, motivating and inhibiting feelings and emotions, positive and negative subjective norms, and perceived mastery in driving.

Conclusion

A wide range of facilitators and barriers can affect HRBs among ST drivers. Strategies for preventing HRBs among ST drivers should be multidimensional and individualized and should focus on strengthening the barriers and removing the facilitators to HRBs.

Cannabis vaping among adults in the United States: Prevalence, trends, and association with high-risk behaviors and adverse respiratory conditions

The e-cigarette or vaping product-use-associated lung injury outbreak in the United States has raised concerns about the potential health effects of cannabis vaping, a method of cannabis use that is becoming increasingly popular. We used 2017-2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data to estimate yearly prevalence and trends of past-30-day cannabis use and vaping among US adults. We used multivariable logistic regression to evaluate the associations of cannabis vaping with high-risk behaviors, asthma, and other respiratory symptoms. Our sample size was 160,209 (53,945-2017; 55,475-2018; and 50,789-2019). Past-30-day cannabis use prevalence increased from 10.0% (95% CI, 9.4%-10.7%) in 2017 to 13.4% (12.8%-12.0%) in 2019. Similarly, past-30-day cannabis vaping prevalence increased from 1.0% (0.8%-1.2%) to 2.0% (1.7%-2.2%) over the same period, with the greatest increase, 1.2% to 3.9%, observed among young adults (18-24 years). Individuals who vaped cannabis were more likely to concurrently vape nicotine. Cannabis vaping was associated with increased odds of heavy alcohol use (aOR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.45-2.63), binge drinking (aOR, 2.82; 95% CI, 2.25-3.54), and other high-risk behaviors (aOR, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.89-3.24). In analyses adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and body mass index, cannabis vaping was not associated with asthma (aOR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.64-1.64) or other respiratory symptoms (aOR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.44-2.63). Adjusting for nicotine vaping did not substantively alter these associations. The prevalence of past-30-day cannabis vaping has increased, particularly among young adults, and was associated with high-risk behaviors. Although there was no association between cannabis vaping and asthma or other respiratory symptoms, the increasing trends of cannabis vaping, particularly among young adults, raise concern and underscore the need for continued surveillance.

Clustering and Combining Pattern of High-Risk Behaviors among Iranian University Students: A Latent Class Analysis

BACKGROUND

High-risk behaviors are increasing among young adults worldwide. We aimed to identify university students' subgroups on the basis of high-risk behaviors and to assess the role of age, living alone, religious beliefs, and parental support in the membership of specific subgroups.

STUDY DESIGN

A cross-sectional study METHODS: The study was conducted in Bushehr (south of Iran) from November to December 2016. The sample included 977 university students selected through random sampling. The data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Then, latent class analysis was used to classify the students.

RESULTS

Totally, five latent classes were identified as follows: low risk, high risk, somewhat low risk, hookah user, and very high risk. Notably, 7.7% and 2.5% of the students belonged to high risk and very high risk classes, respectively. The results suggested the protective effect of familial support and religiosity on high-risk behaviors.

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicated the co-occurrence of high-risk behaviors. The findings can be used to plan and evaluate interventions by considering risk factors and protective factors in universities.

School-based suicide prevention: content, process, and the role of trusted adults and peers

Suicide is a leading cause of preventable death in youth, and numerous curricula and other prevention and intervention programs have been developed in the last 15 years. Comprehensive suicide prevention planning should include the 4 components of health promotion, prevention/education, intervention, and postvention. School-based suicide prevention and mental health education programs have become more common as an efficient and cost-effective way to reach youth. Process considerations that are based on the principles of therapeutic engagement with patients and families can provide mental health professionals with strategies that can assist education professionals, students, and the larger school community simultaneously.

The effect of traffic tickets on road traffic crashes

Road traffic crashes are globally a leading cause of death. The current study tests the effect of traffic tickets issued to drivers on subsequent crashes, using a unique dataset that overcomes some shortcomings of previous studies. The study takes advantage of a national longitudinal dataset at the individual level that merges Israeli census data with data on traffic tickets issued by the police and official data on involvement in road traffic crashes over seven years. The results show that the estimated probability of involvement in a subsequent fatal or severe crash was more than eleven times higher for drivers with six traffic tickets per year compared to those with one ticket per year, while controlling for various confounders. However, the majority of fatal and severe crashes involved the larger population of drivers who received up to one ticket on average per year. The current findings indicate that reducing traffic violations may contribute significantly to crash and injury reduction. In addition, mass random enforcement programs may be more effective in reducing fatal and severe crashes than targeting high-risk recidivist drivers.

The Effect of Premarital Sex on Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and High Risk Behaviors in Women

This research aimed to study the effect of premarital sex on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and high risk behaviors among women in sub-Saharan Africa. It included 1393 women randomly selected from the Moshi urban district of northern Tanzania. Participants' demographic and socio-demographic characteristics, alcohol use, condom use, number of partners, symptoms of STIs and age at first sex and marriage were obtained. Moreover, blood and urine samples were tested for HIV-1, HSV-2, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomonas and Mycoplasma genitalium infections. The average duration of premarital sex in the study participants was 1.66 years (SD of 2.61 years). Women with longer duration of premarital sex had higher odds of HIV-1, HSV-2 and other STIs. Moreover, women with longer duration of premarital sex were more likely to report multiple sexual partners. These findings highlight the importance of a lengthy period of premarital sex as a public health issue. STIs prevention programs in sub-Saharan Africa should address factors leading to a longer period of premarital sex in women.