scholarly journals Strongyloidiasis in Africa: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Prevalence, Diagnostic Methods, and Study Settings

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Tadesse Hailu ◽  
Endalkachew Nibret ◽  
Arancha Amor ◽  
Abaineh Munshea
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Parasitic Infection ◽  
Strongyloides Stercoralis ◽  
Diagnostic Techniques ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Pooled Prevalence ◽  
Low Sensitivity

Background. Strongyloidiasis is an intestinal parasitic infection mainly caused by Strongyloides stercoralis. Although it is a predominant parasite in tropics and subtropics where sanitation and hygiene are poorly practiced, the true prevalence of strongyloidiasis is not known due to low-sensitivity diagnostic methods. Objective. This systematic review and meta-analysis is aimed at determining the pooled prevalence of strongyloidiasis in African countries, stratified by diagnostic methods, study settings, and patients. Methods. Cross-sectional studies on strongyloidiasis published in African countries from the year 2008 up to 2018 in PubMed and Google Scholar databases and which reported at least one Strongyloides spp. infection were included. Identification and screening of eligible articles were also done. Articles whose focus was on strongyloidiasis in animals, soil, and foreigners infected by Strongyloides spp. in Africa were excluded. The random effects model was used to calculate the pooled prevalence of strongyloidiasis across African countries as well as by diagnostic methods and study settings. The heterogeneity between studies was also computed. Result. A total of 82 studies were included. The overall pooled prevalence of strongyloidiasis was 2.7%. By individual techniques, the pooled prevalence of strongyloidiasis was 0.4%, 1.0%, 3.4%, 9.3%, 9.6%, and 19.4% by the respective direct saline microscopy, Kato-Katz, formol ether concentration, polymerase chain reaction, Baermann concentration, and culture diagnostic techniques. The prevalence rates of strongyloidiasis among rural community, school, and health institution studies were 6.8%, 6.4%, and 0.9%, respectively. The variation on the effect size comparing African countries, diagnostic methods, study settings, and patients was significant ( P ≤ 0.001 ). Conclusions. This review shows that strongyloidiasis is overlooked and its prevalence is estimated to be low in Africa due to the use of diagnostic methods with low sensitivity. Therefore, there is a need for using a combination of appropriate diagnostic methods to approach the actual strongyloidiasis rates in Africa.

scholarly journals Prevalence of Depression among Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Outbreak: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (15) ◽  
pp. 3406
Author(s):  
Beatriz Olaya ◽  
María Pérez-Moreno ◽  
Juan Bueno-Notivol ◽  
Patricia Gracia-García ◽  
Isabel Lasheras ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Medical Doctors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Random Effects Models ◽  
Pooled Prevalence ◽  
Prevalence Of Depression ◽  
Common Mental Health Problems

Background: There is evidence of a high psychological toll from the COVID-19 pandemic in healthcare workers. This paper was aimed at conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting levels of depression among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 and estimating the pooled prevalence of depression. Methods: We searched for cross-sectional studies listed on PubMed from 1 December 2019 to 15 September 2020 that reported prevalence of depression in healthcare workers, nurses, medical doctors, and COVID-19 frontline professionals. The pooled proportions of depression were calculated with random effects models. Results: We identified 57 studies from seventeen countries. The pooled prevalence of depression in healthcare workers was 24% (95% CI: 20%−28%), 25% for nurses (95% CI: 18%−33%), 24% for medical doctors (95% CI: 16%−31%), and 43% for frontline professionals (95% CI: 28%−59%). Conclusions: The proportion of depression in nurses and medical doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic was similar to that found in the general population as previously reported in other meta-analyses conducted with smaller numbers of studies. Importantly, almost half of the frontline healthcare workers showed increased levels of depression. There is need for a comprehensive, international response to prevent and treat common mental health problems in healthcare workers.

Prevalence of epilepsy in autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Autism ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 136236132110450
Author(s):  
Xian Liu ◽  
Xin Sun ◽  
Caihong Sun ◽  
Mingyang Zou ◽  
Yiru Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Human Development ◽  
Human Development Index ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Development Index ◽  
Pooled Prevalence

The literature from inception to 2020 on the prevalence of epilepsy in autistic individuals was systematically reviewed and further explored by subgroup analyses and meta-regression models. This systematic review is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020179725). A total of 66 studies from 53 articles were included. The updated pooled prevalence of epilepsy in autistic individuals was 10% (95% CI: 6–14). The respective prevalence estimate of epilepsy was 19% (95% CI: 6–35) in the clinical sample-based cross-sectional study, 7% (95% CI: 3–11) in the cohort study, and 9% (95% CI: 5–15) in the population-based cross-sectional study. The pooled prevalence of epilepsy was 7% (95% CI: 4–11) in autistic children and 19% (95% CI: 14–24) in autistic adults. Compared to the school-aged group, the adolescence group (OR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.06–1.25) and the pre-school group (OR: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.94–1.19) were positively associated with the prevalence of epilepsy. The moderators of age, human development index of the country, gender, and intellectual function accounted for most of the heterogeneity. The prevalence estimates were associated with age, female gender, intellectual disability rate, and the human development index of countries. About 1/10 autistic individuals co-occurred with epilepsy, which was common in the clinical setting, adolescents, adults, females, or patients with intellectual disability, and less common in the country with high human development index. Lay abstract Autistic individuals experience higher co-occurring medical conditions than the general population, and yet the estimates of autistic individuals with epilepsy are not updated. Co-occurrence of epilepsy in autistic individuals often aggravated cognitive impairment and increased the risk of poor long-term prognosis. Thus, an updated systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to study the relevant articles published from inception to 2020, evaluate the prevalence of epilepsy in autistic individuals, and further explore the putative factors influencing the prevalence. A total of 66 studies from 53 articles were included in this study. The results showed that epilepsy is more common in autistic individuals than in the general population. The prevalence of epilepsy in autistic individuals in the clinical sample-based studies was higher than that in the population-based based cross-sectional or cohort studies. The prevalence of epilepsy in autistic adults was higher than that in autistic children. A significantly increased prevalence of epilepsy was detected in the autistic adolescent group (11–17 years old), and a higher trend of prevalence of epilepsy was observed in the autistic pre-school group (⩽ 6 -years-old) than that of the autistic school-aged group (7–10 years-old). The prevalence of epilepsy increased with age, female rate, and low intellectual function rate of autistic individuals. However, the human development index of countries was negatively associated with the pooled prevalence, which could be attributed to the different levels of awareness, diagnostic technologies, and autism-service support worldwide. About 1/10 autistic individuals also had epilepsy, which was common in the clinical setting, adolescents, adults, females, or patients with intellectual disability and less common in the country with high human development index. Thus, these findings provided critical and innovative views on the prevalence of epilepsy in autistic individuals and contributed to the targeted clinical management and preventive measures.

scholarly journals Prevalence of smoking in adults with spinal cord stimulators: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 214-218
Author(s):  
W Michael Hooten ◽  
Rajat N Moman ◽  
Jodie Dvorkin ◽  
E Morgan Pollard ◽  
Robalee Wonderman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Smoking Status ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Vascular Diseases ◽  
Risk Of Bias ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Prevalence Studies ◽  
Pooled Prevalence

BackgroundSmoking adversely impacts pain-related outcomes of spinal cord stimulation (SCS). However, the proportion of SCS patients at risk of worse outcomes is limited by an incomplete knowledge of smoking prevalence in this population. Thus, the primary aim of this systematic review is to determine the prevalence of smoking in adults with chronic pain treated with SCS.MethodsA comprehensive search of databases from 1 January 1980 to 3 January 2019 was conducted. Eligible study designs included (1) randomized trials; (2) prospective and retrospective cohort studies; and (3) cross-sectional studies. The risk of bias was assessed using a tool specifically developed for prevalence studies. A total of 1619 records were screened, 19 studies met inclusion criteria, and the total number of participants was 10 838.ResultsThirteen studies had low or moderate risk of bias, and six had a high risk of bias. All 19 studies reported smoking status and the pooled prevalence was 38% (95% CI 30% to 47%). The pooled prevalence in 6 studies of peripheral vascular diseases was 56% (95% CI 42% to 69%), the pooled prevalence of smoking in 11 studies of lumbar spine diagnoses was 28% (95% CI 20% to 36%) and the pooled prevalence in 2 studies of refractory angina was 44% (95% CI 31% to 58%).ConclusionsThe estimated prevalence of smoking in SCS patients is 2.5 times greater than the general population. Future research should focus on development, testing and deployment of tailored smoking cessation treatments for SCS patients.

scholarly journals Standardisation of lymphatic filariasis microfilaraemia prevalence estimates based on different diagnostic methods: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie V. S. Vinkeles Melchers ◽  
Luc E. Coffeng ◽  
Sake J. de Vlas ◽  
Wilma A. Stolk
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Lymphatic Filariasis ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Diagnostic Technique ◽  
Diagnostic Techniques ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
Prevalence Estimates ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Meta Analyses

Abstract Background Lymphatic filariasis (LF) infection is generally diagnosed through parasitological identification of microfilariae (mf) in the blood. Although historically the most commonly used technique for counting mf is the thick blood smear based on 20 µl blood (TBS20), various other techniques and blood volumes have been applied. It is therefore a challenge to compare mf prevalence estimates from different LF-survey data. Our objective was to standardise microfilaraemia (mf) prevalence estimates to TBS20 as the reference diagnostic technique. Methods We first performed a systematic review to identify studies reporting on comparative mf prevalence data as measured by more than one diagnostic test, including TBS20, on the same study population. Associations between mf prevalences based on different diagnostic techniques were quantified in terms of odds ratios (OR, with TBS20 blood as reference), using a meta-regression model. Results We identified 606 articles matching our search strategy and included 14 in our analyses. The OR of the mf prevalences as measured by the more sensitive counting chamber technique (≥ 50 µl blood) was 2.90 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.60–5.28). For membrane filtration (1 ml blood) the OR was 2.39 (95% CI: 1.62–3.53), Knott’s technique it was 1.54 (95% CI: 0.72–3.29), and for TBS in ≥ 40 µl blood it was 1.37 (95% CI: 0.81–2.30). Conclusions We provided transformation factors to standardise mf prevalence estimates as detected by different diagnostic techniques to mf prevalence estimates as measured by TBS20. This will facilitate the use and comparison of more datasets in meta-analyses and geographic mapping initiatives across countries and over time.

scholarly journals Prevalence and Determinants of Trachomatous Trichiasis towards Elimination of Trachoma in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta- Analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Geleta ◽  
Netsanet Workneh
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Pooled Prevalence ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Study Participants ◽  
Trachomatous Trichiasis

Abstract Background: Trachomatous Trichiasis is a preventable and treatable late stage of trachoma infection, mainly exacerbating the condition of poor and marginalized people. Given the hurtful nature of the infection, many countries, including Ethiopia, lack coherent data on the status of the problem toward its targeted time of elimination. Hence, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the prevalence and determinants of trachomatous trichiasis towards the elimination of trachoma in Ethiopia.Methods: Based on the predefined criteria, electronic database searches on the peer-reviewed journal papers of an English version were reviewed on the prevalence and determinants of trachomatous trichiasis among the adult population in Ethiopia from January 2015 to December 2020. After reviewing the quality of the individual sources of evidence by three reviewers, the data items were extracted using a locally devised charting form. Data were synthesized qualitatively and quantitatively in terms of publication year, design, study participants, and outcome of interest. Finally, quantitative results were pooled, explored for sources of variation, tested for a potential source of influence of prevalence estimates and publication bias in the statistical meta-analysis using STATA version-16 software.Result: After the exclusion of 121 duplicates, 108 extraneous titles & abstracts, and removal of three articles for the reasons detected on full-text screening, ten eligible studies were included for analysis. All the included studies were cross-sectional studies that took prevalence as the main outcome of interest. Accordingly, the overall pooled prevalence of Trachomatous trichiasis was 1.80 % (95%CI=1.15, 2.44) while an individual prevalence estimate of the studies ranged from 0.5% (95%CI= 0.42, 0.60) to 3.9 % (95%CI=3.82, 3.98). On subgroup analysis, the highest [3.76% (95% CI = 3.20, 4.41)] and the lowest [0.5% (95%CI= 0.42, 0.60)] prevalence were respectively reported in Gambella and Somalia. The trend of the prevalence has demonstrated unstable pattern, while there were no published studies on the determinants of trachoma trichiasis among adult over the specified period of the review.Conclusion: The prevalence of TT was significantly higher than the elimination threshold in all regions of Ethiopia, needing further implementation to facilitate roads toward the elimination.Trail registration: CRD42021260802

scholarly journals Anaphylactic and nonanaphylactic reactions to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saad Alhumaid ◽  
Abbas Al Mutair ◽  
Zainab Al Alawi ◽  
Ali A. Rabaan ◽  
Raghavendra Tirupathi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Pooled Prevalence ◽  
History Of

Abstract Background Currently there is no systematic review and meta-analysis of the global incidence rates of anaphylactic and nonanaphylactic reactions to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in the general adult population. Objectives To estimate the incidence rates of anaphylactic and nonanaphylactic reactions after COVID-19 vaccines and describe the demographic and clinical characteristics, triggers, presenting signs and symptoms, treatment and clinical course of confirmed cases. Design A systematic review and meta-analysis. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses [PRISMA] statement was followed. Methods Electronic databases (Proquest, Medline, Embase, Pubmed, CINAHL, Wiley online library, and Nature) were searched from 1 December 2020 to 31 May 2021 in the English language using the following keywords alone or in combination: anaphylaxis, non-anaphylaxis, anaphylactic reaction, nonanaphylactic reaction, anaphylactic/anaphylactoid shock, hypersensitivity, allergy reaction, allergic reaction, immunology reaction, immunologic reaction, angioedema, loss of consciousness, generalized erythema, urticaria, urticarial rash, cyanosis, grunting, stridor, tachypnoea, wheezing, tachycardia, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and tryptase. We included studies in adults of all ages in all healthcare settings. Effect sizes of prevalence were pooled with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). To minimize heterogeneity, we performed sub-group analyses. Results Of the 1,734 papers that were identified, 26 articles were included in the systematic review (8 case report, 5 cohort, 4 case series, 2 randomized controlled trial and 1 randomized cross-sectional studies) and 14 articles (1 cohort, 2 case series, 1 randomized controlled trial and 1 randomized cross-sectional studies) were included in meta-analysis. Studies involving 26,337,421 vaccine recipients [Pfizer-BioNTech (n = 14,505,399) and Moderna (n = 11,831,488)] were analyzed. The overall pooled prevalence estimate of anaphylaxis to both vaccines was 5.0 (95% CI 2.9 to 7.2, I2 = 81%, p =  < 0.0001), while the overall pooled prevalence estimate of nonanaphylactic reactions to both vaccines was 53.9 (95% CI 0.0 to 116.1, I2 = 99%, p =  < 0.0001). Vaccination with Pfizer-BioNTech resulted in higher anaphylactic reactions compared to Moderna (8.0, 95% CI 0.0 to 11.3, I2 = 85% versus 2.8, 95% CI 0.0 to 5.7, I2 = 59%). However, lower incidence of nonanaphylactic reactions was associated with Pfizer-BioNTech compared to Moderna (43.9, 95% CI 0.0 to 131.9, I2 = 99% versus 63.8, 95% CI 0.0 to 151.8, I2 = 98%). The funnel plots for possible publication bias for the pooled effect sizes to determine the incidence of anaphylaxis and nonanaphylactic reactions associated with mRNA COVID-19 immunization based on mRNA vaccine type appeared asymmetrical on visual inspection, and Egger’s tests confirmed asymmetry by producing p values < 0.05. Across the included studies, the most commonly identified risk factors for anaphylactic and nonanaphylactic reactions to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines were female sex and personal history of atopy. The key triggers to anaphylactic and nonanaphylactic reactions identified in these studies included foods, medications, stinging insects or jellyfish, contrast media, cosmetics and detergents, household products, and latex. Previous history of anaphylaxis; and comorbidities such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic and contact eczema/dermatitis and psoriasis and cholinergic urticaria were also found to be important. Conclusion The prevalence of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine-associated anaphylaxis is very low; and nonanaphylactic reactions occur at higher rate, however, cutaneous reactions are largely self-limited. Both anaphylactic and nonanaphylactic reactions should not discourage vaccination.

scholarly journals Breast self-examination practice and its determinants among women in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. e0245252
Author(s):  
Yordanos Gizachew Yeshitila ◽  
Getachew Mullu Kassa ◽  
Selamawit Gebeyehu ◽  
Peter Memiah ◽  
Melaku Desta
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Regional Distribution ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Breast Self Examination ◽  
Pooled Prevalence ◽  
Self Examination

Background The survival rate from breast cancer is lowest in African countries and the distribution of breast self-examination practice of and its determinants are not well investigated in Ethiopia. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis was designed to determine the pooled prevalence of breast self-examination and its associated factors among women in Ethiopia. Methods Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline was followed for this systematic review and meta-analysis. The databases used were; PUBMED, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, CINAHL, African Journals Online, Dimensions and Summon per country online databases. Search terms used were; breast self-examination, breast cancer screening, early detection of breast cancer and Ethiopia. Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-MAStARI) was used for critical appraisal of studies. The meta-analysis was conducted using STATA 15 software. The pooled meta-analysis was computed to present the pooled prevalence and relative risks (RRs) of the determinate factors with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results We identified 2,637 studies, of which, 40 articles (with 17,820 participants) were eligible for inclusion in the final meta-analysis. The pooled estimate of breast self-examination in Ethiopia was 36.72% (95% CI: 29.90, 43.53). The regional distribution breast self-examination ranged from 21.2% (95% CI: 4.49, 37.91) in Tigray to 61.5% (95% CI: 53.98, 69.02) in Gambela region. The lowest prevalence of breast self-examination was observed among the general population (20.43% (95% CI: 14.13, 26.72)). Women who had non-formal educational status (OR = 0.4 (95% CI: 0.21, 0.77)), family history of breast cancer (OR = 2.04 (95% CI: 1.23, 3.39)), good knowledge of breast self-examination (OR = 4.8 (95% CI: 3.03, 7.6)) and favorable attitude toward breast self-examination (OR = 2.75, (95% CI: 1.66, 4.55)) were significantly associated with practice of breast self-examination. Conclusions Only a third of women in Ethiopia practiced breast examination despite WHO guidelines advocating for this practice among all women of reproductive age. Intervention programs should address the factors that are associated with breast self-examination. Population specific programs are needed to promote breast self-examination.

scholarly journals The Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Ethiopian Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Sintayehu Ambachew ◽  
Aklilu Endalamaw ◽  
Abebaw Worede ◽  
Yalewayker Tegegne ◽  
Mulugeta Melku ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Subgroup Analysis ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Pooled Prevalence

Background. The metabolic syndrome is a clustering of hyperglycemia/insulin resistance, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke, and all-cause mortality. The burden of metabolic syndrome is emerging alarmingly in low- and middle-income countries such as Ethiopia; however, there is lack of comprehensive estimation. This study aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Ethiopia. Methods. This systematic review and meta-analysis included original articles of observational studies published in the English language. Searches were carried out in PubMed, Google Scholar, and Africa Journals from conception to August 2020. A random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Ethiopia. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic. Subgroup analysis was also conducted based on sex/gender and study subjects. Egger’s test was used to assess publication bias. Results. Electronic and gray literature search retrieved 942 potentially relevant papers. After removing duplicates and screening with eligibility criteria, twenty-eight cross-sectional studies were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Ethiopia was found to be 34.89% (95% CI: 26.77, 43.01) and 27.92% (95% CI: 21.32, 34.51) by using NCEP/ATP III and IDF criteria, respectively. The weighted pooled prevalence of metabolic syndrome was higher in females 36.74% (95% CI: 20.72, 52.75) and 34.09% (95% CI: 26.68, 41.50) compared to males 22.22% (95% CI: 14.89, 29.56) and 24.82% (95% CI: 18.34, 31.31) by using IDF and NCEP/ATP III criteria, respectively. Subgroup analysis based on the study subjects using NCEP/ATP III showed that the weighted pooled prevalence was 63.78%(95% CI: 56.17, 71.40), 44.55% (95% CI: 30.71, 52.38), 23.09% (95% CI: 19.74, 26.45), 20.83% (95% CI: 18.64, 23.01), and 18.45% (95% CI: 13.89, 23.01) among type 2 diabetes patients, hypertensive patients, psychiatric patients, HIV patients on HAART, and working adults, respectively. The most frequent metabolic syndrome components were low HDL-C 51.0% (95% CI: 42.4, 59.7) and hypertriglyceridemia 39.7% (95% CI: 32.8, 46.6). Conclusions. The findings revealed an emerging high prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Ethiopia. Therefore, early intervention is required for the primary prevention of the occurrence of metabolic syndrome and the further reduction of the morbidity and mortality related to it.

scholarly journals Mental Health during the COVID-19 Crisis in Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (20) ◽  
pp. 10604
Author(s):  
Jiyao Chen ◽  
Nusrat Farah ◽  
Rebecca Kechen Dong ◽  
Richard Z. Chen ◽  
Wen Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Prevalence Rates ◽  
Mental Health Symptoms ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Health Symptoms ◽  
Pooled Prevalence

We aim to provide a systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence rates of mental health symptoms among major African populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. We include articles from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and medRxiv between 1 February 2020 and 6 February 2021, and pooled data using random-effects meta-analyses. We identify 28 studies and 32 independent samples from 12 African countries with a total of 15,071 participants. The pooled prevalence of anxiety was 37% in 27 studies, of depression was 45% in 24 studies, and of insomnia was 28% in 9 studies. The pooled prevalence rates of anxiety, depression, and insomnia in North Africa (44%, 55%, and 31%, respectively) are higher than those in Sub-Saharan Africa (31%, 30%, and 24%, respectively). We find (a) a scarcity of studies in several African countries with a high number of COVID-19 cases; (b) high heterogeneity among the studies; (c) the extent and pattern of prevalence of mental health symptoms in Africa is high and differs from elsewhere—more African adults suffer from depression rather than anxiety and insomnia during COVID 19 compared to adult populations in other countries/regions. Hence, our findings carry crucial implications and impact future research to enable evidence-based medicine in Africa.

scholarly journals Sarcopenia in Patients With Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingying Cai ◽  
Fei Feng ◽  
Qianqian Wei ◽  
Zheng Jiang ◽  
Ruwei Ou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Clinical Features ◽  
Random Effects ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Risk Of Bias ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Pooled Prevalence ◽  
Cross Sectional Studies

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) and sarcopenia are two common diseases in aging people. To date, the prevalence of sarcopenia in PD patients and the relationship between clinical features and sarcopenia in PD patients are not clear. The aim of the study was to (1) assess the prevalence of sarcopenia in PD patients and (2) reveal the clinical features between PD patients with and without sarcopenia.Method: A systematic review was carried out through screening PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane database in May 2020. All study designs (case–control, cohort, and cross-sectional studies) were eligible for meta-analysis. Data of patients' characteristics, sarcopenia criteria, sarcopenia prevalence, and sarcopenia measures were retrieved. The primary outcome was estimated prevalence of sarcopenia by a pooled prevalence (%) and its 95% confidence interval (CI), using a random-effects model. The secondary outcome was the differences in clinical features between PD patients with and without sarcopenia by meta-analysis. Included articles were assessed for risk of bias. Potential sources of variation were investigated by using subgroup analyses and meta-regression.Result: Ten studies were included in the review. Among them, nine were cross-sectional studies, and one was a prospective cohort study. Age of participants with PD in the studies ranged from 51.1 to 80.7 years. The estimated prevalence of sarcopenia ranged from 6 to 55.5%. The random-effects pooled prevalence was 29% (95% CIs: 0.18–0.40). When only studies at low risk of bias were considered, pooled prevalence decreased to 17% (95% CIs: 0.02–0.33), with still high heterogeneity. The incidence of falls in PD patients with sarcopenia was higher than that in PD patients without sarcopenia. There was no difference in sex ratio between PD patients with and without sarcopenia.Conclusion: Sarcopenia seems to be common in patients with PD. Early assessment of sarcopenia should be implemented in PD to avoid fall and disability.

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