Search Results (37)

In the Mediterranean region, countries grapple with a mix of environmental pressures, such as air pollution and climate vulnerability, alongside economic disparities and migration issues. In this context, we aim to highlight the interaction between migration (NMIG), economic growth (GDP), foreign direct investments (FDI), fossil fuel (FF) usage, consumption from renewables (RENC), CO₂ emissions, and life expectancy (LE). This is important for gaining insights into how policies in areas like energy, environment, migration, and FDI influence long-term health outcomes. Our research examines the determinants of LE in two groups of Mediterranean countries (EU-Med8 and Non-EU-Med4) using a panel ARDL approach. The long-run results for Med8 indicate that RENC positively influences LE, while FF has a significant negative effect. Economic growth and migration also play important roles, with GDP positively affecting LE. The error correction term (ECT) confirms convergence toward long-run equilibrium. For Med4, FF consumption and CO₂ negatively affect LE, while migration and FDI exhibit mixed results. These findings suggest that while renewable energy transitions benefit LE in EU Mediterranean countries, challenges persist in non-EU countries, where energy infrastructure and investment patterns may not yet support positive health outcomes. Full article

Sustainable tourism encompasses the evaluation of its present and prospective economic, social, and ecological consequences by prioritizing the demands of its natural environment and the local populations. This study examined how tourism affects critical socio-economic variables, such as life expectancy, energy intensity (EI), economic growth (EG), and population, on the environmental quality (EQ) of tourism-dependent countries. The authors employed the newly developed “residual augmented least squares (RALS) cointegration econometric method” to estimate the long-term associations between the study factors. On the other hand, the “autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model” was used to estimate long- and short-run estimates. The consequences revealed that, in the long run, the population, the EI, and tourism exert positive pressure on carbon emissions. However, in the short run, the EI, EG, life expectancy (LE), and population exert positive pressure to boost emissions, resulting in environmental degradation. Based on these findings, sustainable tourism management and green EG should be given priority to preserve environmental quality. Full article

Background: In the last two decades, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and advances in molecular diagnostics have revolutionized management and long-term clinical outcomes in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Real-world data from different countries allow for the identification of country-specific issues in the clinical management and development of specific plans for improvement. Here, we aimed to analyze the trend in overall survival in Bulgarian CML patients since 2000. Methods: We retrieved publicly available Bulgarian CML data from several sources such as the Bulgarian National Cancer Registry, Bulgarian National Statistical Institute, and National Health Insurance Fund since 2000. We used the retrieved data of a total of 1513 Bulgarian CML patients to describe the trends in overall survival (OS), conditional overall survival, life expectancy, and life years lost over five time periods. We also described the trends in healthcare expenditures for TKIs and CML patients’ coverage with TKIs since 2014. Results: In both uni- and multivariate models, we found a constant increase in OS over the three 5-year periods until 2014. The period 2015–2019 was not associated with an additional increase in OS. Identical dynamics in the improvement in life expectancy (LE) and in life years lost (LYLs) was observed. Additionally, conditional 5-year survival did not improve during 2015–2019 in comparison to 2010–2014. Population-level data did not show consistent changes in the documented number of deaths due to CML since 2013. The period after 2013 is marked by a constant increase in the annual expenditures for TKIs, reaching to about 2.0 EUR/capita. The number of patients who received at least one TKI also increased during that period. Conclusions: After the initial significant improvement in the clinical outcomes for Bulgarian CML patients until 2014, subsequent periods did not bring further benefit in spite of the improved coverage with second- and third-line TKIs. Multiple factors may contribute to these suboptimal outcomes. Therefore, one can propose several additional measures at the country level, which could lead to additional improvement in the OS of Bulgarian CML patients. Full article

This study investigates the life expectancy (LE) and life cycle costs (LCC) of three alternatives of interior partitions in residential units: gypsum board, autoclaved concrete block, and hollow concrete block partitions. The aim is to examine the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of these partitions in various service and occupancy conditions. Three different service conditions were analyzed: Standard (constructed without faults), Inherent Defect Conditions (with initial, non-progressing defects), and Failure Conditions (developing defects over time). To analyze the impact of occupancy conditions, six ‘negative occupancy factors’ were identified that accelerate partition deterioration, including non-ownership, poor maintenance, high residential density, the presence of young children, the presence of domestic animals, and the density of furniture. These factors define four occupancy condition categories: light, moderate, standard, and intensive. The research found that hollow concrete block partitions are the most durable, exceeding 100 years in light or moderate conditions. Gypsum board partitions, while cost-effective, have a lower life expectancy, needing replacement in 11–27 years in intensive conditions. Autoclaved concrete blocks offer moderate durability, with similar costs to hollow blocks in normal conditions. Overall, the study highlights the influence of service and occupancy on the lifespan of interior building components, and provides recommendations for partition type selection that are based on specific conditions. These recommendations are a pivotal outcome, highlighting the study’s significant contribution to the understanding of the long-term performance and sustainability of building materials in residential construction. Full article

Despite marked advancements, life expectancy (LE) growth in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has remained stagnant compared to other developed nations. This study aims to investigate the significant correlation between macroeconomic (ME), sociodemographic (SD), and health status and resources (HSR) factors and LE to formulate an explanatory model for Saudi Arabia and the UAE—a previously unexplored area. Utilizing an ecological, retrospective, time-series study design, we delved into secondary data on SD, ME, and HSR factors and LE of the populations of the UAE and Saudi Arabia spanning three decades (1980–2020). We employed partial least squares–structural equation modeling for statistical analysis. Our analysis revealed significant direct impacts of HSR factors on LE for Saudi Arabia (β = 0.958, p < 0.001) and the UAE (β = 0.716, p < 0.001). Furthermore, we discerned a notable indirect influence of ME factors on LE, mediated through SD and HSR factors for Saudi Arabia (β = 0.507, p < 0.001) and the UAE (β = 0.509, p < 0.001), along with a considerable indirect effect of SD factors on LE through HSR (Saudi: β = 0.529, p < 0.001; UAE: β = 0.711, p < 0.001). This study underscores the mediating role of a nexus of ME–SD–HSR factors on LE in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Consequently, these findings signal an imperative need for holistic policy interventions addressing ME, SD, and HSR factors, aiming to alter health behaviors and improve LE projections for Saudi Arabia and the UAE in the long run. Full article

To investigate the trend of healthcare needs among elders in low-income countries (LICs) and how changes in healthcare access and quality (HAQ) have correlated with these changes from 1990 to 2019, this study used estimates from the global burden of disease (GBD) 2019 study, including prevalence, years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), life expectancy (LE), health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE) and the HAQ index for years 1990 and 2019. We found increases in numbers of YLLs, YLDs, and prevalent cases due to NCDs, and the rate of increase was higher for all indicators of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) when compared with communicable, maternal, neonatal and nutritional diseases among elders. We also observed increases in LE and HALE among all countries. However, this was also challenged by increases in unhealthy life years (ULYs) and their constant percentage of LE. The HAQ index of LICs was also found to be low, although it had increased during the period. A reduction in the burden of acute diseases explains the increase in LE, but increases in ULYs and the NCD burden were also observed. LICs need to improve their HAQ to counter the growing threat of longer but less healthy lives. Full article

By attributing the term “charismatic” to Saint Louis, Jacques Le Goff identified two sources of charisma: sacred kingship and personal holiness. Without denying these aspects of the holy king’s reputation, we should investigate the nature of the charismatic relationship that linked Louis IX to his contemporaries. The sacrality of Louis IX pre-existed him; his sanctity is a post-death construction. What are the attributes of the living character that would allow us to recognize a charismatic personality? This paper argues that the religious aura of the king, which best echoes the Paulinian version of charisma, was sometimes at odds with the political expectations levied on a medieval ruler, which a Weberian definition of charisma helps to define. In this light, the crusades provided a unique setting where the king’s Christ-like qualities and his political leadership could be reconciled. To conduct this argument, this paper proposes to look for the symptoms of Louis IX’s living charisma in the reactions of his contemporaries, based on the re-examination of classical sources on the life of the king, carefully contextualized. Full article

Background: Brain cancer is one of the worst types of cancer worldwide. Understanding the epidemiology of CNS cancer is critical for properly allocating healthcare resources. Methods: We collected data on CNS cancer deaths in Wuhan, China, during 2010–2019. We constructed the cause-eliminated life tables to calculate life expectancy (LE), mortality, and years of life lost (YLLs) by age and sex. The BAPC model was used to forecast the future trends of age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR). Decomposition analysis was adopted to explore the contribution of population growth, population aging, and age-specific mortality to the change in total CNS cancer deaths. Results: In 2019, the ASMR of CNS cancer was 3.75, and the ASYR was 135.70 in Wuhan, China. ASMR was expected to decrease to 3.43 in 2024. The age distribution of deaths due to CNS cancer was concentrated in the middle-aged and older population, with a peak in the 65–69 age group. Caidian, Jianghan, and Qingshan had the greatest ASMRs in 2019 in Wuhan, with ASMRs of 6.32, 4.78, and 4.75, respectively. Population aging is critical to the change in total CNS cancer deaths. Conclusion: We analyzed the current status, temporal trends, and gender and age distributions of the burden of CNS cancer in Wuhan, during 2010–2019, providing a valuable reference for better lessening the CNS cancer burden. Full article

The impact of building the Belt and Road on the ecological environment and the health of the related cities along this belt deserves more attention. Currently, there are few relevant pieces of research in this area, and the problem of a time lag between the ecological environment and health (e.g., life expectancy, LE) has not been explored. This paper investigates the aforementioned problem based on five ecological indicators, i.e., normalized difference vegetation index, leaf area index, gross primary production (GPP), land surface temperature (LST), and wet, which were obtained from MODIS satellite remote-sensing products in 2010, 2015, and 2020. The research steps are as follows: firstly, a comprehensive ecological index (CEI) of the areas along the Belt and Road was calculated based on the principle of component analysis; secondly, the changes in the trends of the five ecological indicators and the CEI in the research area in the past 11 years were calculated by using the trend degree analysis method; then, the distributions of the cold and hot spots of each index in the research area were calculated via cold and hot spot analysis; finally, the time lag relationship between LE and the ecological environment was explored by using the proposed spatiotemporal lag spatial crosscorrelation analysis. The experimental results show that ① there is a positive correlation between LE and ecological environment quality in the study area; ② the ecological environment has a lagging impact on LE, and the impact of ecological indicators in 2010 on LE in 2020 is greater than that in 2015; ③ among the ecological indicators, GPP has the highest impact on LE, while LST and Wet have a negative correlation with LE. Full article

Life expectancy (LE) is a core measure of population health. Studies have confirmed the predictive importance of modifiable determinants on LE, but less is known about their association with LE change over time at the US county level. In addition, we explore the predictive association of LE change with COVID-19 mortality. We used a linear regression model to calculate county-level annual LE change from 2011 to 2016, and categorized LE change (≤−0.1 years change per year as decreasing, ≥0.1 years as increasing, otherwise no change). A multinomial regression model was used to determine the association between modifiable determinants of health indicators from the County Health Rankings and LE change. A Poisson regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between change in life expectancy and COVID-19 mortality through September 2021. Among 2943 counties, several modifiable determinants of health were significantly associated with odds of being in increasing LE or decreasing LE counties, including adult smoking, obesity, unemployment, and proportion of children in poverty. The presence of an increasing LE in 2011–2016, as compared to no change, was significantly associated with a 5% decrease in COVID-19 mortality between 2019 and 2021 (β = 0.953, 95% CI: 0.943, 0.963). We demonstrated that change in LE at the county level is a useful metric for tracking public health progress, measuring the impact of public health initiatives, and gauging preparedness and vulnerability for future public health emergencies. Full article

The aims of this study were (1) to develop a comprehensive risk-of-death and life expectancy (LE) model and (2) to provide data on the effects of multiple risk factors on LE. We used data for Canada from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study. To create period life tables for males and females, we obtained age/sex-specific deaths rates for 270 diseases, population distributions for 51 risk factors, and relative risk functions for all disease-exposure pairs. We computed LE gains from eliminating each factor, LE values for different levels of exposure to each factor, and LE gains from simultaneous reductions in multiple risk factors at various ages. If all risk factors were eliminated, LE in Canada would increase by 6.26 years for males and 5.05 for females. The greatest benefit would come from eliminating smoking in males (2.45 years) and high blood pressure in females (1.42 years). For most risk factors, their dose-response relationships with LE were non-linear and depended on the presence of other factors. In individuals with high levels of risk, eliminating or reducing exposure to multiple factors could improve LE by several years, even at a relatively advanced age. Full article

The traditional linear economy (LE) approach based on a “take-make-dispose” plan that has been used in building activities over a long period has a significant impact on the environment. In the LE approach, the used materials are usually sent to landfills rather than recycled, resulting in resource depletion and excessive carbon emissions. A circular economy (CE) is expected to solve these environmental problems by promoting material “closed-loop systems”. This study was intended to quantify and analyse the global warming potential (GWP) values of specific metal roofing and cladding products to promote CE thinking. A spatiotemporal model integrated with the life cycle assessment (LCA) tool was used to quantify the GWP value of the steel products in the investigated buildings. The study analysed ten case buildings located in six different cities in New Zealand: Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Tauranga, and Christchurch. The production stages (A1–A3), water processing (C3), disposal (C4), and recycle, reuse, and recovery stages (D) were the focus of the study in analysing the GWP values of the product’s life cycle. The study found that the production stages became the most significant emitters (approximately 99.67%) of the investigated steel products’ GWP values compared to other selected life cycle stages. However, when considering the recycling stages of the steel products, the GWP value was reduced up to 32%. Therefore, by implementing the recycling process, the amount of GWP can be reduced, consequently limiting the building activities’ environmental impacts. In addition, the integration of spatial analysis and LCA was found to have potential use and benefit in future urban mining and the development of the CE approach in the construction industry. Full article

Several vector-borne diseases, such as malaria, are sensitive to climate and weather conditions. When unusual conditions prevail, for example, during periods of heavy rainfall, mosquito populations can multiply and trigger epidemics. This study, which consists of better understanding the link between malaria transmission and climate factors at a national level, aims to validate the VECTRI model (VECtor borne disease community model of ICTP, TRIeste) in Senegal. The VECTRI model is a grid-distributed dynamical model that couples a biological model for the vector and parasite life cycles to a simple compartmental Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Recovered (SEIR) representation of the disease progression in the human host. In this study, a VECTRI model driven by reanalysis data (ERA-5) was used to simulate malaria parameters, such as the entomological inoculation rate (EIR) in Senegal. In addition to the ERA5-Land daily reanalysis rainfall, other daily rainfall data come from different meteorological products, including the CPC Global Unified Gauge-Based Analysis of Daily Precipitation (CPC for Climate Prediction Center), satellite data from the African Rainfall Climatology 2.0 (ARC2), and the Climate Hazards InfraRed Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS). Observed malaria data from the National Malaria Control Program in Senegal (PNLP/Programme National de Lutte contre le Paludisme au Senegal) and outputs from the climate data used in this study were compared. The findings highlight the unimodal shape of temporal malaria occurrence, and the seasonal malaria transmission contrast is closely linked to the latitudinal variation of the rainfall, showing a south–north gradient over Senegal. This study showed that the peak of malaria takes place from September to October, with a lag of about one month from the peak of rainfall in Senegal. There is an agreement between observations and simulations about decreasing malaria cases on time. These results indicate that the southern area of Senegal is at the highest risk of malaria spread outbreaks. The findings in the paper are expected to guide community-based early-warning systems and adaptation strategies in Senegal, which will feed into the national malaria prevention, response, and care strategies adapted to the needs of local communities. Full article

Background: Understanding and managing the impacts of population growth and densification are important steps for sustainable development. This study sought to evaluate the health trade-offs associated with increasing densification and to identify the optimal balance of neighbourhood densification for health. Methods: We linked population density with a 27-year mortality dataset in Metro Vancouver that includes census-tract levels of life expectancy (LE), cause-specific mortalities, and area-level deprivation. We applied two methods: (1) difference-in-differences (DID) models to study the impacts of densification changes from the early 1990s on changes in mortality over a 27-year period; and (2) smoothed cubic splines to identify thresholds of densification at which mortality rates accelerated. Results: At densities above ~9400 persons per km², LE began to decrease more rapidly. By cause, densification was linked to decreased mortality for major causes of mortality in the region, such as cardiovascular diseases, neoplasms, and diabetes. Greater inequality with increasing density was observed for causes such as human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), sexually transmitted infections, and self-harm and interpersonal violence. Conclusions: Areas with higher population densities generally have lower rates of mortality from the major causes, but these environments are also associated with higher relative inequality from largely preventable causes of death. Full article

This study aimed to illustrate the association of four major chronic noncommunicable diseases (cardiovascular diseases, cancer, respiratory diseases, and diabetes) with life expectancy (LE) of Chinese residents in 2019 and to provide an evidence base for the scientific prevention and treatment of chronic diseases in China. The abbreviated life and cause-eliminated life tables were compiled according to the Jiang Qing Lang method recommended by WHO (World Health Organization) to calculate LE and cause-eliminated life expectancy (CELE) in 2019. The disease that had the greatest association with the LE of Chinese residents was cardiovascular disease (CVD), with the LE increasing by 8.13 years after removing CVD deaths. This was followed by cancer (2.68 years), respiratory diseases (0.88 years), and diabetes (0.24 years). The four major chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) were the main diseases affecting the health of Chinese residents. CVD should be prevented and treated as the key disease among the chronic diseases, while women and rural people should be the major focus of health knowledge promotion. All residents should be encouraged to develop a good understanding of self-protection and of how to achieve a healthy lifestyle in order to reduce the occurrence of death and to improve their quality of life and health in general. Full article