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Healthcare
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Preventive Potential of Modifiable Risk Factors
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Preventive Potential of Modifiable Risk Factors

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032). This special issue belongs to the section "Preventive Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2024) | Viewed by 7264

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Christian Schach

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Medizinische Fakultät, Klinikum der Universität Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
Interests: myocardial ischemia; coronary angioplasty; risk factors for cardiovascular disease; cardiac arrhythmia; heart failure

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Medical practice offers a large number of diagnostic and treatment options for various diseases. As is well known, not every disease is treatable; not every disease is curable. However, there are some diseases—even serious ones—that do not need to be treated if they are prevented. Consider that a lot of prevention has happened in the past and continues to occur today. However, one must also acknowledge that risk factors for both cardiovascular and malignant diseases are becoming more important and will become even more so in the future. In this Special Issue, I would like to invite you to submit scientific papers on the topic of "Preventive Potential of Modifiable Risk Factors." In biology, every habitat; every niche is exploited. As humans, we have a wide scope to endure risk due to our superior position and can accumulate various risk factors without jeopardizing this position; however, we risk our health and become vulnerable to diseases.

In this issue, we aim to collect data on a) what b) to what extent and c) how cardiovascular and malignant diseases are preventable by reducing modifiable risk factors (e.g., diabetes mellitus, inadequate exercise and diet, psychological stress, tobacco use, and environmental pollution, to name a few). We wish to know the margin between physiology and pathophysiology—which primarily addresses clinical and epidemiological studies—and are interested in the mechanisms that lead to maladaptations—which also addresses basic science studies. Please contact the team if you have any questions; we look forward to your in-depth research that will allow us to take another step in our knowledge of the preventive potential of modifiable risk factors.

Dr. Christian Schach
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • modifiable risk factors
  • cardiovascular and malignant disease
  • clinical and basic science
  • physiology vs. pathophysiology

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 5186 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Smoking on Arterial Stiffness in Young Adults: A Prospective Analysis
by Suzana Maria Guberna, Cosmina Elena Jercălău, Andreea Catană, Eleonora Drăgan, Anamaria-Georgiana Avram, Irina Cuciureanu, Maria Mirabela Manea and Cătălina Liliana Andrei
Healthcare 2024, 12(19), 1909; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12191909 - 24 Sep 2024
Viewed by 583
Abstract
Background: Arterial stiffness is a crucial factor in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease, often associated with aging. However, the impact of smoking on arterial stiffness is frequently underestimated. This study aims to investigate the intricate relationship between smoking and arterial stiffness to advance [...] Read more.
Background: Arterial stiffness is a crucial factor in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease, often associated with aging. However, the impact of smoking on arterial stiffness is frequently underestimated. This study aims to investigate the intricate relationship between smoking and arterial stiffness to advance our understanding of and therapeutic approaches to cardiovascular health. Methods: A prospective analysis was conducted from January to July 2024, focusing on arterial stiffness parameters in a cohort of students from the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy. Participants were categorized as smokers or non-smokers based on self-reported smoking status. The study endpoints included correlations between high pulse wave velocity, elevated peripheral and central systolic blood pressure, increased peripheral and central pulse pressure, and smoking status. These markers were assessed using an arteriograph device measuring the time difference between the initial forward pulse wave and the reflected pulse wave in the brachial artery to indirectly estimate the PWV using oscillometric pulsations. Results: Our investigation, involving 102 young individuals aged 20 to 26 (69 females, 33 males), revealed that smokers exhibited significantly higher average values of arterial stiffness indicators compared to non-smokers. Current smokers had higher mean systolic blood pressure (130.65 vs. 123.05 mmHg), higher mean peripheral pulse pressure (53.19 vs. 45.64 mmHg), higher mean central pulse pressure (33.66 vs. 29.69 mmHg), and higher mean pulse wave velocity (5.27 vs. 5.03 m/s). Conclusions: The utilization of arterial stiffness markers as predictive tools offers opportunities for personalized treatment strategies, potentially enhancing cardiovascular health outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preventive Potential of Modifiable Risk Factors)
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14 pages, 268 KiB  
Article
Development of Valid and Reliable Questionnaire to Evaluate Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices (KAP) of Lifestyle Medicine Domains
by Abeer Salman Alzaben, Mohammed Almansour, Hayat Saleh Alzahrani, Nouf Adnan Alrumaihi, Nesrain Mubarak Alhamedi, Nawaf Abdulaziz Albuhayjan and Sadeem Abdulaziz Aljammaz
Healthcare 2024, 12(16), 1652; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12161652 - 20 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1673
Abstract
Lifestyle medicine (LM) should be incorporated as part of routine clinical work and medical education programs. Objective: To develop and test the validity and reliability of a questionnaire that measures the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of LM domains among medical [...] Read more.
Lifestyle medicine (LM) should be incorporated as part of routine clinical work and medical education programs. Objective: To develop and test the validity and reliability of a questionnaire that measures the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of LM domains among medical trainees through practicing physicians. Methods: The KAP questionnaire sections covered the nine domains of LM. The validation process included face and content validity. A total of 151 individuals from the medical field residing in Saudi Arabia were recruited through a convenient sampling technique to participate in the study. Item response theory (IRT) was applied to validate the knowledge domain, while exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to assess attitude and practice. Cronbach’s alpha was performed to test the reliability of the three sections. Results: The questionnaire contained 37 items of knowledge, 45 attitudes, and 28 practice items. According to the IRT analysis, 27 items of knowledge were within the acceptable range of difficulty and discrimination. The EFA analysis resulted in 6 factors, including all the items in the attitude domain, and 4 factors, for a total of 27 items in the practice domain, with satisfactory factor loading (>0.4). The Cronbach’s alpha for the three domains was very high (≥0.88). Conclusions: The KAP questionnaire for LM is valid and reliable across a spectrum, from medical trainees to practicing physicians. This tool could serve as an instrument to evaluate and develop adequate educational programs for medical doctors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preventive Potential of Modifiable Risk Factors)
14 pages, 848 KiB  
Article
Integrating the Sufficiency Economy Royal Philosophy and Participatory Action Research Approach to Promote Self-Care for Stroke Prevention in Selected Communities of Southern Thailand
by Chutarat Sathirapanya, Jamaree Trijun and Pornchai Sathirapanya
Healthcare 2024, 12(14), 1367; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12141367 - 9 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1062
Abstract
(1) Introduction: Effective control of stroke risk factors can reduce stroke incidence. Motivation for participatory action of community dwellers to practice self-care to modify stroke risk after providing them with knowledge of stroke risk factors is considered useful under a situation of limited [...] Read more.
(1) Introduction: Effective control of stroke risk factors can reduce stroke incidence. Motivation for participatory action of community dwellers to practice self-care to modify stroke risk after providing them with knowledge of stroke risk factors is considered useful under a situation of limited healthcare resources. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of integrating the sufficiency economy philosophy (SEP), a royal economic philosophy in Thailand, and the participatory action research (PAR) approach on stroke risk factors control among selected communities. (2) Methods: Villagers who had medium to high stroke risk from two provinces with leading stroke incidences in southern Thailand were invited to participate in an eight-month SEP-PAR program conducted in 2019. Group meetings among the study participants, local healthcare providers, the researchers, and relevant stakeholders in the communities were held to co-design a health behaviors program targeting lower waist circumference (WC), body weight (BW), blood pressure (BP), fasting blood sugar, blood lipids, and smoking and alcohol consumption rates. Follow-up physical measurements and blood tests were compared with the baseline results for significant differences by descriptive statistics (p < 0.05) using the R program. (3) Results: Of 126 participants, 75.4% were female. Moderate and high stroke risk levels were found in 58.2% and 19.8%, respectively. Elevated baseline WC, BW, BP, and blood test results were found in 50–80% of the participants. The co-designed health behaviors in this study were dietary control, regular exercise, relieving psychological stress, and stopping smoking and alcohol consumption. Overall, the participants had significant adherence to the co-designed health behaviors. At the end of the program, the follow-up tests showed significant reductions in BW, BP, fasting blood sugar, and lipids, but not in WC. (4) Conclusions: A combined SEP and PAR approach was effective for stroke risk factors control among the community dwellers. Motivation for self-care is a significant strategic outcome expected of this approach. Longer follow-up studies in larger populations are needed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preventive Potential of Modifiable Risk Factors)
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11 pages, 836 KiB  
Article
Clustering of Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Heart Failure in Older Adults from the Brazilian Far North
by Guilherme José Silva Ribeiro, Emilio Hideyuki Moriguchi and André Araújo Pinto
Healthcare 2024, 12(9), 951; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12090951 - 6 May 2024
Viewed by 1496
Abstract
Given the aging global population, identifying heart failure (HF) phenotypes has become crucial, as distinct disease characteristics can influence treatment and prognosis in older adults. This study aimed to analyze the association between clustering of cardiovascular risk factors and HF in older adults. [...] Read more.
Given the aging global population, identifying heart failure (HF) phenotypes has become crucial, as distinct disease characteristics can influence treatment and prognosis in older adults. This study aimed to analyze the association between clustering of cardiovascular risk factors and HF in older adults. A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted with 1322 older adults (55% women, mean age 70.4) seen in primary health care. Diagnosis of HF was performed by a cardiologist based on diagnostic tests and medical history. Cardiovascular risk factors included hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and smoking. Using logistic regression, potential associations were tested. Individual risk factor analysis showed that older adults with hypertension, diabetes, or hypercholesterolemia had up to 7.6 times higher odds to have HF. The cluster where older adults had only one risk factor instead of none increased the odds of HF by 53.0%. Additionally, the odds of older patients having HF ranged from 3.59 times for the two-risk factor cluster to 20.61 times for the simultaneous presence of all four factors. The analysis of clusters substantially increasing HF risk in older adults revealed the importance of individualizing subgroups with distinct HF pathophysiologies. The clinical significance of these clusters can be beneficial in guiding a more personalized therapeutic approach. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preventive Potential of Modifiable Risk Factors)
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20 pages, 312 KiB  
Article
Investigating the Association between Sociodemographic Factors and Chronic Disease Risk in Adults Aged 50 and above in the Hungarian Population
by Amr Sayed Ghanem, Chau Minh Nguyen, Yara Mansour, Gergely Fábián, Anita Rusinné Fedor, Attila Nagy and Marianna Móré
Healthcare 2023, 11(13), 1940; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11131940 - 5 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1932
Abstract
Chronic diseases are a major cause of mortality and morbidity globally, with non-communicable diseases being responsible for most deaths. Older adults are at a higher risk of developing chronic diseases due to various sociodemographic and lifestyle factors such as age, sex, income, education, [...] Read more.
Chronic diseases are a major cause of mortality and morbidity globally, with non-communicable diseases being responsible for most deaths. Older adults are at a higher risk of developing chronic diseases due to various sociodemographic and lifestyle factors such as age, sex, income, education, employment, place of residence, dietary supplementation, tobacco use, and alcohol consumption. Understanding the relationship between these factors and chronic diseases is crucial for identifying vulnerable populations and improving healthcare delivery. Through both an online and an interview-based survey, this cross-sectional study aimed to examine these associations, focusing on adults aged 50 and above, with the goal of identifying potential areas for intervention and prevention. The study found that gender, area of residence, education status, employment status, nutritional supplementation, body mass index (BMI), alcohol usage, and age are associated with the risk of chronic disease, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Female gender, higher educational level, employment, normal BMI, and younger age were found to be protective factors, while living in rural areas, alcohol consumption, and older age were identified as risk factors. The study recommends targeted interventions and improved access to healthcare to reduce risk factors and enhance healthcare delivery for better health outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preventive Potential of Modifiable Risk Factors)
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