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- Frostad, J. J., et al.
(författare)
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Mapping development and health effects of cooking with solid fuels in low-income and middle-income countries, 2000-18: a geospatial modelling study
- 2022
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Ingår i: Lancet Global Health. - 2214-109X. ; 10:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background More than 3 billion people do not have access to clean energy and primarily use solid fuels to cook. Use of solid fuels generates household air pollution, which was associated with more than 2 million deaths in 2019. Although local patterns in cooking vary systematically, subnational trends in use of solid fuels have yet to be comprehensively analysed. We estimated the prevalence of solid-fuel use with high spatial resolution to explore subnational inequalities, assess local progress, and assess the effects on health in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) without universal access to clean fuels. Methods We did a geospatial modelling study to map the prevalence of solid-fuel use for cooking at a 5 km x 5 km resolution in 98 LMICs based on 2.1 million household observations of the primary cooking fuel used from 663 population-based household surveys over the years 2000 to 2018. We use observed temporal patterns to forecast household air pollution in 2030 and to assess the probability of attaining the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target indicator for clean cooking. We aligned our estimates of household air pollution to geospatial estimates of ambient air pollution to establish the risk transition occurring in LMICs. Finally, we quantified the effect of residual primary solid-fuel use for cooking on child health by doing a counterfactual risk assessment to estimate the proportion of deaths from lower respiratory tract infections in children younger than 5 years that could be associated with household air pollution. Findings Although primary reliance on solid-fuel use for cooking has declined globally, it remains widespread. 593 million people live in districts where the prevalence of solid-fuel use for cooking exceeds 95%. 66% of people in LMICs live in districts that are not on track to meet the SDG target for universal access to clean energy by 2030. Household air pollution continues to be a major contributor to particulate exposure in LMICs, and rising ambient air pollution is undermining potential gains from reductions in the prevalence of solid-fuel use for cooking in many countries. We estimated that, in 2018, 205000 (95% uncertainty interval 147000-257000) children younger than 5 years died from lower respiratory tract infections that could be attributed to household air pollution. Interpretation Efforts to accelerate the adoption of clean cooking fuels need to be substantially increased and recalibrated to account for subnational inequalities, because there are substantial opportunities to improve air quality and avert child mortality associated with household air pollution. Copyright (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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- Kinyoki, DK, et al.
(författare)
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Mapping local patterns of childhood overweight and wasting in low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2017
- 2020
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Ingår i: Nature medicine. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1546-170X .- 1078-8956. ; 26:5, s. 750-759
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A double burden of malnutrition occurs when individuals, household members or communities experience both undernutrition and overweight. Here, we show geospatial estimates of overweight and wasting prevalence among children under 5 years of age in 105 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) from 2000 to 2017 and aggregate these to policy-relevant administrative units. Wasting decreased overall across LMICs between 2000 and 2017, from 8.4% (62.3 (55.1–70.8) million) to 6.4% (58.3 (47.6–70.7) million), but is predicted to remain above the World Health Organization’s Global Nutrition Target of <5% in over half of LMICs by 2025. Prevalence of overweight increased from 5.2% (30 (22.8–38.5) million) in 2000 to 6.0% (55.5 (44.8–67.9) million) children aged under 5 years in 2017. Areas most affected by double burden of malnutrition were located in Indonesia, Thailand, southeastern China, Botswana, Cameroon and central Nigeria. Our estimates provide a new perspective to researchers, policy makers and public health agencies in their efforts to address this global childhood syndemic.
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- Abbafati, Cristiana, et al.
(författare)
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- 2020
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)
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- Sbarra, AN, et al.
(författare)
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Mapping routine measles vaccination in low- and middle-income countries
- 2021
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-4687 .- 0028-0836. ; 589:7842, s. 415-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The safe, highly effective measles vaccine has been recommended globally since 1974, yet in 2017 there were more than 17 million cases of measles and 83,400 deaths in children under 5 years old, and more than 99% of both occurred in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)1–4. Globally comparable, annual, local estimates of routine first-dose measles-containing vaccine (MCV1) coverage are critical for understanding geographically precise immunity patterns, progress towards the targets of the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP), and high-risk areas amid disruptions to vaccination programmes caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)5–8. Here we generated annual estimates of routine childhood MCV1 coverage at 5 × 5-km2pixel and second administrative levels from 2000 to 2019 in 101 LMICs, quantified geographical inequality and assessed vaccination status by geographical remoteness. After widespread MCV1 gains from 2000 to 2010, coverage regressed in more than half of the districts between 2010 and 2019, leaving many LMICs far from the GVAP goal of 80% coverage in all districts by 2019. MCV1 coverage was lower in rural than in urban locations, although a larger proportion of unvaccinated children overall lived in urban locations; strategies to provide essential vaccination services should address both geographical contexts. These results provide a tool for decision-makers to strengthen routine MCV1 immunization programmes and provide equitable disease protection for all children.
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| 15. |
- Cromwell, EA, et al.
(författare)
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Predicting the environmental suitability for onchocerciasis in Africa as an aid to elimination planning
- 2021
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Ingår i: PLoS neglected tropical diseases. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1935-2735. ; 15:7, s. e0008824-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent evidence suggests that, in some foci, elimination of onchocerciasis from Africa may be feasible with mass drug administration (MDA) of ivermectin. To achieve continental elimination of transmission, mapping surveys will need to be conducted across all implementation units (IUs) for which endemicity status is currently unknown. Using boosted regression tree models with optimised hyperparameter selection, we estimated environmental suitability for onchocerciasis at the 5 × 5-km resolution across Africa. In order to classify IUs that include locations that are environmentally suitable, we used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to identify an optimal threshold for suitability concordant with locations where onchocerciasis has been previously detected. This threshold value was then used to classify IUs (more suitable or less suitable) based on the location within the IU with the largest mean prediction. Mean estimates of environmental suitability suggest large areas across West and Central Africa, as well as focal areas of East Africa, are suitable for onchocerciasis transmission, consistent with the presence of current control and elimination of transmission efforts. The ROC analysis identified a mean environmental suitability index of 0·71 as a threshold to classify based on the location with the largest mean prediction within the IU. Of the IUs considered for mapping surveys, 50·2% exceed this threshold for suitability in at least one 5 × 5-km location. The formidable scale of data collection required to map onchocerciasis endemicity across the African continent presents an opportunity to use spatial data to identify areas likely to be suitable for onchocerciasis transmission. National onchocerciasis elimination programmes may wish to consider prioritising these IUs for mapping surveys as human resources, laboratory capacity, and programmatic schedules may constrain survey implementation, and possibly delaying MDA initiation in areas that would ultimately qualify.
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- Micah, Angela E., et al.
(författare)
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Tracking development assistance for health and for COVID-19 : a review of development assistance, government, out-of-pocket, and other private spending on health for 204 countries and territories, 1990-2050
- 2021
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Ingår i: The Lancet. - : Elsevier. - 0140-6736 .- 1474-547X. ; 398:10308, s. 1317-1343
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background The rapid spread of COVID-19 renewed the focus on how health systems across the globe are financed, especially during public health emergencies. Development assistance is an important source of health financing in many low-income countries, yet little is known about how much of this funding was disbursed for COVID-19. We aimed to put development assistance for health for COVID-19 in the context of broader trends in global health financing, and to estimate total health spending from 1995 to 2050 and development assistance for COVID-19 in 2020. Methods We estimated domestic health spending and development assistance for health to generate total health-sector spending estimates for 204 countries and territories. We leveraged data from the WHO Global Health Expenditure Database to produce estimates of domestic health spending. To generate estimates for development assistance for health, we relied on project-level disbursement data from the major international development agencies' online databases and annual financial statements and reports for information on income sources. To adjust our estimates for 2020 to include disbursements related to COVID-19, we extracted project data on commitments and disbursements from a broader set of databases (because not all of the data sources used to estimate the historical series extend to 2020), including the UN Office of Humanitarian Assistance Financial Tracking Service and the International Aid Transparency Initiative. We reported all the historic and future spending estimates in inflation-adjusted 2020 US$, 2020 US$ per capita, purchasing-power parity-adjusted US$ per capita, and as a proportion of gross domestic product. We used various models to generate future health spending to 2050. Findings In 2019, health spending globally reached $8. 8 trillion (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 8.7-8.8) or $1132 (1119-1143) per person. Spending on health varied within and across income groups and geographical regions. Of this total, $40.4 billion (0.5%, 95% UI 0.5-0.5) was development assistance for health provided to low-income and middle-income countries, which made up 24.6% (UI 24.0-25.1) of total spending in low-income countries. We estimate that $54.8 billion in development assistance for health was disbursed in 2020. Of this, $13.7 billion was targeted toward the COVID-19 health response. $12.3 billion was newly committed and $1.4 billion was repurposed from existing health projects. $3.1 billion (22.4%) of the funds focused on country-level coordination and $2.4 billion (17.9%) was for supply chain and logistics. Only $714.4 million (7.7%) of COVID-19 development assistance for health went to Latin America, despite this region reporting 34.3% of total recorded COVID-19 deaths in low-income or middle-income countries in 2020. Spending on health is expected to rise to $1519 (1448-1591) per person in 2050, although spending across countries is expected to remain varied. Interpretation Global health spending is expected to continue to grow, but remain unequally distributed between countries. We estimate that development organisations substantially increased the amount of development assistance for health provided in 2020. Continued efforts are needed to raise sufficient resources to mitigate the pandemic for the most vulnerable, and to help curtail the pandemic for all. Copyright (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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| 18. |
- Hober, Sophia, Professor, 1965-, et al.
(författare)
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Systematic evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 antigens enables a highly specific and sensitive multiplex serological COVID-19 assay
- 2021
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Ingår i: Clinical & Translational Immunology. - : Wiley. - 2050-0068. ; 10:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective. The COVID-19 pandemic poses an immense need for accurate, sensitive and high-throughput clinical tests, and serological assays are needed for both overarching epidemiological studies and evaluating vaccines. Here, we present the development and validation of a high-throughput multiplex bead-based serological assay. Methods. More than 100 representations of SARS-CoV-2 proteins were included for initial evaluation, including antigens produced in bacterial and mammalian hosts as well as synthetic peptides. The five best-performing antigens, three representing the spike glycoprotein and two representing the nucleocapsid protein, were further evaluated for detection of IgG antibodies in samples from 331 COVID-19 patients and convalescents, and in 2090 negative controls sampled before 2020. Results. Three antigens were finally selected, represented by a soluble trimeric form and the S1-domain of the spike glycoprotein as well as by the C-terminal domain of the nucleocapsid. The sensitivity for these three antigens individually was found to be 99.7%, 99.1% and 99.7%, and the specificity was found to be 98.1%, 98.7% and 95.7%. The best assay performance was although achieved when utilising two antigens in combination, enabling a sensitivity of up to 99.7% combined with a specificity of 100%. Requiring any two of the three antigens resulted in a sensitivity of 99.7% and a specificity of 99.4%. Conclusion. These observations demonstrate that a serological test based on a combination of several SARS-CoV-2 antigens enables a highly specific and sensitive multiplex serological COVID-19 assay.
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| 20. |
- Maleki, Kimia T., et al.
(författare)
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MAIT cell activation is associated with disease severity markers in acute hantavirus infection
- 2021
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Ingår i: Cell Reports Medicine. - : Saunders Elsevier. - 2666-3791. ; 2:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hantaviruses are zoonotic RNA viruses that cause severe acute disease in humans. Infected individuals have strong inflammatory responses that likely cause immunopathology. Here, we studied the response of mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells in peripheral blood of individuals with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) caused by Puumala orthohantavirus, a hantavirus endemic in Europe. We show that MAIT cell levels decrease in the blood during HFRS and that residual MAIT cells are highly activated. This activation correlates with HFRS severity markers. In vitro activation of MAIT cells by hantavirus-exposed antigen-presenting cells is dependent on type I interferons (IFNs) and independent of interleukin-18 (IL-18). These findings highlight the role of type I IFNs in virus-driven MAIT cell activation and suggest a potential role of MAIT cells in the disease pathogenesis of viral infections.
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| 23. |
- Palma Medina, LM, et al.
(författare)
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Targeted plasma proteomics reveals signatures discriminating COVID-19 from sepsis with pneumonia
- 2023
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Ingår i: Respiratory research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1465-993X. ; 24:1, s. 62-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundCOVID-19 remains a major public health challenge, requiring the development of tools to improve diagnosis and inform therapeutic decisions. As dysregulated inflammation and coagulation responses have been implicated in the pathophysiology of COVID-19 and sepsis, we studied their plasma proteome profiles to delineate similarities from specific features.MethodsWe measured 276 plasma proteins involved in Inflammation, organ damage, immune response and coagulation in healthy controls, COVID-19 patients during acute and convalescence phase, and sepsis patients; the latter included (i) community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) caused by Influenza, (ii) bacterial CAP, (iii) non-pneumonia sepsis, and (iv) septic shock patients.ResultsWe identified a core response to infection consisting of 42 proteins altered in both COVID-19 and sepsis, although higher levels of cytokine storm-associated proteins were evident in sepsis. Furthermore, microbiologic etiology and clinical endotypes were linked to unique signatures. Finally, through machine learning, we identified biomarkers, such as TRIM21, PTN and CASP8, that accurately differentiated COVID-19 from CAP-sepsis with higher accuracy than standard clinical markers.ConclusionsThis study extends the understanding of host responses underlying sepsis and COVID-19, indicating varying disease mechanisms with unique signatures. These diagnostic and severity signatures are candidates for the development of personalized management of COVID-19 and sepsis.
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| 25. |
- Azizi, Z, et al.
(författare)
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Importance of sex and gender factors for COVID-19 infection and hospitalisation: a sex-stratified analysis using machine learning in UK Biobank data
- 2022
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Ingår i: BMJ open. - : BMJ. - 2044-6055. ; 12:5, s. e050450-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To examine sex and gender roles in COVID-19 test positivity and hospitalisation in sex-stratified predictive models using machine learning.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingUK Biobank prospective cohort.ParticipantsParticipants tested between 16 March 2020 and 18 May 2020 were analysed.Main outcome measuresThe endpoints of the study were COVID-19 test positivity and hospitalisation. Forty-two individuals’ demographics, psychosocial factors and comorbidities were used as likely determinants of outcomes. Gradient boosting machine was used for building prediction models.ResultsOf 4510 individuals tested (51.2% female, mean age=68.5±8.9 years), 29.4% tested positive. Males were more likely to be positive than females (31.6% vs 27.3%, p=0.001). In females, living in more deprived areas, lower income, increased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) ratio, working night shifts and living with a greater number of family members were associated with a higher likelihood of COVID-19 positive test. While in males, greater body mass index and LDL to HDL ratio were the factors associated with a positive test. Older age and adverse cardiometabolic characteristics were the most prominent variables associated with hospitalisation of test-positive patients in both overall and sex-stratified models.ConclusionHigh-risk jobs, crowded living arrangements and living in deprived areas were associated with increased COVID-19 infection in females, while high-risk cardiometabolic characteristics were more influential in males. Gender-related factors have a greater impact on females; hence, they should be considered in identifying priority groups for COVID-19 infection vaccination campaigns.
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| 28. |
- Kerkman, Priscilla, et al.
(författare)
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Generation of plasma cells and CD27-IgD- B cells during hantavirus infection is associated with distinct pathological findings
- 2021
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Ingår i: Clinical & Translational Immunology (CTI). - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2050-0068. ; 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: Human hantavirus infections can cause haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). The pathogenic mechanisms arenot fully understood, nor if they affect the humoral immune system. The objective of this study was to investigate humoral immune responses to hantavirus infection and to correlate them to the typical features of HFRS: thrombocytopenia and transient kidney dysfunction.Methods: We performed a comprehensive characterisation of longitudinal antiviral B-cell responses of 26 hantavirus patients and combined this with paired clinical data. In addition, we measured extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP)and its breakdown products in circulation and performed in vitro stimulations to address its effect on B cells.Results: We found that thrombocytopenia was correlated to an elevated frequency of plasmablasts in circulation. In contrast, kidney dysfunction was indicative of an accumulation of CD27-IgD- B cells and CD27/low plasmablasts. Finally, we provide evidence that high levels of extracellular ATP and matrix metalloproteinase 8 can contribute to shedding of CD27 during human hantavirus infection.Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that thrombocytopenia and kidneydysfunction associate with distinctly different effects on the humoral immune system. Moreover, hantavirus-infectedindividuals have significantly elevated levels of extracellular ATP incirculation.
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| 32. |
- Sperber, A. D., et al.
(författare)
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Face-to-face interviews versus Internet surveys: Comparison of two data collection methods in the Rome foundation global epidemiology study: Implications for population-based research
- 2023
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Ingår i: Neurogastroenterology and Motility. - 1350-1925. ; 35:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and AimsThe Rome Foundation Global Epidemiology Study (RFGES) assessed the prevalence, burden, and associated factors of Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction (DGBI) in 33 countries around the world. Achieving worldwide sampling necessitated use of two different surveying methods: In-person household interviews (9 countries) and Internet surveys (26 countries). Two countries, China and Turkey, were surveyed with both methods. This paper examines the differences in the survey results with the two methods, as well as likely reasons for those differences. MethodsThe two RFGES survey methods are described in detail, and differences in DGBI findings summarized for household versus Internet surveys globally, and in more detail for China and Turkey. Logistic regression analysis was used to elucidate factors contributing to these differences. ResultsOverall, DGBI were only half as prevalent when assessed with household vs Internet surveys. Similar patterns of methodology-related DGBI differences were seen within both China and Turkey, but prevalence differences between the survey methods were dramatically larger in Turkey. No clear reasons for outcome differences by survey method were identified, although greater relative reduction in bowel and anorectal versus upper gastrointestinal disorders when household versus Internet surveying was used suggests an inhibiting influence of social sensitivity. ConclusionsThe findings strongly indicate that besides affecting data quality, manpower needs and data collection time and costs, the choice of survey method is a substantial determinant of symptom reporting and DGBI prevalence outcomes. This has important implications for future DGBI research and epidemiological research more broadly.
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| 33. |
- Sperber, A. D., et al.
(författare)
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Worldwide Prevalence and Burden of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, Results of Rome Foundation Global Study
- 2021
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Ingår i: Gastroenterology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0016-5085. ; 160:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND & AIMS: Although functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs), now called disorders of gut-brain interaction, have major economic effects on health care systems and adversely affect quality of life, little is known about their global prevalence and distribution. We investigated the prevalence of and factors associated with 22 FGIDs, in 33 countries on 6 continents. METHODS: Data were collected via the Internet in 24 countries, personal interviews in 7 countries, and both in 2 countries, using the Rome IV diagnostic questionnaire, Rome III irritable bowel syndrome questions, and 80 items to identify variables associated with FGIDs. Data collection methods differed for Internet and household groups, so data analyses were conducted and reported separately. RESULTS: Among the 73,076 adult respondents (49.5% women), diagnostic criteria were met for at least 1 FGID by 40.3% persons who completed the Internet surveys (95% confidence interval [CI], 39.9-40.7) and 20.7% of persons who completed the household surveys (95% CI, 20.2-21.3). FGIDs were more prevalent among women than men, based on responses to the Internet survey (odds ratio, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.6-1.7) and household survey (odds ratio, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.3-1.4). FGIDs were associated with lower quality of life and more frequent doctor visits. Proportions of subjects with irritable bowel syndrome were lower when the Rome IV criteria were used, compared with the Rome III criteria, in the Internet survey (4.1% vs 10.1%) and household survey (1.5% vs 3.5%). CONCLUSIONS: In a large-scale multinational study, we found that more than 40% of persons worldwide have FGIDs, which affect quality of life and health care use. Although the absolute prevalence was higher among Internet respondents, similar trends and relative distributions were found in people who completed Internet vs personal interviews.
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