Aim. To investigate the associations between diabetes and musculoskeletal pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Methods. Self-reported data were provided by the nationwide Danish National Health Survey 2013. Inclusion criteria were age≥40 years and known diabetes status. The exposure variable was diabetes, and the outcome variables included musculoskeletal pain during the last 14 days in three body sites (back/lower back, limbs, and shoulder/neck), osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, BMI, education, marital status, and physical activity were performed. Results. 9,238 participants with diabetes were 65.6±11.0 (mean±SD) years old; 55.6% were males. 99,980 participants without diabetes were 59.2±11.8 years old; 46.7% were males. Diabetes was associated with back/lower back pain (OR 1.2 (CI 95% 1.1-1.2), p<0.001), pain in the limbs (1.4 (1.3-1.4), p<0.001), shoulder/neck pain (1.2 (1.1-1.3), p<0.001), osteoarthritis (1.3 (1.2-1.4), p<0.001), osteoporosis (1.2 (1.1-1.4), p=0.010), and rheumatoid arthritis (1.6 (1.4-1.7), p<0.001). In participants with diabetes, physical activity was associated with reduced pain (e.g., back/lower back pain (0.7 (0.6-0.7), p<0.001)). Conclusion. Diabetes was associated with elevated odds of having musculoskeletal pain. Diabetes was also associated with elevated odds of having osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. The most frequent disease in individuals with diabetes was osteoarthritis. The reported pain may have negative impacts on the level of physical activity. Health-care professionals should remember to inform patients with diabetes that musculoskeletal pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis are not contraindications to exercise training.

Persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) face pronounced health disparities. The aim of this study was to describe premature mortality by causes of death and avoidable mortality among persons with ID compared to the general Danish population. This study is based on a Danish nationwide cohort of adults (aged 18–74 years) with ID (n = 57 663) and an age- and sex-matched reference cohort (n = 607 097) which was established by linkage between several registers. The cohorts were followed in the Register of Causes of Death between 2000 and 2020. Causes of death were categorized into preventable, treatable, or unavoidable deaths using the OECD/Eurostat classification and furthermore categorized into specific interventions. We compared the observed and expected number of deaths by calculating standardized mortality ratio (SMR). Among persons with ID the number of deaths was 9400 whereof 5437 (58%) were avoidable. SMR for preventable deaths, e.g. by reducing smoking and alcohol intake or by vaccination, was 2.62 (95% CI, 2.51–2.73), and SMR for treatable deaths, e.g. by earlier diagnosis and treatment, was 6.00 (5.72–6.29). Unavoidable mortality was also six-fold increased (SMR = 6.03; 5.84–6.22). Preventable deaths were higher for persons with mild ID compared to severe ID, while treatable and unavoidable mortality were highest for persons with severe ID. The study confirmed that persons with ID have an amplified risk of mortality across all categories. There is a need for competence development of social care and healthcare personnel and reasonable adjustment of health promotion programs and healthcare services for people with ID.

Background: Intradialytic exercise is an effective intervention to reduce morbidity and mortality and increase quality of life among patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis. However, implementing and sustaining it in clinical practice has proved challenging. To identify how to best design an effective and sustainable intervention in clinical practice, we aimed to explore hemodialysis patients’ and nurses’ attitudes towards intradialytic exercise, including their motivation, anticipated barriers, and suggestions for the design of a proposed exercise program. Methods: Data were collected through qualitative semistructured interviews with patients and focus group interviews with nurses and analyzed inductively with content analysis. Results: Overall, patients’ and nurses’ attitudes towards intradialytic exercise were positive. Patients were motivated by their expectations about perceived benefits, such as improved quality of life and reduced musculoskeletal pain. Their main concern was triggering dialysis machine alarms and disturbing nurses. Nurses were more skeptical of intradialytic exercise and concerned about patient safety. Patients and nurses had several ideas on how to design a safe and motivating intradialytic exercise intervention. Conclusion: The analysis of patients’ and nurses’ experiences and attitudes generated recommendations for an intradialytic exercise program. Recommendations include individually tailored programs that are safe and that patients can do independently, continuous collaboration between patients, nurses, physicians, and physiotherapists, and educating nurses about the benefits and safety of intradialytic exercise.

Lots of new tobacco or nicotine products are being launched, e.g., e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, which appeal especially to the youngest part of the population. For example, the use of smokeless tobacco among Danish youth rose from approx. 2% in 2010 to 9% in 2020. Hence, there is an urgent need to follow and intervene against youth tobacco or nicotine product use. This study explored the current use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and smokeless tobacco among Danish 15- to 29-year-olds. Further, we examined the concurrent use of two products or more. We used a nationwide survey conducted among 15- to 29-year-olds in February and March 2020. Overall, approx. 35,700 individuals received the questionnaire of which 35.5% responded (n = 13,315). One out of five (20.1%) smoked cigarettes, half of them daily, the other half occasionally. About one in twenty (3.9%) used e-cigarettes (daily or occasionally), and more than one in three (31.6%) had tried e-cigarettes. The use of heated tobacco among Danish youth is still relatively limited (0.3%). In comparison, about 9% used smokeless tobacco (daily or occasionally). Overall, 27.0% stated that they use at least one type of tobacco or nicotine product, while 5.6% used more than one product. Monitoring tobacco-related behavior in youth provides extremely important information for, e.g., policymakers and health professionals.

Aims: The aim was to investigate the association between socioeconomic position (SEP) and physical activity, alcohol consumption and smoking, motivation to change lifestyle and health advices from general practitioners (GPs) in individuals with diabetes. Methods: Data were provided by the Danish National Health Survey 2013 and 7504 adults (⩾ 40 years) with diabetes were included. Educational level was used as SEP indicator and categorized into low, middle and high SEP. Dependent variables included physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking, motivation to change lifestyle and GP lifestyle advices. Multiple logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, body mass index and ethnic background were performed. Results: Higher SEP were associated with reduced odds of being physically inactive (middle SEP odds ratio (OR) men 0.58 (95% confidence intervals 0.47–0.72) and women 0.59 (0.47–0.75)) and non-smoking (middle SEP OR men 0.74 (0.59–0.93) and high SEP OR women 0.54 (0.38–0.77)) compared to participants with a low SEP. Alcohol consumption above the recommended maximum was associated with high SEP in men, OR 1.83 (1.30–2.61). Elevated SEP was associated with a motivation to increase physical activity levels (middle SEP OR men 1.45 (1.19–1.76) and women 1.35 (1.09–1.67)), high SEP was associated with none advice from GPs regarding smoking cessation among women, OR 0.47 (0.25–0.89). Conclusions: Socioeconomic position was strongly associated with lifestyle in individuals with diabetes. The most pronounced inequalities were found in physical activity levels, smoking status and the motivation to become more physically active. Municipalities and GPs may need a greater focus on SEP in interventions to change lifestyle in individuals with diabetes.

(1) Background: In December 2020, a broad majority of political parties in Denmark agreed on a new tobacco control act. In addition, price increases on tobacco in 2020 and 2022 became part of the Danish Finance Act. This study protocol describes the study “§SMOKE–A Study of Tobacco, Behavior, and Regulations” designed to monitor and evaluate the implementation and effect of the new strengthened tobacco control acts. The overall aim is to monitor tobacco use among young people before, during, and after implementation of the new tobacco control legislation, including an increased price on tobacco, a ban on point-of-sale tobacco displays, and plain packaging. Subgoals are to monitor overall use of nicotine products, attitudes, and norms. (2) Methods: This study is designed as a five-year impact evaluation with repeated cross-sectional survey data collections. The baseline survey was conducted before implementing an increased price on tobacco, the first step in the new legislation, initiated 1 April 2020. Study participants (n = 37,500) were a random sample of individuals living in Denmark aged 15 to 29 years. (3) Conclusions: This study examines the impact of the new strengthened tobacco control legislation in Denmark from 2020 to 2025. The findings of this study are relevant to other countries facing implementation of similar measures to explore intended and unintended consequences of the legislation and help to identify how the legislation could be further improved.