Food insecurity is a significant public health problem in the United States leading to substantial social, economic, and health care–related burdens. While studies continue to estimate the prevalence of food insecurity, the long-term outcomes are not extensively explored. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of food insecurity on mortality. We analyzed data on adults (≥ 20 years) from the 1999–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, with mortality data obtained through 2015. Among the total study participants (n = 25,247), 17.6% reported food insecurity. Food-insecure individuals were more likely to be younger in age, minorities, poorer, with lesser education, obese, smokers, and with diabetes compared to food-secure counterparts. During a 10.2-year follow-up, among the food insecure, 821 individuals died (11%). The hazard ratio (HR) for mortality among the food insecure compared with the food secure, with adjustment for age and gender only, was 1.58; 95% confidence interval [CI: 1.25, 2.01]. The adjusted HRs for all-cause mortality, HR = 1.46, CI [1.23, 1.72], p < .001, and cardiovascular mortality, HR = 1.75, CI [1.19, 2.57], p < .01, were statistically significantly higher among food-insecure individuals, after adjustment for multiple demographic and health risk factors. Individuals who are food-insecure have a significantly higher probability of death from any cause or cardiovascular disease in long-term follow-up. Comprehensive and interdisciplinary approaches to reducing food insecurity–related disparities and health risks should be implemented. Including food insecurity in health risk assessments and addressing food insecurity as a determinant of long-term outcomes may contribute to lower premature death rates.

Health-care workers experience psychosocial stress in their workplace. Available statistics are at variance, and hence, the need to know the overall prevalence of psychosocial stress among Nigerian health-care workers and associated risk factors. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of psychosocial stress and its risk factors among health-care workers in Nigeria through meta-analysis. PubMed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar databases were searched for articles. Search terms include "psychosocial stress," "occupational health," and "Nigerian health-care worker." Articles were included if they used validated psychosocial stress assessment instruments. Of the 17 articles with data on psychosocial stress prevalence, eight met all inclusion criteria. Each article independently reviewed by the authors and relevant data abstracted. Statistical analysis was done using MedCalc version 18.10. Overall, the prevalence of psychosocial stress was 61.97% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 41.013-80.823) based on analyzed eight articles with the sample size of 1763. Work overload rate at 67.72% (95% CI: 33.24-93.76) was the most prevalent psychosocial stress risk factor. Other risk factors were poor communication and staff attitude and lack of resources and equipment at 50.37% (95% CI: 13.35-87.16) and 62.4% (95% CI: 7.70-99.9), respectively. Headache, with neck and back pain, was the most prevalent psychosocial stress-related health outcome at 73.26% (95% CI: 66.14-79.82). Prevalence of psychosocial stress is high among health-care workers in Nigeria, necessitating preventive measures.

(1) Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) has flourished in recent years. More specifically, generative AI has had broad applications in many disciplines. While mental illness is on the rise, AI has proven valuable in aiding the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. However, there is little to no research about precisely how much interest there is in AI technology. (2) Methods: We performed a Google Trends search for “AI and mental health” and compared relative search volume (RSV) indices of “AI”, “AI and Depression”, and “AI and anxiety”. This time series study employed Box–Jenkins time series modeling to forecast long-term interest through the end of 2024. (3) Results: Within the United States, AI interest steadily increased throughout 2023, with some anomalies due to media reporting. Through predictive models, we found that this trend is predicted to increase 114% through the end of the year 2024, with public interest in AI applications being on the rise. (4) Conclusions: According to our study, we found that the awareness of AI has drastically increased throughout 2023, especially in mental health. This demonstrates increasing public awareness of mental health and AI, making advocacy and education about AI technology of paramount importance.

Diabetes is known to be associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) independently. Type 2 cardiorenal syndrome (CRS), a recently defined syndrome, is characterized by primary renal failure that progressively leads to cardiac dysfunction. The effect of diabetes on cardiorenal syndrome has not been explored in a multi-ethnic population. In this retrospective secondary analysis, the hypothesis that diabetes modifies the effect of CVD on CKD was tested. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is a cross-sectional survey that was performed on the non-institutionalized population in the United States. All patients from the NHANES study, who were 20 years and older between the years 1999 and 2010, were included in the analysis. CKD was determined using the Cockcroft-Gault equation. The analysis was performed using a complex samples logistic regression to determine the relationship between diabetes and CRS. The prevalence of CKD among the population was 9.6% in Non-Hispanic Whites, 8.9% in African-Americans, and 4.5% in Hispanics. The overall unadjusted odds ratio for CKD to no CKD was 6.89 (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.13-7.75, p < 0.001). The adjusted OR was elevated, 2.25 (CI 1.56-3.23, p < 0.001), among individuals with diabetes but was approximately 1.0 (1.43 CI 1.16-1.76, p < 0.05) among patients without diabetes after controlling for medical risk factors and demographic risk factors. Diabetes is strongly associated with Type 2 CRS in a nationally representative multi-ethnic population and must be considered when treating patients. Longitudinal studies should further examine this association.

Background: Food insecurity is known to be a major public health issue. There is limited data on food insecurity and chronic disease in the general population. Aim: We aimed to assess effect of food insecurity on mortality of individuals with chronic disease like cardiorenal syndrome (CRS). Methods: The study was conducted on participants aged 20 years or older in the United States living below the 130% Federal Poverty Level. We assessed food insecurity utilizing the Household Food Security Survey Module in NHANES survey for the years 1999 to 2010 with mortality follow-up. Prospective analysis was performed using complex samples Cox regression with adjustment for known confounders to determine the relationship of food insecurity and CRS. Results: Prevalence of food insecurity among the low-income population was 16.1% among males and 21.7% among females. The mean follow-up was 6.5 years. For all-cause mortality, the overall unadjusted hazard ratio (HR) of food insecurity to no food insecurity was 1.28 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18–1.37, p < 0.001). Adjusted HR was elevated, 2.81 (CI 1.57–5.05, p < 0.001), among participants who were CRS-positive and food insecure but closer to 1.0 (2.48 CI 1.73–3.55, p < 0.001) among those who were CRS-positive and food secure, after controlling for medical and demographic risk factors. Conclusions: Food insecurity is associated with higher mortality than food security. Food insecurity also may modify the effect of CRS on all-cause mortality in a representative general population. Social policy, when addressing food insecurity, should be inclusive among those with specific chronic diseases.