Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives

Review Article

The global prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis: Alwin Issac, Kurvatteppa Halemani, Asha Shetty, Latha Thimmappa, VR Vijay, Kiranmayi Koni, Prabhaker Mishra, Vishwas Kapoor; Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2025;16(1):3-27. Published online February 10, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.24171/j.phrp.2024.0286

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Objectives
The objective of this review was to analyze quantitative data on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and to increase the accuracy of estimates of the prevalence of ASD.
Methods
This review, which was reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement, included studies conducted from January 2008 to June 2024 on children aged 3 to 18 years that used standardized measurement tools and reported cut-off scores for ASD. The prevalence of ASD was the primary outcome analyzed in this review. The PubMed, Clinical Key, Scopus, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases were reviewed for relevant studies. The review protocol was registered with PROSPERO and followed the Cochrane collaboration guidelines.
Results
A total of 66 studies reported on the prevalence of ASD, screening 21,313,061 children worldwide. Among these, 25 studies were conducted in Europe, 22 in Asia, and 13 in America. Additionally, 3 studies each were reported from Africa and Australia. According to a meta-analysis, 0.77% of children globally are diagnosed with ASD, with boys comprising 1.14% of this group. Notably, Australia showed the highest prevalence rate, with an effect size of 2.18, highlighting it as a critical area for public health focus.
Conclusion
ASD represents a significant global health burden. Early detection, increased awareness among parents, and prompt intervention are crucial for mitigating developmental problems in children later in life. It is essential for health policymakers to acknowledge the prevalence and growing trends of ASD in order to implement effective interventions.

Citations

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Systematic review of optimizing brain-targeted vitamin D delivery: Novel approaches to enhance mental illness therapeutics
Jinghu He, Zhiyuan Gao, Xilian Li, Long Zhao, Xue Tian, Biao Gao
Brain Research.2025; 1858: 149656. CrossRef

Original Articles

Altered eotaxin-1 and interleukin-34 levels in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a case-control observational study in Bangladesh: Syed Ishtiaque Hossain, Rapty Sarker, Sardar Mohammad Ashraful Islam, Mohiuddin Ahmed Bhuiyan, MMA Shalahuddin Qusar, Md. Rabiul Islam; Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2025;16(1):72-80. Published online December 12, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.24171/j.phrp.2024.0222

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Objectives
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a prevalent mental health condition that impacts daily life. It is thought to be associated with genetic, biological, and structural brain changes, serotonergic abnormalities, altered neuromodulation, and environmental factors. Limited observational studies have examined cytokines in Bangladeshi patients with OCD. This study aimed to assess the levels of eotaxin-1 and interleukin (IL)-34 in individuals with this disorder.
Methods
This case-control observational study included 58 patients with OCD and 30 healthy controls (HCs) matched for age, sex, and body mass index. The severity of OCD was assessed using the Yale-Brown obsessive-compulsive scale (Y-BOCS). Psychiatrists evaluated participants according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Serum levels of eotaxin-1 and IL-34 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits.
Results
Patients with OCD exhibited significantly higher serum eotaxin-1 levels (121.13±7.84 pg/mL) than HCs (85.52±9.42 pg/mL). Conversely, IL-34 levels were considerably lower in patients than in HCs (119.02±14.53 pg/mL vs. 179.96±27.88 pg/mL). The Cohen d values for eotaxin-1 and IL-34 were 0.55 and −0.48, respectively. Among patients with OCD, a significant positive correlation was found between serum eotaxin-1 level and Y-BOCS score, along with a negative correlation between serum eotaxin-1 and IL-34 levels.
Conclusion
The findings suggest that altered eotaxin-1 and IL-34 levels may be associated with OCD. These chemokines and cytokines could serve as primary tools for assessing the risk of OCD, warranting further clinical investigation. This could potentially support more extensive research and the development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways.

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Unraveling Gender Differences in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Focus on Key Micronutrients
Sultana Algin, Mohammad Waliul Hasnat Sajib, Sumaiya Nausheen Ahmed, Md Raihan Siddique , Md Munim Reza, Nusrat Jahan Tanzilla, Tanbir Ahmed, Md Kamrul Islam, Pratiksha Patel, Mainul Haque
Cureus.2025;[Epub] CrossRef

Rural-urban differences in common mental disorders among Indonesian youth: a cross-sectional national survey: Marizka Khairunnisa, Diah Yunitawati, Leny Latifah, Diyan Ermawan Effendi, Yunita Fitrianti, Sri Handayani, Hastin Dyah Kusumawardani; Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2024;15(5):440-450. Published online August 21, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.24171/j.phrp.2023.0385

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The onset of common mental disorders (CMDs) is most prevalent among youth; thus, mental health management is crucial. We examined differences in risk and risk factor determinants regarding CMDs prevalence among youth in rural and urban Indonesia. Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized data from the 2018 Indonesia National Health Survey. The population comprised 122,114 respondents, aged 15 to 24 years, who had completed the 20-item Self-Report Questionnaire along with providing demographic and health behavior data. Chi-square testing and logistic regression were employed for analysis. Results: The CMDs risk was higher among urban than rural youth. Risk factors impacting both populations included being female, having a lower education level, consuming fewer than 7 portions of vegetables weekly, smoking, and drinking alcohol (p<0.05). Consuming under 7 portions of fruit weekly and being in the highest or lowest wealth quintile were significant risk factors only in urban youth, while unemployment and divorce were significant only among rural respondents (p<0.05). Marriage was protective against CMDs among rural participants. Conclusion: Being male, possessing a college degree, consuming at least 7 portions of vegetables weekly, not smoking, and not consuming alcohol were associated with reduced CMDs risk in urban and rural youth. Among rural youth, marriage and employment were linked to decreased risk, whereas divorce displayed the opposite relationship. In urban populations, consuming at least 7 portions of fruit weekly and belonging to neither the highest nor the lowest economic quintile were protective factors. Management strategies for CMDs in young people must address these considerations.

Review Article

Psychiatric adverse events associated with the COVID-19 vaccines approved in the Republic of Korea: a systematic review: Seungeun Ryoo, Miyoung Choi, Nam-Kyong Choi, Hyoung-Shik Shin, Jun Hee Woo, Byung-Joo Park, Sanghoon Oh; Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2024;15(2):107-114. Published online March 28, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.24171/j.phrp.2023.0325

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This systematic review evaluated psychiatric adverse events (AEs) following vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We included studies that reported or investigated psychiatric AEs in individuals who had received an approved COVID-19 vaccine in the Republic of Korea. Systematic electronic searches of Ovid-Medline, Embase, CENTRAL, and KoreaMed databases were conducted on March 22, 2023. Risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias Assessment Tool for Non-randomized Studies 2.0. The study protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42023449422). Of the 301 articles initially selected, 7 were included in the final analysis. All studies reported on sleep disturbances, and 2 highlighted anxiety-related AEs. Sleep disorders like insomnia and narcolepsy were the most prevalent AEs, while depression was not reported. Our review suggests that these AEs may have been influenced by biological mechanisms as well as the broader psychosocial context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although this study had limitations, such as a primary focus on the BNT162b2 vaccine and an observational study design, it offered a systematic, multi-vaccine analysis that fills a critical gap in the existing literature. This review underscores the need for continued surveillance of psychiatric AEs and guides future research to investigate underlying mechanisms, identify risk factors, and inform clinical management.

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A review of the scientific literature on experimental toxicity studies of COVID-19 vaccines, with special attention to publications in toxicology journals
Jose L. Domingo
Archives of Toxicology.2024; 98(11): 3603. CrossRef

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