METHODS: Text ads from Google searches in eight countries (Bahamas, Germany, India, Malaysia, Mexico, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, and United States) were collected in 2022, totaling 1,974 prepolicy and 3,262 post-policy ads, and analyzed in 2023. A gold standard database was established by two coders who labeled 707 ads, which trained five natural language processing models to label the ads, covering content and target demographics. The descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic models were applied to analyze content before versus after policy implementation, both globally and by country.
RESULTS: Vertex AI emerged as the best natural language processing model with the highest F1 score of 0.87. There were significant decreases from pre- to post-policy implementation in the prevalence of labels of "Racial or Ethnic Identification" and "Ingredients: Natural" by 47% and 66%, respectively. Notable differences were identified from pre- to post-policy implementation in India, Mexico, and Germany.
CONCLUSIONS: The study observed changes in skin-lightening product advertisement labels from pre- to post-policy implementation, both globally and within countries. Considering the influence of digital advertising on colorist norms, assessing digital ad policy changes is crucial for public health surveillance. This study presents a computational method to help monitor digital platform policies for consumer product advertisements that affect public health.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The addressed focused question was "Is SLT effective in the management of OPL?" Databases (MEDLINE via PubMed; EMBASE; Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Cochrane Oral Health Group Trials Register databases) were searched from 1970 up to and including February 2017.
RESULTS: Ten studies were included. The reported number of OPL ranged between 8 and 140. Oral pigmented sites included, gingiva, buccal and labial mucosa, alveolar mucosa and lips. Lasers used in the studies included Q-switched alexandrite, Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet, diode, Erbium: yttrium aluminium garnet and carbon dioxide laser. Laser wavelength, power output and number of irradiations were 635-10,600nm, 1-10W and 1 to 9 times, respectively. The follow up period ranged from 6 to 24months. All studies reported SLT to be effective in the treatment of OPL. In five studies, recurrence of OPL occurred which ranged from 21.4% to 45%.
CONCLUSIONS: Lasers are effective in the management of OPL including physiologic gingival pigmentation, smokers' melanosis and pigmentation in Laugier-Hunziker syndrome. Different laser types (CO2, Er:YAG and Diode) showed comparable outcomes in the treatment of OPL.