The Mechanisms Linking Health Literacy to Behavior and Health Status

PubMed Central

Osborn, Chandra Y.; Paasche-Orlow, Michael K.; Bailey, Stacy Cooper; Wolf, Michael S.

2011-01-01

Objective To examine the mechanisms linking health literacy to physical activity and self-reported health. Methods From 2005–2007, patients (N=330) with hypertension were recruited from safety net clinics. Path analytic models tested the pathways linking health literacy to physical activity and self-reported health. Results There were significant paths from health literacy to knowledge (r=0.22, P<0.001), knowledge to self-efficacy (r=0.13, P<0.01), self-efficacy to physical activity (r=0.17, P<0.01), and physical activity to health status (r=0.17, P<0.01). Conclusions Health education interventions should be literacy sensitive and aim to enhance patient health knowledge and self-efficacy to promote self-care behavior and desirable health outcomes. PMID:20950164

Socioeconomic status and health of immigrants.

PubMed

Vacková, Jitka; Brabcová, Iva

2015-01-01

The aim of this article is to acquaint the general public with select socioeconomic status (SES) parameters (type of work, education level, employment category, and net monthly income) of select nationalities (Ukrainians, Slovaks, Vietnamese, Poles, and Russians) from a total of 1,014 immigrants residing in the Czech Republic. It will also present a subjective assessment of socioeconomic status and its interconnection with subjective assessment of health status. This work was carried out as part of the "Social determinants and their impact on the health of immigrants living in the Czech Republic" project (identification number LD 13044), which was conducted under the auspices of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) agency. Quantitative methodology in the form of a questionnaire was selected to facilitate the research aim. Data was processed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 16.0 (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Statistical analyses were performed using the Pearson chi-square test, adjusted residual analysis, and multivariate correspondence analysis. The results of these tests demonstrated a statistically significant relationship between subjective assessments of socioeconomic status and the following related select characteristics: type of work performed (manual/intellectual), employment categories, education, and net monthly income. Results indicate that those situated lowest on the socioeconomic ladder feel the poorest in terms of health; not only from a subjective perspective, but also in terms of objective parameter comparisons (e.g. manual laborers who earn low wages). As the level of subjective SES assessment increases, the level of subjective health assessment increases, as well. Thus, the relationship has a natural gradient, as was described by Wilkinson and Marmot in 2003. Our study found no evidence of a healthy immigrant effect. Therefore, it was not possible to confirm that health status deteriorates

Association of personality traits with oral health-related quality of life independently of objective oral health status: a study of community-dwelling elderly Japanese.

PubMed

Takeshita, Hajime; Ikebe, Kazunori; Kagawa, Ryosuke; Okada, Tadashi; Gondo, Yasuyuki; Nakagawa, Takeshi; Ishioka, Yoshiko; Inomata, Chisato; Tada, Sayaka; Matsuda, Ken-ichi; Kurushima, Yuko; Enoki, Kaori; Kamide, Kei; Masui, Yukie; Takahashi, Ryutaro; Arai, Yasumichi; Maeda, Yoshinobu

2015-03-01

Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is being increasingly used in epidemiologic studies of dentistry. However, patient-reported OHRQoL does not always coincide with clinical measures. Previous studies have shown a relationship between OHRQoL and personality, but did not concomitantly investigate oral function. We aimed to examine the association among personality traits, oral function, and OHRQoL using a large sample of community-dwelling Japanese elderly. The participants (n = 938; age, 69-71 years) were drawn from a complete enumeration of an urban area and a rural area of both the Tokyo metropolitan area and Hyogo Prefecture. The self-perceived impact of OHRQoL was measured using the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI). The oral status and socioeconomic characteristics were recorded in each participant, and personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) were assessed with the NEO-five-factor inventory. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to examine the relationships between OHRQoL and other factors, with p < 0.05 considered to be statistically significant. Neuroticism was negatively associated with the GOHAI score in bivariate analyses (Spearman rank-order correlation coefficient (rs )= -0.20), whereas extraversion was positively associated (rs = 0.17). In the regression analyses, neuroticism (standardized partial regression coefficient (β) = -0.179) and extraversion (β=0.094) were significantly associated with the GOHAI scores independently of the number of teeth, maximal occlusal force, and financial status. Personality traits are associated with OHRQoL independently of objective measures of oral health status in community-dwelling elderly Japanese. This study showed personality traits are associated with OHRQoL independently of dental status and oral function in old Japanese people. As elderly patients undergo increasingly complex dental treatments, there is a

Differentiating subgroups of children with special health care needs by health status and complexity of health care needs.

PubMed

Bramlett, Matthew D; Read, Debra; Bethell, Christina; Blumberg, Stephen J

2009-03-01

Our objective is to use the Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) Screener to identify subgroups of CSHCN differentiated by health status and complexity of need. Data are from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs, 2001 and the National Survey of Children's Health, 2003 (conducted by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau and the National Center for Health Statistics); and the 2001 and 2002 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. A broad array of variables measuring health status, complexity of need, and related issues are examined by subgroupings of CSHCN. Relative to other CSHCN, CSHCN with functional limitations or who qualify on more CSHCN Screener items have poorer health status and more complex health care needs. They more often experience a variety of health issues; their insurance is more often inadequate; the impact of their conditions on their families is higher; and their medical costs are higher. In the absence of information on specific conditions, health status, or complexity of need, the CSHCN Screener alone can be used to create useful analytic subgroups that differ on these dimensions. The proposed subgroups, based on the type or number of CSHCN screening criteria, differentiate CSHCN by health status and complexity of health care needs, and also show differences in the impact of their conditions on their families, costs of their medical care, and prevalence of various health problems.

Self-Reported Health Status in Primary Health Care: The Influence of Immigration and Other Associated Factors

PubMed Central

Salinero-Fort, Miguel Á.; Jiménez-García, Rodrigo; del Otero-Sanz, Laura; de Burgos-Lunar, Carmen; Chico-Moraleja, Rosa M.; Martín-Madrazo, Carmen; Gómez-Campelo, Paloma

2012-01-01

Objective The aims of this study are to compare self-reported health status between Spanish-born and Latin American-born Spanish residents, adjusted by length of residence in the host country; and additionally, to analyse sociodemographic and psychosocial variables associated with a better health status. Design This is a cross-sectional population based study of Latin American-born (n = 691) and Spanish-born (n = 903) in 15 urban primary health care centres in Madrid (Spain), carried out between 2007 and 2009. The participants provided information, through an interview, about self-reported health status, socioeconomic characteristics, psychosocial factors and migration conditions. Descriptive and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results The Spanish-born participants reported a better health status than the Latin America-born participants (79.8% versus 69.3%, p<0.001). Different patterns of self-reported health status were observed depending on the length of residence in the host country. The proportion of immigrants with a better health status is greater in those who have been in Spain for less than five years compared to those who have stayed longer. Better health status is significantly associated with being men, under 34 years old, being Spanish-born, having a monthly incomes of over 1000 euros, and having considerable social support and low stress. Conclusions Better self-reported health status is associated with being Spanish-born, men, under 34 years old, having an uppermiddle-socioeconomic status, adequate social support, and low stress. Additionally, length of residence in the host country is seen as a related factor in the self-reported health status of immigrants. PMID:22675564

Household portfolio choices, health status and health care systems: A cross-country analysis based on SHARE.

PubMed

Atella, Vincenzo; Brunetti, Marianna; Maestas, Nicole

2012-05-01

Health risk is increasingly viewed as an important form of background risk that affects household portfolio decisions. However, its role might be mediated by the presence of a protective full-coverage national health service that could reduce households' probability of incurring current and future out-of-pocket medical expenditures. We use SHARE data to study the influence of current health status and future health risk on the decision to hold risky assets, across ten European countries with different health systems, each offering a different degree of protection against out-of-pocket medical expenditures. We find robust empirical evidence that perceived health status matters more than objective health status and, consistent with the theory of background risk, health risk affects portfolio choices only in countries with less protective health care systems. Furthermore, portfolio decisions consistent with background risk models are observed only with respect to middle-aged and highly-educated investors.

Automatic Adviser on Mobile Objects Status Identification and Classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shabelnikov, A. N.; Liabakh, N. N.; Gibner, Ya M.; Saryan, A. S.

2018-05-01

A mobile object status identification task is defined within the image discrimination theory. It is proposed to classify objects into three classes: object operation status; its maintenance is required and object should be removed from the production process. Two methods were developed to construct the separating boundaries between the designated classes: a) using statistical information on the research objects executed movement, b) basing on regulatory documents and expert commentary. Automatic Adviser operation simulation and the operation results analysis complex were synthesized. Research results are commented using a specific example of cuts rolling from the hump yard. The work was supported by Russian Fundamental Research Fund, project No. 17-20-01040.

Relationships Between Welfare Status, Health Insurance Status, and Health and Medical Care Among Children With Asthma

PubMed Central

Wood, Pamela R.; Smith, Lauren A.; Romero, Diana; Bradshaw, Patrick; Wise, Paul H.; Chavkin, Wendy

2002-01-01

Objectives. This study evaluated the relationships between health insurance and welfare status and the health and medical care of children with asthma. Methods. Parents of children with asthma aged 2 to 12 years were interviewed at 6 urban clinical sites and 2 welfare offices. Results. Children whose families had applied for but were denied welfare had more asthma symptoms than did children whose families had had no contact with the welfare system. Poorer mental health in parents was associated with more asthma symptoms and higher rates of health care use in their children. Parents of uninsured and transiently insured children identified more barriers to health care than did parents whose children were insured. Conclusions. Children whose families have applied for welfare and children who are uninsured are at high risk medically and may require additional services to improve health outcomes. PMID:12197971

Community, Family, and Subjective Socioeconomic Status: Relative Status and Adolescent Health

PubMed Central

Quon, Elizabeth C.; McGrath, Jennifer J.

2017-01-01

Objective Relative socioeconomic status (SES) may be an important social determinant of health. The current study aimed to examine how relative SES, as measured by subjective SES, income inequality, and individual SES relative to others in the community, is associated with a wide range of adolescent health outcomes, after controlling for objective family SES. Method Adolescents (13–16 years; N = 2,199) from the Quebec Child and Adolescent Health and Social Survey were included. Socioeconomic measures included adolescents’ subjective SES; parental education and household income; community education/employment, income, and poverty rate; and community income inequality. Health outcomes included self-rated health, mental health problems, dietary and exercise health behaviors, substance-related health behaviors, reported physical health, and biomarkers of health. Best-fitting multilevel regression models (participants nested within schools) were used to test associations. Results Findings indicated that lower subjective SES was associated with poorer health outcomes. After accounting for family SES, lower community education/employment had an additional negative effect on health, while lower community income had a protective effect for certain health outcomes. There was less evidence for an independent effect of income inequality. Conclusions Findings highlight the importance of measures of relative SES that span across a number of levels and contexts, and provide further understanding into the socioeconomic gradient in adolescence. PMID:25222085

Household portfolio choices, health status and health care systems: A cross-country analysis based on SHARE

PubMed Central

Atella, Vincenzo; Brunetti, Marianna; Maestas, Nicole

2013-01-01

Health risk is increasingly viewed as an important form of background risk that affects household portfolio decisions. However, its role might be mediated by the presence of a protective full-coverage national health service that could reduce households’ probability of incurring current and future out-of-pocket medical expenditures. We use SHARE data to study the influence of current health status and future health risk on the decision to hold risky assets, across ten European countries with different health systems, each offering a different degree of protection against out-of-pocket medical expenditures. We find robust empirical evidence that perceived health status matters more than objective health status and, consistent with the theory of background risk, health risk affects portfolio choices only in countries with less protective health care systems. Furthermore, portfolio decisions consistent with background risk models are observed only with respect to middle-aged and highly-educated investors. PMID:23885134

Health Status, Intention to Seek Health Examination, and Participation in Health Education Among Taxi Drivers in Jinan, China

PubMed Central

Yang, Yan; Fan, Xiao-sheng; Tian, Cui-huan; Zhang, Wei; Li, Jie; Li, Shu-qing

2014-01-01

Background: Taxi drivers are exposed to various risk factors such as work overload, stress, an irregular diet, and a sedentary lifestyle, which make these individuals vulnerable to many diseases. This study was designed to assess the health status of this occupational group. Objectives: The objective was to explore the health status, the intention to seek health examination, and participation in health education among taxi drivers in Jinan, China. Patients and Methods: The sample-size was determined scientifically. The systematic sampling procedure was used for selecting the sample. Four hundred taxi drivers were randomly selected from several taxi companies in Jinan. In total, 396 valid questionnaires (from 370 males and 26 females) were returned. Health status, intention to seek health examination, and participation in health education were assessed by a self-designed questionnaire. Other personal information including sex, age, ethnicity, marital status, years of employment as a taxi driver, education level, and habits were also collected. Results: This survey revealed that 54.8% of taxi drivers reported illness in the last two weeks and 44.7% of participants reported chronic diseases. The prevalence rates of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, gastroenteritis, arthritis, and heart disease were 18.2%, 8.8%, 26%, 18.4%, and 4.8% of questioned taxi drivers, respectively. Significant self-reported symptoms included fatigue, waist and back pain, headache, dyspepsia, and dry throat affecting 49.7%, 26.2%, 23.5%, 26%, and 27% of participants, respectively. In total, 90.1% of subjects thought that it was necessary to receive a regular health examination. Only 17.9% of subjects had been given information about health education, and significantly, more than 87% of subjects who had been given information about health education reported that the information had been helpful. Conclusions: Taxi drivers’ health was poor in our survey. Thus, using health education interventions

Health Status and Health Dynamics in an Empirical Model of Expected Longevity*

PubMed Central

Benítez-Silva, Hugo; Ni, Huan

2010-01-01

Expected longevity is an important factor influencing older individuals’ decisions such as consumption, savings, purchase of life insurance and annuities, claiming of Social Security benefits, and labor supply. It has also been shown to be a good predictor of actual longevity, which in turn is highly correlated with health status. A relatively new literature on health investments under uncertainty, which builds upon the seminal work by Grossman (1972), has directly linked longevity with characteristics, behaviors, and decisions by utility maximizing agents. Our empirical model can be understood within that theoretical framework as estimating a production function of longevity. Using longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study, we directly incorporate health dynamics in explaining the variation in expected longevities, and compare two alternative measures of health dynamics: the self-reported health change, and the computed health change based on self-reports of health status. In 38% of the reports in our sample, computed health changes are inconsistent with the direct report on health changes over time. And another 15% of the sample can suffer from information losses if computed changes are used to assess changes in actual health. These potentially serious problems raise doubts regarding the use and interpretation of the computed health changes and even the lagged measures of self-reported health as controls for health dynamics in a variety of empirical settings. Our empirical results, controlling for both subjective and objective measures of health status and unobserved heterogeneity in reporting, suggest that self-reported health changes are a preferred measure of health dynamics. PMID:18187217

Health and labour force participation of older people in Europe: what do objective health indicators add to the analysis?

PubMed

Kalwij, Adriaan; Vermeulen, Frederic

2008-05-01

This paper studies labour force participation of older individuals in 11 European countries. The data are drawn from the new Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). We examine the value added of objective health indicators in relation to potentially endogenous self-reported health. We approach the endogeneity of self-reported health as an omitted variables problem. In line with the literature on the reliability of self-reported health ambiguous results are obtained. In some countries self-reported health does a fairly good job and controlling for objective health indicators does not add much to the analysis. In other countries, however, the results show that objective health indicators add significantly to the analysis and that self-reported health is endogenous due to omitted objective health indicators. These latter results illustrate the multi-dimensional nature of health and the need to control for objective health indicators when analysing the relation between health status and labour force participation. This makes an instrumental variables approach to deal with the endogeneity of self-reported health less appropriate.

Health status of Gypsy Travellers.

PubMed

Van Cleemput, P; Parry, G

2001-06-01

Although previous studies suggest that Gypsy Travellers have poorer health status and excess mortality compared with the general population, there is no epidemiological evidence using validated measures in this nomadic ethnic group. The aim of this study was to compare the health status of traditional Gypsy Travellers with norms from the UK population, and with a concurrent comparison group using the Euroqol health status measure (EQ-5D). Eighty-seven adult Gypsy Travellers were matched for age and sex with English or Irish residents, registered with an urban general practice in an area of high social deprivation. Both samples completed the EQ-5D questionnaire by interview. A comparison was also made with normative data from the UK general population. Travellers had poorer health status than their settled counterparts on two of the five dimensions (mobility and activity) but not on the overall summary score. Travellers reported significantly poorer health than the matched comparison group on the EQ-5D visual analogue scale. Both the Travellers and the comparison group had much poorer health status on the EQ-5D index than the UK population norms, even when compared with the lowest socioeconomic group. Health status of Gypsy Travellers was significantly poorer than in the lowest socio-economic UK population group, but was not so markedly different from a concurrent, matched, socially deprived resident group. Gypsy Travellers did have poorer health status than matched comparators in relation to mobility, activity and perception of overall health. Quantitative assessment of health status in the Traveller community is feasible.

The Lifetime Effect of Residential School Attendance on Indigenous Health Status

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Objectives. I examined the health impact of lifetime Indian Residential school (IRS) attendance and the mediating influences of socioeconomic status and community adversity on health outcomes in a national sample of Aboriginal peoples in Canada. Methods. In an analysis of data on 13 881 Inuit, Métis, and off-reserve First Nations or North American Indian adults responding to the postcensus 2006 Aboriginal Peoples Survey administered October 2006 to March 2007, I tested the direct effect of IRS attendance on health and indirect effects through socioeconomic and community factors using logistic regression procedures. Results. Negative health status was significantly more likely with IRS attendance than nonattendance. The direct effect of IRS attendance remained significant although it attenuated substantially when adjusting for demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, and community-level adversities. Community adversity and socioeconomic factors, primarily income, employment status, and educational attainment mediated the effect of IRS on health. Conclusions. Residential school attendance is a significant health determinant in the Indigenous population and is adversely associated with subsequent health status both directly and through the effects of attendance on socioeconomic and community-level risks. PMID:24328622

Exploring the Weight and Health Status of Adults with Down Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Havercamp, Susan M.; Tassé, Marc J.; Navas, Patricia; Benson, Betsey A.; Allain, Dawn; Manickam, Kandamurugu

2017-01-01

Background: People with developmental disabilities experience worse health than typically developing peers. This health differential is often described in terms of health disparities, which refers to differences caused or exacerbated by social or access issues. Objective: the goal of this study was to compare the weight status and health…

Subjective Social Status and Health Behaviors Among African Americans

PubMed Central

Reitzel, Lorraine R.; Nguyen, Nga; Strong, Larkin L.; Wetter, David W.; McNeill, Lorna H.

2012-01-01

Objectives To examine associations of the US and community subjective social status (SSS) ladders with smoking status, at-risk drinking, fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, and body mass index among 1467 church-going African American adults from a larger cohort study. Methods Regression analyses, adjusted for sociodemographics, examined associations between SSS ladders and health behaviors. Results The SSS-US ladder was significantly associated with fruit and vegetable consumption (p = .007) and physical activity (p = .005). The SSS-community ladder was not significantly associated with any health behaviors. Conclusions Among this sample of African Americans, the SSS-US ladder is more predictive of some health behaviors than is the SSS-community ladder. PMID:22943107

The health status burden of people with fibromyalgia: a review of studies that assessed health status with the SF-36 or the SF-12

PubMed Central

Hoffman, D L; Dukes, E M

2008-01-01

Objective The current review describes how the health status profile of people with fibromyalgia (FM) compares to that of people in the general population and patients with other health conditions. Methods A review of 37 studies of FM that measured health status with the 36-item Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) or the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12). Results Studies performed worldwide showed that FM groups were significantly more impaired than people in the general population on all eight health status domains assessed. These domains include physical functioning, role functioning difficulties caused by physical problems, bodily pain, general health, vitality (energy vs. fatigue), social functioning, role functioning difficulties caused by emotional problems and mental health. FM groups had mental health summary scores that fell 1 standard deviation (SD) below the general population mean, and physical health summary scores that fell 2 SD below the general population mean. FM groups also had a poorer overall health status compared to those with other specific pain conditions. FM groups had similar or significantly lower (poorer) physical and mental health status scores compared to those with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, myofacial pain syndrome, primary Sjögren's syndrome and others. FM groups scored significantly lower than the pain condition groups mentioned above on domains of bodily pain and vitality. Health status impairments in pain and vitality are consistent with core features of FM. Conclusions People with FM had an overall health status burden that was greater in magnitude compared to people with other specific pain conditions that are widely accepted as impairing. Review Criteria Studies in this review were identified through a search of electronic databases (MEDLINE: 1990–2006; EMBASE: 1990–2006). Search terms included: ‘fibromyalgia’, ‘health status’, �

Health status and health dynamics in an empirical model of expected longevity.

PubMed

Benítez-Silva, Hugo; Ni, Huan

2008-05-01

Expected longevity is an important factor influencing older individuals' decisions such as consumption, savings, purchase of life insurance and annuities, claiming of Social Security benefits, and labor supply. It has also been shown to be a good predictor of actual longevity, which in turn is highly correlated with health status. A relatively new literature on health investments under uncertainty, which builds upon the seminal work by Grossman [Grossman, M., 1972. On the concept of health capital and demand for health. Journal of Political Economy 80, 223-255] has directly linked longevity with characteristics, behaviors, and decisions by utility maximizing agents. Our empirical model can be understood within that theoretical framework as estimating a production function of longevity. Using longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study, we directly incorporate health dynamics in explaining the variation in expected longevities, and compare two alternative measures of health dynamics: the self-reported health change, and the computed health change based on self-reports of health status. In 38% of the reports in our sample, computed health changes are inconsistent with the direct report on health changes over time. And another 15% of the sample can suffer from information losses if computed changes are used to assess changes in actual health. These potentially serious problems raise doubts regarding the use and interpretation of the computed health changes and even the lagged measures of self-reported health as controls for health dynamics in a variety of empirical settings. Our empirical results, controlling for both subjective and objective measures of health status and unobserved heterogeneity in reporting, suggest that self-reported health changes are a preferred measure of health dynamics.

Subjective social status, self-rated health and tobacco smoking: Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

PubMed

Camelo, Lidyane do V; Giatti, Luana; Barreto, Sandhi M

2014-11-01

Using baseline data from ELSA-Brasil (N = 15,105), we investigated whether subjective social status, measured using three 10-rung "ladders," is associated with self-rated health and smoking, independently of objective indicators of social position and depression symptoms. Additionally, we explored whether the magnitude of these associations varies according to the reference group. Subjective social status was independently associated with poor self-rated health and weakly associated with former smoking. The references used for social comparison did not change these associations significantly. Subjective social status, education, and income represent distinct aspects of social inequities, and the impact of each of these indicators on health is different. © The Author(s) 2013.

Access to Oral Health Care and Self-Reported Health Status Among Low-Income Adults Living with HIV/AIDS

PubMed Central

Bachman, Sara S.; Walter, Angela W.; Umez-Eronini, Amarachi

2012-01-01

Objective We identified factors associated with improved self-reported health status in a sample of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) following enrollment in oral health care. Methods Data were collected from 1,499 enrollees in the Health Resources and Services Administration HIV/AIDS Bureau's Special Projects of National Significance Innovations in Oral Health Care Initiative. Data were gathered from 2007–2010 through in-person interviews at 14 sites; self-reported health status was measured using the SF-8™ Health Survey's physical and mental health summary scores. Utilization records of oral health-care services provided to enrollees were also obtained. Data were analyzed using general estimating equation linear regression. Results Between baseline and follow-up, we found that physical health status improved marginally while mental health status improved to a greater degree. For change in physical health status, a decrease in oral health problems and lack of health insurance were significantly associated with improved health status. Improved mental health status was associated with a decrease in oral health problems at the last available visit and no pain or distress in one's teeth or gums at the last available visit. Conclusion For low-income PLWHA, engagement in a program to increase access to oral health care was associated with improvement in overall well-being as measured by change in the SF-8 Health Survey. These results contribute to the knowledge base about using the SF-8 to assess the impact of clinical interventions. For public health practitioners working with PLWHA, findings suggest that access to oral health care can help promote well-being for this vulnerable population. PMID:22547877

Cross-sectional associations of active transport, employment status and objectively measured physical activity: analyses from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

PubMed

Yang, Lin; Hu, Liang; Hipp, J Aaron; Imm, Kellie R; Schutte, Rudolph; Stubbs, Brendon; Colditz, Graham A; Smith, Lee

2018-05-05

To investigate associations between active transport, employment status and objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in a representative sample of US adults. Cross-sectional analyses of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A total of 5180 adults (50.2 years old, 49.0% men) were classified by levels of active transportation and employment status. Outcome measure was weekly time spent in MVPA as recorded by the Actigraph accelerometer. Associations between active transport, employment status and objectively measured MVPA were examined using multivariable linear regression models adjusted for age, body mass index, race and ethnicity, education level, marital status, smoking status, working hour duration (among the employed only) and self-reported leisure time physical activity. Patterns of active transport were similar between the employed (n=2897) and unemployed (n=2283), such that 76.0% employed and 77.5% unemployed engaged in no active transport. For employed adults, those engaging in high levels of active transport (≥90 min/week) had higher amount of MVPA than those who did not engage in active transport. This translated to 40.8 (95% CI 15.7 to 65.9) additional minutes MVPA per week in men and 57.9 (95% CI 32.1 to 83.7) additional minutes MVPA per week in women. Among the unemployed adults, higher levels of active transport were associated with more MVPA among men (44.8 min/week MVPA, 95% CI 9.2 to 80.5) only. Findings from the present study support interventions to promote active transport to increase population level physical activity. Additional strategies are likely required to promote physical activity among unemployed women. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Subjective Socioeconomic Status and Adolescent Health: A Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Quon, Elizabeth C.; McGrath, Jennifer J.

2017-01-01

Objective To comprehensively and quantitatively examine the association between subjective socioeconomic status (SES) and health outcomes during adolescence. Methods Forty-four studies met criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Information on study quality, demographics, subjective SES, health outcomes, and covariates were extracted from each study. Fisher’s Z was selected as the common effect size metric across studies. Random-effect meta-analytic models were employed and fail-safe numbers were generated to address publication bias. Results Overall, subjective SES was associated with health during adolescence (Fisher’s Z = .10). The magnitude of the effect varied by type of health outcome, with larger effects observed for mental health outcomes, self-rated health, and general health symptoms; and nonsignificant effects observed for biomarkers of health and substance-use-related health behaviors. Of the measures of subjective SES employed in the reviewed studies, perception of financial constraints, was most strongly associated with adolescent health outcomes. Analysis of covariates indicated that inclusion of objective SES covariates did not affect the association between subjective SES and health. Conclusions This meta-analysis has implications for the measurement of subjective SES in adolescents, for the conceptualization of subjective and objective SES, and for the pathways between SES and health in adolescents. PMID:24245837

Health status among elderly Hungarians and Americans.

PubMed

Buss, T F; Beres, C; Hofstetter, C R; Pomidor, A

1994-07-01

Selected health status data for elderly populations from similar industrial cities-Youngstown, Ohio, USA, and Debrecen, Hungary-were compared. Because of their impoverished health care system, unregulated heavily industrialized society, and unhealthful life-styles Hungarians were hypothesized to have poorer health status than Americans, even after taking into account demographic mediating factors. The study provides a health status baseline for elderly Hungarians shortly after communism's fall in 1989-1990 and shows how great a gap exists between Hungarian health status and that in the West. Hungarians were in much poorer health as measured by functional status, symptomatology, medical condition, depression, and subjective health status. Distinctions persisted when controlling for gender, age, and education. Poverty-level (and income) did not explain health status differences. The paper concludes that Hungary should pay more attention to health promotion, prevention, and primary care, as well as to reforming patient management in hospitals, nursing homes, and home care programs.

Relationship between person-organization fit and objective and subjective health status (person-organization fit and health).

PubMed

Merecz, Dorota; Andysz, Aleksandra

2012-06-01

[corrected] Person-Environment fit (P-E fit) paradigm, seems to be especially useful in explaining phenomena related to work attitudes and occupational health. The study explores the relationship between a specific facet of P-E fit as Person-Organization fit (P-O fit) and health. Research was conducted on the random sample of 600 employees. Person-Organization Fit Questionnaire was used to asses the level of Person-Organization fit; mental health status was measured by General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28); and items from Work Ability Index allowed for evaluation of somatic health. Data was analyzed using non parametric statistical tests. The predictive value of P-O fit for various aspects of health was checked by means of linear regression models. A comparison between the groups distinguished on the basis of their somatic and mental health indicators showed significant differences in the level of overall P-O fit (χ(2) = 23.178; p < 0.001) and its subdimensions: for complementary fit (χ(2) = 29.272; p < 0.001), supplementary fit (χ(2) = 23.059; p < 0.001), and identification with organization (χ(2) = 8.688; p = 0.034). From the perspective of mental health, supplementary P-O fit seems to be important for men's well-being and explains almost 9% of variance in GHQ-28 scores, while in women, complementary fit (5% explained variance in women's GHQ score) and identification with organization (1% explained variance in GHQ score) are significant predictors of mental well-being. Interestingly, better supplementary and complementary fit are related to better mental health, but stronger identification with organization in women produces adverse effect on their mental health. The results show that obtaining the optimal level of P-O fit can be beneficial not only for the organization (e.g. lower turnover, better work effectiveness and commitment), but also for the employees themselves. Optimal level of P-O fit can be considered as a factor maintaining workers' health

Maternal Cultural Participation and Child Health Status in a Middle Eastern Context: Evidence from the Urban Health Study

PubMed Central

Khawaja, Marwan; Barazi, Rana; Linos, Natalie

2006-01-01

Background The negative effect of poverty on child health has been well established. However, rapid urbanization in developing countries prompts new research questions relating to socio-cultural practices and other related variables in these settings. Objective To examine the association between maternal cultural participation and child health status in impoverished neighbourhoods of Beirut, Lebanon. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 1,241 mothers with children under 5 years was conducted from randomly selected households in three impoverished neighbourhoods of diverse ethnic and religious make-up. The outcome variable was child health status (good/bad) as assessed by the mother. Maternal variables, including cultural participation, education, demographic, and environmental/structural factors were studied. Descriptive statistics and bivariate associations were provided using Pearson’s χ2 tests. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios were then obtained from binary logistic regression models. Results Two indicators of maternal cultural participation, namely watching entertaining television and attending movies/art exhibitions, were found to be significantly associated to child health status after controlling for other risk factors. The quality of water, the quality of local health services, and maternal education were also significantly associated with child health status. Household income, child gender, and household dampness had no significant association with child health status in this context. Conclusion Maternal cultural participation was a significant predictor of child health status in impoverished urban communities. Improving child health through culturally focused interventions for mothers, especially in deprived areas, may be great. PMID:17291314

[Effect of an on-line health promotion program connected with a hospital health examination center on health promotion behavior and health status].

PubMed

Park, Jeong Sook; Kwon, Sang Min

2008-06-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of an On-line health promotion program connected with a hospital health examination center. Based on contents developed, the www.kmwellbeing.com homepage was developed. The research design was a one group pretest-posttest design. Seventy-three clients participated in this study. The data were collected from January 3 to June 30, 2005. As a way of utilizing the homepage, this paper attempted to measure the change of pre and post program health promotion behavior and health status (perceived health status, objective health index-blood pressure, pulse, total cholesterol, blood sugar, waist flexibility, grip strength and lower extremity strength). Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and paired t-test with the SPSS/Win 12.0 program. There were significant differences of perceived health status, systolic BP, waist flexibility and grip strength. However, there were no significant differences in health promotion behavior, diastolic BP, pulse, lower extremity strength, blood sugar and total cholesterol between pre program and post program. It is expected that an on-line health promotion program connected with a hospital health examination center will provide an effective learning media for health education and partially contribute to client's health promotion. A strategy, however, is needed to facilitate the continuous use of the on-line health promotion program for adult clients.

Challenges in researching migration status, health and health service use: an intersectional analysis of a South London community

PubMed Central

Gazard, Billy; Frissa, Souci; Nellums, Laura; Hotopf, Matthew; Hatch, Stephani L.

2015-01-01

Objectives. This study aimed to investigate the associations between migration status and health-related outcomes and to examine whether and how the effect of migration status changes when it is disaggregated by length of residence, first language, reason for migration and combined with ethnicity. Design. A total of 1698 adults were interviewed from 1076 randomly selected households in two South London boroughs. We described the socio-demographic and socio-economic differences between migrants and non-migrants and compared the prevalence of health-related outcomes by migration status, length of residence, first language, reason for migration and migration status within ethnic groups. Unadjusted models and models adjusted for socio-demographic and socio-economic indicators are presented. Results. Migrants were disadvantaged in terms of socio-economic status but few differences were found between migrant and non-migrants regarding health or health service use indicators; migration status was associated with decreased hazardous alcohol use, functional limitations due to poor mental health and not being registered with a general practitioner. Important differences emerged when migration status was disaggregated by length of residence in the UK, first language, reason for migration and intersected with ethnicity. The association between migration status and functional limitations due to poor mental health was only seen in White migrants, migrants whose first language was not English and migrants who had moved to the UK for work or a better life or for asylum or political reasons. There was no association between migration status and self-rated health overall, but Black African migrants had decreased odds for reporting poor health compared to their non-migrant counterparts [odds ratio = 0.15 (0.05–0.48), p < 0.01]. Conclusions. Disaggregating migration status by length of residence, first language and reason for migration as well as intersecting it with ethnicity leads

The Health Status of Adults on the Autism Spectrum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Croen, Lisa A.; Zerbo, Ousseny; Qian, Yinge; Massolo, Maria L.; Rich, Steve; Sidney, Stephen; Kripke, Clarissa

2015-01-01

Compared to the general pediatric population, children with autism have higher rates of co-occurring medical and psychiatric illnesses, yet very little is known about the general health status of adults with autism. The objective of this study was to describe the frequency of psychiatric and medical conditions among a large, diverse, insured…

County Variation in Children's and Adolescent's Health Status and School District Performance in California

PubMed Central

Jung, Sunyoung

2008-01-01

Objectives. We examined the association between county-level estimates of children's health status and school district performance in California. Methods. We used 3 data sources: the California Health Interview Survey, district archives from the California Department of Education, and census-based estimates of county demographic characteristics. We used logistic regression to estimate whether a school district's failure to meet adequate yearly progress goals in 2004 to 2005 was a function of child and adolescent's health status. Models included district- and county-level fixed effects and were adjusted for the clustering of districts within counties. Results. County-level changes in children's and adolescent's health status decreased the likelihood that a school district would fail to meet adequate yearly progress goals during the investigation period. Health status did not moderate the relatively poor performance of predominantly minority districts. Conclusions. We found empirical support that area variation in children's and adolescent's health status exerts a contextual effect on school district performance. Future research should explore the specific mechanisms through which area-level child health influences school and district achievement. PMID:18309137

Libyan National Health Services The Need to Move to Management-by-Objectives

PubMed Central

El Taguri, A; Elkhammas, EA; Bakoush, O; Ashammakhi, N; Baccoush, M; Betilmal, I

2008-01-01

In the last four decades, there has been a substantial horizontal expansion of health services in Libya. This resulted in improvement in morbidity and mortality, in particularly those related to infectious disease. However, measures such as the national performance gap indicator reveal an underperforming health system. In this article, we discuss aspects related to the Libyan health system and its current status including areas of weakness. Overcoming current failures and further improvement are unlikely to occur spontaneously without proper planning. Defining community health problems, identifying unmet needs, surveying resources to meet them, establishing SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, and realistic and time specific) objectives, and projecting administrative action to accomplish the proposed programs, are a must. The health system should rely on newer approaches such as management-by-objectives and risk-management rather than the prevailing crisis-management attitude. PMID:21499467

Patient Smoking Cessation Advice by Health Care Providers: The Role of Ethnicity, Socioeconomic Status, and Health

PubMed Central

Houston, Thomas K.; Scarinci, Isabel C.; Person, Sharina D.; Greene, Paul G.

2005-01-01

Objectives. We assessed differences by ethnicity in ever receiving advice from providers to quit smoking. We evaluated whether socioeconomic status and health status were moderators of the association. Methods. We used 2000 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey data, a population-based cross-sectional survey. Results. After adjusting for complex survey design, 69% of the 14089 current smokers reported ever being advised to quit by a provider. Hispanics (50%) and African Americans (61%) reported receiving smoking counseling less frequently compared with Whites (72%, P<.01 for each). Ethnic minority status, lower education, and poorer health status remained significantly associated with lower rates of advice to quit after adjustment for number of cigarettes, time from last provider visit, income, comorbidities, health insurance, gender, and age. Smoking counseling differences between African Americans and Whites were greater among those with lower income and those without health insurance. Compared with Whites, differences for both Hispanics and African Americans were also greater among those with lower education. Conclusion. We found lower rates of smoking cessation advice among ethnic minorities. However, we also found complex interactions of ethnicity with socioeconomic factors. PMID:15914833

The Dual Status of the Null Object in Chinese.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qu, Yanfeng

1994-01-01

This paper investigates the status of the null object in Mandarin Chinese. It proposes that if an object is topicalized, the empty category in the object position should be analyzed as a variable. If it is not topicalized, it is a "pro." It is argued that a pro resembles an overt pronoun in obeying Condition B, but differs from the…

Metabolic health status and the obesity paradox in older adults

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The explanation for reduced mortality among older persons with overweight or class I obesity compared to those of desirable weight remains unclear. Our objective was to investigate the joint effects of body mass index (BMI) and metabolic health status on all-cause mortality in a cohort of advanced a...

Health Is a Status.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, George F.

1984-01-01

Although the terms "personal health" and "medical care" are used interchangeably, they have different meanings. Health is a personal responsibility, medicine is a drug given as a form of treatment. A new definition of health is suggested that treats health as a dynamic status. (DF)

Status report - Geographic retail food environment measures for use in public health.

PubMed

Mahendra, Ahalya; Polsky, Jane Y; Robitaille, Éric; Lefebvre, Marc; McBrien, Tina; Minaker, Leia M

2017-10-01

The Association of Public Health Epidemiologists in Ontario (APHEO) Core Indicators Work Group standardizes definitions and calculation methods for over 120 public health indicators to enhance accurate and standardized community health status reporting across public health units in Ontario. The Built Environment Subgroup is a multi-disciplinary group made up of planners, researchers, policy analysts, registered dietitians, geographic information systems (GIS) analysts and epidemiologists. The Subgroup selected and operationalized a suite of objective, standardized indicators intended to help public health units and regional health authorities assess their community retail food environments. The Subgroup proposed three indicators that use readily available data sources and GIS tools to characterize geographic access to various types of retail food outlets within neighbourhoods in urban settings. This article provides a status report on the development of these food environment indicators.

Stigma, status, and population health

PubMed Central

Phelan, Jo C.; Lucas, Jeffrey W.; Ridgeway, Cecilia L.; Taylor, Catherine J.

2014-01-01

Stigma and status are the major concepts in two important sociological traditions that describe related processes but that have developed in isolation. Although both approaches have great promise for understanding and improving population health, this promise has not been realized. In this paper, we consider the applicability of status characteristics theory (SCT) to the problem of stigma with the goal of better understanding social systemic aspects of stigma and their health consequences. To this end, we identify common and divergent features of status and stigma processes. In both, labels that are differentially valued produce unequal outcomes in resources via culturally shared expectations associated with the labels; macro-level inequalities are enacted in micro-level interactions, which in turn reinforce macro-level inequalities; and status is a key variable. Status and stigma processes also differ: Higher- and lower-status states (e.g., male and female) are both considered normal, whereas stigmatized characteristics (e.g., mental illness) are not; interactions between status groups are guided by “social ordering schemas” that provide mutually agreed-upon hierarchies and interaction patterns (e.g., men assert themselves while women defer), whereas interactions between “normals” and stigmatized individuals are not so guided and consequently involve uncertainty and strain; and social rejection is key to stigma but not status processes. Our juxtaposition of status and stigma processes reveals close parallels between stigmatization and status processes that contribute to systematic stratification by major social groupings, such as race, gender, and SES. These parallels make salient that stigma is not only an interpersonal or intrapersonal process but also a macro-level process and raise the possibility of considering stigma as a dimension of social stratification. As such, stigma’s impact on health should be scrutinized with the same intensity as that of

Stigma, status, and population health.

PubMed

Phelan, Jo C; Lucas, Jeffrey W; Ridgeway, Cecilia L; Taylor, Catherine J

2014-02-01

Stigma and status are the major concepts in two important sociological traditions that describe related processes but that have developed in isolation. Although both approaches have great promise for understanding and improving population health, this promise has not been realized. In this paper, we consider the applicability of status characteristics theory (SCT) to the problem of stigma with the goal of better understanding social systemic aspects of stigma and their health consequences. To this end, we identify common and divergent features of status and stigma processes. In both, labels that are differentially valued produce unequal outcomes in resources via culturally shared expectations associated with the labels; macro-level inequalities are enacted in micro-level interactions, which in turn reinforce macro-level inequalities; and status is a key variable. Status and stigma processes also differ: Higher- and lower-status states (e.g., male and female) are both considered normal, whereas stigmatized characteristics (e.g., mental illness) are not; interactions between status groups are guided by "social ordering schemas" that provide mutually agreed-upon hierarchies and interaction patterns (e.g., men assert themselves while women defer), whereas interactions between "normals" and stigmatized individuals are not so guided and consequently involve uncertainty and strain; and social rejection is key to stigma but not status processes. Our juxtaposition of status and stigma processes reveals close parallels between stigmatization and status processes that contribute to systematic stratification by major social groupings, such as race, gender, and SES. These parallels make salient that stigma is not only an interpersonal or intrapersonal process but also a macro-level process and raise the possibility of considering stigma as a dimension of social stratification. As such, stigma's impact on health should be scrutinized with the same intensity as that of other more

Health behaviours explain part of the differences in self reported health associated with partner/marital status in The Netherlands.

PubMed Central

Joung, I M; Stronks, K; van de Mheen, H; Mackenbach, J P

1995-01-01

STUDY OBJECTIVE--To describe the differences in health behaviours in disparate marital status groups and to estimate the extent to which these can explain differences in health associated with marital status. DESIGN--Baseline data of a prospective cohort study were used. Directly age standardised percentages of each marital group that engaged in each of the following behaviours--smoking, alcohol consumption, coffee consumption, breakfast, leisure exercise, and body mass index--were computed. Multiple logistic regression models were fitted to estimate the health differences associated with marital status with and without control for differences in health behaviours. SETTING--The population of the city of Eindhoven and surrounding municipalities (mixed urban-rural area) in The Netherlands in March 1991. PARTICIPANTS--There were 16,311 men and women, aged 25-74 years, and of Dutch nationality. MAIN RESULTS--There were differences in relation to marital status for each health behaviour. Married people were more likely to practise positive health behaviours (such as exercise and eating breakfast) and less likely to engage in negative ones (such as smoking or drinking heavily) than the other groups. Control for all six health behaviours could explain an average of 20-36% of the differences in perceived and general health and subjective health complaints. CONCLUSIONS--Differences in health behaviours explained a considerable amount, but not all, of the health differences related to marital status. Longitudinal data are necessary to confirm these findings; to determine whether the differences in health behaviours related to marital status are caused by selection effects or social causation effects; and to learn how social control, social support, and stress inter-relate to reinforce negative or to maintain positive health behaviours. PMID:7499990

Two Scales for Measuring International Health Status.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, James S.

1991-01-01

Two scales for measuring international health status are proposed as alternatives to the current measure--infant mortality rate. Health Status 1 is an interval scale combining infant mortality and literacy rate. Health Status 2 comprises these statistics, plus death rate for persons 65 years and older, and mental hospital admissions. (SLD)

Community, family, and subjective socioeconomic status: Relative status and adolescent health.

PubMed

Quon, Elizabeth C; McGrath, Jennifer J

2015-06-01

Relative socioeconomic status (SES) may be an important social determinant of health. The current study aimed to examine how relative SES, as measured by subjective SES, income inequality, and individual SES relative to others in the community, is associated with a wide range of adolescent health outcomes, after controlling for objective family SES. Adolescents (13-16 years; N = 2,199) from the Quebec Child and Adolescent Health and Social Survey were included. Socioeconomic measures included adolescents' subjective SES; parental education and household income; community education/employment, income, and poverty rate; and community income inequality. Health outcomes included self-rated health, mental health problems, dietary and exercise health behaviors, substance-related health behaviors, reported physical health, and biomarkers of health. Best-fitting multilevel regression models (participants nested within schools) were used to test associations. Findings indicated that lower subjective SES was associated with poorer health outcomes. After accounting for family SES, lower community education/employment had an additional negative effect on health, while lower community income had a protective effect for certain health outcomes. There was less evidence for an independent effect of income inequality. Findings highlight the importance of measures of relative SES that span across a number of levels and contexts, and provide further understanding into the socioeconomic gradient in adolescence. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Wage differences according to health status in France.

PubMed

Ben Halima, Mohamed Ali; Rococo, Emeline

2014-11-01

Many OECD countries have implemented anti-discrimination laws in recent decades. However, according to the annual report published in 2010 by the French High Authority for the Fight against Discrimination and for Equality, the second most commonly cited factor in discrimination claims since 2005 is a handicap or health status. The aim of this research is to estimate the level of unexplained components in the wage gap that can be attributed to wage discrimination based on health status in France in 2010 utilizing data from the Health, Healthcare and Insurance survey among 1594 individuals. Three health indicators are used: self-perceived health status, activity limitations and long-term chronic illness. To measure the wage gap according to an individual's health status, the analysis considers the endogenous selection of health status and unobserved differences in productivity. The results demonstrate that wage discrimination is experienced by individuals in poor health regardless of the health indicator utilized. The hourly wage rate among individuals with poor self-assessed health status is on average 14.2% lower than among individuals with good self-assessed health status. However, for individuals suffering from a long-term chronic illness or an activity limitation, the gap is 6.3% and 4.5%, respectively. The decomposition performed on wage differences according to health status by correcting for health status selection bias and controlling for unobserved differences in productivity indicates that the 'unexplained component' that can be attributed to wage discrimination is equal to 50%. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Is Food Insufficiency Associated with Health Status and Health Care Utilization Among Adults with Diabetes?

PubMed Central

Nelson, Karin; Cunningham, William; Andersen, Ron; Harrison, Gail; Gelberg, Lillian

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVES Preliminary studies have shown that among adults with diabetes, food insufficiency has adverse health consequences, including hypoglycemic episodes and increased need for health care services. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of food insufficiency and to describe the association of food insufficiency with health status and health care utilization in a national sample of adults with diabetes. METHODS We analyzed data from adults with diabetes (n = 1,503) interviewed in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to examine the relationship of food insufficiency to self-reported health status and health care utilization. RESULTS Six percent of adults with diabetes reported food insufficiency, representing more than 568,600 persons nationally (95% confidence interval, 368,400 to 768,800). Food insufficiency was more common among those with incomes below the federal poverty level (17% vs 4%, P≤.001). Adults with diabetes who were food insufficient were more likely to report fair or poor health status than those who were not (63% vs 43%; odds ratio, 2.2; P =.05). In a multivariate analysis, fair or poor health status was independently associated with poverty, nonwhite race, low educational achievement, and number of chronic diseases, but not with food insufficiency. Diabetic adults who were food insufficient reported more physician encounters, either in clinic or by phone, than those who were food secure (12 vs 7, P <.05). In a multivariate linear regression, food insufficiency remained independently associated with increased physician utilization among adults with diabetes. There was no association between food insufficiency and hospitalization in bivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS Food insufficiency is relatively common among low-income adults with diabetes and was associated with higher physician utilization. PMID:11422638

Relationship Between Health Literacy, Knowledge of Health Status, and Beliefs about HIV/AIDS Transmission among Ryan White Clients in Miami

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mooss, Angela; Brock-Getz, Petra; Ladner, Robert; Fiano, Theresa

2013-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between health literacy, knowledge of health status, and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) transmission beliefs among recipients of Ryan White care. Design: Quota and convenience sampled, quantitative analysis captured with closed and…

Predictors of elderly mortality: health status, socioeconomic characteristics and social determinants of health.

PubMed

Mete, Cem

2005-02-01

This paper uses longitudinal survey data from Taiwan to investigate the predictors of elderly mortality. The empirical analysis confirms a relationship between socioeconomic characteristics and mortality, but this relationship weakens considerably when estimates are conditional on the health status at the time of the first wave survey. In terms of predictive power, the models with an activities of daily living index fare better (as opposed to models with self-evaluated health or self-reported illnesses). Having said that there is a payoff to the consideration of self-evaluated health jointly with other 'objective' health indicators. Other findings include a strong association between life satisfaction and survival, which prevails even after controlling for other explanatory variables. Copyright (c) 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Functional health status of adolescents after the Fontan procedure – comparison with their siblings

PubMed Central

Manlhiot, Cedric; Knezevich, Stevan; Radojewski, Elizabeth; Cullen-Dean, Geraldine; Williams, William G; McCrindle, Brian W

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND: Studies have suggested that patients who have undergone the Fontan procedure experience lower functional health status and diminished exercise capacity compared with other children. OBJECTIVES: To compare the functional health status of Fontan patients with and without siblings, assess whether there are any differences between Fontan patients and their siblings, and determine associated factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional, single-centre, observational study was performed on Fontan patients 10 to 20 years of age, and their sibling closest in age, followed in a tertiary pediatric hospital. Functional health status was measured by the Child Health Questionnaire Child Form and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. RESULTS: A total of 68 patients and 38 siblings were enrolled. Patients with siblings scored significantly lower on numerous domains of physical functional status than those without siblings. Compared with their matched siblings, Fontan patients reported significantly lower scores in all domains of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory and on physical (but not psychosocial) domains of the Child Health Questionnaire Child Form. Factors associated with increased patient-sibling differences included younger patient age, female sex, intracardiac lateral tunnel Fontan connection and lower ejection fraction at the time of study enrollment. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents with Fontan physiology reported a lower functional health status in physical domains than their siblings, but had similar status in psychosocial domains. Having a sibling was associated with lower reported functional health status, suggesting an important effect of self-perceived physical limitations over true limitations. PMID:19746247

Hardiness and Health Status: Results of a 3-Year Longitudinal Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greene, Robin; Nowack, Kenneth M.

Recent research has suggested that individual differences in the personality measure of hardiness are related to health status. This 3-year longitudinal study with full-time employees (N=229) investigated the association between stress, two separate measures of personality hardiness, and objective (absenteeism due to illness verified from…

Health status of Russian minorities in former Soviet Republics.

PubMed

Groenewold, W G F; van Ginneken, J K

2011-08-01

To examine if, and to what extent, disparities in health status exist between ethnic Russians and the native majority populations of four former Soviet Republics; and to determine to what extent indicators of socio-economic status and lifestyle behaviours explain variations in health status. Data from the World Health Organization's World Health Surveys of former Soviet Republics that include information on ethnicity (i.e. Estonia, Latvia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Russia) were used. Russia was included as the benchmark population as it is the country of origin of ethnic Russians. Data were collected from respondents aged ≥25 years in 2001-2003. Principal component analysis was used to derive the Health Status Index and Household Wealth Index. Multiple classification analysis was applied to examine the effects of the determinants on health status, including ethnic group membership. In Estonia and Kazakhstan, ethnic Russians have, on average, a lower health status than members of the majority population, while their health status is higher in Ukraine. Higher levels of material wealth, educational attainment and physical activity were associated with a higher health status. The association of these variables with health status was often stronger than the association between ethnic group membership and health status. Differences in health status between Russian ethnic minorities and the majority populations were found in Estonia and Kazakhstan, but were non-existent in Latvia and were the opposite of what was expected in Ukraine. Use of the Health Status Index in combination with multiple classification analysis proved to be a useful approach to examine health status differentials, and to identify and profile vulnerable groups in a society. Copyright © 2011 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On Assessing Black Health Status: A Historical Overview.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, Mitchell F.

1986-01-01

Examines Black health status from the slavery period to the present, discusses health status disparities between Blacks and Whites in the areas of life expectancy and infant mortality, and considers socioeconomic factors affecting Black health status. (Author/GC)

Geography Matters: State-Level Variation in Children's Oral Health Care Access and Oral Health Status

PubMed Central

Fisher-Owens, Susan A.; Soobader, Mah-J; Gansky, Stuart A.; Isong, Inyang A.; Weintraub, Jane A.; Platt, Larry J.; Newacheck, Paul W.

2016-01-01

Objectives To ascertain differences across states in children's oral health care access and oral health status and the factors that contribute to those differences Study Design Observational study using cross-sectional surveys Methods Using the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health, we examined state variation in parent's report of children's oral health care access (absence of a preventive dental visit) and oral health status. We assessed the unadjusted prevalences of these outcomes, then adjusted with child-, family-, and neighborhood-level variables using logistic regression; these results are presented directly and graphically. Using multilevel analysis, we then calculated the degree to which child-, family-, and community-level variables explained state variation. Finally, we quantified the influence of state-level variables on state variation. Results Unadjusted rates of no preventive dental care ranged 9.0-26.8% (mean 17.5%), with little impact of adjusting (10.3-26.7%). Almost 9% of population had fair/poor oral health; unadjusted range 4.1-14.5%. Adjusting analyses affected fair/poor oral health more than access (5.7-10.7%). Child, family and community factors explained ~¼ of the state variation in no preventive visit and ~½ of fair/poor oral health. State-level factors further contributed to explaining up to a third of residual state variation. Conclusion Geography matters: where a child lives has a large impact on his or her access to oral health care and oral health status, even after adjusting for child, family, community, and state variables. As state-level variation persists, other factors and richer data are needed to clarify the variation and drive changes for more egalitarian and overall improved oral health. PMID:26995567

Stress, Health Risk Behaviors, and Weight Status among Community College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pelletier, Jennifer E.; Lytle, Leslie A.; Laska, Melissa N.

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to describe the relationship between stress, weight-related health risk behaviors (e.g., eating behaviors, physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep, cigarette smoking, and binge drinking), and weight status using cross-sectional data on 2-year community college students enrolled in a randomized controlled weight…

[Health behaviour and changes in health behaviour - are education and social status relevant?].

PubMed

Altenhöner, T; Philippi, M; Böcken, J

2014-01-01

Individual health behaviour counts as an important factor for health status. A healthier lifestyle substantially contributes to better health. People burdened with lower health and with lower socio-economic status could benefit notably. So far it is not known exhaustively to what extent education and social status contribute to changes in health behaviour and which motifs play a decisive role. Based on cross-sectional data from the seventh wave of the "Gesundheitsmonitor", Bertelsmann Foundation, (n=1 436), the influence of social status and education on health behaviour and changes in behaviour was analysed. Specific health behaviour correlates with level of education and socio-economic status. In contrast, regarding health behaviour changes in the last 12 months prior to survey, no social class- or education-specific effect was found. Age, health status as well as fears and wishes in relation to health seem to be important causalities for changes of health-related behaviour. Interventions to foster healthy lifestyles should include class differences in specific health-related behaviour and personal reasons for behavioural changes. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Chronic disease, functional health status, and demographics: a multi-dimensional approach to risk adjustment.

PubMed Central

Hornbrook, M C; Goodman, M J

1996-01-01

OBJECTIVE. The goal of this study was to develop unbiased risk-assessment models to be used for paying health plans on the basis of enrollee health status and use propensity. We explored the risk structure of adult employed HMO members using self-reported morbidities, functional status, perceived health status, and demographic characteristics. DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING. Data were collected on a random sample of members of a large, federally qualified, prepaid group practice, hospital-based HMO located in the Pacific Northwest. STUDY DESIGN. Multivariate linear nonparametric techniques were used to estimate risk weights on demographic, morbidity, and health status factors at the individual level. The dependent variable was annual real total health plan expense for covered services for the year following the survey. Repeated random split-sample validation techniques minimized outlier influences and avoided inappropriate distributional assumptions required by parametric techniques. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS. A mail questionnaire containing an abbreviated medical history and the RAND-36 Health Survey was administered to a 5 percent sample of adult subscribers and their spouses in 1990 and 1991, with an overall 44 percent response rate. Utilization data were extracted from HMO automated information systems. Annual expenses were computed by weighting all utilization elements by standard unit costs for the HMO. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS. Prevalence of such major chronic diseases as heart disease, diabetes, depression, and asthma improve prediction of future medical expense; functional health status and morbidities are each better than simple demographic factors alone; functional and perceived health status as well as demographic characteristics and diagnoses together yield the best prediction performance and reduce opportunities for selection bias. We also found evidence of important interaction effects between functional/perceived health status scales and disease

Effects of Social Capital on General Health Status

PubMed Central

Yamaguchi, Ayano

2014-01-01

This paper discusses the concept of social capital as a potential factor in understanding the controversial relationship between income inequality and individual health status, arguing a positive, important role for social capital. Most of the health research literature focuses on individual health status and reveals that social capital increases individual health. However, the difficulty in measuring social capital, together with what may be the nearly impossible task of attributing causality, should relegate the concept to a more theoretical role in health research. Nonetheless, social capital receives academic attention as a potentially important factor in health research. This paper finds that the mixed results of empirical research on income inequality and health status remain a problem in the context of defining a stable relationship between socioeconomic status and health status. Clearly, further research is needed to elaborate on the income inequality and health relationship. In addition, focused, rigorous examination of social capital in a health context is needed before health researchers can comfortably introduce it as a concept of influence or significance. PMID:24762345

Different indicators of socioeconomic status and their relative importance as determinants of health in old age.

PubMed

Darin-Mattsson, Alexander; Fors, Stefan; Kåreholt, Ingemar

2017-09-26

Socioeconomic status has been operationalised in a variety of ways, most commonly as education, social class, or income. In this study, we also use occupational complexity and a SES-index as alternative measures of socioeconomic status. Studies show that in analyses of health inequalities in the general population, the choice of indicators influence the magnitude of the observed inequalities. Less is known about the influence of indicator choice in studies of older adults. The aim of this study is twofold: i) to analyse the impact of the choice of socioeconomic status indicator on the observed health inequalities among older adults, ii) to explore whether different indicators of socioeconomic status are independently associated with health in old age. We combined data from two nationally representative Swedish surveys, providing more than 20 years of follow-up. Average marginal effects were estimated to compare the association between the five indicators of SES, and three late-life health outcomes: mobility limitations, limitations in activities of daily living (ADL), and psychological distress. All socioeconomic status indicators were associated with late-life health; there were only minor differences in the effect sizes. Income was most strongly associated to all indicators of late-life health, the associations remained statistically significant when adjusting for the other indicators. In the fully adjusted models, education contributed to the model fits with 0-3% (depending on the outcome), social class with 0-1%, occupational complexity with 1-8%, and income with 3-18%. Our results indicate overlapping properties between socioeconomic status indicators in relation to late-life health. However, income is associated to late-life health independently of all other variables. Moreover, income did not perform substantially worse than the composite SES-index in capturing health variation. Thus, if the primary objective of including an indicator of socioeconomic

Perceived financial status, health, and maladjustment in adolescence.

PubMed

Hamilton, Hayley A; Noh, Samuel; Adlaf, Edward M

2009-04-01

This study examines the relationship between adolescent perception of family financial status and diverse aspects of health and maladjustment. Data were derived from the 2005 Ontario Student Drug Use Survey of 7th-12th grade students in ontario, Canada. This biennial survey monitors mental and physical health, substance use, and delinquent behavior in adolescent students. Results indicate that the significance of perceived financial status varies across adolescent outcomes. Greater emotional distress and lower self-rated health are associated with a perception of below average financial status. The associations of illicit drug use and hazardous and harmful drinking with perceived financial status vary for younger and older adolescents. Adjustments for parental education highlight differences in the influences of perceived financial status and parental education on health and behavior. Results highlight the utility of perceived family financial status in examinations of adolescent health and behavior, and the importance of examining diverse aspects of health and maladjustment.

Subjective and objective measures of socioeconomic status: predictors of cardiovascular risk in college students in Mumbai, India.

PubMed

Suchday, Sonia; Chhabra, Rosy; Wylie-Rosett, Judith; Almeida, Maureen

2008-01-01

The relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and health changes as a society develops. In developed countries, high SES is associated with better health, but in developing countries, high SES is associated with poorer health. However, measuring SES is difficult in countries like India, where the traditional class and caste system are interwoven and complex. The current study explored the relationship between subjective and objective indices of SES and between SES and the metabolic syndrome among Asian Indians residing in Mumbai, India. Participants were a subset of young adults (N = 112, median age 19 years, 24% male) who were part of larger study assessing psychosocial correlates of the metabolic syndrome. SES was assessed through objective (father's education) and subjective (SES ladder) indices. Data indicated that high subjective SES was correlated with fasting blood sugar (r = .28, P < .003), and father's education was correlated with high cholesterol (r = .32, P < .005). Subjective and objective indices of SES were also correlated with each other (r = .24, P < .04). These data reiterate that the link between SES and health is obvious from an early age, regardless of the measures used to assess SES. Given the complexity of assessing SES in developing countries, objective subjective indices should be used in assessing SES.

Using "big data" to capture overall health status: properties and predictive value of a claims-based health risk score.

PubMed

Hamad, Rita; Modrek, Sepideh; Kubo, Jessica; Goldstein, Benjamin A; Cullen, Mark R

2015-01-01

Investigators across many fields often struggle with how best to capture an individual's overall health status, with options including both subjective and objective measures. With the increasing availability of "big data," researchers can now take advantage of novel metrics of health status. These predictive algorithms were initially developed to forecast and manage expenditures, yet they represent an underutilized tool that could contribute significantly to health research. In this paper, we describe the properties and possible applications of one such "health risk score," the DxCG Intelligence tool. We link claims and administrative datasets on a cohort of U.S. workers during the period 1996-2011 (N = 14,161). We examine the risk score's association with incident diagnoses of five disease conditions, and we link employee data with the National Death Index to characterize its relationship with mortality. We review prior studies documenting the risk score's association with other health and non-health outcomes, including healthcare utilization, early retirement, and occupational injury. We find that the risk score is associated with outcomes across a variety of health and non-health domains. These examples demonstrate the broad applicability of this tool in multiple fields of research and illustrate its utility as a measure of overall health status for epidemiologists and other health researchers.

Nutritional Status of Rural Older Adults is Linked to Physical and Emotional Health

PubMed Central

Jung, Seung Eun; Bishop, Alex J; Kim, Minjung; Hermann, Janice; Kim, Giyeon; Lawrence, Jeannine

2017-01-01

Background Although nutritional status is influenced by multi-dimensional aspects encompassing physical and emotional well-being, there is limited research on this complex relationship. Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the interplay between indicators of physical health (perceived health status and self-care capacity) and emotional well-being (depressive affect and loneliness) on rural older adults’ nutritional status. Design The cross-sectional study was conducted from June 1, 2007 to June 1, 2008. Participants/setting A total of 171 community-dwelling older adults, 65 years and older, who resided within non-metro rural communities in the U.S. participated in this study. Main outcome measures Participants completed validated instruments measuring self-care capacity, perceived health status, loneliness, depressive affect, and nutritional status. Statistical analyses performed Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to investigate the complex interplay of physical and emotional health status with nutritional status among rural older adults, Chi-square statistic, CFI, RMSEA and SRMR were used to assess model fit. Results Chi-square statistic and the other model fit indices showed the hypothesized SEM model provided a good fit to the data (χ2 (2)=2.15, p=0.34; CFI=1.00; RMSEA=0.02; SRMR=0.03). Self-care capacity was significantly related with depressive affect (γ = −0.11, p=0.03) whereas self-care capacity was not significantly related with loneliness. Perceived health status had a significant negative relationship with both loneliness (γ = −0.16, p=0.03) and depressive affect (γ = −0.22, p=0.03). Although loneliness showed no significant direct relationship with nutritional status, it showed a significant direct relationship with depressive affect (β = 0.46, p<0.01). Finally, the results demonstrated that depressive affect had a significant negative relationship with nutritional status (β = −0.30, p<0.01). The results

Baseline Assessment of Campus-Wide General Health Status and Mental Health: Opportunity for Tailored Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Awareness Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawley, Lisa D.; MacDonald, Michael G.; Wallace, Erica H.; Smith, Julia; Wummel, Brian; Wren, Patricia A.

2016-01-01

Objective: A campus-wide assessment examined the physical and mental health status of a midsize midwestern public university. Participants: Two thousand and forty-nine students, faculty, and staff on a single college campus were assessed in March-April 2013. Methods: Participants completed an online survey with sections devoted to demographics,…

Does the health status of intimate partner violence victims warrant pharmacies as portals for public health promotion?

PubMed

Cerulli, Catherine; Cerulli, Jennifer; Santos, Elizabeth J; Lu, Najii; He, Hua; Kaukeinen, Kimberly; White, Anne Marie; Tu, Xin

To explore whether the health status of intimate partner violence (IPV) victims warrants pharmacies to be portals for public health promotion. Specific objectives included (1) identifying prevalence of IPV including domestic violence (DV) and sexual assault (SA) in a community sample, (2) describing characteristics and correlates of DV/SA between participants who reported and did not report DV/SA, and (3) exploring whether DV/SA status is related to mental health medication use. Cross sectional. Upstate New York during 2006. English- and Spanish-speaking respondents younger than 65 years of age answering four questions to assess DV/SA. Secondary analysis of a countywide random telephone survey, the 2006 Monroe County Adult Health Survey, which collects prevalence data on health behaviors and health status indicators. To determine whether those reporting DV/SA are at increased odds for mental health medication use, controlling for other sociodemographic- and health-related variables. The survey response rate was 30.3%, with 1,881 respondents meeting inclusion criteria. Those reporting DV/SA were almost twice as likely to use mental health medications. However, when controlling for other variables, only poor mental and physical health were significant in increasing the odds of mental health medication use. The analyses reported here suggest that DV/SA victims in a community sample use mental health medications. When controlling for other variables, survey respondents reported worse physical and mental health. If pharmacies are suitable portals for DV/SA outreach, curricula would need to provide the knowledge and skills needed to take an active role in this public health promotion.

Reported Child Health Status, Hispanic Ethnicity, and Language of Interview: United States, 2011-2012.

PubMed

Pastor, Patricia N; Reuben, Cynthia A; Duran, Catherine R

2015-09-10

This report has three objectives: a) to describe the reported health status of four subgroups of school-age children: Hispanic children with a Spanish interview (Hispanic–Spanish interview), Hispanic children with an English interview (Hispanic–English interview), non-Hispanic black children, and non-Hispanic white children; b) to describe selected characteristics of children in the four subgroups; and c) to consider whether the characteristics of children account for subgroup variations in reported health status. Data from the 2011–2012 National Survey of Children’s Health were used to describe the health status of children aged 5–17 years using three categories: a) poor or fair, b) good, and c) very good or excellent health. The reported health status of children in the four subgroups was examined using multinomial logistic regression, controlling for the effects of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and a measure of acculturation. Compared with children in the other subgroups, Hispanic–Spanish interview children were more likely to have reports of poor or fair health (10.6% compared with 1.8%–4.4%) and good health (39.7% compared with 7.7%– 14.4%). Controlling for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and a measure of acculturation eliminated the subgroup differences in poor or fair health, but not good health. Even after adjustment for confounders, Hispanic–Spanish interview children more often were reported to have good health rather than very good or excellent health compared with children in the other subgroups. Worse reported health status of Hispanic–Spanish interview children, compared with children in other subgroups, could not be explained completely by the confounders in the analysis. Additional research is needed to determine whether the worse reported health status of Hispanic children with Spanish interviews reflects the actual health conditions of these children or difficulties in translating the health status

Health Status of People Undergoing Foreclosure in the Philadelphia Region

PubMed Central

Lynch, Julia

2009-01-01

Objectives. We assessed the health status of people undergoing mortgage foreclosure in the Philadelphia region to determine if there was a relationship between foreclosure and health. Methods. Participants were recruited in partnership with a mortgage counseling agency. Participants' health status and health care use were compared with a community sample from the 2008 Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey. We used publicly filed foreclosure records to assess response bias. Results. Of the 250 people recruited, 36.7% met screening criteria for major depression. The foreclosure sample was significantly more likely than the community sample to not have insurance coverage (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.28; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.49, 3.48) and to not have filled a prescription because of cost in the preceding year (AOR = 3.44; 95% CI = 2.45, 4.83). Approximately 9% of the participants reported that their own or a family member's medical condition was the primary reason they were undergoing foreclosure. More than a quarter of those in foreclosure (27.7%) stated that they owed money to medical creditors. Conclusions. Foreclosure affects already-vulnerable populations. Public health practitioners may be able to leverage current efforts to connect homeowners with mortgage counseling agencies to improve health care access. PMID:19696373

The Changing Landscape for the Elimination of Racial/Ethnic Health Status Disparities

PubMed Central

Walker, Bailus; Mays, Vickie M.; Warren, Rueben

2013-01-01

The elimination of racial/ethnic health status disparities is a compelling national health objective. It was etched in sharp relief by the 1985 report of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary’s Task Force on Black and Minority Health and considerable attention has been devoted to the problem since that report. But the problem persists, disparities are not fully explained and effective policies to reduce them have been elusive, a situation presenting both opportunities and challenges. Important advances towards reducing racial/ethnic health disparities may be made by better understanding the complex bidirectional relationship between and among the multiple factors, biological and non-biological, influencing morbidity and mortality. The landscape in which these influences are felt is anything but static. In this paper selected components of the landscape that are critical to the elimination of racial/ethnic health status disparities are reviewed. These factors underscore the importance of adopting and maintaining a perspective on health disparities that encompasses a broad array of health determinants. PMID:15531810

Income inequality, social capital and self-rated health and dental status in older Japanese.

PubMed

Aida, Jun; Kondo, Katsunori; Kondo, Naoki; Watt, Richard G; Sheiham, Aubrey; Tsakos, Georgios

2011-11-01

The erosion of social capital in more unequal societies is one mechanism for the association between income inequality and health. However, there are relatively few multi-level studies on the relation between income inequality, social capital and health outcomes. Existing studies have not used different types of health outcomes, such as dental status, a life-course measure of dental disease reflecting physical function in older adults, and self-rated health, which reflects current health status. The objective of this study was to assess whether individual and community social capital attenuated the associations between income inequality and two disparate health outcomes, self-rated health and dental status in Japan. Self-administered questionnaires were mailed to subjects in an ongoing Japanese prospective cohort study, the Aichi Gerontological Evaluation Study Project in 2003. Responses in Aichi, Japan, obtained from 5715 subjects and 3451 were included in the final analysis. The Gini coefficient was used as a measure of income inequality. Trust and volunteering were used as cognitive and structural individual-level social capital measures. Rates of subjects reporting mistrust and non-volunteering in each local district were used as cognitive and structural community-level social capital variables respectively. The covariates were sex, age, marital status, education, individual- and community-level equivalent income and smoking status. Dichotomized responses of self-rated health and number of remaining teeth were used as outcomes in multi-level logistic regression models. Income inequality was significantly associated with poor dental status and marginally significantly associated with poor self-rated health. Community-level structural social capital attenuated the covariate-adjusted odds ratio of income inequality for self-rated health by 16% whereas the association between income inequality and dental status was not substantially changed by any social capital

[Association of job burnout with subjective well-being and health status among employees from 29 provinces in China].

PubMed

Xu, C J; Xiao, Y; Pan, N; Ye, J; Lin, Q X; Jin, Y

2017-10-20

Objective: To investigate the influence of job burnout on subjective well-being and health status among employees in China. Methods: The data from the 2014 China Labor-force Dynamic Survey were used to analyze the association of job burnout with subjective well-being and health status among 7289 employees aged 18-64 years from 29 provinces in China.Some items from the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey were used to investigate job burnout; subjective well-being assessment included life happiness and degree of satisfaction with living condition; the questions for self-evaluation of health status were used to analyze health status. Results: Of all employees,30.5% had low subjective well-being and 4.7% had poor health status based on self-evaluation. The logistic regression analysis showed that emotional exhaustion(two items), reduced sense of personal accomplishment,and cynicism were risk factors for low subjective well-being( OR =1.07,1.11,1.10,and 1.06, P <0.001),and emotional exhaustion(two items)was a risk factor for poor health status ( OR =1.10 and 1.07, P <0.001).Reduced sense of personal accomplishment and cynicism had no significant influence on health status( P >0.05). Conclusion: Emotional exhaustion is a major influencing factor for health status,and reducing job burnout may be an effective method for improving subjective well-being and health status.

Marital status, health and mortality.

PubMed

Robards, James; Evandrou, Maria; Falkingham, Jane; Vlachantoni, Athina

2012-12-01

Marital status and living arrangements, along with changes in these in mid-life and older ages, have implications for an individual's health and mortality. Literature on health and mortality by marital status has consistently identified that unmarried individuals generally report poorer health and have a higher mortality risk than their married counterparts, with men being particularly affected in this respect. With evidence of increasing changes in partnership and living arrangements in older ages, with rising divorce amongst younger cohorts offsetting the lower risk of widowhood, it is important to consider the implications of such changes for health in later life. Within research which has examined changes in marital status and living arrangements in later life a key distinction has been between work using cross-sectional data and that which has used longitudinal data. In this context, two key debates have been the focus of research; firstly, research pointing to a possible selection of less healthy individuals into singlehood, separation or divorce, while the second debate relates to the extent to which an individual's transitions earlier in the life course in terms of marital status and living arrangements have a differential impact on their health and mortality compared with transitions over shorter time periods. After reviewing the relevant literature, this paper argues that in order to fully account for changes in living arrangements as a determinant of health and mortality transitions, future research will increasingly need to consider a longer perspective and take into account transitions in living arrangements throughout an individual's life course rather than simply focussing at one stage of the life course. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

SUBJECTIVE SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND HEALTH: RELATIONSHIPS RECONSIDERED

PubMed Central

Nobles, Jenna; Ritterman Weintraub, Miranda; Adler, Nancy

2013-01-01

Subjective status, an individual’s perception of her socioeconomic standing, is a robust predictor of physical health in many societies. To date, competing interpretations of this correlation remain unresolved. Using longitudinal data on 8,430 older adults from the 2000 and 2007 waves of the Indonesia Family Life Survey, we test these oft-cited links. As in other settings, perceived status is a robust predictor of self-rated health, and also of physical functioning and nurse-assessed general health. These relationships persist in the presence of controls for unobserved traits, such as difficult-to-measure aspects of family background and persistent aspects of personality. However, we find evidence that these links likely represent bi-directional effects. Declines in health that accompany aging are robust predictors of declines in perceived socioeconomic status, net of observed changes to the economic profile of respondents. The results thus underscore the social value afforded good health status. PMID:23453318

Relationship between health literacy, health information access, health behavior, and health status in Japanese people.

PubMed

Suka, Machi; Odajima, Takeshi; Okamoto, Masako; Sumitani, Masahiko; Igarashi, Ataru; Ishikawa, Hirono; Kusama, Makiko; Yamamoto, Michiko; Nakayama, Takeo; Sugimori, Hiroki

2015-05-01

To examine the relationship between health literacy (HL), health information access, health behavior, and health status in Japanese people. A questionnaire survey was conducted at six healthcare facilities in Japan. Eligible respondents aged 20-64 years (n=1218) were included. Path analysis with structural equation modeling was performed to test the hypothesis model linking HL to health information access, health behavior, and health status. The acceptable fitting model indicated that the pathways linking HL to health status consisted of two indirect paths; one intermediated by health information access and another intermediated by health behavior. Those with higher HL as measured by the 14-item Health Literacy Scale (HLS-14) were significantly more likely to get sufficient health information from multiple sources, less likely to have risky habits of smoking, regular drinking, and lack of exercise, and in turn, more likely to report good self-rated health. HL was significantly associated with health information access and health behavior in Japanese people. HL may play a key role in health promotion, even in highly educated countries like Japan. In order to enhance the effects of health promotion interventions, health professionals should aim at raising HL levels of their target population groups. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The relationship between health literacy with health status and healthcare utilization in 18-64 years old people in Isfahan.

PubMed

Karimi, Saeed; Keyvanara, Mahmoud; Hosseini, Mohsen; Jazi, Marzie Jafarian; Khorasani, Elahe

2014-01-01

Today, much attention has been paid to the patient role as the central factor in the management of their own health. It is focused on the issue that the patient has a more critical role compared with the health-care provider in controlling the patient own health. defines health literacy as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. The objective of this study was to determine health literacy, health status, healthcare utilization and the relationship between them in 18 - 64 years old people in Isfahan. This study was a descriptive analytical survey, which was conducted on 300 subjects of 18-64 years old in Isfahan with Multi-stage sampling method proportional to selected sample size. For collecting the data, questionnaire adapted from CHAP (Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) health literacy questionnaire was used. Health status was measured based on an assessment of the physical and mental health over the past 6 months by 5° Likert scale. Data analysis was performed by using SPSS 18, descriptive statistics, Chi-square test and multivariate analysis of variance. There was no significant correlation between health literacy, health status and healthcare utilization. Utilization was less in the urban area No. 6 of the city. In the bachelor's degree group, the health status was lower than the other groups in these cases: Older ages, married, women, large family size, undergraduates, and urban area No. 14. Due to the average prevalence of health literacy in 18-64 years old individuals in Isfahan and low- healthcare utilization, the followings are recommended: Necessity of more attention to the issue of health literacy, improving the physician-patient relationship and community awareness, whether through health promotion programs or media for the optimum use of available resources.

Healthy Children 2000: National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives Related to Mothers, Infants, Children, Adolescents, and Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Health Resources and Services Administration (DHHS/PHS), Rockville, MD. Office for Maternal and Child Health Services.

This document is a compendium of approximately 170 national health promotion and disease prevention objectives affecting mothers, infants, children, adolescents, and youth. It offers a vision characterized by reductions of preventable death and disability, enhanced quality of life, and reduced disparities in the health status of the populations in…

Perceptions of healthcare quality in Ghana: Does health insurance status matter?

PubMed Central

Duku, Stephen Kwasi Opoku

2018-01-01

This study’s objective is to provide an alternative explanation for the low enrolment in health insurance in Ghana by analysing differences in perceptions between the insured and uninsured of the non-technical quality of healthcare. It further explores the association between insurance status and perception of healthcare quality to ascertain whether insurance status matters in the perception of healthcare quality. Data from a survey of 1,903 households living in the catchment area of 64 health centres were used for the analysis. Two sample independent t-tests were employed to compare the average perceptions of the insured and uninsured on seven indicators of non-technical quality of healthcare. A generalised ordered logit regression, controlling for socio-economic characteristics and clustering at the health facility level, tested the association between insurance status and perceived quality of healthcare. The perceptions of the insured were found to be significantly more negative than the uninsured and those of the previously insured were significantly more negative than the never insured. Being insured was associated with a significantly lower perception of healthcare quality. Thus, once people are insured, they tend to perceive the quality of healthcare they receive as poor compared to those without insurance. This study demonstrated that health insurance status matters in the perceptions of healthcare quality. The findings also imply that perceptions of healthcare quality may be shaped by individual experiences at the health facilities, where the insured and uninsured may be treated differently. Health insurance then becomes less attractive due to the poor perception of the healthcare quality provided to individuals with insurance, resulting in low demand for health insurance in Ghana. Policy makers in Ghana should consider redesigning, reorganizing, and reengineering the National Healthcare Insurance Scheme to ensure the provision of better quality

Perceptions of healthcare quality in Ghana: Does health insurance status matter?

PubMed

Duku, Stephen Kwasi Opoku; Nketiah-Amponsah, Edward; Janssens, Wendy; Pradhan, Menno

2018-01-01

This study's objective is to provide an alternative explanation for the low enrolment in health insurance in Ghana by analysing differences in perceptions between the insured and uninsured of the non-technical quality of healthcare. It further explores the association between insurance status and perception of healthcare quality to ascertain whether insurance status matters in the perception of healthcare quality. Data from a survey of 1,903 households living in the catchment area of 64 health centres were used for the analysis. Two sample independent t-tests were employed to compare the average perceptions of the insured and uninsured on seven indicators of non-technical quality of healthcare. A generalised ordered logit regression, controlling for socio-economic characteristics and clustering at the health facility level, tested the association between insurance status and perceived quality of healthcare. The perceptions of the insured were found to be significantly more negative than the uninsured and those of the previously insured were significantly more negative than the never insured. Being insured was associated with a significantly lower perception of healthcare quality. Thus, once people are insured, they tend to perceive the quality of healthcare they receive as poor compared to those without insurance. This study demonstrated that health insurance status matters in the perceptions of healthcare quality. The findings also imply that perceptions of healthcare quality may be shaped by individual experiences at the health facilities, where the insured and uninsured may be treated differently. Health insurance then becomes less attractive due to the poor perception of the healthcare quality provided to individuals with insurance, resulting in low demand for health insurance in Ghana. Policy makers in Ghana should consider redesigning, reorganizing, and reengineering the National Healthcare Insurance Scheme to ensure the provision of better quality healthcare

The relationship between turbidity of mouth-rinsed water and oral health status.

PubMed

Takeuchi, Susumu; Ueno, Masayuki; Takehara, Sachiko; Pham, Thuy Anh Vu; Hakuta, Chiyoko; Morishima, Seiji; Shinada, Kayoko; Kawaguchi, Yoko

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between turbidity of mouth rinsed water and oral health status such as dental and periodontal conditions, oral hygiene status, flow rate of saliva and oral bacteria. Subjects were 165 patients who visited the Dental Hospital, Tokyo Medical and Dental University. Oral health status, including dental and periodontal conditions, oral hygiene status and flow rate of saliva, was clinically examined. The turbidity was measured with a turbidimeter. Quantification of Fusobacterium spp, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola and total bacteria levels was performed using real-time PCR. The Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis were used to explore the associations between the turbidity and oral health parameters. The turbidity showed significant correlations with the number of decayed teeth and deep pockets, the plaque index, extent of tongue coating and Fusobacterium spp, P. gingivalis, T. forsythia, T. denticola and total bacteria levels. In a multiple regression model, the turbidity was negatively associated with the flow rate of saliva and positively associated with the total number of bacteria (p < 0.001). Current findings suggested that turbidity of mouth rinsed water could be used as an indicator to evaluate oral health condition and the amount of bacteria in the oral cavity. In addition, the turbiditimeter appeared as a simple and objective device for screening abnormality of oral health condition at chair side as well as community-based research.

Objective Sleep Duration Is Prospectively Associated With Endothelial Health.

PubMed

Hall, Martica H; Mulukutla, Suresh; Kline, Christopher E; Samuelsson, Laura B; Taylor, Briana J; Thayer, Julian F; Krafty, Robert T; Frank, Ellen; Kupfer, David J

2017-01-01

The mechanisms linking short sleep duration to cardiovascular disease (CVD) are poorly understood. Emerging evidence suggests that endothelial dysregulation may lie along the causal pathway linking sleep duration to cardiovascular risk, although current evidence in humans is based on cross-sectional studies. Our objective was to evaluate the prospective association between objectively assessed sleep duration and clinical indices of endothelial health. A total of 141 medically healthy adults underwent an overnight laboratory sleep study when they were between the ages of 21 and 60 years. Total sleep time was objectively assessed by polysomnography at study entry. Endothelial health, including brachial artery diameter (BAD) and flow-mediated dilation (FMD), was measured 18.9 ± 4.6 years later. Medical health and psychiatric status were assessed at both time points. Approximately half of the sample had a lifetime history of major depressive disorder. In univariate analyses, shorter sleep duration was associated with increased BAD (β = -0.24, p = .004) and decreased FMD (β = 0.17, p = .042). BAD, but not FMD, remained significantly associated with sleep duration after adjusting for sex, age, body mass index (BMI), smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and lifetime history of major depressive disorder (MDD) at T2. The association between sleep duration and BAD was stronger than the association between BAD and an aggregate measure of CVD risk including three or more of the following risk factors: male sex, age ≥ 65 years, smoker, BMI ≥ 30, diabetes, hypertension, and MDD. Objectively assessed short sleep duration was prospectively associated with increased BAD over a 12- to 30-year period. © Sleep Research Society 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

How does legal status matter for oral health care among Mexican-origin children in California?

PubMed

Oropesa, R S; Landale, Nancy S; Hillemeier, Marianne M

2017-12-01

This research examines the relationship between legal status and oral health care among Mexican-origin children. Using the 2001-2014 California Health Interview Surveys, the objectives are: (1) to demonstrate population-level changes in the legal statuses of parents, the legal statuses of children, and the likelihood of receiving dental care; (2) to reveal how the roles of legal status boundaries in dental care are changing; and (3) to determine whether the salience of these boundaries is attributable to legal status per se. The results reveal increases in the native-born share and dental care utilization for the total Mexican-origin population. Although dental care was primarily linked to parental citizenship early in this period, parental legal statuses are no longer a unique source of variation in utilization (despite the greater likelihood of insurance among citizens). These results imply that future gains in utilization among Mexican-origin children will mainly come from overcoming barriers to care among the native born.

A systematic review of health status, health seeking behaviour and healthcare utilisation of low socioeconomic status populations in urban Singapore.

PubMed

Chan, Catherine Qiu Hua; Lee, Kheng Hock; Low, Lian Leng

2018-04-02

It is well-established that low socioeconomic status (SES) influences one's health status, morbidity and mortality. Housing type has been used as an indicator of SES and social determinant of health in some studies. In Singapore, home ownership is among the highest in the world. Citizens who have no other housing options are offered heavily subsidised rental housings. Residents staying in such rental housings are characterised by low socioeconomic status. Our aim is to review studies on the association between staying in public rental housing in Singapore and health status. A PubMed and Scopus search was conducted in January 2017 to identify suitable articles published from 1 January 2000 to 31 January 2017. Only studies that were done on Singapore public rental housing communities were included for review. A total of 14 articles including 4 prospective studies, 8 cross-sectional studies and 2 retrospective cohort studies were obtained for the review. Topics addressed by these studies included: (1) Health status; (2) Health seeking behaviour; (3) Healthcare utilisation. Staying in public rental housing was found to be associated with poorer health status and outcomes. They had lower participation in health screening, preferred alternative medicine practitioners to western-trained doctors for primary care, and had increased hospital utilisation. Several studies performed qualitative interviews to explore the causes of disparity and concern about cost was one of the common cited reason. Staying in public rental housing appears to be a risk marker of poorer health and this may have important public health implications. Understanding the causes of disparity will require more qualitative studies which in turn will guide interventions and the evaluation of their effectiveness in improving health outcome of this sub-population of patients.

Poverty grown up: how childhood socioeconomic status impacts adult health.

PubMed

Conroy, Kathleen; Sandel, Megan; Zuckerman, Barry

2010-01-01

Socioeconomic status and health status are directly related across the world. Children with low-socioeconomic status not only experience greater health problems in childhood but also aspects of their socioeconomic status become biologically incorporated through both critical periods of development and cumulative effects, leading to poor health outcomes as adults. We explore 3 main influences related to child's socioeconomic status that impact long-term health: the material environment, the social environment, and the structural or community environment. These influences illustrate the importance of clinical innovations, health services research, and public policies that address the socioeconomic determinants of these distal health outcomes.

The Relation Between Caregivers' Multiliterate Reading Habits and Their Children's Oral Health Status

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Caregivers’ oral health literacy (OHL) assessment results have been found to be related to their children’s oral health status. A further aspect of this relationship may be the role of caregivers’ reading habits. Objective Our goal was to describe the relationship between caregivers’ multimodal (digital and print) and multilingual (English and Chinese) reading habits, their OHL, and their child’s oral health status in Hong Kong. Methods A random sample of 301 child-caregiver dyads was recruited from kindergartens in Hong Kong. Data included sociodemographic information and caregivers’ self-reported digital print and reading habits across two languages (Chinese and English). Caregivers’ OHL levels were assessed by two locally developed and validated oral health literacy assessment tasks: Hong Kong Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Dentistry-30 (HKREALD-30) and the Hong Kong Oral Health Literacy Assessment Task for Pediatric Dentistry (HKOHLAT-P). Children’s oral health status was assessed using two measures: dental caries experience (number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth) and oral hygiene status (Visible Plaque Index). Results Bivariate variations revealed significant differences in mean OHL scores between caregivers with different reading habits (P<.01). Correlations revealed significant associations between caregivers’ practices of reading multimodal (print/digital) and multilingual (English/Chinese) texts, their literacy levels, and their children’s oral health status (P<.01). Adjusting for sociodemographics and all other reading habits in the regression analysis, the caregivers' habit of reading digital and print texts was significantly retained in the final model. Regression analysis revealed significant associations between caregivers’ reading habits (digital Chinese) and their OHL word recognition scores: OR 5.00, 95% CI 1.10-3.65, P=.027. Significant associations were also evident for their OHL comprehension scores

Health and Gross National Happiness: review of current status in Bhutan.

PubMed

Tobgay, Tashi; Dophu, Ugen; Torres, Cristina E; Na-Bangchang, Kesara

2011-01-01

Worldwide, contemporary measures of the success of health development programs have been mostly in terms of the reduction of mortality and morbidity as well as increasing longevity. While these goals have yielded much-needed health improvements, the subjective outcomes of these improvements, as experienced by individuals and the communities, have not been considered. Bhutan, under the overarching policy of Gross National Happiness, has provided due consideration to these subjective indicators. Here, we report on the current status of health and happiness in Bhutan as revealed by conventional objective indicators and subjective Gross National Happiness indicators. The current literature on health in Bhutan in relation to the Gross National Happiness Survey conducted by the Centre of Bhutan Studies has been reviewed. Bhutan has made great strides within a short period of modernization, as shown by both objective and subjective indicators. Tremendous challenges lie ahead to achieve the ultimate goal of health and happiness, and how Bhutan articulates its path to modernization may be a lesson for the rest of the world.

Employee Health Behaviors, Self-Reported Health Status, and Association With Absenteeism: Comparison With the General Population.

PubMed

Yun, Young Ho; Sim, Jin Ah; Park, Eun-Gee; Park, June Dong; Noh, Dong-Young

2016-09-01

To perform a comparison between health behaviors and health status of employees with those of the general population, to evaluate the association between employee health behaviors, health status, and absenteeism. Cross-sectional study enrolled 2433 employees from 16 Korean companies in 2014, and recruited 1000 general population randomly in 2012. The distribution of employee health behaviors, health status, and association with absenteeism were assessed. Employees had significantly worse health status and low rates of health behaviors maintenance compared with the general population. Multiple logistic regression model revealed that regular exercise, smoking cessation, work life balance, proactive living, religious practice, and good physical health status were associated with lower absenteeism. Maintaining health behaviors and having good health status were associated with less absenteeism. This study suggests investment of multidimensional health approach in workplace health and wellness (WHW) programs.

Correlation of sense of coherence with oral health behaviors, socioeconomic status, and periodontal status.

PubMed

Reddy, Kommuri Sahithi; Doshi, Dolar; Kulkarni, Suhas; Reddy, Bandari Srikanth; Reddy, Madupu Padma

2016-01-01

The sense of coherence (SOC) has been suggested to be highly applicable concept in the public health area because a strong SOC is stated to decrease the likelihood of perceiving the social environment as stressful. This reduces the susceptibility to the health-damaging effect of chronic stress by lowering the likelihood of repeated negative emotions to stress perception. The demographic data and general information of subjects' oral health behaviors such as frequency of cleaning teeth, aids used to clean teeth, and dental attendance were recorded in the self-administered questionnaire. The SOC-related data were obtained using the short version of Antonovsky's SOC scale. The periodontal status was recorded based on the modified World Health Organization 1997 pro forma. The total of 780 respondents comprising 269 (34.5%) males and 511 (65.5%) females participated in the study. A significant difference was noted among the subjects for socioeconomic status based on gender ( P = 0.000). The healthy periodontal status (community periodontal index [CPI] code 0) was observed for 67 (24.9%) males and 118 (23.1%) females. The overall SOC showed statistically negative correlation with socioeconomic status scale ( r = -0.287). The CPI and loss of attachment (periodontal status) were significantly and negatively correlated with SOC. The present study concluded that a high level of SOC was associated with good oral health behaviors, periodontal status, and socioeconomic status.

General Practitioners Can Evaluate the Material, Social and Health Dimensions of Patient Social Status

PubMed Central

Chatelard, Sophia; Bodenmann, Patrick; Vaucher, Paul; Herzig, Lilli; Bischoff, Thomas; Burnand, Bernard

2014-01-01

Objective To identify which physician and patient characteristics are associated with physicians' estimation of their patient social status. Design Cross-sectional multicentric survey. Setting Fourty-seven primary care private offices in Western Switzerland. Participants Random sample of 2030 patients ≥16, who encountered a general practitioner (GP) between September 2010 and February 2011. Main measures Primary outcome: patient social status perceived by GPs, using the MacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Status, ranging from the bottom (0) to the top (10) of the social scale.Secondary outcome: Difference between GP's evaluation and patient's own evaluation of their social status. Potential patient correlates: material and social deprivation using the DiPCare-Q, health status using the EQ-5D, sources of income, and level of education. GP characteristics: opinion regarding patients' deprivation and its influence on health and care. Results To evaluate patient social status, GPs considered the material, social, and health aspects of deprivation, along with education level, and amount and type of income. GPs declaring a frequent reflexive consideration of their own prejudice towards deprived patients, gave a higher estimation of patients' social status (+1.0, p = 0.002). Choosing a less costly treatment for deprived patients was associated with a lower estimation (−0.7, p = 0.002). GP's evaluation of patient social status was 0.5 point higher than the patient's own estimate (p<0.0001). Conclusions GPs can perceive the various dimensions of patient social status, although heterogeneously, according partly to their own characteristics. Compared to patients' own evaluation, GPs overestimate patient social status. PMID:24454752

Perceived Socioeconomic Status: A New Type of Identity which Influences Adolescents’ Self Rated Health

PubMed Central

Goodman, Elizabeth; Huang, Bin; Schafer-Kalkhoff, Tara; Adler, Nancy E.

2007-01-01

Purpose The cognitive, social, and biological transitions of adolescence suggest that subjective perceptions of social position based on the socioeconomic hierarchy may undergo important changes during this period, yet how such perceptions develop is poorly understood and no studies assess if changes in such perceptions influence adolescents’ health. This study describes adolescents’ subjective perceptions of familial socioeconomic status (SSS), how SSS changes over time, and how age, race, and objective socioeconomic status (SES) indicators influence SSS. In addition, the study determines if SSS independently influences adolescents’ self-rated health, an important predictor of morbidity and health service utilization. Methods 1179 non-Hispanic black and white baseline 7–12th graders from a Midwestern public school district completed a validated, teen-specific measure of SSS annually for 4 consecutive years. A parent provided information on SES. Markov modeling assessed transitions in SSS over time. Results SSS declined with age (p=.001) and stabilized among older teens. In addition to age, SES and race, but not gender, were significant correlates of SSS, but the relationships between these factors were complex. In cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, black teens from families with low parent education had higher SSS than white teens from similarly educated families, while white teens from highly educated families had higher SSS than black teens from highly educated families. Lower SSS and changes in SSS predicted poor self rated health even when adjusting for race and objective SES measures. Conclusion Subjective evaluations of socioeconomic status predict adolescents’ global health ratings even when adjusting for the sociodemographic factors which shape them. PMID:17950168

Health Literacy, Cognitive Ability, and Functional Health Status among Older Adults

PubMed Central

Serper, Marina; Patzer, Rachel E; Curtis, Laura M; Smith, Samuel G; O'Conor, Rachel; Baker, David W; Wolf, Michael S

2014-01-01

Objective To investigate whether previously noted associations between health literacy and functional health status might be explained by cognitive function. Data Sources/Study Setting Health Literacy and Cognition in Older Adults (“LitCog,” prospective study funded by National Institute on Aging). Data presented are from interviews conducted among 784 adults, ages 55–74 years receiving care at an academic general medicine clinic or one of four federally qualified health centers in Chicago from 2008 to 2010. Study Design Study participants completed structured, in-person interviews administered by trained research assistants. Data Collection Health literacy was measured using the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults, Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine, and Newest Vital Sign. Cognitive function was assessed using measures of long-term and working memory, processing speed, reasoning, and verbal ability. Functional health was assessed with SF-36 physical health summary scale and Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System short form subscales for depression and anxiety. Principal Findings All health literacy measures were significantly correlated with all cognitive domains. In multivariable analyses, inadequate health literacy was associated with worse physical health and more depressive symptoms. After adjusting for cognitive abilities, associations between health literacy, physical health, and depressive symptoms were attenuated and no longer significant. Conclusions Cognitive function explains a significant proportion of the associations between health literacy, physical health, and depression among older adults. Interventions to reduce literacy disparities in health care should minimize the cognitive burden in behaviors patients must adopt to manage personal health. PMID:24476068

Predictors of subjective health status 10 years post-PCI.

PubMed

van den Berge, Jan C; Dulfer, Karolijn; Utens, Elisabeth M W J; Hartman, Eline M J; Daemen, Joost; van Geuns, Robert J; van Domburg, Ron T

2016-06-01

Subjective health status is an increasingly important parameter to assess the effect of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in clinical practice. Aim of this study was to determine medical and psychosocial predictors of poor subjective health status over a 10 years' post-PCI period. We included a series of consecutive PCI patients (n = 573) as part of the RESEARCH registry, a Dutch single-center retrospective cohort study. These patients completed the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) at baseline and 10 years post-PCI. We found 6 predictors of poor subjective health status 10 years post-PCI: SF-36 at baseline, age, previous PCI, obesity, acute myocardial infarction as indication for PCI, and diabetes mellitus (arranged from most to least numbers of sub domains). SF-36 scores at baseline, age, and previous PCI were significant predictors of subjective health status 10 years post-PCI. Specifically, the SF-36 score at baseline was an important predictor. Thus assessment of subjective health status at baseline is useful as an indicator to predict long-term subjective health status. Subjective health status becomes better by optimal medical treatment, cardiac rehabilitation and psychosocial support. This is the first study determining predictors of subjective health status 10 years post-PCI.

Age and Functional Health Status

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-06-01

age groups. However, decrements in functional health status occurred selectively among older individuals with many of the elderly scoring as well as...Illinois adults (18 and above) were asked to assess their health compared to others their age , only those 61 and older rated their health as better than...and more variable physical functioning, role functioning,, and perceived health in older age groups, particularly those groups aged 50 and

Physical Function and Health Status in Aging Puerto Rican Adults: The Boston Puerto Rican Health Study

PubMed Central

Castaneda-Sceppa, Carmen; Price, Lori Lyn; Noel, Sabrina E.; Midle, Jennifer Bassett; Falcon, Luis M.; Tucker, Katherine L.

2015-01-01

Objectives This article describes physical function in Puerto Rican older adults and examines associations between health status and physical function. It also assesses relationships between physical function and disability. Method This study uses a cross-sectional study of Puerto Ricans 45 to 75 years in Boston (N = 1,357). Measures included performance-based physical function (handgrip strength, walking speed, balance, chair stands, foot tapping), health conditions (obesity, diabetes, depressive symptomatology, history of heart disease, heart attack, stroke, and arthritis), and self-reported disability (activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living). Results Older women (60-75 years) had the poorest physical function. Poor physical function was associated with obesity, diabetes, depression, history of heart attack, stroke, and arthritis, after adjusting for age, sex, education, income, and lifestyle (p < .05). Physical function and disability were correlated (p < .01). Discussion Health status among Puerto Ricans appears to contribute to poor physical function. Targeted interventions to improve strength, endurance, and balance are needed to combat physical frailty and its consequences in this population. PMID:20495158

[Health status identification and their relationship with socieconomics and geographic characteristics: a population survey analysis in México].

PubMed

Vargas-Palacios, Armando; Gutiérrez, Juan Pablo; Carreón-Rodríguez, Víctor

2006-01-01

To estimate the effectiveness of using standardized health vignettes to adjust self-reported health taking into account household and community variables to correct for systematic bias. The national health survey "Evaluación del Desempeño 2002" (Mexican component of the World Health Survey) was used. This survey analyzed subject's health perception based on their responses to hypothetical questions referring to third parties in the vignettes within eight domains. Variations in responses were attributed to socio-demographic, socioeconomic, community, differences of the subjects. To assess those variations, an index for each domain was constructed and used as a variable in a series of linear regression models to estimate the relation between health perceptions, self-reported health, socioeconomic and socio-demographic characteristics. The health perception index derived from the vignettes showed a positive, logarithmic correlation with household expenditure for each health domain, after controlling for socio-demographic, health and community characteristics. No relationship was found between the health status described in the vignettes and self-reported health status. In no case was the explanatory power above 10%. The low explanatory power of the models, and the lack of correlation between self reported health status and the health perception index, suggest that the variability in the vignettes responses cannot be explained by differences in self-reported health status or socioeconomic and socio-demographic characteristics. These results from Mexico suggest that vignette-based methods to correct for systematic variability in perception of own health status are of limited efficacy and reinforce the importance of collecting objective measures of health status in health surveys.

Mental health status, aggression, and poor driving distinguish traffic offenders from non-offenders but health status predicts driving behavior in both groups

PubMed Central

Abdoli, Nasrin; Farnia, Vahid; Delavar, Ali; Dortaj, Fariborz; Esmaeili, Alireza; Farrokhi, Noorali; Karami, Majid; Shakeri, Jalal; Holsboer-Trachsler, Edith; Brand, Serge

2015-01-01

Background In Iran, traffic accidents and deaths from traffic accidents are among the highest in the world, and generally, driver behavior rather than technical failures or environmental conditions are responsible for traffic accidents. In a previous study, we showed that among young Iranian male traffic offenders, poor mental health status, along with aggression, predicted poor driving behavior. The aims of the present study were twofold, to determine whether this pattern could be replicated among non-traffic offenders, and to compare the mental health status, aggression, and driving behavior of male traffic offenders and non-offenders. Methods A total of 850 male drivers (mean age =34.25 years, standard deviation =10.44) from Kermanshah (Iran) took part in the study. Of these, 443 were offenders (52.1%) and 407 (47.9%) were non-offenders with lowest driving penalty scores applying for attaining an international driving license. Participants completed a questionnaire booklet covering socio-demographic variables, traits of aggression, health status, and driving behavior. Results Compared to non-offenders, offenders reported higher aggression, poorer mental health status, and worse driving behavior. Among non-offenders, multiple regression indicated that poor health status, but not aggression, independently predicted poor driving behavior. Conclusion Compared to non-offenders, offenders reported higher aggression, poorer health status and driving behavior. Further, the predictive power of poorer mental health status, but not aggression, for driving behavior was replicated for male non-offenders. PMID:26300646

Health status, job stress and work-related injury among Los Angeles taxi drivers.

PubMed

Wang, Pin-Chieh; Delp, Linda

2014-01-01

Taxi drivers work long hours for low wages and report hypertension, weight gain, and musculoskeletal pain associated with the sedentary nature of their job, stressful working conditions, and poor dietary habits. They also experience a high work-related fatality rate. The objective of this study is to examine the association of taxi drivers' health status and level of job stress with work-related injury and determine if a potential interaction exists. A survey of 309 Los Angeles taxi drivers provides basic data on health status, job stress, and work-related injuries. We further analyzed the data using a Modified Poisson regression approach with a robust error variance to estimate the relative risk (RR) and the 95% confidence intervals (CI) of work-related injuries. Focus group results supplemented and helped interpret the quantitative data. The joint effect of good health and low job stress was associated with a large reduction in the incidence of injuries, consistent with the hypothesis that health status and stress levels modify each other on the risk of work-related injury. These results suggest that the combination of stress reduction and health management programs together with changes in the stressful conditions of the job may provide targeted avenues to prevent injuries.

The occupational health status of African-American women health care workers.

PubMed

Arnold, C W

1996-01-01

Race, ethnicity, and gender are significant indicators of occupational status, general health status, and thus, occupational health status. Although African-American women constitute only 6.8% of the total U.S. labor force, they hold 20% of the jobs in the health care industry and are disproportionately represented in those jobs that have the highest levels of workplace exposure to hazards. As a result, they are therefore more likely to be at greater exposure and risk to the spectrum of occupational health problems. In order to gain insight into the effects of race and gender on the occupational health status of African-American women health care workers, this article uses three data sources that provide different but complementary sources of information on the demographic characteristics of workers, location of categories of occupations, working conditions of jobs, and other job and worker characteristics. Given the concentration of African-American women in health care positions where there exists a greater likelihood of being exposed to occupational hazards, it is therefore both logical and appropriate for primary care physicians, especially those engaged in office-based practices, to identify this target population for special services and to be more aware of the type of health issues with which these patients are more likely to present and to experience during their working lives. Health care providers have a responsibility to assess occupational factors related to a patient's health problems and to incorporate this information into their treatment protocols and into the design and explanation of each patient's care plan.

Health status, mental health and air quality: evidence from pensioners in Europe.

PubMed

Giovanis, Eleftherios; Ozdamar, Oznur

2018-05-01

Environmental quality is an important determinant of individuals' well-being and one of the main concerns of the governments is the improvement on air quality and the protection of public health. This is especially the case of sensitive demographic groups, such as the old aged people. However, the question this study attempts to answer is how do individuals value the effects on the environment. The study explores the effects of old and early public pension schemes, as well as the impact of air pollution on health status of retired citizens. The empirical analysis relies on detailed micro-level data derived from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). As proxies for health, we use the general health status and the Eurod mental health indicator. We examine two air pollutants: the sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) and ground-level ozone (O 3 ). Next, we calculate the marginal willingness-to-pay (MWTP) which shows how much the people are willing to pay for improvement in air quality. We apply various quantitative techniques and approaches, including the fixed effects ordinary least squares (OLS) and the fixed effects instrumental variables (IV) approach. The last approach is applied to reduce the endogeneity problem coming from possible reverse causality between the air pollution, pensions and the health outcomes. For robustness check, we apply also a structural equation modelling (SEM) which is proper when the outcomes are latent variables. Based on our favoured IV estimates and the health status, we find that the MWTP values for one unit decrease in SO 2 and O 3 are respectively €221 and €88 per year. The respective MWTP values using the Eurod measure are €155 and €68. Overall, improvement of health status implies reduction in health expenditures, and in previous literature, ageing has been traditionally considered the most important determinant. However, this study shows that health lifestyle and socio-economic status, such as education and

Health and well-being among elderly persons in Israel: the role of social class and immigration status.

PubMed

Carmel, S; Lazar, A

1998-01-01

The purpose of the study was to compare three groups of Israeli elderly that differ in social class and immigration status on measures of health and psycho-social well-being, and assess the factors which explain their self-rated health (SRH). Based on a random sample of Israeli Jewish elderly (70 +), data were collected from 1138 persons during 1994 by structured home interviews. Social class differences among Israeli veterans were mainly found with regard to psycho-social characteristics. They were less conspicuous in health measures. New immigrants, who had a higher level of education than the veterans, but ranked lower on economic status, reported lower levels of health and psycho-social well-being than the veterans. Self-rated health among the immigrants was mainly explained by objective measures of health, and economic status, while in the higher social class of veterans it was also explained by education and psycho-social variables such as self-esteem and social support. These findings indicate that in contradiction to the convergence hypothesis, social class and immigration status affect health and well-being also in old age. It is suggested that the immigration crisis and factors related to the standard of living and health services in the countries of origin, as well as the lower social and economic status of the immigrants in Israel, outweigh their relative advantage in age and education in influencing their health and well-being. The differences found among the three groups in the factors that explain self-rated health have implications for the use of economic status as a relevant indicator of social class when considering health status among the elderly, and for the interpretation of SRH, as a global measure of health, in different socio-cultural groups.

Determinants of self-rated health: could health status explain the association between self-rated health and mortality?

PubMed

Murata, Chiyoe; Kondo, Takaaki; Tamakoshi, Koji; Yatsuya, Hiroshi; Toyoshima, Hideaki

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors related to self-rated health and to mortality among 2490 community-living elderly. Respondents were followed for 7.3 years for all-cause mortality. To compare the relative impact of each variable, we employed logistic regression analysis for self-rated health and Cox hazard analysis for mortality. Cox analysis stratified by gender, follow-up periods, age group, and functional status was also employed. Series of analysis found that factors associated with self-rated health and with mortality were not identical. Psychological factors such as perceived isolation at home or 'ikigai (one aspect of psychological well-being)' were associated with self-rated health only. Age, functional status, and social relations were associated both with self-rated health and mortality after controlling for possible confounders. Illnesses and functional status accounted for 35-40% of variances in the fair/poor self-rated health. Differences by gender and functional status were observed in the factors related to self-rated health. Overall, self-rated health effect on mortality was stronger for people with no functional impairment, for shorter follow-up period, and for young-old age group. Although, illnesses and functional status were major determinants of self-rated health, economical, psychological, and social factors were also related to self-rated health.

45 CFR 162.1401 - Health care claim status transaction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Health care claim status transaction. 162.1401 Section 162.1401 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE DATA STANDARDS AND RELATED REQUIREMENTS ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS Health Care Claim Status § 162.1401 Health care claim...

45 CFR 162.1401 - Health care claim status transaction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Health care claim status transaction. 162.1401 Section 162.1401 Public Welfare Department of Health and Human Services ADMINISTRATIVE DATA STANDARDS AND RELATED REQUIREMENTS ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS Health Care Claim Status § 162.1401 Health care claim...

Disparities in chronic conditions and health status by type of disability

PubMed Central

Horner-Johnson, Willi; Dobbertin, Konrad; Lee, Jae Chul; Andresen, Elena M.

2013-01-01

Background Prior research has established health disparities between people with and without disabilities. However, disparities within the disability population, such as those related to type of disability, have been much less studied. Objective To examine differences in chronic conditions and health status between subgroups of people with different types of disability. Methods We analyzed Medical Expenditure Panel Survey annual data files from 2002-2008. Logistic regression analyses considered disparity from three perspectives: 1) basic differences, unadjusted for other factors; 2) controlling for key demographic and health covariates; and 3) controlling for a larger set of demographic variables and socioeconomic status as well as health and access to healthcare. Results Individuals with vision, physical, cognitive, or multiple disability types fared worse than people with hearing impairment on most health outcomes. This was most consistently true for people with multiple disabilities. Even when all covariates were accounted for, people with multiple types of disability were significantly more likely (p < 0.05) than those with hearing impairment (reference group) to report every poor health outcome with the exception of BMI ≥ 25 and lung disease. Conclusions While many of the differences between disability types were reduced when controlling for other factors, some differences remained significant. This argues for a more individualized approach to understanding and preventing chronic conditions and poor health in specific disability groups. PMID:24060250

Life cycle responses to health insurance status.

PubMed

Pelgrin, Florian; St-Amour, Pascal

2016-09-01

This paper studies the lifetime effects of exogenous changes in health insurance coverage (e.g. Medicare, PPACA, termination of employer-provided plans) on the dynamic optimal allocation (consumption, leisure, health expenditures), status (health and wealth), and welfare. We solve, simulate, and structurally estimate a parsimonious life cycle model with endogenous exposure to morbidity and mortality risks, and exogenous health insurance. By varying coverage, we identify the marginal effects of insurance when young and/or when old on allocations, statuses, and welfare. Our results highlight positive effects of insurance on health, wealth and welfare, as well as mid-life substitution away from healthy leisure in favor of more health expenses, caused by peaking wages, and accelerating health issues. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Indigenous Health and Socioeconomic Status in India

PubMed Central

Subramanian, S. V; Smith, George Davey; Subramanyam, Malavika

2006-01-01

Background Systematic evidence on the patterns of health deprivation among indigenous peoples remains scant in developing countries. We investigate the inequalities in mortality and substance use between indigenous and non-indigenous, and within indigenous, groups in India, with an aim to establishing the relative contribution of socioeconomic status in generating health inequalities. Methods and Findings Cross-sectional population-based data were obtained from the 1998–1999 Indian National Family Health Survey. Mortality, smoking, chewing tobacco use, and alcohol use were four separate binary outcomes in our analysis. Indigenous status in the context of India was operationalized through the Indian government category of scheduled tribes, or Adivasis, which refers to people living in tribal communities characterized by distinctive social, cultural, historical, and geographical circumstances. Indigenous groups experience excess mortality compared to non-indigenous groups, even after adjusting for economic standard of living (odds ratio 1.22; 95% confidence interval 1.13–1.30). They are also more likely to smoke and (especially) drink alcohol, but the prevalence of chewing tobacco is not substantially different between indigenous and non-indigenous groups. There are substantial health variations within indigenous groups, such that indigenous peoples in the bottom quintile of the indigenous-peoples-specific standard of living index have an odds ratio for mortality of 1.61 (95% confidence interval 1.33–1.95) compared to indigenous peoples in the top fifth of the wealth distribution. Smoking, drinking alcohol, and chewing tobacco also show graded associations with socioeconomic status within indigenous groups. Conclusions Socioeconomic status differentials substantially account for the health inequalities between indigenous and non-indigenous groups in India. However, a strong socioeconomic gradient in health is also evident within indigenous populations

The potential role of attitudes towards suicide between mental health status and suicidal ideation among Chinese children and adolescents.

PubMed

Tan, L; Yang, Q H; Chen, J L; Zou, H X; Xia, T S; Liu, Y

2017-09-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the contributions of mental health status and attitudes towards suicide on suicidal ideation in a sample of 6568 Chinese children and adolescents in China. Attitudes towards suicide were investigated as a possible moderator and mediator of the influence of mental health status on suicidal ideation. Descriptive statistical analyses, Pearson correlation analyses and hierarchical regression analyses were adopted as methods of data analyses. Approximately 35.38% of children and adolescents in our study reported having suicidal ideation. Mental health status and attitudes towards suicide both had an independent effect on the severity of suicidal ideation. Results indicated that mental health status was positively associated with suicidal ideation, while attitudes towards suicide were negatively associated with suicidal ideation. Moderation analysis showed that the impact of mental health status on suicidal ideation was significantly greater among children and adolescents who reported favourable attitudes towards suicide. Attitudes towards suicide partially mediated the link between mental health status and the severity of suicidal ideation. Specifically, students who experienced poorer mental health status might be more likely to report significantly more favourable attitudes towards suicide, which in turn promote greater suicidal ideation. These results have implications for the prevention of youth suicide, suggesting that mental health status and attitudes towards suicide could be important targets for prevention and intervention for children and adolescents at risk of suicidal ideation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Improves Health Status in Elderly Veterans.

PubMed

Gurevich, Sergey; Reiff, Chris; Bertog, Stefan; Mbai, Mackenzie; Kelly, Rosemary F; Soule, Matthew; Yannopoulos, Demetris; Garcia, Santiago

2018-06-01

United States veterans have substantially worse baseline health status than the general population, which may limit the health benefits of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The aim of this study is to quantify the health benefits of TAVR in veterans undergoing the procedure within the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health-care system. We prospectively evaluated heath status in 131 elderly veterans undergoing TAVR in the VA healthcare system between 2015 and 2017. Health status was assessed at baseline and 30 days post procedure using the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire 12 (KCCQ-12). Totals and domain-specific (physical limitation, symptoms, quality of life, and social limitation) health statuses were measured and analyzed with a paired t-test. We also conducted stratified analysis by baseline New York Heart Association functional class and N-terminal pro-b type natriuretic peptide levels. Mean patient age was 77 ± 8 years and average Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score was 4.4 (interquartile range, 3-7). Transfemoral access and balloon-expandable valves were used in 118 cases (92%) and 108 cases (83%), respectively. At baseline, overall health status was poor (overall score, 43 ± 19). After TAVR, significant improvements in overall health status (30 ± 18) and domain-specific health status were seen (improvements in physical limitation, 12 ± 20; symptoms, 23 ± 23; quality of life, 20 ± 17; social limitation, 22 ± 21; all P<.001). The majority of patients (88%) had moderate to large improvements in health status. A favorable outcome (alive with KCCQ-12 overall score >60 at 30 days) was seen in 78% of patients. Among elderly veterans with severe aortic stenosis, TAVR is associated with significant improvements in short-term health status.

The association of employment status and family status with health among women and men in four Nordic countries.

PubMed

Roos, E; Lahelma, E; Saastamoinen, P; Elstad, J-I

2005-01-01

The Nordic countries have relatively equal employment participation between men and women, but some differences between countries exist in labour market participation. The aim was to examine the association between employment status and health among women and men in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, and analyse whether this association is modified by marital status and parental status. The data come from nationally representative cross-sectional surveys carried out in Denmark (n = 2,209), Finland (n = 4,604), Norway (n = 1,844) and Sweden (n = 5,360) in 1994-95. Women and men aged 25-49 were included. Employment status was categorized into full-time employed, part-time employed, unemployed, and housewives among women and into employed and unemployed among men. Health was measured by perceived health and limiting longstanding illness. Logistic regression analysis was used, adjusting for age and education. Marital status and parental status were analysed as modifying factors. The non-employed were more likely to report perceived health as below good and limiting longstanding illness than the employed among both women and men. The association between employment status and perceived health remained unchanged when marital status and parental status were adjusted for among all men and Finnish women, but the association was slightly strengthened among Danish and Swedish women, with the housewives becoming more likely to report ill health than employed women. The association between employment status and limiting longstanding illness was slightly strengthened among women, and slightly weakened among Norwegian men when marital and parental status were adjusted for. Non-employment was associated with poorer health in all countries, although there are differences in the employment patterns between the countries. Among women marital status and parental status showed a modest or no influence on the association between employment status and health. Among men there was no

Health Status of Adults with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia: A Cohort Study of 203 Patients

PubMed Central

Arlt, Wiebke; Willis, Debbie S.; Wild, Sarah H.; Krone, Nils; Doherty, Emma J.; Hahner, Stefanie; Han, Thang S.; Carroll, Paul V.; Conway, Gerry S.; Rees, D. Aled; Stimson, Roland H.; Walker, Brian R.; Connell, John M. C.; Ross, Richard J.

2010-01-01

Context: No consensus exists for management of adults with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to a paucity of data from cohorts of meaningful size. Objective: Our objective was to establish the health status of adults with CAH. Design and Setting: We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study of adults with CAH attending specialized endocrine centers across the United Kingdom. Patients: Participants included 203 CAH patients (199 with 21-hydroxylase deficiency): 138 women, 65 men, median age 34 (range 18–69) years. Main Outcome Measures: Anthropometric, metabolic, and subjective health status was evaluated. Anthropometric measurements were compared with Health Survey for England data, and psychometric data were compared with appropriate reference cohorts. Results: Glucocorticoid treatment consisted of hydrocortisone (26%), prednisolone (43%), dexamethasone (19%), or a combination (10%), with reverse circadian administration in 41% of patients. Control of androgens was highly variable with a normal serum androstenedione found in only 36% of patients, whereas 38% had suppressed levels suggesting glucocorticoid overtreatment. In comparison with Health Survey for England participants, CAH patients were significantly shorter and had a higher body mass index, and women with classic CAH had increased diastolic blood pressure. Metabolic abnormalities were common, including obesity (41%), hypercholesterolemia (46%), insulin resistance (29%), osteopenia (40%), and osteoporosis (7%). Subjective health status was significantly impaired and fertility compromised. Conclusions: Currently, a minority of adult United Kingdom CAH patients appear to be under endocrine specialist care. In the patients studied, glucocorticoid replacement was generally nonphysiological, and androgen levels were poorly controlled. This was associated with an adverse metabolic profile and impaired fertility and quality of life. Improvements in the clinical management of adults with CAH are

The Objective Assessment of Cough Frequency in Bronchiectasis.

PubMed

Spinou, Arietta; Lee, Kai K; Sinha, Aish; Elston, Caroline; Loebinger, Michael R; Wilson, Robert; Chung, Kian Fan; Yousaf, Nadia; Pavord, Ian D; Matos, Sergio; Garrod, Rachel; Birring, Surinder S

2017-10-01

Cough in bronchiectasis is associated with significant impairment in health status. This study aimed to quantify cough frequency objectively with a cough monitor and investigate its relationship with health status. A secondary aim was to identify clinical predictors of cough frequency. Fifty-four patients with bronchiectasis were compared with thirty-five healthy controls. Objective 24-h cough, health status (cough-specific: Leicester Cough Questionnaire LCQ and bronchiectasis specific: Bronchiectasis Health Questionnaire BHQ), cough severity and lung function were measured. The clinical predictors of cough frequency in bronchiectasis were determined in a multivariate analysis. Objective cough frequency was significantly raised in patients with bronchiectasis compared to healthy controls [geometric mean (standard deviation)] 184.5 (4.0) vs. 20.6 (3.2) coughs/24-h; mean fold-difference (95% confidence interval) 8.9 (5.2, 15.2); p < 0.001 and they had impaired health status. There was a significant correlation between objective cough frequency and subjective measures; LCQ r = -0.52 and BHQ r = -0.62, both p < 0.001. Sputum production, exacerbations (between past 2 weeks to 12 months) and age were significantly associated with objective cough frequency in multivariate analysis, explaining 52% of the variance (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant association between cough frequency and lung function. Cough is a common and significant symptom in patients with bronchiectasis. Sputum production, exacerbations and age, but not lung function, were independent predictors of cough frequency. Ambulatory objective cough monitoring provides novel insights and should be further investigated as an outcome measure in bronchiectasis.

Nutritional status according to Mini Nutritional Assessment is related to functional status in geriatric patients--independent of health status.

PubMed

Schrader, E; Baumgärtel, C; Gueldenzoph, H; Stehle, P; Uter, W; Sieber, C C; Volkert, D

2014-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between nutritional and functional status in acute geriatric patients including mobility and considering health status. Cross-sectional study. Hospital. 205 geriatric patients (median age 82.0 (IQR: 80-86) years, 69.3% women). Nutritional status was determined by Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and patients were categorized as well-nourished (≥ 24 points), at risk of malnutrition (17-23.5 points) or as malnourished (< 17 points). Functional status was determined by Barthel Index (BI) and Timed 'Up and Go' Test (TUG) and related to MNA categories. Using binary multiple logistic regression the impact of nutritional status on functional status was examined, adjusted for health status. 60.3% of the patients were at risk of malnutrition and 29.8% were malnourished. Ability to perform basic activities of daily living (ADL) decreased with declining nutritional status. The proportion of patients unable to perform the TUG increased with worsening of nutritional status (45.0% vs. 50.4% vs. 77.0%, p<0.01). After adjusting for age, gender, number of diagnoses, disease severity and cognitive function, a higher MNA score significantly lowered the risk of being dependent in ADL (OR 0.85, 95 % CI 0.77-0.94) and inability to perform the TUG (OR 0.90, 95 % CI 0.82-0.99). Nutritional status according to MNA was related to ADL as well as to mobility in acute geriatric patients. This association remained after adjusting for health status.

Documenting legal status: a systematic review of measurement of undocumented status in health research.

PubMed

Young, Maria-Elena De Trinidad; Madrigal, Daniel S

2017-01-01

Undocumented status is rarely measured in health research, yet it influences the lives and well-being of immigrants. The growing body of research on undocumented status and health shows the need to assess the measurement of this legal status. We discuss the definition of undocumented status, conduct a systematic review of the methodological approaches currently taken to measure undocumented status of immigrants in the USA, and discuss recommendations for advancement of measurement methods. We conducted a systematic review of 61 studies indexed in PubMed, conducted in the USA, and published from 2004 to 2014. We categorized each of the studies' data source and type, measurement type, and information for classifying undocumented participants. Studies used self-reported or proxy measures of legal status. Information to classify undocumented participants included self-reported status, possession of a Social Security number, possession of health insurance or institutional resources, concern about deportation, and participant characteristics. Findings show it is feasible to collect self-reported measures of undocumented status. We recommend that researchers collect self-reported measures of undocumented status whenever possible and limit the use of proxy measures. Validated and standardized measures are needed for within and across country measurement. Authors should provide methodological information about measurement in publications. Finally, individuals who are undocumented should be included in the development of these methodologies. This systematic review is not registered.

Effects of Health Status and Health Behaviors on Depression Among Married Female Immigrants in South Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Jung A; Yang, Sook Ja; Chee, Yeon Kyung; Kwon, Kyoung Ja; An, Jisook

2015-06-01

This study examined the effects of health status and health behaviors on depression in married female immigrants in South Korea. Sampling 316 immigrant women from the Philippines, Vietnam, China, and other Asian countries, a cross-sectional research design was used with self-report questionnaires that assessed sociodemographic characteristics, health status, health behaviors, and depression. There were significant differences in stillbirth experience, induced abortion, morbidity, perceived health status, meal skipping, and physical activity between depressed and nondepressed immigrant women. After adjusting for sociodemographic variables, stillbirth experience, poorer perceived health status, more meal skipping, and less physical activity were associated with greater depressive symptoms. Both health status and health behaviors had significant impacts on depression, suggesting that development of nursing interventions and educational programs should be targeted towards improving maternal health, healthy lifestyle, and subjective health perception to promote married female immigrants' psychological well-being. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

[Child nutritional status in contexts of urban poverty: a reliable indicator of family health?

PubMed

Huergo, Juliana; Casabona, Eugenia Lourdes

2016-03-01

This work questions the premise that the nutritional status of children under six years of age is a reliable indicator of family health. To do so, a research strategy based in case studies was carried out, following a qualitative design (participant observation and semistructured interviews using intentional sampling) and framed within the interpretivist paradigm. The anthropometric measurements of 20 children under six years of age attending the local Child Care Center in Villa La Tela, Córdoba were evaluated. Nutritional status was understood as an object that includes socially determined biological processes, and was therefore posited analytically as a cross between statistical data and its social determination. As a statistic, child nutritional status is merely descriptive; to assist in the understanding of its social determination, it must be placed in dialectical relationship with the spheres of sociability proposed to analyze the reproduction of health problems.

Health Literacy, Social Support, and Health Status among Older Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Shoou-Yih D.; Arozullah, Ahsan M.; Cho, Young Ik; Crittenden, Kathleen; Vicencio, Daniel

2009-01-01

The study examines whether social support interacts with health literacy in affecting the health status of older adults. Health literacy is assessed using the short version of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. Social support is measured with the Medical Outcome Study social support scale. Results show, unexpectedly, that rather…

Conflicts in Rights of Disclosure of HIV Status in South Western Nigeria: the Health Care Provider's Perspective.

PubMed

Olalekan, Adebimpe Wasiu

2012-01-01

Close interaction between clients and health care workers as regards disclosure, refusal of treatment and right to know status has been a subject of debate in legal and medical quarters. The objective of this study was to assess perceived rights of health care workers towards disclosure of HIV status in Lagos State in Southwestern Nigeria. This was a descriptive cross sectional study carried out among 260 health care workers using multistage sampling technique. Research instruments were semi structured self administered and pre tested questionnaires. Data was analyzed using the SPSS softwares. Mean age of respondents was 39.3(+3.7) years. One hundred and eight four (70.8%) of the health workers studied said that it is the right of health care workers to know the HIV status of clients before commencement of treatments, and 36 (13.8%) agreed that health care workers have the right to refuse to treat or carry out procedure on known HIV positive clients. Twenty (7.7%) said that HIV positive health care workers should not be allowed to handle clients clinically, 72 (27.7%) believed that it is the right of HIV positive clients to know the HIV status of health care workers before attending to them, 36 (13.8%) of respondents has ever disclosed their HIV status to clients before carrying out procedures on them. Fifty six (21.5%) of respondents were willing to show their result results to a HIV positive clients who insist on knowing his or her HIV status, 84 (32.3%) believed that clients has the right to refuse a known HIV positive health care workers to treat or carry out some procedures. There was no statistically significant association between readiness to disclose HIV status and believing that health care workers have the right to know the status of clients before given them treatment ({P< 0.05). The need to balance out perceived rights of health care workers and clients would assist in provision of quality services to HIV positive clients.

Employment characteristics and health status among men and women.

PubMed

Hibbard, J H; Pope, C R

1987-01-01

This study examines the characteristics of jobs held by women as compared to men during the 1970s and assesses associations between job characteristics and family status with health status by sex. Sex differences in perceptions about the meaning of work, commitment to the work role, and stresses and rewards are considered. Survey data on 1490 employed men and women, ages 18-64, drawn from a random sample of enrollees of a large health maintenance organization in 1970-71 are linked with medical record data covering seven years of outpatient and inpatient services. The findings suggest important differences in the characteristics of jobs held by men and women and in the relative importance of these job characteristics in relation to health. Men held jobs with higher quality intrinsic work characteristics and perceived their jobs to be less stressful and less physically and mentally tiring than did women. Social support and integration through work and occupational status were significantly related to health status for both sexes, however, family responsibilities interact with job characteristics to affect health status for women. Single motherhood, in combination with low social support and integration through work, was related to poor health among women.

Exploring Preconception Care: Insurance Status, Race/Ethnicity, and Health in the Pre-pregnancy Period.

PubMed

Hawks, Rebecca Mahn; McGinn, Aileen P; Bernstein, Peter S; Tobin, Jonathan N

2018-02-20

Objective To measure the association of preconception health insurance status with preconception health among women in New York City, and examine whether this association is modified by race/ethnicity. Methods Using data from the New York City Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System 2009-2011 (n = 3929), we created a "Preconception Health Score" (PHS) capturing modifiable behaviors, healthcare services utilization, pregnancy intention, and timely entry into prenatal care. We then built multivariable logistic regression models to measure the association of PHS with health insurance status and race/ethnicity. Results We found PHS to be higher among women with private insurance (7.3 ± 0.07) or public insurance (6.3 ± 0.08) before pregnancy than no insurance (5.9 ± 0.09) (p < .001). However, when stratified by race/ethnicity, the positive association of PHS with insurance was absent in the non-white population. Conclusions for Practice Having health insurance during the pre-pregnancy period is associated with greater health among white women, but not among black or Hispanic women in NYC.

Maternal mental health and nutritional status of six-month-old infants

PubMed Central

Hassan, Bruna Kulik; Werneck, Guilherme Loureiro; Hasselmann, Maria Helena

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To analyze if maternal mental health is associated with infant nutritional status at six month of age. METHODS A cross-sectional study with 228 six-month-old infants who used primary health care units of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil. Mean weight-for-length and mean weight-for-age were expressed in z-scores considering the 2006 World Health Organization reference curves. Maternal mental health was measured by the 12-item General Health Questionnaire. The following cutoff points were used: ≥ 3 for common mental disorders, ≥ 5 for more severe mental disorders, and ≥ 9 for depression. The statistical analysis employed adjusted linear regression models. RESULTS The prevalence of common mental disorders, more severe mental disorders and depression was 39.9%, 23.7%, and 8.3%, respectively. Children of women with more severe mental disorders had, on average, a weight-for-length 0.37 z-scores lower than children of women without this health harm (p = 0.026). We also observed that the weight-for-length indicator of children of depressed mothers was, on average, 0.67 z-scores lower than that of children of nondepressed women (p = 0.010). Maternal depression was associated with lower mean values of weight-for-age z-scores (p = 0.041). CONCLUSIONS Maternal mental health is positively related to the inadequacy of the nutritional status of infants at six months. PMID:27007683

The effect of physician supply on health status: Canadian evidence.

PubMed

Piérard, Emmanuelle

2014-10-01

We estimate the relationship between per capita supply of physicians, both general practitioners and specialists, and health status of Canadians. We use data from the Canadian National Population Health Survey and the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Two measures of quality of life, self-assessed health status and the Health Utility Index, are explored. Random effects ordered probits are used to model self-assessed health status, and quantile regressions are used for the Health Utility Index. A higher supply of general practitioners is correlated with better health outcomes as measured by both measures of health status, albeit for different age groups, and it is correlated with a higher HUI for some individuals who report having a chronic condition. A higher supply of specialists is correlated with worse health outcomes for the HUI for some individuals. It is possible that a higher supply of general practitioners increases the likelihood of diagnosing and treating health conditions in a timely manner and that this in turn affects health status. Specialists, due to the nature of their expertise could affect negatively health, both through the use of riskier procedures and due to their clientele being in relatively worse health. Based on our findings, we therefore would recommend maintaining a robust supply and distribution of GPs across Canada. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using Community Health Assessment to Teach and Explore Health Status Disparities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Marianne; Levine, Jack

2014-01-01

Introduction: Community health assessment (CHA) is a useful tool for identifying health status disparities at the community level. Developing the skills of master's level public health students to conduct CHA addresses a number of the Association of Schools of Public Health Core competencies for graduate public health education. Teaching…

Vascular Health and Genetic Risk Affect Mild Cognitive Impairment Status and 4-Year Stability: Evidence From the Victoria Longitudinal Study

PubMed Central

MacDonald, Stuart W. S.; Vergote, David; Jhamandas, Jack; Westaway, David; Dixon, Roger A.

2016-01-01

Objectives: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a high-risk condition for progression to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Vascular health is a key mechanism underlying age-related cognitive decline and neurodegeneration. AD-related genetic risk factors may be associated with preclinical cognitive status changes. We examine independent and cross-domain interactive effects of vascular and genetic markers for predicting MCI status and stability. Method: We used cross-sectional and 2-wave longitudinal data from the Victoria Longitudinal Study, including indicators of vascular health (e.g., reported vascular diseases, measured lung capacity and pulse rate) and genetic risk factors—that is, apolipoprotein E (APOE; rs429358 and rs7412; the presence vs absence of ε4) and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT; rs4680; met/met vs val/val). We examined associations with objectively classified (a) cognitive status at baseline (not impaired congnitive (NIC) controls vs MCI) and (b) stability or transition of cognitive status across a 4-year interval (stable NIC–NIC vs chronic MCI–MCI or transitional NIC–MCI). Results: Using logistic regression, indicators of vascular health, both independently and interactively with APOE ε4, were associated with risk of MCI at baseline and/or associated with MCI conversion or MCI stability over the retest interval. Discussion: Several vascular health markers of aging predict MCI risk. Interactively, APOE ε4 may intensify the vascular health risk for MCI. PMID:26362601

Changes in Children's Oral Health Status and Receipt of Preventive Dental Visits, United States, 2003-2011/2012.

PubMed

Mandal, Mahua; Edelstein, Burton L; Ma, Sai; Minkovitz, Cynthia S

2015-12-01

Oral health represents the largest unmet health care need for children, and geographic variations in children's receipt of oral health services have been noted. However, children's oral health outcomes have not been systematically evaluated over time and across states. This study examined changes in parent-reported children's oral health status and receipt of preventive dental visits in 50 states and the District of Columbia. We used data from the 2003 and the 2011/2012 National Survey of Children's Health. National and state-level estimates of the adjusted prevalence of oral health status and preventive dental visits were calculated and changes over time examined. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare outcomes across all states and the District of Columbia for each survey year. The percentage of parents who reported that their children had excellent or very good oral health increased from 67.7% in 2003 to 71.9% in 2011/2012. Parents who reported that their children had preventive dental visits increased from 71.5% in 2003 to 77.0% in 2011/2012. The prevalence of children with excellent or very good oral health status increased in 26 states, and the prevalence of children who received at least 1 preventive care dental visit increased in 45 states. In both years, there was more variation among states for preventive dental visits than for oral health status. State variation in oral health status and receipt of preventive dental services remained after adjusting for demographic characteristics. Understanding these differences is critical to addressing the most common chronic disease of childhood and achieving the oral health objectives of Healthy People 2020.

Changes in children's oral health status and receipt of preventive dental visits, United States, 2003-2011/2012.

PubMed

Mandal, Mahua; Edelstein, Burton L; Ma, Sai; Minkovitz, Cynthia S

2013-12-05

Oral health represents the largest unmet health care need for children, and geographic variations in children's receipt of oral health services have been noted. However, children's oral health outcomes have not been systematically evaluated over time and across states. This study examined changes in parent-reported children's oral health status and receipt of preventive dental visits in 50 states and the District of Columbia. We used data from the 2003 and the 2011/2012 National Survey of Children's Health. National and state-level estimates of the adjusted prevalence of oral health status and preventive dental visits were calculated and changes over time examined. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare outcomes across all states and the District of Columbia for each survey year. The percentage of parents who reported that their children had excellent or very good oral health increased from 67.7% in 2003 to 71.9% in 2011/2012. Parents who reported that their children had preventive dental visits increased from 71.5% in 2003 to 77.0% in 2011/2012. The prevalence of children with excellent or very good oral health status increased in 26 states, and the prevalence of children who received at least 1 preventive care dental visit increased in 45 states. In both years, there was more variation among states for preventive dental visits than for oral health status. State variation in oral health status and receipt of preventive dental services remained after adjusting for demographic characteristics. Understanding these differences is critical to addressing the most common chronic disease of childhood and achieving the oral health objectives of Healthy People 2020.

Rethinking the relationship between socioeconomic status and health: Challenging how socioeconomic status is currently used in health inequality research.

PubMed

Gagné, Thierry; Ghenadenik, Adrian E

2018-02-01

The Scandinavian Journal of Public Health recently reiterated the importance of addressing social justice and health inequalities in its new editorial policy announcement. One of the related challenges highlighted in that issue was the limited use of sociological theories able to inform the complexity linking the resources and mechanisms captured by the concept of socioeconomic status. This debate article argues that part of the problem lies in the often unchallenged reliance on a generic conceptualization and operationalization of socioeconomic status. These practices hinder researchers' capacity to examine in finer detail how resources and circumstances promote the unequal distribution of health through distinct yet intertwined pathways. As a potential way forward, this commentary explores how research practices can be challenged through concrete publication policies and guidelines. To this end, we propose a set of recommendations as a tool to strengthen the study of socioeconomic status and, ultimately, the quality of health inequality research. Authors, reviewers, and editors can become champions of change toward the implementation of sociological theory by holding higher standards regarding the conceptualization, operationalization, analysis, and interpretation of results in health inequality research.

Quality of life assessment in children: a review of conceptual and methodological issues in multidimensional health status measures.

PubMed Central

Pal, D K

1996-01-01

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To clarify concepts and methodological problems in existing multidimensional health status measures for children. DESIGN: Thematic review of instruments found by computerised and manual searches, 1979-95. SUBJECTS: Nine health status instruments. MAIN RESULTS: Many instruments did not satisfy criteria of being child centered or family focussed; few had sufficient psychometric properties for research or clinical use; underlying conceptual assumptions were rarely explicit. CONCLUSIONS: Quality of life measures should be viewed cautiously. Interdisciplinary discussion is required, as well as discussion with children and parents, to establish constructs that are truly useful. PMID:8882220

Mental Health Status, Health Care Utilisation, and Service Satisfaction among Immigrants in Montreal: An Epidemiological Comparison

PubMed Central

Wang, JiaWei; Fleury, Marie-Josee; Liu, Aihua; Caron, Jean

2016-01-01

Objective: To examine variations between immigrants and nonimmigrants in 1) prevalence of common mental disorders and other mental health variables; 2) health service utilisation for emotional problems, mental disorders, and addictions, and 3) health service satisfaction. Methods: This article is based on a longitudinal cohort study conducted from May 2007 to the present: the Epidemiological Catchment Area Study of Montreal South-West (ZEPSOM). Participants were followed up at 4 time points (T1, n = 2433; T4, n = 1095). Core exposure variables include immigrant status (immigrant vs. nonimmigrant), duration of residence, and region of origin. Key outcome variables included mental health status, health service utilisation, and health service satisfaction. Data were analysed both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Results: Immigrants had been in Canada for 20 years on average. Immigrants had significantly lower rates of high psychological distress (32.6% vs. 39.1%, P = 0.016), alcohol dependence (1.4% vs. 3.9%, P =0.010), depression (5.2% vs. 9.2%, P = 0.008), and various other mental disorders. They had significantly higher scores of mental well-being (48.9 vs. 47.1 score, P = 0.014) and satisfaction with social (34.0 vs. 33.4 score, P = 0.021) and personal relationships (16.7 vs. 15.6 score, P < 0.001). Immigrants had significantly lower rates of health service utilisation for emotional problems, mental disorders, and addictions and significantly higher rates of health service satisfaction at all time points. Asian and African immigrants had particularly low rates of utilisation and high rates of satisfaction. Conclusions: Immigrants had better overall mental health than nonimmigrants. PMID:27836931

Interrelationships of adult attachment orientations, health status and worrying among fibromyalgia patients.

PubMed

Oliveira, Paula; Costa, Maria Emilía

2009-11-01

This study examined associations between adult attachment dimensions, perceived health status and worrying (coping strategy with chronic pain), and explored whether worrying mediated observed relationships between attachment dimensions and health outcomes within a sample of 128 Portuguese female fibromyalgia patients. Physical health status was inversely correlated with dependence and worrying; mental health status was positively correlated with trust, and inversely related to attachment-related ambivalence, dependence and worrying. Finally, worrying mediated relationships between dependence and both physical and mental health status; moreover, worrying partially mediated the relationship between ambivalence and mental health status. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Adaptation or recovery after health shocks? Evidence using subjective and objective health measures.

PubMed

Baji, Petra; Bíró, Anikó

2018-05-01

In this paper, we analyse the effect of an onset of a health shock on subjective survival probability and compare it with objective survival probability and self-reported health measures. In particular, we are interested in whether expectations of people respond to health shocks and whether these follow the evolution of objective life expectations and self-reported health measures over time. Using longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study, we estimate fixed effects models of adaptation for the objective and subjective survival probabilities and for some self-reported health measures. The results show that after cancer diagnosis, conditional on surviving, both the objective and subjective longevity and self-reported health measures drift back to the before diagnosis trajectories. For stroke and heart attack, in spite of their persistent negative effect on survival, subjective life expectations and self-reported health measures seem to indicate only a transient effect of the health shock. The differences between the objective and subjective measures are in line with the concept of adaptation. We discuss the policy implications of our results. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Effect of Childhood Health Status on Adult Health in China.

PubMed

Wang, Qing; Zhang, Huyang; Rizzo, John A; Fang, Hai

2018-01-26

Childhood health in China was poor in the 1950s and 1960s because of limited nutrition. In the last three decades, China has distinguished itself through its tremendous economic growth and improvements in health and nutrition. However, prior to such growth, access to good nutrition was more variable, with potentially important implications, not only for childhood health, but also for adult health, because of its long-term effects lasting into adulthood. To shed light on these issues, this study examined the long-run association between childhood health and adult health outcomes among a middle-aged Chinese population and addresses the endogeneity of childhood health. A nationwide database from the 2011 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) was employed. Three adult health outcomes variables were used: self-reported health status, cognition, and physical function. The local variation in grain production in the subjects' fetal period and the first 24 months following birth was employed as an instrument for childhood health in order to correct for its endogeneity. Childhood health recalled by the respondents was positively and significantly associated with their adult health outcomes in terms of self-reported health status, cognition, and physical function in single-equation estimates that did not correct for the endogeneity of childhood health. A good childhood health status increased the probabilities of good adult health, good adult cognitive function, and good adult physical function by 16% (95% CI: 13-18%), 13% (95% CI: 10-15%), and 14% (95% CI: 12-17%), respectively. After correcting for endogeneity, the estimated effects of good childhood health were consistent but stronger. We also studied the male and female populations separately, finding that the positive effects of childhood health on adult health were larger for males. In China, childhood health significantly affects adult health. This suggests that early interventions to promote

The Effect of Childhood Health Status on Adult Health in China

PubMed Central

Wang, Qing; Zhang, Huyang; Rizzo, John A.; Fang, Hai

2018-01-01

Childhood health in China was poor in the 1950s and 1960s because of limited nutrition. In the last three decades, China has distinguished itself through its tremendous economic growth and improvements in health and nutrition. However, prior to such growth, access to good nutrition was more variable, with potentially important implications, not only for childhood health, but also for adult health, because of its long-term effects lasting into adulthood. To shed light on these issues, this study examined the long-run association between childhood health and adult health outcomes among a middle-aged Chinese population and addresses the endogeneity of childhood health. A nationwide database from the 2011 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) was employed. Three adult health outcomes variables were used: self-reported health status, cognition, and physical function. The local variation in grain production in the subjects’ fetal period and the first 24 months following birth was employed as an instrument for childhood health in order to correct for its endogeneity. Childhood health recalled by the respondents was positively and significantly associated with their adult health outcomes in terms of self-reported health status, cognition, and physical function in single-equation estimates that did not correct for the endogeneity of childhood health. A good childhood health status increased the probabilities of good adult health, good adult cognitive function, and good adult physical function by 16% (95% CI: 13–18%), 13% (95% CI: 10–15%), and 14% (95% CI: 12–17%), respectively. After correcting for endogeneity, the estimated effects of good childhood health were consistent but stronger. We also studied the male and female populations separately, finding that the positive effects of childhood health on adult health were larger for males. In China, childhood health significantly affects adult health. This suggests that early interventions to promote

Preference-based Health status in a German outpatient cohort with multiple sclerosis

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background To prospectively determine health status and health utility and its predictors in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods A total of 144 MS patients (mean age: 41.0 ±11.3y) with different subtypes (patterns of progression) and severities of MS were recruited in an outpatient university clinic in Germany. Patients completed a questionnaire at baseline (n = 144), 6 months (n = 65) and 12 months (n = 55). Health utilities were assessed using the EuroQol instrument (EQ-5D, EQ VAS). Health status was assessed by several scales (Expanded Disability Severity Scale (EDSS), Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (M-FIS), Functional Assessment of MS (FAMS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC)). Additionally, demographic and socioeconomic parameters were assessed. Multivariate linear and logistic regressions were applied to reveal independent predictors of health status. Results Health status is substantially diminished in MS patients and the EQ VAS was considerably lower than that of the general German population. No significant change in health-status parameters was observed over a 12-months period. Multivariate analyses revealed M-FIS, BDI-II, MSFC, and EDSS to be significant predictors of reduced health status. Socioeconomic and socio-demographic parameters such as working status, family status, number of household inhabitants, age, and gender did not prove significant in multivariate analyses. Conclusion MS considerably impairs patients’ health status. Guidelines aiming to improve self-reported health status should include treatment options for depression and fatigue. Physicians should be aware of depression and fatigue as co-morbidities. Future studies should consider the minimal clinical difference when health status is a primary outcome. PMID:24089999

The influence of community and individual health literacy on self-reported health status.

PubMed

Sentell, Tetine; Zhang, Wei; Davis, James; Baker, Kathleen Kromer; Braun, Kathryn L

2014-02-01

Individual health literacy is an established predictor of individual health outcomes. Community-level health literacy may also impact individual health, yet limited research has simultaneously considered the influence of individual and community health literacy on individual health. The study goal was to determine if community health literacy had an independent relationship with individual self-reported health beyond individual health literacy. We used data from the 2008 and 2010 Hawai'i Health Survey, a representative statewide telephone survey. Multilevel models predicted individual self-reported health by both individual and community health literacy, controlling for relevant individual-level (education, race/ethnicity, gender, poverty, insurance status, age, and marital status) and community-level variables (community poverty and community education). The sample included 11,779 individuals within 37 communities. Individual health literacy was defined by validated self-reported measurement. Communities were defined by zip code combinations. Community health literacy was defined as the percentage of individuals within a community reporting low health literacy. Census data by ZIP Code Tabulation Areas provided community-level variables. In descriptive results, 18.2 % self-reported low health literacy, and 14.7 % reported self-reported poor health. Community-level low health literacy ranged from 5.37 % to 35.99 %. In final, multilevel models, both individual (OR: 2.00; 95 % CI: 1.63-2.44) and community low health literacy (OR: 1.02; 95 % CI: 1.00-1.03) were significantly positively associated with self-reported poor health status. Each percentage increase of average low health literacy within a community was associated with an approximately 2 % increase in poor self-reported health for individuals in that community. Also associated with poorer health were lower educational attainment, older age, poverty, and non-White race. Both individual and community health

Health status of illicit stimulant drug users in rural Ohio.

PubMed

Falck, Russel S; Wang, Jichuan; Carlson, Robert G

2007-11-01

The SF-8 health survey was used to assess the physical and mental health status of a community sample of not-in-treatment, illicit stimulant drug-using adults (n = 249) living in rural Ohio. Physical health status scores indicative of poor health were present in 30.5% of the sample. Poor physical health was associated with older age (OR = 1.06; 95% C.I. = 1.02-1.11), chronic disease (OR = 2.24, 95% C.I. = 1.14-4.40), and frequent opioid use (OR = 3.14, 95% C.I. = 1.16-8.50). Poor mental health status scores were present in 63.9% of the sample. Men were less likely (OR = 0.25, 95% C.I. = 0.11-0.53), and Whites more likely (OR = 3.97, 95% C.I. = 1.56-10.13), to have poor mental health scores. Frequency and type of drug use had no measurable effect on mental health status. Physical and mental health problems are likely to be pervasive among nonmedical drug users in rural areas.

Association Between Oral Health and Cognitive Status: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Wu, Bei; Fillenbaum, Gerda G.; Plassman, Brenda L.; Guo, Liang

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVES We have carried out a systematic review of longitudinal studies examining the association between oral health and cognitive decline. DESIGN Studies, published 01/1993-03/2013, were identified by search of English language publications in PubMed/Medline using relevant MeSH terms and title/abstract keywords, and from CINAHL using relevant subject headings. After applying eligibility criteria, and adding four studies identified from article references, 56 of the 1412 articles identified remained: 40 were cross-sectional, and 16 longitudinal; 11 of the latter examined the impact of oral health on change in cognitive health or dementia incidence, five examined the reverse. SETTING Sources of information included administrative data, subject evaluations in parent studies, medical and dental records, self-reports, and in-person evaluations. MEASUREMENTS Most studies used subjects whose oral or cognitive status was known, adding the missing piece using standard measures. The oral health information most frequently studied included number of teeth, periodontal and caries problems, and denture use. Cognition was most frequently evaluated using the MMSE, or by determination of dementia. RESULTS Some studies found that oral health measures such as number of teeth and periodontal disease were associated with increased risk of cognitive decline or incident dementia, while others did not find the association. Similarly, cognitive decline was not consistently associated with greater loss of teeth or number of caries. Methodological limitations likely play a major role in explaining the inconsistent findings. CONCLUSION It is unclear how or whether oral health and cognitive status are related. Additional research is needed in which there is greater agreement on how oral health and cognitive states are assessed, in order to better examine the linkages between these two health outcomes. PMID:27037761

Relationship between Peer Status and Health Behaviors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terre, Lisa; And Others

1992-01-01

Investigated relative influence of background characteristics (age, gender, race, socioeconomic status, family type) and peer status on health-related behaviors (physical activity, eating habits, smoking, alcohol use, stress-related behaviors) in 589 junior high school students. Peer popularity provided no significant increment in prediction of…

Home Health Care With Telemonitoring Improves Health Status for Older Adults with Heart Failure

PubMed Central

Madigan, Elizabeth; Schmotzer, Brian J.; Struk, Cynthia J.; DiCarlo, Christina M.; Kikano, George; Piña, Ileana L.; Boxer, Rebecca S.

2014-01-01

Home telemonitoring can augment home health care services during a patient's transition from hospital to home. Home health care agencies commonly use telemonitors for patients with heart failure although studies have shown mixed results in the use of telemonitors to reduce rehospitalizations. This randomized trial investigated if older patients with heart failure admitted to home health care following a hospitalization would have a reduction in rehospitalizations and improved health status if they received telemonitoring. Patients were followed up to 180 days post-discharge from home health care services. Results showed no difference in the time to rehospitalizations or emergency visits between those who received a telemonitoring vs. usual care. Older heart failure patients who received telemonitoring had better health status by home health care discharge than those who received usual care. Therefore for older adults with heart failure telemonitoring may be important adjunct to home health care services to improve health status. PMID:23438509

The image of health status and quality of life in a Caribbean society

PubMed Central

Bourne, Paul A.; McGrowder, Donovan A.; Charles, Christopher A.D.; Francis, Cynthia G.

2010-01-01

Background: Health is defined as the presence or absence of illness. This conceptualization of health status is dominant in health treatment and in fashioning the health care system. However, very little research has been done on how Jamaicans view health status and quality of life (QoL). Aims: This article seeks to understand how Jamaicans conceptualize health status and QoL because definitional content has implications for their health. Material and Methods: The current study utilized two national cross-sectional probability surveys from the Centre for Leadership and Governance (CLG) which looked at QoL among other variables and the Jamaican Survey of Living Conditions (JSLC) which measured living standards including health status. The sample in both surveys was 8,120 participants. Results: The majority of the respondents in the CLG (54%) and the JSLC (82.2%) surveys reported good health status. There was a strong statistical relationship between area of residence and health status (P < 0.0001) unlike the relationship between area of residence and quality of life (P < 0.137). The respondents dichotomized health status and QoL and a significant relationship was found between both variables (P < 0.0001). The respondents’ dichotomization of health status and QoL is explained by the significant relationship between health status and self reported illness (P < 0.0001) where respondents view health status as the absence or presence of illness, excluding QoL. Conclusion: Health status means the presence or absence of illness and excludes QoL which is not in keeping with previous findings. This distinction is culturally determined. PMID:22624140

Association between nutritional status and subjective health status in chronically ill children attending special schools.

PubMed

Joosten, Koen; van der Velde, Kelly; Joosten, Pieter; Rutten, Hans; Hulst, Jessie; Dulfer, Karolijn

2016-04-01

In hospitalized children with a chronic disease, malnutrition was associated with a lower subjective health status. In outpatient children with a chronic disease attending special schools, this association has never been studied. The aim of this study was to assess the association between nutritional status and subjective health status in chronically ill children attending special schools. Overall, 642 children, median age 9.8 years (IQR 7.7-11.5), 60 % male, 72 % Caucasian, were included in this prospective study in nine special schools for chronically ill children in the Netherlands. Overall malnutrition was assessed as: acute malnutrition (<-2 SDS for weight for height (WFH)) and chronic malnutrition (<-2 SDS for height for age). The malnutrition risk was assessed with the nutritional risk-screening tool STRONGkids. Subjective health status was assessed with EQ-5D. Overall, 16 % of the children had overall malnutrition: 3 % acute and 13 % chronic malnutrition. Nurses reported 'some/severe problems' on the health status dimensions mobility (15 %), self-care (17 %), usual activities (19 %), pain/discomfort (22 %), and anxiety/depression (22 %) in chronically ill children. Their mean visual analogue scale score (VAS) was 73.0 (SD 11.1). Malnutrition, medication usage, and younger age explained 38 % of the variance of the VAS score. The presence of overall malnutrition in chronically ill children attending special schools was associated with lower subjective health status, especially in younger children and in those with chronic medication usage. Therefore, it is important to develop and use profile-screening tools to identify these children.

Integrating Multiple Social Statuses in Health Disparities Research: The Case of Lung Cancer

PubMed Central

Williams, David R; Kontos, Emily Z; Viswanath, K; Haas, Jennifer S; Lathan, Christopher S; MacConaill, Laura E; Chen, Jarvis; Ayanian, John Z

2012-01-01

Objective To illustrate the complex patterns that emerge when race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and gender are considered simultaneously in health care disparities research and to outline the needed research to understand them by using disparities in lung cancer risks, treatment, and outcomes as an example. Principal Findings SES, gender, and race/ethnicity are social categories that are robust predictors of variations in health and health services utilization. These are usually considered separately, but intersectionality theory indicates that the impact of each depends on the others. Each reflects historically and culturally contingent variations in social, economic, and political status. Distinct patterns of risk and resilience emerge at the intersections of multiple social categories and shape the experience of health, health care access, utilization, quality, and outcomes where these categories intersect. Intersectional approaches call for greater attention to understand social processes at multiple levels of society and require the collection of relevant data and utilization of appropriate analytic approaches to understand how multiple risk factors and resources combine to affect the distribution of disease and its management. Conclusions Understanding how race/ethnicity, gender, and SES are interactive, interdependent, and social identities can provide new knowledge to enhance our efforts to effectively address health disparities. PMID:22568674

Literacy and cancer anxiety as predictors of health status: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Hoffman-Goetz, L; Meissner, H I; Thomson, M D

2009-01-01

Socioeconomic status is a strong correlate of health status. Low literacy is associated with barriers to health information and anxiety about disease. Using 2003 Health Information National Trends Survey data, the relationship between self-reported health status and proxy measures of literacy (Hispanic ethnicity, education, and media variables), cancer anxiety, and cancer information seeking were assessed. Low literacy, measured by proxy variables, was associated with a greater likelihood of reporting fair-poor health status. Reporting excellent-good health status was less likely for people reporting frustration finding cancer information (odds ratio [OR] 0.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.52-0.89), worry about cancer (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.35-0.89), and increased chance of getting cancer (OR 3.5, 95% CI 0.24-0.51). Proxy variables for literacy suggest a possible contribution to health status disparities.

Marital Satisfaction and Depression as Predictors of Physical Health Status.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiss, Robert L.; Aved, Barbara M.

1978-01-01

Results indicate correlation between physical health status and depression was greater for wives than husbands. For wives, marital satisfaction and depression were related through uncontrolled variance in physical health status. For husbands, significant relationship between marital satisfaction and depression remained when physical health was…

Evaluation of health literacy status among patients in a tertiary care hospital in coastal karnataka, India.

PubMed

U P, Rathnakar; Belman, Madhuri; Kamath, Ashwin; B, Unnikrishnan; Shenoy K, Ashok; A L, Udupa

2013-11-01

People with limited health literacy are more likely to make medication errors, and they have less health knowledge, worse health status, more hospitalizations, and higher healthcare costs than people with adequate literacy. The objective of this study is to assess the health literacy status among patients who are able to read and understand English attending a tertiary care hospital by using Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine [REALM] technique and to compare the health literacy levels to educational status and other baseline characteristics. A widely used word recognition method [REALM] was used to assess the HL status of 200 patients attending a tertiary care hospital in Southern India. The number of correctly pronounced words was used to assign a grade-equivalent reading level. Scores 0 to 44 indicate reading skills at or below the 6th grade level, scores from 45 to 60 represent skills at the 7th or 8th grade level, and scores above 60 indicate skills at the high-school level or higher. HL status was found below adequate level in more than 50% of the patients. Younger age group showed better HL scores compared to those aged more than 25 years. General education level or the medium of education does not truly reflect HL levels as brought out in the study. Even those with postgraduate qualification had poor HL skills. The study was carried out to find out the HL levels among patients attending a tertiary care hospital. It was assumed that the general education levels may not reflect true HL status. In view of the results of this study it can be concluded that patient's HL skills should not be taken for granted and adequate attention should be paid in educating and briefing patients whenever patients are required to interpret and understand health care related documents.

Marital Status, Marital Transitions, and Health: A Gendered Life Course Perspective*

PubMed Central

Williams, Kristi; Umberson, Debra

2014-01-01

We work from a life course perspective to assess the impact of marital status and marital transitions on subsequent changes in the self-assessed physical health of men and women. Our results suggest three central conclusions regarding the association of marital status and marital transitions with self-assessed health. First, marital status differences in health appear to reflect the strains of marital dissolution more than they reflect any benefits of marriage. Second, the strains of marital dissolution undermine the self-assessed health of men but not women. Finally, life course stage is as important as gender in moderating the effects of marital status and marital transitions on health. PMID:15179909

Marital status, marital transitions, and health: a gendered life course perspective.

PubMed

Williams, Kristi; Umberson, Debra

2004-03-01

We work from a life course perspective to assess the impact of marital status and marital transitions on subsequent changes in the self-assessed physical health of men and women. Our results suggest three central conclusions regarding the association of marital status and marital transitions with self-assessed health. First, marital status differences in health appear to reflect the strains of marital dissolution more than they reflect any benefits of marriage. Second, the strains of marital dissolution undermine the self-assessed health of men but not women. Finally, life course stage is as important as gender in moderating the effects of marital status and marital transitions on health.

Domestic Violence and its Effect on Oral Health Behaviour and Oral Health Status

PubMed Central

P, Basavaraj; Singla, Ashish; Kote, Sunder; Singh, Shilpi; Jain, Swati; Singh, Khushboo; Vashishtha, Vaibhav

2014-01-01

Introduction: Violence against women is one of the major public health and human rights problem in the world today. Hence, the present study was conducted with the aim to assess the effect of domestic violence on oral health behavior and oral health status of females attending community outreach programmes in and around Modinagar. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted through the community outreach programmes organized in Modinagar. A structured questionnaire was used to illicit information regarding socio demographic characteristics, oral health behavior and domestic violence. The dental health examination was done to record dental health status, intraoral and extraoral soft tissue injury, tooth fracture and tooth avulsion due to the injury. Results: Out of the total 304 women, 204(67.1%) reported positive domestic violence. Psychological violence was found to be severe whereas sexual violence was found to be mild in most of the cases. Significant difference was found between oral hygiene aids used , frequency of tooth brushing, periodontal status, missing teeth, intraoral soft tissue injuries and fractures between both the groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: The present study confirmed that domestic violence had significant influence on oral health behavior and oral health status of women. Thus, the dental professionals also should make an attempt to help victims gain access to support and referral services and to provide adequate treatment to them so as to make a positive difference in their lives. PMID:25584297

Racialized legal status as a social determinant of health.

PubMed

Asad, Asad L; Clair, Matthew

2018-02-01

This article advances the concept of racialized legal status (RLS) as an overlooked dimension of social stratification with implications for racial/ethnic health disparities. We define RLS as a social position based on an ostensibly race-neutral legal classification that disproportionately impacts racial/ethnic minorities. To illustrate the implications of RLS for health and health disparities in the United States, we spotlight existing research on two cases: criminal status and immigration status. We offer a conceptual framework that outlines how RLS shapes disparities through (1) primary effects on those who hold a legal status and (2) spillover effects on racial/ethnic in-group members, regardless of these individuals' own legal status. Primary effects of RLS operate by marking an individual for material and symbolic exclusion. Spillover effects result from the vicarious experiences of those with social proximity to marked individuals, as well as the discredited meanings that RLS constructs around racial/ethnic group members. We conclude by suggesting multiple avenues for future research that considers RLS as a mechanism of social inequality with fundamental effects on health. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Obesity Management in Europe: Current Status and Objectives for the Future

PubMed Central

Uerlich, Magdalena F.; Yumuk, Volkan; Finer, Nick; Basdevant, Arnaud; Visscher, Tommy L.S.

2016-01-01

Objective This study aims at assessing the status of obesity management in the European region and identifying future goals and objectives of professionals working in the field of obesity. Methods Presidents of all 31 EASO-affiliated (EASO = European Association for the Study of Obesity) national associations for the study of obesity were asked to invite 5 obesity experts from their country to participate in a survey. A total of 74 obesity professionals out of 23 countries participated. Questions addressed the development of guidelines, the status of obesity management, and goals and objectives for the future in obesity management. Further, EASO's three vice-presidents participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews, in which they were asked to provide their reflection on the survey data. Results Most countries define obesity as a clinical and chronic disease, but various differences in obesity management standards exist across Europe. Existing guidelines mainly focus on the acute treatment of obesity rather than on long-term approaches. Conclusion Multidisciplinary approaches for obesity management and the collaboration between general practitioners and hospitals as well as between professionals at the local level and networks of obesity management centers need to be improved across Europe. Good practices and evidence are available. PMID:27553443

Change in oral health status associated with menopause in Japanese dental hygienists.

PubMed

Yoshida, N; Sugimoto, K; Suzuki, S; Kudo, H

2018-02-01

Oral symptoms such as xerostomia and burning mouth syndrome have been recognized to increase associated with menopause. The purpose of this study was to clarify the changes in oral health as well as systemic health due to menopause and their relations with hormonal change and mental status. Ninety-seven female dental hygienists aged 40-59 years were assigned to premenopausal, menopausal and post-menopausal groups based on self-reported menstrual condition. Subjective health statuses were evaluated by questionnaire, and objective holistic and oral statuses were evaluated by measuring serum 17β-estradiol (E2), salivary flow rate, α-amylase and secretory IgA (SIgA) and taste sensitivity. A significant difference among the three groups was observed in the self-rating questionnaire of depression (SRQ-D) score and serum E2 level as well as unstimulated salivary flow rate, whereas no significant difference was observed in Simplified menopausal index, Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey, General Oral Health Assessment Index, salivary α-amylase activity, salivary SIgA concentration and taste threshold. Serum E2 levels positively correlated with unstimulated salivary flow rates and negatively correlated with SRQ-D scores and α-amylase activities. The results demonstrated a negative correlation between E2 levels and SRQ-D scores as well as salivary α-amylase activities, suggesting an influence of E2 on mental condition. Furthermore, E2 decrease may result in reduction of salivary flow which in turn causes various problems of oral health. Since the participants were graduates from several dental hygienist schools and working at various places, these results can be generalized to Japanese dental hygienists to some extent. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Access to oral health care and self-reported health status among low-income adults living with HIV/AIDS.

PubMed

Bachman, Sara S; Walter, Angela W; Umez-Eronini, Amarachi

2012-05-01

We identified factors associated with improved self-reported health status in a sample of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) following enrollment in oral health care. Data were collected from 1,499 enrollees in the Health Resources and Services Administration HIV/AIDS Bureau's Special Projects of National Significance Innovations in Oral Health Care Initiative. Data were gathered from 2007-2010 through in-person interviews at 14 sites; self-reported health status was measured using the SF-8™ Health Survey's physical and mental health summary scores. Utilization records of oral health-care services provided to enrollees were also obtained. Data were analyzed using general estimating equation linear regression. Between baseline and follow-up, we found that physical health status improved marginally while mental health status improved to a greater degree. For change in physical health status, a decrease in oral health problems and lack of health insurance were significantly associated with improved health status. Improved mental health status was associated with a decrease in oral health problems at the last available visit and no pain or distress in one's teeth or gums at the last available visit. For low-income PLWHA, engagement in a program to increase access to oral health care was associated with improvement in overall well-being as measured by change in the SF-8 Health Survey. These results contribute to the knowledge base about using the SF-8 to assess the impact of clinical interventions. For public health practitioners working with PLWHA, findings suggest that access to oral health care can help promote well-being for this vulnerable population.

Self-Rated Health at the Intersection of Sexual Identity and Union Status

PubMed Central

Reczek, Corinne; Liu, Hui; Spiker, Russell

2016-01-01

There is a well-established relationship between union status and health within the general population, and growing evidence of an association between sexual identity and well-being. Yet, what is unknown is whether union status stratifies health outcomes across sexual identity categories. In order to elucidate this question, we analyzed nationally representative population-based data from the National Health Interview Surveys 2013–2014 (N = 53,135) to examine variation in self-rated health by sexual partnership status (i.e., by sexual identity across union status). We further test the role of socioeconomic status and gender in these associations. Results from logistic regression models show that union status stratifies self-rated health across gay, lesbian, and heterosexual populations, albeit in different ways for men and women. Socioeconomic status does not play a major role in accounting for these differences. Findings highlight the need for specific interventions with lesbian women, who appear to experience the most strident disadvantage across union status categories. PMID:28202146

Health status and health care costs for publicly funded patients with schizophrenia started on clozapine.

PubMed

Blieden, N; Flinders, S; Hawkins, K; Reid, M; Alphs, L D; Arfken, C L

1998-12-01

The study examined the effect of clozapine treatment on the health care costs and health status of people with schizophrenia who are supported by public funds. Thirty-three patients with schizophrenia hospitalized in a state facility were interviewed within one week of starting clozapine and six months later. Health status was assessed with four clinical rating scales measuring severity of psychopathology, negative symptoms, depression, and quality of life. Cost and health care utilization data were collected for the six months before and after initiation of clozapine. Only 52 percent of the subjects stayed on clozapine for six months. Subjects who continued on clozapine were more likely to be discharged within six months than those who did not continue. Six months after clozapine was started, health care costs showed a sayings of $11,464 per person, even after adjustment for pretreatment costs, and health status was improved. For subjects who continued on clozapine for six months, clozapine treatment was associated with reduced days of psychiatric hospital care, reduced overall costs despite increased outpatient treatment and residential costs, and improved health status.

History of co-occurring disorders and current mental health status among homeless veterans.

PubMed

Ding, Kele; Slate, Matthew; Yang, Jingzhen

2018-06-18

Homeless veterans are at high risk for co-occurring disorders (COD), defined as mental illnesses that include at least one alcohol or other drug use disorder and at least one non-drug related mental disorder. However, epidemiological studies examining the prevalence of COD and associated mental health status in this population are limited. The objectives of the study were: (1) to describe a history of diagnosed mental disorders among homeless veterans admitted to a transitional housing program, and (2) to examine the associations of the prior diagnosed COD and other mental disorders with current mental health status. Study participants were male homeless veterans admitted to a transitional housing program from July 2015 to September 2017 in a large municipal area in Northeast Ohio, the United States. Cross-sectional, self-reported data from the admission assessment were included and analyzed. History of mental disorder diagnoses were aggregated into five categories for the purpose of this study: no mental disorders, only alcohol or other drug use disorder(s), one non-drug related mental disorder, two or more non-drug related mental disorders, and COD. Current mental status were measured as empowerment, mental component summary score (MCS) and physical component summary score (PCS) of health related quality of life (VR-12), and perceived overall well-being. Sample distribution of the five categories and their associations with current mental status were examined using Generalized Linear Model test. Of all participants, 76.7% had at least one prior diagnosed mental disorder, including 47.4% with any drug-related disorders. Over one-third (37.2%) reported having COD. Compared to those with no mental disorder history, those with COD scored significantly lower on MCS and empowerment scores; those with any prior diagnosed non-drug related mental disorders also scored significantly lower on MCS. No significant differences, however, were found in current mental health

Drug problems among homeless individuals in Toronto, Canada: prevalence, drugs of choice, and relation to health status

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Drug use is believed to be an important factor contributing to the poor health and increased mortality risk that has been widely observed among homeless individuals. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of drug use among a representative sample of homeless individuals and to examine the association between drug problems and physical and mental health status. Methods Recruitment of 603 single men, 304 single women, and 284 adults with dependent children occurred at homeless shelters and meal programs in Toronto, Canada. Information was collected on demographic characteristics and patterns of drug use. The Addiction Severity Index was used to assess whether participants suffered from drug problems. Associations of drug problems with physical and mental health status (measured by the SF-12 scale) were examined using regression analyses. Results Forty percent of the study sample had drug problems in the last 30 days. These individuals were more likely to be single men and less educated than those without drug problems. They were also more likely to have become homeless at a younger age (mean 24.8 vs. 30.9 years) and for a longer duration (mean 4.8 vs. 2.9 years). Marijuana and cocaine were the most frequently used drugs in the past two years (40% and 27%, respectively). Drug problems within the last 30 days were associated with significantly poorer mental health status (-4.9 points, 95% CI -6.5 to -3.2) but not with poorer physical health status (-0.03 points, 95% CI -1.3 to 1.3)). Conclusions Drug use is common among homeless individuals in Toronto. Current drug problems are associated with poorer mental health status but not with poorer physical health status. PMID:20181248

Psychophysical and Patient Factors as Determinants of Pain, Function and Health Status in Shoulder Disorders

PubMed Central

Uddin, Zakir; MacDermid, Joy C.; Moro, Jaydeep; Galea, Victoria; Gross, Anita R.

2016-01-01

Objective: To estimate the extent to which psychophysical quantitative sensory test (QST) and patient factors (gender, age and comorbidity) predict pain, function and health status in people with shoulder disorders. To determine if there are gender differences for QST measures in current perception threshold (CPT), vibration threshold (VT) and pressure pain (PP) threshold and tolerance. Design: A cross-sectional study design. Setting: MacHAND Clinical Research Lab at McMaster University. Subjects: 34 surgical and 10 nonsurgical participants with shoulder pain were recruited. Method: Participants completed the following patient reported outcomes: pain (Numeric Pain Rating, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Shoulder Pain and Disability Index) and health status (Short Form-12). Participants completed QST at 4 standardized locations and then an upper extremity performance-based endurance test (FIT-HaNSA). Pearson r’s were computed to determine the relationships between QST variables and patient factors with either pain, function or health status. Eight regression models were built to analysis QST’s and patient factors separately as predictors of either pain, function or health status. An independent sample t-test was done to evaluate the gender effect on QST. Results: Greater PP threshold and PP tolerance was significantly correlated with higher shoulder functional performance on the FIT-HANSA (r =0.31-0.44) and lower self-reported shoulder disability (r = -0.32 to -0.36). Higher comorbidity was consistently correlated (r =0.31-0.46) with more pain, and less function and health status. Older age was correlated to more pain intensity and less function (r =0.31-0.57). In multivariate models, patient factors contributed significantly to pain, function or health status models (r2 =0.19-0.36); whereas QST did not. QST was significantly different between males and females [in PP threshold (3.9 vs. 6.2, p < .001) and PP tolerance (7.6 vs. 2.6, p < .001) and CPT (1.6 vs. 2.3, p

The Spacecraft Fire Experiment (Saffire) - Objectives, Development and Status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoren, William; Ruff, Gary A.; Urban, David L.

2016-01-01

Since 2012, the Spacecraft Fire Experiment (Saffire) has been under development by the Spacecraft Fire Safety Demonstration (SFS Demo) project that is funded by NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems Division in the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. The overall objective of this project is to reduce the uncertainty and risk associated with the design of spacecraft fire safety systems for NASA's exploration missions. This is accomplished by defining, developing, and conducting experiments that address gaps in spacecraft fire safety knowledge and capabilities identified by NASA's Fire Safety System Maturation Team. This paper describes the three Spacecraft Fire Experiments (Saffire-I, -II, and -III) that were developed at NASA-GRC and that will conduct a series of material flammability tests in low-gravity and at length scales that are realistic for a spacecraft fire. The experiments will be conducted in Orbital ATK's Cygnus vehicle after it has unberthed from the International Space Station. The tests will be fully automated with the data downlinked at the conclusion of the test and before the Cygnus vehicle reenters the atmosphere. The objectives of these experiments are to (1) determine how rapidly a large scale fire grows in low-gravity and (2) investigate the low-g flammability limits compared to those obtained in NASA's normal gravity material flammability screening test. The hardware for these experiments has been completed and is awaiting their respective launches, all planned for 2016. This paper will review the objectives of these experiments and how they address several of the knowledge gaps for NASA's exploration missions. The hardware development will be discussed including several novel approaches that were taken for testing and evaluation of these series payloads. The status of the missions and operational status will also be presented.

mHealth in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Status, Requirements and Strategies.

PubMed

Lopéz, Diego M; Blobel, Bernd

2015-01-01

Recent studies demonstrate the potential of Mobile Health (mHealth) to improve quality of care and efficiency in low- and middle- income countries (LMIC). However, strong evidence of their impact, especially in large scale projects is still missing. The objective of this paper is to provide an overview about the current status of mHealth in LMIC, and to identify Requirements and possible Strategies to strength their health systems. A search in Pubmed was performed, which resulted in 427 articles. Restricting the search to review papers published during the last 5 years, 72 publications were identified and characterized, and the more relevant articles analyzing mHealth use, impact and/or adoption in LMIC from a more generic perspective were analyzed in detail. Finally, based on the literature, and complemented with the authors own reflections and experience, mHealth challenges and strategies were identified and presented according to the WHO Health Systems Framework which identifies six main lines of action to improve the performance of health systems: service delivery, health workforce, health information systems, essential medical products and technologies, health financing and governance.

Health status assessment of workers during construction phase of highway rehabilitation projects around lahore, Pakistan

PubMed Central

Abrar, Amina; Cheema, Kausar Jamal; Saif, Samia; Mahmood, Asim

2016-01-01

Objective: The study focused on assessment of the health status of workers during construction phase of highway rehabilitation projects at six selected sites of N5 around Lahore, including Kala Shah Kaku, Muridke, Kamuki, Bhaipheru, Pattoki, and Okara. Methods: The study was based on multi-methods approach involving hazard identification through survey and checklist as well as a questionnaire for health status assessment and measurements of health parameters including peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and audiometric screening of 300 subjects. Results: The study revealed non-congenial working conditions at the sites. Noise, vibrations, dust, asphalt fumes, poor work postures, and injuries were found to be major health hazards. PEFR of most of the workers was found to be significantly lower than the reference value. Average PEFR±SEM values were 187±5.1 l/min, 178±4.3 l/min, and 266±5.3 l/min in ground preparation workers, asphalt workers, and heavy vehicle drivers, respectively. The highest rate (29%) of hearing loss was recorded among heavy vehicle drivers. Musculoskeletal problems were found to be more common among ground preparation workers. Conclusion: Data revealed unsatisfactory health status of most of the workers. Direct relationship between health outcomes and the type of construction activities were observed. The current study focuses on the importance of including occupational health and safety plan in the execution phase of every developmental project that involves construction activities. PMID:27853055

Predicting self-rated mental and physical health: the contributions of subjective socioeconomic status and personal relative deprivation

PubMed Central

Callan, Mitchell J.; Kim, Hyunji; Matthews, William J.

2015-01-01

Lower subjective socioeconomic status (SSS) and higher personal relative deprivation (PRD) relate to poorer health. Both constructs concern people's perceived relative social position, but they differ in their emphasis on the reference groups people use to determine their comparative disadvantage (national population vs. similar others) and the importance of resentment that may arise from such adverse comparisons. We investigated the relative utility of SSS and PRD as predictors of self-rated physical and mental health (e.g., self-rated health, stress, health complaints). Across six studies, self-rated physical and mental health were on the whole better predicted by measures of PRD than by SSS while controlling for objective socioeconomic status (SES), with SSS rarely contributing unique variance over and above PRD and SES. Studies 4–6 discount the possibility that the superiority of PRD over SSS in predicting health is due to psychometric differences (e.g., reliability) or response biases between the measures. PMID:26441786

Examining the association between race, ethnicity, and health status: do assets matter?

PubMed

Boyas, Javier; Shobe, Marcia A; Hannam, Holly M

2009-10-01

The current study employs data from the 2004 Immigration and Intergenerational Mobility in Metropolitan Los Angeles (IIMMLA) study to examine the degree to which observed differences in self-reported health status between African Americans, Asians, Latinos, and non-Hispanic Whites in the United States can be attributed to differences in various indicators of socioeconomic status. Results of the multinomial logistic regression techniques suggest that socioeconomic indicators had varying significant effects in predicting self-reported health status among all racial and ethnic groups. Among African Americans, homeownership, income, and age played a significant role. Among Asian Americans, only income and age significantly predicted health status. Among Latinos, income, having a checking account, and age significantly shaped health status, while education, age, and homeownership significantly predicted health status among non-Hispanic Whites.

Perceived discrimination in health care and health status in a racially diverse sample.

PubMed

Hausmann, Leslie R M; Jeong, Kwonho; Bost, James E; Ibrahim, Said A

2008-09-01

Despite the surge of recent research on the association between perceived discrimination and health-related outcomes, few studies have focused on race-based discrimination encountered in health care settings. This study examined the prevalence of such discrimination, and its association with health status, for the 3 largest race/ethnic groups in the United States. Data were drawn from the 2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey. The primary variables were perceived racial discrimination in health care and self-reported health status. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare the prevalence of perceived discrimination for whites, African Americans, and Hispanics, and to examine the association between perceived discrimination and health status, controlling for sex, age, income, education, health care coverage, affordability of medical care, racial salience, and state. Perceived discrimination was reported by 2%, 5.2%, and 10.9% of whites, Hispanics, and African Americans, respectively. Only the difference between African Americans and whites remained significant in adjusted analyses [odds ratio (OR) = 3.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.46-4.21]. Racial/ethnic differences in perceived discrimination depended on income, education, health care coverage, and affordability of medical care. Perceived discrimination was associated with worse health status for the overall sample (OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.35-2.16). Stratified analyses revealed that this relationship was significant for whites (OR = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.45-2.77) and African Americans (OR = 1.95, 95% CI = 1.39-2.73), but not for Hispanics (OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.24-1.22). Perceived racial discrimination in health care is much more prevalent for African Americans than for whites or Hispanics. Furthermore, such discrimination is associated with worse health both for African Americans and for whites.

Acculturation and Sociocultural Influences on Dietary Intake and Health Status among Puerto Rican Adults in Massachusetts

PubMed Central

Van Rompay, Maria I.; McKeown, Nicola M.; Castaneda-Sceppa, Carmen; Falcon, Luis M.; Ordovas, José M.; Tucker, Katherine L.

2011-01-01

Background Previous studies have shown negative consequences of acculturation on lifestyle factors, health status, and dietary intake of Hispanic immigrants in the US. Despite prevalent type 2 diabetes and low socioeconomic status (SES) among Puerto Rican adults living on the US mainland, little is known about acculturation in this group. Objective We investigated associations among acculturation, lifestyle characteristics, health status, and carbohydrate nutrition in Puerto Rican adults. A secondary objective was to investigate possible confounding and/or effect modification on these associations by SES. Design Cross-sectional data from the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study, which included 1219 Puerto Ricans in the Boston area, aged 45–75 years. Statistical analyses Characteristics were compared using ANCOVA, linear trend and Pearson’s chi-square tests across quartiles of acculturation. Tests for interaction by poverty status were conducted. Proportional contributions of foods to intake of total carbohydrate and fiber were assessed using SAS RANK. Results Levels of acculturation were low, despite young age at first arrival to the US mainland (25.4 ± 12.3 y) and long length of stay (34.2 ± 12.2 y). Greater English language use was associated with higher SES, alcohol consumption, physical activity, better perceived health, and less central obesity. Acculturation was associated with lower legume fiber and greater cereal fiber intake. Among those above the poverty threshold, acculturation was associated with lower dietary glycemic index and starch intake, and greater fruit and non-starchy vegetable intake. Conclusions In contrast to studies with Mexican Americans, the association of acculturation with dietary quality in these Puerto Rican adults was mixed, but tended toward better carbohydrate quality. Dietary recommendations should include maintenance of traditional, healthful dietary practices including consumption of legumes, but also reduction in refined

International Students: A Comparison of Health Status and Physical Health before and after Coming to the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Msengi, Clementine M.; Msengi, Israel G.; Harris, Sandra; Hopson, Michael

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the health status and physical health of international students at five American universities. International students in the United States were asked to compare the status of their health before and after coming to the United States. Findings suggested that health status of international students declined…

Association between weight status and men's positive mental health: The influence of marital status.

PubMed

de Montigny, Francine; Cloutier, Lyne; Meunier, Sophie; Cyr, Caroline; Coulombe, Simon; Tremblay, Gilles; Auger, Nathalie; Roy, Bernard; Gaboury, Isabelle; Lavoie, Brigitte; Dion, Harold; Houle, Janie

The purpose of this study was to (1) examine the association between weight status and men's positive mental health, defined as the presence of symptoms of emotional, psychological, and social well-being, and (2) evaluate the moderating effect of marital status. A total of 645 men aged between 19 and 71 years self-reported their height and weight and answered a questionnaire measuring their emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Analysis of variance revealed that mean levels of emotional, psychological, and social well-being did not significantly differ according to men's weight status. Moderation analyses indicated that, for men in a relationship (married or living common-law), there were no significant associations between overweight, obesity, and the three components of positive mental health. However, for single men, overweight was marginally associated with higher emotional well-being, while obesity was associated with lower psychological well-being and marginally associated with lower social well-being. Results of the present study suggest that health professionals and researchers should take the characteristics (such as marital status) of men with obesity and overweight into account when working with them. Mental health researchers may need to examine men in each weight category separately (e.g. obesity vs. overweight), since the association with positive mental health can differ from one category to another. Copyright © 2016 Asia Oceania Association for the Study of Obesity. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of relative and non-relative adoptive parent health status.

PubMed

Foli, Karen J; Lim, Eunjung; Sands, Laura P

2015-03-01

Across the United States, kinship parents, extended family members and close friends, render care to the 2.7 million children who have been removed from their birth parents' care. However, differences between relative and non-relative parents reported health statuses have not been explored. The National Survey of Adoptive Parents data were used to investigate the health status of relative (n = 469) and non-relative (n = 1,599) adoptive parents. Perceived happiness in the parent-child relationship and the parents' ability to cope appear to affect parental health status. Only non-related mothers of children younger than 6 years reported better emotional health than those mothers who were related to their children. With this exception, and despite caring for children who have a greater likelihood of abuse, neglect, and exposure to drugs and alcohol prior to birth, the reported health statuses of relative parents did not differ from non-relative parents. © The Author(s) 2013.

Self-rated health at the intersection of sexual identity and union status.

PubMed

Reczek, Corinne; Liu, Hui; Spiker, Russell

2017-03-01

There is a well-established relationship between union status and health within the general population, and growing evidence of an association between sexual identity and well-being. Yet, what is unknown is whether union status stratifies health outcomes across sexual identity categories. In order to elucidate this question, we analyzed nationally representative population-based data from the National Health Interview Surveys 2013-2014 (N = 53,135) to examine variation in self-rated health by sexual partnership status (i.e., by sexual identity across union status). We further test the role of socioeconomic status and gender in these associations. Results from logistic regression models show that union status stratifies self-rated health across gay, lesbian, and heterosexual populations, albeit in different ways for men and women. Socioeconomic status does not play a major role in accounting for these differences. Findings highlight the need for specific interventions with lesbian women, who appear to experience the most strident disadvantage across union status categories. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of TCMC on Transformation of Good Health Status to Suboptimal Health Status: A Nested Case-Control Study

PubMed Central

Wang, Tian; Chen, Jieyu; Sun, Xiaomin; Xiang, Lei; Zhou, Lin; Li, Fei; Lin, Changsong; Jiang, Pingping; Wu, Shengwei; Xiao, Ya; Cheng, Jingru; Luo, Ren; Liu, Yanyan; Zhao, Xiaoshan

2015-01-01

To explore the effects of traditional Chinese medicine constitution (TCMC) on transformation of good health status to suboptimal health status (SHS), we conducted a nested case-control study among college students in China. During the 18-month mean follow-up time, 543 cases of SHS (42.7%) occurred in 1273 healthy students. There was a significant (P = 0.000) and marked reduction in SHMS V1.0 total score in the case group at the 18-month follow-up (69.32 ± 5.45) compared with baseline (78.60 ± 4.70), but there was no significant change in the control group. Conditional logistic regression analysis showed that respondents reporting Yin-deficiency and Qi-deficiency were, respectively, 2.247 and 2.198 times more likely to develop SHS, while tendency to Yin-deficiency and tendency to Damp-heat were, respectively, 1.642 and 1.506 times more likely to develop SHS. However, the Balanced Constitution was a significant protective factor (OR 0.649; P < 0.05). Altogether, these findings demonstrate that Yin-deficiency, Qi-deficiency, tendency to Yin-deficiency, and tendency to Damp-heat appeared to induce a change in health status to SHS, while the Balanced Constitution seemed to restrain this change. We conclude that regulating the unbalanced TCMC (such as Yin-deficiency and Qi-deficiency) may prevent a healthy status developing into SHS or lead to the regression of SHS. PMID:26346320

The association between subjective socioeconomic status and health inequity in victims of occupational accidents in Korea

PubMed Central

Seok, Hongdeok; Yoon, Jin-Ha; Roh, Jaehoon; Kim, Jihyun; Kim, Yeong-Kwang; Lee, Wanhyung; Rhie, Jeongbae; Won, Jong-Uk

2016-01-01

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the health inequity of victims of occupational accidents through the association between socioeconomic status and unmet healthcare need. Methods: Data from the first and second Panel Study of Workers' Compensation Insurance were used, which included 1,803 participants. The odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals for the unmet healthcare needs of participants with a lower socioeconomic status and other socioeconomic statuses were investigated using multivariate regression analysis. Results: Among all participants, 103 had unmet healthcare needs, whereas 1,700 did not. After adjusting for sex, age, smoking, alcohol, chronic disease, recuperation duration, accident type, disability, and economic participation, the odds ratio of unmet healthcare needs in participants with a lower socioeconomic status was 2.04 (95% confidence interval 1.32-3.15) compared to participants with other socioeconomic statuses. Conclusions: The victims of occupational accidents who have a lower socioeconomic status are more likely to have unmet healthcare needs in comparison to those with other socioeconomic statuses. PMID:27885246

Association between oral health status and nutritional status in south Brazilian independent-living older people.

PubMed

De Marchi, Renato José; Hugo, Fernando Neves; Hilgert, Juliana Balbinot; Padilha, Dalva Maria Pereira

2008-06-01

Evidence suggests that older people with partial tooth loss and edentulism change their diet and lack specific nutrients, but few studies have assessed whether poor oral status is associated with risk of malnutrition and malnutrition in independent-living older people. We evaluated if poor oral status was associated with risk of malnutrition and malnutrition in this population. A random sample of 471 south Brazilians > or =60 y of age was evaluated. Measurements included a questionnaire to assess sociodemographic, behavioral, general, and oral health data; nutritional status assessment, according to the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA); and oral status assessment, by means of oral examinations assessing the number of teeth and use of dental prostheses. Correlates of risk of malnutrition/malnutrition according to the MNA were assessed by means of multivariate logistic regression. Participants who reported dissatisfaction with their gingival health and edentulous persons wearing only one denture were more likely to be at risk of malnutrition, according to the screening MNA. Dissatisfaction with gingival health was a risk indicator, whereas having one to eight natural teeth was protective against the risk of malnutrition/malnutrition according to the full MNA. In the present study, older people with a compromised oral status had higher odds for risk of malnutrition. The maintenance of a few teeth had a crucial role in increasing the chance of maintaining an adequate nutritional status in the studied population. In cases where edentulism was present, complete dental prosthetic use was associated with better nutritional status.

Health Care Financial Management: Curriculum Objectives and Bibliography.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zelman, William N., Ed.; And Others

Curriculum objectives for health care financial management, a bibliography and examples of financial management curricula are presented. The outline of curriculum objectives identifies a core of knowledge and skills in financial management that health administration students might obtain in their academic training. The outline's content is divided…

Respiratory health status and its predictors: a cross-sectional study among coal-based sponge iron plant workers in Barjora, India

PubMed Central

Chattopadhyay, Kaushik; Chattopadhyay, Chaitali; Kaltenthaler, Eva

2015-01-01

Objectives During the past decade, coal-based sponge iron plants, a highly polluted industry, have grown rapidly in Barjora, India. The toxic effects of particulate matters and gaseous pollutants include various respiratory diseases. Understanding workers’ perception of respiratory health is essential in people-centred healthcare. The aim of the study was to assess their respiratory health status and to determine its predictors. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Coal-based sponge iron plants in Barjora, India. Participants 258 coal-based sponge iron plant workers. Primary outcome measure Respiratory health status was measured using the St. George's respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ) total score. 100 and 0 represent the worst and best possible respiratory health status, respectively. Statistical analyses The two-part model (frequency (any worse respiratory health status) and severity (amount of worse respiratory health status)) was developed for the score, as the data were positively skewed with many zeros. Results The mean (SD) SGRQ total score was 7.7 (14.5), the median (IQR) was 0.9 (9.0), and the observed range was 0–86.6. The best possible SGRQ total score was reported by 46.9% of workers. Independent predictors of worse respiratory health status were cleaner domestic cooking fuel (coefficient −0.76, 95% CI −1.46 to −0.06, p=0.034) and personal history of any respiratory disease (1.76, 1.04 to 2.47, p<0.001) in case of frequency; and family history of any respiratory disease (0.43, 0.02 to 0.83, p=0.039) and personal history (1.19, 0.83 to 1.54, p<0.001) in case of severity. Conclusions Less than half of the coal-based sponge iron plant workers in Barjora have the best possible respiratory health status. The predictors of worse respiratory health status were identified. The study findings could be taken into consideration in future interventional studies aimed at improving the respiratory health status of these workers. PMID:25795696

Health and functional status and utilization of health care services among holocaust survivors and their counterparts in Israel.

PubMed

Iecovich, Esther; Carmel, Sara

2010-01-01

To examine differences in health and functional status and in utilization of health services between holocaust survivors and their counterparts; and (b) to investigate if holocaust survivor status is a significant predictor of health status, functional status, and utilization of health services. The study included 1255 respondents of whom 272 were holocaust survivors. Interviews were conducted face-to-face at the respondents' homes. Participants were asked about their health (self-rated health and comorbidity) and functional (ADL and IADL) status, utilization of inpatient and outpatient health care services, age, gender, education, marital status, length of residence in Israel, and if they were holocaust survivors. Holocaust survivors, who were frailer and more chronically ill compared to their counterparts, visited their family physician and the nurse at the health care clinic more often than their counterparts did, and received more homecare services. Yet, there were no differences between them in the utilization of other health care services such as visits to specialists, emergency department, and hospitalizations. Holocaust survivors are more homebound due to more morbidity and functional limitations and therefore receive more health home care services that offset the utilization of other health services. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health status and air pollution related socioeconomic concerns in urban China.

PubMed

Jiao, Kaishan; Xu, Mengjia; Liu, Meng

2018-02-05

China is experiencing environmental issues and related health effects due to its industrialization and urbanization. The health effects associated with air pollution are not just a matter of epidemiology and environmental science research, but also an important social science issue. Literature about the relationship of socioeconomic factors with the environment and health factors is inadequate. The relationship between air pollution exposure and health effects in China was investigated with consideration of the socioeconomic factors. Based on nationwide survey data of China in 2014, we applied the multilevel mixed-effects model to evaluate how socioeconomic status (represented by education and income) contributed to the relationship between self-rated air pollution and self-rated health status at community level and individual level. The findings indicated that there was a non-linear relationship between the community socioeconomic status and community air pollution in urban China, with the highest level of air pollution presented in the communities with moderate socioeconomic status. In addition, health effects associated air pollution in different socioeconomic status groups were not equal. Self-rated air pollution had the greatest impact on self-rated health of the lower socioeconomic groups. With the increase of socioeconomic status, the effect of self-rated air pollution on self-rated health decreased. This study verified the different levels of exposure to air pollution and inequality in health effects among different socioeconomic groups in China. It is imperative for the government to urgently formulate public policies to enhance the ability of the lower socioeconomic groups to circumvent air pollution and reduce the health damage caused by air pollution.

Self-reported oral health status, oral health-related behaviours, resilience and hope in Romania.

PubMed

Dumitrescu, Alexandrina L; Kawamura, Makoto; Dogaru, Beatrice Carmen; Dogaru, Cristian Dinu

2009-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether resilience, hope, perceived oral health status and oral health-related behaviours were associated. The study sample consisted of 198 first-year medical students in Romania. The questionnaire included information about sociodemographic factors, behavioural variables, perceived oral health status, resilience and hope. Women had more resilience and 'personal competence' than men (P < 0.05). Resilience and hope were correlated with perceived dental health (P < 0.01). Perceived dental health was related to current non-treated caries, satisfaction with the appearance of one's own teeth, toothache last time and resilience (P < 0.001). Age, gender, current extracted teeth, perceived gingival bleeding and hope were not independent distinguishing variables after adjustment for internal heterogeneity. When oral health behaviours (toothbrushing, flossing, mouthrinse frequency and pattern of dental visit) were evaluated, it was demonstrated that flossing frequency was correlated with resilience and hope (P < 0.01). The results suggested that resilience and hope might be a psychosocial risk marker that influences perceived oral health status and behaviours.

The effect of perceived health status on patient satisfaction.

PubMed

Xiao, Hong; Barber, Janet P

2008-01-01

To examine the effect of perceived health status on three components of patient satisfaction. The Household Component of the 1999 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey for people 35-64 years of age was used to examine the effect of perceived health status on patient satisfaction measured in terms of access to care, provider quality and quality of care. Descriptive statistics and multivariate regression were used to describe the subjects and to examine the relationship between patient satisfaction and perceived health status controlling for patient demographic factors, health factors and provider characteristics. All analyses used STATA 8.0 which is designed to analyze weighted data. A total of 4,417 patients (71% women) met the inclusion criteria for the study. Patients who rated their health excellent or good scored higher on the three dimensions of patient satisfaction. Higher scores on one or more components of patient satisfaction were associated with being older, married, better educated and having higher income, health insurance and good mental health. Seeing the health-care provider for an old problem resulted in lower levels of patient satisfaction. Provider characteristics significantly related to patient satisfaction were listening to the patient, being a specialist, seeing patients in an office setting and being located in the South. This study has shown that patient satisfaction is influenced by a person's self-perceived health status and other personal characteristics that are external to the delivery of health care. These findings suggest that patient satisfaction data should be used judiciously because a significant portion of the variation may be attributed to factors endogenous to the patient and therefore are not amenable to provider intervention.

[Current status and trends in the health of the Moscow population].

PubMed

Tishuk, E A; Plavunov, N F; Soboleva, N P

1997-01-01

Based on vast comprehensive medical statistical database, the authors analyze the health status of the population and the efficacy of public health service in Moscow. The pre-crisis tendencies and the modern status of public health under modern socioeconomic conditions are noted.

Parental immigration status is associated with children's health care utilization: findings from the 2003 new immigrant survey of US legal permanent residents.

PubMed

Yun, Katherine; Fuentes-Afflick, Elena; Curry, Leslie A; Krumholz, Harlan M; Desai, Mayur M

2013-12-01

Our objective was to examine the association between parental immigration status and child health and health care utilization. Using data from a national sample of immigrant adults who had recently become legal permanent residents (LPR), children (n = 2,170) were categorized according to their parents' immigration status prior to LPR: legalized, mixed-status, refugee, temporary resident, or undocumented. Logistic regression with generalized estimating equations was used to compare child health and health care utilization by parental immigration status over the prior 12 months. Nearly all children in the sample were reported to be in good to excellent health. Children whose parents had been undocumented were least likely to have had an illness that was reported to have required medical attention (5.4 %). Children whose parents had been either undocumented or temporary residents were most likely to have a delayed preventive annual exam (18.2 and 18.7 %, respectively). Delayed dental care was most common among children whose parents had come to the US as refugees (29.1 %). Differences in the preventive annual exam remained significant after adjusting for socioeconomic characteristics. Parental immigration status before LPR was not associated with large differences in reported child health status. Parental immigration status before LPR was associated with the use of preventive annual exams and dental services. However, no group of children was consistently disadvantaged with respect to all measures.

"Top Performing" US Hospitals and the Health Status of Counties they Serve.

PubMed

Maraccini, Amber M; Yang, Wei; Slonim, Anthony D

2018-06-01

This study (a) examined the relationships between "top performing" US hospitals and the health status of counties they serve and (b) compared the health status of "top performing" US hospital counties versus that of remaining US counties. Statistical analyses considered US News and World Report Honor Roll ranking data, as a measure of hospital performance, and County Health Rankings (CHR) data, as a measure of county health status. "Top performing" hospital Honor Roll scores were correlated with measures of Clinical Care (p < 0.001). Counties with "top performing" US hospitals presented greater health status with regard to All Health Outcomes (p < 0.001), Length of Life (p < 0.001), Quality of Life (p < 0.001), All Health Factors (p < 0.001), Health Behaviors (p < 0.001), and Clinical Care (p < 0.001), than compared to remaining US counties. Hospital impact on county health status remains primarily recognized in clinical care and not in overall health. Also, counties that contain a "top performing" US hospital tend to present lower health risks to their citizens than compared to other US counties.

Oral health and nutritional status in a group of geriatric rehabilitation patients.

PubMed

Andersson, Pia; Westergren, Albert; Karlsson, Siv; Rahm Hallberg, Ingalill; Renvert, Stefan

2002-09-01

The aims of this study were to evaluate the oral health status and nutritional status in a group of geriatric rehabilitation patients, and to analyse the relationship between these two parameters. Nurses at the ward performed structured assessments of oral and nutritional status using the Revised Oral Assessment Guide and the Subjective Global Assessment form in 223 newly admitted patients. Most oral health problems were found among patients who stayed longer at the hospital and were more dependent on help as compared with the healthier patients. Thirty-four per cent of the patients were either severely undernourished, at risk or suspected to be undernourished (UN). Oral health problems were more common among UN patients (p < 0.0005) compared with well-nourished patients. The most frequent oral health problem was found on teeth or dentures (48%). Problems related to the tongue and lips were also common among UN patients (56 and 44%, respectively). Oral health status was correlated (r = 0.32) to nutritional status. Problems with swallowing had the strongest association to the nutritional status (OR 6.05; 95% CI 2.41-15.18). This study demonstrated that poor oral health status was related to undernourishment.

Health and nutritional status of children in Ethiopia: do maternal characteristics matter?

PubMed

Seid, Abdu Kedir

2013-03-01

In Ethiopia, despite some recent improvements, the health and nutritional status of children is very poor. A better understanding of the main socioeconomic determinants of child health and nutrition is essential to address the problem and make appropriate interventions. In the present study, an attempt is made to explore the effect of maternal characteristics on the health and nutritional status of under-five children using the 2005 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey. The health and nutritional status of children are measured using the two widely used anthropometric indicators height-for-age (HAZ) and weight-for-height (WHZ). In the ordinary least squares (OLS) estimation, it is observed that maternal characteristics have a significant impact on child health and nutritional status. The magnitudes of the coefficients, however, are found to slightly increase when maternal education is instrumented in the 2SLS estimation. Moreover, in the quantile regression (QR) estimation, the impacts of maternal characteristics are observed to vary between long-term and current child health and nutritional status.

[Health behaviour and health status of nursing staff--a review of the literature].

PubMed

Tracogna, U; Klewer, J; Kugler, J

2002-07-01

Presently around 1.1 million nurses are employed in the German health care system. Due to increased workload and staff reduction, studies on the health behaviour and health condition of nursing staff are increasingly important. Hence we reviewed the literature on health behaviour and health condition of nursing staff. Articles available in Medline and Embase from 1978 to 2000 were included, focussing on smoking, alcohol consumption, substance abuse, eating habits, body-mass index, dental health status, risk behaviour in traffic, workload, burnout syndrome, sports and recreation, job satisfaction, subjective health status, subjective complaints, vaccinations and quality of life. Health behaviour was divided in unhealthy and healthy behaviour. It became obvious that most of the studies focussed on investigation of unhealthy behaviour, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, substance abuse and poor eating habits. Health promotion was mainly seen as avoiding these unhealthy habits. Only in current studies definitions of health promoting behaviour were developed as a part of a comprehensive life-style.

Text Messaging May Engage and Benefit Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Regardless of Health Literacy Status

PubMed Central

Bergner, Erin M.; Nelson, Lyndsay A.; Rothman, Russell L.; Mayberry, Lindsay

2017-01-01

Background Technology-delivered interventions have the potential to improve diabetes self-care and glycemic control among adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, patients who do not engage with interventions may not reap benefits, and there is little evidence on how engagement with mobile health interventions varies by health literacy status. Objective This study explored how patients with limited health literacy engaged with and experienced Rapid Education/Encouragement and Communications for Health (REACH), a text messaging intervention designed to support the self-care adherence of disadvantaged patients with T2D. We recruited adults with T2D from federally qualified health centers and used mixed methods to examine (1) associations between users’ health literacy status and their prior mobile phone use and their engagement with REACH and (2) similarities and differences in users’ self-reported benefits by health literacy status. Methods Participants (N = 55) completed a survey, including measures of health literacy and prior mobile phone use. For 2 weeks, participants experienced REACH, which included daily text messages promoting self-care and asking about medication adherence, and weekly text messages providing medication adherence feedback. After 2 weeks, participants completed a semi-structured telephone interview about their experiences. Key Results Participants with limited health literacy were less likely to have used cell phones to access the Internet (48% vs. 90%, p = .001) or email (36% vs. 87%, p < .001), but equally as likely to have used text messaging and to respond to REACH text messages (p = .12 and p = .40, respectively) compared to participants with adequate health literacy. Participants responded to 93% of text messages on average and reported benefits of the intervention, including reminders and accountability, convenience and accessibility, and information and motivation. Participants with limited health literacy described a unique

Self-reported health status and access to health services in a sample of prisoners in Italy

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Self-reported health status in underserved population of prisoners has not been extensively explored. The purposes of this cross-sectional study were to assess self-reported health, quality of life, and access to health services in a sample of male prisoners of Italy. Methods A total of 908 prisoners received a self-administered anonymous questionnaire pertaining on demographic and detention characteristics, self-reported health status and quality of life, access to health services, lifestyles, and participation to preventive, social, and rehabilitation programs. A total of 650 prisoners agreed to participate in the study and returned the questionnaire. Results Respectively, 31.6% and 43.5% of prisoners reported a poor perceived health status and a poor quality of life, and 60% admitted that their health was worsened or greatly worsened during the prison stay. Older age, lower education, psychiatric disorders, self-reported health problems on prison entry, and suicide attempts within prison were significantly associated with a perceived worse health status. At the time of the questionnaire delivery, 30% of the prisoners self-reported a health problem present on prison entry and 82% present at the time of the survey. Most frequently reported health problems included dental health problems, arthritis or joint pain, eye problems, gastrointestinal diseases, emotional problems, and high blood pressure. On average, prisoners encountered general practitioners six times during the previous year, and the frequency of medical encounters was significantly associated with older age, sentenced prisoners, psychiatric disorders, and self-reported health problems on prison entry. Conclusions The findings suggest that prisoners have a perceived poor health status, specific care needs and health promotion programs are seldom offered. Programs for correction of risk behaviour and prevention of long-term effects of incarceration on prisoners' health are strongly needed

Predictors of burnout and health status in Samaritans' listening volunteers.

PubMed

Roche, Adeline; Ogden, Jane

2017-12-01

Samaritan listening volunteers provide emotional support to people in distress or suicidal. Samaritans' has high volunteer turnover, which may be due to burnout. This study evaluated the role of demographic and psychosocial factors in predicting Samaritans listening volunteers' burnout and health status. Samaritans' listening volunteers (n = 216) from seven branches across UK completed an online survey to assess their levels of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, personal accomplishment), subjective health status, coping, empathy and social support. Overall, listeners showed low levels of burnout and good health. Regression analysis revealed that higher emotional exhaustion was predicted by younger age and avoidant coping style; higher depersonalisation was predicted by lower empathy fantasy and higher avoidant coping style; lower personal accomplishment scores were predicted by higher empathy personal distress and worse health status was predicted by more hours per week spent on listening duties, lower social support and higher avoidant coping style. Overall, different factors influenced different facets of burnout. However, higher use of avoidant coping style consistently predicted higher burnout and worse health status, suggesting avoidant coping is an important target for intervention.

Health status in women with Turner syndrome: a questionnaire study on health status, education, work participation and aspects of sexual functioning.

PubMed

Naess, Eva Elisabeth; Bahr, David; Gravholt, Claus H

2010-05-01

Turner syndrome (TS) is a complex medical condition with specific cognitive and psychosocial characteristics and frequent medical morbidity. Few studies have investigated the influence this has on health status, education and ability to work. To explore health status, level of education, work participation, medical conditions, physical activity, satisfaction with life and aspects of sexual functioning in adult TS women and compare with a matched control group. A questionnaire was sent to 168 adult women with TS >18 years registered in a database of Frambu Resource Centre for Rare Disorders and The TS Association in Norway. We assessed health status with Short Form 36, education with Norwegian Standard Classification of Education, and employment with The General Nordic Questionnaire. Life satisfaction was measured with LiSat-9, and questions on psychological strain during life phases were included. Eighty women with TS (34.0 +/- 11.7 years) and 214 controls (32.9 +/- 10.6) responded. The TS group reported significantly more health problems and impaired health status in the two subscales "physical functioning" and "general health" (P < 0.001). Level of education and work participation was similar among TS and controls. TS moved away from their parents' home later than controls (20.4 +/- 4.0 vs. 18.7 +/- 2.1, P = 0.001). Age at sexual debut differed significantly (21.2 +/- 4.3 vs. 17.3 +/- 2.4 years, P < 0.001). TS attains the same level of education and level of employment as controls, they report more frequent occurrence of medical conditions, but scored lower on only two subscales in the SF-36. Despite considerable medical morbidity, TS seem to cope well with life.

Evaluation of Health Literacy Status Among Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Coastal Karnataka, India

PubMed Central

U.P, Rathnakar; Belman, Madhuri; Kamath, Ashwin; B, Unnikrishnan; Shenoy K, Ashok; A.L, Udupa

2013-01-01

Introduction: People with limited health literacy are more likely to make medication errors, and they have less health knowledge, worse health status, more hospitalizations, and higher healthcare costs than people with adequate literacy. The objective of this study is to assess the health literacy status among patients who are able to read and understand English attending a tertiary care hospital by using Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine [REALM] technique and to compare the health literacy levels to educational status and other baseline characteristics. Material and Methods: A widely used word recognition method [REALM] was used to assess the HL status of 200 patients attending a tertiary care hospital in Southern India. The number of correctly pronounced words was used to assign a grade-equivalent reading level. Scores 0 to 44 indicate reading skills at or below the 6th grade level, scores from 45 to 60 represent skills at the 7th or 8th grade level, and scores above 60 indicate skills at the high-school level or higher. Results: HL status was found below adequate level in more than 50% of the patients. Younger age group showed better HL scores compared to those aged more than 25 years. General education level or the medium of education does not truly reflect HL levels as brought out in the study. Even those with postgraduate qualification had poor HL skills. Conclusion: The study was carried out to find out the HL levels among patients attending a tertiary care hospital. It was assumed that the general education levels may not reflect true HL status. In view of the results of this study it can be concluded that patient’s HL skills should not be taken for granted and adequate attention should be paid in educating and briefing patients whenever patients are required to interpret and understand health care related documents. PMID:24392398

Do school-based health centers improve adolescents' access to health care, health status, and risk-taking behavior?

PubMed

Kisker, E E; Brown, R S

1996-05-01

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the School-Based Adolescent Health Care Program, which provided comprehensive health-related services in 24 school-based health centers. The outcomes evaluation compared a cohort of students attending 19 participating schools and a national sample of urban youths, using logit models to control for observed differences between the two groups of youths. Outcome measures included self-reports concerning health center utilization, use of other health care providers, knowledge of key health facts, substance use, sexual activity, contraceptive use, pregnancies and births, and health status. The health centers increased students' access to health care and improved their health knowledge. However, the estimated impacts on health status and risky behaviors were inconsistent, and most were small and not statistically significant. School-based health centers can increase students' health knowledge and access to health-related services, but more intensive or different services are needed if they are to significantly reduce risk-taking behaviors.

Relationship between subjective social status and perceived health among Latin American immigrant women.

PubMed

Sanchón-Macias, Ma Visitación; Prieto-Salceda, Dolores; Bover-Bover, Andreu; Gastaldo, Denise

2013-01-01

to explore the relationship between socioeconomic status and subjective social status and explain how subjective social status predicts health in immigrant women. cross-sectional study based on data from 371 Latin American women (16-65 years old) from a total of 7,056 registered immigrants accessed through community partners between 2009-2010. Socioeconomic status was measured through education, income and occupation; subjective social status was measured using the MacArthur Scale, and perceived health, using a Likert scale. a weak correlation between socioeconomic and subjective social status was found. In the bivariate analysis, a significantly higher prevalence of negative perceived health in women with no education, low income, undocumented employment was observed. In the multivariate analysis, higher odds of prevalence of negative perceptions of health in the lower levels of the MacArthur scale were observed. No significant differences with the rest of the variables were found. the study suggests that subjective social status was a better predictor of health status than the socioeconomic status measurements. Therefore, the use of this measurement may be relevant to the study of health inequalities, particularly in socially disadvantaged groups such as immigrants.

Measuring general animal health status: Development of an animal health barometer.

PubMed

Depoorter, Pieter; Van Huffel, Xavier; Diricks, Herman; Imberechts, Hein; Dewulf, Jeroen; Berkvens, Dirk; Uyttendaele, Mieke

2015-03-01

The development of an animal health barometer, an instrument to measure the general health of the Belgian livestock population on a yearly basis and to monitor its evolution over time, is described. The elaboration of a set of 13 animal health indicators (AHIs) as the basis for the animal health barometer is discussed. These indicators were weighted by experts - including scientists, policy makers and agro-industrial representatives - to determine their relative weight in the barometer. The result of the barometer is expressed as a comparison with a previous year. Based on the results of the 13 AHIs, it is concluded that general animal health in Belgium shows a positive evolution since 2008. The animal health barometer provides a composite view of the status of livestock health in Belgium and is a tool to communicate in an intelligible, comprehensible manner on aspects of animal health to consumers and professional stakeholders in the animal production and food chain. Together with the food safety barometer (Baert et al., 2011. Food Res. Int. 44, 940) and the plant health barometer (Wilmart et al., 2014. Eur. J. Plant Pathol. doi: 10.1007/s10658-014-0547-x), the animal health barometer is one of the three instruments to provide a holistic view on the overall status of the safety of the food chain in Belgium. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cardiovascular Health Status in Baby Boomers with Diabetes Mellitus

PubMed Central

King, Dana E.; Xiang, Jun; Kulshreshtha, Ambar

2016-01-01

Objectives The objective of this study was to assess the cardiovascular health status of baby boomers with diabetes mellitus (DM) in comparison to the same-age population with DM 10 years previously. Methods The study was conducted in baby boomers with DM using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009–2012 compared with NHANES 1999–2002. Cardiovascular health metrics were derived from the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7. The primary outcome was the comparison of the proportion of individuals with each characteristic, including healthy diet, healthy weight, not smoking, exercising regularly, and maintaining an optimal level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), cholesterol, and blood pressure. Results Current baby boomers with DM (NHANES 2009–2012) had more obesity (70.9% vs 58.8%; P = 0.009) and a lower proportion of ideal physical activity (20.9% vs 31.7%; P = 0.01) than people of the same age 10 years ago; fewer than 1% adhere to an ideal healthy diet. Current baby boomers more often had ideal cholesterol (59.4% vs 47.2; P = 0.01) and reached an ideal HbA1c (51.0% vs 43.4%; P = 0.047). Blood pressure control, adherence to ideal diet, and smoking rates were not significantly different from 10 years ago. In logistic regression analyses controlling for likely confounders, baby boomers persisted in having more obesity and exercising less often, and reaching an ideal cholesterol level more often (P < 0.01). Conclusions Although improving in cholesterol and HbA1c, baby boomers demonstrated worsening in several key cardiovascular health indicators, particularly obesity and physical activity. PMID:27255090

Socioeconomic Status, Health Behaviors, Obesity and Self-Rated Health among Older Arabs in Israel.

PubMed

Khalaila, R N Rabia

2017-03-01

Socioeconomic inequalities in health are well documented. Recently, researchers have shown interest in exploring the mechanisms by which measures of SES operate through it to impact SRH, such as material, psychosocial and behavioral factors. To examine the relationships between SES indicators and self-rated health (SRH); and to determine whether health behaviors and obesity mediate the association between SES indicators and SRH. A secondary analysis of data previously collected through the third survey of socioeconomic and health status of the Arab population in Israel, in which the SRH of 878 Arab-Israelis age 50 or older were analyzed using logistic regression. The results showed that higher education level and current employment in old age are associated with better SRH. However, neither subjective economic status nor family income was associated with SRH. Greater physical activity was found to be related to good\\very good SRH, while obesity was associated with less than good SRH. Finally, health behaviors (physical activity) and obesity were revealed as mediators between SES indicators (education and employment status) and SRH. The results highlight the importance of high education level and employment status in old age to reduce health inequalities. The findings also show that the relationship between SES and SRH can operate through behavioral mechanisms (i.e., physical activity) and their consequences (i.e., obesity), that can, however, be changed in old age.

[Sub-health status of middle school teachers and its correlation analysis with occupational stress].

PubMed

Chang, W J; Shao, H M; Zhi, X Y; Xu, J; Xie, J

2017-08-20

Objective: To study the distribution of sub-health and occupational stress as well as their correlation among middle school teachers in Tianjin, then provide evidences for prevention and control of the status of sub-health. Methods: A total of 3 522 middle school teachers from six districts of Tianjin were recruited with stratified cluster sampling strategy for the investigation of Sub-Health Measurement Scale version 1.0 (SHMS V1.0) and Occupational Stress Inventory-Revised Edition (OSI-R) . Results: Detection rate of sub-health status among Tianjin middle school teachers was 58.55%. Men had significantly lower sub-health detection rate (55.19%) than women (59.71%) . Sub-health detection rate increased with age ( P <0.05) , the sub-health detection rate among middle school teachers more than 50 years old was the highest (66.84%) . The mean score of OSI-R was 403.18±41.80 with the scores of 176.00±21.05, 103.17±17.53, and 124.02±20.28 for ORQ, PSQ, PRQ, respectively, which showed significantly difference compared with the occupational stress norm of China ( P <0.001) . The mean scores of OSI-R, ORQ, PSQ, PRQ in different health status were significantly different ( P <0.001) . The partial correlation analysis between the scores of sub-health and occupational stress of middle school teachers showed that the scores of occupational role and personal strain were negatively correlated with the scores of sub-health state ( P < 0.001) , while, there was significantly positive correlation between the scores of personal resource and the scores of sub-health state ( P <0.001) . Conclusion: Sub-health detection rate of middle school teachers in Tianjin is higher. Effective measures should be taken to appropriately mitigate the occupational stress level of middle school teachers, increase personal resources, and scientific and effective health guidance and education should be strengthened.

Eating habits, health status, and concern about health: a study among 1641 employees in the German metal industry.

PubMed

Reime, B; Novak, P; Born, J; Hagel, E; Wanek, V

2000-04-01

Nutrition has been found to be associated with sociodemographic characteristics and concern about health. There is limited knowledge, however, of associations between blue-collar worker's diet, morbidity, and health care utilization. We conducted a survey on eating habits, physical symptoms, health care utilization, health status, and concern about health in two German metal companies. A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to employees of whom 1641 participated in the study (response rate 54. 7%). Most employees were characterized by a combination of healthy and unhealthy eating elements. Using linear regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, and occupational status, healthy eating was negatively associated with stomach aches and headaches, but not with cardiovascular disease. Restricted activity days and days in hospital were associated with healthy eating, but self-assessed health status and physician consultations were not. Using stepwise multiple regression analysis, age, gender, and concern about health were strongly and morbidity was weakly related to diet. Occupational status, marital status, and number of children were not associated with nutrition. Health promotion programs should motivate younger and male employees to participate in and aim toward increasing concern about health. Copyright 2000 American Health Foundation and Academic Press.

Oral health behavior of parents as a predictor of oral health status of their children.

PubMed

Bozorgmehr, Elham; Hajizamani, Abolghasem; Malek Mohammadi, Tayebeh

2013-01-01

Introduction. It is widely acknowledged that the behavior of parents affects their children's health. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between oral health behavior of parents and oral health status and behavior of their children in a sample of preschool children in Iran. Method and Material. A random sample of over-five-year-old preschool children and their parents were enrolled in the study. Selection of schools was by clustering method. Parents were asked to fill a piloted questionnaire which included demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, oral health behaviors of children and their parents. Oral health status of children was examined. The parent and their children oral health relationship were tested using regression and correlation analysis. Results. About 222 parents and children participated in the study. There was a significant relationship between history of having dental problems in parents and dmft index in their children (P = 0.01). There was a significant relationship between parental frequency of tooth brushing and child frequency of tooth brushing (P = 0.05); however, there was no significant relationship between parental frequency of dental visits and those of their children (P = 0.1). Conclusion. The study concluded that some important health behaviors in parents, such as tooth brushing habits are important determinants of these behaviors in their young children. So promoting parent knowledge and attitude could affect their children oral health behavior and status.

Oral Health Behavior of Parents as a Predictor of Oral Health Status of Their Children

PubMed Central

Bozorgmehr, Elham; Hajizamani, Abolghasem; Malek Mohammadi, Tayebeh

2013-01-01

Introduction. It is widely acknowledged that the behavior of parents affects their children's health. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between oral health behavior of parents and oral health status and behavior of their children in a sample of preschool children in Iran. Method and Material. A random sample of over-five-year-old preschool children and their parents were enrolled in the study. Selection of schools was by clustering method. Parents were asked to fill a piloted questionnaire which included demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, oral health behaviors of children and their parents. Oral health status of children was examined. The parent and their children oral health relationship were tested using regression and correlation analysis. Results. About 222 parents and children participated in the study. There was a significant relationship between history of having dental problems in parents and dmft index in their children (P = 0.01). There was a significant relationship between parental frequency of tooth brushing and child frequency of tooth brushing (P = 0.05); however, there was no significant relationship between parental frequency of dental visits and those of their children (P = 0.1). Conclusion. The study concluded that some important health behaviors in parents, such as tooth brushing habits are important determinants of these behaviors in their young children. So promoting parent knowledge and attitude could affect their children oral health behavior and status. PMID:23738088

Quality of life, health status, and health service utilization related to a new measure of health literacy: FLIGHT/VIDAS.

PubMed

Ownby, Raymond L; Acevedo, Amarilis; Jacobs, Robin J; Caballero, Joshua; Waldrop-Valverde, Drenna

2014-09-01

Researchers have identified significant limitations in some currently used measures of health literacy. The purpose of this paper is to present data on the relation of health-related quality of life, health status, and health service utilization to performance on a new measure of health literacy in a nonpatient population. The new measure was administered to 475 English- and Spanish-speaking community-dwelling volunteers along with existing measures of health literacy and assessments of health-related quality of life, health status, and healthcare service utilization. Relations among measures were assessed via correlations and health status and utilization was tested across levels of health literacy using ANCOVA models. The new health literacy measure is significantly related to existing measures of health literacy as well as to participants' health-related quality of life. Persons with lower levels of health literacy reported more health conditions, more frequent physical symptoms, and greater healthcare service utilization. The new measure of health literacy is valid and shows relations to measures of conceptually related constructs such as quality of life and health behaviors. FLIGHT/VIDAS may be useful to researchers and clinicians interested in a computer administered and scored measure of health literacy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The concept of race and health status in America.

PubMed Central

Williams, D R; Lavizzo-Mourey, R; Warren, R C

1994-01-01

Race is an unscientific, societally constructed taxonomy that is based on an ideology that views some human population groups as inherently superior to others on the basis of external physical characteristics or geographic origin. The concept of race is socially meaningful but of limited biological significance. Racial or ethnic variations in health status result primarily from variations among races in exposure or vulnerability to behavioral, psychosocial, material, and environmental risk factors and resources. Additional data that capture the specific factors that contribute to group differences in disease must be collected. However, reductions in racial disparities in health will ultimately require change in the larger societal institutions and structures that determine exposure to pathogenic conditions. More attention needs to be given to the ways that racism, in its multiple forms, affects health status. Socio-economic status is a central determinant of health status, overlaps the concept of race, but is not equivalent to race. Inadequate attention has been given to the range of variation in social, cultural, and health characteristics within and between racial or ethnic minority populations. There is a growing emphasis, both within and without the Federal Government, on the collection of racial or ethnic identifiers in health data systems, but noncoverage of the Asian and Pacific Islander population, Native Americans, and subgroups of the Hispanic population is still a major problem. However, for all racial or ethnic groups, we need not only more data but better data. We must be more active in directly measuring the health-related aspects of belonging to these social categories. PMID:8303011

[Health status of the Hungarian population between 2000-2010].

PubMed

Baji, Petra; Brodszky, Valentin; Rencz, Fanni; Boncz, Imre; Gulácsi, László; Péntek, Márta

2015-12-13

So far, the latest survey which used the EQ-5D questionnaire to measure the health status of the Hungarian population was carried out in 2000. To explore the health state of the Hungarian population by socio-demographic characteristics, and to compare it with the results from 2000. As part of an international research project, a cross-sectional, online survey was carried out among the general population in 2010 using the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire. In total, 2281 respondents (female: 62.3%) completed the questionnaire with an average age of 40.8 years. The EQ-5D score ranged from 0.902 (in age-group 18-24) to 0.795 (65+). The authors found significant association between the EQ-5D score and all the socio-demographic variables (gender, age, education, income) included in the regression model (F(4,1967)=35.12, p=0.000). The results did not differ significantly from the health survey in 2000, except for the youngest population group (age 18-24), where significantly lower scores were found in the sample. While life expectance increased by 3 years between 2000 and 2010, the health status of the Hungarian population did not change significantly, and might even decreased among young adults in fact. Inequalities in health status by income and education remain significant. In international comparison, the health status of the Hungarian population remains among the worst ones.

Examining the Impact of Maternal Health, Race, and Socioeconomic Status on Daughter's Self-Rated Health Over Three Decades.

PubMed

Shippee, Tetyana P; Rowan, Kathleen; Sivagnanam, Kamesh; Oakes, J Michael

2015-09-01

This study examines the role of mother's health and socioeconomic status on daughter's self-rated health using data spanning three decades from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Mature Women and Young Women (N = 1,848 matched mother-daughter pairs; 1,201 White and 647 African American). Using nested growth curve models, we investigated whether mother's self-rated health affected the daughter's self-rated health and whether socioeconomic status mediated this relationship. Mother's health significantly influenced daughters' self-rated health, but the findings were mediated by mother's socioeconomic status. African American daughters reported lower self-rated health and experienced more decline over time compared with White daughters, accounting for mother's and daughter's covariates. Our findings reveal maternal health and resources as a significant predictor of daughters' self-rated health and confirm the role of socioeconomic status and racial disparities over time. © The Author(s) 2015.

The Subjective Well-Being Method of Valuation: An Application to General Health Status.

PubMed

Brown, Timothy T

2015-12-01

To introduce the subjective well-being (SWB) method of valuation and provide an example by valuing health status. The SWB method allows monetary valuations to be performed in the absence of market relationships. Data are from the 1975-2010 General Social Survey. The value of health status is determined via the estimation of an implicit derivative based on a happiness equation. Two-stage least-squares was used to estimate happiness as a function of poor-to-fair health status, annual household income adjusted for household size, age, sex, race, marital status, education, year, and season. Poor-to-fair health status and annual household income are instrumented using a proxy for intelligence, a temporal version of the classic distance instrument, and the average health status of individuals who are demographically similar but geographically separated. Instrument validity is evaluated. Moving from good/excellent health to poor/fair health (1 year of lower health status) is equivalent to the loss of $41,654 of equivalized household income (2010 constant dollars) per annum, which is larger than median equivalized household income. The SWB method may be useful in making monetary valuations where fundamental market relationships are not present. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Health Status and Health Care Experiences among Homeless Patients in Federally Supported Health Centers: Findings from the 2009 Patient Survey

PubMed Central

Lebrun-Harris, Lydie A; Baggett, Travis P; Jenkins, Darlene M; Sripipatana, Alek; Sharma, Ravi; Hayashi, A Seiji; Daly, Charles A; Ngo-Metzger, Quyen

2013-01-01

Objective To examine health status and health care experiences of homeless patients in health centers and to compare them with their nonhomeless counterparts. Data Sources/Study Setting Nationally representative data from the 2009 Health Center Patient Survey. Study Design Cross-sectional analyses were limited to adults (n = 2,683). We compared sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions, access to health care, and utilization of services among homeless and nonhomeless patients. We also examined the independent effect of homelessness on health care access and utilization, as well as factors that influenced homeless patients' health care experiences. Data Collection Computer-assisted personal interviews were conducted with health center patients. Principal Findings Homeless patients had worse health status—lifetime burden of chronic conditions, mental health problems, and substance use problems—compared with housed respondents. In adjusted analyses, homeless patients had twice the odds as housed patients of having unmet medical care needs in the past year (OR = 1.98, 95 percent CI: 1.24–3.16) and twice the odds of having an ED visit in the past year (OR = 2.00, 95 percent CI: 1.37–2.92). Conclusions There is an ongoing need to focus on the health issues that disproportionately affect homeless populations. Among health center patients, homelessness is an independent risk factor for unmet medical needs and ED use. PMID:23134588

The evolution of health status and chronic conditions in Catalonia, 1994-2006: the paradox of health revisited using the Blinder - Oaxaca decomposition.

PubMed

García-Altés, Anna; Pinilla, Jaime; Ortún, Vicente

2011-05-23

The paradox of health refers to the improvement in objective measures of health and the increase in the reported prevalence of chronic conditions. The objective of this paper is to test the paradox of health in Catalonia from 1994 to 2006. Longitudinal cross-sectional study using the Catalonia Health Interview Survey of 1994 and 2006. The approach used was the three-fold Blinder - Oaxaca decomposition, separating the part of the differential in mean visual analogue scale value (VAS) due to group differences in the predictors (prevalence effect), due to differences in the coefficients (severity effect), and an interaction term. Variables included were the VAS value, education level, labour status, marital status, all common chronic conditions over the two cross-sections, and a variable for non-common chronic conditions and other conditions. Sample weights have been applied. Results show that there is an increase in mean VAS for men aged 15-44, and a decrease in mean VAS for women aged 65-74 and 75 and more. The increase in mean VAS for men aged 15-44 could be explained by a decrease in the severity effect, which offsets the increase in the prevalence effect. The decrease in mean VAS for women aged 65-74 and 75 and more could be explained by an increase in the prevalence effect, which does not offset the decrease in the severity effect. The results of the present analysis corroborate the paradox of health hypothesis for the population of Catalonia, and highlight the need to be careful when measuring population health over time, as well as their usefulness to detect population's perceptions.

The evolution of health status and chronic conditions in Catalonia, 1994-2006: the paradox of health revisited using the Blinder - Oaxaca decomposition

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The paradox of health refers to the improvement in objective measures of health and the increase in the reported prevalence of chronic conditions. The objective of this paper is to test the paradox of health in Catalonia from 1994 to 2006. Methods Longitudinal cross-sectional study using the Catalonia Health Interview Survey of 1994 and 2006. The approach used was the three-fold Blinder - Oaxaca decomposition, separating the part of the differential in mean visual analogue scale value (VAS) due to group differences in the predictors (prevalence effect), due to differences in the coefficients (severity effect), and an interaction term. Variables included were the VAS value, education level, labour status, marital status, all common chronic conditions over the two cross-sections, and a variable for non-common chronic conditions and other conditions. Sample weights have been applied. Results Results show that there is an increase in mean VAS for men aged 15-44, and a decrease in mean VAS for women aged 65-74 and 75 and more. The increase in mean VAS for men aged 15-44 could be explained by a decrease in the severity effect, which offsets the increase in the prevalence effect. The decrease in mean VAS for women aged 65-74 and 75 and more could be explained by an increase in the prevalence effect, which does not offset the decrease in the severity effect. Conclusions The results of the present analysis corroborate the paradox of health hypothesis for the population of Catalonia, and highlight the need to be careful when measuring population health over time, as well as their usefulness to detect population's perceptions. PMID:21605384

Explaining significant differences in subjective and objective measures of cardiovascular health: evidence for the socioeconomic gradient in a population-based study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background To assess prevalence rates of subjective and objective reports of two cardiovascular disorders (hypertension and hypercholesterolemia) for the same subset of respondents in a large-scale study. To determine whether and the extent to which the socioeconomic health gradient differed in the subjective and objective reports of the two cardiovascular disorders. Methods Data from the first wave (2009/2011) of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing were used (n = 4,179). This is a nationally representative study of community-dwelling adults aged 50+ residing in Ireland. Subjective measures were derived from self-reports of doctor-diagnosed hypertension and high cholesterol. Objective measure of hypertension was defined as: systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg and/or on antihypertensive medication. Objective measure of hypercholesterolemia was defined as: total cholesterol ≥5.2 mmol/L and/or on cholesterol-lowering medication. Objective measures of low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol were also used. Two measures of socioeconomic gradient were employed: education and wealth. Binary and multinomial logistic and linear regression analyses were used. Analyses were adjusted for an extensive battery of covariates, including demographics and measures of physical/behavioural health and health care utilization. Results Prevalence of cardiovascular disorders: prevalence of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia was significantly higher when the cardiovascular disorders were measured objectively as compared to self-reports (64% and 72.1% versus 37% and 41.1%, respectively). Socioeconomic gradient in hypertension: the odds of being objectively hypertensive were significantly lower for individuals with tertiary/higher education (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.60-0.92) and in the highest tertile of the wealth distribution (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.62-0.95). In contrast, the associations between

Oral Health Status and Behaviour of Mauritians Visiting Private Dental Clinics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gunsam, P. Pugo; Banka, S.

2011-01-01

Purpose: This paper seeks to assess the oral health status and behaviour of a sample of the Mauritian population visiting private dental clinics. Design/methodology/approach: Oral health status was determined using the World Health Organization (Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth (DMFT) index indicating the prevalence of caries, and factors associated…

Sputum microbiology predicts health status in COPD.

PubMed

Braeken, Dionne Cw; Houben-Wilke, Sarah; Smid, Dionne E; Rohde, Gernot Gu; Drijkoningen, Jesse Jc; Wouters, Emiel Fm; Spruit, Martijn A; Franssen, Frits Me

2016-01-01

Spontaneous sputum production occurs in a subset of COPD patients; however, its clinical relevance has not been established. Differences in health status and clinical outcomes between patients with and without positive sputum cultures are unknown. To compare clinical characteristics and health status of spontaneous sputum producers with a positive culture (SC+) and negative culture (SC-) with nonsputum producers (NP) in a cohort of COPD patients referred for pulmonary rehabilitation. In total, 518 clinically stable patients with mild-to-very severe COPD were recruited (mean age: 64.1±9.1 years, 55.6% males, forced expiratory volume in 1 second 48.6%±20.0% predicted). Health status was measured using COPD Assessment Test, St George's Respiratory Questionnaire, and the Clinical COPD Questionnaire. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Exercise capacity was measured using the 6-minute walking distance. Spontaneously expectorated sputum was cultured for microbiology. Almost one-third of patients spontaneously produced sputum (n=164, 31.7%). Despite comparable lung function, SC+ reported more frequent exacerbations than NP (≥2 exacerbations <1 year: 43 [81.1%] vs 179 [50.6%], P <0.001). COPD Assessment Test total score and the Clinical COPD Questionnaire total score were significantly worse in SC+ than NP (23.9±6.1 vs 21.1±6.7, P =0.012; 3.1±1.0 vs 2.5±1.0, P =0.002; respectively). Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-D score was significantly higher in SC+ than NP (8.7±4.1 vs 7.2±4.3, P =0.046). Spontaneous sputum production is common in COPD. Particularly, patients with positive cultures have worse health status and more symptoms of depression. Impact on disease progression and long-term outcomes remain to be established. NTR3416, registered at www.trialregister.nl.

Immigration, work and health in Spain: the influence of legal status and employment contract on reported health indicators

PubMed Central

Agudelo-Suárez, Andrés; Benavides, Fernando G.; Schenker, Marc; García, Ana M.; Benach, Joan; Delclos, Carlos; López-Jacob, María José; Ruiz-Frutos, Carlos; Ronda-Pérez, Elena; Porthé, Victoria

2010-01-01

Objective To analyze the relationship of legal status and employment conditions with health indicators in foreign-born and Spanish-born workers in Spain. Methods Cross-sectional study of 1,849 foreign-born and 509 Spanish-born workers (2008–2009, ITSAL Project). Considered employment conditions: permanent, temporary and no contract (foreign-born and Spanish-born); considered legal statuses: documented and undocumented (foreign-born). Joint relationships with self-rated health (SRH) and mental health (MH) were analyzed via logistical regression. Results When compared with male permanently contracted Spanish-born workers, worse health is seen in undocumented foreign-born, time in Spain ≤3 years (SRH aOR 2.68, 95% CI 1.09–6.56; MH aOR 2.26, 95% CI 1.15–4.42); in Spanish-born, temporary contracts (SRH aOR 2.40, 95% CI 1.04–5.53); and in foreign-born, temporary contracts, time in Spain >3 years (MH: aOR 1.96, 95% CI 1.13–3.38). In females, highest self-rated health risks are in foreign-born, temporary contracts (aOR 2.36, 95% CI 1.13–4.91) and without contracts, time in Spain >3 years (aOR 4.63, 95% CI 1.95–10.97). Conclusions Contract type is a health determinant in both foreign-born and Spanish-born workers. This study offers an uncommon exploration of undocumented migration and raises methodological issues to consider in future research. PMID:20401513

Health status transitions in community-living elderly with complex care needs: a latent class approach.

PubMed

Lafortune, Louise; Béland, François; Bergman, Howard; Ankri, Joël

2009-02-03

For older persons with complex care needs, accounting for the variability and interdependency in how health dimensions manifest themselves is necessary to understand the dynamic of health status. Our objective is to test the hypothesis that a latent classification can capture this heterogeneity in a population of frail elderly persons living in the community. Based on a person-centered approach, the classification corresponds to substantively meaningful groups of individuals who present with a comparable constellation of health problems. Using data collected for the SIPA project, a system of integrated care for frail older people (n = 1164), we performed latent class analyses to identify homogenous categories of health status (i.e. health profiles) based on 17 indicators of prevalent health problems (chronic conditions; depression; cognition; functional and sensory limitations; instrumental, mobility and personal care disability) Then, we conducted latent transition analyses to study change in profile membership over 2 consecutive periods of 12 and 10 months, respectively. We modeled competing risks for mortality and lost to follow-up as absorbing states to avoid attrition biases. We identified four health profiles that distinguish the physical and cognitive dimensions of health and capture severity along the disability dimension. The profiles are stable over time and robust to mortality and lost to follow-up attrition. The differentiated and gender-specific patterns of transition probabilities demonstrate the profiles' sensitivity to change in health status and unmasked the differential relationship of physical and cognitive domains with progression in disability. Our approach may prove useful at organization and policy levels where many issues call for classification of individuals into pragmatically meaningful groups. In dealing with attrition biases, our analytical strategy could provide critical information for the planning of longitudinal studies of aging

Parental Immigration Status is Associated with Children’s Health Care Utilization: Findings from the 2003 New Immigrant Survey of US Legal Permanent Residents

PubMed Central

Fuentes-Afflick, Elena; Curry, Leslie A.; Krumholz, Harlan M.; Desai, Mayur M.

2014-01-01

Our objective was to examine the association between parental immigration status and child health and health care utilization. Using data from a national sample of immigrant adults who had recently become legal permanent residents (LPR), children (n = 2,170) were categorized according to their parents’ immigration status prior to LPR: legalized, mixed-status, refugee, temporary resident, or undocumented. Logistic regression with generalized estimating equations was used to compare child health and health care utilization by parental immigration status over the prior 12 months. Nearly all children in the sample were reported to be in good to excellent health. Children whose parents had been undocumented were least likely to have had an illness that was reported to have required medical attention (5.4 %). Children whose parents had been either undocumented or temporary residents were most likely to have a delayed preventive annual exam (18.2 and 18.7 %, respectively). Delayed dental care was most common among children whose parents had come to the US as refugees (29.1 %). Differences in the preventive annual exam remained significant after adjusting for socioeconomic characteristics. Parental immigration status before LPR was not associated with large differences in reported child health status. Parental immigration status before LPR was associated with the use of preventive annual exams and dental services. However, no group of children was consistently disadvantaged with respect to all measures. PMID:23329165

Infertile Individuals’ Marital Relationship Status, Happiness, and Mental Health: A Causal Model

PubMed Central

Ahmadi Forooshany, Seyed Habiballah; Yazdkhasti, Fariba; Safari Hajataghaie, Saiede; Nasr Esfahani, Mohammad Hossein

2014-01-01

Background This study examined the causal model of relation between marital relation- ship status, happiness, and mental health in infertile individuals. Materials and Methods In this descriptive study, 155 subjects (men: 52 and women: 78), who had been visited in one of the infertility Centers, voluntarily participated in a self-evaluation. Golombok Rust Inventory of Marital Status, Oxford Happiness Ques- tionnaire, and General Health Questionnaire were used as instruments of the study. Data was analyzed by SPSS17 and Amos 5 software using descriptive statistics, independent sample t test, and path analysis. Results Disregarding the gender factor, marital relationship status was directly related to happiness (p<0.05) and happiness was directly related to mental health, (p<0.05). Also, indirect relation between marital relationship status and mental health was significant (p<0.05). These results were confirmed in women participants but in men participants only the direct relation between happiness and mental health was significant (p<0.05). Conclusion Based on goodness of model fit in fitness indexes, happiness had a mediator role in relation between marital relationship status and mental health in infertile individu- als disregarding the gender factor. Also, considering the gender factor, only in infertile women, marital relationship status can directly and indirectly affect happiness and mental health. PMID:25379161

Burden, perceived health status, and mood among caregivers of Parkinson's disease patients.

PubMed

Martinez-Martin, Pablo; Arroyo, Susana; Rojo-Abuin, Jose Manuel; Rodriguez-Blazquez, Carmen; Frades, Belen; de Pedro Cuesta, Jesus

2008-09-15

The objective of this study is to describe the characteristics of the caregivers of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and to analyze the association between these characteristics and caregiver burden, perceived health and mood status, and identify their predictors. A multicenter, nationwide, observational, cross-sectional study that included 289 patient-caregiver pairs was conducted. Caregiver self-assessments were the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), EuroQol (EQ), and Zarit Caregiver Burden Inventory (ZCBI). Most caregivers in the study were women aged 60 years or thereabouts. Over two thirds were gainfully employed or housewives, 75% were patients' spouses, and the majority (96.5%) had been permanently taking care of the patient for 6 +/- 5.4 years. Less than 5% of patients were in the most advanced stages of disease, and direct costs were 6,350 euros per patient per year. Caregivers had more mood disorders and worse health-related quality of life (HRQol; EQ-Tariff) than did the general population. Caregiver HADS and EuroQol scores displayed a weak correlation (r(S) = 0.01-0.28) with patient-related variables (disease duration, HY, SCOPA-Motor, SCOPA-AUT, HADS, PPRS, and CISI-PD) whereas the ZCBI correlated moderately (r(S) = 0.27-0.47). Among caregivers, the EQ-Tariff was significantly lower and the HADS-Anxiety scores significantly higher for women. ZCBI and HADS-depression, though not EuroQol and HADS-anxiety, scores significantly increased with increasing PD severity levels. Caregivers' affective status proved the most important factor influencing their burden and perceived health, whereas patient-related variables influenced caregiver burden and mood but not health status. In PD, prevalence of affective disorders among patients' caregivers is high and influences both burden and HRQoL. (c) 2007 Movement Disorder Society.

Pathways to Children's Academic Performance and Prosocial Behaviour: Roles of Physical Health Status, Environmental, Family, and Child Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Gillian; McDougall, Janette; DeWit, David; Hong, Sungjin; Miller, Linda; Offord, David; Meyer, Katherine; LaPorta, John

2005-01-01

The objective of this article is to examine the pathways by which children's physical health status, environmental, family, and child factors affect children's academic performance and prosocial behaviour, using a theoretically-based and empirically-based model of competence development. The model proposes that 3 types of relational processes,…

Oral Health Literacy and Oral Health Status among Adults Attending Dental College Hospital in India.

PubMed

Haridas, Reshmi; S, Supreetha; Ajagannanavar, Sunil Lingaraj; Tikare, Shreyas; Maliyil, Mathew J; Kalappa, Amrutha Ammanichanda

2014-01-01

Low health literacy is one among many reasons why preventable diseases remain so common and why people often do not adopt healthy practices. It is important to detect patients with inadequate oral health literacy (OHL) and to improve the level of communication between the provider and the patient. This study was aimed to determine the relationship between OHL with selected socio-demographic variables and oral health status among adults in Virajpet, Karnataka, India. A convenience sample of 187 subjects from the out-patient department of Coorg-Institute of Dental Sciences Hospital administered the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Dentistry (REALD-30). The demographic variables and the oral health status were recorded for every participant using World Health Organization oral health survey proforma (1997). Data were analyzed using t-tests, analysis of variance, correlations and Kruskal-Wallis test. The associations between REALD-30 scores and gender, age, and ethnicity were not statistically significant. Significant associations were found between REALD scores and the following oral-health related variables: Temperomandibular joint problems, prevalence of prosthetic need, CPI (Community Periodontal Index) and loss of attachment scores. REALD-30 scores were negatively correlated with DMFT (Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth) scores and DAI (Dental Aesthetic Index) scores. OHL was not associated with sex, age, or ethnicity in this sample of the Virajpet population. OHL was associated with oral health status. Lower OHL was associated with poorer oral health status. OHL instruments can be considered to be included as screening tools to identifying individuals or groups with poor oral health outcomes.

Treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head by free vascularized fibular grafting: an analysis of surgical outcome and patient health status

PubMed Central

Louie, Brian E.; McKee, Michael D.; Richards, Robin R.; Mahoney, James L.; Waddell, James P.; Beaton, Dorcas E.; Schemitsch, Emil H.; Yoo, Daniel J.

1999-01-01

Objective To evaluate the limb-specific outcome and general health status of patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head treated with vascularized fibular grafting. Design A retrospective review. Setting A single tertiary care centre. Patients Fifty-five consecutive patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head who underwent fibular grafting (8 bilaterally). Intervention Vascularized fibular grafting. Outcome measures Limb-specific scores (Harris Hip Score, St. Michael’s Hospital Hip Score), general health status (Nottingham Health Profile, SF-36 health status survey) and radiographic outcome measures (Steinberg stage). Results Patients were young (mean age 34 years, range from 18 to 52 years) and 80% had advanced osteonecrosis (Steinberg stages IV and V). Fifty-nine hips were followed up for an average of 50 months (range from 24 to 117 months) after vascularized fibular grafting. Sixteen hips (27%) were converted to total hip arthroplasty (THA). To date, 73% of hips treated with vascularized fibular grafting have required no further surgery. Preoperative and postoperative Harris Hip Scores were 57.3 and 83.6 respectively (p < 0.001). As measured by patient-oriented health status questionnaires (SF-36, Nottingham Health Profile) and compared with population controls, patients had normal mental health scores and only slight decreases in physical component scores. Conclusions Free vascularized fibular grafting for osteonecrosis of the femoral head provides satisfactory pain relief, functional improvement and general health status and halts the progression of symptomatic disease. PMID:10459327

Subjective Social Status and Self-Reported Health Among US-born and Immigrant Latinos.

PubMed

Garza, Jeremiah R; Glenn, Beth A; Mistry, Rashmita S; Ponce, Ninez A; Zimmerman, Frederick J

2017-02-01

Subjective social status is associated with a range of health outcomes. Few studies have tested the relevance of subjective social status among Latinos in the U.S.; those that have yielded mixed results. Data come from the Latino subsample of the 2003 National Latino and Asian American Study (N = 2554). Regression models adjusted for socioeconomic and demographic factors. Stratified analyses tested whether nativity status modifies the effect of subjective social status on health. Subjective social status was associated with better health. Income and education mattered more for health than subjective social status among U.S.-born Latinos. However, the picture was mixed among immigrant Latinos, with subjective social status more strongly predictive than income but less so than education. Subjective social status may tap into stressful immigrant experiences that affect one's perceived self-worth and capture psychosocial consequences and social disadvantage left out by conventional socioeconomic measures.

[Health status, health perception, and health promotion behaviors of low-income community dwelling elderly].

PubMed

Lee, Tae-Wha; Ko, Il-Sun; Lee, Kyung-Ja; Kang, Kyeong-Hwa

2005-04-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate the health status(present illness, ADL and IADL), health perception, and health promotion behaviors of low-income elderly who are receiving the visiting nurse service in the community. The sample of the study was 735 elderly over 65 years old with basic livelihood security, who were conveniently selected from 245 public health centers nation-wide. Data collection was done using a structured questionnaire through interviews by visiting nurses. The average number of present illnesses in the study subjects was 4.18. The average scores of ADL and IADL were 15.903.39 and 9.772.97 respectively, which indicates a relatively independent everyday life. However, 64.2% of the subjects perceived their health status as 'not healthy'. In terms of health promotion behaviors, 77.8% of the subjects had ceased smoking, 83.9% stopped drinking, 56.4% had a regular diet, 45.8% received regular physical check-ups during the past two years, and 66% received flu shots. Approximately 50% of the subjects were practicing 3-4 health promotion behaviors. Significant factors associated with health promotion behaviors were ADL, IADL and self-efficacy. Health promotion programs which focus on regular diet, exercise, and regular physical check-ups should be developed to improve independence of everyday life and quality of life among low-income elderly.

75 FR 34537 - Interim Final Rules for Group Health Plans and Health Insurance Coverage Relating to Status as a...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-17

... 45 CFR Part 147 Group Health Plans and Health Insurance Coverage Relating to Status as a... for Group Health Plans and Health Insurance Coverage Relating to Status as a Grandfathered Health Plan... group health plans and health insurance coverage in the group and individual markets under provisions of...

Health Journalism: Health Reporting Status and Challenges

PubMed Central

Keshvari, Mahrokh; Yamani, Niko; Adibi, Peyman; Shahnazi, Hossein

2018-01-01

Background: Media play crucial role in disseminating health information. Due to the importance of accurate health news reports, and the national need to professionalism in health journalism, this study aimed to investigate the characteristics of health journalists, and health reporting status and the challenges involved. Materials and Methods: Using consensus sampling, this descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on all health news reporters in Isfahan (34 journalists) in 2015–2016. Data collection was done via a researcher-made questionnaire. Content validity of the questionnaire was determined by qualitative method and based on the opinions of six experts. The test–retest reliability coefficient was 98.0. Data analysis was done by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 16 and descriptive statistics and content analysis were used for analyzing the responses to two open questions. Results: Among 34 journalists, 56% were women and 44% men; the majority of journalists (65%) had no specialized training on health reporting, 35% of journalists were not able to understand the health issues, and the knowledge of medical terminology in 59% of them was moderate to low. The most important required skill for reporters was the ability to interpret medical research reports (88%), 97% were eager to participate in specialized health education. Conclusions: Our study showed that health journalists lacked knowledge and specialized training for dissemination of health news. This has brought about serious challenges. Thus, development and implementation of training courses in close collaboration with educational department of the Ministry of Health and news programs professionals at Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting is highly recommended. PMID:29344040

Health Journalism: Health Reporting Status and Challenges.

PubMed

Keshvari, Mahrokh; Yamani, Niko; Adibi, Peyman; Shahnazi, Hossein

2018-01-01

Media play crucial role in disseminating health information. Due to the importance of accurate health news reports, and the national need to professionalism in health journalism, this study aimed to investigate the characteristics of health journalists, and health reporting status and the challenges involved. Using consensus sampling, this descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on all health news reporters in Isfahan (34 journalists) in 2015-2016. Data collection was done via a researcher-made questionnaire. Content validity of the questionnaire was determined by qualitative method and based on the opinions of six experts. The test-retest reliability coefficient was 98.0. Data analysis was done by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 16 and descriptive statistics and content analysis were used for analyzing the responses to two open questions. Among 34 journalists, 56% were women and 44% men; the majority of journalists (65%) had no specialized training on health reporting, 35% of journalists were not able to understand the health issues, and the knowledge of medical terminology in 59% of them was moderate to low. The most important required skill for reporters was the ability to interpret medical research reports (88%), 97% were eager to participate in specialized health education. Our study showed that health journalists lacked knowledge and specialized training for dissemination of health news. This has brought about serious challenges. Thus, development and implementation of training courses in close collaboration with educational department of the Ministry of Health and news programs professionals at Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting is highly recommended.

Vitamin D Status of College Students: Implications for Health Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cress, Eileen McKenna

2014-01-01

Vitamin D deficiency is considered to be a pandemic with implications for compromised bone health and other chronic diseases. Few studies have examined vitamin D status in college-aged individuals where prevention of future health consequences is still possible. Serum vitamin D 25(OH)D status and vitamin D intake were examined in 98 college…

The impact of social isolation on the health status and health-related quality of life of older people.

PubMed

Hawton, Annie; Green, Colin; Dickens, Andy P; Richards, Suzanne H; Taylor, Rod S; Edwards, Rachel; Greaves, Colin J; Campbell, John L

2011-02-01

To investigate for socially isolated older people, and older people at risk of social isolation: (1) health status and health-related quality of life (HRQL); (2) the relationship between social isolation and health status/HRQL; (3) the relationship between two alternative measures of health status/HRQL. Older people at risk of social isolation (n = 393) completed the EQ-5D and the SF-12. Multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the relationship between levels of social isolation and health status/HRQL, controlling for demographic/clinical characteristics. The agreement between EQ-5D and SF-6D (SF-12) scores was explored using descriptive psychometric techniques. Health status and health state values were much lower than UK general population age-matched norms. After controlling for depression, physical co-morbidities, age, gender, living alone status, employment and accommodation, social isolation was significantly associated, to a degree that was clinically relevant, with EQ-5D DSI, SF-6D (SF-12) and SF-12 MCS scores. The potential for ceiling effects on the EQ-5D with this population was identified. This work highlights the burden that social isolation may have on the health and well-being of older people. The potential HRQL gains from addressing social isolation may be considerable, with those at risk of social isolation also a key target group.

Posthospitalization home health care use and changes in functional status in a Medicare population.

PubMed

Hadley, J; Rabin, D; Epstein, A; Stein, S; Rimes, C

2000-05-01

The objective of this work was to estimate the effect of Medicare beneficiaries' use of home health care (HHC) for 6 months after hospital discharge on the change in functional status over a 1-year period beginning before hospitalization. Data came from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, which is a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries, in-person interview data, and Medicare claims for 1991 through 1994 for 2,127 nondisabled, community-dwelling, elderly Medicare beneficiaries who were hospitalized within 6 months of their annual in-person interviews. Econometric estimation with the instrumental variable method was used to correct for observational data bias, ie, the nonrandom allocation of discharged beneficiaries to the use of posthospitalization HHC. The analysis estimates a first-stage model of HHC use from which an instrumental variable estimate is constructed to estimate the effect on change in functional status. The instrumental variable estimates suggest that HHC users experienced greater improvements in functional status than nonusers as measured by the change in a continuous scale based on the number and mix of activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living before and after hospitalization. The estimated improvement in functional status could be as large as 13% for a 10% increase in HHC use. In contrast, estimation with the observational data on HHC use implies that HHC users had poorer health outcomes. Adjusting for potential observational data bias is critical to obtaining estimates of the relationship between the use of posthospitalization HHC and the change in health before and after hospitalization. After adjustment, the results suggest that efforts to constrain Medicare's spending for HHC, as required by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, may lead to poorer health outcomes for some beneficiaries.

Dynamics of pregnant women's oral health status during preventive programme.

PubMed

Vasiliauskiene, Ingrida; Milciuviene, Simona; Bendoraitiene, Egle; Narbutaite, Julija; Slabsinskiene, Egle; Andruskeviciene, Vilija

2007-01-01

The aim of the study was to determine the efficiency of the applied preventive measures during pregnancy and to improve oral health status to pregnant women. Oral health status of 180 pregnant women was determined according to WHO criteria (WHO: Basic methods, 1997). Dental caries prevalence, DMF-T and DMF-S were evaluated. Gingival status was estimated according to Silness-Loe (GI) index. Women were asked about tooth brushing frequency; oral hygiene was evaluated according to Green-Vermilion (OHI-S) index. Participants were divided into test (89) and control (91) groups. During pregnancy, the following preventive measures were applied to the test group: fluoride varnish applications, mouthrinsing with 0.12% chlorhexine digluconate, professional oral hygiene. Oral health status was evaluated three times during pregnancy. Reduction in dental caries increment of the test group was 56.25% in comparison with the control group. The periodontal status has improved, oral hygiene index (OHI-S) has decreased from 1.48+/-0.05 to 0.94+/-0.06 in the test group, and from 1.49+/-0.06 to 1.9+/-0.06 in the control group. Results of the study showed that selected dental caries preventive measures were effective and significantly improved women's oral health during pregnancy.

Maternal cultural participation and child health status in a Middle Eastern context: evidence from an urban health study.

PubMed

Khawaja, M; Barazi, R; Linos, N

2007-03-01

The negative effect of poverty on child health has been well established. However, rapid urbanization in developing countries prompts new research questions relating to socio-cultural practices and other related variables in these settings. To examine the association between maternal cultural participation and child health status in impoverished neighbourhoods of Beirut, Lebanon. A cross-sectional survey of 1241 mothers with children aged less than 5 years was conducted from randomly selected households in three impoverished neighbourhoods of diverse ethnic and religious make-up. The outcome variable was child health status (good/bad) as assessed by the mother. Maternal variables, including cultural participation, education, demographic and environmental/structural factors, were studied. Descriptive statistics and bivariate associations were provided using Pearson's chi-square tests. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios were then obtained from binary logistic regression models. Two indicators of maternal cultural participation, namely watching entertaining television and attending movies/art exhibitions, were found to be significantly associated with child health status after controlling for other risk factors. The quality of water, the quality of local health services and maternal education were also significantly associated with child health status. Household income, child gender and household dampness had no significant association with child health status in this context. Maternal cultural participation was a significant predictor of child health status in impoverished urban communities. Improving child health through culturally focused interventions for mothers, especially in deprived areas, may be greatly important.

Influence of the mental health status on a new measure of objective functional impairment in lumbar degenerative disc disease.

PubMed

Stienen, Martin N; Smoll, Nicolas R; Joswig, Holger; Snagowski, Jan; Corniola, Marco V; Schaller, Karl; Hildebrandt, Gerhard; Gautschi, Oliver P

2017-06-01

The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test has recently been proposed as a simple and standardized measure for objective functional impairment (OFI) in patients with lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD). The study aimed to explore the relationship between a patient's mental health status and both patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and TUG test results. This is a prospective institutional review board-approved two-center study. The sample was composed of 375 consecutive patients scheduled for lumbar spine surgery and a healthy cohort of 110 control subjects. Patients and control subjects were assessed with the TUG test and a comprehensive panel of subjective PROMs of pain intensity (visual analog scale [VAS]), functional impairment (Roland-Morris Disability Index [RMDI]), Oswestry Disability Index [ODI]), as well as health-related quality of life (hrQoL; Euro-Qol [EQ]-5D). Standardized age- and sex-adjusted TUG test T-scores were calculated. The dependent variable was the short-form (SF)-12 mental component summary (MCS) quartiles, and the independent variables were the TUG T-scores and PROMs. Direct and adjusted analyses of covariance were performed to estimate the interaction between the SF-12 MCS quartiles and the independent variables. In patients, there was a significant decrease in the subjective PROMs, notably the VAS back pain (p=.001) and VAS leg pain (p=.035), as well as significant increase in the RMDI (p<.001), ODI (p<.001), and the EQ-5D index (p<.001) with every increase in the quartile of the SF-12 MCS. There were no significant group differences of OFI as measured by the TUG T-scores across the SF-12 MCS quartiles (p=.462). In the healthy control group, a significant decrease in VAS leg pain (p=.028), RMDI (p=.013), and ODI (p<.001), as well as a significant increase in the EQ-5D index (p<.001), was seen across the SF-12 MCS quartiles, whereas TUG T-scores remained stable (p=.897). There are significant influences of mental hrQoL on subjective measures

Evaluation of conducting a screening assessment of nutritional status of hospitalized patients. Presentation of main goals and objectives of the global health project "NutritionDay".

PubMed

Jeznach-Steinhagen, Anna; Ostrowska, Joanna; Czerwonogrodzka-Senczyna, Aneta

2016-01-01

European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) commenced in 2004 a global health project named "NutritionDay" aiming to promote awareness of proper nutritional status of hospitalized patients and to draw attention to the need for early detection of malnutrition among patients. Under the Polish law--pursunat to the regulation of the Minister of Health dated September 15, 2011 (amendment as of 27.12.2013)--a nutritional status of each patient should be assessed at the time of a hospital admission. of this study was to analyze the fulfilment of the mandatory questionnaire assessment of nutritional status at selected wards of one of Warsaw's clinical hospitals. The study included an analysis of medical records of patients hospitalized within 6 months (n = 26375). The correct fulfilment of screening questionnaire assessing nutritional status (NRS 2002 survey) and the information about patients' body weight as well as the results assessment of nutritional status were subject to the analysis. NRS 2002 questionnaire was present in only 67,14% medical records of patients, however 49.24% of them were unfilled. The obtained results confirming low degree of NRS 2002 questionnaires' fulfilment in one of the Warsaw clinical hospitals draws attention to the need for education of hospital personnel in the field of significance of screening of nutritional assessment and its regulations. The "NutritionDay" project is an interesting form to attract attention of the aforementioned problem and its global extent additionally encourage medical units to participate in the project.

Relationship of socioeconomic status with health behaviors and self-perceived health in the elderly: A community-based study, Turkey.

PubMed

Simsek, Hatice; Doganay, Sinem; Budak, Refik; Ucku, Reyhan

2014-10-01

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of socioeconomic status on health behaviors and perceived health. The present cross-sectional study included 2947 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and older. Dependent variables were health behaviors and self-perceived health. The independent variable was socioeconomic status. In men, the risk of unhealthy diet was higher among the uneducated group (OR 4.48) and among those with poor/very poor economic status (OR 3.31). Additionally, in men, having poor/very poor self-perceived health was found to be 3.50-fold significantly higher among the uneducated group than the secondary school and higher-educated group. Lower education level and lower social class were found to be protective factors for smoking in women. In women, the risk of unhealthy diet was found to be 1.54- and 2.18-fold significantly higher, respectively, among those who graduated from primary school and uneducated. There was also a relationship between poor/very poor economic status and unhealthy diet among elderly women (OR 2.80). In women, the risk of physical inactivity was found to be 1.98-fold significantly higher in the uneducated group and 1.79-fold significantly higher in those with poor/very poor economic status, 0.33-fold significantly lower in skilled employees/white collar workers. With regard to self-perceived health status, education level and perceived economic status were significantly related to poor/very poor health status in women (OR 2.09 and OR 4.08, respectively). In older men and women, lower socioeconomic status increases the risk of unhealthy diet and poor health perception. In older women, lower socioeconomic status is a protective factor for smoking, but it also increases physical inactivity. © 2013 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Low-socioeconomic status workers: their health risks and how to reach them.

PubMed

Harris, Jeffrey R; Huang, Yi; Hannon, Peggy A; Williams, Barbara

2011-02-01

To help workplace health promotion practitioners reach low-socioeconomic status workers at high risk for chronic diseases. We describe low-socioeconomic status workers' diseases, health status, demographics, risk behaviors, and workplaces, using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, and Bureau of Labor Statistics. Workers with household annual incomes less than $35,000, or a high school education or less, report more chronic diseases and lower health status. They tend to be younger, nonwhite, and have much higher levels of smoking and missed cholesterol screening. They are concentrated in the smallest and largest workplaces and in three low-wage industries that employ one-quarter of the population. To decrease chronic diseases among low-socioeconomic status workers, we need to focus workplace health promotion programs on workers in low-wage industries and small workplaces.

Behavioral lifestyle and mental health status of Japanese factory workers.

PubMed

Ezoe, S; Morimoto, K

1994-01-01

Lifestyle factors, sometimes associated with physical health and mortality, have also been known to be associated with mental health status. This study seeks to correlate behavioral lifestyles with major components of mental health among Japanese factory workers. We administered the 28-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and a questionnaire concerning eight personal health practices to 2,132 male and 668 female factory workers at a camera-manufacturing company in Japan. There were strong negative relationships of a higher total number of favorable lifestyles as indicated by the Health Practice Index (HPI) to psychological distress and its components: somatic symptoms, anxiety-insomnia, and social dysfunction. After controlling for the effects of confounding factors that included age, marital status, and somatic condition, multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that five of the eight health factors among male workers--mental stress, nutritional balance, eating breakfast regularly, physical exercise, and working hours--were significantly related to the grade of psychological distress or its three components. Among female workers, five health practices, i.e., mental stress, physical exercise, sleeping hours, working hours, and cigarette smoking, were significantly associated with the grade of psychological distress or its three components. Good health practices might be individually and as a whole associated with better mental health status in factory workers.

Perceived health status and daily activity participation of older Malaysians.

PubMed

Ng, Sor Tho; Tengku-Aizan, Hamid; Tey, Nai Peng

2011-07-01

This article investigates the influence of perceived health status on the daily activity participation of older Malaysians. Data from the Survey on Perceptions of Needs and Problems of the Elderly, which was conducted in 1999, were used. The negative binomial regression results show that older persons with good perceived health status reported more varieties of daily activity participation, especially among the uneducated and those with below-average self-esteem. The multinomial logistic regression model suggests that older persons with good perceived health status tended to engage daily in paid work only or with leisure activities, whereas those perceived to have poor health were more likely to engage in leisure activities only or leisure and family role activities. Promotion of a healthy lifestyle at a younger age encourages every person to monitor and take responsibility for their own health, which is a necessary strategy to ensure active participation at an older age, and thus improve their well-being.

Health Status and ADL Functioning of Older Persons with Intellectual Disability: Community Residence versus Residential Care Centers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lifshitz, Hefziba; Merrick, Joav; Morad, Mohammed

2008-01-01

The objective of the study was to study differences in aging phenomena among adults with intellectual disability (ID), who live in community residence versus their peers in residential care centers and to determine the contribution of health status, age, gender, etiology and level of ID to the decline in ADL function with age. Our study was based…

Oral health-related quality of life and prosthetic status of nursing home residents with or without dementia.

PubMed

Klotz, Anna-Luisa; Hassel, Alexander Jochen; Schröder, Johannes; Rammelsberg, Peter; Zenthöfer, Andreas

2017-01-01

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the effect of prosthetic status on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of nursing home residents with or without dementia. The study was performed in 14 nursing homes across the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. All eligible participants were included, and general and medical information and information about their dental and prosthetic statuses were collected. The Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) was administered to evaluate OHRQoL. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) served to classify participants into living or not living with dementia according to the established cutoff value for dementia (MMSE <24). Parametric bivariate statistics and logistic regression models were used to analyze data at P <0.05. A total of 169 participants were included in this study. The mean age of the participants was 82.9 years. A total of some 70% of the sample was living with dementia. The mean GOHAI score along the sample was 49.1 (8.3), and 41% of the sample reported substantially compromised OHRQoL (GOHAI <50). OHRQoL was statistically similar for people with or without dementia ( P =0.234); objective oral health was also similar in both groups ( P >0.05). The number of teeth (odds ratio [OR]: 2.0), the type of prosthetic status (OR: 6.5), and denture-related treatment needs (OR: 2.4) were the major factors significantly affecting OHRQoL ( P <0.05). The OHRQoL of elderly nursing home residents is substantially compromised. Several prosthetic treatment needs for residents living with or without dementia were identified. Edentulism without tooth replacement and having <5 teeth resulted in an increased risk of substantially compromised OHRQoL. Further studies should be conducted to determine whether improvements in prosthetic status can increase OHRQoL.

Should breast reduction surgery be rationed? A comparison of the health status of patients before and after treatment: postal questionnaire survey.

PubMed Central

Klassen, A.; Fitzpatrick, R.; Jenkinson, C.; Goodacre, T.

1996-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To assess the health status of patients before and after breast reduction surgery and to make comparisons with the health status of women in the general population. DESIGN: Postal questionnaire survey sent to patients before and six months after surgery. SETTING: The three plastic surgery departments in the Oxford Regional Health Authority, during April to August 1993. SUBJECTS: 166 women (over the age of 16 years) referred for breast reduction; scores from the "short form 36" (SF-36) health questionnaire completed by women in the 1991-2 Oxford healthy life survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Health status of breast reduction patients before and after surgery as assessed by the SF-36, the 28 item general health questionnaire, and Rosenberg's self esteem scale; comparisons between the health status of breast reduction patients and that of women in the general population; outcome of surgery as assessed retrospectively by patients. RESULTS: Differences between the health status of breast reduction patients and that of women in the general population were detected by the SF-36 both before and after surgery. Breast reduction surgery produced substantial change in patients' physical, social, and psychological function. The proportion of cases of possible psychiatric morbidity according to the general health questionnaire fell from 41% (22/54) before surgery to 11% (6/54) six months after treatment. Eighty six per cent (50/58) of patients expressed great satisfaction with the surgical result postoperatively. CONCLUSION: The study provides empirical evidence that supports the inclusion of breast reduction surgery in NHS purchasing contracts. PMID:8776311

Investigating the Relationship between Perceived Discrimination, Social Status, and Mental Health*

PubMed Central

Lee, Hedwig; Turney, Kristin

2012-01-01

A growing body of evidence suggests that experiences with discrimination have implications for mental health and that these associations may vary by social status. We use data from the Chicago Community Adult Health Study (CCAHS) to examine how two types of perceived discrimination, chronic everyday discrimination and major lifetime discrimination, are linked to mental health, and how this association varies by race/ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status. Results indicate that everyday discrimination is generally independently linked to greater depressive symptoms, loneliness, and hostility across all social status groups. Major discrimination is not associated with depressive symptoms or loneliness after adjusting for a host of covariates, but is associated with hostility, especially for certain groups. These findings highlight the need to examine multiple indicators of discrimination and mental health, and to pay attention to both differences and similarities in these associations by social status. PMID:22900235

Relationships of health literacy, health behavior, and health status regarding infectious respiratory diseases: application of a skill-based measure.

PubMed

Sun, Xinying; Yang, Shuaishuai; Fisher, Edwin B; Shi, Yuhui; Wang, Yanling; Zeng, Qingqi; Ji, Ying; Chang, Chun; Du, Weijing

2014-01-01

This study aimed to explain the relationships among health literacy, health behavior, and health status, using a newly developed skills-based measure of health literacy regarding respiratory infectious diseases. This instrument was designed to measure individuals' reading, understanding, and calculating ability, as well as their oral communication and Internet-based information-seeking abilities. A pilot survey was conducted with 489 residents in Beijing, China, to test the reliability and validity of the new measure. Next, a larger study with 3,222 residents in three cities with multistage stratified cluster sampling was implemented to validate a latent variable model (goodness of fit index=0.918, root mean square residual=0.076). In this model higher educational attainment (β=0.356) and more health knowledge (β=0.306) were positively and directly associated with greater health literacy skill, while age was negatively associated with it (β=-0.341). Age (β=0.201) and health knowledge (β=0.246) had positive and direct relationship with health behavior, which was, in turn, positively associated with health status (β=0.209). The results illustrate the complex relationships among these constructs and should be considered when developing respiratory intervention strategies to promote health behavior and health status.

The effects of housing status on health-related outcomes in people living with HIV: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Leaver, Chad A; Bargh, Gordon; Dunn, James R; Hwang, Stephen W

2007-11-01

HIV infection is increasingly characterized as a chronic condition that can be managed through adherence to a healthy lifestyle, complex drug regimens, and regular treatment and monitoring. The location, quality, and/or affordability of a person's housing can be a significant determinant of his or her ability to meet these requirements. The objective of this systematic review is to inform program and policy development and future research by examining the available empirical evidence on the effects of housing status on health-related outcomes in people living with HIV/AIDS. Electronic databases were searched from dates of inception through November 2005. A total of 29 studies met inclusion criteria for this review. Seventeen studies received a "good" or "fair" quality rating based on defined criteria. A significant positive association between increased housing stability and better health-related outcomes was noted in all studies examining housing status with outcomes of medication adherence (n = 9), utilization of health and social services (n = 5), and studies examining health status (n = 2) and HIV risk behaviours (n = 1). Healthcare, support workers and public health policy should recognize the important impact of affordable and sustainable housing on the health of persons living with HIV.

Relationship between Health Literacy, Health-Related Behaviors and Health Status: A Survey of Elderly Chinese.

PubMed

Liu, Yong-Bing; Liu, Liu; Li, Yan-Fei; Chen, Yan-Li

2015-08-18

Despite the large volume of research dedicated to health-related behavior change, chronic disease costs continue to rise, thus creating a major public health burden. Health literacy, the ability to seek, understand, and utilize health information, has been identified as an important factor in the course of chronic conditions. Little research has been conducted on the relationship between health literacy and health-related behaviors and health status in elderly Chinese. The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship between health literacy and health-related behaviors and health status in China. The subjects enrolled in this study were selected based on a stratified cluster random sampling design. Information involving >4500 older adults in 44 pension institutions in Urumqi, Changji, Karamay, and Shihezi of Xinjiang between September 2011 and June 2012 was collected. The Chinese Citizen Health Literacy Questionnaire (China Health Education Centre, 2008) and a Scale of the General Status were administered and the information was obtained through face-to-face inquiries by investigators. A total of 1452 respondents met the inclusion criteria. A total of 1452 questionnaires were issued and the valid response rate was 96.14% (1396 of 1452). Factors affecting health literacy and the relationship to health literacy were identified by one-way ANOVA and a multiple linear regression model. The average health literacy level of the elderly in nursing homes was relatively low (71.74 ± 28.35 points). There were significant differences in the health literacy score among the factors of age, gender, race, education level, household income, marital conditions, and former occupation (p < 0.001). The health literacy score was significantly associated with smoking, drinking, physical exercise, and health examination (p < 0.001). The elderly with higher health literacy scores were significantly less likely to have risky behaviors (smoking, regular drinking, and lack of physical

The development and validation of the King's Brief Interstitial Lung Disease (K-BILD) health status questionnaire.

PubMed

Patel, Amit S; Siegert, Richard J; Brignall, Katherine; Gordon, Patrick; Steer, Sophia; Desai, Sujal R; Maher, Toby M; Renzoni, Elisabetta A; Wells, Athol U; Higginson, Irene J; Birring, Surinder S

2012-09-01

Health status is impaired in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD). There is a paucity of tools that assess health status in ILD. The objective of this study was to develop and validate the King's Brief Interstitial Lung Disease questionnaire (K-BILD), a new health status measure for patients with ILD. Patients with ILD were recruited from outpatient clinics. The development of the questionnaire consisted of three phases: item generation; item reduction, allocation to domains by factor analysis, Rasch analysis to create unidimensional scales and validation; and repeatability testing. 173 patients with ILD (49 with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis) completed a preliminary 71-item questionnaire. 56 items were removed due to redundancy, low factor loadings or poor fit to the Rasch model. The final version of the K-BILD questionnaire consisted of 15 items and three domains (breathlessness and activities, chest symptoms and psychological). Internal consistency assessed with Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.94 for the K-BILD total score. Concurrent validity of the K-BILD questionnaire was high compared with St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (r=0.90) and moderate with lung function (vital capacity, r=0.50). The K-BILD questionnaire was repeatable over 2 weeks (n=44), with intraclass correlation coefficients for domains and total score 0.86-0.94. The K-BILD construct validity for patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis was similar to that of other ILDs. The K-BILD questionnaire is a brief, valid, self-completed health status measure for ILD. It could be used in the clinic to assess ILD from the patients' perspective.

Health status: does it predict choice in further education?

PubMed Central

Koivusilta, L; Rimpelä, A; Rimpelä, M

1995-01-01

STUDY OBJECTIVE--To study the significance of a young person's health to his or her choice of further education at age 16. DESIGN--A cross sectional population survey SETTING--The whole of Finland. PARTICIPANTS--A representative sample of 2977 Finnish 16 year olds. The response rate was 83%. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS--The three outcome variables reflected successive steps on the way to educational success: school attendance after the completion of compulsory schooling, the type of school, and school achievement for those at school. Continuing their education and choosing upper secondary school were most typical of young people from upper social classes. Female gender and living with both parents increased the probability of choosing to go on to upper secondary school. Over and above these background variables, some health factors had additional explanatory power. Continuing their education, attending upper secondary schools, and good achievement were typical of those who considered their health to be good. Chronically ill adolescents were more likely to continue their education than the healthy ones. CONCLUSIONS--School imposes great demands on young people, thus revealing differences in personal health resources. Adaptation to the norms of a society in which education is highly valued is related to satisfying health status. In a welfare state that offers equal educational opportunities for everyone, however, chronically ill adolescents can add to their resources for coping through schooling. Health related selection thus works differently for various indicators of health and in various kinds of societies. Social class differences in health in the future may be more dependent on personally experienced health problems than on medically diagnosed diseases. PMID:7798039

Relationships among the perceived health status, family support and life satisfaction of older Korean adults.

PubMed

Kim, Sook-Young; Sok, Sohyune R

2012-08-01

The objective of this study was to examine the perceived health status, family support and life satisfaction of older Korean adults and the relationships among them. This study was designed to be a descriptive correlation study using questionnaire. Subjects were 246 older people who were over 65 years of age in Seoul and Daegu metropolitan city, Korea. Measures were the Cornell Medical Index-Simple Korean Form to measure the perceived health status, the Family Support Instrument to measure the family support and the Standard Life Satisfaction Instrument for Korean people to measure the life satisfaction. Perceived health state was worse as average 3.3, family support was good as average 3.4 and life satisfaction was low as average 3.1. There were statistically significant positive correlations among perceived health state, family support and life satisfaction and between family support and life satisfaction. The predictors of life satisfaction in elderly were family support, age, monthly allowance and perceived health state. These factors explained 37.5% of the total variance. The major influencing factor was family support. This cross-sectional study provides preliminary evidence that to develop nursing strategy to increase family support of older Korean adults is needed. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Determinate factors of mental health status in Chinese medical staff

PubMed Central

Zhou, Chenyu; Shi, Lei; Gao, Lei; Liu, Wenhui; Chen, Zhenkang; Tong, Xinfa; Xu, Wen; Peng, Boshi; Zhao, Yan; Fan, Lihua

2018-01-01

Abstract Numerous previous studies have investigated the mental health status of medical staff in China and explored its associated determinate factors; however, scope and methods associated with these have introduced uncertainty regarding the results. The aim of this study was to perform a comprehensive examination of the mental health status of Chinese medical staff and its relative risk factors based on a cross-sectional survey. We conducted a broad area, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey of Chinese medical workers. Participants were randomly selected from 27 hospitals in the Heilongjiang province. The questionnaire that was distributed consisted of 5 parts: the demographic characteristics of the participant; questions related to the relative risk factors of psychological health; the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C); the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS); and the Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). The last 3 components were used to evaluate the mental health status of the target population. Logistic and linear regression were used to analyze the determinate factors of the mental health status of Chinese medical staff. Of the 1679 questionnaires distributed, 1557 medical workers responded (response rate: 92.73%; male: 24.1%; female 75.9%). The results of mental health status self-assessments indicated that 32.3% of participants were considered to have some degree of PTSD (based on the PCL-C). The SDS index was 0.67 and the mean score from SAS was 55.26; a result higher than found in the general population. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that being female, dissatisfaction or average satisfaction with income, and good or very good self-perceived psychological endurance when faced with an emergency were associated with a reduction of PTSD symptoms. A frequency of verbal abuse incidents greater than 4 was associated with an increase in PTSD symptoms. The mental health status of Chinese medical staff

Race, Socioeconomic Status and Health: Complexities, Ongoing Challenges and Research Opportunities

PubMed Central

Williams, David R.; Mohammed, Selina A.; Leavell, Jacinta; Collins, Chiquita

2012-01-01

This paper provides an overview of racial variations in health and shows that differences in socioeconomic status (SES) across racial groups are a major contributor to racial disparities in health. However, race reflects multiple dimensions of social inequality and individual and household indicators of SES capture relevant but limited aspects of this phenomenon. Research is needed that will comprehensively characterize the critical pathogenic features of social environments and identify how they combine with each other to affect health over the life course. Migration history and status are also important predictors of health and research is needed that will enhance understanding of the complex ways in which race, SES, and immigrant status combine to affect health. Fully capturing the role of race in health also requires rigorous examination of the conditions under which medical care and genetic factors can contribute to racial and SES differences in health. The paper identifies research priorities in all of these areas. PMID:20201869

Race, socioeconomic status, and health: complexities, ongoing challenges, and research opportunities.

PubMed

Williams, David R; Mohammed, Selina A; Leavell, Jacinta; Collins, Chiquita

2010-02-01

This paper provides an overview of racial variations in health and shows that differences in socioeconomic status (SES) across racial groups are a major contributor to racial disparities in health. However, race reflects multiple dimensions of social inequality and individual and household indicators of SES capture relevant but limited aspects of this phenomenon. Research is needed that will comprehensively characterize the critical pathogenic features of social environments and identify how they combine with each other to affect health over the life course. Migration history and status are also important predictors of health and research is needed that will enhance understanding of the complex ways in which race, SES, and immigrant status combine to affect health. Fully capturing the role of race in health also requires rigorous examination of the conditions under which medical care and genetic factors can contribute to racial and SES differences in health. The paper identifies research priorities in all of these areas.

The relationship between housing conditions and health status of rooming house residents in Toronto.

PubMed

Hwang, Stephen W; Martin, Rochelle E; Tolomiczenko, George S; Hulchanski, J David

2003-01-01

Rooming houses are an important source of housing for low-income Canadians. Little information is available on the relationship between housing conditions and health status in this vulnerable population. Interviews were conducted with a representative sample of 295 residents in 171 rooming houses in Toronto. Health status was assessed using the SF-36. The physical attractiveness of each rooming house was rated using the Multiphasic Environmental Assessment Procedure. Associations between the health status of residents and the physical attractiveness and organizational characteristics of rooming houses were examined. Rooming house residents aged 35 years and older had significantly poorer health status than their counterparts in the Canadian general population. Eight of the ten dimensions of individual health status assessed by the SF-36 were significantly correlated with the physical attractiveness of the rooming house in which the individual lived. However, there was no significant association between residents' health status and the rooming house's non-profit status, provision of meals, or the presence of an on-site landlord. Rooming house residents suffer from a high prevalence of ill health. Residents reporting worst health are concentrated in rooming houses in the poorest physical condition. This relationship may be mediated by selection processes that place the sickest individuals in the lowest-quality rooming houses, and/or by a direct effect of adverse housing conditions on health status. Further research is needed to elucidate these processes and to improve the health of this vulnerable population.

The relationship between seven health practices and oral health status in community-dwelling elderly Thai.

PubMed

Samnieng, Patcharaphol; Ueno, Masayuki; Zaitsu, Takashi; Shinada, Kayoko; Wright, Fredrick A C; Kawaguchi, Yoko

2013-12-01

This study aims to analyse the relationship between seven health practices, oral health behaviors, and oral health status in community dwelling elderly Thai. The subjects were 612 elderly people (mean age = 68.8 ± 5.9 years). Questionnaires survey about sociodemographics, self-reported seven health practices and oral health behaviors were conducted by trained interviewers. Oral examinations investigated the number of teeth present, decayed teeth, periodontal status and functional tooth units (FTUs). Oral malodor was assessed by Organoleptic Test, and unstimulated saliva was collected for 5 min. Five health practices (smoking, drinking, physical activity, breakfast and weight maintenance) were significantly related with oral health behaviors. ancova analysis demonstrated the following significant associations: (i) smoking behavior with number of teeth present, number of FTUs, decayed teeth, periodontal disease, oral malodor and salivary flow rate, (ii) drinking alcohol behavior with number of teeth present, number of FTUs, periodontal disease, oral malodor and salivary flow rate, (iii) eating breakfast behavior with periodontal disease, oral malodor and salivary flow rate, (iv) eating between-meal snack with number of teeth present, number of FTUs, decayed teeth and periodontal disease, (v) maintaining weight with number of teeth present, number of FTUs, periodontal disease and oral malodor, (vi) sleeping with number of teeth present, number of FTUs, periodontal disease, oral malodor and salivary flow rate, (vii) physical activity with periodontal disease and salivary flow rate. Good health practices were related with good oral health behaviors. Moreover, general health practices were associated with the clinical oral health status such as number of teeth present, decayed teeth, FTUs, periodontal disease, oral malodor and salivary flow rate. The elderly with good general health practices were considered to have good oral health status. Improving general health

Understanding the relationship of long working hours with health status and health-related behaviours.

PubMed

Artazcoz, L; Cortès, I; Escribà-Agüir, V; Cascant, L; Villegas, R

2009-07-01

The objectives of this study are to identify family and job characteristics associated with long work hours, to analyse the relationship between long work hours and several health indicators, and to examine whether gender differences for both objectives exist. The sample was composed of all salaried workers aged 16-64 years (3950 men and 3153 women) interviewed in the 2006 Catalonian Health Survey. Weekly work hours were categorised as less than 30 h (part-time), 30-40 (reference category), 41-50 and 51-60 h. Multiple logistic regression models separated by sex were fitted. Factors associated with long working hours differed by gender. Among men, extended work hours were related with being married or cohabiting and with being separated or divorced. In men, working 51-60 h a week was consistently associated with poor mental health status (aOR 2.06, 95% CI 1.31 to 3.24), self-reported hypertension (aOR 1.60, 95% CI 1.12 to 2.29), job dissatisfaction (aOR 2.05, 95% CI 1.49 to 2.82), smoking (aOR 1.33, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.72), shortage of sleep (aOR 1.42, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.85) and no leisure-time physical activity (aOR 2.43, 95% CI 1.64 to 3.60). Moreover, a gradient from standard working hours to 51-60 h a week was found for these six outcomes. Among women it was only related to smoking and to shortage of sleep. The association of overtime with different health indicators among men could be explained by their role as the family breadwinner: in situations of family financial stress men work overtime in order to increase the income and/or accept poor working conditions for fear of job loss, one of them being long working hours.

Interstitial lung abnormalities and self-reported health and functional status.

PubMed

Axelsson, Gisli Thor; Putman, Rachel K; Araki, Tetsuro; Sigurdsson, Sigurdur; Gudmundsson, Elias Freyr; Eiriksdottir, Gudny; Aspelund, Thor; Miller, Ezra R; Launer, Lenore J; Harris, Tamara B; Hatabu, Hiroto; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Hunninghake, Gary Matt; Gudmundsson, Gunnar

2018-01-09

We investigated the association between interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA) and self-reported measures of health and functional status in 5764 participants from the Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik study. The associations of ILA to activities of daily living (ADLs), general health status and physical activity were explored using logistic regression models. Participants with ILA were less likely to be independent in ADLs (OR 0.70; 95% CI 0.55 to 0.90) to have good or better self-reported health (OR 0.66; 95% CI 0.52 to 0.82) and to participate in physical activity (OR 0.72; CI 0.56 to 0.91). The results demonstrate ILA's association with worsening self-reported health and functional status. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Perceived oral health status and treatment needs of dental auxiliaries.

PubMed

Azodo, Clement C; Ehizele, Adebola O; Umoh, Agnes; Ojehanon, Patrick I; Akhionbare, Osagie; Okechukwu, Robinson; Igbinosa, Lawrence

2010-03-15

To determine the perceived oral health status and treatment needs of Nigerian dental therapists in training and dental technology students. A descriptive cross-sectional study of students from Federal School of Dental Therapy and Technology Enugu, Nigeria was conducted using self-administered questionnaire to obtain information on demography, self-reported oral health status, knowledge of impact of oral health on daily life activity, dental attendance and perceived dental need. The perception of oral health status and treatment need of the two groups of dental auxiliaries was the same. Fewer respondents (27.3%) rated their oral health as excellent, while 50.4% rated their oral health as good. Majority (95.5%) agreed that oral health is a part of general health and 94.6% agreed that oral health has a role in daily life. Out of 81.4% that had previous dental treatment, scaling and polishing accounted for 66.1%. Presently, 48.8% think they need dental treatment ranging from scaling and polishing (33.9%), tooth restoration (10.3%), to extraction (1.2%). This survey revealed that most of the students are aware that oral health is a component of general health and that it has an impact on an individual's daily life. More than half of the students perceived their oral health as good, but only a few knew that there is a need for a preventive approach to oral health as evident by the percentage that perceived scaling and polishing as a treatment need.

Health Status of Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by Symptom Level.

PubMed

Marvel, Jessica; Yu, Tzy-Chyi; Wood, Robert; Higgins, Victoria S; Make, Barry J

2016-05-05

Background: Despite receiving treatment, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often continue to experience symptoms that impact their health status. We determined the relationship between overall symptom burden and health status, and assessed the treatments patients were receiving. Methods: Data from 3 cross-sectional surveys of U.S. patients with COPD (2011-2013) were analyzed. Patients receiving inhaled COPD treatment for ≥3 months completed the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) symptom burden and respiratory health status measure, EuroQol 5-dimension (EQ-5D-3L) general health status questionnaire, and Jenkins Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire (JSEQ). CAT scores were used to identify high- (CAT ≥24) and low-symptom patients (CAT <24), who were matched using 1:1 propensity score matching with replacement. Match balance was assessed with standardized mean differences. EQ-5D-3L and JSEQ scores, and current treatment were compared between groups post-matching. Sensitivity was assessed with Rosenbaum bounds. Results: A total of 638 patients were included. Compared with low-symptom patients, high-symptom patients had worse health status and greater sleep disturbance by EQ-5D utility index (0.85 versus 0.71, respectively; p <0.0001) and JSEQ scores (3.73 versus 7.35, respectively; p <0.0001). High-symptom patients were prescribed single-maintenance bronchodilators ± inhaled corticosteroids (46.0%), triple therapy (40.5%), and short-acting therapy only (8.2%). Results were robust and insensitive to unobserved confounders. Conclusions: Increased COPD symptom burden is associated with worse general health status in patients receiving COPD treatment. High-symptom patients frequently received single inhaled medication. The results suggest that health care providers should monitor and tailor therapy, based on level of symptom burden to improve symptom control and health status.

Sex Steroids and Bone Health Status in Men

PubMed Central

Chin, Kok-Yong; Ima-Nirwana, Soelaiman

2012-01-01

Male osteoporosis is a health problem which deserves more attention as nearly 30% of osteoporotic fractures happen in men aged 50 years and above. Although men do not experience an accelerated bone loss phase and testosterone deficiency is not a universal characteristic for aged men, osteoporosis due to age-related testosterone deficiency does have a negative impact on bone health status of men. Observations from epidemiological studies indicate that elderly men with higher testosterone can preserve their BMD better and thus are less prone to fracture. Observations on men with estrogen resistance or aromatase deficiency indicate that estrogen is equally important in the maintenance of bone health status. This had been validated in several epidemiological studies which found that the relationships between estrogen and bone health indices are significant and sometimes stronger than testosterone. Studies on the relationship between quantitative ultrasound and bone remodeling markers suggest that testosterone and estrogen may have differential effects on bone, but further evidence was needed. In conclusion, both testosterone and estrogen are important in the maintenance of bone health in men. PMID:23150727

Health behaviours explain part of the differences in self reported health associated with partner/marital status in The Netherlands.

PubMed

Joung, I M; Stronks, K; van de Mheen, H; Mackenbach, J P

1995-10-01

To describe the differences in health behaviours in disparate marital status groups and to estimate the extent to which these can explain differences in health associated with marital status. Baseline data of a prospective cohort study were used. Directly age standardised percentages of each marital group that engaged in each of the following behaviours--smoking, alcohol consumption, coffee consumption, breakfast, leisure exercise, and body mass index--were computed. Multiple logistic regression models were fitted to estimate the health differences associated with marital status with and without control for differences in health behaviours. The population of the city of Eindhoven and surrounding municipalities (mixed urban-rural area) in The Netherlands in March 1991. There were 16,311 men and women, aged 25-74 years, and of Dutch nationality. There were differences in relation to marital status for each health behaviour. Married people were more likely to practise positive health behaviours (such as exercise and eating breakfast) and less likely to engage in negative ones (such as smoking or drinking heavily) than the other groups. Control for all six health behaviours could explain an average of 20-36% of the differences in perceived and general health and subjective health complaints. Differences in health behaviours explained a considerable amount, but not all, of the health differences related to marital status. Longitudinal data are necessary to confirm these findings; to determine whether the differences in health behaviours related to marital status are caused by selection effects or social causation effects; and to learn how social control, social support, and stress inter-relate to reinforce negative or to maintain positive health behaviours.

Heterogeneous patterns of health status among immigrants in Spain.

PubMed

Villarroel, Nazmy; Artazcoz, Lucía

2012-11-01

(1) To analyse differences in the self-perceived health and mental health status between the Spanish population and immigrants from the seven leading countries in terms of number of immigrants; (2) to examine whether differences are accounted for by socio-economic characteristics, and (3) to determine whether the patterns of associations differ by gender. Data come from the 2006 Spanish National Health Survey. The sample was composed of all 20-64 year old Spaniards and immigrants from the seven countries with most immigrants in Spain (Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Romania and Morocco) [n=20,731]. In both sexes, people from Bolivia had poorer health outcomes, above all Bolivian males. Conversely, people from Argentina and Colombia had the best health outcomes. For the rest of the countries varied results depending on gender, country and health indicator were found. Differences in health status between people born in Spain and foreign-born people depend on relationships between country of birth, characteristics of the migration process, gender, ethnicity and the health outcome analyzed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Caregiver's perception of child's oral health status among low-income African Americans.

PubMed

Sohn, Woosung; Taichman, L Susan; Ismail, Amid I; Reisine, Susan

2008-01-01

This study aimed to: (1) compare caregivers' perceptions of their children's oral health status with clinical findings; and (2) investigate the influence of caregivers' attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge concerning dental caries development and oral health on caregivers' perception levels of their children's oral health status. A representative sample of low-income African American families (0- to 5-year-olds and their caregivers) in Detroit, Mich was interviewed. Caregivers were asked to assess their own and their children's oral health status. All children and their caregivers received dental examinations. This study included data from 885 caregivers with children aged 1 year or older. Approximately 79% of caregivers rated their children's oral health as good to excellent, and 21% rated it as fair to poor. Caregivers' perception of their children's oral health was significantly associated with their children's caries experience, as measured by the number of decayed, missing, and filled tooth surfaces. It was also associated with limitations of oral functions, such as chewing difficulty. Poorer perceptions of caregivers' oral health and fatalistic attitudes toward children's oral health were significantly associated with poorer perception of their children's oral health. Caregivers' perception of their children's oral health status is a significant indicator of the children's clinical caries experience.

Prevalence and correlates of perceived teeth health status and oral health behavior among school-going adolescents in Cambodia

PubMed Central

Peltzer, Karl; Tepirou, Chher; Pengpid, Supa

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The purpose of the study was to investigate perceived teeth health status and oral health behavior, as well as their correlates, among adolescents in Cambodia. The analysis included 3806 Cambodian school children (mean age 15.7 years, SD=1.8 years) who took part in the “Global School-based Student Health Survey” (GSHS) in 2013. Overall, 7.8% of the students reported poor perceived teeth status, 18.0% had missed school in the past year because of a toothache, 26.7% engaged in combined oral health behavior (brushing teeth twice daily or more often = 79.8%, using fluoride toothpaste = 59.9%, and drinking soft drinks less than once a day = 53.6%), and 59.9% had never visited a dentist for a routine examination or other dental work. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, older age, being female, missing school because of a toothache, having a toothache in the past 12 months, poor oral health behavior and sedentary leisure time were associated with poor perceived teeth status. Older age, good perceived teeth status, having had a dental check-up, washing hands before eating and after toilet use, and not eating fast food were associated with a positive oral health behavior (brushing teeth twice daily or more often, using fluoride toothpaste, and drinking soft drinks less than once a day). Significant proportions of poor perceived teeth status and poor oral health behavior were found among school children in Cambodia. Various risk factors (sociodemographic, dental variables, general health risk behaviors) for perceived poor teeth status, oral health behavior and never having had a dental check-up were identified, which can be utilized for intervention programs. PMID:28008205

Impact of depressive symptoms on prosthetic status--results of the study of health in Pomerania (SHIP).

PubMed

Samietz, Stefanie A; Kindler, Stefan; Schwahn, Christian; Polzer, Ines; Hoffmann, Wolfgang; Kocher, Thomas; Grabe, Hans Jörgen; Mundt, Torsten; Biffar, Reiner

2013-05-01

Previous investigations have confirmed that every fifth dental patient suffers from clinically significant depressive symptoms. However, the putative impact of depressive symptoms on the prosthetic status has not been addressed in these studies. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between depressive symptoms and prosthetic status based on data from the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-0). Data from 2,135 participants aged 30 to 59 years were analyzed. A classification (six classes regarding the number and position of missing teeth per jaw) was used to identify the degree of prosthetic status (no/suboptimal/optimal tooth replacement). The presence of depressive symptoms was assessed with a modified version of von Zerssen's complaints scale. Screening for lifetime diagnoses of mental disorders was performed with the Composite International Diagnostic-Screener (CID-S). Multivariable logistic regressions including several confounders were calculated. A significant protective dose-response effect of depressive symptoms on prosthetic status was found only in men for the lower jaw [0-1 depressive symptoms: odds ratio (OR) = 3.84, 95 % confidence interval (CI, 1.65-8.92), p < 0.01; 2-3: OR = 2.87 (CI, 1.22-6.74), p < 0.05; reference, ≥8; adjusted for age, school education, smoking status, household income, marital status, living without a partner, risky alcohol consumption, obesity, diabetes, and physical activity]. There was no such association in women or for the upper jaw. The analyses using the CID-S confirmed these results. In the lower jaw, men with depressive symptoms had a better prosthetic status than men without depressive symptoms suggesting a higher level of concern regarding their personal health. If dentists might have an opportunity to identify men with depressive symptoms they can provide a wide range of treatment options that may enhance patients' self-esteem and contribute to the patient' well-being. Furthermore, depressive

Relationship between Health Literacy, Health-Related Behaviors and Health Status: A Survey of Elderly Chinese

PubMed Central

Liu, Yong-Bing; Liu, Liu; Li, Yan-Fei; Chen, Yan-Li

2015-01-01

Background: Despite the large volume of research dedicated to health-related behavior change, chronic disease costs continue to rise, thus creating a major public health burden. Health literacy, the ability to seek, understand, and utilize health information, has been identified as an important factor in the course of chronic conditions. Little research has been conducted on the relationship between health literacy and health-related behaviors and health status in elderly Chinese. The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship between health literacy and health-related behaviors and health status in China. Methods: The subjects enrolled in this study were selected based on a stratified cluster random sampling design. Information involving >4500 older adults in 44 pension institutions in Urumqi, Changji, Karamay, and Shihezi of Xinjiang between September 2011 and June 2012 was collected. The Chinese Citizen Health Literacy Questionnaire (China Health Education Centre, 2008) and a Scale of the General Status were administered and the information was obtained through face-to-face inquiries by investigators. A total of 1452 respondents met the inclusion criteria. A total of 1452 questionnaires were issued and the valid response rate was 96.14% (1396 of 1452). Factors affecting health literacy and the relationship to health literacy were identified by one-way ANOVA and a multiple linear regression model. Results: The average health literacy level of the elderly in nursing homes was relatively low (71.74 ± 28.35 points). There were significant differences in the health literacy score among the factors of age, gender, race, education level, household income, marital conditions, and former occupation (p < 0.001). The health literacy score was significantly associated with smoking, drinking, physical exercise, and health examination (p < 0.001). The elderly with higher health literacy scores were significantly less likely to have risky behaviors (smoking, regular

Vitamin D Status, Cardiometabolic, Liver, and Mental Health Status in Obese Youth Attending a Pediatric Weight Management Center.

PubMed

MacDonald, Krista; Godziuk, Kristine; Yap, Jason; LaFrance, Rena; Ansarian, Mohammad; Haqq, Andrea; Mager, Diana R

2017-10-01

Vitamin D (VitD) deficiency and obesity are reaching epidemic proportions in North America, particularly in those with comorbid conditions such as diabetes or liver disease. The study objective was to determine the prevalence of suboptimal vitD status and interrelationships with anthropometric, cardiometabolic, liver, mental health, and lifestyle (sleep/screen time) parameters in an ambulatory population of children with obesity. Children (2-18 years) attending a pediatric weight management clinic (n = 217) were retrospectively reviewed. Variables studied included anthropometric (weight, height, body mass index, waist circumference), vitD (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D), cardiometabolic (systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol), liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase), and mental health (number, diagnosis) parameters. Suboptimal vitD status (25-hydroxyvitamin D <75 nmol/L was present in 76% of children with obesity (12.0 ± 2.9 years). Blood pressure categorized as prehypertension, stage I hypertension, and stage II hypertension was present in 14%, 25%, and 7% of children, respectively. Mental health diagnoses including anxiety, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, mood disorders, and learning disabilities/developmental delays occurred in 18%, 17%, 10%, and 15%, of children, respectively. Waist circumferences >100 cm were associated with lower vitD levels (58 ± 18 vs 65 ± 17 nmol/L; P = 0.01). VitD status ≥50 nmol/L was associated with lower insulin (15.8 [11.7-23.1] mU/L vs 21.1 [14.3-34.2] mU/L; P < 0.01) and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (3.5 [2.5-4.9] vs 4.8 [3.1-6.9]; P < 0.01) values and systolic blood pressure percentiles (73.0 ± 25.8 vs 80.6 ± 17.0; P = 0.04). Children with obesity had a high

Employment stability and mental health in Spain: towards understanding the influence of gender and partner/marital status.

PubMed

Cortès-Franch, Imma; Escribà-Agüir, Vicenta; Benach, Joan; Artazcoz, Lucía

2018-04-02

The growing demand for labour flexibility has resulted in decreasing employment stability that could be associated with poor mental health status. Few studies have analysed the whole of the work force in considering this association since research on flexible forms of employment traditionally analyses employed and unemployed people separately. The gender division of work, and family characteristics related to employment situation, could modify its association with mental wellbeing. The objective of the study was to examine the relationship between a continuum of employment stability and mental health taking into account gender and partner/marital status. We selected 6859 men and 5106 women currently salaried or unemployed from the 2006 Spanish National Health Survey. Employment stability was measured through a continuum from the highest stability among employed to lowest probability of finding a stable job among the long-term unemployed. Mental health was measured with the 12-item version of the General Health Questionnaire. Logistic regression models were fitted for each combination of partner/marital status and gender. In all groups except among married women employment stability was related to poor mental health and a gradient between a continuum of employment stability and mental health status was found. For example, compared with permanent civil servants, married men with temporary contract showed an aOR = 1.58 (95%CI = 1.06-2.35), those working without a contract aOR = 2.15 (95%CI = 1.01-4.57) and aOR = 3.73 (95%CI = 2.43-5.74) and aOR = 5.35 (95%CI = 2.71-10.56) among unemployed of up to two years and more than two years, respectively. Among married and cohabiting people, the associations were stronger among men. Poor mental health status was related to poor employment stability among cohabiting women but not among married ones. The strongest association was observed among separated or divorced people. There is a rise in poor

Functional health status of adolescents after the Fontan procedure -- comparison with their siblings.

PubMed

Manlhiot, Cedric; Knezevich, Stevan; Radojewski, Elizabeth; Cullen-Dean, Geraldine; Williams, William G; McCrindle, Brian W

2009-09-01

Studies have suggested that patients who have undergone the Fontan procedure experience lower functional health status and diminished exercise capacity compared with other children. To compare the functional health status of Fontan patients with and without siblings, assess whether there are any differences between Fontan patients and their siblings, and determine associated factors. A cross-sectional, single-centre, observational study was performed on Fontan patients 10 to 20 years of age, and their sibling closest in age, followed in a tertiary pediatric hospital. Functional health status was measured by the Child Health Questionnaire Child Form and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. A total of 68 patients and 38 siblings were enrolled. Patients with siblings scored significantly lower on numerous domains of physical functional status than those without siblings. Compared with their matched siblings, Fontan patients reported significantly lower scores in all domains of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory and on physical (but not psychosocial) domains of the Child Health Questionnaire Child Form. Factors associated with increased patient-sibling differences included younger patient age, female sex, intracardiac lateral tunnel Fontan connection and lower ejection fraction at the time of study enrollment. Adolescents with Fontan physiology reported a lower functional health status in physical domains than their siblings, but had similar status in psychosocial domains. Having a sibling was associated with lower reported functional health status, suggesting an important effect of self-perceived physical limitations over true limitations.

Health Status of Homeless and Marginally Housed Users of Mental Health Self-Help Agencies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Segal, Steven P.; Gomory, Tomi; Silverman, Carol J.

1998-01-01

Investigates the health status of 310 homeless and marginally housed people to determine the usefulness of mental health self-help agencies (SHAs) in addressing their physical health needs. Findings indicated that frequencies of health problems among respondents were similar to those of other homeless or marginally housed groups and that the study…

Utilisation of oral health services, oral health needs and oral health status in a peri-urban informal settlement.

PubMed

Westaway, M S; Viljoen, E; Rudolph, M J

1999-04-01

Interviews were conducted with 294 black residents (155 females and 138 males) of a peri-urban informal settlement in Gauteng to ascertain utilisation of oral health services, oral health needs and oral health status. Only 37 per cent of the sample had consulted a dentist or medical practitioner, usually for extractions. Teenagers and employed persons were significantly less likely to utilise dentists than the older age groups and unemployed persons. Forty per cent were currently experiencing oral health problems such as a sore mouth, tooth decay and bleeding/painful gums. Two hundred and twelve (73 per cent) interviewees wanted dental treatment or advice. Residents who rated their oral health status as fair or poor appeared to have the greatest need for oral health services. The use of interviews appears to be a cost-effective method of determining oral morbidity.

Variability in Measures of Health and Health Behavior Among Emerging Adults One Year After High School According to College Status

PubMed Central

Haynie, Denise; O’Brien, Fearghal; Lipsky, Leah; Bible, Joe; Liu, Danping

2017-01-01

Objective To examine changes in health behaviors among U.S. emerging adults one year after high school. Participants The national sample of participants (n=1927), including those attending 4-year college/university (n=884), 2-year colleges/technical schools (n=588), and no college (n=455), participated in annual spring surveys 2013–2014. Methods Health behaviors were assessed the last year of high school and first year of college; differences by college status controlling for previous-year values were estimated using regression analyses. Results Relative to 4-year college attendees, those attending technical school/community college were less likely to binge drink (OR=.57, CI=/38-.86), but more likely to speed (OR=1.26; CI=1.0–2.84), consume sodas (OR=1.57, CI=1.0–2.47), and report lower family satisfaction (p<0.01), with marginally more physical and depressive symptoms. College non-attendees reported more DWI (OR= 1.60, CI=1.05–2.47), soda drinking (OR=2.51, CI=1.76–3.59), over-sleeping (OR= 4.78, CI=3.65–8.63), and less family satisfaction (p<0.04). Conclusions Health risk behaviors among emerging adults varied by college status. PMID:27661849

Adjusting for Health Status in Non-Linear Models of Health Care Disparities

PubMed Central

Cook, Benjamin L.; McGuire, Thomas G.; Meara, Ellen; Zaslavsky, Alan M.

2009-01-01

This article compared conceptual and empirical strengths of alternative methods for estimating racial disparities using non-linear models of health care access. Three methods were presented (propensity score, rank and replace, and a combined method) that adjust for health status while allowing SES variables to mediate the relationship between race and access to care. Applying these methods to a nationally representative sample of blacks and non-Hispanic whites surveyed in the 2003 and 2004 Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys (MEPS), we assessed the concordance of each of these methods with the Institute of Medicine (IOM) definition of racial disparities, and empirically compared the methods' predicted disparity estimates, the variance of the estimates, and the sensitivity of the estimates to limitations of available data. The rank and replace and combined methods (but not the propensity score method) are concordant with the IOM definition of racial disparities in that each creates a comparison group with the appropriate marginal distributions of health status and SES variables. Predicted disparities and prediction variances were similar for the rank and replace and combined methods, but the rank and replace method was sensitive to limitations on SES information. For all methods, limiting health status information significantly reduced estimates of disparities compared to a more comprehensive dataset. We conclude that the two IOM-concordant methods were similar enough that either could be considered in disparity predictions. In datasets with limited SES information, the combined method is the better choice. PMID:20352070

Effect of lifestyle, education and socioeconomic status on periodontal health

PubMed Central

Gundala, Rupasree; Chava, Vijay K.

2010-01-01

Background: The health model which forms the basis is knowledge, attitude, temporary, and permanent behaviors. Currently, more emphasis has been directed towards the combined influence of lifestyle, education, levels and socioeconomic factors, instead of regular risk factors in dealing with chronic illnesses. The present study is conducted to correlate the periodontal health of people with reference to lifestyle, education level, and socioeconomic status. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Periodontics, Narayana Dental College and Hospital, Nellore. A total of 1350 subjects were examined and 948 patients were randomly selected from out patient department. Information about their lifestyle, education level, and socioeconomic status were recorded using a questionnaire and correlated with the periodontal status. Results: The statistical analysis showed significant decrease in periodontitis when income and education levels increased. Also the prevalence of periodontitis associated with a healthy lifestyle is significantly lower when compared to an unhealthy lifestyle. Conclusions: There is a strong association of lifestyle, education level, and socioeconomic status with periodontal health. PMID:22114373

Deported Mexican migrants: health status and access to care

PubMed Central

Fernández-Niño, Julián Alfredo; Ramírez-Valdés, Carlos Jacobo; Cerecero-Garcia, Diego; Bojorquez-Chapela, Ietza

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE To describe the health status and access to care of forced-return Mexican migrants deported through the Mexico-United States border and to compare it with the situation of voluntary-return migrants. METHODS Secondary data analysis from the Survey on Migration in Mexico’s Northern Border from 2012. This is a continuous survey, designed to describe migration flows between Mexico and the United States, with a mobile-population sampling design. We analyzed indicators of health and access to care among deported migrants, and compare them with voluntary-return migrants. Our analysis sample included 2,680 voluntary-return migrants, and 6,862 deportees. We employ an ordinal multiple logistic regression model, to compare the adjusted odds of having worst self-reported health between the studied groups. RESULTS As compared to voluntary-return migrants, deportees were less likely to have medical insurance in the United States (OR = 0.05; 95%CI 0.04;0.06). In the regression model a poorer self-perceived health was found to be associated with having been deported (OR = 1.71, 95%CI 1.52;1.92), as well as age (OR = 1.03, 95%CI 1.02;1.03) and years of education (OR = 0.94 95%CI 0.93;0.95). CONCLUSIONS According to our results, deportees had less access to care while in the United States, as compared with voluntary-return migrants. Our results also showed an independent and statistically significant association between deportation and having poorer self-perceived health. To promote the health and access to care of deported Mexican migrants coming back from the United States, new health and social policies are required. PMID:25119943

Deported Mexican migrants: health status and access to care.

PubMed

Fernández-Niño, Julián Alfredo; Ramírez-Valdés, Carlos Jacobo; Cerecero-Garcia, Diego; Bojorquez-Chapela, Ietza

2014-06-01

OBJECTIVE To describe the health status and access to care of forced-return Mexican migrants deported through the Mexico-United States border and to compare it with the situation of voluntary-return migrants. METHODS Secondary data analysis from the Survey on Migration in Mexico's Northern Border from 2012. This is a continuous survey, designed to describe migration flows between Mexico and the United States, with a mobile-population sampling design. We analyzed indicators of health and access to care among deported migrants, and compare them with voluntary-return migrants. Our analysis sample included 2,680 voluntary-return migrants, and 6,862 deportees. We employ an ordinal multiple logistic regression model, to compare the adjusted odds of having worst self-reported health between the studied groups. RESULTS As compared to voluntary-return migrants, deportees were less likely to have medical insurance in the United States (OR = 0.05; 95%CI 0.04;0.06). In the regression model a poorer self-perceived health was found to be associated with having been deported (OR = 1.71, 95%CI 1.52;1.92), as well as age (OR = 1.03, 95%CI 1.02;1.03) and years of education (OR = 0.94 95%CI 0.93;0.95). CONCLUSIONS According to our results, deportees had less access to care while in the United States, as compared with voluntary-return migrants. Our results also showed an independent and statistically significant association between deportation and having poorer self-perceived health. To promote the health and access to care of deported Mexican migrants coming back from the United States, new health and social policies are required.

Spirituality and sexual orientation: relationship to mental well-being and functional health status.

PubMed

Coleman, Christopher L

2003-09-01

Research has shown that spirituality has a positive effect on physical and mental health; however, few studies have explored the influence of spirituality and sexuality on mental well-being and functional health status in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This descriptive cross-sectional study was designed to examine the relationships among spirituality, sexual orientation, mental well-being and aspects of functional health status (physical, role, social and cognitive functioning) in a sample of 117 African-American men and women living with HIV/AIDS. Spirituality was measured using the Spiritual Well-Being Scale. A demographic questionnaire gathered data on sexual orientation, age and gender. The Medical Outcomes Study Questionnaire-30 assessed aspects of functional health status and mental well-being. The HIV Symptom Checklist for Persons With HIV disease was used to collect data on HIV symptoms. The data were collected in 1996. The findings indicate that spirituality had a direct relationship with cognitive and social functioning and was inversely related to HIV symptoms. Sexual orientation had direct relationships with mental well-being, cognitive, physical, social and role functioning. t-Tests showed that heterosexual participants reported poorer mental well-being and functional health status compared with homosexual participants. Regression analysis showed that spirituality, sexual orientation, age and HIV symptoms contributed significantly to mental well-being and functional health status. The regression analysis showed that spirituality, sexual orientation, age and HIV symptoms contributed significantly to mental well-being and functional health status. Further research is needed to explore the various ways that sexual orientation influences health status findings in those with HIV disease in certain segments of the population. The findings support the inclusion of spirituality as a variable when

Health status and mobility limitations are associated with residential and employment status in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Strassnig, M; Cornacchio, D; Harvey, P D; Kotov, R; Fochtmann, L; Bromet, E J

2017-11-01

Schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BP) are linked to multiple impairments in everyday functioning which share cognitive and symptom risk factors. Other risk factors for critical aspects of every day functioning (e.g., gainful employment; residential independence) such as physical health have not been evaluated, despite poor health in SCZ and BP. We analyzed 20-year follow-up data from the Suffolk County Mental Health Project cohort of consecutive first admissions with a psychotic disorder to 12 psychiatric facilities in Suffolk County, NY, between September 1989 and December 1995. Both 20-year symptom, health, and cognition data, and the 20-year course of weight gain were included as predictors of employment and residence status. The analysis sample consisted of 122 participants with SCZ ad BP, with SCZ participants less likely to work or live independently. Correlational analyses showed symptoms and cognition predicted vocational outcomes in both samples. The effect of diagnosis was significant for both gainful employment and independence in residence. After consideration of diagnosis, mobility and negative symptoms predicted gainful employment in both samples, but there were no additional predictors of residential independence. Prospective analysis of BMI found that baseline BMI, but not changes during the 20-year follow up, predicted labor force participation. Health status limitations were associated with residential and, particularly, employment status independent from other, previously established predictors of everyday outcomes, including cognition and symptoms. The importance of health status limitations for predicting outcome was confirmed in both SCZ and BP, with schizophrenia representing the more impaired group. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research and technology goals and objectives for Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) is defined herein as the capability to efficiently perform checkout, testing, and monitoring of space transportation vehicles, subsystems, and components before, during, and after operational This includes the ability to perform timely status determination, diagnostics, and prognostics. IVHM must support fault-tolerant response including system/subsystem reconfiguration to prevent catastrophic failures; and IVHM must support the planning and scheduling of post-operational maintenance. The purpose of this document is to establish the rationale for IVHM and IVHM research and technology planning, and to develop technical goals and objectives. This document is prepared to provide a broad overview of IVHM for technology and advanced development activities and, more specifically, to provide a planning reference from an avionics viewpoint under the OAST Transportation Technology Program Strategic Plan.

Competency-Based Objectives in Global Underserved Women's Health for Medical Trainees.

PubMed

Chen, Chi Chiung Grace; Dougherty, Anne; Whetstone, Sara; Mama, Saifuddin T; Larkins-Pettigrew, Margaret; Raine, Susan P; Autry, Amy M

2017-10-01

The Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Committee on Global Health developed an inclusive definition of global women's health and competency-based objectives that reflected work internationally, as well as with U.S. vulnerable and underserved populations, such as refugee and immigrant populations or those who would otherwise have compromised access to health care. The knowledge, skill, and attitude-based competencies required to fulfill each learning objective were mapped to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Outcomes Project's educational domains and the Consortium of Universities for Global Health competency domains. The proposed global women's health definition and competency-based learning objective framework is a first step in ensuring quality standards for educating trainees to address global women's health needs. By proposing these objectives, we hope to guide future program development and spark a broader conversation that will improve health for vulnerable women and shape educational, ethical, and equitable global health experiences for medical trainees.

Physical and mental health status of survivors of multiple cancer diagnoses: findings from the National Health Interview Survey.

PubMed

Andrykowski, Michael A

2012-07-15

Little research has identified the physical and mental health status of survivors of multiple primary cancer diagnoses. By using data from the population-based 2009 National Health Information Survey, 154 survivors of multiple primary cancer diagnoses, 1427 survivors of a single cancer diagnosis, and 25,004 individuals without a history of cancer diagnosis were identified. The multiple cancer group was compared with the single cancer and no cancer groups with regard to physical and mental health status using analysis of covariance and binary logistic regression. Relative to the no cancer group, the multiple cancer group reported significantly poorer mental health status, greater lifetime, recent, and current prevalence of a variety of medical conditions and comorbidities, and more health-related disability. Although observed group differences between the multiple cancer and single cancer groups were less pronounced than those between the multiple cancer and no cancer groups, a consistent pattern was also evident; the multiple cancer group reported significantly poorer status relative to the single cancer group across a range of mental and physical health and illness-related disability indices. Diagnosis of 2 or more primary cancers (excluding nonmelanoma skin cancers) is associated with increased risk for poorer physical and mental health status over and above that associated with diagnosis of a single primary cancer. Survivors of multiple and single primary cancer diagnoses should be considered as distinct subgroups, and increased attention should be devoted to the unique status and needs of survivors of multiple primary cancer diagnoses. Copyright © 2011 American Cancer Society.

[Self-perceived health status among immigrants in Italy].

PubMed

Petrelli, Alessio; Di Napoli, Anteo; Rossi, Alessandra; Gargiulo, Lidia; Mirisola, Concetta; Costanzo, Gianfranco

2017-01-01

to evaluate self-perceived health status of immigrants in Italy. cross-sectional study based on the representative national samples of the multipurpose surveys "Health conditions and use of health services" conducted in 2005 and 2013 by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat). the study was conducted on the age group of 18-64: No. 80,661 in 2005, among which 3.2% were immigrants, and No. 72,476 in 2013, among which 7.1% were immigrants. prevalence rate ratios (PRR) calculated through log-binomial regression models, stratified by survey edition and gender, by evaluating the association between the Physical Component Score (PCS), the Mental Component Score (MCS), and the overall health index and citizenship. Adjustment for the following confounding factors was performed: age, educational level, working condition, perceived economic resources, body mass index (BMI). in 2005, immigrants had a lower probability of poor-perceived physical health, both among men (PRR: 0.79; 95%CI 0.70-0.89) and women (PRR: 0.89; 95%CI 0.82- 0.97), compared to Italians. In 2013, the perceived health advantage of immigrants was reduced for both genders (PRR males: 0.87; 95%CI 0.80-0.95; PRR females: 0.94; 95%CI 0.88-0.99). In the considered period, the prevalence of people with worse mental health conditions increases, with lower PRR among immigrants, compared to Italians. Higher probability of «NOT good» overall perceived health was also observed among immigrants residing in Italy for at least 10 years (PRR men: 1.24; PRR women: 1.15) and among immigrants men from America (PRR: 1.35). from 2005 to 2013, immigrants seemed to maintain a better perception of health status than Italians. Nevertheless, study results show a decrease in self-perceived health, particularly mental health, in the considered period - apart from demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors - as well as a worse overall self-perceived health status among immigrants who stayed in Italy longer. Such

Relationship Between Oral Health Literacy and Oral Health Status Among College Students.

PubMed

Kanupuru, Karthik Kumar; Fareed, Nusrath; Sudhir, Kudlur Maheswarappa

2015-01-01

To examine the relationship between oral health literacy and oral health by adapting a valid oral health literacy instrument. A random sample of 715 students from 9 institutes was included in the study. Oral health literacy (OHL) was assessed by making the students pronounce a list of 40 words from REALD-99. Oral health status (OHL) was assessed using a modified WHO (1997) proforma. A stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the impact of independent factors on oral health literacy. The response rate was 97.9%; 15 students refused to participate, leaving 700 participants in the final sample. The mean age of the participants was 20.35±1.66 years. A statistically significant difference was observed in OHL according to the clinical parameters. Caries prevalence was higher among subjects with low OHL with a mean DMFT score of 2.69±1.53, compared with high-OHL students having a mean DMFT of 0.22±0.4. Similarly, oral hygiene status was poor among subjects with low OHL (1.53±0.6). Community periodontal index (CPI) scores were lower (1.06±0.8) in subjects with high OHL than in those with low literacy (CPI: 1.6±0.6). The present study revealed a negative correlation between oral health literacy and clinical parameters measured, that is, higher oral health literacy was associated with better oral health.

Mental Health Status of Double Minority Adolescents: Findings from National Cross-Sectional Health Surveys.

PubMed

Chiang, Szu-Ying; Fleming, Theresa; Lucassen, Mathijs; Fenaughty, John; Clark, Terryann; Denny, Simon

2017-06-01

Little population-based work has been published about the mental health of adolescents with both sexual/gender (SG) and ethnic minority (i.e. double minority) status. This study aimed to provide an overview on their mental health. Analysis of data from a total of 17,607 high school students from New Zealand's 2007 and 2012 cross-sectional nationally representative Adolescent Health Surveys, including a total of 1306 (7.4%) SG minority participants, of whom 581 (3.3%) were also an ethnic minority. SG minority status, minority ethnicity, and female sex were associated with higher mental distress and poorer well-being. Generally speaking, double minority students reported poorer mental health than SG majority students of the same ethnicity, but reported better mental health than SG minority New Zealand European students. Explanations and future directions for research were suggested to further explore how double minority students negotiate mental health in the context of their communities/cultures in New Zealand.

Race: a major health status and outcome variable 1980-1999.

PubMed Central

Clayton, L. A.; Byrd, W. M.

2001-01-01

Based on the latest available data, African Americans are faced with persistent, or worsening, wide and deep, race-based health disparities compared to the white or general population as we enter the new millennium. These disparities are a 382-year continuum. There have been two periods of health reform specifically addressing the correction of race-based health disparities. The first period (1865-1872) was linked to Freedmen's Bureau legislation and the second (1965-1975) was a part of the Black Civil Rights Movement. Both had dramatic and positive effects on black health status and outcome, but were discontinued too soon to correct the "slave health deficit." Although African-American health status and outcome is slowly improving, black health has generally stagnated or deteriorated compared to whites since 1980. There is a compelling need for a third period of health reform accompanied by a cultural competence movement to address and correct persistent, often worsening, race-based health disparities. PMID:12653396

Health and safety needs of older farmers: part I. Work habits and health status.

PubMed

Lizer, Shannon K; Petrea, Robert E

2007-12-01

Farming is an occupation that blends the work and home environments and traditionally involves active participation of all family members, including older farmers. The work patterns of older farmers, including typical work hours, range of activities, and health status, are not well documented. This study, surveying a random sample of older Illinois farmers (N=87), focused on these gaps in the literature. Older farmers were found to work long hours in many farm tasks, more than would be expected in other occupational groups. Further, older farmers were found to have several chronic diseases at higher rates than the general population of the same age and gender; mental health implications were also identified. Rural occupational health nurses are in an optimal position to positively impact older farmers' mental and physical health status.

Mechanisms by which childhood personality traits influence adult health status: educational attainment and healthy behaviors.

PubMed

Hampson, Sarah E; Goldberg, Lewis R; Vogt, Thomas M; Dubanoski, Joan P

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to test a life span health behavior model in which educational attainment and health behaviors (eating habits, smoking, and physical activity) were hypothesized as mechanisms to account for relations between teacher ratings of childhood personality traits and self-reported health status at midlife. The model was tested on 1,054 members of the Hawaii Personality and Health cohort, which is a population-based cohort participating in a longitudinal study of personality and health spanning 40 years from childhood to midlife. Childhood Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Intellect-Imagination influenced adult health status indirectly through educational attainment, healthy eating habits, and smoking. Several direct effects of childhood traits on health behaviors and health status were also observed. The model extends past associations found between personality traits and health behaviors or health status by identifying a life-course pathway based on the health behavior model through which early childhood traits influence adult health status. The additional direct effects of personality traits indicate that health behavior mechanisms may not provide a complete account of relations between personality and health.

[Community Health Agent: status adapted with Family Health Program reality?].

PubMed

dos Santos, Karina Tonini; Saliba, Nemre Adas; Moimaz, Suzely Adas Saliba; Arcieri, Renato Moreira; Carvalho, Maria de Lourdes

2011-01-01

This study analyses the status and work reality of Community Health Agents, with the purpose of contributing to the improvement of the Brazilian Health System (SUS) in small cities. It was discussed aspects related to their participation in the team of the Family Health Program (PSF) and their interaction with the community. It was observed a lack of motivation and experience, which compromises the quality of Agents performance in the community. It is known that these findings are reflex and consequence of an established context. It is necessary the team rethink their practice, specially the managers, having always as a fundament the principles that guide the SUS and PSF.

Forest health monitoring: national status, trends, and analysis 2016

Treesearch

Kevin M. Potter; Barbara L. Conkling

2017-01-01

The annual national report of the Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) Program of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, presents forest health status and trends from a national or multi-State regional perspective using a variety of sources, introducesnew techniques for analyzing forest health data, and summarizes results of recently completed...

Factors associated with the health status of internally displaced persons in northern Uganda

PubMed Central

Roberts, B; Ocaka, K Felix; Browne, J; Oyok, T; Sondorp, E

2009-01-01

Background: Globally, there are over 24 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have fled their homes due to violence and insecurity but who remain within their own country. There have been up to 2 million IDPs in northern Uganda alone. The objective of this study was to investigate factors associated with mental and physical health status of IDPs in northern Uganda. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in November 2006 in IDP camps in the Gulu and Amuru districts of northern Uganda. The study outcome of physical and mental health was measured using the SF-8 instrument, which produces physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) component summary measures. Independent demographic, socio-economic, and trauma exposure (using the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire) variables were also measured. Multivariate regression linear regression analysis was conducted to investigate associations of the independent variables on the PCS and MCS outcomes. Results: 1206 interviews were completed. The respective mean PCS and MCS scores were 42.2 (95% CI 41.32 to 43.10) and 39.3 (95% CI 38.42 to 40.13), well below the instrument norm of 50, indicating poor health. Variables with negative associations with physical or mental health included gender, age, marital status, income, distance of camp from home areas, food security, soap availability, and sense of safety in the camp. A number of individual trauma variables and the frequency of trauma exposure also had negative associations with physical and mental health. Conclusions: This study provides evidence on the impact on health of deprivation of basic goods and services, traumatic events, and fear and uncertainty amongst displaced and crisis affected populations. PMID:19028730

Herd health status and management practices on 16 Irish suckler beef farms

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background There have been few studies published internationally which document herd health management practices in suckler beef herds and no published Irish studies. The study objective was to document herd health status and management practices on sixteen Irish suckler beef herds over a two year period (2009–2010). The farms used in the study were part of the Teagasc BETTER farm beef programme. The mean (s.d.) herd size, stocking rate and farm size was 68 cows (27.6), 2.0 LU/ha (0.3) and 64.3 (21.6) adjusted hectares, respectively. Two questionnaires were designed; 1) a farmer questionnaire to collect information on farm background and current herd health control practices and 2) a veterinary questionnaire to collect information on the extent of animal health advice given by veterinarians to their clients and identification of any on-farm herd health issues. Results Dystocia, calf pneumonia, and calf diarrhoea, in that order, were identified as the primary herd health issues in these Irish suckler beef herds. In addition, substantial deficiencies in biosecurity practices were also identified on these farms. Conclusions The findings of this study may serve as the focus for future research in animal health management practices in Irish suckler beef herds. PMID:24195997

Health status assessment via the World Wide Web.

PubMed Central

Bell, D. S.; Kahn, C. E.

1996-01-01

We explored the use of the World Wide Web to collect health status information for medical outcomes research. The RAND 36-Item Health Survey 1.0 (RAND-36), which contains the 36 multiple-choice questions of the Medical Outcomes Study SF-36 "Short Form" and differs only in its simplified scoring scheme, was made available for anonymous use on the Internet. Participation in the survey was invited through health-related Internet news groups and mailing lists. Participants entered data and received, their scores using the World Wide Web protocol. Entries were recorded from 15 June 1995 to 14 June 1996 (1 year). The survey was completed anonymously by 4876 individuals with access to the World Wide Web. Two-thirds completed the survey within 5 minutes, and 97% did so within 10 minutes. The item-completion rate was 99.28%. Values of Cronbach's alpha of 0.76 to 0.90 for the scoring scales matched the high reliability found in the Medical Outcomes Study. The World Wide Web provides a method of rapidly measuring individual health status and may play an important role in advancing health services research and outcomes-based patient care. PMID:8947684

Associations between Self-medication, Health Literacy, and Self-perceived Health Status: A Community-Based Study.

PubMed

Kamran, Aziz; Sharifirad, Gholamreza; Shafaeei, Yousef; Mohebi, Siamak

2015-01-01

Although the frequency of self-medication has been well-documented in the public health literature, but no study has examined the relationship between health literacy and self-medication yet. This study was aimed to investigating the relationship between health literacy and self-medication in a community-based study. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 924 adults to survey association between health literacy and self-medication among peoples in Ardabil city in 2014 who were selected using a multi-stage random sampling method. Health literacy was measured by the test of functional health literacy in adults and general health status was measured by the 12-item General Health Questionnaire, and self-reported self-medication (overall, sedative, antibiotic and herbal) in last 3 months was assessed. All statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS version 18 and a P < 0.05 was considered significant. The mean age and weight of respondents were 37 years and 74.7 kg, respectively. The prevalence of self-medication was 61.6%, and the percentage of self-administering antibiotics, sedative, and herbal medicines were 40%, 54.4%, and 59.1% in the last 3 months, respectively. Significant relationship was found between of total health literacy and general health status with self-medication. The prevalence of self-medication among participants with poor and very poor self-rated physical and mental health was significantly higher than other participants (P < 0.001). Self-medication had a significant relationship with health literacy and health status. Therefore, the design and implementation of training programs are necessary to increase the perception on the risk of self-medication.

Family Legal Status and Health: Measurement Dilemmas in Studies of Mexican-Origin Children

PubMed Central

Oropesa, R.S.; Landale, Nancy S.; Hillemeier, Marianne M.

2015-01-01

Family legal status is a potentially important source of variation in the health of Mexican-origin children. However, a comprehensive understanding of its role has been elusive due to data limitations and inconsistent measurement procedures. Using restricted data from the 2011-2012 California Health Interview Survey, we investigate the implications of measurement strategies for estimating the share of children in undocumented families and inferences about how legal status affects children's health. The results show that inferences are sensitive to how this “fundamental cause” is operationalized under various combinatorial approaches used in previous studies. We recommend alternative procedures with greater capacity to reveal how the statuses of both parents affect children's well-being. The results suggest that the legal statuses of both parents matter, but the status of mothers is especially important for assessments of child health. The investigation concludes with a discussion of possible explanations for these findings. PMID:26056934

Are Interactional Behaviors Exhibited When the Self-Reported Health Question is Asked Associated with Health Status?*

PubMed Central

Garbarski, Dana; Schaeffer, Nora Cate; Dykema, Jennifer

2011-01-01

The self-reported health question summarizes information about health status across several domains of health and is widely used to measure health because it predicts mortality well. We examine whether interactional behaviors produced by respondents and interviewers during the self-reported health question-answer sequence reflect complexities in the respondent’s health history. We observed more problematic interactional behaviors during question-answer sequences in which respondents reported worse health. Furthermore, these behaviors were more likely to occur when there were inconsistencies in the respondent’s health history, even after controlling for the respondent’s answer to the self-reported health question, cognitive ability, and sociodemographic characteristics. We also found that among respondents who reported “excellent” health, and to a lesser extent among those who reported their health was “very good,” problematic interactional behaviors were associated with health inconsistencies. Overall, we find evidence that the interactional behaviors exhibited during the question-answer sequence are associated with respondents’ health status. PMID:21927518

Forest health monitoring: national status, trends, and analysis 2013

Treesearch

Kevin M. Potter; Barbara L. Conkling

2015-01-01

The annual national report of the Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) Program of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, presents forest health status and trends from a national or multi-State regional perspective using a variety of sources, introduces new techniques for analyzing forest health data, and summarizes results of recently completed Evaluation...

Forest health monitoring: National status, trends, and analysis 2012

Treesearch

Kevin M. Potter; Barbara L. Conkling

2014-01-01

The annual national report of the Forest Health Monitoring Program of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, presents forest health status and trends from a national or multi-State regional perspective using a variety of sources, introduces new techniques for analyzing forest health data, and summarizes results of recently completed Evaluation Monitoring...

Forest Health Monitoring: national status, trends, and analysis 2014

Treesearch

Kevin M. Potter; Barbara L. Conkling

2015-01-01

The annual national report of the Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) Program of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, presents forest health status and trends from a national or multi-State regional perspective using a variety of sources, introduces new techniques for analyzing forest health data, and summarizes results of recently completed Evaluation...

Forest health monitoring: national status, trends, and analysis 2011

Treesearch

Kevin M. Potter; Barbara L. Conkling

2013-01-01

The annual national report of the Forest Health Monitoring Program of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, presents forest health status and trends from a national or multi-State regional perspective using a variety of sources, introduces new techniques for analyzing forest health data, and summarizes results of recently completed Evaluation Monitoring...

Forest Health Monitoring: national status, trends, and analysis 2010

Treesearch

Kevin M. Potter; Barbara L. Conkling

2013-01-01

The annual national report of the Forest Health Monitoring Program of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, presents forest health status and trends from a national or multi-State regional perspective using a variety of sources, introduces new techniques for analyzing forest health data, and summarizes results of recently completed Evaluation Monitoring...

Forest health monitoring: national status, trends, and analysis 2017

Treesearch

Kevin M. Potter; Barbara L. Conkling

2018-01-01

The annual national report of the Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) Program of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, presents forest health status and trends from a national or multi-State regional perspective using a variety of sources, introduces new techniques for analyzing forest health data, and summarizes results of recently completed Evaluation...

Aging, Nutritional Status and Health.

PubMed

Leslie, Wilma; Hankey, Catherine

2015-07-30

The older population is increasing worldwide and in many countries older people will outnumber younger people in the near future. This projected growth in the older population has the potential to place significant burdens on healthcare and support services. Meeting the diet and nutrition needs of older people is therefore crucial for the maintenance of health, functional independence and quality of life. While many older adults remain healthy and eat well those in poorer health may experience difficulties in meeting their nutritional needs. Malnutrition, encompassing both under and over nutrition increases health risks in the older population. More recently the increase in obesity, and in turn the incidence of chronic disease in older adults, now justifies weight management interventions in obese older adults. This growing population group is becoming increasingly diverse in their nutritional requirements. Micro-nutrient status may fluctuate and shortfalls in vitamin D, iron and a number of other nutrients are relatively common and can impact on well-being and quality of life. Aging presents a number of challenges for the maintenance of good nutritional health in older adults.

Type A-B Behavior and Perceived Health Status.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rozette, Elizabeth J.; Hicks, Robert A.

Previous research suggests that the mental and physical health of the Type B personality should be better than that of the Type A personality. To test this hypothesis, 81 university students responded to the Glass (1977) version of the Jenkins Activity Survey for college students which assessed perceived health status. The results showed that 54…

Researching the impact of oral health on diet and nutritional status: methodological issues.

PubMed

Moynihan, Paula; Thomason, Mark; Walls, Angus; Gray-Donald, Katherine; Morais, Jose A; Ghanem, Henry; Wollin, Stephanie; Ellis, Janice; Steele, Jimmy; Lund, James; Feine, Jocelyne

2009-04-01

Assessment of the impact of dental function on diet and nutritional status requires robust methodologies and a standardised approach to increase accuracy of results and to facilitate cross study comparisons. The objectives of this paper are: to report the outcomes of a consensus workshop that critically reviewed publications reporting on dietary methodologies in relation to the impact of oral health on nutrition; to highlight future directions for research and; to make recommendations for appropriate use of methodologies for future research. Data relevant to nutrition and dental status published from 1980 to 2005 in English were presented at the consensus workshop for discussion and appraisal. Relevant papers were retrieved through PubMed. Relevant texts were obtained from the library at Newcastle University, UK. A purposive sample of original articles that illustrated the application of a range of nutritional methodologies to the study of oral health impacts was identified. Original flagship texts on nutritional methodologies were reviewed. Numerous studies have shown an association between loss of teeth and inferior diet. Further research is required to elucidate the impact of novel approaches to prosthetic rehabilitation and the impact of contemporaneous dietary and dental intervention on diet, nutritional status, disease progression and quality of life. The recommendation of the consensus workshop was that future studies should adopt a comprehensive approach to the assessment of nutrition that encompasses measurement of diet, body composition, biochemical indices of intake and levels of nutrients, and functional biomarkers of disease.

Characterizing internet health information seeking strategies by socioeconomic status: a mixed methods approach.

PubMed

Perez, Susan L; Kravitz, Richard L; Bell, Robert A; Chan, Man Shan; Paterniti, Debora A

2016-08-09

The Internet is valuable for those with limited access to health care services because of its low cost and wealth of information. Our objectives were to investigate how the Internet is used to obtain health-related information and how individuals with differing socioeconomic resources navigate it when presented with a health decision. Study participants were recruited from public settings and social service agencies. Participants listened to one of two clinical scenarios - consistent with influenza or bacterial meningitis - and then conducted an Internet search. Screen-capture video software captured the Internet search. Participant Internet search strategies were analyzed and coded for pre- and post-Internet search guess at diagnosis and information seeking patterns. Individuals who did not have a college degree and were recruited from locations offering social services were categorized as "lower socioeconomic status" (SES); the remainder was categorized as "higher SES." Participants were 78 Internet health information seekers, ranging from 21-35 years of age, who experienced barriers to accessing health care services. Lower-SES individuals were more likely to use an intuitive, rather than deliberative, approach to Internet health information seeking. Lower- and higher-SES participants did not differ in the tendency to make diagnostic guesses based on Internet searches. Lower-SES participants were more likely than their higher-SES counterparts to narrow the scope of their search. Our findings suggest that individuals with different levels of socioeconomic status vary in the heuristics and search patterns they rely upon to direct their searches. The influence and use of credible information in the process of making a decision is associated with education and prior experiences with healthcare services. Those with limited resources may be disadvantaged when turning to the Internet to make a health decision.

Health status, stress and life satisfaction in a community population with MS.

PubMed

Patten, Scott B; Williams, Jeanne V A; Lavorato, Dina H; Berzins, Sandy; Metz, Luanne M; Bulloch, Andrew G M

2012-03-01

Community-based studies can describe health status and related variables in people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) while avoiding biases introduced by help-seeking in specific clinical settings. To describe general health status, stress perceptions and life satisfaction in people with MS, in comparison to those with other types of disabilities. The Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS) was a post-censual survey conducted by Statistics Canada in association with the 2006 Canadian Census. PALS collected data from a random sample of n = 22,513 respondents identified as having health-related impairments. Frequencies and quartiles as well as mean values, along with associated 95% confidence intervals, were calculated in the analysis. PALS identified 245 individuals with MS. Health status, both perceived and when weighted for societal preference, was markedly lower than that of other disabled groups. No differences in self-perceived stress were seen. People with MS reported lower levels of satisfaction with their health but slightly higher levels of satisfaction with their family and friends. People with MS report lower levels of general health status and more impairment than those with other disabling conditions. Higher levels of satisfaction with friends and family may reflect psychological adaptation to the illness.

Health Behaviors, Nutritional Status, and Anthropometric Parameters of Roma and Non-Roma Mothers and Their Infants in the Czech Republic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rambouskova, Jolana; Dlouhy, Pavel; Krizova, Eva; Prochazka, Bohumir; Hrncirova, Dana; Andel, M

2009-01-01

Objective: To compare maternal health behaviors, maternal nutritional status, and infant size at birth of Romas and non-Romas in the Czech Republic. Design: Maternal interviews and food frequency questionnaire, maternal blood samples, physical measurements of mothers and infants. Setting: Hospital, maternal/child care center; 2-4 days postpartum.…

Self-Reported Adolescent Health Status of Extremely Low Birth Weight Children Born 1992–1995

PubMed Central

Schluchter, Mark; Forrest, Christopher B.; Taylor, H. Gerry; Drotar, Dennis; Holmbeck, Grayson; Youngstrom, Eric; Margevicius, Seunghee; Andreias, Laura

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To compare the self-reported health of extremely low birth weight (ELBW, <1 kg) adolescents with that of normal birth weight (NBW) controls and the children’s assessments of their general health at ages 8 versus 14 years. METHODS: One hundred sixty-eight ELBW children and 115 NBW controls of similar gender and sociodemographic status completed the Child Health and Illness Profile–Adolescent Edition at age 14 years. It includes 6 domains: Satisfaction, Comfort, Resilience, Risk Avoidance, Achievement, and Disorders. At age 8 years, the children had completed the Child Health and Illness Profile–Child Edition. Results were compared between ELBW and NBW subjects adjusting for gender and sociodemographic status. RESULTS: ELBW adolescents rated their health similar to that of NBW adolescents in the domains of Satisfaction, Comfort, Resilience, Achievement and Disorders but reported more Risk Avoidance (effect size [ES] 0.6, P < .001). In the subdomain of Resilience, they also noted less physical activity (ES −0.58, P < .001), and in the subdomain of Disorders, more long-term surgical (ES −0.49) and psychosocial disorders (ES −0.49; both P < .01). Both ELBW and NBW children reported a decrease in general health between ages 8 and 14 years, which did not differ significantly between groups. CONCLUSIONS: ELBW adolescents report similar health and well-being compared with NBW controls but greater risk avoidance. Both ELBW and NBW children rate their general health to be poorer at age 14 than at age 8 years, possibly due to age-related developmental changes. PMID:22665412

The ACES mission: scientific objectives and present status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cacciapuoti, L.; Dimarcq, N.; Salomon, C.

2017-11-01

"Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space" (ACES) is a mission in fundamental physics that will operate a new generation of atomic clocks in the microgravity environment of the International Space Station (ISS). The ACES clock signal will combine the medium term frequency stability of a space hydrogen maser (SHM) and the long term stability and accuracy of a frequency standard based on cold cesium atoms (PHARAO). Fractional frequency stability and accuracy of few parts in 1016 will be achieved. The on-board time base distributed on Earth via a microwave link (MWL) will be used to test fundamental laws of physics (Einstein's theories of Special and General Relativity, Standard Model Extension, string theories…) and to develop applications in time and frequency metrology, universal time scales, global positioning and navigation, geodesy and gravimetry. After a general overview on the mission concept and its scientific objectives, the present status of ACES instruments and sub-systems will be discussed.

Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of functional and health status with institutional care use: results from the Survey of Health and Living Status of the Elderly in Taiwan.

PubMed

Tsai, Hsin-Jen

2013-07-01

This study evaluated the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of functional and health status with institutional care, and examined determinants of institutional care use over time. Data of this study were obtained from the Survey of Health and Living Status of the Elderly in Taiwan (SHLSET), which was launched in 1989 and involved a nationally representative sample of nearly-old and old Taiwanese. The baseline data in this present study were collected in 1999, and followed in 2003 and 2007. Participants with institutional care use had a higher activities of daily living (ADL) score, more self-reported diseases and poorer self-reported health status than participants without institutional care use (all P<0.05). Cross-sectional analysis showed that a higher ADL score, having heart diseases and having a stroke were positively associated with institutional care use (P<0.05); whereas the number of self-reported diseases and poor self-reported health status were not associated with institutional care use. Longitudinal analysis showed that increased ADL scores and the number of self-reported diseases over 4- and 8 years were associated with an increased likelihood of subsequent institutional care use (all P<0.05). Worsening health status over 4 years was associated with an increased likelihood of subsequent institutional care use, but this association did not exist over 8 years. Only ADL and ADL deterioration over time are cross-sectionally and longitudinally associated with increased institutional care use. Declining functional status is a major determinant of institutional care use for Taiwanese aged over 53 years. © 2012 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Effects of socioeconomic disadvantage and women's status on women's health in Cameroon.

PubMed

Kuate Defo, B

1997-04-01

Research on the effects of socioeconomic disadvantage and women's status on women's health is important for policy makers in developing countries, where limited resources make it crucial to use existing maternal and child health care resources to the best advantage. Using a community-based data set collected prospectively in Cameroon, this study attempts to understand the extent to which socioeconomic factors and women's status have influences on women's health. The most important finding is that the burden of illness rests disproportionately on the economically disadvantaged women and on those with low social status. The long-term effects of social disadvantage are apparent in the excesses of morbidity among women who are not employed at the time of their children's birth, women living in poor neighborhoods, and those living in households without modern amenities. The maternal morbidity patterns during the postpartum period indicate that the women's reports of their recovery and health status from childbirth extend far beyond the first few weeks that previous studies have focused on. From a theoretical perspective, this study has demonstrated the importance of the "intermediate" framework for the study of women's health: the operations of effects of a number of background characteristics are mediated by more proximate determinants of women's health. These results remain robust even after controlling for other measured factors and after correcting for unmeasured heterogeneity and sample selection; this helps to dismiss the potential influence of some artifacts. While this study suggests that there are opportunities within the existing health care system for meeting many of the health care needs of the socially disadvantaged, further biobehavioral and psychosocial research is needed to determine how women's status and social disadvantage influence the demand for health care services, in order to ensure equitable as well as a more effective delivery of health care