Project description:BackgroundThe study aimed to investigate the relationship between the frequency of metabolic diseases (MetD) and dietary behaviors as well as health risk behaviors in various age groups.MethodsThis Cross-Sectional study involved 12,215 participants, and the relationship between MetD and health risk behaviors was discussed using Pearson chi-square tests and unordered binary logistics regression. The Apriori algorithm was used to explore and analyze the combination patterns of health risk behaviors.ResultsInsufficient sleep as a risk factor for MetD (for young adults, odds ratio (OR): 1.31, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.15, 1.50; for middle-aged adults, OR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.33). For young adults, maladaptive emotion was a risk factor (OR: 1.45; 95% CI: 1.18, 1.80), and their risk of MetD was 1.48 times higher with three health risk behaviors compared with those with no or only one health risk behavior (95% CI: 1.27, 1.72). As for dietary behaviors, meat-based diet, greasy and salty taste preferences were associated with MetD.ConclusionsHigh-risk alcohol consumption is a risk factor for MetD in elderly adults. Insufficient sleep was a common risk factor for MetD in young and middle-aged groups. Young adults may also be affected by maladaptive emotion and the number of risk factors. Poor dietary behaviors such as meat-based diet, greasy and salty dietary taste, may increase risk, particularly among young adults. We should consider interventions systematically and comprehensively targeting modern lifestyles of different key age group populations such as young adults.
Project description:Intercountry comparability between studies on medication use in pregnancy is difficult due to dissimilarities in study design and methodology. This study aimed to examine patterns and factors associated with medications use in pregnancy from a multinational perspective, with emphasis on type of medication utilised and indication for use.Cross-sectional, web-based study performed within the period from 1 October 2011 to 29 February 2012. Uniform collection of drug utilisation data was performed via an anonymous online questionnaire.Multinational study in Europe (Western, Northern and Eastern), North and South America and Australia.Pregnant women and new mothers with children less than 1 year of age.Prevalence of and factors associated with medication use for acute/short-term illnesses, chronic/long-term disorders and over-the-counter (OTC) medication use.The study population included 9459 women, of which 81.2% reported use of at least one medication (prescribed or OTC) during pregnancy. Overall, OTC medication use occurred in 66.9% of the pregnancies, whereas 68.4% and 17% of women reported use of at least one medication for treatment of acute/short-term illnesses and chronic/long-term disorders, respectively. The extent of self-reported medicated illnesses and types of medication used by indication varied across regions, especially in relation to urinary tract infections, depression or OTC nasal sprays. Women with higher age or lower educational level, housewives or women with an unplanned pregnancy were those most often reporting use of medication for chronic/long-term disorders. Immigrant women in Western (adjusted OR (aOR): 0.55, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.87) and Northern Europe (aOR: 0.50, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.83) were less likely to report use of medication for chronic/long-term disorders during pregnancy than non-immigrants.In this study, the majority of women in Europe, North America, South America and Australia used at least one medication during pregnancy. There was a substantial inter-region variability in the types of medication used.
Project description:Obesity and periodontitis are significantly related, and the visceral adiposity index (VAI) is an important indicator of obesity. This study aimed to investigate the association between VAI and periodontitis. The study included participants from the 2009-2014 cycle of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey who received a complete periodontal exam and VAI record. Periodontitis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-American Academy of Periodontology periodontitis case definitions, is categorized into the following: no periodontitis, moderate periodontitis, mild periodontitis, and severe periodontitis. Hierarchical analysis, multivariable logistic regression, and restricted cubic spline regression were conducted to investigate the relationship between periodontitis and VAI in adults. There was no significant relationship between VAI and the prevalence of periodontitis in all age groups (P = 0.08). Age-stratified analysis showed a significant association between periodontitis and VAI in adults aged 40-50 years (P < 0.001). After adjusting for all covariates, the association between periodontitis and VAI remained significant in the 40-50-years age group (the trend P value = 0.014). Restricted cubic spline analysis showed a non-linear relationship between VAI and periodontitis (P for non-linear = 0.002). Visceral adiposity index was significantly associated with periodontitis risk in the 40-50-year-old group, and the relationship between VAI and periodontitis risk was found to be non-linear.
Project description:BackgroundMedical students face an information-rich environment in which retrieval and appraisal strategies are increasingly important.ObjectiveTo describe medical students' current pattern of health information resource use and characterize their experience of instruction on information search and appraisal.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional web-based survey of students registered in the four-year MD Program at Dalhousie University (Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Saint John, New Brunswick, sites), Canada. We collected self-reported data on information-seeking behavior, instruction, and evaluation of resources in the context of their medical education. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.ResultsSurveys were returned by 213 of 462 eligible students (46.1%). Most respondents (165/204, 80.9%) recalled receiving formal instruction regarding information searches, but this seldom included nontraditional tools such as Google (23/107, 11.1%), Wikipedia, or social media. In their daily practice, however, they reported heavy use of these tools, as well as EBM summaries. Accessibility, understandability, and overall usefulness were common features of highly used resources. Students identified challenges managing information and/or resource overload and source accessibility.ConclusionsMedical students receive instruction primarily on searching and assessing primary medical literature. In their daily practice, however, they rely heavily on nontraditional tools as well as EBM summaries. Attention to appropriate use and appraisal of nontraditional sources might enhance the current EBM curriculum.
Project description:Humans differ in their capacity for integrating perceived events and related actions. The "Theory of event coding" (TEC) conceptualizes how stimuli and actions are cognitively bound into a common functional representation (or "code"), known as the "event file". To date, however, the neural processes underlying the development of event file coding mechanisms across age are largely unclear. We investigated age-related neural changes of event file coding from late childhood to early adulthood, using EEG signal decompositions methods. We included a group of healthy participants (n = 91) between 10 and 30 years, performing an event file paradigm. Results of this study revealed age-related effects on event file coding processes both at the behavioural and the neurophysiological level. Performance accuracy data showed that event file unbinding und rebinding processes become more efficient from late childhood to early adulthood. These behavioural effects are reflected by age-related effects in two neurophysiological subprocesses associated with the superior parietal cortex (BA7) as revealed in the analyses using EEG signal decomposition. The first process entails mapping and association processes between stimulus and response; whereas, the second comprises inhibitory control subprocesses subserving the selection of the relevant motor programme amongst competing response options.
Project description:BackgroundScholars demand more focus on context-related factors of health literacy as the management of health information is seen as a social practice. One prominent factor is social support that is expected to be particularly relevant for persons vulnerable for low health literacy. It was shown that health literacy can differ across the life span and especially older people have been demonstrated to be vulnerable for low health literacy. Therefore, health literacy and the relation of social support on health literacy in different age groups should be investigated.MethodsIn a German nationwide survey 2,151 adults were interviewed face-to-face. General comprehensive health literacy was measured with the HLS19-Q47 which differentiates single steps of health information management - access, understand, appraise, and apply. Social support was measured with the Oslo 3 Social Support Scale. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed for all respondents and for five age groups.ResultsHealth literacy is relatively low in all age groups but particularly low among old-old people (76 + years). Also, the youngest adults (18-29 years) have slightly lower health literacy than middle-aged adults. On average, health literacy is higher among people with higher social support but this association varies between age groups. It tends to be quite strong among younger adults (18-45 years) and young-old persons (65-75 years) but is weak among older middle-aged (46-64 years) and old-old persons. The association also differs between steps of information management. It is stronger for accessing and applying information but there are differences in age groups as well.ConclusionsSocial support is a relevant aspect to improve individuals' health literacy and therefore should be addressed in interventions. However, it is necessary to differentiate between age groups. While both young adults and particularly old-old persons are challenged by health information management, young adults can strongly profit from social support whereas it can barely compensate the low health literacy of old-old persons. In addition, different challenges in information management steps in different age groups need to be considered when designing health literacy interventions. Thus, target group specific services and programs are needed.
Project description:BackgroundMedication non-adherence has become a striking problem among patients with chronic diseases worldwide. However, literature on prevalence, reasons and factors associated with medication non-adherence in Singapore general population is still lacking. This study aimed to (1) estimate the prevalence of intentional and unintentional medication non-adherence in young (aged 21-64 years) and older adults (aged ≥ 65 years), respectively; (2) identify and compare the main reasons for non-adherence; and (3) examine the association between potential factors and non-adherence in each group.MethodsThis study sampled 1,528 community-dwelling adults on medications (young adults:766, older adults: 762) from a cross-sectional population health survey conducted in the northern and central regions of Singapore in 2018/2019. Self-reported medication non-adherence and its reasons were collected using a modified questionnaire and compared between the two groups. Multiple logistic regressions were conducted to examine the association between potential factors (e.g., social-demographic factors, smoking and drinking status, presence of diabetes, hypertension, or dyslipidaemia, and presence of depressive symptoms) and medication non-adherence in each group.ResultsThe prevalence of non-adherence was 38.4% and 22.3% in young and older adults, respectively, with young adults reporting higher unintentional and intentional non-adherence rates than older adults. "Afraid of developing drug dependence" was the most common reason in both groups (young:74.8% vs. old:73.5%). Compared to young adults (3.7%), "Not understanding medication labels" was more prevalent in older adults (8.8%). Presence of depressive symptoms was associated with non-adherence in both young (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 3.00 [1.79, 5.05]) and older adults (4.16 [2.31, 7.51]). Being employed (2.92 [1.76, 4.84]) and taking ≥ 2 medications (1.42 [1.04, 1.95]) had positive association while personal income of SGD1,000-4,000 (0.53 [0.36, 0.77]) and current smoking (0.61 [0.39, 0.95]) had inverse association with non-compliance in young adults. Diagnosis of diabetes, hypertension, or dyslipidaemia (2.63 [1.25, 5.53]) was associated with higher odds of non-compliance in older adults.ConclusionsYoung adults had higher prevalence of medication non-adherence than older adults. The main reasons for non-adherence reported by young and older adults were generally comparable. Presence of depressive symptoms was a risk factor of medication non-adherence in both groups.
Project description:BACKGROUND:Studies of neighbourhood walkability and body mass index (BMI) have shown mixed results, possibly due to biases from self-reported outcomes or differential effects across age groups. Our objective was to examine relationships between walkability and objectively measured BMI in various age groups, in a nationally representative population. METHODS:The study population came from the 2007-2011 Canadian Health Measures Survey, a cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative Canadian population. In our covariate-adjusted analyses, we included survey respondents aged 6-79 who were not pregnant, did not live in rural areas, were not missing data and were not thin/underweight. We used objectively measured height and weight to calculate BMI among adults aged 18-79 and zBMI among children aged 6-17. We categorised respondents into walkability quintiles based on their residential Street Smart Walk Score values. We performed linear regression to estimate differences between walkability quintiles in BMI and zBMI. We analysed adults and children overall; age subgroups 6-11, 12-17, 18-29, 30-44, 45-64 and 65-79; and sex subgroups. RESULTS:The covariate-adjusted models included 9265 respondents overall. After adjustment, differences between walkability quintiles in BMI and zBMI were small and not statistically significant, except for males aged 6-17 in the second-highest walkability quintile who had significantly lower zBMIs than those in the lowest quintile. CONCLUSION:After accounting for confounding factors, we did not find evidence of a relationship between walkability and BMI in children or adults overall, or in any age subgroup with sexes combined. However, post hoc analysis by sex suggested males aged 6-17 in more walkable areas may have lower zBMIs.