Social isolation and health-promoting behaviors among older adults living with different health statuses:A cross-sectional study

Objectives:To describe the characteristics and relationships of social isolation and health promoting behaviors of Chinese older adults with different health statuses.Methods:Totally 485 older adults were recruited.They were divided into three groups based on their health status:healthy group(n=72),group with one disease(n=183)and group with multimorbidity(n=230).Lubben Social Network Scale-6 and Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II were used to measure their social isolation and health-promoting behaviors,respectively.Results:Among the aged with one disease or multimorbidity,30.6%(56/183)and 31.7%(73/230)were socially isolated,respectively,based on the score of the Lubben Social Network Scale-6.The three groups differed significantly in health-promoting behaviors and scores on several subscales.The group with multimorbidity exhibited more social isolation and fewer health-promoting behaviors than other groups.Social isolation was among the factors adversely affecting health-promoting behaviors in older adults.Conclusions:Health care providers should help older adults with multimorbidity preserve the remaining abilities to improve health-promoting behaviors.Meanwhile,it is important to support healthy older adults to increase self-responsibility to achieve healthy aging.

Relationship between the use of smart medical services and mental health status

In this editorial,I comment on the article by Zhang et al.To emphasize the importance of the topic,I discuss the relationship between the use of smart medical devices and mental health.Smart medical services have the potential to positively influence mental health by providing monitoring,insights,and inter-ventions.However,they also come with challenges that need to be addressed.Understanding the primary purpose for which individuals use these smart tech-nologies is essential to tailoring them to specific mental health needs and prefe-rences.

An analysis of inequality in physical health status of women in India:2015-2021

Objective:We examine how inequality in women's health has changed in India and its major states between 2015 and 2021.We also attempt to identify the sources of any change in this inequality using a decomposition analysis.In order to suggest suitable policies for reducing this inequality,we attempt to identify the factors that are strongly associated with it.Methods:We construct an index of women's health from five indicators using the principal component analysis.Based on this index we measure inequality in women's health using the coefficient of variation and the Theil index.To identify the sources of change in this inequality,we apply Theil decomposition technique.Results:We find that inequality in women's health has increased significantly in India between 2015 and 2021.During this period,this inequality has increased significantly in six states,while it has decreased significantly in five states.The decomposition analysis suggests that the increase in this inequality between 2015 and 2021 has been driven by an increase in interstate inequality.We also find a strong positive association between inequality in women's health and inequality in public health amenities and social development.Conclusion:We suggest that for reducing inequality in women's health in developing countries like India,policies should focus on eliminating disparities in income,female education and provision of public health amenities.

Compliance to Medication Management and Mental Health Status of Elderly Hypertensive Patients: Basis of Educational Health Program

Objective:The study aimed to assess medication management compliance and mental health in elderly patients with hypertension.Method:The study evaluated medication compliance and mental health status of elderly hypertensive patients in China using simple random sampling.Data was collected using the Morisky Medication Compliance Questionnaire,Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale,and a checklist.Ethical practices were strictly observed.Results:A study of 100 elderly hypertensive patients found poor drug management compliance,with female patients showing worse compliance.Female patients were more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.The study also found no significant association between gender,age,education level,marital status,living standards,and medication compliance.Barriers to medication management included food and daily necessities,lack of awareness about the importance of drug treatment,and basic family needs.The lowest-ranked barriers were lack of support from government health clinics,low income,and lack of family support.Conclusion:Based on the results,the study proposes an educational plan for elderly hypertensive patients and their families,to be evaluated and implemented by the hospital and township community service center.The plan aims to improve medication management and lifestyle modification compliance,encourage active participation,and provide access to medical and mental health clinics,support groups,and counseling services.

Oral health status in Sichuan Province: findings from the oral health survey of Sichuan, 2015–2016

To investigate oral health status in the residents of Sichuan Province, southwest China, a cross-sectional study was performed using the latest Oral Health Survey Basic Methods recommended by the World Health Organization. A multistage stratified random cluster-sampling method was used to enroll participants from the following three groups： children aged 3-5 years, adolescents aged 12 years, and people aged 65-74 years. In these three groups, the mean numbers of teeth that were affected by caries were 3.28, 0.86 and 5.13, respectively, resulting in a prevalence of 63.47%, 37.20% and 83.20%, respectively. Relative to the high rate of decayed teeth, the prevalence of fillings was very low in all age groups （0.97%, 7.24% and 5.43%, respectively）, In the 12-year-old adolescent group, only 3.61% had good pit and fissure sealing. In addition, the rate of dental fluorosis was 24.80%, and the Community Fluorosis Index value was 0.39. In the elder group, the community periodontal index was 2.92. The prevalence in the elderly of having lost at least one tooth was 75.54%. Additionally, 4.44% of these participants were edentulous. The incidence of dental prosthesis was 51.75%, the proportion with a removable partial denture, a fixed denture, full dentures, dental implants and an informal fixed bridge was 21.59%, 11.45%, 4.64%, 0 and 16.67%, respectively. In this study, 8.2% of the elderly participants were affected by different types of oral mucosal lesions. Among such lesions, recurrent aphthous ulcers were most prevalent （2.69%） and oral lichen planuses were second （1.6%）. The conclusion presented in this survey is that oral diseases, especially dental caries and periodontal disease, are frequent and common in Sichuan province, China. Moreover, the treatment rate is very low, and primary prevention and treatment options are therefore urgently needed in this population.

Intestinal microbiota of healthy and unhealthy Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. in a recirculating aquaculture system

The present study sampled the intestinal content of healthy and unhealthy Atlantic salmon （Salmo salar L.）, the ambient water of unhealthy fish, and the biofilter material in the recirculating aquaculture system （RAS） to understand differences in the intestinal microbiota. The V4--V5 regions of the prokaryotic 16S rRNA genes in the samples were analyzed by MiSeq high-throughput sequencing. The fish were adults with no differences in body length or weight. Representative members of the intestinal microbiota were identified. The intestinal microbiota of the healthy fish included Proteobacteria （44.33%）, Actinobacteria （17.89%）, Baeteroidetes （15.25%）, and Firmicutes （9.11%）, among which the families Mierococcaceae and Oxalobacteraceae and genera Sphingomonas, Streptomyces, Pedobacter, Janthinobacterium, Burkholderia, and Balneimonas were most abundant. Proteobacteria （70.46%）, Bacteroidetes （7.59%）, and Firmicutes （7.55%） dominated the microbiota of unhealthy fish, and Chloroflexi （2.71%）, and Aliivibrio and Vibrio as well as genera in the family Aeromonadaceae were most strongly represented. Overall, the intestinal hindgut microbiota differed between healthy and unhealthy fish. This study offers a useful tool for monitoring the health status of fish and for screening the utility of probiotics by studying the intestinal microbiota.

National Nutrition and Health Systematic Survey for Children 0–17 Years of Age in China

The main purpose of the National Nutrition and Health Systematic Survey for children 0-17 years of age in China(CNHSC)was to collect basic data on the nutrition,development,and health status for children in different regions across China using evidence-based,reliable,and cost-effective approaches.Children and their parents or guardians from seven regions(south,southwest,north,northwest,eastern,central,and northeast China)in China were recruited.A multi-stage stratified randomized sampling method was used.Two provinces were randomly sampled from each of the seven regions,from which one urban district and one rural country were also randomly sampled,resulting in a total of 28 survey counties/districts.Dietary surveys,health examinations,laboratory testing,and questionnaires were used to collect dietary intake,nutritional status,child development,and health status information.Nutrition,health,and lifestyle assessment of children and their parents was determined using the Knowledge Attitude Practice(KAP)survey.Greater than 100,000 children(38,000 children<6 years of age and 66,000 children6-17 years of age)completed the survey.The survey provided comprehensive data on child nutrition and health status for future studies and will serve as the basis for an integrated nutrition and health improvement strategies proposal for children in China.

Factors that impact health-related quality of life in adults with celiac disease:A multicenter study

AIM: To evaluate the factors involved in the impairment of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with celiac disease.METHODS: A multicenter, cross-sectional prospective study was performed in patients with celiac disease who completed two HRQOL questionnaires: the gastrointestinal quality of life index (GIQLI) and the EuroQol-5D (EQ).RESULTS: Three hundred and forty patients (163 controlled with a gluten-free diet, and 177 newly diagnosed with a normal diet) were included. The GIQLI score was significantly better in patients on a gluten-free diet (GFD) than in non-treated patients on their usual diet, both in terms of the overall score (3.3 vs 2.7, respectively; P < 0.001), as well as on the individual questionnaire dimensions. Both the preference value of the EQ as the visual analogue scale were significantly better in treated than in non-treated patients (0.93 vs 0.72 P < 0.001 and 80 vs 70 P < 0.001, respectively). Variables significantly associated with a worse HRQOL score were female gender, failure to adhere to a GFD, and symptomatic status.CONCLUSION: In untreated celiac disease, the most important factors that influence patient perception of health are the presence of symptoms and a normal diet. HRQOL improves to levels similar to those described in the general population in celiac disease patients well controlled with a GFD.

Heat stress affects dairy cow health status through blood oxygen availability

Background Rises in global warming and extreme weather occurrence make the risk of heat stress(HS)induced by high ambient temperatures more likely in high-yielding dairy cows,resulting in low milk quality and yield.In ani-mals,oxygen is involved in many physiological and metabolic processes,but the effects of HS on oxygen metabolism remain unclear.Thus,the current study aimed to investigate how oxygen metabolism plays a role in health status of dairy cows by measuring the milk yield,milk composition,and blood biochemical variables of cows under different levels of HS:none(No-HS),mild(Mild-HS),and moderate HS(Mod-HS).Results The HS significantly increased rectal temperature(Ptreat<0.01)and respiration rate(Ptreat<0.01).Under Mod-HS,greater Na+(P<0.05)and lower total CO_(2),and pH(P<0.05)were observed relative to those under No-HS and Mild-HS.Oxygen concentrations in both coccygeal artery and mammary vein(Ptreat<0.01)were lower under Mod-HS than under No-HS.Coccygeal vein concentrations of heat shock protein 90(HSP90)(P<0.05)increased during Mod-HS compared with those in cows under No-HS.Malondialdehyde increased during Mod-HS,and glu-tathione peroxidase(P<0.01)increased during Mild-HS.Coccygeal vein concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor(P<0.01),heme oxygenase-1(P<0.01),and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α(P<0.01)were greater in cows under Mod-HS than those under No-HS.Red blood cell count(P<0.01)and hemoglobin concentration(P<0.01)were lower in the coccygeal vein of dairy cows under Mild-and Mod-HS than those of cows under No-HS.Conclusions Exposure to HS negatively impacts the health status and lactation performance of dairy cows by limit-ing oxygen metabolism and transportation.However,the specific mechanism by which HS affects mammary function in cows remains unclear and requires further exploration.

Health status assessment of axial piston pump under variable speed

The axial piston pump usually works under variable speed conditions.It is important to evaluate the health status of the axial piston pump under the variable speed condition.Aiming at the characteristic signals obtained under different wear levels of the port plate,a feature signal extraction method under variable speed conditions is proposed.Firstly,the combination of complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise(CEEMDAN)energy spectrum and fast spectral kurtosis principle is used to accurately extract the intrinsic mode function(IMF)component containing the sensitive information of the degraded feature.Then,the aspect ratio analysis method of the angle domain variational mode decomposition(VMD)is used to process the feature index containing the sensitive information of the degraded feature.In order to evaluate the health status of the axial piston pump under variable speed,the vibration reliability analysis method for axial piston pump based on Weibull proportional failure rate model is proposed.The experimental results show that the proposed method can accurately evaluate the health status of the axial piston pump.

Influencing of students＇ health status and physical education

Schools and parents should pay attention to health education for students＇ health awareness and good health habits, to establish a correct concept of health. School mental health education should be the first place; school should create a positive learning environment for students to get knowledge and skills of exercising. Especially in the nine years of compulsory education stage, we should ensure necessary physical exercise, reasonable arrangements for extracurricular activities to improve students＇ physical fitness. We should improve the school＇ s sports facilities, and create a good campus atmosphere. Schools should actively carry out extra-curricular sports activities, improve the level of quality of physical education teachers, develop students＇ sports consciousness, and improve material conditions for the students to create a good learning environment, meanwhile, we should increase the content of education, and enrich the content of physical education to enable students to select and reach more sports.

Health status and health systems financing in the MENA region:roadmap to universal health coverage

Background:Since the declaration of the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs)in 1990,many countries of the Middle East and North Africa(MENA)region made some improvements in maternal and child health and in tackling communicable diseases.The transition to the global agenda of Sustainable Development Goals brings new opportunities for countries to move forward toward achieving progress for better health,well-being,and universal health coverage.This study provides a profile of health status and health financing approaches in the MENA region and their implications on universal health coverage.Methods:Time-series data on socioeconomics,health expenditures,and health outcomes were extracted from databases and reports of the World Health Organization,the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program and analyzed using Stata 12 statistical software.Countries were grouped according to the World Bank income categories.Descriptive statistics,tables and charts were used to analyze temporal changes and compare the key variables with global averages.Results:Non-communicable diseases(NCDs)and injuries account for more than three quarters of the disabilityadjusted life years in all but two lower middle-income countries(Sudan and Yemen).Prevalence of risk factors(raised blood glucose,raised blood pressure,obesity and smoking)is higher than global averages and counterparts by income group.Total health expenditure(THE)per capita in most of the countries falls short of global averages for countries under similar income category.Furthermore,growth rate of THE per capita has not kept pace with the growth rate of GDP per capita.Out-of-pocket spending(OOPS)in all but the high-income countries in the group exceeds the threshold for catastrophic spending implying that there is a high risk of households getting poorer as a result of paying for health care.Conclusion:The alarmingly high prevalence of NCDs and injuries and associated risk factors,health spending falling short of the GDP and GDP growth rate,and high OOPS pose serious challenges for universal health coverage.Using multi-sector interventions,countries should develop and implement evidence-informed health system financing roadmaps to address these obstacles and move forward toward universal health coverage.

Socioeconomic Distribution of Health and Health Care Utilization in a New Town in Hong Kong, China

Objectives To assess the association of socioeconomic indicators with various chronic and acute illnesses and the utilization of public health care in a new town in Hong Kong, China. Methods Illness experience and socioeconomic and demographic data of 7570 residents from 2022 randomly selected households were collected through telephone interviews. The relationships between socioeconomic indicators and illnesses/choice of health care were explored using stepwise logistic regressions after adjusting for sex and age. Results Significant positive associations were noted between low household income and diabetes mellitus, any chronic illnesses among adults and flu among younger subjects; low educational level and accident-related illness among adults; being born in Chinese mainland and flu, any acute illness in adults. For the utilization of public health care, low household income was the most consistent risk factor. Conclusion This study did not demonstrate a unidirectional socioeconomic gradient in healt

Health and sanitary status in 1970 of Tubu nomads dwelling in Northeastern Niger

Background: The Tubu are nomadic people who live in remote parts of the central Sahara, primarily in the Tibesti massif(Chad), and in both Northeastern Niger and Southern Libya. All of these areas are close to become conflict zones. However, no data about the Tubu's health and sanitary status are currently available, which would be of major concern if humanitarian interventions would become required.Methods: In 1970, the "Mission Anthropologique Belge au Niger"(MABN) investigated a Tubu tribe named Broaya that lived at Seguedine and Djado on the northeastern rim of the Tenere desert. One hundred fifty-one adult volunteers answered an oral questionnaire and underwent a medical examination, followed by the collection of blood thin films and samples of urine and stool. The environmental fauna of medical importance was also studied.Results: Albeit 43 year-old, these results have not been previously published. The estimated age of death for fathers was approximately 56 years, and that for mothers was 60 years. On average, each married woman had had 4.7 children. The overall perinatal mortality rate was 232 ‰, the overall infant mortality rate was 153 ‰, and the overall child mortality rate was 99 ‰. The mean height was 164.1 cm and 157.4 cm, the mean weight was 50.1 kg and 47.9kg, and the mean blood pressure was 131/78 mm Hg and 127/75 mm Hg for males and females, respectively. The physical examination found 6 cases of blindness(4.0%). Five subjects presented with an elevated blood pressure(3.3%), and 5(3.3%) displayed an abnormal thoracic auscultation evocative of tuberculosis or of an acute lung infection. The abdominal examination and renal palpation found 5 large masses(3.3%), and 2 subjects had a palpable enlarged spleen(1.3%). The blood thin films were fixed in methanol and subsequently examined in Toulouse. The search for blood parasites was negative. The urine samples were centrifuged and then microscopically examined in the field. No blood-fluke eggs were found. The stool samples were mixed with a preservative MIF solution and then stored to be examined later in Toulouse. Three subjects(2%) passed E. histolytica/E. dispar cysts in stools, 16(10.6%) were parasitized with Giardia sp. and 4(2.65%) were parasitized with Hymelepis nana. Two specimens of scorpions captured in the camp were subsequently identified as belonging to the harmful genus Androctonus or Leiurus. An investigation into the freshwater fauna was conducted in the marshy ponds surrounding the ghost city of Djado, and no intermediate snail hosts for schistosomiasis haematobium were found. Numerous nymphs of Ceratopogonidae, which are possible vectors for arboviruses of veterinarian importance, were collected, as were larvae and nymphs from two anopheline species, Anopheles hispaniola and An. multicolor, which are not efficient vectors for malaria.Conclusions: Infection-related blindness and trachoma, along with acute pulmonary infections and probably tuberculosis were the major health burden in this tribe. The harsh dry and hot climate may explain the low prevalence of soil-transmitted protozoan diseases or helminthiases.

Quality of Life and Chinese Medicine──The Development of Health Status Measures for Chinese Medicine

Quality of Life (QOL) is a multiphase conception, including physical, mental and social factors, and can overall reflect health status of the human. At present, QOL has become a relevant measure of efficacy of treatment in clinical trials. Its use is spreading, and its importance is growing as a valid indicator of whether or not a medical treatment is

Prospective evaluation of health status, quality of life and clinical outcomes following implantable defibrillator generator exchange

BACKGROUND Little is known about health status and quality of life(QoL)after implantable cardioverter-defibrillator(ICD)generator exchange(GE).METHODS We prospectively followed patients undergoing first-time ICD GE.Serial assessments of health status were performed by administering the 36-Item Short Form Survey(SF-36).RESULTS Mean age was 67.5±14.3 years,left ventricle ejection fraction(LVEF)was 36.5%±15.0%and over 40%of the cohort had improved LVEF to>35%at the time of GE.SF-36 scores were significantly worse in physical/general health domains compared to domains of emotional/social well-being(P<0.001 for each comparison).Physical health scores were significantly worse among those with medical comorbidities including diabetes,chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and atrial fibrillation.Mean follow-up was 1.6±0.5 years after GE.Overall SF-36 scores remained stable across all domains during follow-up.Survival at 3 years post-GE was estimated at 80%.Five patients died during follow-up and most deaths were adjudicated as non-arrhythmic in origin.Four patients experienced appropriate ICD shocks after GE,three of whom had LVEF which remains impaired LVEF(i.e.,<35%)at the time of GE.CONCLUSION Patients undergoing ICD GE have significantly worse physical health compared to emotional/social well-being,which is associated with the presence of medical comorbidities.In terms of clinical outcomes,the incidence of appropriate shocks after GE among those with improvement in LVEF is very low,and most deaths post-procedure appear to be non-arrhythmic in origin.These data represent an attempt to more fully characterize the spectrum of QoL and clinical outcomes after GE.

Health and Labor Productivity among Female Farmers in Imo State, Nigeria

This study examined the impact of farmers＇ health on labor data was collected through a field survey of 290 rural households productivity of female farmers in Imo State, Nigeria. Primary Descriptive statistics and estimation of efficiency following maximum likelihood estimation （MLE） procedure available in Frontier 4.1 were used to analyze the data. Results from the analyses showed that malaria has the highest prevalence level among female farmers in the study area followed by typhoid fever. The causes of sicknesses vary from cold, stress, mosquito bites and bad drinking water. Furthermore, the results showed that sicknesses affect the productivity of farmers by reducing their work capacity. Also, the distance to source of drinking water from home, source of drinking water, age, body mass index of farmers are also found to significantly affect the physical work output of farmers in the study area. The result shows that the distribution of farmers was highly skewed with about 99% of the farmers having their efficiency above 0.61. This indicates that majority of the farmers are technically efficient in the allocation of resources to crop production, The result also shows that the average efficiency was about 82.9%. Thus, the farmers＇ level of efficiency can be improved if there is a shift in the fi＇ontier, i.e. if factors contributing to inefficiency are adequately controlled. The study recommends the need to invest more on human capital especially health for there to be an improvement in rural productivity. Also, rural development policies should include health policies especially for women since it has a great influence on the household and emphasis should also be on preventive rather than curative health services.

Health Services Utilization and Health Status of Insured versus Uninsured Nigerian Children with Sickle Cell Disease

Introduction: Nigeria accounts for 150,000 infants born with the Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) every year. Children with SCD are affected by the deleterious effect of user fees which reduces affordability and utilization of health services. Evidences supported that institutionalized health insurance increases intensity of utilization. Methodology: The study was conducted at AKTH, Kano, and north-western, Nigeria. The study was retrospective comparative cross-sectional study. 100 patients were enrolled, 50 for each arm. Paediatric SCD clinic outpatients’ records and a specialty designed form containing the variables of interest were used. Data were analysed using Minitab 16. Proportions, percentages, tables, charts and chi squared test were used to compare the two groups. Result: The study found no association between the two groups in the likelihood of being insured based on age (χ2 = 1.478), gender (χ2 = 0.224) and dwellings (χ2 = 0.062). On health services utilization and insurance status, the study revealed that follow up clinic visits, unscheduled clinic visits and emergency room visits were more likely among the insured group compared to the uninsured group. While the health status and insurance status of the two groups over 12 months period showed a significant association with the insured more likely to have improved health status compared to uninsured (χ2 = 28.019, p = 0.0001). Similarly, health status and health services utilization were significantly associated with insurance status (χ2 = 12.191, p = 0.002). Conclusion: The insurance status of children with SCD is associated with their health services utilization and health status. However, age, gender and dwellings were not associated with insurance status of children with SCD. Therefore, when expanding insurance coverage (NHIS) among children with SCD considerations have to be given to increase health services utilization and resultant improvement in health status as these have the potential of reducing morbidity and mortality among children with SCD.

Relationship of Smartphone Dependence to General Health Status and Personality Traits among University Students

We investigated associations between smartphone dependence and general health status or personality traits. To 197 medical university students, we administered a set of self-reporting questionnaires designed to evaluate these parameters. For males, smartphone dependence positively correlated with somatic symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, and emotional instability, and negatively correlated with agreeableness. For females, smartphone dependence positively correlated with somatic symptoms, severe depression, and extraversion, and negatively correlated with social dysfunction. These findings suggest that smartphone dependence may be associated with general health status or personality traits and that there may be a gender difference in these associations.

The Current Status and Challenges Regarding Tuberculosis Infection Control in Health Care Facilities in China

Health care facilities are a high-risk environment for generating and spreading respiratory infectious diseases such as tuberculosis （TB）. The TB prevention and treatment staff in health care facilities are responsible for the identification, diagnosis, treatment, supervision, and management of TB patients .