Asthma in adolescence affects daily life and school attendance - Two cross-sectional population-based studies 10 years apart.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Stridsman C
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5500462 | biostudies-other | 2017 Jul
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
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Project description:AIMS:The aims of the study were to investigate prevalence trends of respiratory symptoms, asthma and asthma treatment among young adults in Estonia and to estimate changes in symptom profile among subjects who self-report asthma attacks or use asthma medications. METHODS:Two similar questionnaires on respiratory health were sent to subjects in Tartu, Estonia, aged between 20 and 44?years; first in 1993/94, and then in 2014/15. To study the impact of different respiratory symptoms on asthma diagnosis and treatment, the log-binomial regression was used to estimate the association between 'attack of asthma' (as a proxy for current asthma) and respiratory symptoms as well as asthma treatment and respiratory symptoms, adjusted for age, sex and smoking history. RESULTS:Self-reported prevalence of asthma attack, asthma medication use and nasal allergies increased over the twenty years between studies, whereas there was no change in prevalence of asthma-related symptoms, and the prevalence of most respiratory symptoms either decreased, or remained unchanged. For women experiencing asthma attacks, the prevalence of nasal allergies increased and waking with chest tightness decreased. For men using asthma medication, the prevalence of a wheeze without a cold decreased. Women using asthma medication reported decreased prevalence of waking with chest tightness. CONCLUSION:Self-reported asthma attacks and asthma medication use has increased in last 20?years, while the prevalence of most respiratory symptoms either decreased or did not change. It is likely that changes in asthma symptom profile have had an impact on the prevalence of asthma and asthma treatment.
| S-EPMC6998351 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundA rapidly increasing proportion of people in high-income countries are surviving into their tenth decade. Concern is widespread that the basis for this development is the survival of frail and disabled elderly people into very old age. To investigate this issue, we compared the cognitive and physical functioning of two cohorts of Danish nonagenarians, born 10 years apart.MethodsPeople in the first cohort were born in 1905 and assessed at age 93 years (n=2262); those in the second cohort were born in 1915 and assessed at age 95 years (n=1584). All cohort members were eligible irrespective of type of residence. Both cohorts were assessed by surveys that used the same design and assessment instrument, and had almost identical response rates (63%). Cognitive functioning was assessed by mini-mental state examination and a composite of five cognitive tests that are sensitive to age-related changes. Physical functioning was assessed by an activities of daily living score and by physical performance tests (grip strength, chair stand, and gait speed).FindingsThe chance of surviving from birth to age 93 years was 28% higher in the 1915 cohort than in the 1905 cohort (6·50% vs 5·06%), and the chance of reaching 95 years was 32% higher in 1915 cohort (3·93% vs 2·98%). The 1915 cohort scored significantly better on the mini-mental state examination than did the 1905 cohort (22·8 [SD 5·6] vs 21·4 [6·0]; p<0·0001), with a substantially higher proportion of participants obtaining maximum scores (28-30 points; 277 [23%] vs 235 [13%]; p<0·0001). Similarly, the cognitive composite score was significantly better in the 1915 than in the 1905 cohort (0·49 [SD 3·6] vs 0·01 [SD 3·6]; p=0·0003). The cohorts did not differ consistently in the physical performance tests, but the 1915 cohort had significantly better activities of daily living scores than did the 1905 cohort (2·0 [SD 0·8] vs 1·8 [0·7]; p<0·0001).InterpretationDespite being 2 years older at assessment, the 1915 cohort scored significantly better than the 1905 cohort on both the cognitive tests and the activities of daily living score, which suggests that more people are living to older ages with better overall functioning.FundingDanish National Research Foundation; US National Institutes of Health-National Institute on Aging; Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation; VELUX Foundation.
| S-EPMC3818336 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundAnemia among adolescents (ages 10-19 years) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries and carries long-term health and economic consequences. To address the issue, policymakers and programmers require evidence of the burden of anemia among adolescents in specific contexts, as well as an understanding of the factors associated with anemia in this population.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey as a baseline assessment to determine the prevalence and factors associated with anemia in secondary school students, as part of a cluster-randomized effectiveness trial testing different micronutrient supplementation strategies in addressing anemia among adolescents in Zanzibar. Between March 7th to 25th, 2022 the survey was conducted on 2,479 school-going adolescents aged 10-17 years from 42 schools on the island of Zanzibar, Tanzania. Hemoglobin concentration was measured along with the collection of socio-demographics, health, food frequency, and water, sanitation and hygiene data.ResultsBased on the World Health Organization cutoffs for anemia, 53.3% of the sample had anemia (mild, moderate, or severe). Using chi-square tests and logistic regressions, we determined that females had higher odds of anemia than males (Adjusted OR = 1.47; 95% CI: 1.24, 1.74), those in the highest wealth quintile had lower odds of anemia than those in the lowest wealth quintile (Adjusted OR = 0.7; CI: 0.54, 0.91), stunted adolescents had higher odds of anemia than non-stunted students (Adjusted OR = 1.38; 95% CI: 1.06,1.81), and those who used shared toilets had higher odds of moderate or severe anemia than those with private toilet access (Adjusted OR = 1.68; CI: 1.07, 2.64).ConclusionsThe high prevalence of anemia in this sample indicates an urgent need to address anemia among adolescents in Zanzibar, and the factors associated with anemia point to the importance of water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions in addition to dietary and nutritional support.Trial registrationNCT05104554, registered 03/11/2021.
| S-EPMC10508009 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe presence of concomitant medical conditions in people with dementia is common. Dementia may be related to differential use of health, social and informal care.MethodsData from two large UK population-based studies (CFAS I & II) of adults aged 65 years and older were analysed using logistic regression for binary outcomes and Poisson regression for count outcomes to look at differences in non-dementia service use by those with dementia and a health condition in comparison to those with the health condition alone.ResultsA total of 1619 individuals from CFAS I and 3805 individuals from CFAS II over the age of 75 years were included in this analysis. The presence of dementia and either stroke, diabetes or visual impairment tended to increase the likelihood of a range of different services being used over having any of the health conditions alone. There has been a shift to the use of unpaid care over time. There is now increased use of unpaid care from friends and family by those with dementia and another health condition in comparison to the health condition alone.ConclusionsEither due to the decrease in care home spaces or affordability, people with dementia are now relying on unpaid care more than people with other long-term health conditions.
| S-EPMC6056993 | biostudies-literature
Project description: Not available
| S-EPMC8182677 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Supplementation with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) precursors including dietary nicotinamide has been found to boost tissue NAD+ levels and ameliorate oxidative stress-induced damage that contributes to aging and aging-related diseases. The association between dietary NAD+ precursors and patient-reported health-related outcomes in cancer survivors has not been investigated. This study aimed to determine associations of dietary nicotinamide intake with different patient-reported outcomes in colorectal cancer survivors, 2 to 10 years post-diagnosis. A total of 145 eligible participants were recruited into this cross-sectional study. Dietary nicotinamide intake level was calculated based on data from 7-day food diaries. Fatigue was assessed with the Checklist Individual Strength (CIS), which is a subscale of the cancer-specific European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC), and anxiety and depression were assessed with Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Oxidative stress marker serum protein carbonyl contents and serum NAD+ levels were measured. A hierarchical linear regression model with confounder adjustment was performed to analyze the association of nicotinamide intake, serum protein carbonyl contents, and NAD+ levels with patient-reported outcomes. The median values of daily nicotinamide intake for male and female participants were 19.1 and 14.4 mg, respectively. Daily dietary nicotinamide intake was associated with a lower level of fatigue (β: -14.85 (-28.14, -1.56)) and a lower level of anxiety and depression (β: -4.69 (-8.55, -0.83)). Subgroup analyses by sex showed that a beneficial association between nicotinamide intake and patient-reported outcomes was mainly found in men. To conclude, our findings suggested that higher dietary NAD+ precursor nicotinamide intake was cross-sectionally associated with less patient-reported outcomes in CRC survivors.
| S-EPMC8624000 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Back pain in children is a reality and various factors are involved in its etiology. The study's aim was to analyze the relationship between the use and type of backpack and pain in children. An analytical observational cross-sectional study was conducted among 123 schoolchildren between 8-10 years. Data on the participants' weight and height and their backpacks were collected, as well as the way of travel to school and their physical activity during the week. The results indicated that all backpacks were large because the backpack's height is longer than torso length. Participants who studied in a traditional educational system (62.60%) carried backpacks that exceeded 10% of their body weight. Additionally, 31.7% of the students presented pain. There is no significant correlation between the weight or type of backpack and the pressure pain threshold collected from shoulders muscles. Participants who carried backpacks heavier than 10% of their body weight did not have more musculoskeletal pain or a lower pressure pain threshold than the others, although they did report greater fatigue. All these topics should be debated considering the student's social environment and the backpack's discomfort to the children, even though no relationship was found between musculoskeletal pain and backpack weight.
| S-EPMC7177975 | biostudies-literature
Project description:OBJECTIVES:To study the extent to which home-to-school distance and neighbourhood walkability were associated with self-reported active travel to school (ATS) (eg, walking, cycling), and to explore how distance moderates the effect of walkability on ATS, among 10-11 years old. DESIGN:Cross-sectional study. SETTING:Data were collected between May 2015 and May 2016 in partnership with the Growing Up in Scotland Study, a nationally representative longitudinal cohort study. PARTICIPANTS:713 children (male (n=330) and female (n=383) 10-11 years old) from Studying Physical Activity in Children's Environments across Scotland. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES:Children who actively travelled to/from school categorised as active all (100% of ATS) and active 60%+ (at least 60% of ATS); home-to-school road/path network distance (<0.5 km, 0.5 to <1 km, 1 to <1.5 km, 1.5 to <2 km, 2 km+); home neighbourhood walkability (i.e., composite measure of road/path intersection density and dwelling density) (in quintiles). RESULTS:Distance and walkability were both associated with ATS. The likelihood of ATS for all or most journeys decreased with increasing distance. Compared with 'most' walkable areas (Q1), the odds of active all were significantly lower within least walkable areas (Q5 OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.99), and odds of active 60%+ were significantly less in Q2-Q5 (lowest odds Q5 OR 0.20, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.47). Regarding walkability and distance interactions, for all distance categories, higher walkability increased the probability of ATS (for most school journeys). CONCLUSION:Walkability was positively associated with ATS within all distance categories, with the relationship between walkability and ATS more complex than the clear-cut association between distance and ATS. A more walkable environment had a larger effect on the probability of reaching the 60% threshold of school journeys using ATS than the probability of always travelling in an active manner. Investment is needed in existing less walkable neighbourhoods to provide infrastructure to support opportunities for children's ATS.
| S-EPMC7008418 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:China has transitioned from being one of the fastest-growing populations to among the most rapidly aging countries worldwide. In particular, the population of oldest-old individuals, those aged 80+, is projected to quadruple by 2050. The oldest-old represent a uniquely important group-they have high demand for personal assistance and the highest healthcare costs of any age group. Understanding trends in disability and longevity among the oldest-old-that is, whether successive generations are living longer and with less disability-is of great importance for policy and planning purposes. METHODS:We utilized data from successive birth cohorts (n?=?20,520) of the Chinese oldest-old born 10?years apart (the earlier cohort was interviewed in 1998 and the later cohort in 2008). Disability was defined as needing personal assistance in performing one or more of five essential activities (bathing, transferring, dressing, eating, and toileting) or being incontinent. Participants were followed for age-specific disability transitions and mortality (in 2000 and 2002 for the earlier cohort and 2011 and 2014 for the later cohort), which were then used to generate microsimulation-based multistate life tables to estimate partial life expectancy (LE) and disability-free LE (DFLE), stratified by sex and age groups (octogenarians, nonagenarians, and centenarians). We additionally explored sociodemographic heterogeneity in LE and DFLE by urban/rural residence and educational attainment. RESULTS:More recently born Chinese octogenarians (born 1919-1928) had a longer partial LE between ages 80 and 89 than octogenarians born 1909-1918, and octogenarian women experienced an increase in partial DFLE of 0.32?years (P?=?0.004) across the two birth cohorts. Although no increases in partial LE were observed among nonagenarians or centenarians, partial DFLE increased across birth cohorts, with a gain of 0.41?years (P?<?0.001) among nonagenarians and 0.07 years (P?=?0.050) among centenarians. Subgroup analyses revealed that gains in partial LE and DFLE primarily occurred among the urban resident population. CONCLUSIONS:Successive generations of China's oldest-old are living with less disability as a whole, and LE is expanding among octogenarians. However, we found a widening urban-rural disparity in longevity and disability, highlighting the need to improve policies to alleviate health inequality throughout the population.
| S-EPMC6357399 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundGood hearing is a fundamental skill that allows children to develop properly, both socially and intellectually. In contrast to defects in inner ear function, however, auditory processing disorders (APDs)-which can affect up to 2-3% of school-children-are not easily identified with basic screening programs and must be diagnosed using special tests. Although such psychoacoustic tests are available, the scores achieved depend highly on the social, cultural, and linguistic characteristics of the population, and norms must be established for each population separately. Reference values are still lacking for the Polish population, especially for children in school-age, so that practitioners must interpret test scores themselves, often intuitively or using potentially biased thresholds from other countries.Materials and methodsWe investigated a sample of 94 Polish schoolchildren with normal hearing, divided into four age groups: from 7 years-olds to 10 years-olds. All children had no speech or language development disorder, learning problem, or symptom of APD. Participants were volunteers who had previously taken part in a large screening study. The group consisted of 56 girls (60%) and 38 boys (40%) with an average age of 8.6 years (SD = 1.1). The test battery included the Duration Pattern Test (DPT), Frequency Pattern Test (FPT), Time-Compressed Speech Test (CST), and Dichotic Digit Test (DDT).ResultsThe scores on all tests increased consistently with age. The difference between each age-group for DPT, CST, and left- and right-ear DDT tests was significant (Kruskal-Wallis test, p-values = 0.002, 0.006, 0.005, 0.020, respectively), but the effect of age on the FPT test was not (p-value = 0.143). The analysis showed a clear and significant separation between a merged group of ages 7 and 8 and another of ages 9 and 10. We, therefore, propose, for each test, separate reference values for these two particular age-groups. Using thresholds based on a 10% quantile, we offer the following reference values for ages 7-8 and 9-10 respectively: DPT, 28.5% and 53.8%; FPT, 18.5% and 27.5%; CST, 68.6% and 77.2%; left-ear DDT, 34.3% and 52.5%; right-ear DDT, 56% and 72.5%.ConclusionThe scores on psychoacoustic tests to diagnose APD differ between cultures and linguistic backgrounds. Clinicians should, therefore, use norms that have been designed for the population most similar to their patients. Here, we report the use of a test battery designed for the Polish language that accounts for various aspects of APD when screening school children. Together with a full methodology of those tests, we provide norms that can be used as cut-offs in clinical diagnosis. Practitioners are invited to use them to obtain more accurate, evidence-based decisions.
| S-EPMC6713444 | biostudies-literature