Comparative study of correlates of early age at menarche among Mexican and Egyptian adolescents.

We compared the median age at menarche in two developing countries to determine whether early age at menarche varies across body mass index (BMI), socioeconomic level, and urban/rural residence in Mexican and Egyptian adolescents. Questionnaire data and weight and height measurements were collected from 4,143 Mexican and 493 Egyptian adolescent girls (age, 10-19 years). Statistical analysis included Pearson chi-squared, Student t-test, and multiple logistic regression models. Median age at menarche was 12 years (range, 8-19 years) for Mexican girls and 13 years (range, 9-16) for Egyptian girls. In both countries, the odds of undergoing menarche at an earlier age were higher among adolescents with the following characteristics: overweight or obesity, as compared to those with a normal BMI (Mexican adolescents, OR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.25-1.69; Egyptian adolescents, OR = 2.20, 95% CI 1.21-4.03); living in urban versus rural areas (OR = 1.38, 95% CI 1.19-1.61 and OR = 1.38, 95% CI 0.74-2.59, respectively); high socioeconomic level versus the lowest level (OR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.22-1.74 and OR = 1.41, 95% CI 0.67-2.98, respectively). The associations between early age at menarche and urban residence or high socioeconomic level were statistically significant only in Mexican adolescents. Menarche at an earlier age was most strongly associated with overweight and obesity in both Mexican and Egyptian adolescents, while urban residence and high socioeconomic level were significantly associated only in Mexican adolescents.     

北京市顺义区中小学生饮食行为与超重肥胖的相关性分析

目的 了解顺义区中小学生饮食行为与超重肥胖之间的相关关系,有效引导中小学生合理饮食行为,为保障其健康成长提供依据。方法 采用多层整群随机抽样方法,于2017年7月对顺义区1212名中小学生进行问卷调查,对相关因素进行Logistic 多元回归分析。结果 学生超重肥胖检出率为35.53%,其中男生为42.66%,女生为28.87%,差异有统计学意义(?字2=24.852,P＜0.01);多因素分析显示,男性是学生超重肥胖的危险因素（OR=1.863,95%CI=1.455~2.384）;而吃早餐是学生超重肥胖的保护因素,包括天天吃早餐（OR=0.164,95%CI=0.058~0.464）,有时吃早餐（OR=0.166,95%CI=0.058~0.478）。结论 顺义区中小学生超重肥胖率较高,健康饮食行为与超重肥胖之间存在相关关系,各部门应加强营养和健康知识教育,保障学生健康成长。     

Weekend catch-up sleep is associated with decreased risk of being overweight among fifth-grade students with short sleep duration

Previous studies have reported a relationship between short sleep duration and childhood overweight. Although school‐aged children tend to compensate for weekday sleep deficit by increasing weekend sleep duration, the association between weekend catch‐up sleep and childhood overweight remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the relationship between weekend catch‐up sleep and being overweight in children. A total of 936 school children (48.2% boys) aged 10 or 11 years participated in this school‐based cohort study. Anthropometric measurements including height and body weight were carried out. We obtained data on sleep patterns, lifestyle and parent characteristics using questionnaires. The main outcome measure was childhood overweight. After adjusting for the relevant confounding variables (age, sex, breakfast eating, screen time and parental obesity), longer sleep on weekdays and weekends was associated with decreased odds of childhood overweight (OR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.54–0.86; OR: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.53–0.77, respectively). Participants with increased catch‐up sleep duration during weekends also had decreased odds of being overweight (OR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.53–0.85). There was an interaction between weekday sleep duration and weekend catch‐up sleep in relation to childhood overweight, and this effect of weekend catch‐up sleep on being overweight was stronger as the participants slept less on weekdays (P = 0.024). These results indicate that weekend catch‐up sleep is independently associated with decreased risk of being overweight in fifth‐grade students, and this effect can be varied by the weekday sleep duration. A prospective study is required to confirm this observation.     

Allergic disease and sensitization in Steiner school children

BACKGROUND: The anthroposophic lifestyle has several features of interest in relation to allergy: for example, a restrictive use of antibiotics and certain vaccinations. In a previous Swedish study, Steiner school children (who often have an anthroposophic lifestyle) showed a reduced risk of atopy, but specific protective factors could not be identified. OBJECTIVE: To investigate factors that may contribute to the lower risk of allergy among Steiner school children. METHODS: Cross-sectional multicenter study including 6630 children age 5 to 13 years (4606 from Steiner schools and 2024 from reference schools) in 5 European countries. RESULTS: The prevalence of several studied outcomes was lower in Steiner school children than in the reference group. Overall, there were statistically significant reduced risks for rhinoconjunctivitis, atopic eczema, and atopic sensitization (allergen-specific IgE > or =0.35 kU/L), with some heterogeneity between the countries. Focusing on doctor-diagnosed disease, use of antibiotics during first year of life was associated with increased risks of rhinoconjunctivitis (odds ratio [OR], 1.97; 95% CI, 1.26-3.08), asthma (OR, 2.79; 95% CI, 2.03-3.83), and atopic eczema (OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.22-2.17). Early use of antipyretics was related to an increased risk of asthma (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.11-2.13) and atopic eczema (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.02-1.71). Children having received measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination showed an increased risk of rhinoconjunctivitis, whereas measles infection was associated with a lower risk of IgE-mediated eczema. CONCLUSION: Certain features of the anthroposophic lifestyle, such as restrictive use of antibiotics and antipyretics, are associated with a reduced risk of allergic disease in children.     

Proceedings of the Australasian Society for Human Biology

Aim: The aims of this study were (1) to analyse the influence of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and parental overweight status (POS) and socioeconomic status (SES) on abdominal obesity.

Subjects and methods: This study was comprised of 779 adolescents (12–18 years). Waist–height ratio (WHtR), 20 m shuttle-run test to ascertain CRF, POS according to World Health Organization recommendations and SES of parents using level of education were analysed.

Results: Using WHtR, the prevalence of abdominal obesity was 21.3% (23.5% girls and 17.9% boys; p = 0.062). Regardless of gender, participants who belonged to the WHtR risk group had significantly (p ≤ 0.05) lower CRF scores than the WHtR non-risk group; 84.4% of girls who belonged to the WHtR risk group had one or two overweight parents (p ≤ 0.05). Boys with low CRF (OR: 6.43; CI: 3.33–12.39) were more likely to belong to the WHtR risk group compared with their lean peers. Girls with low CRF (OR: 1.78; CI: 1.14–2.78) and with at least one overweight parent (OR: 2.50; CI: 1.07–5.85) or two overweight parents (OR: 4.90; CI: 2.08–11.54) were associated with the risk of abdominal obesity.

Conclusion: This study highlights the influence of adolescents' family on abdominal obesity, especially in girls. Further, the data suggested that low CRF was a strong predictor of risk values of abdominal obesity in adolescence.     

Risk factors for pneumonia in urban-dwelling HIV-infected women: a case-control study in Nairobi,Kenya

In sub-Saharan Africa, respiratory tract infections (RTI) are the leading cause of serious morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected persons. This study sought to investigate demographic, socioeconomic, and environmental risk factors for pneumonia in a cohort of HIV-infected women. The authors performed a nested case-control study in a cohort of HIV-1-infected adults followed in Nairobi, Kenya. Thirty-nine women who developed pneumonia during the follow-up period were selected as cases, and 66 women who did not develop pneumonia were randomly chosen to serve as control subjects. A questionnaire was administered in subjects' homes that assessed demographics, home environment, and socioeconomic status. Women were followed in the cohort for a median of 36.8 months (range, 27.3-39.3). Adjusting for length of follow-up period, factors associated with lower socioeconomic status (lower monthly spending [OR = 3.2; 95% CI, 1.2-8.4 per 10,000 Kenyan shilling decrease], having no savings [OR = 4.1; 95% CI, 1.4-11.9], less sturdy home construction material such as mud or cement walls [OR = 2.6; 95% CI, 1.1-5.9] or dirt floors [OR = 2.8; 95% CI, 1.0-7.6], and lack of a window in the home [OR = 5.5; 95% CI, 0.9-32.2]) and being widowed (OR = 4.3; 95% CI, 1.2-15.1) or single (OR = 3.3; 95% CI, 1.0-11.2) were associated with an increased risk of pneumonia. In multivariate analysis, widowed (AOR = 5.9; 95% CI, 1.3-26.3), single (AOR = 7.7; 95% CI, 1.6-36.4), and divorced (AOR = 4.5; 95% CI, 1.0-20.1) women, those without savings (AOR = 3.7; 95% CI, 1.2-11.7), and those living in more crowded and contagious conditions (AOR = 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1-2.1) remained at increased risk of pneumonia. If confirmed by prospective investigation, these findings could help identify persons and subpopulations of HIV-infected women with the greatest risk of pneumonia.     

Socioeconomic and lifestyle determinants of body fat distribution in young working males from Cracow, Poland.

The aim of the study was to determine the degree of explanation of the central adiposity variation, presented by waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), and the sum of the three trunk skinfold thicknesses (subscapular, abdominal, suprailiac) (TTS) through the socioeconomic status (SES) and lifestyle. The material included cross-sectional population-based research of 259 healthy working males aged 20-30 from the city of Cracow, Poland. Objective anthropometric measurements, the results of motor fitness tests, and social and lifestyle data from a questionnaire were analyzed. The independent variables were: age, SES (the birthplace, place of residence until the age of 14, social class, educational level, and the type of work done), and lifestyle elements (smoking habits, dietary habits, family obesity resemblance, sport activity in the past, leisure time physical activity (LTPA), and the level of motor fitness). Three separate full models were created using stepwise straightforward regression with WC, WHR, and TTS as dependent variables. The highest autonomous influence on WC was ascribed to age, level of motor fitness, and family obesity resemblance. Variation in WHR was explained by age, level of motor fitness, upper-middle class, LTPA, and village as the birthplace. Level of motor fitness, place of residence until the age of 14 (city), age, smoking fewer than 20 cigarettes a day, and family obesity resemblance had greatest influence on TTS. The findings indicated the importance, besides age, of lifestyle elements connected with motor fitness and LTPA in determining body fat distribution in young working males.     

Relationship between Socioeconomic Position and Suicide Attempts among the Korean Adolescents

This study explored the relationship of the subjective socioeconomic position (SEP) as well as the objective SEP with the rate of suicide attempts in 74,186 adolescents from the 2012 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBS). The SEP was measured by the Family Affluence Scale (FAS) and the self-rated household economic status. The low perceived SEP for either the high or low FAS score was related to the elevated likelihood of suicide attempts in both genders. As compared with the adolescents in both the high level of perceived SEP and FAS score after adjusting for other confounding factors, the middle school students were more likely to attempt suicide in both low level of perceived SEP and FAS score (OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.18-2.78 for boys, OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.13-1.90 for girls). The high school students were more likely to attempt suicide in the low perceived SEP and high FAS score (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.14-1.81 for boys, OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.07-1.56 for girls). In conclusion, the relationship of subjective SEP is important in suicide attempts as much as objective SEP and far more important in the high school students.     

Psychomotor retardation in elderly depressed patients

BACKGROUND: Up to 70% of older people who commit suicide consult a general practitioner (GP) in the month prior to their death. The purpose of this study was to identify the clinical and demographic characteristics of older adults who are contemplating suicide and are in contact with a GP. METHODS: We utilised a cross-sectional study to investigate the association between suicidal ideation and clinical/demographic variables of 504 consecutive patients aged 60 years or over, attending 1 of 54 randomly selected Western Australian GPs. Prior to their medical consultation, patients completed a self-report questionnaire, which included questions about suicidal ideation (Depressive Symptom Inventory-Suicidality Subscale, DSI-SS), demographic factors, lifestyle factors, physical health and mental health, including depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale, CES-D). RESULTS: Within our sample of older patients, 6.3% acknowledged current suicidal ideation. Multivariate analyses indicated that current suicidal ideation was strongly associated with being depressed at least occasionally during the previous week (OR=7.3, 95% CI=2.3-23.0), CES-D scores of 16 points or greater (OR=3.6, 95% CI=1.0-12.1), and a prior history of attempted suicide (OR=15.5, 95% CI=4.0-60.6). Limitations: Our results and conclusions are limited to suicidal ideation, and may not apply to suicidal behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive symptomatology is strongly associated with suicidal ideation in later life. Strategies that enhance GPs' identification and treatment of affective illness in older patients should have the greatest impact on suicide rates within this age group.     

江苏盐城地区留守儿童抑郁状况及相关因素

目的:了解江苏盐城地区留守儿童的抑郁状况及相关的影响因素。方法:采用自制的一般资料问卷及儿童抑郁问卷(Children's Depression Inventory,CDI)对盐城地区3所农村中心小学356名留守儿童进行调查。结果:留守儿童的抑郁检出率为25.6%。Logistic回归分析显示,与父母交流频率为每半年(P0.001,OR=7.321,95%CI=2.876~15.128)、双亲缺失型留守儿童(P=0.021,OR=2.134,95%CI=1.654~6.980)、交流中谈论日常琐事(P=0.006,OR=4.321,95%CI=1.908~9.978)、家庭年收入为0~2000元(P=0.012,OR=3.223,95%CI=2.011~8.830)、5~6年级(P=0.003,OR=8.342,95%CI=2.113~19.232)、11~13岁(P=0.015,OR=5.299,95%CI=1.809~15.098)为留守儿童抑郁发生的危险因子,而交流内容为自我感受(P=0.001,OR=0.342,95%CI=0.190~0.799)、1~2年级(P0.001,OR=0.543,95%CI=0.221~0.879)、7~8岁(P0.001,OR=0.655,95%CI=0.207~0.911)为留守儿童抑郁的抗性因素。结论:盐城地区留守儿童的抑郁发生率较高,危险因素和抗性因素应当给予关注。     

A polymorphism in human TLR2 is associated with increased susceptibility to tuberculous meningitis

Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) results from the haematogenous dissemination of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from the lung to the brain. Dissemination is believed to occur early during infection, before the development of adaptive immunity. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) mediates recognition of M. tuberculosis and initiates the innate immune response to infection. We hypothesized that polymorphisms in the TLR2 gene influence bacterial dissemination and the development of TBM. A case-control study was designed to test the hypothesis. Cases of bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) (n=183) and TBM (n=175), and cord blood controls (n=389) were enrolled in Vietnam. TLR2 genotype 597CC was associated with susceptibility to TB (odds ratio (OR)=2.22, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.23-3.99). The association was found with meningeal rather than pulmonary TB (TBM vs control, OR=3.26, 95% CI: 1.72-6.18), and was strongest when miliary TB was found on chest radiography (controls vs TBM with miliary TB, OR=5.28, 95% CI: 2.20-12.65). Furthermore, the association increased with the severity of neurologic symptoms (grade I TBM, OR=1.93, 95% CI: 0.54-6.92; grade II, OR=3.32, 95% CI: 0.84-13.2; and grade III, OR=5.70, 95% CI: 1.81-18.0). These results demonstrate a strong association of TLR2 SNP T597C with the development of TBM and miliary TB and indicate that TLR2 influences the dissemination of M. tuberculosis.     

Prevalence of overweight/obesity and its associated factors among a sample of Moroccan type 2 diabetes patients

BackgroundObesity constitutes a major risk factor for the development of diabetes, and has been linked with poor glycaemic control among type 2 diabetic patients.AimsThis study examines the prevalence of overweight/obesity and associated factors in type 2 diabetic patients in the Beni-Mellal Khenifra region in Morocco.MethodsA questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017 among 975 diabetes patients attending primary health centres. Demographic and clinical data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Anthropometric measurements, including body weight, height and waist circumference, were taken using standardized techniques and calibrated equipment.ResultsThe prevalence of overweight was 40.4%, the general obesity was 28.8% and the abdominal obesity was 73.7%. Using multivariate analysis, we noted that the general obesity was associated with female sex (AOR= 3,004, 95% CI: 1.761–5.104, P<0.001), increased age (AOR=2.192, 95% CI: 1.116–4.307, P<0.023) and good glycaemic control (AOR=1.594, 95% CI: 1.056–2.407, P=0.027), whereas abdominal obesity was associated wih female sex (AOR=2.654, 95% CI: 1.507–4.671, P<0.001) and insulin treatment (AOR=2.927, 95% CI: 1.031–8.757, P=0.048).ConclusionOverweight, general obesity and abdominal obesity were high among participants, especially among women. Taken together, these findings urge the implementation of a roadmap for this diabetic subpopulation to have a new lifestyle.     

影响中国中学生自杀意念危险因素Meta分析

目的:探讨我国中学生自杀意念产生的相关危险因素。方法:检索至2015年1月的维普中文科技期刊全文数据库、CNKI中国学术期刊网全文数据库、中国生物医学文献数据库和万方数据库,以及PubMed、Web of Knowledge、EMbase等英文相关数据库,纳入国内中学生自杀意念影响因素的相关研究,采用Revman 5.2统计软件对纳入文献进行Meta分析,根据异质性检验结果选择相应效应模型进行数据合并,计算各影响因素合并比值比(OR)及其95%CI。结果:共纳入文献10篇,均为横断面研究。有效总体样本量为31324例。合并OR值(95%CI)有统计学意义的危险因素依次为:感到孤独(OR=2.842,95%CI:2.092~3.861),网络过度使用(OR=1.848,95%CI:1.396~2.445),受到排挤和欺侮(OR=1.805,95%CI:1.343~2.425),抑郁(OR=1.711,95%CI:1.371~2.136)。结论:与我国中学生自杀意念相关的危险因素是感到孤独、网络过度使用、受到排挤和欺侮以及抑郁等,因此,对中学生心理健康教育及自杀危机干预应围绕这些方面开展。     

A tale of 2 epidemics: the intersection between obesity and HIV infection in Philadelphia

BACKGROUND: Obesity and HIV infection are ongoing epidemics in the United States. Obesity predisposes to diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which are complications also associated with HIV and/or its treatment. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and risk factors for overweight and obesity in HIV-infected individuals. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective cross-sectional study in which 1689 patients enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania Center for AIDS Research Adult/Adolescent Database at 1 university hospital clinic, 2 affiliated practices, and 1 Veterans Administration clinic in Philadelphia had demographic, social, and medical data collected prospectively since 1999. PARTICIPANTS: Body mass index (BMI) data were available for 1669 HIV-infected subjects: 78% were men, and 60% were African American. The median CD4 count was 381 cells/microL, 47% of subjects had a viral load <400 copies/mL, and 9% of subjects were treatment naive. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The prevalence and risk factors for overweight (BMI: 25-29.9 kg/m) and obesity (BMI>or=30 kg/m) in HIV-infected subjects. RESULTS: Obesity and overweight were more prevalent than wasting (14%, 31%, and 9%, respectively; P<0.0005), but they were not more common than in the general population. Although women and men were equally overweight (30% vs. 31%), women were more obese than men (28% vs. 11%; P<0.001). Among women, African American race (odds ratio [OR]=1.8, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1-2.9) and a CD4 count>or=200 cells/microL (OR=2.8, 95% CI: 1.6-4.9) were associated with overweight and obesity. Among men, only a CD4 count>or=200 cells/microL (OR=1.6, 95% CI: 1.04-2.4) was associated with increased BMI. In men and women, smoking was associated with decreased obesity and overweight (OR=0.59, 95% CI: 0.47-0.74 and OR=0.65, 95% CI: 0.43-0.98, respectively). Age, income, employment, education, past or current intravenous drugs, being on HIV treatment, and viral load were not associated with obesity in the multivariate model. There was a positive correlation between BMI and total cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose. CONCLUSION: Obesity is more common than wasting in this therapeutic era. Women, particularly those of African American race, are at high risk. Obesity might add to metabolic abnormalities associated with HIV or its treatment and contribute to morbidity, as patients with HIV live longer.     

Negative association of Enterobius infestation with asthma and rhinitis in primary school children in Taipei

BACKGROUND: The relationship between allergy and parasites has been controversial, especially in non-tropical countries. Enterobius vermicularis (human pinworm) is the most prevalent intestinal parasite in industrialized countries. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between pinworm infestation and allergy in primary school children. METHOD: Peri-anal tape test for pinworm is routinely performed in Taipei primary schools. We collected data from school records and questionnaires distributed to all children in four primary schools grades 1 through 6 (n = 3107). RESULTS: The prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma (9.3% vs. 14.1%, P = 0.007) and allergic rhinitis (27.4% vs. 38.3%, P = 0.001) was lower in pinworm-positive compared to uninfested children. Pinworm was not correlated with atopic dermatitis or parent allergy. With logistic regression controlling for sex, parent allergy and lower respiratory infection, current asthma (OR = 0.25, 95% CI 0.10-0.63) and rhinitis (OR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.45-0.84) were negatively associated with pinworm. Among children in grades 3-6 who had no asthma or rhinitis before age 7, those with early infestation (pinworm diagnosis at or before grade 1) had a lower risk of having diagnosis of rhinitis during school years, compared to the uninfected group (5.4% vs. 12.3%, P = 0.03; adjusted OR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.21-1.02). CONCLUSIONS: We identified a negative association between pinworm infestation and allergic airway diseases, which could in part be attributed to protective effect of pinworm infestation on development of allergic symptoms. Other mechanisms of association could not be ruled out.     

Influence of predisposing, enabling, and health care need variables on the use of dental health services among Mexican adolescents from a semi-rural location

Objective: The purpose of this study was to quantify the influence of some of the predisposing, enabling, and healthcare need variables on dental health services utilization (DHSU) among Mexican adolescents. Material and methods: This is a cross-sectional analytical study including 1,538 Mexican teenagers 12 and 15 years of age. The dependent variable was DHSU in the previous 12 months. Data were collected through a questionnaire and included demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral factors. The study included an oral examination. The analysis included nonparametric statistics and a logistic regression model. Results: Of the 1,538 adolescents, 688 were 12 years old and 850 were 15 years old. Girls accounted for 49.9%. The prevalence of DHSU was 15%. In the final model we found that having moved at least once from the community in which the child was born was associated with DHSU (OR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.10-1.40; p > 0.05), just as it was observed for purchasing purified water for home consumption instead of relying on piped water supplies (OR: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.03-2.25), higher educational attainment of the mother (OR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.02-1.91) and of the father (OR: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.09-3.19). Having more sound teeth (OR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.94-0.98), and having at least one tooth with caries (OR: 1.10; 95% CI: 1.01-1.18) were also associated with DHSU (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The percentage of subjects with DHSU in the prior 12 months was low compared with other studies. Our identification of the variables associated with DHSU (often surrogates of socioeconomic position) indicated the existence of oral health inequalities and the need to develop strategies to reduce the gaps identified.     

Predictors of eHealth Usage: Insights on The Digital Divide From the Health Information National Trends Survey 2012

Background

Recent eHealth developments have elevated the importance of assessing the extent to which technology has empowered patients and improved health, particularly among the most vulnerable populations. With noted disparities across racial and social groups in chronic health outcomes, such as cancer, obesity, and diabetes, it is essential that researchers examine any differences in the implementation, uptake, and impact of eHealth strategies across groups that bear a disproportionate burden of disease.

Objective

The goal was to examine eHealth use by sociodemographic factors, such as race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), age, and sex.

Methods

We drew data from National Cancer Institute’s 2012 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) (N=3959) which is publicly available online. We estimated multivariable logistic regression models to assess sociodemographic predictors of eHealth use among adult Internet users (N=2358) across 3 health communication domains (health care, health information–seeking, and user-generated content/sharing).

Results

Among online adults, we saw no evidence of a digital use divide by race/ethnicity. However, there were significant differences in use by SES, particularly for health care and health information–seeking items. Patients with lower levels of education had significantly lower odds of going online to look for a health care provider (high school or less: OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.33-0.76) using email or the Internet to communicate with a doctor (high school or less: OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.29-0.72), tracking their personal health information online (high school or less: OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.32-0.84), using a website to help track diet, weight, and physical activity (high school or less: OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.42-0.98; some college: OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.49-0.93), or downloading health information to a mobile device (some college: OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.33-0.89). Being female was a consistent predictor of eHealth use across health care and user-generated content/sharing domains, whereas age was primarily influential for health information–seeking.

Conclusions

This study illustrates that lower SES, older, and male online US adults were less likely to engage in a number of eHealth activities compared to their counterparts. Future studies should assess issues of health literacy and eHealth literacy and their influence on eHealth engagement across social groups. Clinical care and public health communication efforts attempting to leverage Web 2.0 and 3.0 platforms should acknowledge differential eHealth usage to better address communication inequalities and persistent disparities in health.     

Deletion polymorphism in the gene for angiotensin-converting enzyme is associated with essential hypertension in men born during the Pacific War

Age is a strong risk factor for hypertension in relation to vascular aging. Additional etiological factors include: lifestyle, genetic factors, and their interactions. The aim of this study is to examine whether an insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene is associated with essential hypertension in Korean born during the Pacific War. A total of 13,914 healthy subjects (8261 men, 5653 women) aged 20-79 years were examined. Subjects with abnormal renal, thyroid dysfunction, or electrolyte levels were excluded. Logistic regression analysis showed increased risk (OR=1.15; 95% CI, 1.01-1.31) in men, but not in women (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.89-1.26). However, after adjustment for age, obesity, cholesterol, alcohol consumption, and diabetes mellitus, increased risk in men was not significant (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.98-1.42). Analyzed according to birth-year, DD genotype showed increased risk for hypertension in only a subgroup of men (adjusted OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.16-2.09; p = 0.001), born during the Pacific War (1941-1945 year). Findings suggest that the ACE DD genotype plays a role in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension, in conjunction with adverse environmental conditions in early life, with sex-related difference.     

中国学生欺负相关行为报告率的Meta分析

目的:使用Meta分析评价2000-2015年中国学生欺负相关行为状况,为校园欺负相关行为的研究提供资料。方法:系统检索中国知网文献总库、万方数据库和维普信息资源库中有关中国学生欺负相关行为的研究,使用Meta分析报告率,对性别、年级和地区进行亚组分析。结果:共筛选20篇研究文献,总调查样本22831人。Meta分析结果,学生欺负卷入行为报告率为26.7%(95%CI=21.0%~32.3%),欺负报告率为7.3%(95%CI=4.9%~9.8%),被欺负报告率为15.9%(95%CI=12.8%~19.0%),欺负-被欺负报告率为4.8%(95%CI=2.5%~7.0%)。亚组分析结果显示,男生欺负相关行为报告率高于女生,大学生高于中小学生,中西部地区学生高于东部地区。结论:中国学生欺负行为的状况应引起社会的广泛关注。     

The prevalence of and potential risk factors for female urinary incontinence in Beijing, China

OBJECTIVES: To survey and evaluate the prevalence and potential risk factors of female urinary incontinence (UI) in Beijing, China. DESIGN: A population-based cross-sectional study was performed from April to July 2005. We randomly sampled 1.0% of female residents aged 20 years and older from year 2000 national census data, totaling 5,300 women. All of the women were interviewed face to face using a modified questionnaire based on the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms. Data were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of female UI was 38.5%. Prevalence rates of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI), female urge urinary incontinence, and female mixed urinary incontinence were 22.9%, 2.8%, and 12.4%, respectively. The prevalence rate of female UI was more than 50% in postmenopausal women. In multiple logistic models, multiple vaginal deliveries (odds ratio [OR]=2.1; 95% CI: 1.443-3.179), age (OR=1.7; 95% CI: 1.039-2.742), postmenopausal status (OR=1.5; 95% CI: 1.182-1.983), chronic pelvic pain (OR=1.4; 95% CI: 1.134-1.814), obesity (OR=1.4; 95% CI: 1.205-1.721), lack of exercise (OR=1.3; 95% CI: 1.105-1.509), constipation (OR=1.3; 95% CI: 1.109-1.586), and hypertension (OR=1.2; 95% CI: 1.053-1.474) were identified as potential risk factors of female SUI. No association between female SUI and offspring birth weight, occupation, or chronic diseases was observed in this study. Only 12.8% of women with UI and 7.4% of women with SUI seek medical help. CONCLUSIONS: UI is a major disorder that affects female quality of life. The prevalence of female UI is high (38.5%) in Beijing. Among the different types of UI, SUI was the most prevalent (22.9%). Potential risk factors identified for female SUI were multiple vaginal deliveries, age, postmenopausal status, chronic pelvic pain, obesity, lack of exercise, constipation, and hypertension.