Subjective social status in association with various health and socioeconomic indicators in Tehran

Aim

Socioeconomic status (SES) is one of the most important determinants of health. Subjective social status (SSS) is a popular SES indicator. The objective of this study is to compare the associations between health and various SES indicators in order to examine whether SSS is a proper SES indicator.

Subject and methods

In this 2013 cross-sectional study, 1,995 Tehrani residents were selected through multi-stage random sampling. The questionnaires included items on subjective and objective SES, self-rated health (SRH) and objective health status. The crude and adjusted associations between health and SES indicators were assessed using bivariate and multiple logistic regressions.

Results

The crude associations between SSS and all assessed health outcomes were significant. After adjustment of the wealth index, consumption, education and occupation, the associations between SSS and SRH (OR?=?0.69, CI 95 %: 0.55–0.86) and having cardiovascular (OR?=?0.73, CI 95 %: 0.58–0.92), musculoskeletal (OR?=?0.81, CI 95 %: 0.70–0.94), asthma and other respiratory diseases (OR?=?0.71, CI 95 %: 0.54–0.92) still remained significant. The adjusted associations between SSS and having hypertension and diabetes were not significant. SSS had a stronger correlation with the wealth index (Spearman r?=?0.42) compared to other SES indicators.

Conclusion

SSS showed a significant association with most of the health outcomes, independent of other SES indicators; therefore, it can be used in health research, though it is not an exact alternative for other objective SES indicators.

     

Lung mineral fibers of former miners and millers from Thetford-Mines and asbestos regions: a comparative study of fiber concentration and dimension

Fiber dimension and concentration may vary substantially between two necropsy populations of former chrysotile miners and millers of Thetford-Mines and Asbestos regions. This possibility could explain, at least in part, the higher incidence of respiratory diseases among workers from Thetford-Mines than among workers from the Asbestos region. The authors used a transmission electron microscope, equipped with an x-ray energy-dispersive spectrometer, to analyze lung mineral fibers of 86 subjects from the two mining regions and to classify fiber sizes into three categories. The most consistent difference was the higher concentration of tremolite in lung tissues of workers from Thetford-Mines, compared with workers from the Asbestos region. Amosite and crocidolite were also detected in lung tissues of several workers from the Asbestos region. No consistent and biologically important difference was found for fiber dimension; therefore, fiber dimension does not seem to be a factor that accounts for the difference in incidence of respiratory diseases between the two groups. The greater incidence of respiratory diseases among workers of Thetford-Mines can be explained by the fact that they had greater exposure to fibers than did workers at the Asbestos region. Among the mineral fibers studied, retention of tremolite fibers was most apparent.     

HIV care for geographically mobile populations

The interaction between geographic mobility and risk for human immunodeficiency virus infection is well recognized, but what happens to those same individuals, once infected, as they transition to living with the infection? Does mobility affect their transition into medical care? If so, do mobile and nonmobile populations achieve similar success with antiretroviral treatment? The definition of mobility has changed over the centuries to encompass a complex phenotype including permanent migration, frequent travel, circular migration, and travel to and from treatment centers. The heterogeneity of these definitions leads to discordant findings. Investigations show that mobility has an impact on infection risk, but fewer data exist on the impact of geographic mobility on medical care and treatment outcomes. This review will examine existing data regarding the impact of geographic mobility on access to and maintenance in medical care and on adherence to antiretroviral therapy for those living with human immunodeficiency virus infection. It will also expand the concept of mobility to include data on the impact of the distance from residence to clinic on medical care and treatment adherence. Our conclusions are that the existing literature is limited by varying definitions of mobility and the inherent oversimplification necessary to apply a "mobility measure" in a statistical analysis. The impact of mobility on antiretroviral treatment outcomes deserves further exploration to both define the phenomenon and target interventions to these at-risk populations.     

Modified synthesis of 11-[C]-clozapine

The reported synthetic pathway of 8-chloro-11-(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)-11-[¹⁴C]-5H-dibenzo[b,e][1,4]diazapine (clozapine) was modified in several steps. The synthetic pathway was shortened by 60% and the total yield was increased from 6% to 23%.