Prevalence, Characteristics and Socio-Demographic Correlates of Self-Stigma among Leprosy Affected Persons - A Case Study

This study has determined the prevalence of self-stigma, its characteristics in terms of alienation, stereotype endorsement, perceived discrimination and social withdrawal and stigma resistance among leprosy-affected persons and its relationship and extent of this relationship with various socio-demographic features. This has been done by carrying out a cross-sectional survey of 120 active people affected by leprosy during 2020-21. An internationally validated and standardised instrument (ISMI) was used to measure self-stigma. Statistical techniques such as independent t-test, Pearson’s and point biserial correlation and regression analysis were used for data analysis. The study found significant correlations between ISMI self-stigma scores and socio- demographic variables with moderate to minor deviation across the four components of the ISMI scale. The high to low correlation of various components of the ISMI scale found is discrimination experience, followed by stigma resistance, stereotype endorsement and alienation. Overall, the highest self-stigma was found in disabled people affected by leprosy, followed by those whose age was less than 40 years, followed by unemployed and male people affected by leprosy. It was concluded that alienation was maximum among people affected by leprosy who were either disabled, aged less than 40 years or were males. Discrimination experience was reported mainly by unemployed, disabled, males and younger people affected by leprosy. The findings indicate that proper methodology and components of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy may help reduce self-stigma among leprosy-affected persons

Socio-economic and Psychological Correlates of Postpartum Depression at Six Months

Background : A woman undergoes multiple changes physically and emotionally after childbirth. Mothers also experience emotional changes with a new or additional baby related to breastfeeding demands, problems pertaining to maternal dissonance, childcare stress and difficult infant temperament. Materials and Methods : Overall, 100 women out of 178 women who attended obstetrics and Gynaecology department postpartum in our hospital were selected. Socio-economic factors, psychiatric and maternity characteristics were collected using a standard questionnaire. The main outcome of this study was PPD assessed by Edinburgh postpartum depression scale was used to assess the chief outcome of the study, ie, Postpartum Depression. EPDRS scale consisted of 10 questions that has 4 response scored from 0 to 3, so the highest value shows depressed moods. Results : Final results are of 100 postpartum females with age ranging between 18 and 30 years with a mean value 26.5 years � 4.05, 21.3% dwelling in Urban areas and 15.4% having high education. About 2.1% of study participants had postpartum only Depression, 15.3% had only anxiety alone and 23.2% study participant had both. When we look at severity, 8.8%, 10.6%, 2.9%, and 0.4% suffered from Mild, Moderate, Severe and extremely severe Postpartum Depression, respectively. 14.2%, 9.2%, 6.9% and 3.9% suffered mild, moderate, severe, and extremely severe Postpartum anxiety, respectively. Conclusion : Around 23% female patients in our hospital suffer from Postpartum Depression and/or anxiety. Very low Socio-economic levels, past history of Depression and Anxiety, mothers� education and occupation levels, family support during pregnancy, mothers� stress levels are important predictors.

Physical Activity Correlates among Jordanian Diabetes Patients

@#Introduction: An important keystone in preventing diabetes mellitus (DM) complications are performing Self-Care Behaviors (SCB) such as engaging in Physical Activity (PA). The objectives of the present research project are to identify PA levels among Jordanian patients with diabetes, explore the associations between PA and the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants, and recognize its predictors. Method: This study utilized quantitative descriptive cross-sectional design. The authors used purposive sampling method to recruit bout four hundred patients. Those patients were selected from the governmental sector of the Jordanian hospitals. Results: The inferential statistics illustrated that three factors were significant predictors to PA: complication presence (p=0.001), social norms (p= 0.01) in addition to perceived behavioral control (p= 0.001). The results indicated that about 65% of the participants had inadequate participation in the recommended physical activity. Similar findings were reported in the Arabic context, for example about 65 % of the Yemini patients had inadequate physical activity. Concerning the predictors the study results showed that those patients with diabetes complication have higher adherence to the prescribed physical activity. Dissimilar findings were evident in the literature For example, Shiriyedeve et al. found that there was association between adherence to PA and age (r = −0.085). However, this association was not statically significant. One of the most chronic illnesses in Jordan is diabetes mellitus. This could increase the responsibilities of the Jordanian health care providers especially the nurses. Conclusion: Being active participants in the physical activity is highly recommended measure to manage diabetes mellitus signs and symptoms appropriately.

Salivary lactoferrin levels, disease severity and correlates in patients with chronic periodontitis presenting to a tertiary health facility in Nigeria

Objective: This study compared the concentration of salivary lactoferrin in patients with and without chronic periodontitis and investigated correlations with clinical variables of the disease. Methods: The study included 102 participants (51 cases and 51 controls) who presented at the Periodontology Clinic of University of Benin Teaching Hospital and met the selection criteria of '4mm and above' periodontal probing depths (PPD) and positive bleeding on probing (BOP) using community periodontal index (CPI) probe. Healthy participants (controls) were patients that had PPD less than or equal to 3mm, absence of BOP and simplified oral hygiene index (OHI-S) not more than 1.2. Baseline OHI-S and CPI scores were recorded. Saliva samples were collected and analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. All data were analyzed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the mean (SD) lactoferrin concentration of control participants 5.27(0.59) mg/l and case participants 6.74(0.61) mg/l (p<0.001). Participants with probing pocket depths (PPD) of 6mm or more had a significantly higher mean concentration [6.85(0.06) mg/l] than that of those with PPD 4-5mm [6.71(0.67) mg/l] (p< 0.001)Lactoferrin levels were highest in participants with 'poor' oral hygiene [6.85(0.60) mg/l] and lowest in those with 'good' oral hygiene [6.65(0.83) mg/l]. Conclusion: Salivary lactoferrin levels were higher among participants with chronic periodontitis than those without chronic periodontitis and correlates positively with the main clinical characteristics of the disease

Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors among Chinese Children: Recent Trends and Correlates / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Objective@#This study was aimed at examining the trends and correlates of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviors among Chinese children.@*Methods@#A total of 4,341 subjects (6,936 observations) aged 6-17 years who participated in the China Health and Nutrition Survey (2004-2015) were included. Of the subjects, 41% participated in the survey twice or more. Random-effects ordinal regression models and repeated-measures mixed-effects models were used to examine the PA trends. Quantile regression models were applied to examine the factors influencing PA and sedentary behaviors.@*Results@#From 2004 to 2015, the prevalence of physical inactivity among Chinese children aged 6-17 years increased by 5.5% [odds ratio ( @*Conclusions@#A declining PA trend among Chinese children aged 6-17 years was observed from 2004 to 2015, and certain subgroups and geographical areas are at higher risk of physical inactivity.

Socio-demographic and Clinical Correlates of Community Reintegration of Stroke Survivors in Nigeria

Background:Low level of community reintegration among stroke survivors is a major obstacle to rehabilitation services post discharge from acute care. Few studies have assessed the impact of community reintegration on stroke survivors in Nigeria. This study investigates community reintegration and associated factors among stroke survivors in Maiduguri, Nigeria.Methodology:Purposive sampling technique was used to recruit 55 stroke survivors attending rehabilitation services from two public hospitals in Maiduguri. Community reintegration was assessed with the Reintegration to Normal Living Index (RNLI) questionnaire, while information on sociodemographics (e.g., age group, gender, employment status, educational status) and clinical characteristics (e.g., post stroke duration, types of stroke, side of affectation) was obtained using the data form. Logistic regression analyses with odd ratios were used to test the associations between community reintegration and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics Results:The mean age and post stroke duration of the participants were 44.69±13.06 years and 17.25±24.90 months respectively. The participants’ community reintegration scores showed that 60%, 38.2% and 1.8% have no integration, mild to moderate reintegration and complete reintegration respectively. The results indicated that stroke survivors with a stroke duration greater than 8 months (OR=3.32, C.I=1.08-10.27) and those with haemorrhagic stroke (OR=4.67, C.I=1.05-20.66) were more likely to be reintegrated into the community than their counterparts with 6-8 months post stroke duration and ischaemic stroke, respectively. There was significant association between community reintegration and sociodemographic characteristics such as post stroke duration and type of stroke.Conclusions: Rehabilitation strategies should focus on clinical characteristics of the stroke survivors when planning and delivering effective community reintegration interventions

Variations in modern contraceptive uptake and its correlates in South West and North East Nigeria: a comparative analysis

Background: Family planning programs are implemented specifically to address the sexual and reproductive health challenges of women of childbearing age but these interventions are yet to address regional differences in modern contraceptive usage in Nigeria. Hence, this study aimed to examine correlates of modern contraceptive uptake in South West and North Eastern, Nigeria.Methods: A cross-sectional survey data for women aged 15-49 years was extracted from Nigeria demographic and health surveys 2018 (NDHS). Data analyses were based on a weighted sample of 10,907 (North East= 5406 and South West = 5501) women of reproductive age. The outcome variable was modern contraceptive use. The main explanatory variables were age, employment status, religion, Number of living children, education, and marital status. Frequency distribution, Chi-square test, and binary logistic regression were used for data analysis (α=0.05).Results: The result showed the mean age of women of reproductive age in South West and North East to be 32years and 30 years respectively. More women in South West used modern contraceptive than women in North East. About 91.5% and 75.8% of women in North East and South West respectively did not used any modern method. The result showed that, in the South West, number of living children (OR:4.06, CI: 2.794-5.921), education (OR:1.35, CI: 1.045-1.754) and wealth index (OR:1.77, CI: 1.053-2.973) increased the odds of contraceptive uptake, while maternal age (OR:0.52, CI: 0.282-0.965), religion (OR:0.25, CI: 0.184-0.347) and place of residence (OR:0.68, CI: 0.504-0.916) significantly reduced the odds of modern contraceptive uptake in North East.Conclusions: This study concludes that there are regional variations in uptake and predictors of modern contraceptives use in Nigeria. Therefore, sexual and reproductive health interventions that considers the study’s significant variables should be put in place to increase uptake.

Prevalence and risk factors associated with falls among community-dwelling and institutionalized older adults in Indonesia

@#Objective: To assess the prevalence and social and health correlates of falls and fall risk in a sample of community-dwelling and institutionalized older Indonesians. Methods: Tis cross-sectional study was conducted July–August 2018 in three regions in Indonesia. Adults aged 60 years and above (n=427) were recruited via random sampling from community clinics and public and private elderly homes. Tey responded to interview-administered questions and provided measurements on sociodemographics and various health variables, including falls and fall risk. Fall risk was assessed with the STEADI (Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, & Injuries) screen. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to estimate associations with fall and fall risk. Results: In the year immediately preceding the study, 29.0% of participants had sufered a fall. Approximately one-third of women (31.1%) and one-ffth of men (20.4%) reported a fall in the past year, and 25.4% of community dwellers and 32.7% of institutionalized older adults had fallen. Te overall proportion of fall risk was 45.4%, 49.0% among women, 38.0% among men, 50.5% in the institutionalized setting, and 40.4% in the community setting. In adjusted logistic regression analysis, older age (OR: 1.89, CI: 1.06, 3.37), private elderly home setting (OR:2.04, CI: 1.10, 3.78), and being female (OR: 0.49, CI: 0.30, 0.82) were associated with falls in the preceding 12 months. Older age (80-102 years) (OR: 2.55, CI: 1.46, 4.46), private elderly home residence (OR: 2.24, CI: 1.19, 4.21), lack of education (OR: 0.51, CI: 0.28, 0.93), memory problems (OR: 1.81, CI: 1.09, 2.99), and arthritis (OR: 2.97, CI: 1.26, 7.00) were associated with fall risk by the STEADI screen. In stratifed analysis by setting, being female (OR: 0.49, CI: 0.25, 0.95) and living in urban areas (OR: 1.97, CI: 1.03, 3.76) were associated with falls in the institutionalized setting, and having near vision problems (OR: 2.32, CI: 1.09, 4.93) was associated with falls in the community setting. Older age (OR: 2.87, CI: 1.36, 6.07) was associated with fall risk in the institutionalized setting, and rural residence (OR: 0.37, CI: 0.15, 0.93) and having a joint disorder or arthritis (OR: 4.82, CI: 1.28, 16.61) were associated with fall risk in the community setting. Conclusion: A high proportion of older adults in community and institutional care in Indonesia have fallen or were at risk of falling in the preceding 12 months. Health variables for fall and fall risk were identifed for the population overall and for specifc populations in the home care and community setting that could help in designing fall-prevention strategies.

Prevalence and Demographic Correlates of Seropositive HIV and HBsAg Cases among Women Booking for Antenatal Care at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

Background: Infection with hepatitis B (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are global public health problems. These infections during pregnancy increase the risk of maternal morbidity and mortality, and also pose a risk to the fetus due to mother to child transmission.Objective:To determine the prevalence of seropositive HIV and HBsAg cases amongst pregnant women at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH).Methodology:A retrospective review of hospital and laboratory records of all pregnant women booked at RSUTH in two years, from May 2017 to April 2019, was carried out. Data on patients’ age, parity and educational leveland reactivity of HIV and HBsAgtest at booking were retrieved Original Research Article using structured proforma and analyzed using Epi Info Version 7. Test for significance using Chi-square was set at a significant level of P<0.05.Results:3560 patients had HIV and HBsAg screening out of which 148 (4.2%) and9 (0.3%) respectively were positive. The comorbidity rate in this study was 0.06%. The mean age was 31.5±4.7 years and the mean gestational age at booking was 22.1±6.8 weeks. There was no significant relationship between their age (χ2 = 2.690, p-value=0.442) and parity (χ2 = 3.759, p-value=0.145) with HIV seropositivity, but these were significant for HBsAg (χ2 = 13.691, p-value=0.003) (χ2 = 13.121, p-value=0.001). Educational status was significant for HIV (χ2 = 16.188, p-value=0.000) but not for HBsAg (χ2 = 0.229, p-value=0.892).Conclusion: The seroprevalence rate of HIV and HBsAg in this study were low. HIV seroprevalence was significantly affected by lower education, while HBsAg seroprevalence was significantly affected by younger maternal age andnulliparity. Continued screening of pregnant women for these infections remains valuable and further community-based studies to identify risk factors are recommended

Predictors of adherence to antiretroviral therapy among PLHIV

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is of paramount importance to achieve the optimum control of viral load and progression of disease among people living with HIV (PLHIV). An overview of systematic reviews to summarize the factors influencing adherence to ART was not found in the literature; hence, the systematic review of systematic reviews was conducted to provide global view of factors influencing adherence to ART. Systematic reviews ever published till May 2018 were searched and retrieved between May 2015 and May 2018 from Cochrane and PubMed databases. Among 88 studies initially chosen based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, 22 were selected for further analysis. Qualitative analysis of included reviews was made through narrative synthesis approach. Results of the study show that among the 60 factors enlisted, 5 were most highly significant, 7 were highly significant, 19 were moderately significant, and 29 were emerged as significant factors. Substance abuse, financial constraints, social support, HIV stigma, and depressive symptoms were the most highly significant factors influencing the adherence, whereas age, employment status, long distance, side effects of drugs, pill burden, education, and mental health were regarded as highly significant factors influencing ART. Fatigue, away from home, being too busy in other things, simply forgot, and beliefs about the necessity of ART emerged as significant factors. The study concludes that findings from the overview give global insight into the factors determining adherence to ART which would further influence the innovations, program, and policy-making to mitigate the problem of nonadherence.

A study of pattern of neonatal infections, socio-demographic correlates; clinical manifestations and bacteriological profile of neonatal infections

Background: In the newborns one of the leading causes of deaths and disease is septicemia. Classical clinical features are absent which poses a challenge for early diagnosis. Hence to prevent the deaths and diseases it is essential to go for early diagnosis and early treatment. Objective of this study pattern of neonatal infections, socio-demographic correlates; clinical manifestations and bacteriological profile of neonatal infections.Methods: A hospital based follow up study was carried out among total of 140 study subjects with age less than 28 days of life were studied over a period of one year. All these subjects were suspected to have neonatal septicaemia. Detailed history, thorough clinical examination was carried out. Samples were sent for culture and sensitivity. Subjects were followed till the outcome.Results: Among 2.02% was the incidence of the neonatal septicemia. Females were less affected than the males. Late onset septicemia was less common. Chest retraction was the most common clinical manifestation. Culture positivity rate was 44.29%. Gram-negative organisms were detected in 20 cases (64.5%). Case fatality rate was 17.14%. 41 babies (58.6%) affected by septicemia belonged to low socio economic status. 63 babies (90%) were diagnosed to have septicemia, 3 babies (4.28%) were affected by Meningitis, 2 babies were affected by pneumonia. 49 babies (50%) Belonged to Hindu both in case and control group,12 babies (42.9%) belonged to Buddhist in case group, 16 babies in control group.Conclusions: Males were more susceptible compared to the female babies as well those with higher birth weight. Late onset septicemia was less common.

Correlates of picky eating behaviour in children and its effect on growth

Background: Picky eating is common in preschool-aged children. Children's picky eating behaviour has been linked both to being overweight and underweight. Authors objectives was to study the factors associates of picky eating behaviour on growth and nutritional status of children.Methods: A Cross-sectional study done in 200 parents of children between 1-5 year age visiting outpatient department. Picky eating behaviours were assessed using questions from children eating behaviour questionnaire.Results: In the study, the estimated prevalence rate was 25%, maximum 38% at 49 to 60 months. 26% of subjects with picky eating behaviour had height for age <-3SD (severely stunted) 38% of subjects with picky eating behaviour had weight for height <-3SD (severely wasted) as compared to only 4% in non-picky eating behaviour subjects. Low birth weight and exclusive breast feeding for less than 6 month, were found to be significant risk factor for development of picky eating behaviour, while no significant association was seen with the time of introduction of semisolid complimentary feeds.Conclusions: Picky eating is major parental concern and impacts growth of children. The children with picky eating behaviours need to be monitored for growth.

The Cortical Neuroanatomy Related to Specific Neuropsychological Deficits in Alzheimer's Continuum

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In Alzheimer's continuum (a comprehensive of preclinical Alzheimer's disease [AD], mild cognitive impairment [MCI] due to AD, and AD dementia), cognitive dysfunctions are often related to cortical atrophy in specific brain regions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between anatomical pattern of cortical atrophy and specific neuropsychological deficits. METHODS: A total of 249 participants with Alzheimer's continuum (125 AD dementia, 103 MCI due to AD, and 21 preclinical AD) who were confirmed to be positive for amyloid deposits were collected from the memory disorder clinic in the department of neurology at Samsung Medical Center in Korea between September 2013 and March 2018. To analyze neuropsychological test-specific neural correlates representing the relationship between cortical atrophy measured by cortical thickness and performance in specific neuropsychological tests, a linear regression analysis was performed. Two neural correlates acquired by 2 different standardized scores in neuropsychological tests were also compared. RESULTS: Cortical atrophy in several specific brain regions was associated with most neuropsychological deficits, including digit span backward, naming, drawing-copying, verbal and visual recall, semantic fluency, phonemic fluency, and response inhibition. There were a few differences between 2 neural correlates obtained by different z-scores. CONCLUSIONS: The poor performance of most neuropsychological tests is closely related to cortical thinning in specific brain areas in Alzheimer's continuum. Therefore, the brain atrophy pattern in patients with Alzheimer's continuum can be predict by an accurate analysis of neuropsychological tests in clinical practice.

Universal health coverage in relation to antenatal care services and its correlates

Universal health coverage (UHC) means all people receiving the health services they need, of sufficient quality to be effective while at the same time ensuring that the use of these services does not expose the user to financial hardship. So, we did this study to assess the extent of UHC in relation to antenatal care services in Palam area of Delhi. Objectives: 1) To study the extent of coverage of antenatal services in Palam area of Delhi. 2) To assess the correlates of coverage of antenatal services among mothers. Material and methods: study type- a community based descriptive study was conducted between September 2015 to March 2017, among 250 mothers who delivered during the year 2015. A pretested, self-designed, semi-structured interview schedule and health records was used to collect information. Data was analysed using software – statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 20. Results: Out of 250 study participants, complete coverage of antenatal care services was seen in only 28.8% women. Literacy and presence of complication in previous pregnancy found to have statistically significant correlation with the extent of coverage of antenatal services. Conclusion: Women need to be educated about their health needs and services available to them, in order to increase the demand of maternal health services and improve utilization of available services.

Empathy for Distress in Humans and Rodents / 神经科学通报·英文版

Empathy is traditionally thought to be a unique ability of humans to feel, understand, and share the emotional state of others. However, the notion has been greatly challenged by the emerging discoveries of empathy for pain or distress in rodents. Because empathy is believed to be fundamental to the formation of prosocial, altruistic, and even moral behaviors in social animals and humans, studies associated with decoding the neural circuits and unraveling the underlying molecular and neural mechanisms of empathy for pain or distress in rodents would be very important and encouraging. In this review, the author set out to outline and update the concept of empathy from the evolutionary point of view, and introduce up-to-date advances in the study of empathy and its neural correlates in both humans and rodents. Finally, the author highlights the perspectives and challenges for the further use of rodent models in the study of empathy for pain or distress.

Prevalence And Correlates Of Parkinson’s Disease Among Elderly Patients Attending Neurology Clinic At Serdang Hospital In 2016

Introduction Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and the most frequent sub-cortical degenerative disease, characterized by universal progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement.Methodology This cross sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence and correlates of PD among elderly attending the neurology clinic in Serdang Hospital. A total of 150 records of patients attended the clinic from January to December were randomly selected. Data was collected using a proforma form seeking information related to age, gender, race, locality, and presence of comorbidity particularly diabetes mellitus.Result The data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (IBM SPSS) version 22.0. The prevalence of PD among the elderly involved in the study was 34%. Majority of the respondents were aged 60 to 70 years old (54.7%), male (53.3%), Chinese (56.7%), from urban locality (93.0%) and were not diabetic (69.3%). The inferential statistics showed no significant association between all the factors with PD. However, the associations between age and diabetes mellitus with PD were almost significant with p values of 0.07 and 0.08 respectively.Conclusion Overall, the prevalence of PD among elderly who attended the neurology clinic in year 2016 was less than half with none of the factors under study were significantly associated with PD. However with bigger sample size, possible significant association may be obtained between age and diabetes mellitus.

Correlates of health literacy among Filipinos aged 50-70 years old belonging to low-income families in a selected community

@#<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>OBJECTIVE:</strong> A number of studies worldwide have shown that health literacy is vital in the improvement of health status of individuals as well as in the effective implementation of health programs. In the Philippines, however, data regarding the level of health literacy among Filipino adults are yet to be gathered. This study then aimed to describe the health literacy level and to determine the correlates of health literacy among Filipino adults aged 50 to 70 years old belonging to the lower socioeconomic class in a selected community.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>METHODS:</strong> An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted, utilizing data from the study of Briones, M. et. al in 2015, among selected Filipino adults in a barangay in Pasig City.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>RESULTS:</strong> Ninety-four percent of the study participants had problematic/inadequate health literacy level. The factors found to be statistically associated with having problematic / inadequate health literacy were having at most high school level education, and not being able to visit a medical doctor in the past 12 months. Nonetheless, being self-employed made an individual less likely to have a problematic/inadequate health literacy.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>CONCLUSIONS:</strong> There was a high proportion of individuals who had problematic/inadequate health literacy among 50 to 70 years old in the study area. Socio-economic characteristics such as educational attainment and healthcare access were shown to be associated with an individual's level of health literacy. Despite the extensive health information available to the public, the level of health literacy still remained to be poor. This indicates that there is a need to evaluate if said information are easily accessed, understood, appraised and applied by individuals to make sound health decisions.</p>

Independent correlates of the toenail chromium level and the association between the chromium level and dyslipidemia / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: The number of patients with dyslipidemia have been increasing steadily over the past few decades in South Korea. The association between the chromium level and chronic disease has attracted considerable interest, but few studies have been conducted on the Korean population. The aim of this study was to identify the dietary and non-dietary correlates of the toenail chromium level, and evaluate the association between the toenail chromium level and dyslipidemia. METHODS: The baseline data of an ongoing prospective cohort study in Yeungnam area in South Korea were analyzed. A total of 500 participants aged 35 years or older who completed questionnaires on their demographics, lifestyle characteristics, and medical information were included. The toenail chromium level was analyzed by neutron activation analysis. The dietary intake was assessed using a validated 146-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The blood lipid profiles were obtained from medical examinations conducted by the Korean National Health Insurance Service or medical institutions. RESULTS: Higher chromium levels were associated with the residential area (urban), higher education level, higher intakes of noodles and vegetables, and lower intake of fruits. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the toenail chromium levels were not associated significantly with the prevalence of dyslipidemia (odds ratio: 0.99, 95% confidence interval: 0.61 ~ 1.60). CONCLUSION: This study is the first study in Korea to determine the independent correlates of the toenail chromium levels and the association between chromium exposure and dyslipidemia. These findings provide useful scientific evidence for the development of chromium intake guidelines for the Korean population.

Antidepressants Use in Schizophrenia: Clinical Correlates and Prescription Profiles / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: To identify recent prescription patterns, as well as the demographic and clinical correlates of antidepressants (ADs) usage in schizophrenic patients. METHODS: A total of 297 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia enrolled at Seoul National Hospital in 2013. Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) was used to evaluate current psychiatric symptoms. Bivariate comparisons were used to assess the usage of concomitant psychotropics, demographic and clinical characteristics of ADs users compared with non-users. Multivariate analysis of covariance was performed consecutively. RESULTS: The rate of ADs usage was 26.3% and the most commonly used ADs were selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. ADs users more often took benzodiazepine than ADs non-users (p=0.005), whereas there were no significant demographic and other clinical difference between the two groups. Regarding BPRS, somatic concern (p=0.022), anxiety (p=0.001) and depressive mood (p=0.009) scores were higher, and excitement (p=0.006) and hostility (p=0.04) scores were lower among ADs users compared to non-users, although there was no significant difference in the other scores of BPRS between the two groups. Moreover, among 5 components of BPRS, scores of affective symptoms (p < 0.001) were significantly higher, and scores of activation symptoms (p=0.014) were significantly lower in ADs users compared to non-users. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the usage of ADs could be related to affective symptoms regardless of positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Further studies are required in order to confirm the clinical correlates of ADs usage and the interactions between affective symptoms and psychotic symptoms.

Psychosocial correlates of organized physical activity in Portuguese urban youth

Abstract - This study aimed to explore the association between psychosocial factors and organized physical activity (PA) in urban children and adolescents. Data on organized PA, psychosocial variables, and demographic characteristics were collected via questionnaires. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between psychosocial correlates and organized PA. Analyses were run separately for different age groups. Results showed that children and adolescents with a greater positive attitude toward PA were more likely to be involved in organized PA. Ego orientation was associated with organized PA at the age of 13-15 years. Task orientation was related to PA participation at the age of 13-15 and 16-18 years. Perception of competence was related to participation at the age of 10-12 and 13-15 years. These findings suggest that interventions to increase the level of participation in organized PA in youth should focus on increasing students' perceived physical competence, attitude toward PA, and establishing a strong motivational task/mastery climate.