Behind the Headset: Predictive Accuracy of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures for Voice Symptoms in Call Centers

Objective: This study examines factors predicting self-reported voice symptoms in call center workers. Methods: Multivariate analysis and predictive modeling assess personal, work-related, acoustic, and behavioral factors. Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves are employed. Results: Age and sleep patterns impacted voice quality and effort, while workplace factors influenced symptom perception. Unhealthy vocal behaviors related to tense voice and increased effort, while hydration was protective. Voice acoustics showed diagnostic potential, supported by ROC data. These findings emphasize voice symptom complexity in call center professionals, necessitating comprehensive assessment. Limitations: This study recognizes its limitations, including a moderate-sized convenience sample and reliance on PROM metrics. Future research should incorporate more objective measures in addition to self-reports and acoustic analysis. Value: This research provides novel insights into the interplay of personal, occupational, and voice-related factors in developing voice symptoms among call center workers. Predictive modeling enhances risk assessment and understanding of individual susceptibility to voice disorders. Conclusion: Results show associations between various factors and self-reported voice symptoms. Protective factors include sleeping more than six hours and consistent hydration, whereas risk factors include working conditions, such as location and behaviors like smoking. Diagnostic models indicate good accuracy for some voice symptom PROMs, emphasizing the need for comprehensive models considering work factors, vocal behaviors, and acoustic parameters to understand voice issues complexity.

Objetivo: Este estudio examina los factores que predicen los síntomas de voz en los trabajadores de call centers. Métodos: Se utilizan análisis multivariados y modelos predictivos para evaluar factores personales, laborales, acústicos y de comportamiento. Se emplean Modelos Lineales Generalizados (GLM) y curvas ROC. Resultados: La edad y los patrones de sueño afectaron la calidad vocal y el esfuerzo, mientras que los factores laborales influyeron en la percepción de síntomas. Los comportamientos vocales no saludables se relacionaron con voz tensa y mayor esfuerzo, mientras que la hidratación fue protectora. Los parámetros acústicos de voz mostraron potencial diagnóstico respaldado por datos de ROC. Los hallazgos subrayan complejidad de síntomas vocales en profesionales de centros de llamadas, requiriendo una evaluación integral. Limitaciones: Este estudio reconoce sus limitaciones, que incluyen una muestra de conveniencia de tamaño moderado y la dependencia de medidas PROMs. Futuras investigaciones deberían incorporar medidas objetivas, además de los autorreportes y análisis acústico. Importancia: Esta investigación aporta nuevos conocimientos sobre factores personales, laborales y síntomas de voz en trabajadores de call centers. El modelado predictivo mejora la evaluación de riesgos y la comprensión de la susceptibilidad individual a trastornos de la voz. Conclusión: Los resultados muestran asociaciones entre diversos factores y los síntomas vocales reportados. Los factores de protección incluyen dormir más de seis horas y una hidratación constante; los factores de riesgo incluyen las condiciones de trabajo, como la ubicación y comportamientos como fumar. Los modelos de diagnóstico indican una buena precisión para algunas PROMs de síntomas de la voz, lo que subraya la necesidad de modelos integrales que tengan en cuenta los factores laborales, los comportamientos vocales y los parámetros acústicos para comprender la complejidad de los problemas de la voz.

Cross-sectional evaluation of socioeconomic and clinical factors and the impact of fibromyalgia on the quality of life of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract BACKGROUND: The fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ) relates to the functional capacity, professional situation, psychological disorders, and physical symptoms, and can identify the factors that determine the impact of the syndrome and characteristics of its carriers; the higher the score, the greater the impact of fibromyalgia on the quality of life. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of fibromyalgia on the quality of life of individuals with fibromyalgia, who were categorized according to the FIQ during the coronavirus disease pandemic. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional study was conducted at an institution of higher education in Taquara, RS, Brazil. METHODS: A quantitative study was carried out, with the application of a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire, and the FIQ in 163 Brazilian individuals with a medical diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Data were collected using SurveyMonkey software. RESULTS: Of the female carriers, 98.2% were living in urban areas, working, and under pharmacological and complementary treatment. The FIQ results showed that seven of the 10 items had the maximum score. The items "physical function" and "feel good" had intermediate scores, and the item "missed work" had a low score. The average total score was 79.9 points, indicating that fibromyalgia had a severe impact on the participants' lives. A severe impact of fibromyalgia was observed in 61.3% of the participants, a moderate impact in 30.7%, and a low impact in 8%. CONCLUSION: The survey findings suggest a severe impact in the majority of the Brazilian fibromyalgic population.

Auto-reporte de Periodontitis en diabéticos. Estudio transversal en Montevideo, Uruguay

Objetivo: Conocer la ocurrencia de periodontitis a partir de un cuestionario de auto-reporte en una población de diabéticos en Montevideo, Uruguay. Materiales y métodos: Fueron invitados los participantes del 1er Encuentro de Diabetes en Uruguay, con diagnóstico de diabetes según auto-reporte, con al menos 18 años de edad y que firmaron el consentimiento informado. En todos los casos, fue aplicado un cuestionario con ocho preguntas previamente validadas al español de forma de estimar la ocurrencia de la Periodontits además de identificar indicadores asociados. Resultados: Un total de 37 personas respondieron el cuestionario suministrado, en su mayoría correspondientes al sexo femenino y de 45 años de edad promedio. La ocurrencia de periodontits fue del 68% de los encuestados, no existiendo diferencias significativas para el tipo de diabetes y las franjas etarias consideradas. Sin embargo las personas que presentaban periodontits tuvieron menos dientes naturales (según auto-reporte) al ser comparados con quienes no tenían periodontitis (27.5 vs. 20.4, p=0.01). Conclusiones: Los resultados del estudio permiten apreciar una condición oral deficitaria en aquellos diabéticos con periodontitis auto-reportada debido a la ocurrencia elevada de la misma así como la menor cantidad de dientes naturales.

Objective: To determine the occurrence of periodontitis from a self-report questionnaire in a population of diabetics in Montevideo, Uruguay. Materials and methods: Participants of the 1st Diabetes Meeting in Uruguay, with a diagnosis of diabetes according to self-report, with at least 18 years of age and signed the informed consent, were invited. In all cases, a questionnaire with eight questions previously validated in Spanish was applied in order to estimate the occurrence of Periodontits in addition to identifying associated indicators. Results: A total of 37 people answered the supplied questionnaire, mostly corresponding to the female sex and an average age of 45 years. The occurrence of periodontitis was 68%, with no significant differences for the type of diabetes and the age groups considered. However, people with periodontitis had fewer natural teeth (according to self-report) when compared to those who did not have periodontitis (27.5 vs. 20.4, p = 0.01). Conclusions: The results of the study allow us to appreciate a poor oral condition in those diabetics with self-reported periodontitis due to its high occurrence as well as the lower number of natural teeth.

Risk factors of Diabetes and its Comorbidities Among Elderly in India: Evidence from Longitudinal Aging Study (LASI)

Context/Background: Chronic diseases like diabetes are at risk of developing heart disease. Therefore, it is crucial to identify the high-risk population, which would help policymakers and interventionists focus on vulnerable groups. This study aims to determine the prevalence, risk factors, and coexistence of other diseases with diabetes. Methodology: Secondary data from Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI), Wave 1 (2017-18) was used for the study. A sample of 65,562 men and women aged 45 years and above have been included in the analysis. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistical analysis was used for the analysis. Results: Overall, (12.4%) of Indians have self-reported diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes is (12.9%) among men and (11.9%) among women. Geographic variations were observed with higher rates in south India. Depression, lack of physical activity, obesity, increase in age, family history of diabetes, higher level of education, and wealth quintile were all significant risk factors for diabetes among men and women. Diabetes is associated with other chronic conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, and diseases of the bones and joints. Conclusions: Although self-reported data underestimate the disease burden, it is evident that the prevalence of self-reported diabetes is high. India should address the risk of diabetes by promoting and encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

Self-reported interoception, worries and protective behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal study

Abstract Background Protective behaviors were essential for minimizing the spread of the virus during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It is often assumed that awareness of bodily sensations (interoception) can improve decision-making and facilitate adaptive behavior. Objective This paper investigates cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between different aspects of self-reported interoception, trait anxiety, COVID-related worry, and health protective behaviors. Methods The study was conducted on a community sample of 265 adults. The two data collection phases took place online, before (baseline) and during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary. Results Contrary to our expectations, neither cross-sectional nor longitudinal associations were found between protective behaviors and indicators of self-reported interoception. However, worry at baseline predicted protective behaviors during the second wave, even after controlling for socio-economical characteristics and protective behaviors at baseline. Conclusion Our results highlight the adaptivity of health-related worry when behavioral steps to avoid threats are known and available. Also, higher level of perceived interoception did not appear to be health protective under these circumstances.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Self-reported practices Questionnaire on Pureed Diet Preparation (KAP DYS Puree) among Food Handlers in Malaysian Hospitals for Dysphagia Management: Development, Validity, and Reliability Testing

@#Introduction: This methodological research study aimed to measure content validity and reliability of a newly developed questionnaire of knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported practices towards pureed diet preparation (KAP DYS Puree) among hospital food handlers for dysphagia management. Methods: The study was conducted through face validation, content validation, content reliability and construct validation. A cross-sectional design with convenience sampling was carried out involving 4 panels for face validation, 10 raters for content validity and 161 food handlers participated for Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), while 30 food handlers were involved for test-retest reliability. The questionnaire which consisted of 40 items distributed into 3 domains and was assessed and analyzed using modified kappa (k*) for reliability. Results: Content Validity Index revealed the following I-CVI values: knowledge = 0.915, attitudes = 0.922 and self-reported practices = 0.900 and modified kappa values (k*) knowledge = 0.983, attitudes = 0.9214 and self-reported practices = 0.899. The EFA was employed for two dimensions which were self-reported practices and attitudes based on principal axis of factoring with varimax rotation. The factor analysis yielded two factors with a total of 10 items in the attitudes domain and two factors with a total of 9 items in the self-reported practices domain that had satisfactory factor loading (> 0.3). The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) values for attitudes = 0.816 and self-reported practices = 0.776. Bartlett’s test of sphericity was significant at p < 0.0001 for attitudes and self-reported practices indicating the suitability of this data for factor analysis. Interclass Correlation Index (ICC) values for attitudes = 0.739 and self-reported practices = 0.789. Conclusion: This instrument can be used as a need assessment tool in the development of a comprehensive training module for pureed diet preparations in dysphagia management.

A nested case-control study on association between self-reported occupational sulfur dioxide exposure and hypertension / 环境与职业医学

Background Current evidence on whether occupational sulfur dioxide (SO2) exposure affects the risk of hypertension is still limited, and the research results of the effect of environmental SO2 exposure on risk of hypertension remain inconsistent. Objective To analyze the association between self-reported occupational exposure to SO2 and the risk of hypertension, and the potential dose-response relationship between the years of exposure to SO2 and the risk of hypertension. Methods Based on the Jinchang cohort, a nested case-control study design was adopted. A total of 841 newly diagnosed hypertension patients were followed up as the case group, and the control group was selected with 1∶1 individual matching based on non-occupational factors and occupational factors, respectively. The former matching conditions included age ±2 years old, same gender, working age ±2 years, and home address in the same sub-district. The latter was limited to working in the same workshop on the basis of the former conditions. Finally, the former included 717 controls and the latter included 488 controls. A unified questionnaire was used to collect general demographic characteristics, lifestyle habits, history of diabetes, family history of hypertension, and information on occupational exposure to SO2 (self-reported history of occupational exposure to SO2 and years of exposure to SO2). Conditional logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between occupational exposure to SO2 and hypertension, and the dose-response relationship between the years of SO2 exposure and the risk of hypertension. Results In the nested case-control study matching with the non-occupational factors, the OR of hypertension in workers with self-reported occupational exposure to SO2 was 2.39 (95%CI: 1.68-3.39); while when matching with the occupational factors, the OR of hypertension in workers with self-reported occupational exposure to SO2 was 1.48 (95%CI: 1.04-2.12). The results of the dose-response relationship showed that as the SO2 exposure years increased from 1-9 years, 10-19 years, 20-29 years, and 30 years and above, in the nested case-control study matching with non-occupational factors, the ORs of hypertension were 1.85 (95%CI: 0.68-5.08), 1.46 (95%CI: 0.58-3.67), 1.64 (95%CI: 1.00-2.67), and 4.95 (95%CI: 2.63-9.31), respectively; in the nested case-control study matching with occupational factors, the ORs of hypertension were 0.98 (95%CI: 0.40-2.41), 1.84 (95%CI: 0.72-4.70), 1.37 (95%CI: 0.82-2.29), and 2.44 (95%CI: 1.37-4.35), respectively. The two dose-response relationships were positive by χ2 trend test (Ptrend<0.05). Conclusion Self-reported occupational exposure to SO2 is associated with the risk of hypertension in the study population, and the hypertension risk increases with the increase of SO2 exposure years.

Comparison between Periodontal Self examination and Self-reported Periodontal Disease among Selected Adults in Kuala Lumpur

ABSTRACT @#Periodontal disease, generally known as a silent disease, is one of the major global oral health burdens that contributes to tooth loss in adults. This study was to compare findings and agreement between periodontal self-examination (SE) and self-reported (SR) assessments in detection of periodontal disease among selected adult patients in Kuala Lumpur. The subjects were patients who attended the periodontic clinics in Faculty of Dentistry, UKM. Periodontal patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned into two groups, SE and SR groups. Patients in the SE group performed a periodontal SE using illustrated written manual with questionnaire, while those in the SR group answered questionnaire. Both groups were given similar content of questionnaire. Clinical oral examinations were carried out on all patients by a single trained calibrated examiner. A total of 172 patients (86 in each group) participated in the study with the mean age of 48 years (SD 12.6). Majority of them had severe periodontal disease. Only item “total number of teeth” had showed good agreement (p < 0.01) between groups. SR group showed higher sensitivity for all items (mobility, colour, recession and bleeding). Meanwhile, the SE group demonstrated higher specificity for items on mobility, recession and bleeding. Both SR and SE assessment areas were reliable in measuring total number of teeth in periodontal patients. SR assessment is more sensitive in detecting periodontal disease in terms of items for mobility, colour, recession and bleeding.

Association between self-reported bruxism and academic performance in university students / Asociación entre bruxismo autorreportado y rendimiento académico de los estudiantes universitarios

Objective: To evaluate the association between self-reported bruxism and academic performance in students at a university in Lima, Peru. Material and Methods: A total of 203 students were evaluated in this study, between the ages of 19 and 35 years. Self-reported bruxism was measured using the Bruxism Assessment Questionnaire. Academic performance was evaluated using the Approval Index Scale. In addition, other variables were included such as employment status, socioeconomic level, stress, anxiety, among others. The association of variables were factored in using the chi-square test and the logistic regression presented the unadjusted and adjusted analisis. Results: The frequency of self-reported awake bruxism and sleep bruxism was 53.20% and 36.45%, respectively. Evidence revealed there was a statistically significant association between awake bruxism with stress and anxiety, and sleep bruxism with anxiety. Students with high academic performance (OR=2.36; IC del 95%:1.06-5.23) and low academic performance (OR=5.72; IC del 95%:1.28-25.57) were found to be more likely to have awake bruxism than those with medium academic performance. Conclusion: This study revealed a statistically significant association between self-reported awake bruxism and academic performance. However, in the future it is suggested to carry out a study with focus only on students with bruxism and with a larger sample of participants with low academic performance to confirm the association found between these variables.

Objetivo: Evaluar la asociación entre bruxismo autorreportado y rendimiento académico en estudiantes de una universidad privada de Lima, Perú. Material y Métodos: Un total de 203 estudiantes con edades comprendidas entre 18 a 35 años fueron encuestados en esta investigación. Para la evaluación del bruxismo autoreportado se aplicó el cuestionario 'Bruxism Assessment Questionnaire' en su versión en español. Asimismo, el rendimiento académico se evaluó mediante la escala de Índice de Aprobación (IA). Además, se incluyeron otras variables como situación laboral, estrés, ansiedad, entre otros. La asociación de variables se realizó mediante la prueba chi cuadrado y para el análisis crudo y ajustado se utilizó la regresión logística. Resultados: Se encontró una prevalencia de bruxismo de vigilia de 53.20% y de bruxismo de sueño de 36.45%. Se evidenció asociación estadísticamente significativa entre bruxismo de vigilia con estrés y ansiedad, y bruxismo de sueño con ansiedad. Se halló que los estudiantes con rendimiento académico alto (OR=2.36; IC del 95%:1.06-5.23) y rendimiento académico bajo (OR=5.72; IC del 95%:1.28-25.57) tienen más probabilidades de presentar bruxismo de vigilia que aquellos con rendimiento académico medio. Conclusiones: En el presente estudio se halló asociación estadísticamente significativa entre bruxismo de vigilia autorreportado y rendimiento académico. No obstante, a futuro se sugiere realizar un estudio a los estudiantes con presencia de bruxismo y con un mayor tamaño muestral de participantes con rendimiento académico bajo para afirmar la asociación encontrada entre dichas variables.

Relationship between paternal postnatal depression and its predictors factors among Iranian fathers

ABSTRACT Background: Paternal postnatal depression (PPND) is widely overlooked despite being the most common mental health disorder among fathers in the postpartum period, and it affects all aspects of family life, particularly the relationship with the spouse and children. Objective: To determine the predictor factors of PPND. Methods: A descriptive-analytical study was performed on 400 fathers of children aged six weeks to one-year referring to the healthcare centers. Data were collected using a demographic characteristics form and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 22. Results: The mean EPDS score was 6/54± 4.3, the mean age of the studied fathers was 35 ± 5.4, and 57.7% had experienced more than one pregnancy with their spouses. There was a significant relationship (P>0.05) between the education level and the EPDS score. According to linear regression, the most influential factors on EPDS score included satisfaction with life and general health, as well as an unwanted pregnancy amongst maternal fertility characteristics. Conclusion: Determining the predictor/related factors with paternal postnatal depression helped us to identify at-risk fathers promptly, to manage earlier, and to prevent the adverse effects of PPND on family health and relationship.

Evaluation of reasons for participation refusal among pregnant women in a perinatal outcome research

Background: The number of protocol-eligible patients, refusing to participate in a biomedical research is often not mentioned in the results of the studies. There are no studies that have looked at the data on willingness to participate in a research among pregnant women in India. The aim of this study is to report the number of pregnant women who refused to participate and to evaluate the reasons for not participating in a research that was concerned with swabbing of the genital tract for culture.Methods: A prospective research study was done among healthy pregnant women, that required collection of vaginal swabs for culture to study the vaginal flora. The women eligible to participate in the study were approached for their willingness to participate in the study. The details of women who refused to participate in the study and the various self-reported reasons for their refusal were documented and analysed.Results: A total 48.2% of the total protocol-eligible group refused to participate in the study and the refusal rate was alarmingly higher than expected. Some of the common responses for their refusal include reasons such as the study involved tests from their private parts, lack of interest to participate and the need to discuss with their partner or that their partner wound not allow them to participate in research.Conclusions: It is important for research studies to include data on the refusal to participate and also the reasons why people refuse to participate in research so as to formulate strategies to improve the acceptance rate for participation in research.

Influence of individualism and collectivism on self-reported health of retired military cadres / 第二军医大学学报

Objective To investigate the effects of individualism and collectivism on the self-reported health of military retired cadres. Methods The Chinese version of the European quality life-5 dimensions (EQ-5D), the individualism-collectivism scale, and the Memorial University of Newfoundland Scale of Happiness were used to survey 112 retired military cadres from military cadre sanatoria in Shanghai, Suzhou and so on. The data were analyzed by SPSS 22.0 software. Results A total of 112 questionnaires were sent out, and 71 valid questionnaires were collected, with an effective rate of 63.39%. The scores of individualism and collectivism of retired military cadres (n＝71) were lower than those of college students (n＝403), the difference was statistically significant (t＝－4.81 and －7.95, both P＜0.01). Correlation analysis results showed that there was no significant correlation between gender, age, education level, marital status, children's number, residence status and self-reported health status, subjective well-being, individualism and collectivism (all P＞0.05); subjective well-being, individualism and self-reported health were positively correlated (r＝0.44, P＜0.01; r＝0.29, P＜0.05), collectivism and self-reported health were not significantly correlated (r＝0.19, P＞0.05), and individualism and collectivism were positively correlated (r＝0.67, P＜0.01). Hierarchical multiple regression showed that the inclusion of individualism and collectivism improved the model interpretation rate (ΔR2＝0.08, F＝3.41, P＜0.05) after controlling subjective well-being. Individualism could predict health status (β＝0.34, P＜0.05), while collectivism could not (β＝－0.09, P＝0.55). Conclusion Individualistic cultural orientation is the main factor that affects the health of retired military cadres, while collectivist cultural orientation has no obvious effect.

Infuence of individualism and collectivism on self-reported health of retired military cadres / 第二军医大学学报

Objective: To investigate the effects of individualism and collectivism on the self-reported health of military retired cadres. Methods: The Chinese version of the European quality life-5 dimensions (EQ-5D), the individualism-collectivism scale, and the Memorial University of Newfoundland Scale of Happiness were used to survey 112 retired military cadres from military cadre sanatoria in Shanghai, Suzhou and so on. The data were analyzed by SPSS 22.0 software. Results: A total of 112 questionnaires were sent out, and 71 valid questionnaires were collected, with an effective rate of 63.39%. The scores of individualism and collectivism of retired military cadres (n = 71) were lower than those of college students (n=403), the difference was statistically significant (t= -4.81 and -7.95, both P0.05); subjective well-being, individualism and self-reported health were positively correlated (r=0.44, P0.05), and individualism and collectivism were positively correlated (r=0.67, P<.0.01). Hierarchical multiple regression showed that the inclusion of individualism and collectivism improved the model interpretation rate (ΔR =0.08, F=3.41, P<0.05) after controlling subjective well-being. Individualism could predict health status (β=0.34, P<0.05), while collectivism could not (β= -0.09, P = 0.55). Conclusion: Individualistic cultural orientation is the main factor that affects the health of retired military cadres, while collectivist cultural orientation has no obvious effect.

Association between self-reported snoring and hypertension among Chinese Han population aged 30-79 in Chongqing, China

BACKGROUND@#We aim to explore the association between self-reported snoring and hypertension among adults aged 30-79 in Chongqing, China.@*METHODS@#A total of 23,342 individuals aged 30-79 were included at baseline from August 2018 to January 2019, and the final sample size for the analysis was 22,423. Face-to-face interviews and physical examinations were conducted by trained investigators. Logistic regression was performed to study age-specific and gender-specific associations between snoring and hypertension.@*RESULTS@#Frequent snoring was associated with the risk of hypertension for each age and gender group, and the frequency of snoring was positively correlated with the risk for hypertension. For the three age groups (< 45, 45-59, ≥ 60), compared with the non-snoring group, those who snore often had a 64.5%, 53.3%, and 24.5% increased risk of hypertension (< 45: OR = 1.65, 95%CI 1.34-2.02; 45-59: OR = 1.53, 95%CI 1.37-1.72; ≥ 60: OR = 1.25, 95%CI 1.09-1.42), respectively. For men and women, those who snore often had a 46.8% and 97.2% increased risk of hypertension, respectively, than the non-snoring group (men: OR = 1.47, 95%CI 1.33-1.63; women: OR = 1.97, 95%CI 1.75-2.23).@*CONCLUSIONS@#People who snore frequently should pay close attention to their blood pressure levels in order to achieve early prevention of hypertension, particularly for snorers who are female and aged under 45; importance should be attached to their blood pressure control.

Validity of Maternal Report of Birthweight in a Cohort Study and Its Implication on Low Birthweight Rate Using Simulations

Objective:Maternal recall of birthweight is a convenient and cost-effective way to obtainbirthweight measurements when official records are unavailable. It is important to assess thevalidity of maternal recall of birthweight before using these measurements to drawconclusions about a population. Methods:This is secondary analysis of data from a previouscohort study.We analyzed actual and reported birthweights of 200 mother-and-child pairsfrom Southern India. We validated maternal report of birthweight by generating correlationcoefficients, summary statistics, and Bland-Altman plots. We ran simulations to evaluatehow misclassification as low or normal birthweight changed with the mean birthweight of thecohort. Results:Reported birthweight was strongly correlated with actual birthweight(r=0.80, P<0.001); 55%, 78.5%, and 93% of subjects reported values within 50 g, 250 g, and500 g, respectively of actual birthweight. None of sociodemographic covariates wassignificantly associated with the accuracy of maternal recall of birthweight. 7.5% of childrenwere misclassified as either low or normal birthweight by reported birthweight. Simulationsrevealed that increasing the reported and actual birthweights by 500g reduces themisclassification rate from 7.5% to 1.5%. Conclusion:Maternal recall is a sufficientlyaccurate measure of actual birthweight. However, the distribution of actual birthweight in thepopulation must be taken into consideration when classifying babies as low or normalbirthweight, especially in populations where mean birthweight is close to 2500g

A study on self-reported food allergy in young adults from various colleges in Kerala, India

Background: Food allergy is defined as a reproducible adverse immune reaction to food proteins. Food allergies can result in life threatening reactions and diminish quality of life. In the last several decades, prevalence of food allergy has increased in several regions throughout the world.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 321 young adults of the age 17 to 26 years from various colleges in Kerala. The participants were asked to fill out a pretested questionnaire. The data was collected and entered in MS Excel and analyzed.Results: Adverse reactions following food consumption was experienced by 82 respondents (25.5%). Out of these 82 respondents, 38 (46%) had their condition diagnosed by a doctor. 23 respondents had only one episode of such an attack. 41 respondents took medications for the attack. 14 respondents had been hospitalized at least once for such an attack. The most common symptoms following the consumption of food were as follows: vomiting, itching and eczema. The symptoms occur after the consumption of sea food/fish and eggs mostly. 27 respondents had a family history of food allergy.Conclusions: The symptoms of food allergy may vary from minor itching to even anaphylaxis. It is very important to know the causative allergen in the diet to prevent the occurrence of an episode of food allergy.

Arterial Stiffness Is Not Independently Associated With Nighttime Sleep Duration In Community-Dwelling Older Adults. Results From The Atahualpa Project / La Rigidez Arterial No Se Encuentra Asociada Con La Duración Del Sueño Nocturno En Adultos Añosos Que Viven En La Comunidad. Resultados Del Proyecto Atahualpa

ABSTRACT Objectives: We aimed to assess the association between arterial stiffness and nighttime sleep duration in community-dwelling older adults living in rural Ecuador. Methods: Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) determinations were used to assess arterial stiffness. Nighttime sleep duration was assessed by a single question. A generalized linear model - adjusted for demographics, cardiovascular risk factors and psychological distress - was fitted to assess the independent association between the aortic PWV and nighttime sleep duration (dependent variable). Results: A total of 303 individuals were enrolled. Univariate analysis showed a significant association between the aortic PWV and long sleep duration (p=0.034), which vanished in a multivariate linear model (p=0.524). The single covariable remaining significant was anxiety (p=0.013). Conclusion: Lack of independent association between arterial stiffness and nighttime sleep duration might be more likely related to lack of reliability of evaluation of sleep duration by means of a single question.

RESUMEN Objetivos: En el presente estudio se evaluó la asociación entre rigidez arterial y duración del sueño nocturno en adultos mayores que viven en la comunidad en una zona rural de la costa Ecuatoriana. Métodos: Se utilizaron determinaciones de velocidad de onda de pulso aórtico (PWV) para evaluar la rigidez arterial. La duración del sueño nocturno se evaluó mediante una sola pregunta. Un modelo lineal generalizado, ajustado por variables demográficas, factores de riesgo cardiovascular y distress psicológico, evaluó la asociación independiente entre el PWV aórtico y la duración del sueño nocturno (variable dependiente). Resultados: Se registraron un total de 303 individuos. El análisis univariado mostró una asociación significativa entre el PWV aórtico y larga duración del sueño (p=0.034), que desapareció en un modelo lineal multivariado (p=0.524). La única covariable que permaneció significativa fue la ansiedad (p=0.013). Conclusión: La falta de asociación independiente entre rigidez arterial y duración del sueño nocturno podría estar relacionada con la falta de confiabilidad de la evaluación de la duración del sueño mediante una sola pregunta.

Diabetic Retinopathy among Self-Reported Diabetics; A Population Based Study

DM is emerging as epidemic throughout the country in recent years. DM has been proved as potential threat for the visual impairment in India predominantly in rural population. Therefore, present study was designed to assess that prevalence of diabetic retinopathy among self reported DM patients in South India. Methods: The present study included 1990 randomly selected subjects of 50 years and above age group. Out of these subjects 100 participants gave a history of diabetes mellitus (DM). Assessment for diabetic retinopathy was independent of blood sugar levels in our study and based on a self reported history of diabetes. We elicited a history of current use of insulin to control diabetes. A modified classification of diabetic retinopathy based on the retinopathy levels used by Klein et al was used in our study. The presence of clinically significant macular oedema (CSMO) was assessed using indirect and direct ophthalmoscopy. Results: Results of the current study revealed that there was 27% prevalence of diabetic retinopathy among the self reported diabetic patients. Further, an increase prevalence of diabetic retinopathy with advance age was recorded in our study. However, this increase with age was statistically insignificant (p = >0.05). Similarly, there was an insignificant relation between sex and prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (p = >0.05). Conclusion: Findings of the present study suggest that there is remarkable prevalence of diabetes in population of South India. Further, prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was still more in self reported DM patients. This untreated diabetic retinopathy may leads to various degree of visual impairment in self reported DM patients. However, sustaining strict glycaemic control and regular ophthalmic examination help in preventing incidence of blindness in diabetic retinopathy patients.

Prediction of Alzheimer's Pathological Changes in Subjective Cognitive Decline Using the Self-report Questionnaire and Neuroimaging Biomarkers

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) may be the first symptomatic stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Hence, a screening tool to characterize the patients' complaints and assess the risk of AD is required. We investigated the SCD neuroimaging biomarker distributions and the relevance between the self-report questionnaire and Alzheimer's pathologic changes. METHODS: Individuals aged 50 and above with consistent cognitive complaints without any objective cognitive impairments were eligible for the study. The newly developed questionnaire consisted of 2 parts; 10 questions translated from the ‘SCD-plus criteria’ and a Korean version of the cognitive failure questionnaire by Broadbent. All the subjects underwent physical examinations such as blood work, detailed neuropsychological tests, the self-report questionnaire, brain magnetic resonance imagings, and florbetaben positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Amyloid PET findings were interpreted using both visual rating and quantitative analysis. Group comparisons and association analysis were performed using SPSS (version 18.0). RESULTS: A total of 31 participants with SCD completed the study and 25.8% showed positive amyloid depositions. The degree of periventricular white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and hippocampal atrophy were more severe in amyloid-positive SCDs compared to the amyloid-negative group. In the self-reported questionnaire, the ‘informant's report a decline’ and ‘symptom's onset after 65 years of age’ were associated with more Alzheimer's pathologic changes. CONCLUSIONS: Amyloid-positive SCDs differed from amyloid-negative SCDs on WMH, hippocampal atrophy, and a few self-reported clinical features, which gave clues on the prediction of AD pathology.

Relationship between self-reported chronic disease and smoking behavior in men aged 18 to 69 in Jiangsu Province / 中华疾病控制杂志

Objective To explore the relationship between self-reported chronic disease and smoking behavior among adult males in Jiangsu Province. Methods In 2007, 2010, and 2013 respectively, a multistage stratified cluster sampling method was used to select residents from 14 adult chronic diseases and their risk factor surveillance sites in Jiangsu Province to investigate the relationship between the prevalence of chronic diseases, smoking and smoking cessation behaviors among men aged 18 to 69 years. Results A total of 8 313 men aged 18 to 69 years had a self-reported prevalence of 1.5%, 1.1%, 1.5%, and 2.8% for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, malignancies, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), respectively.The self-reported prevalence of all four chronic diseases was higher in ex-smokers than in current smokers and non-smokers (all P<0.05).Multivariate analysis showed that the quit rate was of those suffering from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, malignancies, asthma, and COPD, respectively 3.356 times (95% CI: 1.966-5.728), 3.864 times (95% CI: 2.277-6.555), 2.103 times (95% CI: 1.321-3.345), and 2.586 times (95% CI: 1.872-3.573) higher, than those without. Conclusion Smoking cessation rates were significantly higher of those with chronic disease than those without, suggesting that illness would promote smoking cessation behaviors among smokers.