METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey and anthropometric measurement were conducted with undergraduate university students that were randomly recruited. The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) was utilized to determine the prevalence of disordered eating attitudes. The sample included 3148 university students, with a mean age of 20.5 years, SD = 1.6.
RESULTS: Using the EAT-26, 11.5% of the students across all countries were classified as being at risk for an eating disorder, ranging from below 10% in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam to 13.8% in Malaysia and 20.6% in Myanmar. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, sociodemographic factors (wealthier subjective economic status, and living in a lower middle income country), underweight and overweight body weight perception, psychological factors (depression symptoms and pathological internet use), and being obese were associated with eating disorder risk.
CONCLUSIONS: Relatively high rates of eating disorder risk were found. This result calls for increased awareness, understanding of eating disorders and related risk factors and interventions in university students in ASEAN.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, descriptive cross-sectional survey.
OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to compare the magnitude of gender difference in speech-evoked auditory brainstem response results between monaural and binaural stimulations.
METHODS: A total of 34 healthy Asian adults aged 19-30 years participated in this comparative study. Eighteen of them were females (mean age=23.6±2.3 years) and the remaining sixteen were males (mean age=22.0±2.3 years). For each subject, speech-evoked auditory brainstem response was recorded with the synthesized syllable /da/ presented monaurally and binaurally.
RESULTS: While latencies were not affected (p>0.05), the binaural stimulation produced statistically higher speech-evoked auditory brainstem response amplitudes than the monaural stimulation (p<0.05). As revealed by large effect sizes (d>0.80), substantive gender differences were noted in most of speech-evoked auditory brainstem response peaks for both stimulation modes.
CONCLUSION: The magnitude of gender difference between the two stimulation modes revealed some distinct patterns. Based on these clinically significant results, gender-specific normative data are highly recommended when using speech-evoked auditory brainstem response for clinical and future applications. The preliminary normative data provided in the present study can serve as the reference for future studies on this test among Asian adults.
Materials and Methods: This study was aimed to identify the relationship between NS and HRQOL among young motorcycle riders (undergraduate university students) aged between 19 and 25 years (n = 301) through a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study, that is, Weinstein noise sensitivity scale and the World Health Organization Quality of Life. The effects of NS on HRQOL were assessed based on gender, the years of motorcycle driving experience, and noise sensitive among groups using one-way analysis of variances with an alpha value of 0.05.
Results: The results showed no significant difference in NS between males and females. On the other hand, motorcycle driving experience for <4 years displayed a higher tendency toward NS. Moreover, a significantly (P = 0.004) decreasing trend among low, moderate, and high NS with their respective HRQOL was observed, while a high NS showed significantly (P = 0.015) lower scores on the social domain of the quality of life.
Conclusion: The overall premise of the study has statistical significance and shows that individuals with high NS tend to have degraded HRQOL compared to individuals with low NS. Furthermore, in-depth studies are required from the other demographical background of participants to investigate the motorcyclist's NS and HRQOL as an integral requirement for the rider's safety and health.
METHODS: We examined determinants and tracking of a dietary pattern (DP) associated with metabolic risk and its key food groups among 860 adolescents in the Western Australian Pregnancy (Raine) Cohort study. Food intake was reported using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) at 14 and 17 years. Z-scores for an 'energy-dense, high-fat, low-fibre' DP were estimated by applying reduced rank regression at both ages. Tracking was based on the predictive value (PV) of remaining in the DPZ-score or food intake quartile at 14 and 17 years. Early-life exposures included: maternal age; maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index; parent smoking status during pregnancy; and parent socio-economic position (SEP) at 14 and 17 years. Associations between the DPZ-scores, early-life factors and SEP were analysed using regression analysis.
RESULTS: Dietary tracking was strongest among boys with high DPZ-scores, high intakes of processed meat, low-fibre bread, crisps and savoury snacks (PV > 1) and the lowest intakes of vegetables, fruit and legumes. Lower maternal education (β = 0.09, P = 0.002 at 14 years; β = 0.14, P
STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review.
SETTING & POPULATION: Adults requiring maintenance hemodialysis.
SELECTION CRITERIA: All randomized controlled trials and trial protocols reporting vascular access outcomes identified from ClinicalTrials.gov, Embase, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Kidney and Transplant Specialized Register from January 2011 to June 2016.
INTERVENTIONS: Any hemodialysis-related intervention.
OUTCOMES: The frequency and characteristics of vascular access outcome measures were analyzed and classified.
RESULTS: From 168 relevant trials, 1,426 access-related outcome measures were extracted and classified into 23 different outcomes. The 3 most common outcomes were function (136 [81%] trials), infection (63 [38%]), and maturation (31 [18%]). Function was measured in 489 different ways, but most frequently reported as "mean access blood flow (mL/min)" (37 [27%] trials) and "number of thromboses" (30 [22%]). Infection was assessed in 136 different ways, with "number of access-related infections" being the most common measure. Maturation was assessed in 44 different ways at 15 different time points and most commonly characterized by vein diameter and blood flow. Patient-reported outcomes, including pain (19 [11%]) and quality of life (5 [3%]), were reported infrequently. Only a minority of trials used previously standardized outcome definitions.
LIMITATIONS: Restricted sampling frame for feasibility and focus on contemporary trials.
CONCLUSIONS: The reporting of access outcomes in hemodialysis trials is very heterogeneous, with limited patient-reported outcomes and infrequent use of standardized outcome measures. Efforts to standardize outcome reporting for vascular access are critical to optimizing the comparability, reliability, and value of trial evidence to improve outcomes for patients requiring hemodialysis.
METHOD: Patients above 18 years old, with any thyroid disorders, and without psychiatric disorders were included in this study. All participants completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21). The depression symptom score was calculated and interpreted as follows: less than 9: no depression; between 10 and 13: mild depression; between 14 and 20: moderate depression; between 21 and 27: severe depression, and more than 28: extremely severe depression.
RESULTS: The total number of participants in this study was 199. There was no correlation between age, thyroid stimulating hormone, and the DASS score. There was also no significant difference in the DASS-21 score between genders. However, there was a positive correlation between depression symptoms and stressful life events (r=0.201, n=199, p < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: These findings would suggest that increased depression symptom scores correlate with increased stressful life events. A larger study should be undertaken to confirm these findings.
METHOD: This cross-sectional study focused on children aged 5-36 months. One hospital was randomly selected from four geographic zones of the city. A total of 400 children from each hospital, fulfilling the inclusion criteria, constituted the sample. The examination was carried out by a single, trained examiner. The tooth was recorded as "present" or "absent" on the day of examination. The mean age of emergence was calculated using a probit model. Independent sample t-test was used to assess the statistical significance of differences in the mean age of tooth emergence.
RESULTS: The deciduous mandibular central incisor was the first tooth to erupt in the oral cavity (8.15±1.69 months). Girls showed delayed eruption compared to boys; however, no interarch variation was observed in the mean age of tooth eruption. There was also no difference in the sequence of eruption of deciduous teeth, as reported in other studies.
CONCLUSIONS: The present study establishes a chronological table for the eruption of deciduous teeth in Indian children. There was delayed eruption of deciduous teeth when compared to the reference ranges of Western populations.
DESIGN: This was a population-based, cross-sectional study whereby subjects were adults aged 18 years old and above. A workshop on the identification of OML was held to train and calibrate dental officers prior to data collection in the field. Sociodemographic and risk habits data were collected via face-to-face interview, whilst presence of OML and clinical details of lesions such as type and site were collected following clinical oral examination by the examiners. Data analysis was carried out using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 12.0. The association between risk habits and risk of OPMD was explored using logistic regression analysis.
RESULTS: A total of 1634 subjects were recruited. Prevalence of OML for this population was 54.1%. Linea alba was the most common lesion seen (28.7%). This study showed an overall OPMD prevalence of 5.6%. The most common type of OPMD was leukoplakia (64.8%), followed by lichen planus (30.8%). Subjects who only smoked were found to have an increased risk for OPMD of almost four-fold (RR 3.74, 95%CI 1.89-7.41). The highest risk was found for betel quid chewers, where the increased risk observed was more than six times (RR 6.75, 95%CI 3.32-13.72). Alcohol consumption on its own did not seem to confer an increased risk for OPMD, however when practiced concurrently with smoking, a significant risk of more than five times was noted (RR 5.69 95%CI 3.14-10.29).
CONCLUSION: The prevalence of OML was 54.1%, with linea alba being the most commonly occurring lesion. Smoking, alcohol consumption and betel quid chewing were found to be associated with the prevalence of OPMD, which was 5.6%.
METHODS: We analysed Demographic and Health Survey data on tobacco use collected from large nationally representative samples of men and women in 54 LMICs. We estimated the weighted prevalence of any current tobacco use (including smokeless tobacco) in each country for 4 educational groups and 4 wealth groups. We calculated absolute and relative measures of inequality, that is, the slope index of inequality (SII) and relative index of inequality (RII), which take into account the distribution of prevalence across all education and wealth groups and account for population size. We also calculated the aggregate SII and RII for low-income (LIC), lower-middle-income (lMIC) and upper-middle-income (uMIC) countries as per World Bank classification.
FINDINGS: Male tobacco use was highest in Bangladesh (70.3%) and lowest in Sao Tome (7.4%), whereas female tobacco use was highest in Madagascar (21%) and lowest in Tajikistan (0.22%). Among men, educational inequalities varied widely between countries, but aggregate RII and SII showed an inverse trend by country wealth groups. RII was 3.61 (95% CI 2.83 to 4.61) in LICs, 1.99 (95% CI 1.66 to 2.38) in lMIC and 1.82 (95% CI 1.24 to 2.67) in uMIC. Wealth inequalities among men varied less between countries, but RII and SII showed an inverse pattern where RII was 2.43 (95% CI 2.05 to 2.88) in LICs, 1.84 (95% CI 1.54 to 2.21) in lMICs and 1.67 (95% CI 1.15 to 2.42) in uMICs. For educational inequalities among women, the RII varied much more than SII varied between the countries, and the aggregate RII was 14.49 (95% CI 8.87 to 23.68) in LICs, 3.05 (95% CI 1.44 to 6.47) in lMIC and 1.58 (95% CI 0.33 to 7.56) in uMIC. Wealth inequalities among women showed a pattern similar to that of men: the RII was 5.88 (95% CI 3.91 to 8.85) in LICs, 1.76 (95% CI 0.80 to 3.85) in lMIC and 0.39 (95% CI 0.09 to 1.64) in uMIC. In contrast to men, among women, the SII was pro-rich (higher smoking among the more advantaged) in 13 of the 52 countries (7 of 23 lMIC and 5 of 7 uMIC).
INTERPRETATION: Our results confirm that socioeconomic inequalities tobacco use exist in LMIC, varied widely between the countries and were much wider in the lowest income countries. These findings are important for better understanding and tackling of socioeconomic inequalities in health in LMIC.
METHODS: A total 98 in-hospital first ever acute stroke patients were recruited, and their Barthel Index scores were measured at the time of discharge, at 1 month and 3 months post-discharge. The Barthel Index was scored through telephone interviews. We employed the random intercept model from linear mixed effect regression to model the change of Barthel Index scores during the three months intervals. The prognostic factors included in the model were acute stroke subtypes, age, sex and time of measurement (at discharge, at 1 month and at 3 month post-discharge).
RESULTS: The crude mean Barthel Index scores showed an increased trend. The crude mean Barthel Index at the time of discharge, at 1-month post-discharge and 3 months post-discharge were 35.1 (SD = 39.4), 64.4 (SD = 39.5) and 68.8 (SD = 38.9) respectively. Over the same period, the adjusted mean Barthel Index scores estimated from the linear mixed effect model increased from 39.6 to 66.9 to 73.2. The adjusted mean Barthel Index scores decreased as the age increased, and haemorrhagic stroke patients had lower adjusted mean Barthel Index scores compared to the ischaemic stroke patients.
CONCLUSION: Overall, the crude and adjusted mean Barthel Index scores increase from the time of discharge up to 3-month post-discharge among acute stroke patients. Time after discharge, age and stroke subtypes are the significant prognostic factors for Barthel Index score changes over the period of 3 months.
OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to examine the occurrence of lower back, shoulder, and neck pain among Malaysian office workers.
METHODS: 752 subjects (478 women and 274 men) were randomly selected from the Malaysian office workers population of 10,000 individuals. The participants were aged between 20-50 years and had at least one year of work experience. All participants completed the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (CMDQ). Instructions to complete the questinnaire were given to the participants under the researchers supervision in the morning before they started a day of work. The participants were then classified into four categories based on body mas index (BMI) (BMI:≤18.4, 18.5-24.99, 25-29.99, ≥30) and age (Age: 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, ≥50).
RESULTS: There was a significant association between pain severity in gender and right (p = 0.046) and left (p = 0.041) sides of the shoulders. There was also a significant association between BMI and severity of pain in the lower back area (p = 0.047). It was revealed that total pain score in the shoulders was significantly associated with age (p = 0.041).
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrated that a significant correlation existed between pain servity for gender in both right and left shoulder. These findings require further scientific investigation as do the identification of effective preventative stratgies.