Relative Influence Of Age Research Articles

Systematic review and meta-analysis:relative age in attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder.

Youngest students in their class, with birthdates just before the school entry cut-off date, are overrepresented among children receiving an Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis or medication for this. This is known as the relative age effect. This systematic review and meta-analysis summarises the evidence on the influence of relative age on ADHD symptoms, diagnosis and medication prescribing. As no review to date has investigated the association with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis, this is also examined. Following prospective registration with PROSPERO, we conducted a systematic review according to the PRISMA guidelines. We searched seven databases: Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, Web of Science Core Collection, ERIC, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, and Cochrane Library. Additional references were identified from manual search of retrieved reviews. We performed a meta-analysis of quantitative data. Thirty-two studies were included, thirty-one investigated ADHD and two ASD. Younger relative age was associated with ADHD diagnosis and medication, with relative risks of 1.38 (1.36-1.52 95% CI) and 1.28 (1.21-1.36 95% CI) respectively. However, risk estimates exhibited high heterogeneity. A relative age effect was observed for teacher ratings of ADHD symptoms but not for parent ratings. With regard to ASD, the youngest children in their school year were more likely to be diagnosed with ASD. This review confirms a relative age effect for ADHD diagnosis and prescribed ADHD medication and suggests that differences in teacher and parent ratings might contribute to this. Further research is needed on the possible association with ASD.

Influence of Relative Age on Physical Condition and Academic Performance in Adolescents.

Annual age grouping is a common organizational strategy in academics and sports. This strategy could promote the relative effects of age, which refers to the (dis)advantages that subjects who were born in the first or last months of the year may suffer. The consequences could be minimized, resulting in better physical and/or academic results. The objective of the study was to evaluate the influence of the quarter of birth and examine the correlation between physical condition variables and academic performance. The sample included 79 students (51.90% females) 13.46 ± 0.21 years old in the second year of Obligatory Secondary Education. The physical variables of this study were explosive power, cardiorespiratory capacity, speed, flexibility, and muscle strength. They were evaluated using the horizontal jump tests, Cooper test, 50 m sprint, sit-and-reach test, and medicine ball exercises, respectively. The academic variables were obtained from the average academic grade, grouped by key competencies. An Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), controlling for gender, body mass, and height, revealed significant differences between male students born in the first quarter compared to those born in subsequent quarters in all physical condition variables (except for cardiorespiratory capacity). For female students, significant differences were observed only in the explosive power variable. No statistically significant intra-sex differences were evident in academic performance at any time of measurement. Additionally, moderate to large correlations were found in the physical condition and academic variables. It is concluded in relation to the need to implement diverse strategies regarding the process of developing physical conditions in adolescence that satisfy the growth needs of students based on age and sex.

Selection into youth cricket academies: The influence of relative age and maturity status

ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to examine the birth quartile and maturity status distributions of male academy cricketers. Participants included 213 junior cricket players, aged between 9 and 18 years. Players were separated into birth quartiles and also grouped as early, average or late maturers. For the whole cohort, there was a medium effect bias towards players born in BQ1, but the number of early, average and late maturers was as expected. However, there were significantly more early maturers in the U10 and U11 groups than expected, and maturity distributions of the BQ groups showed that there was a small effect size bias towards early maturers in BQ4. Selection biases towards cricketers who are born earlier in the competitive year are consistent from U9 to U16, but more prevalent in the U12 and U14 age groups. There is a bias towards early maturers at U10 and U11, but this reduces as age increases. Practitioners working in academy pathways should be encouraged to assess the maturity status of players to assist in the retention and progression of players. Relative age effects should also be considered, and strategies may be required to identify players born later in the year.

The impact of age, sex, disc height loss and T1 slope on the upper and lower cervical lordosis: a large-scale radiologic study

PurposeTo clarify the relative influence of age, sex, disc height loss and T1 slope on upper (Occiput-C2) and lower cervical lordosis (C2–C7).MethodsStanding lateral cervical radiographs of 865 adult subjects were evaluated. The presence and severity of disc height loss from C2/C3 to C6/C7 (a total of 4325 discs) were assessed using a validated grading system. The total disc height loss score for each subject was calculated as the sum of the score of each disc space. Sagittal radiographic parameters included: occipital slope, occiput-C2 (Oc-C2) lordosis, C2–C7 lordosis and T1 slope. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to examine the relative influence of the multiple factors on upper and lower cervical lordosis.ResultsThis study included 360 males and 505 females, with a mean age of 40.2 ± 16.0 years (range, 20–95 years). Linear multivariate regression analyses showed that greater age, male sex, greater T1 slope were each found to be significantly and independently associated with greater C2–C7 lordosis, whereas total disc height loss score was negatively associated with C2–C7 lordosis. T1 slope had the most independent influence on C2–C7 lordosis among these factors. Age, sex and disc height loss were not independently associated with Oc-C2 lordosis.ConclusionsResults from our large-scale radiologic analysis may enhance the understanding of the factors that affect cervical lordosis, indicating that age, sex, disc height loss and T1 slope were each independently associated with C2–C7 lordosis. However, age, sex and disc height loss were not independently associated with upper cervical lordosis.

Does birth date influence career attainment in professional soccer?

ABSTRACTPurpose: The aim of the study was to ascertain the influence of relative age on entry to a professional soccer club and on long-term career attainment.Methods: We analysed the birth dates (divided into four birth quarters, BQ) and the career attainment of 1071 soccer players who entered their club in the under 12 (U12), U14, U16, U19, Reserves and First Team groups.Results: There was an overrepresentation of players born in BQ1 in all groups except from the Reserves and First Team. Forty players (4.7%) became professional, 18 born in BQ1 and 9 in BQ4. More players born in BQ4 who had entered the club in the U12 and U14 groups became professional, compared to players born in the rest of the quarters. The odds for a player born in BQ4 to become professional were 3 times larger, 95% CI [1.38, 6.56] than players born in the rest of the BQs.Conclusions: The overrepresentation of relatively older players is evident among players that entered the club at younger ages. Although this overrepresentation declines with increasing age, it influences career attainment. Interestingly, once relatively young players are within the club, their chances to become professional are larger.

Anxiety of dental treatment among patients visiting primary health centers

Background: Despite the advances in technology, dental materials, and increased oral health awareness, significant percentage of people suffer from dental anxiety. Dental anxiety is ranked fourth among common fears and ninth among intense fears. Aim: The aim was to assess the level of anxiety of dental treatment among patients in primary health centers (PHCs). Materials and Methods: The sample was made up of 100 patients from both genders over 18 years of age visiting PHCs for dental treatment, who were not suffering from any psychological limitation, between August and September 2017. Data collection was carried out through the administration of validated questionnaires by a calibrated researcher. A self-administered prevalidated questionnaire was used to evaluate the level of anxiety among the patients. The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale was used to evaluate the degree of anxiety among study participants. SPSS 21 was used, and data were analyzed using Chi-square test. Results: The prevalence of dental anxiety among study participants was found to be 94%. Females were found to be significantly more anxious than males. Higher level of anxiety was found to be exhibited by participants for injection (55%), followed by scaling (45%) and tooth drilling (40%). Relative influence of age, education, occupation, type of dental treatment, and previous dental visit were not significantly associated with dental anxiety. However, those participants who had past negative dental experience were found to be significantly more anxious. Conclusion: The study showed that dental anxiety was high among the participants. High level of anxiety was found to be exhibited by participants for injection, followed by scaling and tooth drilling. Level of anxiety is significantly associated with past traumatic dental experience, gender (higher level of anxiety was found to be among women), and low-income group (0–10 K) per month.

Normative data for assessing performance on a rapid, automated test of speech-on-speech masking and spatial release from masking

The ability to understand speech in the presence of competing sound sources is essential to communication success. This task is difficult for listeners with healthy auditory systems, but becomes substantially more difficult as listeners age and experience various insults to the system. Our laboratory has developed a rapid, automated method of measuring the relative ability to perform a standard laboratory version of this task, which has been applied to a large set of spatial separations between 0 and 135 degrees, and a range of levels and bandwidths. Performance has been obtained in over 100 listeners varying in age and hearing ability between one and fifteen times over the course of four years. We have examined both the reliability of this test, by comparing how performance changed across test sessions with the same acoustical conditions (less than 1 dB on average), and the relative influences of age and hearing loss at various separations. Normative functions based on over 100 listeners are available for a colocated control condition, a spatial separation of 45 degrees, and the difference between the two (spatial release from masking). Normative functions take into account both age, between 18 and 80 years, and moderate hearing loss in the standard audiometric frequencies. A calibrated version of the test is freely available for use on an iPad.

Journal Digest

Journal Digest

Blood Type, Lymphadenectomy and Blood Transfusion Predict Venous Thromboembolic Events Following Radical Prostatectomy with Pelvic Lymphadenectomy

Venous thromboembolic events are the most common nonoperative complication after radical prostatectomy and they represent the most common cause of death within 30 days of surgery. While effective mechanical and chemoprophylaxis exists, such prophylaxis may also be associated with increased complications. To identify venous thromboembolic event risk factors and, thereby, facilitate targeted prophylaxis we characterized clinicopathological variables associated with these events in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy. We reviewed the records of 18,472 consecutive patients who underwent radical prostatectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy for prostate cancer at our institution from 1987 to 2010. Patients were followed postoperatively for complications. Venous thromboembolic events within 30 days of surgery were recorded. Logistic regression models were used to analyze clinicopathological variables associated with venous thromboembolic events. We identified symptomatic venous thromboembolic events in 271 patients (1.4%). This diagnosis was not associated with preoperative body mass index, prostate specific antigen, Gleason score or cancer recurrence. However, the diagnosis was significantly associated with nonO blood type (OR 1.98, p = 0.004), an increasing number of lymph nodes removed (OR 1.05, p = 0.035) and blood transfusion (OR 1.30, p = 0.02). Patients with venous thromboembolic events were significantly more likely to die within 30 days of surgery (3.0% vs 0%, p <0.001). Blood type, pelvic lymphadenectomy extent and blood transfusion are significant risk factors for symptomatic venous thromboembolic event before radical prostatectomy plus pelvic lymph node dissection. These data should be used for patient counseling, particularly in regard to obviating lymphadenectomy in patients at low risk and for individualizing prophylaxis for venous thromboembolic event in patients at higher risk.

The influence of relative age on the composition of professional soccer squads

Children born shortly after the cut-off date applying for age grouping in minor sports profit from being able to remain for almost an additional year in their respective age group compared to those born later in the same year. A shift of the cut-off date in German youth soccer in 1997 allowed us to investigate the effect of a favourable relative age as well as the effect of a change of the cut-off date on the birth-date distribution of soccer players in the Bundesliga (Division 1), the highest professional soccer league in Germany. Both the cut-off date and the change of the cut-off date exerted a significant influence on the composition of professional senior squads. In the 1997/98 season, there was an overrepresentation of players profiting from the old cut-off date of 1 August. In the 2007/08 season, 10 years after the change of the cut-off date, there was an overrepresentation of players born shortly after the new cut-off date of 1 January. This pattern of results shows that owing to the cut-off dates applying in youth soccer, the date of birth of young players systematically influences their later professional success and career.

Prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of dental anxiety among a group of adult patients attending a dental institution in Vadodara city, Gujarat, India

Anxiety is a subjective state of feelings. Dental anxiety is often reported as a cause of irregular dental attendance, delay in seeking dental care or even avoidance of dental care, resulting in poor oral health related quality of life. To assess the prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of dental anxiety among a group of adult patients attending a dental institution in Vadodara, Gujarat. A total of 150 adult patients waiting in the out-patient Department of Oral Diagnosis of K.M. Shah Dental College and Hospital were included in the study. Subjects were selected by convenience sampling. Dental anxiety was assessed by using Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) and self-designed, semi-structured questionnaire incorporating various demographic variables, type and nature of dental treatment. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 16. Descriptive analysis, unpaired t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test and multiple logistic regression were applied for statistical analysis. 46% of the participants were dentally anxious. Females were found to be significantly more anxious than males. Subjects residing in villages had significantly more score than those residing in city. Relative influence of age, education, type of dental treatment, and previous dental visit were not significantly associated with dental anxiety. However, those subjects who had past negative dental experience were found to be significantly more anxious. The study shows that dental anxiety was high among study subjects. It is recommended that this issue should be given due importance and addressed in a practical and meaningful manner.

Is there an influence of relative age on participation in non-physical sports activities? The example of shooting sports

The aims of this study were to test for the presence of a relative age effect among male (n = 119,715) and female (n = 12,823) members of the shooting sports federation, and to determine whether any such effect has an impact on dropout from the sport. For the boys and girls, the results show a uniform distribution of dropout. A relative age effect was not found for the girls, showing that in female shooting sports there is no such effect. For the males, a significant statistical relative age effect was not detected in the 18–20 and 13–14 year categories. However, a relative age effect was found among adults and the 11–12 and under 11 year categories. A significant “inverse” relative age effect was found for the 15–17 year group. Further qualitative research is needed to clarify which factors contribute to this asymmetric distribution of birth dates in French male shooting sports.

The relative influence of age, previous history and therapeutic strategies prior to hospital admission among ambulance transported patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction

Among 388 patients with ST-elevation and myocardial infarction admitted to hospital with ambulance, we found the following to be independent predictors of the short term (30 days) mortality rate; Age and treatment with aspirin prior to hospital admission. The following were associated with long term (30 days to 5 years) mortality rate; age, a history of diabetes and fast track to CCU.

Injuries in Canadian Youth Ice Hockey: The Influence of Relative Age

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between relative age and injury prevalence in Canadian youth ice hockey. In study 1, youth ice hockey-related injuries (among children 10-15 years of age) collected by the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program between 1995 and 2002 were analyzed. The relative ages of injured children were compared across different age groups and injury characteristics (mechanism of injury and severity of injury). In study 2, injuries reported in the Hockey Canada Insurance Database were analyzed. The relative ages of injured children at different levels of play (ie, representative versus house league teams) were compared. In study 1, the majority of injured players were of older relative age. However, relative age was not related to mechanism of injury or severity of injury. In study 2, approximately 40% of injured players at the highest level of play were relatively older, whereas only 20% to 25% of house league injured players were relatively older. Relatively older children within ice hockey age groups are at increased risk of injury compared with their younger peers. Furthermore, the risk of injury for relatively older players is greater at more competitive levels of play. This study proposes that the relative age advantage associated with selection to Canadian youth ice hockey teams is accompanied by an increased risk of injury.

Relative influence of age, resting heart rate and sedentary life style in short-term analysis of heart rate variability

In order to assess the relative influence of age, resting heart rate (HR) and sedentary life style, heart rate variability (HRV) was studied in two different groups. The young group (YG) consisted of 9 sedentary subjects aged 15 to 20 years (YG-S) and of 9 nonsedentary volunteers (YG-NS) also aged 15 to 20. The elderly sedentary group (ESG) consisted of 16 sedentary subjects aged 39 to 82 years. HRV was assessed using a short-term procedure (5 min). R-R variability was calculated in the time-domain by means of the root mean square successive differences. Frequency-domain HRV was evaluated by power spectrum analysis considering high frequency and low frequency bands. In the YG the effort tolerance was ranked in a bicycle stress test. HR was similar for both groups while ESG showed a reduced HRV compared with YG. Within each group, HRV displayed a negative correlation with HR. Although YG-NS had better effort tolerance than YG-S, their HR and HRV were not significantly different. We conclude that HRV is reduced with increasing HR or age, regardless of life style. The results obtained in our short-term study agree with others of longer duration by showing that age and HR are the main determinants of HRV. Our results do not support the idea that changes in HRV are related to regular physical activity.

Relative Influence of Age and Thrombotic History on Hemostatic Parameters

Relative Influence of Age and Thrombotic History on Hemostatic Parameters

The influence of relative age on success and dropout in male soccer players.

The consistent asymmetry in the birth-date distribution of senior professional soccer players has led us to investigate whether similar asymmetries emerge throughout youth categories in soccer. Birth dates were considered for professional players, national youth teams, youth players transferred to top teams, and regular youth league players. Kolmogorov Smirnov tests assessed differences between observed and expected birth-date distributions. Regression analyses examined the relationship between month of birth and number of participants at various levels of play in soccer. Results indicated that youth players born from August to October (the early part of the selection year), beginning in the 6-8 year age group, are more likely to be identified as talented and to be exposed to higher levels of coaching. Eventually, these players are more likely to be transferred to top teams, to play for national teams, and to become involved professionally. In comparison, players born late in the selection year tended to dropout as early as 12 years of age. Recommendations suggest a review of the 24-month age band and current methods for talent detection and selection. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 10:791-798, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Relative influence of age and menopause on total and regional body composition changes in postmenopausal women

OBJECTIVE: We measured total and regional body composition to evaluate the differences in body composition associated with menopause and to determine whether the changes in fat distribution were more related to age or to menopause. STUDY DESIGN: Two hundred five healthy white women who had never received estrogen replacement therapy were studied according to menopausal status and age. Bone mass and body composition were measured by dual x-ray absorptiometry. The proportions of android and gynoid fat were calculated in all women and differences were sought by statistical analysis. RESULTS: Compared with premenopausal women, postmenopausal women were characterized by a significant increase in the proportion of android fat and the ratio trunk fat/leg fat, whereas the absolute amount of body fat mass did not significantly change. The different variables of android fat distribution tended to correlate better with years since menopause than with age. In multiple linear regression, years since menopause was a predictor of body fat mass and fat trunk, whereas age was not a predictor of any of the fat distribution variables. CONCLUSIONS: This study underlines the early changes in body fat distribution with a shift of body fat toward a more central location in postmenopausal women. This change in fat distribution appears to be more related to menopause than to age and might, together with other factors, contribute to explain the increased cardiovascular risk reported in postmenopausal women. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1996;175:1594-600.)

Age and schooling effects in story recall and story production.

The relative influences of age- and schooling-related experiences on story memory and storytelling were examined. Forty kindergarten and 39 Grade 1 children whose birth dates clustered around the cutoff date for school entrance listened to and recalled short, 1-episode stories (story recall task) and completed other stories (story production task) for which they were given beginning information. Children were tested in fall (at 5.6 years) and spring (at 6.3 years) of the school year and in spring of the following school year (at 7.3 years)

The relative influence of age and weight on the reproductive behaviour of male grey seals Halichoerus grypus

The breeding behaviour of male grey seals Halichoerus grypus of known age and weight was studied on Sable Island, Nova Scotia. Branded males ranged in age from 8 to 16 years and although there was a positive relationship between age and weight, there was a large overlap between age classes. In general, there was an increase in length of tenure and rates of copulation with increasing male age but this was less marked among males between the ages of 13 and 16 years. Compared to older ones, males of 8 and 12 years were observed at more sites, travelled more extensively around the breeding colony, were transient more frequently and were unable to lie as close to females. There was no correlation between male body weight and either length of tenure or rates of copulation when males of age 8 (the smallest males) were excluded from the analysis. Most agonistic behaviour was made by larger, older males towards smaller, younger ones and appeared to be responsible for the short length of tenure and low reproductive rates of young bulls.