Levels Of Health Indicators Research Articles

Three-dimensional human facial morphologies as robust aging markers.

Aging is associated with many complex diseases. Reliable prediction of the aging process is important for assessing the risks of aging-associated diseases. However, despite intense research, so far there is no reliable aging marker. Here we addressed this problem by examining whether human 3D facial imaging features could be used as reliable aging markers. We collected > 300 3D human facial images and blood profiles well-distributed across ages of 17 to 77 years. By analyzing the morphological profiles, we generated the first comprehensive map of the aging human facial phenome. We identified quantitative facial features, such as eye slopes, highly associated with age. We constructed a robust age predictor and found that on average people of the same chronological age differ by ± 6 years in facial age, with the deviations increasing after age 40. Using this predictor, we identified slow and fast agers that are significantly supported by levels of health indicators. Despite a close relationship between facial morphological features and health indicators in the blood, facial features are more reliable aging biomarkers than blood profiles and can better reflect the general health status than chronological age.

Planning hospital medical technology management.

The appropriate deployment of technology contributes to the improvement in the quality of healthcare delivered, the containment of cost, and to increased access to services offered by the healthcare system. Over the past one-hundred years, the dependence of the healthcare system on medical technology for the delivery of its services has continuously grown. In this system, the technology facilitates the delivery of the human touch. Medical technology enables practitioners to collaboratively intervene together with other caregivers to treat patients in a cost-effective and efficient manner. Technology also enables integration and systems management in a way that contributes to improvements in the level of health indicators. Hospital and clinical administrators are faced with the expectation for return on investment that meets accounting guidelines and financial pressures. This article describes the emerging process for managing medical technology in the hospital and the role that clinical engineers are fulfilling.

Associations of income with self-reported ill-health and health resources in a rural community sample of Austria.

Three levels of health indicators (1) self-reported ill-health, (2) internal health resources, and (3) external health resources were analysed in relation to a four-category house-hold income distribution in order to describe possible social gradients. The particular aim of this study was to obtain information on the association of income data with self-reported ill-health. This cross-sectional study was based on a health survey. The sample represents around 10% of the rural population of some communities in Styria, randomly selected from the population registry. Interview data was collected from 3781 participants aged 15 years and older, 1559 males and 2222 females. The results show that individuals from lower house-hold income classes are disadvantaged with regard to indicators of ill-health, internal and external health resources. Overall, the link between low income and poor health is highly consistent within our data. Considering our results we conclude that internal and external health resources are as unequally distributed over income levels as health outcome indicators.