Physician-diagnosed Illnesses Research Articles

The Prevalence of Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Diseases in Najran Region, Saudi Arabia.

The primary goal of this study was to investigate the knowledge, prevalence, and risk factors of cardiovascular diseases among individuals in the Najran region of Saudi Arabia. In the Najran region of Saudi Arabia, an online cross-sectional survey was conducted. Between September and October 2023, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed to a random sample of the general population aged 18 and up. The survey instrument asked about history and exposure, physician-diagnosed illnesses, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), medication use, and other risk factors. This research had a total of 2046 individuals. Around one-fifth of the study participants reported that they or a family member suffered from CVD, and arrhythmia was the most commonly reported; blood tests, cardiac catheterization, and ECG were the most commonly reported tests performed for CVD patients, around one-tenth of CVD patients reported that they do not have any chronic diseases other than CVD, and the vast majority of the patients confirmed their regular medical appointments. This is one of the first studies to investigate the knowledge, prevalence, and use of CVD drugs among individuals in the Najran region of Saudi Arabia. The study participants' lack of knowledge about CVD could lead to ineffective preventive measures and poor patient outcomes. The study's findings underscore the crucial need for more extensive and efficient educational initiatives that consider the targeted population's talents, attitudes, and perceptions.

Association of Bacterial Load in Drinking Water and Allergic Diseases in Childhood

To determine if high microbial content in drinking water alters the risk of allergic disease in children.Children aged 6 to 16 years living in Eastern Croatia between 2011 and 2013 were recruited for the study. The authors report that this area of Croatia is unique in that individuals have access to drinking water through 2 different supply systems: public mains or individual wells.There were 2 phases of the study. In phase 1, parents were asked to complete a survey regarding their child’s symptoms, physician-diagnosed illnesses, medication use and type of drinking water supply: public mains and/or individual wells. In phase 2, one-half of the study participant’s parents were randomly selected to complete a questionnaire about home location, farming practices, and socioeconomic status. Their children underwent skin-prick testing for 9 aeroallergens: dust mites, cockroach, molds (Alternaria and Cladosporium) and pollens (birch, hazelnut, grass, and ragweed). Data on the microbial content of drinking water from 1997 to 2007 were reviewed to ascertain information about early-life exposure for the study participants. Water samples were collected at random points from public mains and from each individual well in participating households.A total of 1110 children were recruited for phase 1 of the study, with 978 children fulfilling study criteria. A total of 51.5% (n = 504) of the children attended urban schools, and 48.5% (n = 474) attended rural schools. A total of 494 children accessed drinking water through the public main water supply, whereas 484 accessed it through individual wells. More than 90% of the 484 children with individual wells attended rural schools. There were only 21 children living in urban areas who accessed individual well water. There was a significant difference in the cumulative bacterial load in drinking water, with samples from individual wells having a much higher bacterial load: individual wells (6390 colony forming units per mL [4190–9550]) versus public (0 colony forming units per mL [0–0]); P < .0001. Children who had access to individual wells had significantly lower rates of lifetime prevalence of asthma (2.3% vs 5.5%; P = .011), atopic dermatitis (6.7% vs 14.4%; P < .001), and rhinitis (15.1% vs 25.2%; P < .001), compared with that of those children who had access to a public main water supply.Exposure to high microbial content in drinking water may confer protection against allergic disease development in childhood.Here is one more study that lends further support to the hygiene hypothesis revealing that high microbial exposures in drinking water may protect children against the development of atopic diseases. The authors also add another possible route of exposure to explain the lower prevalence of allergic disease found in those living in rural environments.

Association between serum urate, gout and comorbidities: a case-control study using data from the UK Biobank.

To examine the association between comorbidities and serum urate (SU), gout and comorbidities, and to determine whether the association between gout and comorbidities is independent of SU. We performed a case-control study using UK Biobank data. Two separate analyses were conducted: one excluding participants with gout to investigate the association between comorbidities and SU and the other with participants with gout as the index condition to examine the association between gout and comorbidities. SU was measured at the baseline visit. Self-reported physician-diagnosed illnesses were used to define gout and comorbidities, except for chronic kidney disease (CKD), which was defined using an estimated glomerular filtration rate cut-off. Participants prescribed urate-lowering treatment were also classified as gout. Logistic regression was used to examine associations. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs were calculated and adjusted for covariates including comorbidities and SU. Data for 458781 UK Biobank participants were used to examine the association between comorbidities and SU. There was an association between hypertension, ischaemic heart disease (IHD), congestive cardiac failure (CCF), hyperlipidaemia, CKD and SU with and adjusted OR (aOR) of 1.10-3.14 for each 1 mg/dl SU increase. A total of 10265 gout cases and 458781 controls were included in the analysis of association between gout and comorbidities. Gout associated independently with hypertension, IHD, CCF, hyperlipidaemia and diabetes, with aORs of 1.21-4.15 after adjusting for covariates including SU. Comorbidities associate with increasing SU. The association between gout and cardiometabolic comorbidities was independent of SU, suggesting separate SU-independent mechanisms such as inflammation driven by crystal deposition, pro-inflammatory genotype or non-purine dietary factors.

Workplace stressors &amp; health outcomes: Health policy for the workplace

Extensive research focuses on the causes of workplace-induced stress. However, policy efforts to tackle the ever-increasing health costs and poor health outcomes in the United States have largely ignored the health effects of psychosocial workplace stressors such as high job demands, economic insecurity, and long work hours. Using meta-analysis, we summarize 228 studies assessing the effects of ten workplace stressors on four health outcomes. We find that job insecurity increases the odds of reporting poor health by about 50%, high job demands raise the odds of having a physician-diagnosed illness by 35%, and long work hours increase mortality by almost 20%. Therefore, policies designed to reduce health costs and improve health outcomes should account for the health effects of the workplace environment.

Workplace stressors &amp;amp; health outcomes: Health policy for the workplace

Extensive research focuses on the causes of workplace-induced stress. However, policy efforts to tackle the ever-increasing health costs and poor health outcomes in the United States have largely ignored the health effects of psychosocial workplace stressors such as high job demands, economic insecurity, and long work hours. Using meta-analysis, we summarize 228 studies assessing the effects of ten workplace stressors on four health outcomes. We find that job insecurity increases the odds of reporting poor health by about 50%, high job demands raise the odds of having a physician-diagnosed illness by 35%, and long work hours increase mortality by almost 20%. Therefore, policies designed to reduce health costs and improve health outcomes should account for the health effects of the workplace environment.

Physical illnesses, developmental risk factors and psychiatric diagnoses among subjects at risk of psychosis

BackgroundSubjects with psychoses have significantly increased rates of physical illnesses, but the nature of the relationship remains largely unknown. Material and methodsThe present study is part of the European Prediction of Psychosis Study (EPOS). Data were collected from 245 help-seeking individuals from six European centers (age 16–35) who met criteria for ultra-high risk of psychosis criteria. This paper seeks to investigate self-reported physical ill health and its associations with psychiatric symptoms and disorders, risk factors, and onset of psychosis during 48 months of follow-up. ResultsIn multivariate analysis, lifetime panic disorder (OR=2.43, 95%CI: 1.03–5.73), known complications during pregnancy and delivery (OR=2.81, 95%CI: 1.10–7.15), female gender (OR=2.88, 95%CI: 1.16–7.17), family history of psychosis (OR=3.08, 95%CI: 1.18–8.07), and having a relationship (OR=3.44, 95%CI: 1.33–8.94) were significantly associated with self-reported physician-diagnosed illness. In the Cox proportional hazard model we found no significant differences between those who had undergone a transition to psychosis and those who had not. ConclusionsThe physical health of patients defined to be at ultra-high risk of psychosis seems to be commonly impaired and associated with female gender, marital status, complications during pregnancy and birth, lifetime panic disorder, and genetic risk of psychosis.

Physical ill health and risk of psychosis

Patients with psychosis have been found to suffer from physical illnesses more commonly than the general population. In this report, self-reported physical ill health and its correlates among subjects with and without vulnerability to psychosis in a sample of first-degree relatives, help-seekers and controls were investigated. Perceived physical health was statistically significantly poorer among subjects with minor symptoms on the Structured Interview for Prodromal Symptoms and those vulnerable to psychosis than among those without symptoms measured by 13 somatoform symptom sum scores of the Symptom Checklist-90. Those at current risk of psychosis had a significantly higher mean sum score on the 13 somatic items (mean = 21.1) than others (mean = 9.6). Having physical symptoms or a self-reported physician-diagnosed illness was significantly associated with vulnerability to psychosis (odds ratio = 3.05). The subjects with a mood disorder (odds ratio = 4.33) had significantly more commonly physician-diagnosed illnesses than those who had no diagnosis or any other diagnosis. Physical ill health seems to be common among those vulnerable to psychosis.

Surveying the Population with Epilepsy: Ulcers, Allergies, and Other Medical Comorbidities

Somatic Comorbidity of Epilepsy in the General Population in Canada Téllez-Zenteno JF, Matijevic S, Wiebe S Epilepsia 2005;46:1955–1962 Purpose There is a notion that people with epilepsy have substantial and often unrecognized comorbidity of chronic conditions. However, most studies focus on selected patient groups; population-based studies are scarce. We compared the prevalence of chronic somatic conditions in people with epilepsy with that in the general population using Canadian, nationwide, population-based health data. Method We examined epilepsy-specific and general population health data obtained through two previously validated, independently performed, door-to-door Canadian health surveys, the National Population Health Survey (NPHS, N = 49,000) and the Community Health Survey (CHS, N = 130,882), which represent 98% of the Canadian population. The prevalence of epilepsy and 19 other chronic conditions was ascertained through direct inquiry from respondents about physician-diagnosed illnesses. Weighted prevalence, prevalence ratios (PR), and 95% confidence intervals were obtained for the entire population and for males and females separately. Multivariate analyses assessed the strength of association of comorbid conditions with epilepsy as compared with the general population. Results People with epilepsy had a statistically significant higher prevalence of most chronic conditions than the general population. Conditions with particularly high prevalence in epilepsy (prevalence ratio ≥ 2.0) include stomach/intestinal ulcers (PR, CHS 2.5, NPHS 2.7), stroke (PR, CHS 3.9, NPHS 4.7), urinary incontinence (PR, CHS 3.2, NPHS 4.4), bowel disorders (PR, CHS 2.0, NPHS 3.3), migraine (PR, CHS 2.0, NPHS 2.6), Alzheimer's disease (PR, NPHS 4.3), and chronic fatigue (PR, CHS 4.1). There were no gender-specific differences in prevalence of chronic conditions among people with epilepsy. Conclusions People with epilepsy in the general population, not only those actively seeking medical care, have a high prevalence of chronic somatic comorbid conditions. The findings are consistent across two independent surveys, which show that people with epilepsy in the general population have a two- to five-fold risk of somatic comorbid conditions, as compared with people without epilepsy. This patient-centered comorbidity profile reflects health aspects that are important to people with epilepsy, and indicate the need for a more integrated approach to people with epilepsy. The impact of epilepsy relative to other comorbid conditions requires further analysis, as does the contribution of comorbidity to epilepsy intractability and to differential health care needs. Similarly, it remains to be determined whether the observed comorbidity patterns are specific to epilepsy or simply reflect a pattern that is common to chronic illnesses in general.

Somatic Comorbidity of Epilepsy in the General Population in Canada

There is a notion that people with epilepsy have substantial and often unrecognized comorbidity of chronic conditions. However, most studies focus on selected patient groups; population-based studies are scarce. We compared the prevalence of chronic somatic conditions in people with epilepsy with that in the general population using Canadian, nationwide, population-based health data. We examined epilepsy-specific and general population health data obtained through two previously validated, independently performed, door-to-door Canadian health surveys, the National Population Health Survey (NPHS, N = 49,000) and the Community Health Survey (CHS, N = 130882), which represent 98% of the Canadian population. The prevalence of epilepsy and 19 other chronic conditions was ascertained through direct inquiry from respondents about physician-diagnosed illnesses. Weighted prevalence, prevalence ratios (PR), and 95% confidence intervals were obtained for the entire population and for males and females separately. Multivariate analyses assessed the strength of association of comorbid conditions with epilepsy as compared with the general population. People with epilepsy had a statistically significant higher prevalence of most chronic conditions than the general population. Conditions with particularly high prevalence in epilepsy (prevalence ratio > or = 2.0) include stomach/intestinal ulcers (PR, CHS 2.5, NPHS 2.7), stroke (PR, CHS 3.9, NPHS 4.7), urinary incontinence (PR, CHS 3.2, NPHS 4.4), bowel disorders (PR, CHS 2.0, NPHS 3.3), migraine (PR, CHS 2.0, NPHS 2.6), Alzheimer's disease (PR, NPHS 4.3), and chronic fatigue (PR, CHS 4.1). There were no gender-specific differences in prevalence of chronic conditions among people with epilepsy. People with epilepsy in the general population, not only those actively seeking medical care, have a high prevalence of chronic somatic comorbid conditions. The findings are consistent across two independent surveys, which show that people with epilepsy in the general population have a two- to five-fold risk of somatic comorbid conditions, as compared with people without epilepsy. This patient-centered comorbidity profile reflects health aspects that are important to people with epilepsy, and indicate the need for a more integrated approach to people with epilepsy. The impact of epilepsy relative to other comorbid conditions requires further analysis, as does the contribution of comorbidity to epilepsy intractability and to differential health care needs. Similarly, it remains to be determined whether the observed comorbidity patterns are specific to epilepsy or simply reflect a pattern that is common to chronic illnesses in general.

Posttraumatic stress disorder and health status among female and male medical patients.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with objective health problems in specific populations, such as Vietnam veterans. Less is known about PTSD and health among medical samples, especially PTSD patients with different etiologic traumas. This study examined PTSD and health in medical patients within the Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare system. A total of 134 patients completed an interview and questionnaires. Data on physician-diagnosed illnesses were gathered from medical records. PTSD diagnosis and symptoms were associated with a higher likelihood of circulatory and musculoskeletal disorders. In addition, PTSD symptoms were associated with more medical conditions. PTSD symptoms and diagnoses were also associated with poorer health related quality of life. Most of these findings remained significant after controlling for comorbid depressive, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic attack symptoms. Overall, gender did not moderate the relationship between PTSD and poorer health.

Health ratings in relation to illnesses, physical functioning, general mental health and well-being: self-reports of college alumnae, ages

This paper examines health perception as an outcome in relation to physician-diagnosed illnesses, vitality, mental health and well-being, physical activities, and social and behavioral factors among women, ages late 30's to 80 and older, whose responses were obtained in non-medical settings. 3940 college alumnae responded to a self-administered mailed questionnaire, which covered personal and behavioral factors; physical activity; diet; medical history; mental health; physical limitations, and health perception. The prevalence of medical diagnoses, physical limitations, and health rating (good, fair, poor vs. excellent, very good) increased by age. Measures of low vitality and psychological distress varied by age, but not linearly. Stress declined dramatically by age. Irrespective of age, vitality and psychological distress were important predictors of health rating. The multivariate odds ratios (ORs) were, respectively, OR: 3.3, 95% CI (2.6, 4.1), and OR: 1.6, 95% CI (1.3, 2.0). Other predictors of health rating included physical limitations and medical diagnoses of breast and reproductive cancers, respiratory conditions, and chronic back problems. For women across the age span, who rated their health and health-related quality of life in a non-medical setting, having low vitality was a major factor in predicting their perceived health, even when adjusting for medical conditions and physical limitations.

Day care attendance in the first year of life and illnesses of the upper and lower respiratory tract in children with a familial history of atopy.

To examine the relationship between day care attendance and illnesses of the upper and lower respiratory tract in the first year of life. Prospective birth cohort study. Children (N = 498) who had at least 1 parent with a history of allergy or asthma were enrolled at birth and followed prospectively for the first year of life. A home visit at 2 to 3 months of age and bimonthly telephone questionnaires were used to obtain information on day care arrangements, home characteristics, respiratory symptoms, and physician-diagnosed illnesses of the upper and lower respiratory tract. Day care attendance in the first year of life was associated with two or more doctor-diagnosed ear infections (OR: 2.4; 95% CI: 1.7-3.6), three or more parental reports of runny or stuffed nose (OR: 3.2; 95% CI: 1.9-5.5), a doctor's diagnosis of sinusitis (OR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.1-4.2), and doctor-diagnosed lower respiratory illnesses (croup, bronchitis, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia; OR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.0-2.4). For children attending day care, exposure to pets in day care, the presence of a rug or carpet in the area where the child slept in day care, and a nonresidential setting for day care all were independent predictors of two or more doctor-diagnosed ear infections. The results suggest that day care increases the risk of illnesses of the upper and lower respiratory tract in the first year of life for children with a familial history of atopy. Specific environmental exposures within day care, such as the presence of pets or having a rug or carpet in the area where children sleep, may increase the risk of recurrent ear infections in the first year of life among children with familial history of atopy who attend day care.

The Health Status of Gulf War Veterans: Lessons Learned from the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Registry

To describe the demographic characteristics and postwar health status of U.S. Gulf War veterans who participated in the Department of Veterans Affairs health examination registry program. Case records of 52,835 veterans who participated in a standardized health examination program were reviewed. Participants volunteered for physical examinations at a Department of Veterans Affairs medical treatment facility from August 1992 to September 1996. U.S. Gulf War veterans deployed to southwest Asia between August 1990 and 1996. Demographic, military, symptom, and International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, diagnostic categories. A wide variety of symptoms and diagnoses were reported without apparent internal variation by military characteristics (branch and service component). The frequency of symptoms (fatigue, skin rash, headache, muscle and joint pain, and memory loss) reported increased over time, whereas the proportion of individuals with physician-diagnosed illnesses remained fairly constant. No single category of disease increased or decreased substantially over time. Veterans have experienced a wide variety of health problems since their Gulf War service. These problems, in aggregate, are different from what has been seen in other armed conflicts. The Department of Veterans Affairs registry is a very large case series and has failed to identify a single, unique syndrome or new illness after Gulf War service. An epidemiologic study would better define the prevalence of specific symptoms and medical conditions among Gulf War veterans and to what extent any of the conditions identified are associated with Gulf War military service. The knowledge provided by such studies would be important to development of preventive measures and future deployment medical surveillance planning.