Population Health Profiles Research Articles

Understanding the Prevalence and Risk Factor Profile of Olfactory Impairment and Its Impact on Patient Health Indicators and Economic Outcomes in Community-Dwelling Older Asian Adults.

There is a paucity of data on the prevalence, risk factors, and impact of olfactory impairment (OI) on key health indicators and economic outcomes in Asian populations. We aimed to address these gaps in a population of community-dwelling older adults. We included 2101 participants (mean age ± standard deviation [SD]: 72.9 ± 8.1 years; 55.1% women) from the baseline assessment of the Population Health and Eye Disease Profile in Elderly Singaporeans (PIONEER) study (2017-2022). Any OI was based on a score of <11 on the 16-item identification segment of the Sniffin' Sticks test battery; subcategorized into hyposmia (score 9-10) and anosmia (score ≤8). Sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle risk determinants, health indicators (health-related quality of life, depressive symptoms, daily caloric intake, frailty, and cognitive impairment), and economic outcomes (healthcare expenditure, productivity loss) were assessed via standardized clinical testing and validated questionnaires. Multivariable logistic and linear regression models were utilized to explore the risk factor profile of OI across its severity spectrum and its impact on health indicators and economic outcomes. The census-adjusted prevalence of any OI, hyposmia, and anosmia were 34.0%, 20.5%, and 13.5%, respectively. Older age and male gender were associated with increased likelihood of hyposmia and anosmia, while the presence of diabetes and >4 days/week alcohol consumption were associated with increased odds of having anosmia only (all p < .05). Both hyposmia and anosmia were also associated with more than twofold increased odds of having CI. Over a third of our community-dwelling older Singaporean population had OI, with 1-in-10 experiencing total olfaction loss. Those with OI had more than double the odds of having CI, regardless of its severity. Our results suggest the importance of community-based programs aimed at detecting and delaying the progression of OI in high-risk individuals.

Stability and Volatility in the Contextual Predictors of Working-Age Mortality in the United States.

The contextual predictors of mortality in the United States are well documented, but the COVID-19 pandemic may have upended those associations. Informed by the social history of disease framework (SHDF), this study examined how the importance of county contexts on adult deaths from all causes, drug poisonings, and COVID-19-related causes fluctuated during the pandemic. Using 2018 to 2021 vital statistics data, for each quarter, we estimated associations between county-level deaths among adults ages 25 to 64 and prepandemic county-level contexts (economic conditions, racial-ethnic composition, population health profile, and physician supply). The pandemic significantly elevated the importance of county contexts-particularly median household income and counties' preexisting health profile-on all-cause and drug poisoning deaths. The elevated importance of household income may be long-lasting. Contextual inequalities in COVID-19-related deaths rose and then fell, as the SHDF predicts, but rose again along with socio-political disruptions. The findings support and extend the SHDF.

P056 ANGIOTENSIN CONVERTING ENZYME I (ACE) ISOFORMS ASSOCIATION, THE GENETIC MARKER IN PARTICULAR, AND PRESENCE OF METABOLIC SYNDROME IN VOLUNTEERS FROM VITÓRIA – ES – BRAZIL

Introduction: Socioeconomic and cultural modifications have directly influenced both population's lifestyle habits and health profile, about 75% of world deaths are characterized by the presence of Non-Transmissible Chronic Diseases (NTCD), such as Metabolic Syndrome (MS), which features the concomitance of cardiovascular risk factors, as arterial hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes, central fat deposition, and insulin resistance. A two-phase populational study has researched the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme I (ACE) isoforms relating their presence, specially the 90 KDa one, as a possible biological marker in metabolic alterations and hypertension presence. Objectives: This study's objective is to evaluate whether the 90 kDa ACE isoform may be associated to MS presence in a sample population from the city of Vitoria/ES – Brazil (MONICA project, phase II). Methods: 470 volunteers from the second phase of the MONICA project were assessed, including demographic information, clinical and biochemical parameters from biological samples. The Western Blotting technique was used for identifying ACE isoforms in urine, which were classified as follows: Group 1: 65, 90 and 190 kDa isoforms; Group 2: 65 and 90 kDa isoforms; Group 3: 65 and 190 kDa isoforms; and these groups distribution in positive and negative MS groups was also checked. Results: It was observed a higher percentage of women in the sample population (58.7% vs 41.3%), higher percentage of negative MS vs positive (74.8% vs 25.2%); both clinical and biochemical parameters presented significantly higher levels in the positive MS group; and MS was more frequently positive in Group 2 of ACE isoforms (Group 1: 44.4%; Group 2: 50%; Group 3: 5.6%). Conclusion: This study presenting significant results about the parameters that characterize the presence of MS. Further investigation is needed to identify whether there is a possible relation between 90 kDa ACE isoform and MS, increasing the chances of development and worsening the MS, emphasizing this isoform importance as a biological marker for NTCD.

The prevalence patterns and risk factor profiles of poor muscle health and its associated components in multiethnic older Asians: The PIONEER study.

We aim to determine the multiethnic patterns of the prevalence and associated factors of poor muscle health and its associated components in older Chinese, Malays, and Indian Asian adults. We included 2199 participants (mean age±SD: 72.9±8.3years; 54.3% female) from the baseline assessment of the Population Health and Eye Disease Profile in Elderly Singaporeans (PIONEER; 2017-2022) cohort study. Poor muscle health was defined as the presence of either low muscle mass (DEXA), or low muscle strength (handgrip strength), or low physical performance (gait speed). Its components include poor muscle function (low muscle strength and/or low physical performance without low muscle mass), pre-sarcopenia (low muscle mass only), and any sarcopenia (low muscle mass with low muscle strength and/or low physical performance). Sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors were assessed using biochemistry, clinical tests, and validated questionnaires. Regression models were utilized to evaluate the independent risk factors of poor muscle health and its components. The national census-adjusted prevalence of poor muscle health (88%) was similar across the three ethnic groups. However, Chinese individuals had higher prevalence of pre-sarcopenia and any sarcopenia, and a lower prevalence of poor muscle function compared with Indians or Malays. We observed ethnic differences in modifiable risk factors (low physical activity, diabetes, osteoporosis, and obesity) of poor muscle health and its components. Although obesity was protective of pre-sarcopenia (RRR=0.19, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.36) and any sarcopenia (RRR=0.29, 95% CI: 0.18, 0.47) in the overall population and across ethnic groups, it was associated with 1.7 times (95% CI: 1.07, 2.67) the likelihood of poor muscle function in the entire population. Almost 90% of community dwelling Singaporean aged ≥60years have poor muscle health across the three ethnic groups with ethnic disparities in modifiable risk factors, highlighting an urgent need for community-wide targeted interventions to promote muscle health.

COVID-19 inequalities in England: a mathematical modelling study of transmission risk and clinical vulnerability by socioeconomic status

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic resulted in major inequalities in infection and disease burden between areas of varying socioeconomic deprivation in many countries, including England. Areas of higher deprivation tend to have a different population structure—generally younger—which can increase viral transmission due to higher contact rates in school-going children and working-age adults. Higher deprivation is also associated with a higher presence of chronic comorbidities, which were convincingly demonstrated to be risk factors for severe COVID-19 disease. These two major factors need to be combined to better understand and quantify their relative importance in the observed COVID-19 inequalities.MethodsWe used UK Census data on health status and demography stratified by decile of the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), which is a measure of socioeconomic deprivation. We calculated epidemiological impact using an age-stratified COVID-19 transmission model, which incorporated different contact patterns and clinical health profiles by decile. To separate the contribution of each factor, we considered a scenario where the clinical health profile of all deciles was at the level of the least deprived. We also considered the effectiveness of school closures and vaccination of over 65-year-olds in each decile.ResultsIn the modelled epidemics in urban areas, the most deprived decile experienced 9% more infections, 13% more clinical cases, and a 97% larger peak clinical size than the least deprived; we found similar inequalities in rural areas. Twenty-one per cent of clinical cases and 16% of deaths in England observed under the model assumptions would not occur if all deciles experienced the clinical health profile of the least deprived decile. We found that more deaths were prevented in more affluent areas during school closures and vaccination rollouts.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that both clinical and demographic factors synergise to generate health inequalities in COVID-19, that improving the clinical health profile of populations would increase health equity, and that some interventions can increase health inequalities.

Individual and combined associations of sarcopenia, osteoporosis and obesity with frailty in a multi-ethnic asian older adult population

BackgroundWe explored the relationships between sarcopenia (SP), osteoporosis (OP), obesity (OB), (alone and in combination) with physical frailty (PF) in a multi-ethnic, population-based study of Asians aged ≥ 60 years.MethodsParticipants were enrolled from the PopulatION HEalth and Eye Disease PRofile in Elderly Singaporeans Study (PIONEER) study. PF was defined using the modified Fried phenotype; SP using the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019; OP using bone mineral density scores; and OB using the fat mass index. Modified Poisson regression models investigated the associations between exposures and PF, and the relative excess rates of PF due to interactions (RERI) to determine synergistic or antagonistic interactions.ResultsOf the 2643 participants, 54.8% was female; and 49.8%, 25.1%, 25.0% were Chinese, Indians, and Malays, respectively. 25%, 19.0% and 6.7% participants had OB only, SP only, and OP only, respectively. A total of 356 (17.5%), 151 (7.4%) and 97 (4.8%) had osteosarcopenia (OSP), sarcopenic obesity (SOB) and osteo-obesity (OOB), respectively; while 70 (3.5%) had all 3 morbid conditions (osteosarcopenic obesity, OSO). Both SP only and OB only were strongly associated with increased rates of PF (RR: 2.53, 95% CI: 1.95, 3.29; RR: 2.05, 95% CI: 1.58, 2.66 respectively); but not OP. Those with OSP, OOB and SOB were also associated with high risks of PF (RR: 2.82, 95% CI: 2.16, 3.68; RR: 2.34, 95% CI: 1.69, 3.23; and RR: 2.58, 95% CI: 1.95, 3.41, respectively) compared to robust individuals. Critically, individuals with OSO had the highest relative risk of having PF (RR: 3.06, CI: 2.28, 4.11). Only the sarcopenia-obesity interaction was significant, demonstrating negative synergism (antagonism). The concurrent presence of SP and OB was associated with a 100% lower rate of PF compared to the sum of the relatively rates of SP only and OB only.ConclusionThe prevalence of SP, OB and OP, alone and combined, is substantial in older Asians and their early identification is needed to mitigate the risk of frailty. OB may interact with SP in an antagonistic manner to moderate rates of frailty. Further longitudinal studies are needed to address causality and mechanistic underpinnings our findings.

The Health and Economic Impact of Using a Sugar Sweetened Beverage Tax to Fund Fruit and Vegetable Subsidies in New York City: A Modeling Study.

Low fruit and vegetable (FV) intake and high sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption are independently associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Many people in New York City (NYC) have low FV intake and high SSB consumption, partly due to high cost of fresh FVs and low cost of and easy access to SSBs. A potential implementation of an SSB tax and an FV subsidy program could result in substantial public health and economic benefits. We used a validated microsimulation model for predicting CVD events to estimate the health impact and cost-effectiveness of SSB taxes, FV subsidies, and funding FV subsidies with an SSB tax in NYC. Population demographics and health profiles were estimated using data from the NYC Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Policy effects and price elasticity were derived from recent meta-analyses. We found that funding FV subsidies with an SSB tax was projected to be the most cost-effective policy from the healthcare sector perspective. From the societal perspective, the most cost-effective policy was SSB taxes. All policy scenarios could prevent more CVD events and save more healthcare costs among men compared to women, and among Black vs. White adults. Public health practitioners and policymakers may want to consider adopting this combination of policy actions, while weighing feasibility considerations and other unintended consequences.

Abstract MP03: The Health And Economic Impact Of Using A Sugar Sweetened Beverage Tax To Subsidize Fruit And Vegetable Purchase In New York City: A Modeling Study

Background: Both high sugar intake and low fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes can reduce sugar intake, whereas FV subsidies increase FV consumption. Several cities in the US have proposed an innovative policy that used the SSB tax revenue towards FV subsidies. It is unclear what the long-term health and economic impact this innovative policy could have in large cities such as New York City (NYC). Objective: To project lifetime CHDs averted and costs if a penny-per-ounce SSB tax were used to subsidize FV incentives in NYC using a validated microsimulation model of cardiovascular disease. Methods: We used the SHINE CVD model to compare the cost and CHD outcomes of a combination of SSB tax and FV subsidy policy with only SSB tax, only FV subsidy, and no policy from a healthcare sector perspective, respectively. Population demographics and health profiles were estimated using data from the 2013-2014 NYC Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We simulated 10,000 adults starting at age 40. CHD risk factor trajectories and risk of incident CHD events were derived from six pooled prospective U.S. cohorts. Policy effects and price elasticity were derived from recent meta-analyses. SSB tax (penny-per-ounce) and FV subsidy were modeled to directly affect incidence rates of CHD events. Medical costs were included and discounted at 3%. Results: Compared to the non-policy scenario over the simulated lifetime, the SHINE CVD model projected that the policy intervention with SSB taxes only would prevent 62 per 10,000 (95% CI: 57 - 67) CHD events at a penny-per-ounce rate, the intervention with FV subsidies only would prevent 28 per 10,000 (95% CI: 24-34), and the combined policy would prevent 91 CHD events (95% CI: 87 - 96). Total medical cost savings over the simulation period ranged from $22.5 million (95% CI: $21.5 - $23.6 million), $13.1 million (95% CI: $12.3 - $13.8million), and $37.9 million (95% CI: $36.5 - $39.4million), or $0.45 million/year, $0.27 million/year, $0.75 million/year for SSB taxes only, FV subsidies only, and the combined policy, respectively. Conclusion: Using a computer simulation model, we showed how converting SSB tax revenues into FV subsidies could result in substantial benefits within the NYC population in terms of CHD outcomes and overall healthcare cost savings. Results from the SHINE CVD model may inform the ongoing policy-making efforts.

Trends in reasons for emergency calls during the COVID-19 crisis in the department of Gironde, France using artificial neural network for natural language classification

ObjectivesDuring periods such as the COVID-19 crisis, there is a need for responsive public health surveillance indicators in order to monitor both the epidemic growth and potential public health consequences of preventative measures such as lockdown. We assessed whether the automatic classification of the content of calls to emergency medical communication centers could provide relevant and responsive indicators.MethodsWe retrieved all 796,209 free-text call reports from the emergency medical communication center of the Gironde department, France, between 2018 and 2020. We trained a natural language processing neural network model with a mixed unsupervised/supervised method to classify all reasons for calls in 2020. Validation and parameter adjustment were performed using a sample of 39,907 manually-coded free-text reports.ResultsThe number of daily calls for flu-like symptoms began to increase from February 21, 2020 and reached an unprecedented level by February 28, 2020 and peaked on March 14, 2020, 3 days before lockdown. It was strongly correlated with daily emergency room admissions, with a delay of 14 days. Calls for chest pain and stress and anxiety, peaked 12 days later. Calls for malaises with loss of consciousness, non-voluntary injuries and alcohol intoxications sharply decreased, starting one month before lockdown. No noticeable trends in relation to lockdown was found for other groups of reasons including gastroenteritis and abdominal pain, stroke, suicide and self-harm, pregnancy and delivery problems.DiscussionThe first wave of the COVID-19 crisis came along with increased levels of stress and anxiety but no increase in alcohol intoxication and violence. As expected, call related to road traffic crashes sharply decreased. The sharp decrease in the number of calls for malaise was more surprising.ConclusionThe content of calls to emergency medical communication centers is an efficient epidemiological surveillance data source that provides insights into the societal upheavals induced by a health crisis. The use of an automatic classification system using artificial intelligence makes it possible to free itself from the context that could influence a human coder, especially in a crisis situation. The COVID-19 crisis and/or lockdown induced deep modifications in the population health profile.

Birthweight predicts glomerular filtration rate in adult-life: population based cross sectional study

Introduction Worldwide, there is a global progressive rise of chronic kidney disease. In parallel, children born after intra-uterine growth retardation are surviving to adult-life and beyond. This study describes the association of birthweight with and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Methods Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle (AusDiab) study participants were asked to complete a birthweight questionnaire. The associations between birthweight and eGFR were determined. Results A total of 4502 reported information related to their birthweight, with the other responders did not provide a value. The birthweight of the participants ranged from 0.4 to 7.0 kg with a mean-(SD) of 3.37 (0.7) kg. The mean (95%CI) birthweight was lower for females, 3.28 (0.6) kg, when compared to males, 3.5 (0.7) kg. Eight percent had a birthweight less than 2.5 kg. The eGFR was strongly and positively associated with birthweight, with people in the lowest sex-specific birthweight-quintiles having the lowest mean eGFR. This relationship persisted with adjustment for confounding factors. The OR(CI) for eGFR <10th-percentile (<61.4 ml/min for females and <73.4 for males) for people in the lowest vs. the higher birthweight-quintile was 2.19 (95%CI 1.14–4.2) for females and 2.37 (1.1–5.3) for males, after adjustment for other factors. Conclusions Birthweight had a positive relationship with eGFR. Possible explanations include an association of birthweight with nephron-endowment. From a global health perspective but more in developing countries and in populations in epidemiologic transition, where substantially lower birthweights coexist with recently improved infant and adult survivals, the overall impact of this phenomenon on the population health profile could be more substantial.

Social Accountability Frameworks and Their Implications for Medical Education and Program Evaluation: A Narrative Review.

Medical schools face growing pressures to produce stronger evidence of their social accountability, but measuring social accountability remains a global challenge. This narrative review aimed to identify and document common themes and indicators across large-scale social accountability frameworks to facilitate development of initial operational constructs to evaluate social accountability in medical education. The authors searched 5 electronic databases and platforms and the World Wide Web to identify social accountability frameworks applicable to medical education, with a focus on medical schools. English-language, peer-reviewed documents published between 1990 and March 2019 were eligible for inclusion. Primary source social accountability frameworks that represented foundational values, principles, and parameters and were cited in subsequent papers to conceptualize social accountability were included in the analysis. Thematic synthesis was used to describe common elements across included frameworks. Descriptive themes were characterized using the context-input-process-product (CIPP) evaluation model as an organizational framework. From the initial sample of 33 documents, 4 key social accountability frameworks were selected and analyzed. Six themes (with subthemes) emerged across frameworks, including shared values (core social values of relevance, quality, effectiveness, and equity; professionalism; academic freedom and clinical autonomy) and 5 indicators related to the CIPP model: context (mission statements, community partnerships, active contributions to health care policy); inputs (diversity/equity in recruitment/selection, community population health profiles); processes (curricular activities, community-based clinical training opportunities/learning exposures); products (physician resource planning, quality assurance, program evaluation and accreditation); and impacts (overall improvement in community health outcomes, reduction/prevention of health risks, morbidity/mortality of community diseases). As more emphasis is placed on social accountability of medical schools, it is imperative to shift focus from educational inputs and processes to educational products and impacts. A way to begin to establish links between inputs, products, and impacts is by using the CIPP evaluation model.

Health profile of adult special immigrant visa holders arriving from Iraq and Afghanistan to the United States, 2009-2017: A cross-sectional analysis.

BackgroundBetween 2,000 and 19,000 Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders (SIVH) from Iraq and Afghanistan resettle in the United States annually. Despite the increase in SIV admissions to the US over recent years, little is known about the health conditions in SIV populations. We assessed the burden of select communicable and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in SIV adults to guide recommendations to clinicians in the US.Methods and findingsWe analyzed overseas medical exam data in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Electronic Disease Notification system (EDN) for 19,167 SIV Iraqi and Afghan adults who resettled to the US from April 2009 through December 2017 in this cross-sectional analysis. We describe demographic characteristics, tuberculosis screening results, self-reported NCDs, and risk factors for NCDs (such as obesity and tobacco use). In our data set, most SIVH were male (Iraqi: 59.7%; Afghan: 54.7%) and aged 18–44 (Iraqi: 86.3%; Afghan: 95.6%). About 2.3% of Afghan SIVH and 1.1% of Iraqi SIVH had a tuberculosis condition. About 0.3% of all SIVH reported having chronic hepatitis. Among all SIVH, 56.5% were overweight or had obesity, 2.4% reported hypertension, 1.1% reported diabetes, and 19.4% reported current or previous tobacco use. Iraqi SIVH were 3.7 times more likely to have obesity (95% CI: 3.4–4.0), 2.5 times more likely to report diabetes (95% CI: 1.7–3.5), and 2.5 times more likely to be current or former smokers (95% CI: 2.3–2.7) than Afghan SIVH. Limitations include the inability to obtain all SIVH records, self-reported medical history of NCDs, and the underdiagnosis of NCDs such as hypertension and diabetes because formal laboratory testing for NCDs is not used during overseas medical exams.ConclusionIn this analysis, we found that 56.5% of all SIVH were overweight or had obesity, 2.4% reported hypertension, 1.1% reported diabetes, and 19.4% reported current or previous tobacco use. In general, Iraqi SIVH were more likely to have obesity, diabetes, and be current or former smokers than Afghan SIVH. State public health agencies and clinicians doing domestic screening examinations of SIVH should consider screening for obesity—as per the CDC’s Guidelines for the US Domestic Medical Examination for Newly Arriving Refugees—and smoking and, if appropriate, referral to weight management and smoking cessation services. US clinicians can consider screening for other NCDs at the domestic screening examination. Future studies can explore the health profile of SIV populations, including the prevalence of mental health conditions, after integration into the US.

Abstract MP30: The Health and Economic Impact of a Sugar Sweetened Beverage Tax in New York City: A Modeling Study

Background: Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) are currently the single largest source of added sugar in the US diet, and consumption in New York City (NYC) remains high. Evidence suggests that a high sugar consumption increases the risk of coronary heart disease. To date, excise taxes on SSB have been implemented in several US jurisdictions. While reductions in SSB consumption have been reported in several places where the SSB tax was implemented, it is unclear what the long term health and economic impact an SSB tax could have within the demographically and socioeconomically diverse NYC. In addition, the impact of varying tax structures remains unknown. Objective: To project the cardiovascular health outcomes and cost-savings of variations on the penny-per-ounce SSB tax structure (simulating a half-penny to two-penny range) using a validated microsimulation model of cardiovascular disease. Methods: The Simulations for Health Improvement and Equity (SHINE) CVD Model was used to estimate the lifetime direct medical costs (2019 USD) and effectiveness of SSB tax from a healthcare sector perspective. Population demographics and health profiles were estimated using data from the 2013-2014 NYC Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. CVD risk factor trajectories and risk of incident CVD events were derived from six pooled prospective U.S. cohorts. Policy effects and price elasticity were derived from recent meta-analyses. SSB tax was modeled to directly affect incidence rates of CVD events and was derived from variations of the penny-per-ounce tax scheme. Costs were discounted at 3%. Results: Compared to the non-policy situation, the SHINE CVD model projected that an SSB tax would prevent 29,341 (95% CI: 11,747-46,935) coronary heart disease (CHD) events at a half penny-per-ounce rate, 37,034 (95% CI: 19,336-54,732), at one penny-per-ounce, and 68,846 CHD events (95% CI: 51,306- 86,386) at a two-pennies-per-ounce rate over the simulated lifetimes of the NYC population. Total cost savings over this time period ranged from $662 million (95% CI $584-$741 million), $714 million (95% CI: $620-$808 million), and $1.03 billion (95% CI $0.92 - $1.16 billion), or $13.5 million/year, $14.6 million/year, $21.0 million/year for half-penny, one-penny, and two-pennies-per-ounce taxes respectively. Conclusion: Using a computer simulation model, we showed how different increments of the penny-per-ounce SSB tax could result in substantial benefits within the NYC population in terms of CVD outcomes and overall health care cost savings. Results from the SHINE CVD model may inform the ongoing policymaking efforts.

Rationale and Methodology of The PopulatION HEalth and Eye Disease PRofile in Elderly Singaporeans Study [PIONEER

To describe the rationale, design and methodology of a geographically-representative and population-based study investigating the epidemiology, impact, personal and economic burden of age-related eye diseases, declining visual and other sensory systems in Asians aged >60 years in Singapore.PIONEER (The PopulatION HEalth and Eye Disease PRofilE in Elderly Singaporeans Study) is currently a cross-sectional study targeting 3152 Chinese, Malay and Indian adults who are Singapore citizens or permanent residents aged 60 years and older living across Singapore. The study is intended to be longitudinal, with several waves of data planned to be collected in the future. The sampling frame consisted of 7000 names derived from age, gender and ethnicity-stratified random sampling of individuals >60 years. Selected individuals were invited via letters, home visits, and telephone calls for a clinical assessment at the Singapore Eye Research Institute. Individuals with limited mobility were examined in a custom-designed mobile eye clinic. Questionnaires were subsequently administered at participants’ homes by trained interviewers in their preferred language. A total of 3,299 participants (from East, West, North and South Singapore) were approached from December 2017 to November 2019. Of these, 953 (28.5%) were deemed ineligible. Out of 2,346 eligible participants, 904 (38.5%) refused, and 1,442 (61.5%) attended our clinical testing protocol, giving an initial response rate of 61.5%. Of these, 1,170 (81%) were cognitively able to complete the questionnaire assessment. The mean age±SD of our participants was 73.8±8.6 years; n=798 (55.3%) were female; and 828 (57.4%) were of Chinese ethnicity. The findings from this study will allow a deeper understanding of the risk factors and impact of aging in Asian populations, particularly in relation to the visual function and other functional system.

Testing the Duke Population Health Profile (Duke-PH) in a Sample of Community Health Center Patients.

Introduction: Our purpose was to develop and test a brief, self-report, and scorable survey instrument for measuring population health profiles from the individual respondent's perspective. We defined population health as the state of physical, mental, and social well-being of a group of individuals, including determinants of their well-being.Materials and Methods: Respondents were adult patients in a community health center. Instrument items, an overall scale, and two subscales were developed and evaluated. Reliability was tested by Cronbach's alphas and test-retest correlations; construct validity was tested by correlations between scores and economic and clinical factors; criterion validity was tested by regression analyses for prediction of morbidity and health care utilization by baseline scores; and feasibility was tested by length of administration time.Results: This was a 2-years prospective study of 450 patients, mostly black non-Hispanics (54%) and Hispanics (29%), many with no health insurance (45%), and poor enough to meet the federal poverty level (73%). The Duke Population Health Profile (Duke-PH) was developed with a 14-item PH scale for overall population health profile and two 7-item subscales, one for social determinants and the other for health determinants. Validity of item selection was indicated by item convergent and item discriminant correlations. Scale and subscale reliability were supported for internal consistency by Cronbach's alphas of 0.63–0.73, and for temporal stability by test-retest correlations of 0.65–0.78. Support for construct validity was shown by the more favorable baseline subscale and scale mean scores for patients able to buy private insurance than for patients unable to afford it. Criterion validity was supported by regression analyses showing that baseline scale and subscale scores predicted both baseline morbidity and 6-months utilization. Feasibility was shown by the mean self-administration time of 3.9 min and mean interviewer-administration time of 5.8 min.Discussion: The strength of this study is support for Duke-PH reliability, validity, and feasibility in a community health center patient population. The new instrument is unique because it measures both social and health determinants of population health from the perspective of individuals in the population.

Making Better Use of Population Health Data for Community Health Needs Assessments.

Research Objective:Non-profit hospitals are required to work with community organizations to prepare a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) and implementation strategy (IS). In concert with the health care delivery system’s transformation from volume to value and efforts to enhance multi-sector collaboration, such community health improvement (CHI) processes have the potential to bridge efforts of the health care delivery sector, public health agencies, and community organizations to improve population health. Having a shared measurement system is critical to achieving collective impact, yet despite the availability of community-level data from a variety of sources, many CHI processes lack clear, measurable objectives and evaluation plans. Through an in-depth analysis of ten exemplary CHI processes, we sought to identify best practices for population health measurement with a focus on measures for needs assessments and priority setting.Study Design:Based on a review of the scientific literature, professional publications and presentations, and nominations from a national advisory panel, we identified 10 exemplary CHI processes. Criteria of choice were whether (1) the CHIs articulate a clear definition of intended outcomes; (2) clear, focused, measurable objectives and expected outcomes, including health equity; (3) expected outcomes are realistic and addressed with specific action plans; and (4) whether the plans and their associated performance measures become fully integrated into agencies and become a way of being for the agencies. We then conducted an in-depth analysis of CHNA, IS, and related documents created by health departments and leading hospitals in each process.Population Studied:U.S. hospitals.Principal Findings:Census, American Community Survey, and similar data are available for smaller areas are used to describe the populations covered, and, to a lesser extent, to identify health issues where there are disparities and inequities.Common data sources for population health profiles, including risk factors and population health outcomes, are vital statistics, survey data including BRFSS, infectious disease surveillance data, hospital & ED data, and registries. These data are typically available only at the county level, and only occasionally are broken down by race, ethnicity, age, poverty.There is more variability in format and content of ISs than CHNAs; the most developed models include population-level goals/objectives and strategies with clear accountability and metrics. Other hospital IS’s are less developed.Conclusions:The county is the unit of choice because most population health profile data are not available for sub-county areas, but when a hospital serves a population more broadly or narrowly defined, appropriate data are not available to set priorities or monitor progress.Measure definitions are taken from the original data sources, so comparisons across measures is difficult. Thus, although CHNAs cover many of the same topics, the measures used vary markedly. Using the same community health profile, e.g. County Health Rankings, would simplify benchmarking and trend analysis.Implications for Policy or Practice: It is important to develop population health data that can be disaggregated to the appropriate geographical level and to groups defined by race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and other factors associated with health outcomes.

The epidemiological surveillance in the programme of public health intervention in the national priority contaminated sites of Sicily Region (Southern Italy): update of mortality, hospitalization, and cancer incidence

to update the health profile of populations residing in the national priority contaminated sites (NPCSs) in Sicily Region (Southern Italy) through a description of mortality and hospitalization for causes and through cancer incidence. This new profile is part of the implementation of the epidemiological surveillance system within the new Programme of care intervention for health protection in these populations and in the new Regional Prevention Plan. geographic population survey providing, for each NPCS considered in this study, a comparison between the local population and the populations of the neighbouring areas. the study population included the residents in the municipalities residing in the NPCSs of Augusta-Priolo, Gela, Milazzo, and Biancavilla. the standardized mortality ratio (SMR), morbidity (SHR), and tumour incidence (SIR), with the respective 95% confidence intervals, were estimated using the Mortality Registry as source for the mortality index, the database of the hospital discharged as source for the morbidity index, and the data from the Regional Network of Tumour Registers as source for the incidence index. in the local comparison, excess of hospitalization in both sexes was reported in Augusta-Priolo for liver cirrhosis, mental disorders, and digestive tract disease, and an excess of incidence and mortality for leukaemia in women and prostate cancer in men. In the NPCS of Gela, there was an excess of hospitalization in both sexes for blood and hematopoietic diseases, circulatory and nervous system diseases, coupled with the same excess of mortality. Excess of incidence and mortality of stomach tumours in men and incidence of lung cancer in women were observed. The area of ​​Milazzo was characterized by an excess of incidence and mortality for melanoma in men. In the municipality of Biancavilla, there is evidence of excess of hospitalization for respiratory diseases and endocrine glands diseases in both sexes, while a mortality excess for circulatory system diseases was highlighted. The excess of incidence of mesothelioma in both men and women was confirmed. data from the new surveillance system help to define the health profile in the NPCSs of Sicily. Even using the local level of comparison, that was added to the traditional approach in geographic studies for the NPCSs available to date, the particular impact of some chronic diseases in these populations has been confirmed also in recent years.

New hypotheses regarding the Danish health puzzle.

Nordic welfare states have achieved admirable population health profiles as a result of public policies that provide economic and social security across the life course. Denmark has been an exception to this rule, as its life expectancies and infant mortality rates since the mid-1970s have lagged behind the other Nordic nations and, in the case of life expectancy, behind most Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development nations. In this review paper, we identify a number of new hypotheses for why this may be the case. These hypotheses concern the health effects of neo-liberal restructuring of the economy and its institutions, the institution of flexi-security in Denmark's labour market and the influence of Denmark's tobacco and alcohol industries. Also of note is that Denmark experienced higher unemployment rates during its initial period of health stagnation, as well as its treatment of non-Western immigrants and high wealth inequality and, until recently, the fact that Denmark did not systematically address the issue of health inequalities. These hypotheses may serve as covering explanations for the usually provided accounts of elevated behavioural risks and psychosocial stress as being responsible for Denmark's health profile.

PASSI d'Argento (Silver Steps): the main features of the new nationwide surveillance system for the ageing Italian population, Italy 2013-2014.

Italy is particularly concerned by population ageing. The costs for society are substantial. In this context a national, representative surveillance system, Passi D'Argento (PDA), was implemented in 2009 to monitor "active aging" and health status in people aged over 64 and to develop preventive health programs to reduce frailty. PDA recruited a representative sample of 24 129 individuals (March 2012-January 2013) aged over 64 who were interviewed by trained staff using a standardized questionnaire. The PDA collects information about participation in society and employment, independent living, health conditions, safety and living environment. Indicator values are used to obtain population health profiles and to compare different LHUs' profiles within the same region or between different regions. The PDA surveillance system proved to be feasible and to be a powerful and innovative local and national tool for monitoring health status, frailty in Italy's elderly population and the essential levels of care currently provided to the elderly.

Why the communicable/non-communicable disease dichotomy is problematic for public health control strategies: implications of multimorbidity for health systems in an era of health transition.

In today's globalized world, rapid urbanization, mechanization of the rural economy, and the activities of trans-national food, drink and tobacco corporations are associated with behavioral changes that increase the risk of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). These changes include less healthy diet, lower physical activity, tobacco smoking and increased alcohol consumption. As a result, population health profiles are rapidly changing. For example, the global burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus is expected to double by 2030, with 80% of adult cases occurring in low and middle-income countries (LMIC). Many LMIC are undergoing rapid changes associated with developing high rates of NCD while concomitantly battling high levels of certain communicable diseases, including HIV, TB and malaria. This has population health, health systems and economic implications for these countries. This critical review synthesizes evidence on the overlap and interactions between established communicable and emerging NCD epidemics in LMIC. The review focuses on HIV, TB and malaria and explores the disease-specific interactions with prevalent NCDs in LMIC including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic renal disease, epilepsy and neurocognitive diseases. We highlight the complexity, bi-directionality and heterogeneity of these interactions and discuss the implications for health systems.