scholarly journals Are young adults with long-standing illness or disability at increased risk of loneliness? Evidence from the UK Longitudinal Household Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan McGlone ◽  
Emily Long

Background: Recent evidence has shown that young adults experience significant levels of loneliness, and those with long-standing illness or disability (LSID) may be particularly vulnerable. This study investigated whether young adults with LSID were more likely to experience loneliness than their ‘healthy’ peers, after accounting for key socio-contextual and health-related factors associated with loneliness.Design and Methods:  The sample consists of 4510 16-24-year-old individuals from Wave 9 of the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS). Loneliness was measured using the UCLA 3-item loneliness scale, in addition to a direct indicator of frequency of loneliness. Correlation tests measured associations between both measures of loneliness and LSID. Ordinal logistic regression was used to examine the association between LSID and UCLA loneliness, after accounting for key demographic and socio-contextual variables.Results: Results from the correlation tests demonstrated significant associations between LSID and both measures of loneliness. Results from the ordinal logistic regression models indicated that chronic illness was significantly associated with loneliness, after accounting for various demographic, social, and well-being factors. In addition, individuals with fewer close friends reported higher loneliness, as did those with poorer mental health, and low well-being scores. Younger participants, age brackets 16-18 and 19-21, were found to report higher loneliness than the individuals aged 22-24-year-old.Conclusions: Overall, the study found significant evidence of associations between the presence of LSID and loneliness in young adults (16-24 years old), suggesting these individuals are at an increased risk of loneliness, and could be a focus for future public health interventions.

Author(s):  
Samantha Turner ◽  
Sarah Rodgers ◽  
Ronan Lyons

ABSTRACTObjectivesUnintentional house fire incidents, injuries and deaths are a serious public health concern in the UK, which disproportionally affect certain groups in the population. Whilst house fires have decreased in recent years; growing financial pressures in the Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) have resulted in funds dedicated to fire preventative activities becoming increasingly limited. To ensure ever limiting resources are targeted towards those households at greatest risk, it is essential the FRSs’ are accurately informed about the types of household at increased risk. The aim of this project is to undertake a large-scale case-control study, to identify the distinguishing household level risk factors associated with unintentional house fire incidents, injuries and deaths. ApproachUnintentional house fire incidents reported to the Welsh FRS between the years 2003-2008, were anonymised and incorporated into the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank at the Farr Institute, Swansea University. 6943 case households (households which reported a fire to the FRS) were time-matched to 347,150 control households (case:control ratio 1:50). Individuals registered as living at these properties on the date of the fire were established using the Welsh Demographic Service (WDS) dataset. Household level variables will be created by linking case and control households to other demographic, health, educational and environmental datasets in SAIL. Conditional Logistic Regression will be used to estimate matched odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. ResultsPotential risk factor variables were selected on the basis of a systematic review and theoretically plausible variables. Covariates include: household composition (e.g. age and gender of residents), socioeconomic status, educational attainment, smoking, alcohol consumption, mental health conditions, other health related conditions, mobility and sensory impairments and property related characteristics. Fire related circumstances (e.g. fire ignition source, presence of a smoke alarm) will also be investigated in logistic regression models exploring risk factors for injury and death. Results will be presented at the conference. ConclusionThis is the first large-scale analysis of risk factors for unintentional house fire incidents, injuries and deaths. The findings from this project will be translated into comprehensible infographics, designed to support the FRSs, other partner organisations and the general public, recognise high risk households in need of preventative interventions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 23.2-24
Author(s):  
V. Molander ◽  
H. Bower ◽  
J. Askling

Background:Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE), including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) (1). Several established risk factors of VTE, such as age, immobilization and comorbid conditions, occur more often patients with RA (2). In addition, inflammation may in itself also increase VTE risk by upregulating procoagolatory factors and causing endothelial damage (3). Recent reports indicate an increased risk of VTE in RA patients treated with JAK-inhibitors (4), pointing to the need to better understand how inflammation measured as clinical RA disease activity influences VTE risk.Objectives:To investigate the relationship between clinical RA disease activity and incidence of VTE.Methods:Patients with RA were identified from the Swedish Rheumatology Quality Register (SRQ) between July 1st2006 and December 31st2017. Clinical rheumatology data for these patients were obtained from the visits recorded in SRQ, and linked to national registers capturing data on VTE events and comorbid conditions. For each such rheumatologist visit, we defined a one-year period after the visit and determined whether a VTE event had occurred within this period or not. A visit followed by a VTE event was categorized as a case, all other visits were used as controls. Each patient could contribute to several visits. The DAS28 score registered at the visit was stratified into remission (0-2.5) vs. low (2.6-3.1), moderate (3.2-5.1) and high (>5.1) disease activity. Logistic regression with robust cluster standard errors was used to estimate the association between the DAS28 score and VTE.Results:We identified 46,311 patients with RA who contributed data from 320,094 visits. Among these, 2,257 visits (0.7% of all visits) in 1345 unique individuals were followed by a VTE within the one-year window. Of these, 1391 were DVT events and 866 were PE events. Figure 1 displays the absolute probabilities of a VTE in this one-year window, and odds ratios for VTE by each DAS28 category, using DAS28 remission as reference. The one-year risk of a VTE increased from 0.5% in patients in DAS28 remission, to 1.1% in patients with DAS28 high disease activity (DAS28 above 5.1). The age- and sex-adjusted odds ratio for a VTE event in highly active RA compared to RA in remission was 2.12 (95% CI 1.80-2.47). A different analysis, in which each patient could only contribute to one visit, yielded similar results.Figure 1.Odds ratios (OR) comparing the odds of VTE for DAS28 activity categories versus remission. Grey estimates are from unadjusted logistic regression models, black estimates are from logistic regression models adjusted for age and sex. Absolute one-year risk of VTE are estimated from unadjusted models.Conclusion:This study demonstrates a strong association between clinical RA inflammatory activity as measured through DAS28 and risk of VTE. Among patients with high disease activity one in a hundred will develop a VTE within the coming year. These findings highlight the need for proper VTE risk assessment in patients with active RA, and confirm that patients with highly active RA, such as those recruited to trials for treatment with new drugs, are already at particularly elevated risk of VTE.References:[1]Holmqvist et al. Risk of venous thromboembolism in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and association with disease duration and hospitalization. JAMA. 2012;308(13):1350-6.[2]Cushman M. Epidemiology and risk factors for venous thrombosis. Semin Hematol. 2007;44(2):62-9.[3]Xu J et al. Inflammation, innate immunity and blood coagulation. Hamostaseologie. 2010;30(1):5-6, 8-9.[4]FDA. Safety trial finds risk of blood clots in the lungs and death with higher dose of tofacitinib (Xeljanz, Xeljanz XR) in rheumatoid arthritis patients; FDA to investigate. 2019.Acknowledgments:Many thanks to all patients and rheumatologists persistently filling out the SRQ.Disclosure of Interests:Viktor Molander: None declared, Hannah Bower: None declared, Johan Askling Grant/research support from: JA acts or has acted as PI for agreements between Karolinska Institutet and the following entities, mainly in the context of the ARTIS national safety monitoring programme of immunomodulators in rheumatology: Abbvie, BMS, Eli Lilly, Merck, MSD, Pfizer, Roche, Samsung Bioepis, Sanofi, and UCB Pharma


2021 ◽  
pp. 108705472110256
Author(s):  
Lingjing Chen ◽  
Ellenor Mittendorfer-Rutz ◽  
Emma Björkenstam ◽  
Syed Rahman ◽  
Klas Gustafsson ◽  
...  

Objective: To investigate risk factors of disability pension (DP) in young adults diagnosed with ADHD in Sweden. Method: In total, 9718 individuals diagnosed with incident ADHD in young adult age (19–29 years) 2006 to 2011, were identified through national registers. They were followed for 5 years and Cox regression models were applied to analyze the DP risk (overall and by sex), associated with socio-demographics, work-related factors, and comorbid disorders. Results: Twenty-one percent of all received DP. Being younger at diagnosis (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.54; 95%confidence interval [CI] 1.39–1.71); low educational level (HR = 1.97; 95%CI 1.60–2.43 for <10 years); work-related factors at baseline (no income from work [HR = 2.64; 95%CI 2.35–2.98] and sickness absence >90 days [HR = 2.48; 95%CI2.17–2.83]); and schizophrenia/psychoses (HR = 2.16; 95%CI 1.66–2.80), autism (HR = 1.87; 95%CI 1.42–2.46), anxiety (HR = 1.34; 95%CI 1.22–1.49) were significantly associated with an increased risk of DP. Similar risk patterns were found in men and women. Conclusion: Work-related factors and comorbid mental disorders need to be highlighted in early vocational rehabilitation for individuals with ADHD.


2022 ◽  
pp. postgradmedj-2021-141204
Author(s):  
Shoujiang You ◽  
Qiao Han ◽  
Xiaofeng Dong ◽  
Chongke Zhong ◽  
Huaping Du ◽  
...  

BackgroundWe investigated the association between international normalised ratio (INR) and prothrombin time (PT) levels on hospital admission and in-hospital outcomes in acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) patients.MethodsA total of 3175 AIS patients enrolled from December 2013 to May 2014 across 22 hospitals in Suzhou city were included. We divided patients into four groups according to their level of admission INR: (<0.92), Q2 (0.92–0.98), Q3 (0.98–1.04) and Q4 (≥1.04) and PT. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the effect of INR and PT on death or major disability (modified Rankin Scale score (mRS)>3), death and major disability (mRS scores 4–5) separately on discharge in AIS patients.ResultsHaving an INR level in the highest quartile (Q4) was associated with an increased risk of death or major disability (OR 1.69; 95% CI 1.23 to 2.31; P-trend=0.001), death (OR, 2.64; 95% CI 1.12 to 6.19; P-trend=0.002) and major disability on discharge (OR, 1.56; 95% CI 1.13 to 2.15; P-trend=0.008) in comparison to Q1 after adjusting for potential covariates. Moreover, in multivariable logistic regression models, having a PT level in the highest quartile also significantly increased the risk of death (OR, 2.38; 95% CI 1.06 to 5.32; P-trend=0.006) but not death or major disability (P-trend=0.240), major disability (P-trend=0.606) on discharge.ConclusionsHigh INR at admission was independently associated with death or major disability, death and major disability at hospital discharge in AIS patients and increased PT was also associated with death at hospital discharge.


2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. e463-e473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura C. Pinheiro ◽  
Stephanie B. Wheeler ◽  
Katherine E. Reeder-Hayes ◽  
Cleo A. Samuel ◽  
Andrew F. Olshan ◽  
...  

Purpose: Endocrine therapy (ET) underuse puts women at increased risk for breast cancer (BC) recurrence. Our objective was to determine if health-related quality of life (HRQOL) subgroups were associated with underuse. Methods: Data came from the third phase of the Carolina Breast Cancer Study. We included 1,599 women with hormone receptor–positive BC age 20 to 74 years. HRQOL was measured, on average, 5 months postdiagnosis. Subgroups were derived using latent profile (LP) analysis. Underuse was defined as not initiating or adhering to ET by 36 months postdiagnosis. Multivariable logistic regression models estimated adjusted odds ratios (ORs) between HRQOL LPs and underuse. The best HRQOL LP was the reference. Chemotherapy- and race-stratified models were estimated, separately. Results: Initiation analyses included 953 women who had not begun ET by their 5-month survey. Of these, 154 never initiated ET. Adherence analyses included 1,114 ET initiators, of whom 211 were nonadherent. HRQOL was not significantly associated with noninitiation, except among nonchemotherapy users, with membership in the poorest LP associated with increased odds of noninitiation (adjusted OR, 5.5; 95% CI, 1.7 to 17.4). Membership in the poorest LPs was associated with nonadherence (LP1: adjusted OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.2 to 4.0 and LP2: adjusted OR,1.9; 95% CI, 1.1 to 3.6). Membership in the poorest LP was associated with nonadherence among nonchemotherapy users (adjusted OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.2 to 5.1). Conclusion: Our results suggest women with poor HRQOL during active treatment may be at increased risk for ET underuse. Focusing on HRQOL, a modifiable factor, may improve targeting of future interventions early in the BC continuum to improve ET initiation and adherence and prevent BC recurrence.


2014 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 208-214
Author(s):  
W.-S. Lai ◽  
P.-L. Yang ◽  
C.-H. Lee ◽  
Y.-Y. Lin ◽  
Y.-H. Chu ◽  
...  

Objectives: The frontal sinus has the most complex and variable drainage routes of all paranasal sinus regions. The goal of this study was to identify these anatomical factors and inflammation areas relating to chronic frontal sinusitis by comparing radiological presentations in patients with and without frontal sinusitis. Methods: All adult patients with chronic rhinosinusitis who had received computed tomography (CT) scans of the nasal cavities and paranasal sinuses between October 2010 and September 2011. Logistic regression analysis was used to compare the distribution of various frontal recess cells and surrounding inflammatory conditions in patients with and without frontal sinusitis. Results: Analysis of 240 sides of CT scans was performed with 66 sides excluded. The opacification of the frontal recess and sinus lateralis demonstrated a strong association with an increased presence of frontal sinusitis by multiple logistic regression models. Conclusion: Opacification of the frontal recess and sinus lateralis was found to be associated with a significantly increased risk of frontal sinusitis and developing severe blockage of drainage pathways. It provides evidence that mucosal inflammation disease in these two areas is a very important factor leading to chronic frontal sinusitis.


Author(s):  
Sanna Tiikkaja ◽  
Ylva Tindberg

Poor school-related well-being may influence adolescents’ school performance and lifestyle. Adolescents having disabilities or ADHD are in a vulnerable situation for having poor school-related well-being, compared to adolescents not having disabilities. We used cross-sectional data from a school-based survey among 15–18-year-olds (N = 4071) in Sörmland, Sweden, to analyse the association between poor school-related well-being and disabilities or ADHD. The analyses were carried out by logistic regression models, adjusting for background factors, school-related factors, and health-compromising behaviours. Adolescents having disabilities (n = 827) or ADHD (n = 146) reported that their disability had a negative influence on school. Compared to peers without disability, those having disabilities had an increased chance (OR = 1.40 95% CI: 1.17–1.68) of poor school-related well-being. The corresponding OR was doubled for adolescents reporting ADHD (2.23 95% CI: 1.56–3.18). For the ADHD group, the adjOR for poor school-related well-being remained significant (1.67 95% CI: 1.13–2.50) after adjustments for school-related factors and health-compromising behaviours, but not for the disability group. In conclusion, adolescents having ADHD are a particularly vulnerable group at school, having a greater risk of poor school-related well-being. Schools should actively work to achieve school satisfaction for adolescents having disabilities, to ensure that all students have similar opportunities for favourable development, health and achievement of their academic goals.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 541-549 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Davison ◽  
T. Nagel ◽  
G. R. Singh

Mental health is fundamental to an individual’s health and well-being. Mental health disorders affect a substantial portion of the Australian population, with the most vulnerable time in adolescence and young adulthood. Indigenous Australians fare worse than other Australians on almost every measure of physical and mental health. Cross-sectional data from young adults (21–27 years) participating in the Life Course Program, Northern Territory, Australia, is presented. Rates of psychological distress were high in remote and urban residing Indigenous and urban non-Indigenous young adults. This rate was more pronounced in young women, particularly in Indigenous remote and urban residing women. Young adults with high psychological distress also had lower levels of positive well-being, higher perceived stress levels, experienced a higher number of major life events and were at an increased risk of suicidal ideation and/or self-harm. This study supports the need for a continued focus on early screening and treatment at this vulnerable age. The significant association seen between psychological distress and other markers of emotional well-being, particularly risk of suicidal ideation and/or self-harm, highlights the need for a holistic approach to mental health assessment and treatment. A concerted focus on improving the environs of young adults by lowering levels of stress, improving access to adequate housing, educational and employment opportunity, will assist in improving the emotional health of young adults.


2015 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
B.F. DO NASCIMENTO JACINTO DE SOUZA ◽  
L. MARÍN-LEON

Background: The epidemiological and nutritional transition processes in the last decades underlie the rising trend of obesity in the elderly and is related to increased risk of chronic non-communicable diseases and decreased functional status. Objective: To analyze the association of demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle and health-related factors with overweight and obesity in elderly. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Carried out in Campinas-São Paulo, Brazil, in 2011. Participants: 452 non-institutionalized elderly (aged ≥60 years), half were users of a government-run soup kitchen and the other half were neighbors of the same sex. Results:Overweight frequency (BMI ≥25 and <30 kg/m2) was 44.5% and obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) was 21.7%. In the multiple multinomial logistic regression model adjusted for sex, age group and economic class, there was greater chance of overweight among those that reported dyslipidemia; those that reported arthritis/ arthrosis/rheumatism and that once or more per week replaced supper by a snack were more likely to be obese. Elderly who did not leave home daily and reported diabetes had higher chance of overweight and obesity. Conclusions: Overweight and obesity are associated with worse living and health-related conditions, such as physical inactivity, changes in eating behaviors, and chronic diseases. Public health policies should encourage regular physical activity and healthy eating behaviors, focusing on traditional diet, through nutritional education, in order to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity and chronic diseases.


2021 ◽  
pp. bmjmilitary-2021-001945
Author(s):  
Iain Parsons ◽  
J Ellwood ◽  
M J Stacey ◽  
N Gall ◽  
M Grundy-Bowers ◽  
...  

IntroductionReflex syncope is the most common subtype of syncope and, despite not being associated with increased mortality, often results in significant morbidity and costly diagnostics. Reflex syncope can be of concern for certain occupational groups and may be exacerbated by some occupations. Reflex syncope in the military is anecdotally common but the extent in the UK Armed Forces (UKAF) is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence and prevalence of reflex syncope in the UKAF.MethodsA retrospective search of the Defence Medical Information Capability Programme using prespecified read-codes was performed at defence primary healthcare centres over the period of 1 January 2019 to 1 January 2020. Data were obtained on 76 103 service personnel (SP) (53% of the UKAF).ResultsThe overall syncope case rate for the UKAF was 10.5 per 1000 person-years (p-yrs). In comparing services there was a significantly increased risk of syncope in the British Army (10.7 per 1000 p-yrs) compared with the Royal Air Force (8.6 per 1000 p-yrs) (p=0.0365), SP who served overseas (16.7 per 1000 p-yrs) in comparison with UK medical centres (10.3 per 1000 p-yrs) (p<0.0001), and British Army units that regularly took part in State Ceremonial and Public Duties (15.8 per 1000 p-yrs vs 10.2 per 1000 p-yrs) (p=0.0035). Army training units conferred a significantly reduced risk of syncope (p<0.0001).ConclusionsThese data are the first to define the incidence and prevalence of syncope in the UKAF. Orthostasis and heat are probable triggers, although recruits are potentially protected. These data offer opportunities to improve the health and well-being of SP, with economic, logistical and reputational benefits for the UKAF. Further research to identify personnel at risk of future syncopal events may allow for targeted use of countermeasures.


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