Search

BackgroundSuboptimal health status (SHS) represents a third state between health and disease and often progresses into chronic conditions, negatively impacting an individual’s well-being. Studies have shown that mindfulness has a beneficial effect on various SHS symptoms. This study aims to explore the influence of mindfulness on SHS and its underlying mechanisms, with a particular focus on examining the mediating roles of stress and social support.MethodsA total of 173 healthy Chinese college or graduate students, with an average age of 21.85 years, participated in this study. Measurements were taken using the Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire, the Sub-Health Measurement Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and a self-constructed scale that included demographic information. The PROCESS plugin for SPSS was used to assess mediating effects.ResultsSignificant correlations were found among SHS, social support, mindfulness, and perceived stress (|r| = 0.38–0.85, p

Objective To examine the prevalence and influencing factors of suboptimal health among urban middle-aged and elderly residents and to provide evidence for health promotion in the population. Methods Using stratified multistage random sampling, we recruited 3 600 urban permanent residents aged 45 years and above in five provinces across China and carried out a survey with Sub-Health Measurement Scale Version 1.0 and a self-designed questionnaire during December 2017 – October 2018. Unconditional multivariate logistic regression was adopted to explore influencing factors of suboptimal health status of the participants. Results Among 3476 participants completing the survey, the detection rate of general suboptimal health was 66.51% and the detection rate of physical, mental, and social suboptimal health status were 67.17%, 63.98%, and 69.45%, respectively. The results of unconditional multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that with higher exposure to second-hand smoke, having unhealthy dietary behavior, and experiencing stress event during past six months were risk factors for suboptimal health; while, being married, with a monthly household income of 2 500 – 7 500 RMB yuan per capita, going to bed early and on time, with high adversity quotient, and paying a close attention to self-health were protective factors against suboptimal health. Conclusion Among urban permanent residents aged 45 years and above in China, the detection rate of suboptimal health status was relatively high, and mainly influenced by marital status, monthly household income per capita, second-hand smoke exposure, unhealthy eating habits, sleeping on time, adversity quotient, attention to self-health and recent stressful life event.

ABSTRACT A quantitative and objective indicator for skin health via the microbiome is of great interest for personalized skin care, but differences among skin sites and across human populations can make this goal challenging. A three-city (two Chinese and one American) comparison of skin microbiota from atopic dermatitis (AD) and healthy pediatric cohorts revealed that, although city has the greatest effect size (the skin microbiome can predict the originated city with near 100% accuracy), a microbial index of skin health (MiSH) based on 25 bacterial genera can diagnose AD with 83 to ∼95% accuracy within each city and 86.4% accuracy across cities (area under the concentration-time curve [AUC], 0.90). Moreover, nonlesional skin sites across the bodies of AD-active children (which include shank, arm, popliteal fossa, elbow, antecubital fossa, knee, neck, and axilla) harbor a distinct but lesional state-like microbiome that features relative enrichment of Staphylococcus aureus over healthy individuals, confirming the extension of microbiome dysbiosis across body surface in AD patients. Intriguingly, pretreatment MiSH classifies children with identical AD clinical symptoms into two host types with distinct microbial diversity and treatment effects of corticosteroid therapy. These findings suggest that MiSH has the potential to diagnose AD, assess risk-prone state of skin, and predict treatment response in children across human populations. IMPORTANCE MiSH, which is based on the skin microbiome, can quantitatively assess pediatric skin health across cohorts from distinct countries over large geographic distances. Moreover, the index can identify a risk-prone skin state and compare treatment effect in children, suggesting applications in diagnosis and patient stratification.

Abstract Background One critical premise of disease‐related biomarkers is the definition of the counterpart normality. Contrary to pre‐clinical models that can be carefully tailored according to scientific need, heterogeneity and uncontrollability is the essence of humans in health studies. Fully characterization of consistent parameters that define the normal population is the basis to individual differences normalization irrelevant to a given disease process. Self claimed normal status may not represent health because asymptomatic subjects may carry chronic diseases or diseases at their early stage such as cancer, diabetes and hypertension. Methods This paper exemplifies the characterization of the suboptimal health status (SHS) which represents a new public health problem in a population with ambiguous health complaints such as general weakness, unexplained medical syndrome and chronic fatigue. We applied clinical informatics approaches and developed a questionnaire for measuring SHS. The validity and reliability of this approach were evaluated in a small pilot study and then in a cross‐sectional study of 3,405 individuals. Results The final questionnaire congregated into a score (SHSQ‐25) which could significantly distinguish among several abnormal conditions. Conclusion SHSQ‐25 could be used as a translational medicine instrument for health measuring in the general population.