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Background: Socioeconomic inequalities in adolescent health predict future inequalities in adult health. Subjective measures of socioeconomic status (SES) may contribute with an increased understanding of these inequalities. The aim of this study was to investigate socioeconomic health inequalities using both a subjective and an objective measure of SES among Swedish adolescents.Method: Cross-sectional HBSC-data from 2002 to 2014 was used with a total sample of 23,088 adolescents aged 11-15 years. Three measures of self-rated health (dependent variables) were assessed: multiple health complaints, life satisfaction and health perception. SES was measured objectively by the Family Affluence Scale (FAS) and subjectively by "perceived family wealth" (independent variables). The trend for health inequalities was investigated descriptively with independent t-tests and the relationship between independent and dependent variables was investigated with multiple logistic regression analysis. Gender, age and survey year was considered as possible confounders.Results: Subjective SES was more strongly related to health outcomes than the objective measure (FAS). Also, the relation between FAS and health was weakened and even reversed (for multiple health complaints) when subjective SES was tested simultaneously in regression models (FAS OR: 1.03, CI: 1.00;1.06 and subjective SES OR: 0.66, CI: 0.63;0.68).Conclusions: The level of socioeconomic inequalities in adolescent health varied depending on which measure that was used to define SES. When focusing on adolescents, the subjective appraisals of SES is important to consider because they seem to provide a stronger tool for identifying inequalities in health for this group. This finding is important for policy makers to consider given the persistence of health inequalities in Sweden and other high-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) is the leading cause of infective endocarditis in several countries. Since socioeconomic status (SES) is known to influence the risk of infectious diseases in general, we aimed to investigate the association between SES and SAB, and risk of subsequent endocarditis in a nationwide adult population.Methods: All Danish residents were consecutively included at age ≥ 30 years during 1996-2010. We obtained information on SES (highest attained educational level), comorbidities, and microbiologically verified SAB by cross-linking nationwide registries. The incidence rate ratios (IRRs) of SAB and later endocarditis were investigated using Poisson regression models adjusted for sex, age and year (reference = highest SES).Results: Our study population comprised 3,394,936 individuals (median age = 43.2 years). Over a median follow-up of 15.9 years, 13,181 individuals acquired SAB. SES was inversely associated with SAB acquisition, which declined with increasing age, e.g. in individuals with lowest SES, IRRs were 3.78 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.89-4.95) in age 30-50 years, 1.87 (CI = 1.60-2.18) in age > 50-70 years and 1.31 (CI = 1.11-1.54) in age > 70 years (interaction-p < 0.0001). Adjustment for comorbidities attenuated the IRRs, but the pattern persisted. No association between SES and endocarditis risk among patients with SAB was observed.Conclusions: Decreasing SES was associated with an increased risk of SAB, particularly in younger adults. SES was not associated with risk of subsequent endocarditis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to create an Urban Dental Index (UDI) for Perth, Western Australia, adapting a method utilised by the World Health Organisation. Dental health indicators were derived from the 2011 census, standardised on a (0,1) interval, amalgamated using a geometric mean, and mapped to identify dental health inequity. The validity of the UDI was tested by comparison with oral cellulitis data. Dental health disparities were examined using a ratio of the mean of the highest to lowest decile and slope of the eight middle deciles. The robustness of the UDI was tested using indicator correlation, weighting, and systematic indicator removal. There were a high proportion of low UDI census areas outside the inner city. Adult public dental clinics were unevenly distributed across these low UDI areas. The UDI was significantly correlated with oral cellulitis data and had a moderate disparity ratio (1.69) and slope (0.23). All dental indicators were highly correlated, and UDIs calculated with weighted indicators and indicators removed were significantly correlated with the original UDI. These results indicate that the UDI is a robust tool which can be used by policy makers to target dental health initiatives to high-risk areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of this population-based, large sample size study was to investigate the socioeconomic inequality of overweight and obesity among the elderly in Iran.Methods: Baseline data of 3000 persons aged ≥60 years who participated in the Bushehr Elderly Health (BEH) program was analyzed. Overweight and obesity were defined as a body mass index (BMI) equal to or higher than 25 and 30, respectively. Socioeconomic status (SES) was measured by an asset index, constructed using principal component analysis, income, education level, and employment status. The Concentration Index and the Lorenz curve were used to illustrate the levels of inequality for overweight and obesity by gender.Results: The frequencies among men and women were, respectively, 840 (57.7%) and 1131 (73.2%), P < 0.001, for overweight, and 211 (14.7%) and 511 (33.7%), P < 0.001, for obesity. There were direct associations between asset index quintiles and both overweight and obesity among both genders (Ps for trend <0.01) except for obesity among men (P for trend = 0.118). The overall Concentration Indices for overweight and obesity were 0.031 (95%CI = 0.016-0.046, P < 0.001) and 0.041 (95%CI = 0.004-0.078, p = 0.028), respectively.Conclusion: Findings support the direct relationship between SES and obesity among women as previously reported in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The family of KIDSCREEN instruments is the only one with trans-cultural adaptation and validation in Colombia. These validations have been performed from the classical test theory approach, which has evidenced satisfactory psychometric properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate psychometric properties of KIDSCREEN-27 children and parent-proxy versions, through Rasch analysis.Methods: The participants in the present study were two different sets of populations, 321 kids with a mean age of 12.3 (SD 2.6), 41 % 8 to 11 years old and 59 % 12 to 18 years old; and 1150 parent-proxy with an average age of 45.5 (SD 18.9). Psychometric properties were assessed using the partial credits model in the Rasch approach. Unidimensionality, fitting of person and item, response form, and differential item functioning (DIF) were measured.Results: The Infit MNSQ in child self-reported version that ranges between 0.71-1.76, and 0.69-1.31 in the parent-proxy version. Scores gathered on Likert forms of 5-response options, person separation was 2.08 for child self-reported version and 2.40 for parent-proxy; reliability was 0.81 and 0.85, respectively. Items reliability was 0.99 on both versions, with separations of 11.92 for child self-reported and 10.83 for parent-proxy. There was not DIF according to the variables sex and age but was present according to socioeconomic status.Conclusion: There was a good fit for items and individuals to the Rasch model. Item separation was adecuate, and person separation improved when the response form was re-codified to four options. The presence of DIF according to socioeconomic status implies a scale's bias in the measure of HRQoL of Colombian children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Socioeconomic status is robustly associated with rates of death and disease. Psychophysiological stress processes are thought to account for a portion of this association.Purpose: Although positive and supportive relationships can buffer psychophysiological stress responses, no studies have examined whether the quality of a primary adult relationship-marriage-may buffer the negative association between socioeconomic status and stress-related disease processes.Methods: The current study examines the interaction between income and marital quality (supportive vs. ambivalent) on individuals' daily ambulatory blood pressure, a valid and reliable indicator of cardiovascular risk.Results: Results revealed that supportive marital relationships buffered the otherwise higher ambulatory diastolic blood pressure associated with low income.Conclusions: Results are consistent with the buffering hypothesis of social support and suggest that a supportive spouse may buffer stress-related autonomic processes linking low socioeconomic status to risk for cardiovascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universities are continually challenged to streamline their programs and investments to a progressive society. Both students and local businesses relay on universities to provide individual, social and economic impacts on the community. In this paper, an analysis of universities as a source of financial stability and investment within localities is discussed. Focus is placed on the implementation of economic practices between the Izmir University of Economics and the district of Izmir, Balcova. The study employs several descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression models to analyze a detailed survey of 168 local businesses. The results of this economic impact study shows that students, faculty, staff and university expenditures may have an increased positive effect on the local economy. Local businesses continue to find the university and its community as keys to their financial success. This impact on the local and city economy has a possibility of generating significantly greater returns in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]