4,643 research outputs found
Modelling Body Mass Index Distribution using Maximum Entropy Density
The objective of this paper is to model the distribution of Body Mass Index (BMI) for a given set
of covariates. BMI is one of the leading indicators of health and has been studied by health professionals for
many years. As such, there have been various approaches to model the distribution of BMI. Furthermore, there
are numerous studies which investigate the association between an individual’s physical and socio-economic
attributes (covariates) to their BMI levels. This paper proposes the use of Maximum Entropy Density (MED)
to model the distribution of BMI using information from covariates. The paper shows how covariates can be
incorporated into the MED framework. This framework is then applied to an Australian data set. The results
show how different covariates affect different moments of the estimated BMI distribution
Demographic and health profiles of people with severe mental illness in general practice in Australia: a cross-sectional study
Background. People with severe mental illness have a higher rate of premature death than the general population, largely due to primary care preventable diseases. There has been little research on the health profile of this population attending Australian general practices. Methods. In this nationwide cross-sectional study, MedicineInsight data for adult patients regularly attending general practices in 2018 were analysed to estimate the prevalence of schizophrenia or bipolar disorders (SBD) and investigate the health profile of people with SBD compared with other patients. Multilevel models clustered by practice (n = 565) and patient, and practice characteristics were created. Results. The prevalence of recorded SBD was 1.91% (95% CI = 1.88%–1.94%) among the 618 849 patients included. Patients with recorded SBD were more likely than other patients to have records of health risk factors, particularly smoking (aOR = 3.8, 95% CI = 3.6–3.9) and substance use (aOR = 5.9, 95% CI = 5.6–6.3), and higher probabilities of comorbidities including cardiovascular diseases (aOR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.2–1.4), cancer (aOR = 1.1, 95% CI = 1.0–1.2), diabetes mellitus type 2 (aOR = 2.2, 95% CI = 2.0–2.3), chronic kidney diseases (aOR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.5–2.0), chronic liver diseases (aOR = 3.3, 95% CI = 2.6–4.0) and chronic respiratory diseases (aOR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.7–1.8). Conclusions. The higher prevalence of health risk factors and comorbidities among patients with recorded SBD underscores the need for proactive health risk monitoring and preventive care to address this health inequity
The Slippery Slope of MIS Academia: A Discussion of the Quest for Relevance in Our Discipline
The MIS discipline faces the need to periodically re-establish its relevance to both academics and practitioners. Evolving technology forces our discipline to change at a rate far exceeding that of other business disciplines. In the workplace, rapidly evolving IT management issues and technologies have led corporations to manage technical employees differently than other employees. In academia, however, MIS faculty are faced with the same expectations as other business faculty. The current model of MIS as an academic discipline has many issues that make staying current and relevant very difficult. The result is that MIS research and teaching lag practice. One might argue that as the field matures, we are falling further behind. This paper is the outcome of a panel discussion held during the 2006 Americas Conference on Information Systems in Acapulco, Mexico. The panel discussed the assertions that MIS is on a Slippery Slope that threatens our existence as a business discipline and that our current model encourages irrelevance, both in research and in teaching. Panel members were asked to share their views on five questions relative to the Slippery Slope from their unique perspectives
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Association of urinary uromodulin with kidney function decline and mortality: the health ABC study .
BackgroundUrine uromodulin (uUMOD) is a protein secreted by the kidney tubule. Recent studies have suggested that higher uUMOD may be associated with improved kidney and mortality outcomes.MethodsUsing a case-cohort design, we evaluated the association between baseline uUMOD levels and ≥ 30% estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline, incident chronic kidney disease (CKD), rapid kidney function decline, and mortality using standard and modified Cox proportional hazards regression.ResultsThe median value of uUMOD was 25.8 µg/mL, mean age of participants was 74 years, 48% were women, and 39% were black. Persons with higher uUMOD had lower prevalence of diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD), and had lower systolic blood pressure. Persons with higher uUMOD also had higher eGFR, lower urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR), and lower C-reactive protein (CRP). There was no association of uUMOD with > 30% eGFR decline. In comparison to those in the lowest quartile of uUMOD, those in the highest quartile had a significantly (53%) lower risk of incident CKD (CI 73%, 18%) and a 51% lower risk of rapid kidney function decline (CI 76%, 1%) after multivariable adjustment. Higher uUMOD was associated with lower risk of mortality in demographic adjusted models, but not after multivariable adjustment.ConclusionHigher levels of uUMOD are associated with lower risk of incident CKD and rapid kidney function decline. Additional studies are needed in the general population and in persons with advanced CKD to confirm these findings.
Full-Polarization Observations of OH Masers in Massive Star-Forming Regions: I. Data
We present full-polarization VLBA maps of the ground-state, main-line, 2 Pi
3/2, J = 3/2 OH masers in 18 Galactic massive star-forming regions. This is the
first large polarization survey of interstellar hydroxyl masers at VLBI
resolution. A total of 184 Zeeman pairs are identified, and the corresponding
magnetic field strengths are indicated. We also present spectra of the NH3
emission or absorption in these star-forming regions. Analysis of these data
will be presented in a companion paper.Comment: 111 pages, including 42 figures and 21 tables, to appear in ApJ
Development and early experience from an intervention to facilitate teamwork between general practices and allied health providers: the Team-link study
Abstract. Background. This paper describes the development and implementation of an intervention to facilitate teamwork between general practice and outside allied and community health services and providers. Methods. A review of organizational theory and a qualitative study of 9 practices was used to design an intervention which was applied in four Divisions of General Practice and 26 urban practices. Clinical record review and qualitative interviews with participants were used to determine the key lessons from its implementation. Results. Facilitating teamwork across organizational boundaries was very challenging. The quality of the relationship between professionals was of key importance. This was enabled by joint education and direct communication between providers. Practice nurses were key links between general practices and allied and community health services. Conclusions. Current arrangements for Team Care planning provide increased opportunities for access to allied health. However the current paper based system is insufficient to build relationships or effectively share roles as part of a patient care team. Facilitation is feasible but constrained by barriers to communication and trust. 2010 Harris et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd
Explaining the variation in the management of lifestyle risk factors in primary health care: a multilevel cross sectional study
BackgroundDespite evidence for the effectiveness of interventions to modify lifestyle behaviours in the primary health care (PHC) setting, assessment and intervention for these behaviours remains low in routine practice. Little is known about the relative importance of various determinants of practice.This study aimed to examine the relative importance of provider characteristics and attitudes, patient characteristics and consultation factors in determining the rate of assessment and intervention for lifestyle risk factors in PHC.MethodsA prospective audit of assessment and intervention for lifestyle risk factors was undertaken by PHC nurses and allied health providers (n = 57) for all patients seen (n = 732) over a two week period. Providers completed a survey to assess key attitudes related to addressing lifestyle issues. Multi-level logistic regression analysis of patient audit records was undertaken. Associations between variables from both data sources were examined, together with the variance explained by patient and consultation (level 1) and provider (level 2) factors.ResultsThere was significant variance between providers in the assessment and intervention for lifestyle risk factors. The consultation type and reason for the visit were the most important in explaining the variation in assessment practices, however these factors along with patient and provider variables accounted for less than 20% of the variance. In contrast, multi-level models showed that provider factors were most important in explaining the variance in intervention practices, in particular, the location of the team in which providers worked (urban or rural) and provider perceptions of their effectiveness and accessibility of support services. After controlling for provider variables, patients\u27 socio-economic status, the reason for the visit and providers\u27 perceptions of the \u27appropriateness\u27 of addressing risk factors in the consultation were all significantly associated with providing optimal intervention. Together, measured patient consultation and provider variables accounted for most (80%) of the variation in intervention practices between providers.ConclusionThe findings highlight the importance of provider factors such as beliefs and attitudes, team location and work context in understanding variations in the provision of lifestyle intervention in PHC. Further studies of this type are required to identify variables that improve the proportion of variance explained in assessment practices
An exploration of how clinician attitudes and beliefs influence the implementation of lifestyle risk factor management in primary healthcare: a grounded theory study
BackgroundDespite the effectiveness of brief lifestyle intervention delivered in primary healthcare (PHC), implementation in routine practice remains suboptimal. Beliefs and attitudes have been shown to be associated with risk factor management practices, but little is known about the process by which clinicians\u27 perceptions shape implementation. This study aims to describe a theoretical model to understand how clinicians\u27 perceptions shape the implementation of lifestyle risk factor management in routine practice. The implications of the model for enhancing practices will also be discussed.MethodsThe study analysed data collected as part of a larger feasibility project of risk factor management in three community health teams in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. This included journal notes kept through the implementation of the project, and interviews with 48 participants comprising 23 clinicians (including community nurses, allied health practitioners and an Aboriginal health worker), five managers, and two project officers. Data were analysed using grounded theory principles of open, focused, and theoretical coding and constant comparative techniques to construct a model grounded in the data.ResultsThe model suggests that implementation reflects both clinician beliefs about whether they should (commitment) and can (capacity) address lifestyle issues. Commitment represents the priority placed on risk factor management and reflects beliefs about role responsibility congruence, client receptiveness, and the likely impact of intervening. Clinician beliefs about their capacity for risk factor management reflect their views about self-efficacy, role support, and the fit between risk factor management ways of working. The model suggests that clinicians formulate different expectations and intentions about how they will intervene based on these beliefs about commitment and capacity and their philosophical views about appropriate ways to intervene. These expectations then provide a cognitive framework guiding their risk factor management practices. Finally, clinicians\u27 appraisal of the overall benefits versus costs of addressing lifestyle issues acts to positively or negatively reinforce their commitment to implementing these practices.ConclusionThe model extends previous research by outlining a process by which clinicians\u27 perceptions shape implementation of lifestyle risk factor management in routine practice. This provides new insights to inform the development of effective strategies to improve such practices
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