Readability of online health information pertaining to migraine and headache in the UK.

An estimated 46% of the worldwide adult population live with an active headache disorder, and it is thought that there is a proportion of headache and migraine sufferers who do not attend for medical care, instead choosing to manage their symptoms at home. The internet continues to act as a source of online health information for self-management, however, it is important that this information can be understood by the user. Research indicates that most health information online is written at a level too difficult for much of the UK population to understand.

Psychological health throughout life and adult cortisol patterns at age 45 y.

Population-based studies of cortisol and psychological health over long periods are rare. This study aims to establish whether cortisol levels in mid-adulthood are associated with chronicity and life-stage of psychological ill-health onset. We used data from the 1958 British birth cohort (3209 males; 3315 females) with cortisol measures 45 min post-waking (t1) and 3h later (t2) on the same day at 45y.

Gestational age and risk factors for cardiovascular disease: evidence from the 1958 British birth cohort followed to mid-life.

Background: Increases in pre-term births and improved survival rates have led to interest in the association between gestational age and health in adulthood. Associations between gestational age and risk factors for cardiovascular disease have not been fully investigated.

Methods: Using data from the 1958 British birth cohort (7847 singletons), the associations between gestational age and blood pressure, glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), lipid levels and body mass index (BMI) at age 44-45 years were examined.

Health inequalities with the National Statistics-Socioeconomic classification: disease risk factors and health in the 1958 British birth cohort.

Background: Health inequalities using the new National Statistics socioeconomic classification (NS-SEC) have so far been assessed using only general measures of health, with little known about inequality for specific health outcomes. Preliminary analyses show that self-employed workers, distinguished for the first time by NS-SEC, show increased mortality risk in the last 5 years of working life. We examined health inequalities for multiple disease risk factors and health outcomes, with particular reference to cardiorespiratory risk in the self-employed.

Life-course influences on health in British adults: effects of socio-economic position in childhood and adulthood.

Background: Little evidence exists on the role of socio-economic position (SEP) in early life on adult disease other than for cardiovascular mortality; data is often retrospective. We assess whether childhood SEP influences disease risk in mid-life, separately from the effect of adult position, and establish how associations vary across multiple measures of disease risk.

Methods: Prospective follow-up to adulthood of all born in England, Scotland and Wales during 1 week in 1958, and with medical data at age 45 years (n = 9377).