Are younger cohorts in the USA and England ageing better?

Background: Whether worldwide increases in life expectancy are accompanied by a better health status is still a debate. People age differently, and there is a need to disentangle whether healthy-ageing pathways can be shaped by cohort effects. This study aims to analyse trends in health status in two large nationally representative samples of older adults from England and the USA.

A global assessment of the gender gap in self-reported health with survey data from 59 countries.

Background: While surveys in high-income countries show that women generally have poorer self-reported health than men, much less is known about gender differences in other regions of the world. Such data can be used to examine the determinants of sex differences.

Methods: We analysed data on respondents 18 years and over from the World Health Surveys 2002-04 in 59 countries, which included multiple measures of self-reported health, eight domains of functioning and presumptive diagnoses of chronic conditions.

Gait speed and cognitive decline over 2 years in the Ibadan study of aging.

Background: The evidence suggesting that gait speed may represent a sensitive marker for cognitive decline in the elderly requires support from diverse racial groups.

Objective: We investigated the relationship between gait speed and cognitive decline over 2 years in a community dwelling sample of elderly Africans.

Methods: Data are from the Ibadan study of aging (ISA) conducted among a household multi-stage probability sample of 2149 Yoruba Nigerians aged 65 years or older.

Health, functioning, and disability in older adults--present status and future implications.

Ageing is a dynamic process, and trends in the health status of older adults aged at least 60 years vary over time because of several factors. We examined reported trends in morbidity and mortality in older adults during the past two decades to identify patterns of ageing across the world. We showed some evidence for compression of morbidity (ie, a reduced amount of time spent in worse health), in four types of studies: 1) of good quality based on assessment criteria scores; 2) those in which a disability-related or impairment-related measure of morbidity was used; 3) longitudinal studies; or 4) studies undertaken in the USA and other high-income countries.

Prevalence of alcohol consumption and pattern of use among the elderly in the WHO European Region.

Background/aims: Alcohol-related problems are relevant in the elderly, particularly in developed countries, but there is a lack of cross-country comparisons. The present work aims to examine the frequency and patterns of alcohol consumption in older adults across different European countries, and to analyze the relationship between socioeconomic status and gender with alcohol consumption.

Methods: General population-based household surveys of randomly selected adults over 60 years of age in 14 European countries.

Evaluating reporting heterogeneity in self-rated health among adults aged 50 years and above in India: an anchoring vignettes analytic approach.

Objective: To use anchoring vignettes to evaluate reporting heterogeneity (RH) in self-rated mobility and cognition in older adults.

Method: We analyzed vignettes and self-rated mobility and cognition in 2,558 individuals aged 50 years and above. We tested for assumptions of vignette equivalence (VE) and response consistency (RC).

Psychotic symptoms are associated with physical health problems independently of a mental disorder diagnosis: results from the WHO World Health Survey.

This study explored whether physical health problems are related to psychotic symptoms independently of a mental disorder diagnosis. A total of 224,254 subjects recruited for the World Health Organization World Health Survey were subdivided into those with both a lifetime diagnosis of psychosis and at least one psychotic symptom in the 12 months prior to the evaluation, those with at least one psychotic symptom in the past 12 months but no lifetime diagnosis of psychosis, and those without psychotic symptoms in the past 12 months and without a lifetime diagnosis of psychosis. The three groups were compared for the presence of medical conditions, health problems, and access to health care.

Socioeconomic inequality in disability among adults: a multicountry study using the World Health Survey.

Objectives: We compared national prevalence and wealth-related inequality in disability across a large number of countries from all income groups.

Methods: Data on 218,737 respondents participating in the World Health Survey 2002-2004 were analyzed. A composite disability score (0-100) identified respondents who experienced significant disability in physical, mental, and social functioning irrespective of their underlying health condition.

Socioeconomic inequality in the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries: results from the World Health Survey.

Background: Noncommunicable diseases are an increasing health concern worldwide, but particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This study quantified and compared education- and wealth-based inequalities in the prevalence of five noncommunicable diseases (angina, arthritis, asthma, depression and diabetes) and comorbidity in low- and middle-income country groups.

Methods: Using 2002-04 World Health Survey data from 41 low- and middle-income countries, the prevalence estimates of angina, arthritis, asthma, depression, diabetes and comorbidity in adults aged 18 years or above are presented for wealth quintiles and five education levels, by sex and country income group.

Increased risk of diabetes mellitus among persons with psychotic symptoms: results from the WHO World Health Survey.

Objective: To analyze with a symptom-based approach the relationship between psychosis and diabetes mellitus in the general population.

Method: Nationally representative samples from the World Health Organization (WHO) World Health Survey, totaling 224,743 randomly selected adults 18 years and older from 52 countries worldwide, were interviewed to establish the presence of psychotic symptoms and diabetes mellitus. Presence of psychotic symptoms was established using questions pertaining to positive symptoms from the psychosis screening module of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview.

The continuum of psychotic symptoms in the general population: a cross-national study.

Objective: To identify the cross-national prevalence of psychotic symptoms in the general population and to analyze their impact on health status.

Method: The sample was composed of 256,445 subjects (55.9% women), from nationally representative samples of 52 countries worldwide participating in the World Health Organization's World Health Survey.

From depressive symptoms to depressive disorders: the relevance of thresholds.

Background: Nosological boundaries for depressive disorders as well as the prevalence and impact of 'subsyndromal' depression remain unclear.

Aims: To examine the impact of subsyndromal depressive disorders on health status and to assess if depressive disorders lie on a continuum of severity.

Method: The sample was composed of randomly selected respondents from the general population in 68 countries from across the world participating in the World Health Organization's World Health Survey.

The health of aging populations in China and India.

China and India are home to two of the world's largest populations, and both populations are aging rapidly. Our data compare health status, risk factors, and chronic diseases among people age forty-five and older in China and India. By 2030, 65.

Depression, chronic diseases, and decrements in health: results from the World Health Surveys.

Background: Depression is an important public-health problem, and one of the leading causes of disease burden worldwide. Depression is often comorbid with other chronic diseases and can worsen their associated health outcomes. Few studies have explored the effect of depression, alone or as a comorbidity, on overall health status.

The influence of root canal shape on the sealing ability of two root canal sealers.

Aim: To evaluate the influence of root canal form on the sealing ability of two root canal sealers.

Methodology: Twenty radiographically confirmed straight and 20 curved root canals were prepared with a stepback hand filing technique. Root canal aberrations created during preparation were determined by the use of double exposure radiographic technique.

The effect of root canal morphology on canal shape following instrumentation using different techniques.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the shaping characteristics of different root canal instruments in teeth with different root canal forms. A total of 420 extracted human roots were embedded in resin blocks. The embedded roots were divided into three groups, i.

A comparative study of seven instruments in shaping the root canal in vitro.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the shaping characteristics of various root canal instruments using human teeth. A total of 420 extracted human roots were embedded in resin blocks. The embedded roots were divided into three groups, i.