The effect of exposure to biomass smoke on respiratory symptoms in adult rural and urban Nepalese populations.

Background: Half of the world's population is exposed to household air pollution from biomass burning. This study aimed to assess the relationship between respiratory symptoms and biomass smoke exposure in rural and urban Nepal.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of adults (16+ years) in a rural population (n = 846) exposed to biomass smoke and a non-exposed urban population (n = 802) in Nepal.

Approaches to ascertaining comorbidity information: validation of routine hospital episode data with clinician-based case note review.

Background: In clinical practice, research, and increasingly health surveillance, planning and costing, there is a need for high quality information to determine comorbidity information about patients. Electronic, routinely collected healthcare data is capturing increasing amounts of clinical information as part of routine care. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of routine hospital administrative data to determine comorbidity, as compared with clinician-based case note review, in a large cohort of patients with chronic kidney disease.

Diet behaviour among young people in transition to adulthood (18-25 year olds): a mixed method study.

Young people (18-25 years) during the adolescence/adulthood transition are vulnerable to weight gain and notoriously hard to reach. Despite increased levels of overweight/obesity in this age group, diet behaviour, a major contributor to obesity, is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to explore diet behaviour among 18-25 year olds with influential factors including attitudes, motivators and barriers.

Definitions of progression in chronic kidney disease--predictors and relationship to renal replacement therapy in a population cohort with a 6 year follow-up.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common, important and associated with increased healthcare needs due to CKD progression. Definitions of renal disease progression are multiple, and not always comparable. A measure of 'progression' directly comparable with renal replacement therapy (RRT) initiation would identify 'progressors' in research and for healthcare planning.

Comparing health status in Belarus between 2001-10: a novel method using surveys with different response categories.

Background: Two population surveys were conducted in Belarus: The Living Conditions, Lifestyle and Health (LLH) in 2001 (n = 2000) and The Health in Times of Transition (HITT) in 2010 (n = 1800). Each survey included a question on health status. The LLH questionnaire provided a 4-point Verbal Response Scale, but the HITT questionnaire used a 5-point scale.

Translating chronic kidney disease epidemiology into patient care--the individual/public health risk paradox.

Background: Applying the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative definitions of chronic kidney disease (CKD), it appears that CKD is common. The increased recognition of CKD has brought with it the clinical challenge of translating into practice the implications for the patient and for service planning. To understand the clinical relevance and translate that into information to support individual patient care and service planning, we explored clinical outcomes in a large British CKD cohort, identified through routine opportunistic testing, with a 6-year follow-up (≈ 13,000 patient-years).

Measuring the population burden of chronic kidney disease: a systematic literature review of the estimated prevalence of impaired kidney function.

Background: Internationally, there have been substantial efforts to improve the early identification of chronic kidney disease (CKD), with a view to improving survival, reducing progression and minimizing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In 2002, a new and globally adopted definition of CKD was introduced. The burden of kidney function impairment in the population is unclear and widely ranging prevalence estimates have been reported.

Self-reported health problems, health care utilisation and unmet health care needs of elderly men and women in an urban municipality and a rural area of Bhaktapur District of Nepal.

The study aimed to identify the felt common health problems, utilisation of health services and unmet needs of urban and rural elderly people of Bhaktapur district, Nepal. It was a cross sectional population study of people aged 60 years or more where 204 respondents were interviewed in 2009. The common felt problems were pain and swelling of joints (65.