摘要 :
Objective: This study examines measures of psychosocial job quality developed from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, and reports on associations with physical and mental health.
摘要 :
While there is consistent evidence that initial levels of cognitive ability predict mortality, there is mixed evidence for a relationship between changes in cognition and mortality. There have been few studies that have examined w...
展开
While there is consistent evidence that initial levels of cognitive ability predict mortality, there is mixed evidence for a relationship between changes in cognition and mortality. There have been few studies that have examined whether the level and slope of cognitive performance is predictive of subsequent mortality from all causes or from cardiovascular disease, stroke, heart disease, respiratory disease, or cancer. This study aimed to assess whether the level and slope of cognitive ability were associated with all-cause or cause-specific mortality. A cohort of 896 community-based elderly people in Australia was interviewed four times over 12 years, with vital status followed for up to 17 years. Of these, 592 participants completed two or more interviews and were included in survival models of six mortality outcomes. Cognitive change in five domains of ability was estimated using latent growth models. Poorer initial processing speed or verbal fluency was significantly associated with greater all-cause and/or cardiovascular mortality. In addition, declines in global ability were associated with greater all-cause, cardiovascular, and heart disease mortality. Vocabulary and episodic memory were not associated with mortality, and none of the cognitive tests significantly predicted respiratory or cancer mortality. Initial levels of cognitive ability tended to be better predictors of subsequent mortality than were changes in ability. The results suggest that vascular events may be largely responsible for the overall relationship between cognition and mortality.
收起
摘要 :
It is unclear whether the longitudinal relation between activity participation and cognitive ability is due to preserved differentiation (active individuals have higher initial levels of cognitive ability), or differential preserv...
展开
It is unclear whether the longitudinal relation between activity participation and cognitive ability is due to preserved differentiation (active individuals have higher initial levels of cognitive ability), or differential preservation (active individuals show less negative change across time). This distinction has never been evaluated after dividing time-varying activity into its two sources of variation: between-person and within-person variability. Further, few studies have investigated how the association between activity participation and cognitive ability may differ from early to older adulthood. Using the PATH Through Life Project, we evaluated whether between- and within-person variation in activity participation was associated with cognitive ability and change within cohorts aged 20-24 years, 40-44 years, and 60-64 years at baseline (n = 7,152) assessed on three occasions over an 8-year interval. Multilevel models indicated that between-person differences in activity significantly predicted baseline cognitive ability for all age cohorts and for each assessed cognitive domain (perceptual speed, short-term memory, working memory, episodic memory, and vocabulary), even after accounting for sex, education, occupational status, and physical and mental health. In each case, greater average participation was associated with higher baseline cognitive ability. However, the size of the relationship involving average activity participation and baseline cognitive ability did not differ across adulthood. Between-person activity and within-person variation in activity level were both not significantly associated with change in cognitive test performance. Results suggest that activity participation is indeed related to cognitive ability across adulthood, but only in relation to the starting value of cognitive ability, and not change over time.
收起
摘要 :
Objective: To examine current health policy in Australia and New Zealand and assess the extent to which the policies equip these countries to meet the challenges associated with increasing rates of multi-morbid chronic illnesses.M...
展开
Objective: To examine current health policy in Australia and New Zealand and assess the extent to which the policies equip these countries to meet the challenges associated with increasing rates of multi-morbid chronic illnesses.Method: We examined reports from agencies holding data relating to chronic illness in both countries, looking at prevalence trends and the frequency of multiple morbidities being recorded. We undertook content analysis of health policy documents from Australian and New Zealand government agencies.Results: The majority of people with chronic illness have multiple morbidities. Multi-morbid chronic illnesses significantly effect the health of people in both Australia and New Zealand and place substantial demands on the health systems of those countries. These consequences are both predicted to increase dramatically in the near future. Despite this, neither country explicitly acknowledges multi-morbidity as a major factor in their policies addressing chronic illness.Conclusion and Implication: In addition to considering policy responses to chronic illness, policy makers should explicitly consider policies shaped to address the needs of people with multi-morbid chronic illness.
收起
摘要 :
Current estimates of antiviral effectiveness for influenza are based on the existing strains of the virus. Should a pandemic strain emerge, strain-specific estimates will be required as early as possible to ensure that antiviral s...
展开
Current estimates of antiviral effectiveness for influenza are based on the existing strains of the virus. Should a pandemic strain emerge, strain-specific estimates will be required as early as possible to ensure that antiviral stockpiles are used optimally and to compare the benefits of using antivirals as prophylaxis or to treat cases. We present a method to measure antiviral effectiveness using early pandemic data on household outbreak sizes, including households that are provided with antivirals for prophylaxis and those provided with antivirals for treatment only. We can assess whether antiviral drugs have a significant impact on susceptibility or on infectivity with the data from approximately 200 to 500 households with a primary case. Fewer households will suffice if the data can be collected before case numbers become high, and estimates are more precise if the study includes data from prophylaxed households and households where no antivirals are provided. Rates of asymptomatic infection and the level of transmissibility of the virus do not affect the accuracy of these estimates greatly, but the pattern of infectivity in the individual strongly influences the estimate of the effect of antivirals on infectivity. An accurate characterization of the infectiousness profile-informed by strain-specific data-is essential for measuring antiviral effectiveness.
收起
摘要 :
We present the first demonstration of real-time closed-loop control and deterministic tuning of an independently suspended Fabry-Perot optical cavity using digitally enhanced heterodyne interferometry, realizing a peak sensitivity...
展开
We present the first demonstration of real-time closed-loop control and deterministic tuning of an independently suspended Fabry-Perot optical cavity using digitally enhanced heterodyne interferometry, realizing a peak sensitivity of ～10pm/(Hz)~(1/2) over the 10-1000 Hz frequency band. The methods presented are readily extensible to multiple coupled cavities. As such, we anticipate that refinements of this technique may find application in future interferometric gravitational-wave detectors.
收起
摘要 :
Low power optical phase tracking is an enabling capability for intersatellite laser interferometry, as minimum trackable power places significant constraints on mission design. Through the combination of laser stabilization and co...
展开
Low power optical phase tracking is an enabling capability for intersatellite laser interferometry, as minimum trackable power places significant constraints on mission design. Through the combination of laser stabilization and control-loop parameter optimization, we have demonstrated continuous tracking of a subfemtowatt optical field with a mean time between slips of more than 1000 s. Comparison with analytical models and numerical simulations verified that the observed experimental performance was limited by photon shot noise and unsuppressed laser frequency fluctuations. Furthermore, with two stabilized lasers, we have demonstrated 100 min of continuous phase tracking of Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE)-like signal dynamics with an optical carrier ranging in power between 1-7 fW with zero cycle slips. These results indicate the feasibility of future interspacecraft laser links operating with significantly reduced received optical power.
收起
摘要 :
Differences in the time of onset and magnitude of terminal decline were examined in three cognitive domains: processing speed, episodic memory, and global function. In addition, cognitive reserve was investigated by testing whethe...
展开
Differences in the time of onset and magnitude of terminal decline were examined in three cognitive domains: processing speed, episodic memory, and global function. In addition, cognitive reserve was investigated by testing whether education affected the onset or rate of decline across these domains. Eight hundred ninety-six community-dwelling Australian adults aged ≥ 70 years were assessed up to four times over 12 years, with vital status followed for 17 years. For each of the cognitive measures, a series of change point models were fitted across the 20 years before death to find the optimal point at which terminal decline was distinguished from preterminal decline. Change points were then assessed separately for high- and low-education groups. The change points were 8.5 years for processing speed (95% CI: 6.0-11.2 years), 7.1 years for global function (6.2-9.3), and 6.6 years for episodic memory (5.3-7.1). The rate of decline was two to four times greater in the terminal phase relative to the preterminal phase, depending on the domain. Increased education changed the terminal decline effect differently for each of the three tests, either by significantly hastening the onset of terminal decline and decreasing the rate of decline, or by increasing the rate of either preterminal or terminal decline. Analyses were repeated excluding participants diagnosed with dementia, with no substantive change to the outcomes. In conclusion, the rate and onset of terminal decline varied somewhat across cognitive domains. Education affected terminal decline differently across the domains, but this modification was not consistent with the predictions of cognitive reserve theory.
收起
摘要 :
OBJECTIVES: To quantify need-adjusted socio-economic inequalities in medical and non-medical ambulatory health care in Australia and to examine the effects of specific interventions, namely concession cards and private health insu...
展开
OBJECTIVES: To quantify need-adjusted socio-economic inequalities in medical and non-medical ambulatory health care in Australia and to examine the effects of specific interventions, namely concession cards and private health insurance (PHI), on equity. METHODS: We used data from a 2004 survey of 10,905 Australian women aged 53 to 58 years. We modelled the association between socio-economic status and health service use--GPs, specialists, hospital doctors, allied and alternative health practitioners, and dentists--adjusting for health status and other confounding variables. We quantified inequalities using the relative index of inequality (RII) using Poisson regression. The contribution of concession cards and PHI in promoting equity/inequity was examined using mediating models. RESULTS: There was equality in the use of GP services, but socio-economically advantaged women were more likely than disadvantaged women to use specialist (RII=1.41, 95% CI:1.26-1.58), allied health (RII=1.21,1.12-1.30), alternative health (RII=1.29,1.13-1.47) and dental services (RII=1.61,1.48-1.75) after adjusting for need, and they were less likely to visit hospital doctors (RII=0.74,0.57-0.96). Concession cards reduced socio-economic inequality in GP but not specialist care. Inequality in dental and allied health services was partly explained by inequalities in PHI. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Substantial socio-economic inequity exists in use of specialist and non-medical ambulatory care in Australia. This is likely to exacerbate existing health inequalities, but is potentially amenable to change.
收起
摘要 :
OBJECTIVES: To quantify need-adjusted socio-economic inequalities in medical and non-medical ambulatory health care in Australia and to examine the effects of specific interventions, namely concession cards and private health insu...
展开
OBJECTIVES: To quantify need-adjusted socio-economic inequalities in medical and non-medical ambulatory health care in Australia and to examine the effects of specific interventions, namely concession cards and private health insurance (PHI), on equity. METHODS: We used data from a 2004 survey of 10,905 Australian women aged 53 to 58 years. We modelled the association between socio-economic status and health service use--GPs, specialists, hospital doctors, allied and alternative health practitioners, and dentists--adjusting for health status and other confounding variables. We quantified inequalities using the relative index of inequality (RII) using Poisson regression. The contribution of concession cards and PHI in promoting equity/inequity was examined using mediating models. RESULTS: There was equality in the use of GP services, but socio-economically advantaged women were more likely than disadvantaged women to use specialist (RII=1.41, 95% CI:1.26-1.58), allied health (RII=1.21,1.12-1.30), alternative health (RII=1.29,1.13-1.47) and dental services (RII=1.61,1.48-1.75) after adjusting for need, and they were less likely to visit hospital doctors (RII=0.74,0.57-0.96). Concession cards reduced socio-economic inequality in GP but not specialist care. Inequality in dental and allied health services was partly explained by inequalities in PHI. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Substantial socio-economic inequity exists in use of specialist and non-medical ambulatory care in Australia. This is likely to exacerbate existing health inequalities, but is potentially amenable to change.
收起
原文获取