The SADI Personal Health Lens: A Web Browser-Based System for Identifying Personally Relevant Drug Interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Vandervalk, Ben; McCarthy, E Luke; Cruz-Toledo, José; Klein, Artjom; Baker, Christopher J O; Dumontier, Michel; Wilkinson, Mark D

2013-04-05

The Web provides widespread access to vast quantities of health-related information that can improve quality-of-life through better understanding of personal symptoms, medical conditions, and available treatments. Unfortunately, identifying a credible and personally relevant subset of information can be a time-consuming and challenging task for users without a medical background. The objective of the Personal Health Lens system is to aid users when reading health-related webpages by providing warnings about personally relevant drug interactions. More broadly, we wish to present a prototype for a novel, generalizable approach to facilitating interactions between a patient, their practitioner(s), and the Web. We utilized a distributed, Semantic Web-based architecture for recognizing personally dangerous drugs consisting of: (1) a private, local triple store of personal health information, (2) Semantic Web services, following the Semantic Automated Discovery and Integration (SADI) design pattern, for text mining and identifying substance interactions, (3) a bookmarklet to trigger analysis of a webpage and annotate it with personalized warnings, and (4) a semantic query that acts as an abstract template of the analytical workflow to be enacted by the system. A prototype implementation of the system is provided in the form of a Java standalone executable JAR file. The JAR file bundles all components of the system: the personal health database, locally-running versions of the SADI services, and a javascript bookmarklet that triggers analysis of a webpage. In addition, the demonstration includes a hypothetical personal health profile, allowing the system to be used immediately without configuration. Usage instructions are provided. The main strength of the Personal Health Lens system is its ability to organize medical information and to present it to the user in a personalized and contextually relevant manner. While this prototype was limited to a single knowledge domain

The SADI Personal Health Lens: A Web Browser-Based System for Identifying Personally Relevant Drug Interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Vandervalk, Ben; McCarthy, E Luke; Cruz-Toledo, José; Klein, Artjom; Baker, Christopher J O; Dumontier, Michel

2013-01-01

Background The Web provides widespread access to vast quantities of health-related information that can improve quality-of-life through better understanding of personal symptoms, medical conditions, and available treatments. Unfortunately, identifying a credible and personally relevant subset of information can be a time-consuming and challenging task for users without a medical background. Objective The objective of the Personal Health Lens system is to aid users when reading health-related webpages by providing warnings about personally relevant drug interactions. More broadly, we wish to present a prototype for a novel, generalizable approach to facilitating interactions between a patient, their practitioner(s), and the Web. Methods We utilized a distributed, Semantic Web-based architecture for recognizing personally dangerous drugs consisting of: (1) a private, local triple store of personal health information, (2) Semantic Web services, following the Semantic Automated Discovery and Integration (SADI) design pattern, for text mining and identifying substance interactions, (3) a bookmarklet to trigger analysis of a webpage and annotate it with personalized warnings, and (4) a semantic query that acts as an abstract template of the analytical workflow to be enacted by the system. Results A prototype implementation of the system is provided in the form of a Java standalone executable JAR file. The JAR file bundles all components of the system: the personal health database, locally-running versions of the SADI services, and a javascript bookmarklet that triggers analysis of a webpage. In addition, the demonstration includes a hypothetical personal health profile, allowing the system to be used immediately without configuration. Usage instructions are provided. Conclusions The main strength of the Personal Health Lens system is its ability to organize medical information and to present it to the user in a personalized and contextually relevant manner. While this

Building the national health information infrastructure for personal health, health care services, public health, and research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Detmer Don E

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Improving health in our nation requires strengthening four major domains of the health care system: personal health management, health care delivery, public health, and health-related research. Many avoidable shortcomings in the health sector that result in poor quality are due to inaccessible data, information, and knowledge. A national health information infrastructure (NHII offers the connectivity and knowledge management essential to correct these shortcomings. Better health and a better health system are within our reach. Discussion A national health information infrastructure for the United States should address the needs of personal health management, health care delivery, public health, and research. It should also address relevant global dimensions (e.g., standards for sharing data and knowledge across national boundaries. The public and private sectors will need to collaborate to build a robust national health information infrastructure, essentially a 'paperless' health care system, for the United States. The federal government should assume leadership for assuring a national health information infrastructure as recommended by the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics and the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee. Progress is needed in the areas of funding, incentives, standards, and continued refinement of a privacy (i.e., confidentiality and security framework to facilitate personal identification for health purposes. Particular attention should be paid to NHII leadership and change management challenges. Summary A national health information infrastructure is a necessary step for improved health in the U.S. It will require a concerted, collaborative effort by both public and private sectors. If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it. Lord Kelvin

Personality and Longevity: Knowns, Unknowns, and Implications for Public Health and Personalized Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman, Benjamin P.; Roberts, Brent; Duberstein, Paul

2011-01-01

We review evidence for links between personality traits and longevity. We provide an overview of personality for health scientists, using the primary organizing framework used in the study of personality and longevity. We then review data on various aspects of personality linked to longevity. In general, there is good evidence that higher level of conscientiousness and lower levels of hostility and Type D or “distressed” personality are associated with greater longevity. Limited evidence suggests that extraversion, openness, perceived control, and low levels of emotional suppression may be associated with longer lifespan. Findings regarding neuroticism are mixed, supporting the notion that many component(s) of neuroticism detract from life expectancy, but some components at some levels may be healthy or protective. Overall, evidence suggests various personality traits are significant predictors of longevity and points to several promising directions for further study. We conclude by discussing the implications of these links for epidemiologic research and personalized medicine and lay out a translational research agenda for integrating the psychology of individual differences into public health and medicine. PMID:21766032

Personality and Health Care Decision-Making Style

OpenAIRE

Kathryn E. Flynn; Maureen A. Smith

2007-01-01

Using the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study Graduate Survey (N = 5,830), a population-based cohort of older adults (most aged 63–66 years), we explored relationships between five factors of personality and four preference types that account for multiple components of the health care decision-making process (information exchange, deliberation, and selection of treatment choice). After adjustment for personal, health, social, and economic factors, we found that increased conscientiousness and openne...

A randomized trial of a DWI intervention program for first offenders: intervention outcomes and interactions with antisocial personality disorder among a primarily American-Indian sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Woodall, W Gill; Delaney, Harold D; Kunitz, Stephen J; Westerberg, Verner S; Zhao, Hongwei

2007-06-01

Randomized trial evidence on the effectiveness of incarceration and treatment of first-time driving while intoxicated (DWI) offenders who are primarily American Indian has yet to be reported in the literature on DWI prevention. Further, research has confirmed the association of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) with problems with alcohol including DWI. A randomized clinical trial was conducted, in conjunction with 28 days of incarceration, of a treatment program incorporating motivational interviewing principles for first-time DWI offenders. The sample of 305 offenders including 52 diagnosed as ASPD by the Diagnostic Interview Schedule were assessed before assignment to conditions and at 6, 12, and 24 months after discharge. Self-reported frequency of drinking and driving as well as various measures of drinking over the preceding 90 days were available at all assessments for 244 participants. Further, DWI rearrest data for 274 participants were available for analysis. Participants randomized to receive the first offender incarceration and treatment program reported greater reductions in alcohol consumption from baseline levels when compared with participants who were only incarcerated. Antisocial personality disorder participants reported heavier and more frequent drinking but showed significantly greater declines in drinking from intake to posttreatment assessments. Further, the treatment resulted in larger effects relative to the control on ASPD than non-ASPD participants. Nonconfrontational treatment may significantly enhance outcomes for DWI offenders with ASPD when delivered in an incarcerated setting, and in the present study, such effects were found in a primarily American-Indian sample.

Personality traits predict perceived health-related quality of life in persons with multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zarbo, Ignazio Roberto; Minacapelli, Eleonora; Falautano, Monica; Demontis, Silvia; Carpentras, Giovanni; Pugliatti, Maura

2016-04-01

Personality traits can affect health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in different disorders. In multiple sclerosis (MS), personality traits can determine patients' willingness to take on more risky treatment options, predispose to neuropsychiatric symptoms and affect coping strategies. We investigated the role of personality traits as possible predictors of HRQoL in a large cohort of persons with MS (PwMS). In total, 253 consecutively recruited PwMS were screened for intellectual deficits with Raven Colour Progressive Matrices (RCPM), state anxiety with STAI-X1 and major depression on a clinical basis. PwMS' self-perceived mental and physical health status was measured with the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the personality profile with the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R). The correlation between HRQoL and personality traits was investigated by means of analysis of variance, adjusting for possible confounders. Of the 253 MS patients, 195 (F:M=2.75), aged 41.7±10.2 years were included in the analysis. The variance of SF-36 mental and physical composite score was largely explained by extraversion and neuroticism. Our data confirm that PwMS' HRQoL is largely influenced by personality traits, which may therefore act as predictors of perceived quality of life and should be included in clinical and experimental settings focusing on HRQoL. © The Author(s), 2015.

A Scalable Framework to Detect Personal Health Mentions on Twitter.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Zhijun; Fabbri, Daniel; Rosenbloom, S Trent; Malin, Bradley

2015-06-05

Biomedical research has traditionally been conducted via surveys and the analysis of medical records. However, these resources are limited in their content, such that non-traditional domains (eg, online forums and social media) have an opportunity to supplement the view of an individual's health. The objective of this study was to develop a scalable framework to detect personal health status mentions on Twitter and assess the extent to which such information is disclosed. We collected more than 250 million tweets via the Twitter streaming API over a 2-month period in 2014. The corpus was filtered down to approximately 250,000 tweets, stratified across 34 high-impact health issues, based on guidance from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. We created a labeled corpus of several thousand tweets via a survey, administered over Amazon Mechanical Turk, that documents when terms correspond to mentions of personal health issues or an alternative (eg, a metaphor). We engineered a scalable classifier for personal health mentions via feature selection and assessed its potential over the health issues. We further investigated the utility of the tweets by determining the extent to which Twitter users disclose personal health status. Our investigation yielded several notable findings. First, we find that tweets from a small subset of the health issues can train a scalable classifier to detect health mentions. Specifically, training on 2000 tweets from four health issues (cancer, depression, hypertension, and leukemia) yielded a classifier with precision of 0.77 on all 34 health issues. Second, Twitter users disclosed personal health status for all health issues. Notably, personal health status was disclosed over 50% of the time for 11 out of 34 (33%) investigated health issues. Third, the disclosure rate was dependent on the health issue in a statistically significant manner (P<.001). For instance, more than 80% of the tweets about migraines (83/100) and allergies (85

Personal health records

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kensing, Finn

2012-01-01

The paper addresses the complex interplay between patients, healthcare professionals, and technology in relation to the treatment of chronic patients. It reflects on an ongoing interdisciplinary action research project striving to design and implement IT support for communication and collaboration...... in the distributed heterogeneous network of chronic patients and the healthcare professionals that take care of them. An interactive personal health record (PHR) has been designed as part of the project. As such it is part of a trend to find ways to include patients in their own care process. This has been motivated...... by expected health benefits for the patients as well as promises to lead to reduced costs for a burdened healthcare system....

Choosing health: qualitative evidence from the experiences of personal health budget holders.

Science.gov (United States)

Davidson, Jacqueline; Baxter, Kate; Glendinning, Caroline; Irvine, Annie

2013-10-01

Personal health budgets were piloted in the English National Health Service between 2009 and 2012. Semi-structured interviews with a sub-sample of early budget holders aimed to explore their experiences of receiving and using a budget. Over 2000 people from 20 pilot sites were recruited to a multi-method evaluation of the personal health budget pilots. A sub-sample of 58 people was selected for qualitative interviews three months after the offer of a budget; 52 were re-interviewed six months later. The purposively selected sample reflected a range of health conditions, locality, age and gender. Personal health budgets were reported to have positive impacts on health, health care and relatives/family. Benefits often extended beyond the condition for which the budget had been awarded. However, interviewees rarely knew the level of their budget; some reported difficulty in agreeing acceptable uses for their budget; and delays could occur in procuring chosen services or equipment. Patients' experiences offer valuable insights for the roll-out of personal health budgets beyond the pilot phase. Flexibility in how budgets are used may allow maximum benefits to be derived. Clear information about what budgets can and cannot be used for, with suggestions offered, will be useful. People with newly diagnosed or recent sudden onset conditions may need more help to plan their support, but all budget holders are likely to benefit from regular contact with staff for reassurance and continued motivation.

Person-centered osteopathic practice: patients' personality (body, mind, and soul) and health (ill-being and well-being).

Science.gov (United States)

Fahlgren, Elin; Nima, Ali A; Archer, Trevor; Garcia, Danilo

2015-01-01

Background. Osteopathic philosophy and practice are congruent with the biopsychosocial model, a patient-centered approach when treating disease, and the view of the person as a unity (i.e., body, mind, and soul). Nevertheless, a unity of being should involve a systematic person-centered understanding of the patient's personality as a biopsychosociospiritual construct that influences health (i.e., well-being and ill-being). We suggest Cloninger's personality model, comprising temperament (i.e., body) and character (i.e., mind and soul), as a genuine paradigm for implementation in osteopathic practice. As a first step, we investigated (1) the relationships between personality and health among osteopathic patients, (2) differences in personality between patients and a control group, and (3) differences in health within patients depending on the presenting problem and gender. Method. 524 osteopathic patients in Sweden (age mean = 46.17, SD = 12.54, 388 females and 136 males) responded to an online survey comprising the Temperament and Character Inventory and measures of health (well-being: life satisfaction, positive affect, harmony in life, energy, and resilience; ill-being: negative affect, anxiety, depression, stress, and dysfunction and suffering associated to the presenting problem). We conducted two structural equation models to investigate the association personality-health; graphically compared the patients' personality T-scores to those of the control group and compared the mean raw scores using t-tests; and conducted two multivariate analyses of variance, using age as covariate, to compare patients' health in relation to their presenting problem and gender. Results. The patients' personality explained the variance of all of the well-being (R (2) between .19 and .54) and four of the ill-being (R (2) between .05 and .43) measures. Importantly, self-transcendence, the spiritual aspect of personality, was associated to high levels of positive emotions and

Health professionals’ experiences of person-centered collaboration in mental health care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rita Sommerseth

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Rita Sommerseth, Elin DysvikUniversity of Stavanger, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Health Studies, Stavanger, NorwayObjective: The basic aim in this paper is to discuss health care professionals’ experiences of person-centered collaboration and involvement in mental health rehabilitation and suggest ways of improving this perspective. Furthermore, the paper explains the supportive systems that are at work throughout the process of rehabilitation.Method: The study design is a qualitative approach using three focus group interviews with a total of 17 informants with different professional backgrounds such as nurses, social workers, and social pedagogies. In addition, one nurse and one social worker participated in a semistructured in-depth interview to judge validity.Results: Our results may demonstrate deficits concerning mental health care on several levels. This understanding suggests firstly, that a person-centered perspective and involvement still are uncommon. Secondly, multidisciplinary work seems uncommon and only sporadically follows recommendations. Thirdly, family support is seldom involved. Lastly, firm leadership and knowledge about laws and regulations seems not to be systematically integrated in daily care.Conclusion: Taking these matters together, the improvement of a person-centered perspective implies cooperation between different services and levels in mental health care. In order to bring about improvement the health care workers must critically consider their own culture, coordination of competence must be increased, and leadership at an institutional and organizational level must be improved so that scarce rehabilitation resources are used to the optimal benefit of people with a mental illness.Keywords: multidisciplinary teams, person-centered collaboration, supportive systems, rehabilitation

Exploring the Role of In-Person Components for Online Health Behavior Change Interventions: Can a Digital Person-to-Person Component Suffice?

Science.gov (United States)

Santarossa, Sara; Kane, Deborah; Senn, Charlene Y; Woodruff, Sarah J

2018-04-11

The growth of the digital environment provides tremendous opportunities to revolutionize health behavior change efforts. This paper explores the use of Web-based, mobile, and social media health behavior change interventions and determines whether there is a need for a face-to-face or an in-person component. It is further argued that that although in-person components can be beneficial for online interventions, a digital person-to-person component can foster similar results while dealing with challenges faced by traditional intervention approaches. Using a digital person-to-person component is rooted in social and behavioral theories such as the theory of reasoned action, and the social cognitive theory, and further justified by the human support constructs of the model of supportive accountability. Overall, face-to-face and online behavior change interventions have their respective advantages and disadvantages and functions, yet both serve important roles. It appears that it is in fact human support that is the most important component in the effectiveness and adherence of both face-to-face and online behavior change interventions, and thoughtfully introducing a digital person-to-person component, to replace face-to-face interactions, can provide the needed human support while diminishing the barriers of in-person meetings. The digital person-to-person component must create accountability, generate opportunities for tailored feedback, and create social support to successfully create health behavior change. As the popularity of the online world grows, and the interest in using the digital environment for health behavior change interventions continues to be embraced, further research into not only the use of online interventions, but the use of a digital person-to-person component, must be explored. ©Sara Santarossa, Deborah Kane, Charlene Y Senn, Sarah J Woodruff. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 11.04.2018.

Electronic Personal Health Record Use Among Nurses in the Nursing Informatics Community.

Science.gov (United States)

Gartrell, Kyungsook; Trinkoff, Alison M; Storr, Carla L; Wilson, Marisa L

2015-07-01

An electronic personal health record is a patient-centric tool that enables patients to securely access, manage, and share their health information with healthcare providers. It is presumed the nursing informatics community would be early adopters of electronic personal health record, yet no studies have been identified that examine the personal adoption of electronic personal health record's for their own healthcare. For this study, we sampled nurse members of the American Medical Informatics Association and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society with 183 responding. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify those factors associated with electronic personal health record use. Overall, 72% were electronic personal health record users. Users tended to be older (aged >50 years), be more highly educated (72% master's or doctoral degrees), and hold positions as clinical informatics specialists or chief nursing informatics officers. Those whose healthcare providers used electronic health records were significantly more likely to use electronic personal health records (odds ratio, 5.99; 95% confidence interval, 1.40-25.61). Electronic personal health record users were significantly less concerned about privacy of health information online than nonusers (odds ratio, 0.32; 95% confidence interval, 0.14-0.70) adjusted for ethnicity, race, and practice region. Informatics nurses, with their patient-centered view of technology, are in prime position to influence development of electronic personal health records. Our findings can inform policy efforts to encourage informatics and other professional nursing groups to become leaders and users of electronic personal health record; such use could help them endorse and engage patients to use electronic personal health records. Having champions with expertise in and enthusiasm for the new technology can promote the adoptionof electronic personal health records among healthcare providers as well as

Personal health record systems and their security protection.

Science.gov (United States)

Win, Khin Than; Susilo, Willy; Mu, Yi

2006-08-01

The objective of this study is to analyze the security protection of personal health record systems. To achieve this we have investigated different personal health record systems, their security functions, and security issues. We have noted that current security mechanisms are not adequate and we have proposed some security mechanisms to tackle these problems.

Requirements and Solutions for Personalized Health Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Blobel, Bernd; Ruotsalainen, Pekka; Lopez, Diego M; Oemig, Frank

2017-01-01

Organizational, methodological and technological paradigm changes enable a precise, personalized, predictive, preventive and participative approach to health and social services supported by multiple actors from different domains at diverse level of knowledge and skills. Interoperability has to advance beyond Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) concerns, including the real world business domains and their processes, but also the individual context of all actors involved. The paper introduces and compares personalized health definitions, summarizes requirements and principles for pHealth systems, and considers intelligent interoperability. It addresses knowledge representation and harmonization, decision intelligence, and usability as crucial issues in pHealth. On this basis, a system-theoretical, ontology-based, policy-driven reference architecture model for open and intelligent pHealth ecosystems and its transformation into an appropriate ICT design and implementation is proposed.

Health risk perception, optimistic bias, and personal satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Bränström, Richard; Brandberg, Yvonne

2010-01-01

To examine change in risk perception and optimistic bias concerning behavior-linked health threats and environmental health threats between adolescence and young adulthood and how these factors related to personal satisfaction. In 1996 and 2002, 1624 adolescents responded to a mailed questionnaire. Adolescents showed strong positive optimistic bias concerning behaviorlinked risks, and this optimistic bias increased with age. Increase in optimistic bias over time predicted increase in personal satisfaction. The capacity to process and perceive potential threats in a positive manner might be a valuable human ability positively influencing personal satisfaction and well-being.

Can health care providers recognize a fibromyalgia personality?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Da Silva, J.A.P.; Jacobs, J.W.G.; Branco, J.; Canaipa, R.; Gaspar, M.F.; Griep, E.N.; van Helmond, T.; Oliveira, P.J.; Zijlstra, T.R.; Geenen, R.

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To determine if experienced health care providers (HCPs) can recognise patients with fibromyalgia (FM) based on a limited set of personality items, exploring the existence of a FM personality. METHODS: From the 240-item NEO-PI-R personality questionnaire, 8 HCPs from two different

Big Five personality and health in adults with and without cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Rochefort, Catherine; Hoerger, Michael; Turiano, Nicholas A; Duberstein, Paul

2018-01-01

Personality is associated with health, but examinations in patients with illnesses are lacking. We aimed to determine whether personality-physical health associations differed between community and cancer samples. This cross-sectional study involved 168 participants without cancer, 212 men with prostate cancer, and 55 women with breast cancer. We examined whether the Big Five personality dimensions were associated with health behaviors and multiple health indicators. Higher conscientiousness and lower neuroticism were associated with better health behaviors and health ( r max  = .31), with few differences between community and cancer samples. Findings call for research on the implications of personality in patients with serious illnesses.

Person-centered osteopathic practice: patients’ personality (body, mind, and soul and health (ill-being and well-being

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elin Fahlgren

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Background. Osteopathic philosophy and practice are congruent with the biopsychosocial model, a patient-centered approach when treating disease, and the view of the person as a unity (i.e., body, mind, and soul. Nevertheless, a unity of being should involve a systematic person-centered understanding of the patient’s personality as a biopsychosociospiritual construct that influences health (i.e., well-being and ill-being. We suggest Cloninger’s personality model, comprising temperament (i.e., body and character (i.e., mind and soul, as a genuine paradigm for implementation in osteopathic practice. As a first step, we investigated (1 the relationships between personality and health among osteopathic patients, (2 differences in personality between patients and a control group, and (3 differences in health within patients depending on the presenting problem and gender.Method. 524 osteopathic patients in Sweden (age mean = 46.17, SD = 12.54, 388 females and 136 males responded to an online survey comprising the Temperament and Character Inventory and measures of health (well-being: life satisfaction, positive affect, harmony in life, energy, and resilience; ill-being: negative affect, anxiety, depression, stress, and dysfunction and suffering associated to the presenting problem. We conducted two structural equation models to investigate the association personality-health; graphically compared the patients’ personality T-scores to those of the control group and compared the mean raw scores using t-tests; and conducted two multivariate analyses of variance, using age as covariate, to compare patients’ health in relation to their presenting problem and gender.Results. The patients’ personality explained the variance of all of the well-being (R2 between .19 and .54 and four of the ill-being (R2 between .05 and .43 measures. Importantly, self-transcendence, the spiritual aspect of personality, was associated to high levels of positive emotions

[Empowerment of children and adolescents--the role of personal and social resources and personal autonomy for subjective health].

Science.gov (United States)

Erhart, M; Wille, N; Ravens-Sieberer, U

2008-12-01

Scientific research on empowerment so far is nearly exclusively focused on the adult population. Nevertheless, it is possible to show a link between empowerment and a) the developmental psychology concepts of resilience, b) autogenetic concepts and c) concepts of risks and resources. This paper aims to study the role of personal, familial and other social resources as well as personal autonomy for subjective health-ratings. A secondary analysis of the health data of 7,000 children and adolescents aged 10-17 years of the German health behaviour in school-aged children (HBSC) study as well as 1,700 children aged 11-17 years of the mental health module (BELLA Study) within the German health interview and examination survey for children and adolescents (KiGGS) was performed. Statistical analyses encompassed analyses of variance and linear regression. Analyses of the HBSC study showed a protective effect for school-class climate as well as parental support, whereby school was associated with fewer self-reported health complaints. Analyses of the BELLA/KiGGS study showed personal, familial and other social resources as well as personal autonomy as unique predictors for a better health-related quality of life (KINDL-R). This was true even if psychological problems were observed. The results confirm the importance of strengthening personal, familial and other social resources as well as the principal importance of personal autonomy for coping with health risks and health impairments. Future research explicitly focussed on empowerment could relate to the role of personal resources within children's and adolescents' contact with the medical and health care system. It can be expected that strengthening personal resources benefits and improves the communication and active participation of children and adolescents within treatment-decision and -evaluation.

Personal health records: retrieving contextual information with Google Custom Search.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahsan, Mahmud; Seldon, H Lee; Sayeed, Shohel

2012-01-01

Ubiquitous personal health records, which can accompany a person everywhere, are a necessary requirement for ubiquitous healthcare. Contextual information related to health events is important for the diagnosis and treatment of disease and for the maintenance of good health, yet it is seldom recorded in a health record. We describe a dual cellphone-and-Web-based personal health record system which can include 'external' contextual information. Much contextual information is available on the Internet and we can use ontologies to help identify relevant sites and information. But a search engine is required to retrieve information from the Web and developing a customized search engine is beyond our scope, so we can use Google Custom Search API Web service to get contextual data. In this paper we describe a framework which combines a health-and-environment 'knowledge base' or ontology with the Google Custom Search API to retrieve relevant contextual information related to entries in a ubiquitous personal health record.

Indivo: a personally controlled health record for health information exchange and communication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Crawford William CR

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Personally controlled health records (PCHRs, a subset of personal health records (PHRs, enable a patient to assemble, maintain and manage a secure copy of his or her medical data. Indivo (formerly PING is an open source, open standards PCHR with an open application programming interface (API. Results We describe how the PCHR platform can provide standard building blocks for networked PHR applications. Indivo allows the ready integration of diverse sources of medical data under a patient's control through the use of standards-based communication protocols and APIs for connecting PCHRs to existing and future health information systems. Conclusion The strict and transparent personal control model is designed to encourage widespread participation by patients, healthcare providers and institutions, thus creating the ecosystem for development of innovative, consumer-focused healthcare applications.

What does facial symmetry reveal about health and personality?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Švegar Domagoj

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Over the last two decades, facial symmetry has been intensively researched. The present article aims to summarize empirical research concerning relations between facial symmetry and health and facial symmetry and personality. A systematic review of the literature shows that facial symmetry is one of the most influential visual markers of attractiveness and health, important for mate selection, while asymmetry can be considered a consequence of an individual’s inability to resist environmental and genetic stressors during development of the organism. However, in spite of evidence suggesting that preferences for facial symmetry are deeply rooted in our evolutionary history, a strong connection between facial symmetry and health is demonstrated only in studies measuring perceived health, while there is only scarce evidence corroborating the link between symmetry and actual health. The interconnections between facial symmetry and personality have not yet been extensively researched. Less than a dozen studies have addressed that issue and they have reached different conclusions. Some evidence suggests that facial symmetry signals personality attributes that indicate good psychological health, while other findings imply that pro-social personality traits negatively correlate with facial symmetry.

Application of ubiquitous computing in personal health monitoring systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Kunze, C; Grossmann, U; Stork, W; Müller-Glaser, K D

2002-01-01

A possibility to significantly reduce the costs of public health systems is to increasingly use information technology. The Laboratory for Information Processing Technology (ITIV) at the University of Karlsruhe is developing a personal health monitoring system, which should improve health care and at the same time reduce costs by combining micro-technological smart sensors with personalized, mobile computing systems. In this paper we present how ubiquitous computing theory can be applied in the health-care domain.

Public dental health care program for persons with disability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Lisa Bøge; Hede, Børge; Petersen, Poul Erik

2005-01-01

The objectives of the study were (1) to describe the organization and content of the Danish public oral health care program for persons with disability, and (2) to analyse possible variations in relation to the goals and requirements set by the health authorities. Data were collected by means......) payment of service, (4) providers of oral health care, (5) special training of staff, 6) dental services delivered, (7) ethical issues, and (8) patient rights. Less than one-third of persons estimated by the health authorities were enrolled in the program. On average, 0.4% of the municipal population...... of knowledge of oral health and oral health care for persons with disability were barriers to equal access to the program. Preventive dental services were the most frequent services delivered, although relatively few oral hygienists were involved in the program. Special training was most frequent in large...

Transfer of information from personal health records: a survey of veterans using My HealtheVet.

Science.gov (United States)

Turvey, Carolyn L; Zulman, Donna M; Nazi, Kim M; Wakefield, Bonnie J; Woods, Susan S; Hogan, Timothy P; Weaver, Frances M; McInnes, Keith

2012-03-01

Personal health records provide patients with ownership of their health information and allow them to share information with multiple healthcare providers. However, the usefulness of these records relies on patients understanding and using their records appropriately. My HealtheVet is a Web-based patient portal containing a personal health record administered by the Veterans Health Administration. The goal of this study was to explore veterans' interest and use of My HealtheVet to transfer and share information as well as to identify opportunities to increase veteran use of the My HealtheVet functions. Two waves of data were collected in 2010 through an American Customer Satisfaction Index Web-based survey. A random sample of veterans using My HealtheVet was invited to participate in the survey conducted on the My HealtheVet portal through a Web-based pop-up browser window. Wave One results (n=25,898) found that 41% of veterans reported printing information, 21% reported saving information electronically, and only 4% ever sent information from My HealtheVet to another person. In Wave Two (n=18,471), 30% reported self-entering medication information, with 18% sharing this information with their Veterans Affairs (VA) provider and 9.6% sharing with their non-VA provider. Although veterans are transferring important medical information from their personal health records, increased education and awareness are needed to increase use. Personal health records have the potential to improve continuity of care. However, more research is needed on both the barriers to adoption as well as the actual impact on patient health outcomes and well-being.

Security and privacy issues of personal health.

Science.gov (United States)

Blobel, Bernd; Pharow, Peter

2007-01-01

While health systems in developed countries and increasingly also in developing countries are moving from organisation-centred to person-centred health service delivery, the supporting communication and information technology is faced with new risks regarding security and privacy of stakeholders involved. The comprehensively distributed environment puts special burden on guaranteeing communication security services, but even more on guaranteeing application security services dealing with privilege management, access control and audit regarding social implication and connected sensitivity of personal information recorded, processed, communicated and stored in an even internationally distributed environment.

The internet of things for personalized health.

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Schreier, Günter

2014-01-01

Advances in information and communications technologies (ICT) enable new personalized health care concepts which are often characterized by four "P" terms, i.e. personalized, predictive, preventive and participatory. However, real world implementations of the complete 4P spectrum hardly exist today. The Internet of Things (IoT) has been defined as an extension to the current Internet that enables pervasive communication between the physical and the virtual world. Smart devices and enabling elements like Near Field Communication (NFC) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology already exist and increasingly will be a mainstream element of our lives. This future vision paper attempts to assess if and how the Internet of Things for personalized health (IoT4pH) can help to facilitate the 4P healthcare paradigm and discusses related challenges and opportunities.

A Big Five approach to self-regulation: personality traits and health trajectories in the Hawaii longitudinal study of personality and health.

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Hampson, Sarah E; Edmonds, Grant W; Barckley, Maureen; Goldberg, Lewis R; Dubanoski, Joan P; Hillier, Teresa A

2016-01-01

Self-regulatory processes influencing health outcomes may have their origins in childhood personality traits. The Big Five approach to personality was used here to investigate the associations between childhood traits, trait-related regulatory processes and changes in health across middle age. Participants (N = 1176) were members of the Hawaii longitudinal study of personality and health. Teacher assessments of the participants' traits when they were in elementary school were related to trajectories of self-rated health measured on 6 occasions over 14 years in middle age. Five trajectories of self-rated health were identified by latent class growth analysis: Stable Excellent, Stable Very Good, Good, Decreasing and Poor. Childhood Conscientiousness was the only childhood trait to predict membership in the Decreasing class vs. the combined healthy classes (Stable Excellent, Stable Very Good and Good), even after controlling for adult Conscientiousness and the other adult Big Five traits. The Decreasing class had poorer objectively assessed clinical health measured on one occasion in middle age, was less well-educated, and had a history of more lifespan health-damaging behaviors compared to the combined healthy classes. These findings suggest that higher levels of childhood Conscientiousness (i.e. greater self-discipline and goal-directedness) may prevent subsequent health decline decades later through self-regulatory processes involving the acquisition of lifelong healthful behavior patterns and higher educational attainment.

Examining the Role of Anxiety and Apathy in Health Consumers' Intentions to Use Patient Health Portals for Personal Health Information Management

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Torres, Carlos A.

2011-01-01

This study investigated college students' attitudes toward and intentions to use personal health portals (PHPs) for managing their personal health information using a survey method. The study also aimed to examine the roles electronic Personal Health Information Management (PHIM) anxiety and apathy play in influencing students' attitudes toward…

Privacy by design in personal health monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Nordgren, Anders

2015-06-01

The concept of privacy by design is becoming increasingly popular among regulators of information and communications technologies. This paper aims at analysing and discussing the ethical implications of this concept for personal health monitoring. I assume a privacy theory of restricted access and limited control. On the basis of this theory, I suggest a version of the concept of privacy by design that constitutes a middle road between what I call broad privacy by design and narrow privacy by design. The key feature of this approach is that it attempts to balance automated privacy protection and autonomously chosen privacy protection in a way that is context-sensitive. In personal health monitoring, this approach implies that in some contexts like medication assistance and monitoring of specific health parameters one single automatic option is legitimate, while in some other contexts, for example monitoring in which relatives are receivers of health-relevant information rather than health care professionals, a multi-choice approach stressing autonomy is warranted.

Personality and the perception of health and happiness.

Science.gov (United States)

Cloninger, C Robert; Zohar, Ada H

2011-01-01

Health is a state of physical, mental, and social well-being. Personality traits measure individual differences in adaptive functioning and mental health, but little is known about how well personality accounts for health's affective aspects (i.e., "happiness") and its non-affective aspects (i.e., "wellness") in the general population. 1102 volunteer representatives of the Sharon area of Israel completed the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (PSS), and the subjective health assessment of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Multidimensional personality profiles were used to evaluate the linear and non-linear effects of interactions among dimensions on different aspects of well-being. Self-directedness was strongly associated with all aspects of well-being regardless of interactions with other dimensions. Cooperativeness was strongly associated with perceived social support, and weakly with other aspects of well-being, particularly when Self-directedness was low. Self-transcendence was strongly associated with positive emotions when the influence of the other character dimensions was taken into account. Personality explained nearly half the variance in happiness and more than one-third of the variance in wellness. Our data are cross-sectional and self-reported, so they are subject to personal perceptual bias. The emotional, social, and physical aspects of well-being are interdependent, but specific configurations of TCI Self-directedness, Cooperativeness, and Self-transcendence influence them differentially. Interactions among different combinations of character traits have strong effects on the perception of both wellness and happiness. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Does personality affect health-related quality of life? A systematic review

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, I-Chan; Lee, Joy L.; Ketheeswaran, Pavinarmatha; Jones, Conor M.; Revicki, Dennis A.; Wu, Albert W.

2017-01-01

Background Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is increasingly measured as an outcome for clinical and health services research. However, relatively little is known about how non-health factors affect HRQOL. Personality is a potentially important factor, yet evidence regarding the effects of personality on HRQOL measures is unclear. Methods This systematic review examined the relationships among aspects of personality and HRQOL. Eligible studies were identified from Medline and PsycINFO. The review included 76 English-language studies with HRQOL as a primary outcome and that assessed personality from the psychological perspective. Individuals with various health states, including ill (e.g., cancer, cardiovascular disorders), aging, and healthy, were included in this review study. Results Some personality characteristics were consistently related to psychosocial aspects more often than physical aspects of HRQOL. Personality characteristics, especially neuroticism, mastery, optimism, and sense of coherence were most likely to be associated with psychosocial HRQOL. Personality explained varying proportions of variance in different domains of HRQOL. The range of variance explained in psychosocial HRQOL was 0 to 45% and the range of explained variance in physical HRQOL was 0 to 39%. Conclusions Personality characteristics are related to HRQOL. Systematic collection and analysis of personality data alongside HRQOL measures may be helpful in medical research, clinical practice, and health policy evaluation. PMID:28355244

Do nurses' personal health behaviours impact on their health promotion practice? A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Muireann; Wills, Jane; Sykes, Susie

2017-11-01

There is a growing expectation in national and international policy and from professional bodies that nurses be role models for healthy behaviours, the rationale being that there is a relationship between nurses' personal health and the adoption of healthier behaviours by patients. This may be from patients being motivated by, and modelling, the visible healthy lifestyle of the nurse or that nurses are more willing to promote the health of their patients by offering public health or health promotion advice and referring the patient to support services. An integrated systematic review was conducted to determine if nurses' personal health behaviour impacted on (1) their health promotion practices, and (2) patient responses to a health promotion message. Medline, CINAHL, SCOPUS, and PsycINFO databases were searched. A narrative synthesis was conducted. 31 studies were included in the review. No consistent associations were noted between nurses' weight, alcohol use, or physical activity level and their health promotion practice, although smoking appeared to negatively impact on the likelihood of discussing and engaging in cessation counselling. Nurses who reported confidence and skills around health promotion practice were more likely to raise lifestyle issues with patients, irrespective of their own personal health behaviours. The two studies included in the review that examined patient responses noted that the perceived credibility of a public health message was not enhanced by being delivered by a nurse who reported adopting healthy behaviours. Although it is assumed that nurses' personal health behaviour influences their health promotion practice, there is little evidence to support this. The assertion in health care policy that nurses should be role models for healthy behaviours assumes a causal relationship between their health behaviours and the patient response and adoption of public health messages that is not borne out by the research evidence. Copyright �

Advancing a conceptual model to improve maternal health quality: The Person-Centered Care Framework for Reproductive Health Equity.

Science.gov (United States)

Sudhinaraset, May; Afulani, Patience; Diamond-Smith, Nadia; Bhattacharyya, Sanghita; Donnay, France; Montagu, Dominic

2017-11-06

Background: Globally, substantial health inequities exist with regard to maternal, newborn and reproductive health. Lack of access to good quality care-across its many dimensions-is a key factor driving these inequities. Significant global efforts have been made towards improving the quality of care within facilities for maternal and reproductive health. However, one critically overlooked aspect of quality improvement activities is person-centered care. Main body: The objective of this paper is to review existing literature and theories related to person-centered reproductive health care to develop a framework for improving the quality of reproductive health, particularly in low and middle-income countries. This paper proposes the Person-Centered Care Framework for Reproductive Health Equity, which describes three levels of interdependent contexts for women's reproductive health: societal and community determinants of health equity, women's health-seeking behaviors, and the quality of care within the walls of the facility. It lays out eight domains of person-centered care for maternal and reproductive health. Conclusions: Person-centered care has been shown to improve outcomes; yet, there is no consensus on definitions and measures in the area of women's reproductive health care. The proposed Framework reviews essential aspects of person-centered reproductive health care.

How do people respond to health news? The role of personality traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Weston, Sara J; Jackson, Joshua J

2016-06-01

When a patient receives a health diagnosis, their response (e.g. changes in behaviour, seeking support) can have significant consequences for long-term health and well-being. Characteristics of health news are known to influence these responses, but personality traits have been omitted from this line of research. The current study examines the role of personality traits in predicting response to health news. Participants (N = 298) read scenarios in which they received health news that was manipulated to vary in severity, controllability and likelihood of outcomes. Participants then rated how likely they were to engage in a number of response behaviours. We examined the main effects and interaction of situational manipulations and personality traits on ratings of these behaviours. Both situations and personality traits influenced behavioural responses to health events. In particular, conscientiousness predicted taking action and seeking social support. Neuroticism predicted both maladaptive and adaptive behavioural responses, providing support for the 'healthy neurotic' hypothesis. Moreover, personality traits predicted best in weak (unlikely, controllable) situations. Both personality traits and situational characteristics contribute to behavioural responses to health news.

Exploring Healthcare Consumer Acceptance of Personal Health Information Management Technology through Personal Health Record Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Huijuan

2013-01-01

Healthcare technologies are evolving from a practitioner-centric model to a patient-centric model due to the increasing need for technology that directly serves healthcare consumers, including healthy people and patients. Personal health information management (PHIM) technology is one of the technologies designed to enhance an individual's ability…

Los registros de salud personal: el caso de la Carpeta Personal de Salud de Cataluña Personal health records: the case of the Personal Health Folder of Catalonia (Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesc Saigí

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Este trabajo explora las posibilidades de la Carpeta Personal de Salud e identifica la brecha entre el potencial de esta herramienta y las aplicaciones que ofrece a través de Internet. Se presenta la Carpeta Personal de Salud, un proyecto vinculado a la Historia Clínica Compartida de Cataluña, que ofrece un punto de acceso a la información sobre la propia salud que es seguro, personalizado y soportado por las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación. La experiencia, realizada íntegramente por la Consejería de Salud de la Generalitat de Cataluña, escogió una metodología mediante encuesta anónima. Los resultados han sido de gran relevancia para obtener información sobre la idoneidad de los datos publicados y las expectativas de una herramienta dirigida a la población en general.The aims of this study were to explore the possibilities of the Personal Health Folder and to identify the gap between the potential applications of this tool and what it offers through the Internet. The Personal Health Folder is presented, a project linked to the Shared Medical Record of Catalonia (Spain, which provides citizens with an access point to information about their health insurance, customized and supported by information and communication technologies. The project was carried out by the Ministry of Health of the Government of Catalonia (Generalitat de Catalunya and data were gathered through an anonymous survey. The results were critical to obtain information on the suitability of the published data and on the expectations of a tool aimed at the general population.

Self-Tracking, Social Media and Personal Health Records for Patient Empowered Self-Care. Contribution of the IMIA Social Media Working Group.

Science.gov (United States)

Paton, C; Hansen, M; Fernandez-Luque, L; Lau, A Y S

2012-01-01

This paper explores the range of self-tracking devices and social media platforms used by the self-tracking community, and examines the implications of widespread adoption of these tools for scientific progress in health informatics. A literature review was performed to investigate the use of social media and self-tracking technologies in the health sector. An environmental scan identified a range of products and services which were used to exemplify three levels of self-tracking: self-experimentation, social sharing of data and patient controlled electronic health records. There appears to be an increase in the use of self-tracking tools, particularly in the health and fitness sector, but also used in the management of chronic diseases. Evidence of efficacy and effectiveness is limited to date, primarily due to the health and fitness focus of current solutions as opposed to their use in disease management. Several key technologies are converging to produce a trend of increased personal health surveillance and monitoring, social connectedness and sharing, and integration of regional and national health information systems. These trends are enabling new applications of scientific techniques, from personal experimentation to e-epidemiology, as data gathered by individuals are aggregated and shared across increasingly connected healthcare networks. These trends also raise significant new ethical and scientific issues that will need to be addressed, both by health informatics researchers and the communities of self-trackers themselves.

Internet Use for Health-Related Information via Personal Computers and Cell Phones in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Population-Based Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Yoshimitsu; Ohura, Tomoko; Ishizaki, Tatsuro; Okamoto, Shigeru; Miki, Kenji; Naito, Mariko; Akamatsu, Rie; Sugimori, Hiroki; Yoshiike, Nobuo; Miyaki, Koichi; Shimbo, Takuro

2011-01-01

Background The Internet is known to be used for health purposes by the general public all over the world. However, little is known about the use of, attitudes toward, and activities regarding eHealth among the Japanese population. Objectives This study aimed to measure the prevalence of Internet use for health-related information compared with other sources, and to examine the effects on user knowledge, attitudes, and activities with regard to Internet use for health-related information in Japan. We examined the extent of use via personal computers and cell phones. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey of a quasi-representative sample (N = 1200) of the Japanese general population aged 15–79 years in September 2007. The main outcome measures were (1) self-reported rates of Internet use in the past year to acquire health-related information and to contact health professionals, family, friends, and peers specifically for health-related purposes, and (2) perceived effects of Internet use on health care. Results The prevalence of Internet use via personal computer for acquiring health-related information was 23.8% (286/1200) among those surveyed, whereas the prevalence via cell phone was 6% (77). Internet use via both personal computer and cell phone for communicating with health professionals, family, friends, or peers was not common. The Internet was used via personal computer for acquiring health-related information primarily by younger people, people with higher education levels, and people with higher household incomes. The majority of those who used the Internet for health care purposes responded that the Internet improved their knowledge or affected their lifestyle attitude, and that they felt confident in the health-related information they obtained from the Internet. However, less than one-quarter thought it improved their ability to manage their health or affected their health-related activities. Conclusions Japanese moderately used the Internet via

Internet use for health-related information via personal computers and cell phones in Japan: a cross-sectional population-based survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Yoshimitsu; Ohura, Tomoko; Ishizaki, Tatsuro; Okamoto, Shigeru; Miki, Kenji; Naito, Mariko; Akamatsu, Rie; Sugimori, Hiroki; Yoshiike, Nobuo; Miyaki, Koichi; Shimbo, Takuro; Nakayama, Takeo

2011-12-14

The Internet is known to be used for health purposes by the general public all over the world. However, little is known about the use of, attitudes toward, and activities regarding eHealth among the Japanese population. This study aimed to measure the prevalence of Internet use for health-related information compared with other sources, and to examine the effects on user knowledge, attitudes, and activities with regard to Internet use for health-related information in Japan. We examined the extent of use via personal computers and cell phones. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of a quasi-representative sample (N = 1200) of the Japanese general population aged 15-79 years in September 2007. The main outcome measures were (1) self-reported rates of Internet use in the past year to acquire health-related information and to contact health professionals, family, friends, and peers specifically for health-related purposes, and (2) perceived effects of Internet use on health care. The prevalence of Internet use via personal computer for acquiring health-related information was 23.8% (286/1200) among those surveyed, whereas the prevalence via cell phone was 6% (77). Internet use via both personal computer and cell phone for communicating with health professionals, family, friends, or peers was not common. The Internet was used via personal computer for acquiring health-related information primarily by younger people, people with higher education levels, and people with higher household incomes. The majority of those who used the Internet for health care purposes responded that the Internet improved their knowledge or affected their lifestyle attitude, and that they felt confident in the health-related information they obtained from the Internet. However, less than one-quarter thought it improved their ability to manage their health or affected their health-related activities. Japanese moderately used the Internet via personal computers for health purposes, and rarely

Health and wellness characteristics of persons with traumatic brain injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Braden, Cynthia A; Cuthbert, Jeffrey P; Brenner, Lisa; Hawley, Lenore; Morey, Clare; Newman, Jody; Staniszewski, Kristi; Harrison-Felix, Cynthia

2012-01-01

To describe health and wellness characteristics of persons with TBI living in the community, compare to other disability populations and evaluate the associations between health-related constructs. Observational. Outpatient rehabilitation hospital and a Veterans Affairs Medical Centre. Seventy-four community-dwelling adults with moderate-to-severe TBI. None. Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II), Self Rated Abilities Health Practices Scale (SRAHP), Barriers to Health Promoting Activities for Disabled Scale (BHPAD), Medical Outcomes Study 12-Item Health Status Survey Short Form (SF-12), Personal Resource Questionnaire-adapted (PRQ-a), Perceived Wellness Survey (PWS), Diener Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and Participation Assessment with Recombined Tools-Objective (PART-O). Health-promoting behaviours, self-efficacy and barriers to health were comparable to other disability populations. Perceived health status, participation and life satisfaction were decreased. Measures of health promotion and self-efficacy were positively associated with perceived mental health status, life satisfaction and participation. Barriers to healthy activities were negatively associated with health promotion, self-efficacy and perceived mental health status. Health and wellness status was below desired levels for the study cohort, and comparable to other disability populations. Better understanding of associations among health-related constructs is needed. Continued research on conceptually-based health and wellness interventions for persons with TBI is recommended.

Are personal health records safe? A review of free web-accessible personal health record privacy policies.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrión Señor, Inmaculada; Fernández-Alemán, José Luis; Toval, Ambrosio

2012-08-23

Several obstacles prevent the adoption and use of personal health record (PHR) systems, including users' concerns regarding the privacy and security of their personal health information. To analyze the privacy and security characteristics of PHR privacy policies. It is hoped that identification of the strengths and weaknesses of the PHR systems will be useful for PHR users, health care professionals, decision makers, and designers. We conducted a systematic review using the principal databases related to health and computer science to discover the Web-based and free PHR systems mentioned in published articles. The privacy policy of each PHR system selected was reviewed to extract its main privacy and security characteristics. The search of databases and the myPHR website provided a total of 52 PHR systems, of which 24 met our inclusion criteria. Of these, 17 (71%) allowed users to manage their data and to control access to their health care information. Only 9 (38%) PHR systems permitted users to check who had accessed their data. The majority of PHR systems used information related to the users' accesses to monitor and analyze system use, 12 (50%) of them aggregated user information to publish trends, and 20 (83%) used diverse types of security measures. Finally, 15 (63%) PHR systems were based on regulations or principles such as the US Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Health on the Net Foundation Code of Conduct (HONcode). Most privacy policies of PHR systems do not provide an in-depth description of the security measures that they use. Moreover, compliance with standards and regulations in PHR systems is still low.

Health Care Finance Executive Personalities Revisited: A 10-Year Follow-up Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lieneck, Cristian; Nowicki, Michael

2015-01-01

A dynamic health care industry continues to call upon health care leaders to possess not one but multiple competencies. Inherent personality characteristics of leaders often play a major role in personal as well as organizational success to include those in health care finance positions of responsibility. A replication study was conducted to determine the Myers-Briggs personality-type differences between practicing health care finance professionals in 2014, as compared with a previous 2003 study. Results indicate a significant shift between both independent samples of health care finance professionals over the 10-year period from original high levels of introversion to that of extraversion, as well as higher sensing personality preferences, as compared with the original sample's high level of intuition preferences. Further investigation into the evolving role of the health care finance manager is suggested, while continued alignment of inherent, personal characteristics is suggested to meet ongoing changes in the industry.

Culture of health of a person as a part of physical culture

OpenAIRE

A.P. Khalajtsan

2014-01-01

Purpose: to determine the general concepts of the theory and methods of physical education. On the basis of their form defining the components of physical culture and personality reflect the place of culture health of individuals among these components. Material: processed more than 40 references. Results: a definition of generalizing concepts of "culture", "health", "physical culture", "culture of health" formulated defining components of physical culture personality: health culture personal...

Seamless personal health information system in cloud computing.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Wan-Young; Fong, Ee May

2014-01-01

Noncontact ECG measurement has gained popularity these days due to its noninvasive and conveniences to be applied on daily life. This approach does not require any direct contact between patient's skin and sensor for physiological signal measurement. The noncontact ECG measurement is integrated with mobile healthcare system for health status monitoring. Mobile phone acts as the personal health information system displaying health status and body mass index (BMI) tracking. Besides that, it plays an important role being the medical guidance providing medical knowledge database including symptom checker and health fitness guidance. At the same time, the system also features some unique medical functions that cater to the living demand of the patients or users, including regular medication reminders, alert alarm, medical guidance, appointment scheduling. Lastly, we demonstrate mobile healthcare system with web application for extended uses, thus health data are clouded into web server system and web database storage. This allows remote health status monitoring easily and so forth it promotes a cost effective personal healthcare system.

Issues in Worksite Health Promotion: A Personal Viewpoint.

Science.gov (United States)

Shephard, Roy J.

2002-01-01

Attempts to change employees' personal behavior to promote a healthy workplace raise ethical and professional questions. Needs for successful wellness programs must be balanced against individual rights to remain unhealthy. The paper discusses potential fiscal benefits of wellness programs, ethics of motivation, personal responsibility for health,…

Personal, Electronic, Secure National Library of Medicine Hosts Health Records Conference

Science.gov (United States)

... Bar Home Current Issue Past Issues EHR Personal, Electronic, Secure: National Library of Medicine Hosts Health Records ... One suggestion for saving money is to implement electronic personal health records. With this in mind, the ...

Interoperable eHealth Platform for Personalized Smart Services

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mihaylov, Mihail Rumenov; Mihovska, Albena Dimitrova; Kyriazakos, Sofoklis

2015-01-01

personalized context-aware applications to serve the user's needs. This paper proposes the use of advised sensing, context-aware and cloud-based lifestyle reasoning to design an innovative eHealth platform that supports highly personalized smart services to primary users. The architecture of the platform has...... been designed in accordance with the interoperability requirements and standards as proposed by ITU-T and Continua Alliance. In particular, we define the interface dependencies and functional requirements needed, to allow eCare and eHealth vendors to manufacture interoperable sensors, ambient and home...

Toward a personal health society in cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Fayn, Jocelyne; Rubel, Paul

2010-03-01

In this paper, we present a new generation of health services that has emerged due to the development of advanced information and communication technology (ICT) solutions, like the Enhanced Personal, Intelligent, and Mobile system for Early Detection and Interpretation of Cardiac Syndromes (EPI-MEDICS). It is a personal self-care system that allows any citizen to self-record high-quality ECGs on demand with a smart portable device, which is endowed with powerful ICT capabilities: self-adaptive embedded intelligence, mobile health record management support on SmartMedia card, embedded Web server, and wireless communication. The EPI-MEDICS solution design also provides ambient, intelligent, and pervasive computing services offering any citizen a ubiquitous, reliable, and efficient management of his/her own cardiac status. A multicentric evaluation performed in Europe with a series of device prototypes and the performance assessment of the original methods of signal synthesis that were designed to guarantee a high interoperability level of the recorded data within the clinical practice, as well as of the decision-support methodologies that were developed for an early detection of life-threatening myocardial ischemia and arrhythmia, at home or anywhere, demonstrate the pertinence of going toward a personal health society in cardiology, which still yields the highest mortality rate in industrialized countries.

Personal Health and Finance Quiz: A Tool for Outreach, Research, and Evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara O'Neill

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Rutgers Cooperative Extension developed an online self-assessment tool called the Personal Health and Finance Quiz available at http://njaes.rutgers.edu/money/health-finance-quiz/. Believed to be among the first public surveys to simultaneously query users about their health and personal finance practices, the quiz is part of Small Steps to Health and Wealth™ (SSHW, a Cooperative Extension program developed to motivate Americans to take action to improve both their health and personal finances (see http://njaes.rutgers.edu/sshw/. Respondents indicate one of four frequencies for performance of 20 daily activities and receive a Health, Finance, and Total score indicating their frequency of performing activities that health and financial experts recommend. In addition to providing users with personalized feedback, the quiz collects data for research about the health and financial practices of Americans to inform future Extension outreach and can be used as a pre-/post-test to evaluate the impact of SSHW programs. Initial research analyses are planned for 2015.

The Emergence of Personalized Health Technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Luke Nelson; Christie, Gillian Pepall

2016-05-10

Personalized health technology is a noisy new entrant to the health space, yet to make a significant impact on population health but seemingly teeming with potential. Devices including wearable fitness trackers and healthy-living apps are designed to help users quantify and improve their health behaviors. Although the ethical issues surrounding data privacy have received much attention, little is being said about the impact on socioeconomic health inequalities. Populations who stand to benefit the most from these technologies are unable to afford, access, or use them. This paper outlines the negative impact that these technologies will have on inequalities unless their user base can be radically extended to include vulnerable populations. Frugal innovation and public-private partnership are discussed as the major means for reaching this end.

Exploring the health status of older persons in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Audain, Keiron; Carr, Michelle; Dikmen, Derya; Zotor, Francis; Ellahi, Basma

2017-11-01

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has traditionally had a low life expectancy due to the onslaught of the HIV epidemic, high levels of chronic diseases, injuries, conflict and undernutrition. Therefore, research into public health concerns of older persons has largely been overlooked. With a growing population, the roll-out of antiretroviral treatment, and the effects of globalisation, SSA is experiencing an increase in the number of people over 50 years of age as well as an increase in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCD). The aim of this review is to highlight available research on the health status of older persons in SSA, and to identify the current gaps that warrant further investigation. A literature search was conducted across multiple databases to identify studies in SSA on older persons (aged 50 years and older) related to health indicators including nutritional status, NCD and HIV burden. While it was concluded that older persons are at an increased risk of poor health, it was also determined that significant gaps exist in this particular area of research; namely nutrient deficiency prevalence. Resources should be directed towards identifying the health concerns of older persons and developing appropriate interventions.

Subjective Age and Health Perceptions of Older Persons: Maintaining the Youthful Bias in Sickness and in Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Staats, Sara; And Others

1993-01-01

Self-reports of 250 persons over age 50 confirmed increasing bias toward reporting more youthful age as one ages. Optimistic perceptions of health were maintained in older subjects. Results from two subsets of sample (n=48) indicated that youthful and optimistic bias occurred both in older persons with poorer/failing health and in persons in…

personal characteristics and compliance to health education among

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Global Journal

2016-10-08

Oct 8, 2016 ... This study investigated personal characteristics (individual factors) ... Three research questions and one hypothesis were formulated to ... Literature ... good nutrition, exercise, clothing and travel during ... health education, she must be aware of the benefits of ..... International Journal for Women's Health.

Is Personality Associated with Health Care Use by Older Adults?

Science.gov (United States)

Friedman, Bruce; Veazie, Peter J; Chapman, Benjamin P; Manning, Willard G; Duberstein, Paul R

2013-01-01

Context The patterns of health care utilization in the United States pose well-established challenges for public policy. Although economic and sociological research has resulted in considerable knowledge about what influences the use of health services, the psychological literature in this area is underdeveloped. Importantly, it is not known whether personality traits are associated with older adults’ use of acute and long-term care services. Methods Data were collected from 1,074 community-dwelling seniors participating in a Medicare demonstration. First they completed a self-report questionnaire measuring the “Big Five” personality traits: Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. During the next two years, the participants maintained daily journals of their use of health care services. We used regression models based on the Andersen behavioral model of health care utilization to test for associations. Findings Our hypothesis that higher Neuroticism would be associated with greater health care use was confirmed for three services—probability of any emergency department (ED) use, likelihood of any custodial nursing home use, and more skilled nursing facility (SNF) days for SNF users—but was disconfirmed for hospital days for those hospitalized. Higher Openness to Experience was associated with a greater likelihood of custodial home care use, and higher Agreeableness and lower Conscientiousness with a higher probability of custodial nursing home use. For users, lower Openness was associated with more ED visits and SNF days, and lower Conscientiousness with more ED visits. For many traits with significant associations, the predicted use was 16 to 30 percent greater for people high (low) versus low (high) in specific traits. Conclusions Personality traits are associated with Medicare beneficiaries’ use of many expensive health care services, findings that have implications for health services research and

Disgust sensitivity is primarily associated with purity-based moral judgments.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagemans, Fieke M A; Brandt, Mark J; Zeelenberg, Marcel

2018-03-01

Individual differences in disgust sensitivity are associated with a range of judgments and attitudes related to the moral domain. Some perspectives suggest that the association between disgust sensitivity and moral judgments will be equally strong across all moral domains (i.e., purity, authority, loyalty, care, fairness, and liberty). Other perspectives predict that disgust sensitivity is primarily associated with judgments of specific moral domains (e.g., primarily purity). However, no study has systematically tested if disgust sensitivity is associated with moral judgments of the purity domain specifically, more generally to moral judgments of the binding moral domains, or to moral judgments of all of the moral domains equally. Across 5 studies (total N = 1,104), we find consistent evidence for the notion that disgust sensitivity relates more strongly to moral condemnation of purity-based transgressions (meta-analytic r = .40) than to moral condemnation of transgressions of any of the other domains (range meta-analytic rs: .07-.27). Our findings are in line with predictions from Moral Foundations Theory, which predicts that personality characteristics like disgust sensitivity make people more sensitive to a certain set of moral issues. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Personal health records: Consumer attitudes toward privacy and security of their personal health information.

Science.gov (United States)

Lafky, Deborah Beranek; Horan, Thomas A

2011-03-01

Personal health record (PHR) systems are a subject of intense interest in the move to improve healthcare accessibility and quality. Although a number of vendors continue to put forward PHR systems, user-centered design research has lagged, and it has not been clear what features are important to prospective PHR users. Here, we report on a user-centered design study that combines qualitative and quantitative approaches to investigate several dimensions relevant to PHR design, and to look at the effect of health status on user needs. The results indicate that health status, especially disability and chronic illness, is relevant to PHR design. Further, the results provide empirical evidence about the role of privacy and security in users' attitudes toward PHR use. The exact nature of these attitudes differs from widely held perceptions about consumer values in healthcare information management. © The Author(s) 2011.

Interaction of Occupational and Personal Risk Factors in Workforce Health and Safety

Science.gov (United States)

Pandalai, Sudha; Wulsin, Victoria; Chun, HeeKyoung

2012-01-01

Most diseases, injuries, and other health conditions experienced by working people are multifactorial, especially as the workforce ages. Evidence supporting the role of work and personal risk factors in the health of working people is frequently underused in developing interventions. Achieving a longer, healthy working life requires a comprehensive preventive approach. To help develop such an approach, we evaluated the influence of both occupational and personal risk factors on workforce health. We present 32 examples illustrating 4 combinatorial models of occupational hazards and personal risk factors (genetics, age, gender, chronic disease, obesity, smoking, alcohol use, prescription drug use). Models that address occupational and personal risk factors and their interactions can improve our understanding of health hazards and guide research and interventions. PMID:22021293

Changes in physical health among participants in a multidisciplinary health programme for long-term unemployed persons.

Science.gov (United States)

Schutgens, Christine A E; Schuring, Merel; Voorham, Toon A J; Burdorf, Alex

2009-06-19

The relationship between poor health and unemployment is well established. Health promotion among unemployed persons may improve their health. The aims of this study were to investigate characteristics of non-participants and drop-outs in a multidisciplinary health promotion programme for long-term unemployed persons with health complaints, to evaluate changes in physical health among participants, and to investigate determinants of improvement in physical health. A longitudinal, non-controlled design was used. The programme consisted of two weekly exercise sessions and one weekly cognitive session during 12 weeks. The main outcome measures were body mass index, blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness, abdominal muscle strength, and low back and hamstring flexibility. Potential determinants of change in physical health were demographic variables, psychological variables (self-esteem, mastery, and kinesiophobia), and self-perceived health. The initial response was 73% and 252 persons had complete data collection at baseline. In total, 36 subjects were lost during follow-up. Participants were predominantly low educated, long-term unemployed, and in poor health. Participation in the programme was not influenced by demographic and psychological factors or by self-reported health. Drop-outs were younger and had a lower body mass index at baseline than subjects who completed the programme. At post-test, participants' cardiorespiratory fitness, abdominal muscle strength, and flexibility had increased by 6.8%-51.0%, whereas diastolic and systolic blood pressures had decreased by 2.2%-2.5%. The effect sizes ranges from 0.17-0.68. Participants with the poorest physical health benefited most from the programme and gender differences in improvement were observed. Physical health of unemployed persons with health complaints improved after participation in this health promotion programme, but not sufficiently, considering their poor physical health at baseline.

Changes in physical health among participants in a multidisciplinary health programme for long-term unemployed persons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schuring Merel

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The relationship between poor health and unemployment is well established. Health promotion among unemployed persons may improve their health. The aims of this study were to investigate characteristics of non-participants and drop-outs in a multidisciplinary health promotion programme for long-term unemployed persons with health complaints, to evaluate changes in physical health among participants, and to investigate determinants of improvement in physical health. Methods A longitudinal, non-controlled design was used. The programme consisted of two weekly exercise sessions and one weekly cognitive session during 12 weeks. The main outcome measures were body mass index, blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness, abdominal muscle strength, and low back and hamstring flexibility. Potential determinants of change in physical health were demographic variables, psychological variables (self-esteem, mastery, and kinesiophobia, and self-perceived health. Results The initial response was 73% and 252 persons had complete data collection at baseline. In total, 36 subjects were lost during follow-up. Participants were predominantly low educated, long-term unemployed, and in poor health. Participation in the programme was not influenced by demographic and psychological factors or by self-reported health. Drop-outs were younger and had a lower body mass index at baseline than subjects who completed the programme. At post-test, participants' cardiorespiratory fitness, abdominal muscle strength, and flexibility had increased by 6.8%–51.0%, whereas diastolic and systolic blood pressures had decreased by 2.2%–2.5%. The effect sizes ranges from 0.17–0.68. Conclusion Participants with the poorest physical health benefited most from the programme and gender differences in improvement were observed. Physical health of unemployed persons with health complaints improved after participation in this health promotion programme, but not

HealthATM: personal health cyberinfrastructure for underserved populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Botts, Nathan E; Horan, Thomas A; Thoms, Brian P

2011-05-01

There is an opportunity for personal health record (PHR) systems to play a vital role in fostering health self-management within underserved populations. If properly designed and promoted, it is possible that patients will use PHRs to become more empowered in taking an active role toward managing their health needs. This research examines the potential of a cyberinfrastructure-based PHR to encourage patient activation in health care, while also having population health implications. A multi-phased, iterative research approach was used to design and evaluate a PHR system called HealthATM, which utilizes services from a cloud computing environment. These services were integrated into an ATM-style interface aimed at providing a broad range of health consumers with the ability to manage health conditions and encourage accomplishment of health goals. Evaluation of the PHR included 115 patients who were clients of several free clinics in Los Angeles County. The majority of patients perceived ease of use (74%) and confidence (73%) in using the HealthATM system, and thought they would like to use it frequently (73%). Patients also indicated a belief in being responsible for their own health. However, fewer felt as though they were able to maintain necessary life changes to improve their health. Findings from the field tests suggest that PHRs can be a beneficial health management tool for underserved populations. In order for these types of tools to be effective within safety-net communities, they must be technically accessible and provide meaningful opportunities to increase patient engagement in their health care. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Associations between Modifiable Health-Risk Behaviors and Personality Types

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jon C. Schommer

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The first objective for this study was to explore if characteristics of personality type (using the Preferred Communication Style Questionnaire are associated with the following modifiable health-risk behaviors: smoking, exercise, alcohol consumption, nutrition, sleep, depression-related stress, anxiety-related stress, healthcare professional usage, and self-discipline. The second objective for this study was to explore if characteristics of personality type are associated with (1 the quality of patient-physician relationships, (2 patient-physician communication, and (3 preferred method for receiving information. Methods: Data were collected from 10,500 adult individuals residing in the United States via an on-line, self-administered survey coordinated by Qualtrics Panels from March 14-30, 2016. Chi-square analysis was used for making comparisons between categories of personality types and items related to health-risk behaviors. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. However, chi-square analysis with large sample sizes (e.g. 10,500 in this study readily yields statistical significance. Practical significance was set at four or more percentage points above or below the overall mean. Results: Regarding objective 1, personality type was associated with all nine health-risk behaviors studied. Personality types within the Experiencer temperament (17% of the U.S. population accounted for 46% of the undesirable scores we computed for health-risk behaviors. The Idealist temperament (17% of population accounted for 32% of the undesirable scores. Conceptualizers (10% of population accounted for 17% of the undesirable scores and Traditionalists (46% of population accounted for 5% of the undesirable scores. Regarding objective 2, the findings showed that personality type was associated with (1 the importance people place on the patient-physician relationship, (2 which characteristics of that relationship are most desirable, (3 desire for

Ageing and mental health resources for older persons in the African ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

To better understand the organisation of care for older persons, data are being collected to reduce the imbalance between 'disease information\\' and 'resource information\\' – information that addresses older persons\\' needs in terms of mental health care. This review presents some results from the continent. Mental health ...

Type D personality and health status in cardiovascular disease populations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Versteeg, Henneke; Spek, Viola; Pedersen, Susanne S.

2012-01-01

Background: Knowledge of the factors associated with individual differences in patient-reported outcomes is essential to identify high-risk patients and improve secondary prevention. Design: In this meta-analysis, we examined the association between Type D personality and the individual differences...... in patient-reported physical and mental health status among cardiovascular patients. Methods: A computerized search of the literature through PUBMED and PsychINFO (from 1995 to May 2011) was performed and prospective studies were selected that analysed the association between Type D personality and health...... status in cardiovascular patients. Two separate meta-analyses were performed for the association of Type D personality with physical and mental health status, respectively. Results: Of all identified studies, ten studies met the selection criteria. The meta-analyses showed that Type D was associated...

Core Self-Evaluations as Personal Factors in the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Model: An Application in Persons with Spinal Cord Injury

Science.gov (United States)

Yaghmanian, Rana; Smedema, Susan Miller; Thompson, Kerry

2017-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate Chan, Gelman, Ditchman, Kim, and Chiu's (2009) revised World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) model using core self-evaluations (CSE) to account for Personal Factors in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). Method: One hundred eighty-seven adults with SCI were…

Personality differences predict health-risk behaviors in young adulthood: evidence from a longitudinal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Caspi, A; Begg, D; Dickson, N; Harrington, H; Langley, J; Moffitt, T E; Silva, P A

1997-11-01

In a longitudinal study of a birth cohort, the authors identified youth involved in each of 4 different health-risk behaviors at age 21: alcohol dependence, violent crime, unsafe sex, and dangerous driving habits. At age 18, the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ) was used to assess 10 distinct personality traits. At age 3, observational measures were used to classify children into distinct temperament groups. Results showed that a similar constellation of adolescent personality traits, with developmental origins in childhood, is linked to different health-risk behaviors at 21. Associations between the same personality traits and different health-risk behaviors were not an artifact of the same people engaging in different health-risk behaviors; rather, these associations implicated the same personality type in different but related behaviors. In planning campaigns, health professionals may need to design programs that appeal to the unique psychological makeup of persons most at risk for health-risk behaviors.

Personal health systems and value creation mechanisms in occupational health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Auvinen, Ari-Matti

2007-01-01

Personal Health Systems are believed to have great business potential among citizens, but they might reach also an important market in occupational health care. However, in reaching the occupational health care market, it is important to understand the value creation and value configuration mechanisms of this particular market. This paper also claims that in such a business-to-business market service integrators are needed to compose for the various customers specific offerings combing a tailored variety of products and services to suit their specific needs.

Perceptions of Personalized Medicine in an Academic Health System: Educational Findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Vorderstrasse, Allison; Katsanis, Sara Huston; Minear, Mollie A; Yang, Nancy; Rakhra-Burris, Tejinder; Reeves, Jason W; Cook-Deegan, Robert; Ginsburg, Geoffrey S; Ann Simmons, Leigh

Prior reports demonstrate that personalized medicine implementation in clinical care is lacking. Given the program focus at Duke University on personalized medicine, we assessed health care providers' perspectives on their preparation and educational needs to effectively integrate personalized medicine tools and applications into their clinical practices. Data from 78 health care providers who participated in a larger study of personalized and precision medicine at Duke University were analyzed using Qualtrics (descriptive statistics). Individuals age 18 years and older were recruited for the larger study through broad email contacts across the university and health system. All participants completed an online 35-question survey that was developed, pilot-tested, and administered by a team of interdisciplinary researchers and clinicians at the Center for Applied Genomics and Precision Medicine. Overall, providers reported being ill-equipped to implement personalized medicine in clinical practice. Many respondents identified educational resources as critical for strengthening personalized medicine implementation in both research and clinical practice. Responses did not differ significantly between specialists and primary providers or by years since completion of the medical degree. Survey findings support prior calls for provider and patient education in personalized medicine. Respondents identified focus areas in training, education, and research for improving personalized medicine uptake. Given respondents' emphasis on educational needs, now may be an ideal time to address these needs in clinical training and public education programs.

The use of biometrics in the Personal Health Record (PHR).

Science.gov (United States)

Bonney, Wilfred

2011-01-01

The emergence of the Personal Health Record (PHR) has made individual health information more readily accessible to a wide range of users including patients, consumers, practitioners, and healthcare providers. However, increased accessibility of PHR threatens the confidentiality, privacy, and security of personalized health information. Therefore, a need for robust and reliable forms of authentication is of prime concern. The concept of biometric authentication is now highly visible to healthcare providers as a technology to prevent unauthorized access to individual health information. Implementing biometric authentication mechanisms to protect PHR facilitates access control and secure exchange of health information. In this paper, a literature review is used to explore the key benefits, technical barriers, challenges, and ethical implications for using biometric authentication in PHR.

Lifetime trauma, personality traits, and health: A pathway to midlife health status.

Science.gov (United States)

Hampson, Sarah E; Edmonds, Grant W; Goldberg, Lewis R; Barckley, Maureen; Klest, Bridget; Dubanoski, Joan P; Hillier, Teresa A

2016-07-01

This study investigated whether lifetime experience of trauma is related to personality through instrumental and reactive trait processes, and whether lifetime trauma is a mechanism underlying the association between childhood conscientiousness and objectively assessed adult physical health. Participants (N = 831) were 442 women and 389 men from the Hawaii longitudinal study of personality and health. Teacher assessments of personality were obtained when the participants were in elementary school. Self-reported adult personality assessments, lifetime histories of trauma experience, and objectively assessed physiological dysregulation were obtained between ages 45-55. Women tended to report more high-betrayal trauma than men, whereas men reported more low-betrayal trauma than women. Women who were judged by their teachers to be less agreeable and less conscientious in childhood reported more lifetime trauma, suggesting instrumental trait processes. For both genders, neuroticism and openness/intellect/imagination in adulthood, but not in childhood, were associated with lifetime trauma, suggesting reactive trait processes. For both genders, trauma experience was correlated with dysregulation and with Body Mass Index (BMI). The indirect paths from childhood conscientiousness to adult dysregulation and BMI through total teen and adult trauma were significant for women, but not for men (indirect effect for women's dysregulation = -.025, p = .040, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -.048, -.001; indirect effect for women's BMI = -.037, p = .009, 95% CI = -.067, -.008). Teen and adult trauma experience appears to be a hitherto unidentified mechanism in women underlying the association between conscientiousness and health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

A Data Transmission Technique for Personal Health Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jih-Fu Tu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We used the modular technique to design a personal health data transmitter (PHDT that is composed of the following components: (1 the core is an embedded signal chip, (2 three kinds of transmutation modules such as USB, RF, and UART, (3 an I2C interface is used to acquire the users data, and (4 through Internet it links to the cloud server to store the personal-health data. By the experiment, we find that the modular manner is feasible, stable of functional, integral, and accurate, while it is exploited to design the PHDT. For the experiment, we present each module algorithm to find that our system is very helpful to people.

Health-relevant personality is associated with sensitivity to sound (hyperacusis).

Science.gov (United States)

Villaume, Karin; Hasson, Dan

2017-04-01

Hyperacusis, over-sensitivity to sounds, causes distress and disability and the etiology is not fully understood. The study aims to explore possible associations between health-relevant personality traits and hyperacusis. Hyperacusis was assessed using the Hyperacusis Questionnaire (HQ), and clinical uncomfortable loudness levels (ULL). Personality was measured with the Health-relevant Personality (HP5i) Inventory. The study sample was 348 (140 men and 208 women; age 23-71 years). Moderate correlations were found between the personality trait negative affectivity (NA; a facet of neuroticism) and dimensions of the HQ and weak correlations were found with the ULLs. Hedonic capacity (a facet of extraversion) was significantly correlated with the HQ but not with the ULLs. Impulsivity (a facet of conscientiousness) was correlated with the HQ and the ULLs. A significant difference in mean values was found in all hyperacusis measures and different levels of NA - those with higher levels displayed more severe signs of hyperacusis. A multiple logistic regression analysis showed that higher levels of NA increases the odds of having hyperacusis on average 4.6 times for men and 2.4 times for women. These findings imply that health-relevant personality traits should be considered in the diagnosis and treatment of hyperacusis. © 2017 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Patient-Centered Personal Health Record and Portal Implementation Toolkit for Ambulatory Clinics: A Feasibility Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Nahm, Eun-Shim; Diblasi, Catherine; Gonzales, Eva; Silver, Kristi; Zhu, Shijun; Sagherian, Knar; Kongs, Katherine

2017-04-01

Personal health records and patient portals have been shown to be effective in managing chronic illnesses. Despite recent nationwide implementation efforts, the personal health record and patient portal adoption rates among patients are low, and the lack of support for patients using the programs remains a critical gap in most implementation processes. In this study, we implemented the Patient-Centered Personal Health Record and Patient Portal Implementation Toolkit in a large diabetes/endocrinology center and assessed its preliminary impact on personal health record and patient portal knowledge, self-efficacy, patient-provider communication, and adherence to treatment plans. Patient-Centered Personal Health Record and Patient Portal Implementation Toolkit is composed of Patient-Centered Personal Health Record and Patient Portal Implementation Toolkit-General, clinic-level resources for clinicians, staff, and patients, and Patient-Centered Personal Health Record and Patient Portal Implementation Toolkit Plus, an optional 4-week online resource program for patients ("MyHealthPortal"). First, Patient-Centered Personal Health Record and Patient Portal Implementation Toolkit-General was implemented, and all clinicians and staff were educated about the center's personal health record and patient portal. Then general patient education was initiated, while a randomized controlled trial was conducted to test the preliminary effects of "MyHealthPortal" using a small sample (n = 74) with three observations (baseline and 4 and 12 weeks). The intervention group showed significantly greater improvement than the control group in patient-provider communication at 4 weeks (t56 = 3.00, P = .004). For other variables, the intervention group tended to show greater improvement; however, the differences were not significant. In this preliminary study, Patient-Centered Personal Health Record and Patient Portal Implementation Toolkit showed potential for filling the gap in the current

Modeling the Personal Health Ecosystem.

Science.gov (United States)

Blobel, Bernd; Brochhausen, Mathias; Ruotsalainen, Pekka

2018-01-01

Complex ecosystems like the pHealth one combine different domains represented by a huge variety of different actors (human beings, organizations, devices, applications, components) belonging to different policy domains, coming from different disciplines, deploying different methodologies, terminologies, and ontologies, offering different levels of knowledge, skills, and experiences, acting in different scenarios and accommodating different business cases to meet the intended business objectives. For correctly modeling such systems, a system-oriented, architecture-centric, ontology-based, policy-driven approach is inevitable, thereby following established Good Modeling Best Practices. However, most of the existing standards, specifications and tools for describing, representing, implementing and managing health (information) systems reflect the advancement of information and communication technology (ICT) represented by different evolutionary levels of data modeling. The paper presents a methodology for integrating, adopting and advancing models, standards, specifications as well as implemented systems and components on the way towards the aforementioned ultimate approach, so meeting the challenge we face when transforming health systems towards ubiquitous, personalized, predictive, preventive, participative, and cognitive health and social care.

Determinants of Internet use as a preferred source of information on personal health.

Science.gov (United States)

Lemire, Marc; Paré, Guy; Sicotte, Claude; Harvey, Charmian

2008-11-01

To understand the personal, social and cultural factors likely to explain recourse to the Internet as a preferred source of personal health information. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a population of 2923 Internet users visiting a firmly established website that offers information on personal health. Multiple regression analysis was performed to identify the determinants of site use. The analysis template comprised four classes of determinants likely to explain Internet use: beliefs, intentions, user satisfaction and socio-demographic characteristics. Seven-point Likert scales were used. An analysis of the psychometric qualities of the variables provided compelling evidence of the construct's validity and reliability. A confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the correspondence with the factors predicted by the theoretical model. The regression analysis explained 35% of the variance in Internet use. Use was directly associated with five factors: perceived usefulness, importance given to written media in searches for health information, concern for personal health, importance given to the opinions of physicians and other health professionals, and the trust placed in the information available on the site itself. This study confirms the importance of the credibility of information on the frequency of Internet use as a preferred source of information on personal health. It also shows the potentially influential role of the Internet in the development of personal knowledge of health issues.

Accessibility to health services by persons with disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Castro, Shamyr Sulyvan; Lefèvre, Fernando; Lefèvre, Ana Maria Cavalcanti; Cesar, Chester Luiz Galvão

2011-02-01

To analyze the difficulties in accessibility to health services experienced by persons with disabilities. A qualitative study was performed with individuals who reported having a certain type of disability (paralysis or amputation of limbs; low vision, unilateral or total blindness; low hearing, unilateral or total deafness). A total of 25 individuals (14 women) were interviewed in the city of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, between June and August 2007, responding to questions about transportation and accessibility to health services. Collective Subject Discourse was the methodology used to analyze results and analyses were performed with the Qualiquantisoft software. The analysis of discourses on transportation to health services revealed a diversity in terms of the user going to the service alone or accompanied; using a private car, public transportation or ambulance or walking; and requiring different times to arrive at the service. With regard to the difficulties in accessibility to health services, there were reports of delayed service, problems with parking, and lack of ramps, elevators, wheelchairs, doctors and adapted toilets. Individuals with a certain type of disability used various means of transportation, requiring someone to accompany them in some cases. Problems with accessibility to health services were reported by persons with disabilities, contradicting the principle of equity, a precept of the Brazilian Unified Health System.

Factors Affecting Usage of a Personal Health Record (PHR) to Manage Health

Science.gov (United States)

Taha, Jessica; Czaja, Sara J.; Sharit, Joseph; Morrow, Daniel G.

2018-01-01

As the health care industry shifts into the digital age, patients are increasingly being provided with access to electronic personal health records (PHRs) that are tethered to their provider-maintained electronic health records. This unprecedented access to personal health information can enable patients to more effectively manage their health, but little is actually known about patients’ ability to successfully use a PHR to perform health management tasks or the individual factors that influence task performance. This study evaluated the ability of 56 middle-aged adults (40–59 years) and 51 older adults (60–85 years) to use a simulated PHR to perform 15 common health management tasks encompassing medication management, review/interpretation of lab/test results, and health maintenance activities. Results indicated that participants in both age groups experienced significant difficulties in using the PHR to complete routine health management tasks. Data also showed that older adults, particularly those with lower numeracy and technology experience, encountered greater problems using the system. Furthermore, data revealed that the cognitive abilities predicting one’s task performance varied according to the complexity of the task. Results from this study identify important factors to consider in the design of PHRs so that they meet the needs of middle-aged and older adults. As deployment of PHRs is on the rise, knowledge of the individual factors that impact effective PHR use is critical to preventing an increase in health care disparities between those who are able to use a PHR and those who are not. PMID:24364414

MyPHRMachines : lifelong personal health records in the cloud

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Gorp, P.M.E.; Comuzzi, M.; Soda, P.; Tortorella, F.

2012-01-01

Personal Health Records (PHRs) should remain the lifelong property of patients and should be showable conveniently and securely to selected caregivers. Regarding interoperability, current solutions for PHRs focus on standard data exchange formats and transformations to move data across health

Potential and challenges of body area networks for personal health.

Science.gov (United States)

Penders, Julien; van de Molengraft, Jef; Brown, Lindsay; Grundlehner, Bernard; Gyselinckx, Bert; Van Hoof, Chris

2009-01-01

This paper illustrates how body area network technology may enable new personal health concepts. A BAN technology platform is presented, which integrates technology building blocks from the Human++ research program on autonomous wireless sensors. Technology evaluation for the case of wireless sleep staging and real-time arousal monitoring is reported. Key technology challenges are discussed. The ultimate target is the development of miniaturized body sensor nodes powered by body-energy, anticipating the needs of emerging personal health applications.

Relationships between activities, participation, personal factors, mental health, and life satisfaction in persons with spinal cord injury.

Science.gov (United States)

van Leeuwen, Christel M; Post, Marcel W; Westers, Paul; van der Woude, Lucas H; de Groot, Sonja; Sluis, Tebbe; Slootman, Hans; Lindeman, Eline

2012-01-01

To clarify relationships between activities, participation, mental health, and life satisfaction in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) and specify how personal factors (self-efficacy, neuroticism, appraisals) interact with these components. We hypothesized that (1) activities are related directly to participation, participation is related directly to mental health and life satisfaction, and mental health and life satisfaction are 2 interrelated outcome variables; and (2) appraisals are mediators between participation and mental health and life satisfaction, and self-efficacy and neuroticism are related directly to mental health and life satisfaction and indirectly through appraisals. Follow-up measurement of a multicenter prospective cohort study 5 years after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. Eight Dutch rehabilitation centers with specialized SCI units. Persons (N=143) aged 18 to 65 years at the onset of SCI. Not applicable. Mental health was measured by using the Mental Health subscale of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey and life satisfaction with the sum score of "current life satisfaction" and "current life satisfaction compared with life satisfaction before SCI." Structural equation modeling showed that activities and neuroticism were related to participation and explained 49% of the variance in participation. Self-efficacy, neuroticism, and 2 appraisals were related to mental health and explained 35% of the variance in mental health. Participation, 3 appraisals, and mental health were related to life satisfaction and together explained 50% of the total variance in life satisfaction. Mental health and life satisfaction can be seen as 2 separate but interrelated outcome variables. Self-efficacy and neuroticism are related directly to mental health and indirectly to life satisfaction through the mediating role of appraisals. Copyright © 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Consumer Health Informatics Aspects of Direct-to-Consumer Personal Genomic Testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, Kathleen; Stephen, Remya; Terrill, Bronwyn; Wilson, Brenda; Middleton, Anna; Tytherleigh, Rigan; Turbitt, Erin; Gaff, Clara; Savard, Jacqueline; Hickerton, Chriselle; Newson, Ainsley; Metcalfe, Sylvia

2017-01-01

This paper uses consumer health informatics as a framework to explore whether and how direct-to-consumer personal genomic testing can be regarded as a form of information which assists consumers to manage their health. It presents findings from qualitative content analysis of web sites that offer testing services, and of transcripts from focus groups conducted as part a study of the Australian public's expectations of personal genomics. Content analysis showed that service offerings have some features of consumer health information but lack consistency. Focus group participants were mostly unfamiliar with the specifics of test reports and related information services. Some of their ideas about aids to knowledge were in line with the benefits described on provider web sites, but some expectations were inflated. People were ambivalent about whether these services would address consumers' health needs, interests and contexts and whether they would support consumers' health self-management decisions and outcomes. There is scope for consumer health informatics approaches to refine the usage and the utility of direct-to-consumer personal genomic testing. Further research may focus on how uptake is affected by consumers' health literacy or by services' engagement with consumers about what they really want.

The detrimental impact of maladaptive personality on public mental health : a challenge for psychiatric practice

OpenAIRE

Hengartner, Michael Pascal

2015-01-01

Experts in personality psychology and personality disorders have long emphasized the pervasive and persistent detrimental impact of maladaptive personality traits on mental health and functioning. However, in routine psychiatric practice, maladaptive personality is readily ignored and personality traits are seldom incorporated into clinical guidelines. The aim of this narrative review is to outline how pervasively personality influences public mental health and how personality thereby challen...

A Study on Mental Health Status and Personality Traits of Pet Owners

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H Choobineh

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction & Objective: Many Iranian families manage to keep pets at home. Examining psychological consequences and personality traits of pet owners is important. The aim of this study was to examine mental health status and personality traits of pet owners. Materials & Methods: In this descriptive study, 612 pet owners (143 cat owners, 162 dog owners, 155 bird owners and 152 other pet owners were asked to complete General Health Questionnaire (GHQ and IPIP Personality Scale from January to December 2006. Results: Bird owners had the highest (234 cases (38.3% and other pet owners had the lowest (129 cases (42.3% mental health problems. In general, 188 cases (30.7% of all groups had mental health problems. 122 cases (20% of them had somatic compliance, 182 cases (29.7% had anxiety, 149 cases (24.3% had social dysfunction and 84 cases (13.7% had depression. Bird owners had significant high level of social dysfunction than other pet owners. With respect to personality traits, dog owners had low level of agreeableness and openness to experience than other groups. Other pet owners had high level of emotional stability than other groups. Conclusion: Contrary to other countries, it seems that having a pet in home enhances the probability of mental disorders in Iran. It is possible that lower mental health persons were keeping pets in Iran. In personality perspectives, dog owners are more disagreeable people and other pet owners are more emotionally stable ones.

Semantic Web, Reusable Learning Objects, Personal Learning Networks in Health: Key Pieces for Digital Health Literacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Konstantinidis, Stathis Th; Wharrad, Heather; Windle, Richard; Bamidis, Panagiotis D

2017-01-01

The knowledge existing in the World Wide Web is exponentially expanding, while continuous advancements in health sciences contribute to the creation of new knowledge. There are a lot of efforts trying to identify how the social connectivity can endorse patients' empowerment, while other studies look at the identification and the quality of online materials. However, emphasis has not been put on the big picture of connecting the existing resources with the patients "new habits" of learning through their own Personal Learning Networks. In this paper we propose a framework for empowering patients' digital health literacy adjusted to patients' currents needs by utilizing the contemporary way of learning through Personal Learning Networks, existing high quality learning resources and semantics technologies for interconnecting knowledge pieces. The framework based on the concept of knowledge maps for health as defined in this paper. Health Digital Literacy needs definitely further enhancement and the use of the proposed concept might lead to useful tools which enable use of understandable health trusted resources tailored to each person needs.

Changes in physical health among participants in a multidisciplinary health programme for long-term unemployed persons

NARCIS (Netherlands)

C.A. Schutgens (Christine); M. Schuring (Merel); T. Voorham (Toon); A. Burdorf (Alex)

2009-01-01

textabstractBackground. The relationship between poor health and unemployment is well established. Health promotion among unemployed persons may improve their health. The aims of this study were to investigate characteristics of non-participants and drop-outs in a multidisciplinary health promotion

It's "Supposed" to Be Personal: Personal and Educational Factors Associated with Sexual Health Attitudes, Knowledge, Comfort and Skill in Health Profession Students

Science.gov (United States)

West, Lindsey M.; Stepleman, Lara M.; Wilson, Christina K.; Campbell, Jeff; Villarosa, Margo; Bodie, Brittany; Decker, Matthew

2012-01-01

The health professional and the patient are cultural beings with beliefs and attitudes that are shaped by family traditions, social development, and exposure to novel experiences. As such, it is especially important for health profession students to gain awareness about the personal and educational factors that likely inform their practice and…

The Big Five personality dimensions and mental health: The mediating role of alexithymia.

Science.gov (United States)

Atari, Mohammad; Yaghoubirad, Mahsa

2016-12-01

The role of personality constructs on mental health has attracted research attention in the last few decades. The Big Five personality traits have been introduced as parsimonious dimensions of non-pathological traits. The five-factor model of personality includes neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, and openness to experience. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between the Big Five dimensions and mental health considering the mediating role of alexithymia as an important emotional-processing construct. A total of 257 participants were recruited from non-clinical settings in the general population. All participants completed the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI), 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28). Structural equation modeling was utilized to examine the hypothesized mediated model. Findings indicated that the Big Five personality dimensions could significantly predict scores of alexithymia. Moreover, alexithymia could predict mental health scores as measured by indices of depression, anxiety, social functioning, and somatic symptoms. The fit indices (GFI=0.94; CFI=0.91; TLI=0.90; RMSEA=0.071; CMIN/df=2.29) indicated that the model fits the data. Therefore, the relationship between the Big Five personality dimensions and mental health is mediated by alexithymia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Twelve essential tools for living the life of whole person health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Schlitz, Marilyn; Valentina, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

The integration of body, mind, and spirit has become a key dimension of health education and disease prevention and treatment; however, our health care system remains primarily disease centered. Finding simple steps to help each of us find our own balance can improve our lives, our work, and our relationships. On the basis of interviews with health care experts at the leading edge of the new model of medicine, this article identifies simple tools to improve the health of patients and caregivers.

Personality change following internet-based cognitive behavior therapy for severe health anxiety.

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Erik Hedman

Full Text Available Personality traits have traditionally been viewed as stable, but recent studies suggest that they could be affected through psychological treatment. Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT for severe health anxiety (DSM-IV hypochondriasis has been shown to be effective in reducing health anxiety, but its effect on measures of personality traits has not been investigated. The main aim of this study was to investigate the impact of ICBT on personality traits in the three broad dimensions--neuroticism, extraversion and aggression. We hypothesized that participants in ICBT would reduce their level of neuroticism compared to controls that did not receive the active treatment. No specific predictions were made regarding extraversion and aggression. Data from a randomized controlled trial were used in which participants were allocated to 12 weeks of ICBT (n = 40 or to a basic attention control condition (n = 41. Personality traits were assessed with the Swedish Universities Scales of Personality and the primary outcome of health anxiety was the Health Anxiety Inventory. There was a significant interaction effect of group and time on neuroticism-related scales, indicating larger pre- to post-treatment reductions in the Internet-based CBT group compared to the control condition. Analyses at 6-month follow-up showed that changes were stable. Traits relating to extraversion and aggression were largely unchanged. This study is the first to demonstrate that a brief ICBT intervention for severe health anxiety causes long-term changes in measures of personality traits related to neuroticism. The treatment thus has a broader impact than just reducing health anxiety.Clinicaltrials.gov (ID NCT00828152.

Commercial products that convey personal health information in emergencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Potini, Vishnu C; Weerasuriya, Dilani N; Lowery-North, Douglas W; Kellermann, Arthur L

2011-12-01

Describe commercially available products and services designed to convey personal health information in emergencies. The search engine Google®, supplemented by print ads, was used to identify companies and organizations that offer relevant products and services to the general market. Disease-specific, health system, and health plan-specific offerings were excluded. Vendor web sites were the primary sources of information, supplemented by telephone and e-mail queries to sales representatives. Perfect inter-rater agreement was achieved. Thirty-nine unique vendors were identified. Eight sell engraved jewelry. Three offer an embossed card or pamphlet. Twelve supply USB drives with various features. Eleven support password-protected web sites. Five maintain national call centers. Available media differed markedly with respect to capacity and accessibility. Quoted prices ranged from a one-time expenditure of $3.50 to an annual fee of $200. Associated features and annual fees varied widely. A wide range of products and services exist to help patients convey personal health information. Health care providers should be familiar with their features, so they can access the information in a disaster or emergency.

Health behaviors and personality in burnout: a third dimension

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Osama M. Mustafa

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The high prevalence of burnout among healthcare professionals warrants a thorough examination aimed at improving the current understanding of its predictors and preventive measures. Cecil et al. have underscored the alarming prevalence of burnout among medical students and assessed its association with demographic, lifestyle, and behavioral factors. Of interest, health behaviors were found to be predictive of burnout. The study suggests certain behaviors (such as high physical activity to be protective, and thus, calls for their establishment early in college life to prevent the development of this professionally-disabling mental state. Although the adoption of advisable health behaviors may independently reduce the risk of burnout, recognition of the existence and influence of closely related factors allows for an enhanced understanding and a greater precision for any conclusions to be made. Personality, through deductive and inductive reasoning, is likely to exert significant influence on both the student's behavior and his/her susceptibility to burnout. Thus, with personality representing – in and of itself – a principal model for prediction of burnout risk, controlling for personality traits when addressing health behaviors’ influence per se on burnout is essential.

[Personalized medicine, privatized medicine? legal and public health stakes].

Science.gov (United States)

Rial-Sebbag, Emmanuelle

2014-11-01

Personalized medicine is booming. It tends to provide a medical management "tailored" for groups of patients, or for one unique patient, but also to identify risk groups to develop public health strategies. In this context, some radicalization phenomenon can emerge, leading to not only personalized medicine but also privatized medicine, which can lead to a capture of the medical public resource. If the "privatization" of medicine is not limited to producing adverse effects, several potentially destabilizing phenomena for patients still remain. First, some objective factors, like the adjustment of scientific prerequisites, are emerging from personalized medicine practices (clinical trial, public health policy) and are interfering with the medical doctor/patient relationship. Another risk emerges for patients concomitantly to their demand for controlling their own health, in terms of patients' security although these risks are not clearly identified and not effectively communicated. These practices, related to a privatized medicine, develop within the healthcare system but also outside, and the government and legislators will have to take into account these new dimensions in drafting their future regulations and policies. © 2014 médecine/sciences – Inserm.

Personality traits and dysfunctional construal of online health promotion messages.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yaeeun; Kurtz, John E

2017-10-20

With the Internet becoming increasingly popular as a source of information, blogs offering healthy lifestyle techniques and knowledge have become popular and accessible. Despite their focus on health, these blogs portray content that may be negatively construed by viewers, especially those with or at risk for eating disorders. The present study investigated changes in affect and self-esteem after viewing a prototypic health blog. Personality traits, specifically neuroticism and conscientiousness, were also investigated. A prototypic health blog was constructed after extensive review of existing blogs. A parallel format was then followed to create a home décor website for a control condition. Female undergraduate students were randomly assigned to one of two blog sites, and participants completed an earlier personality assessment and post-viewing study questionnaires. Contrary to the hypothesis that readers of the health blog will report more negative outcomes, no main effect of blog condition was found. However, individuals high in trait neuroticism experienced greater differences in negative affect, but not self-esteem, when viewing the health blog versus the control blog. This study found that viewing health blogs did not have immediate effects on affect and self-esteem, but more neurotic individuals were more inclined to experience negative affect when viewing health promotion messages. Personality traits assessed prior to the experiment were more predictive of negative affect and self-esteem during the experiment than blog viewing conditions. No level of evidence, experimental study.

GENDER FEATURES OF THE ATTITUDE TOWARDS HEALTH OF PERSONS OF MATURE AGE

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T. V. Mayasova

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In article the attitude towards health and a healthy lifestyle at men and women of middle age is investigated. One of the main problems which exist in our society, the problem of the passive or indifferent attitude towards the health of adults is. Other important problem is that the value of health becomes more tool and its value as means to live long and fully is lost. Installations and representations of the person about health depend on conditions of socialization of the person, including on gender (polorolevykh stereotypes and expectations, characteristic for concrete society and culture. The analysis of the results received during empirical research confirms that there are certain divergences in the attitude towards health at men and women. Reliable distinctions of valuable orientation concerning a healthy lifestyle at men and women are revealed. Statistically reliable distinctions in men's and women's groups concerning the factors influencing health of the person are defined

HEALTH SELF-EVALUATION OF ELDERLY PERSONS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS IN RELATION TO GENDER AND STATE OF HEALTH

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Amela Teskeredžić

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Health self-evaluation, as a subjective measure, is related to person’s well-being because it encapsulates physical and emotional health evaluation. It has been concluded that subjective health is, for most of people, number one trait of quality of living that is connected to health. Individual is to decide which aspects of objective situation are important for their satisfaction in life. In other words, way in which a person will perceive and react to an objective situation depends on their personal traits. Aim of this research was to examine the differences in relation to gender and health state of visually impaired older persons of that live in institutional accommodation, by self-evaluation. Respondents sample was comprised of 40 visually impaired older persons, both genders (13 male and 27 female that live in nursing home “Dom penzionera” in Tuzla. Research has been conducted by interview, using questionnaire “Quality of life of adult persons with motoric disabilities in territory of Vojvodina” (Susnjevic, 2015. Because of the structure of questions in questionnaire, it was possible to apply it on visually impaired persons as well. Data acquired had been processed with descriptive statistics, hi-squre and t – test, in order to determine if there were differences in relation to gender and selfevaluation of physical and social functioning. Results of the research have shown that although means have proven that there are differences in acquired results between respondents of male and female gender, results of t-test have shown that those differences are not statistically significant. Presence of any kind of damage, and visual impairment as well can influence person’s psychological and physical integrity.

Basic health, women's health, and mental health among internally displaced persons in Nyala Province, South Darfur, Sudan.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Glen; Torbay, Rabih; Lawry, Lynn

2007-02-01

We assessed basic health, women's health, and mental health among Sudanese internally displaced persons in South Darfur. In January 2005, we surveyed 6 registered internally displaced persons camps in Nyala District. Using systematic random sampling, we surveyed 1293 households, interviewing 1 adult female per household (N=1274); respondents' households totaled 8643 members. We inquired about respondents' mental health, opinions on women's rights, and the health status of household members. A majority of respondents had access to rations, shelter, and water. Sixty-eight percent (861 of 1266) used no birth control, and 53% (614 of 1147) reported at least 1 unattended birth. Thirty percent (374 of 1238) shared spousal decisions on timing and spacing of children, and 49% (503 of 1027) reported the right to refuse sex. Eighty-four percent (1043 of 1240) were circumcised. The prevalence of major depression was 31% (390 of 1253). Women also expressed limited rights regarding marriage, movement, and access to health care. Eighty-eight percent (991 of 1121) supported equal educational opportunities for women. Humanitarian aid has relieved a significant burden of this displaced population's basic needs. However, mental and women's health needs remain largely unmet. The findings indicate a limitation of sexual and reproductive rights that may negatively affect health.

Promotion of Well-Being in Person-Centered Mental Health Care

OpenAIRE

Cloninger, C. Robert; Zohar, Ada H.; Cloninger, Kevin M.

2010-01-01

An understanding of the mechanisms of personality development provides a systematic way to promote health as an integrated state of physical, mental, social, and spiritual well-being. Individual differences in personality are causal antecedents of the full range of psychopathology. The maturation with integration of personality appears to be an important mechanism by which diverse modalities of treatment promote wellness and reduce illness. First, the authors review the relationship between p...

Relationships Between Activities, Participation, Personal Factors, Mental Health, and Life Satisfaction in Persons With Spinal Cord Injury

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Leeuwen, Christel M.; Post, Marcel W.; Westers, Paul; van der Woude, Lucas H.; de Groot, Sonja; Sluis, Tebbe; Slootman, Hans; Lindeman, Eline

van Leeuwen CM, Post MW, Westers P, van der Woude LH, de Groot S. Sluis T, Slootman H, Lindeman E. Relationships between activities, participation, personal factors, mental health, and life satisfaction in persons with spinal cord injury. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2012;93:82-9. Objective: To clarify

Using Personal Sensors to Assess the Exposome and Acute Health Effects

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Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The exposome encompasses the totality of human environmental exposures. Recent developments in sensor technology have made it possible to better measure personal exposure to environmental pollutants and other factors. We aimed to discuss and demonstrate the recent developments in personal sensors to measure multiple exposures and possible acute health responses, and discuss the main challenges ahead. Methods: We searched for a range of sensors to measure air pollution, noise, temperature, UV, physical activity, location, blood pressure, heart rate and lung function and to obtain information on green space and emotional status/mood and put it on a person. Results and Conclusions: We discussed the recent developments and main challenges for personal sensors to measure multiple exposures. We found and put together a personal sensor set that measures a comprehensive set of personal exposures continuously over 24 h to assess part of the current exposome and acute health responses. We obtained data for a whole range of exposures and some acute health responses, but many challenges remain to apply the methodology for extended time periods and larger populations including improving the ease of wear, e.g., through miniaturization and extending battery life, and the reduction of costs. However, the technology is moving fast and opportunities will come closer for further wide spread use to assess, at least part of the exposome.

[Health status of elderly persons in Korea].

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Y H; Kim, M S; Byon, Y S; Won, J S

1990-12-01

This Study was done to design and test an instrument to measure the health status of the elderly including physical, psychological and social dimensions. Data collection was done from July 18 to August 17, 1990. Subjects were 412 older persons in Korea. A convenience sample was used but the place of residence was stratified into large, medium and small city and rural areas. Participants located in Sudaemun-Gu, Mapo-Gu, and Kangnam-Gu, Seoul were interviewed by brained nursing students, and those in Chungju, Jonju, Chuncheon, and Jinju by professors of nursing colleges. Rural residents were interviewed by community health practitioners working in Kungsang-Buk-Do, Kyngsang-Nam-Do, Jonla Buk-Do, and Kyung Ki-Do. The tool developed for this study was a structured questionnaire based on previous literature and then tested for reliability and validity. This tool contained 20 physical health status items, 17 mental-emotional health status items and 38 social health status items. Physical health status items clustered in to six factors such as personal hygiene, activity, home management, digestive, sexual, sensory, and climatization functions. Mental-emotional health status items clustered into two factors, mental health and emotional health. Social health status items clustered into seven factors, grandparent, parent, spouse, friend, kinships, group member and religious role functions. Data analysis included percentage, average, S.D., t-test and ANOVA. The results of the analysis were as follows: 1. The tool measuring the health status of the elderly and developed for this research had a relatively high reliability indicated by a Cronbach = 0.97793. 2. Average score of the subjects physical health status was 4,054 in a 5 point likert scale, mental-emotional health status was 3.803, social health status was 2.939 and the total average was 3.521. The social status of the subjects was the lowest and the next was mental-emotional health status; physical health status was the

The economic burden of personality disorders in mental health care

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Soeteman, D.I.; Hakkaart-van Roijen, L.; Verheul, R.; Busschbach, J.J.V.

2008-01-01

Objective: Some evidence suggests that personality disorders are associated with a high economic burden due to, for example, a high demand on psychiatric, health, and social care services. However, state-of-the-art cost studies for the broad range of personality disorder diagnoses are lacking. The

Personal factors associated with health-related quality of life in persons with morbid obesity on treatment waiting lists in Norway.

Science.gov (United States)

Lerdal, Anners; Andenæs, Randi; Bjørnsborg, Eva; Bonsaksen, Tore; Borge, Lisbet; Christiansen, Bjørg; Eide, Hilde; Hvinden, Kari; Fagermoen, May Solveig

2011-10-01

To explore relationships of socio-demographic variables, health behaviours, environmental characteristics and personal factors, with physical and mental health variables in persons with morbid obesity, and to compare their health-related quality of life (HRQoL) scores with scores from the general population. A cross-sectional correlation study design was used. Data were collected by self-reported questionnaire from adult patients within the first 2 days of commencement of a mandatory educational course. Of 185 course attendees, 142 (76.8%) volunteered to participate in the study. Valid responses on all items were recorded for 128 participants. HRQoL was measured with the Short Form 12v2 from which physical (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores were computed. Other standardized instruments measured regular physical activity, social support, self-esteem, sense of coherence, self-efficacy and coping style. Respondents scored lower on all the HRQoL sub-domains compared with norms. Linear regression analyses showed that personal factors that included self-esteem, self-efficacy, sense of coherence and coping style explained 3.6% of the variance in PCS scores and 41.6% in MCS scores. Personal factors such as self-esteem, sense of coherence and a high approaching coping style are strongly related to mental health in obese persons.

Influence of worldview on health care choices among persons with chronic pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Buck, Tina; Baldwin, Carol M; Schwartz, Gary E

2005-06-01

The aim of this research was to examine relationships between the Pepperian worldviews of people with chronic pain and the health care choices that they make. A convenience sample survey was done. University Medical Center Pain Clinic, Tucson, Arizona. Men and women patients (n = 96) with nonmalignant chronic pain. World Hypothesis Scale; Health Care Choice List. Findings indicate that the combination of age and formistic worldview are statistically significant predictors of conventional health care choices by participants in this study. Older patients and persons with a predominantly formistic worldview were less likely to use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as a choice among this sample with chronic nonmalignant pain. Borderline significant associations were noted between persons with formistic or mechanistic worldviews and conventional health care choices, and persons with contextualistic, organismic, or equal scores in two worldview categories and CAM health care choices. Although rates of CAM use did not significantly differ from conventional choices, the prevalence rate for CAM use was high (55.2%) based on national findings. Results of this study provide a link to understanding how underlying philosophies can contribute to the reasons people with chronic pain make health care decisions. Further exploration of worldviews might very well contribute to best practices for consumer health care by engaging in communication styles and belief systems consistent with consumers' personal schemas.

A PRIVACY MANAGEMENT ARCHITECTURE FOR PATIENT-CONTROLLED PERSONAL HEALTH RECORD SYSTEM

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MD. NURUL HUDA

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Patient-controlled personal health record systems can help make health care safer, cheaper, and more convenient by facilitating patients to 1 grant any care provider access to their complete personal health records anytime from anywhere, 2 avoid repeated tests and 3 control their privacy transparently. In this paper, we present the architecture of our Privacy-aware Patient-controlled Personal Health Record (P3HR system through which a patient can view her integrated health history, and share her health information transparently with others (e.g., healthcare providers. Access to the health information of a particular patient is completely controlled by that patient. We also carry out intuitive security and privacy analysis of the P3HR system architecture considering different types of security attacks. Finally, we describe a prototype implementation of the P3HR system that we developed reflecting the special view of Japanese society. The most important advantage of P3HR system over other existing systems is that most likely P3HR system provides complete privacy protection without losing data accuracy. Unlike traditional partially anonymous health records (e.g., using k-anonymity or l-diversity, the health records in P3HR are closer to complete anonymity, and yet preserve data accuracy. Our approach makes it very unlikely that patients could be identified by an attacker from their anonymous health records in the P3HR system.

21 CFR 1250.35 - Health of persons handling food.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Health of persons handling food. 1250.35 Section 1250.35 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) REGULATIONS UNDER CERTAIN OTHER ACTS ADMINISTERED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION INTERSTATE CONVEYANCE...

Personalized Strategies to Activate and Empower Patients in Health Care and Reduce Health Disparities

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jie; Mullins, C. Daniel; Novak, Priscilla; Thomas, Stephen B.

2016-01-01

Designing culturally sensitive personalized interventions is essential to sustain patients' involvement in their treatment and encourage patients to take an active role in their own health and health care. We consider patient activation and empowerment as a cyclical process defined through patient accumulation of knowledge, confidence, and…

Utilization of emergency medical transports and hospital admissions among persons with behavioral health conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Cuddeback, Gary; Patterson, P Daniel; Moore, Charity Galena; Brice, Jane H

2010-04-01

Emergency medical services transport and emergency department misuse among persons with behavioral health conditions is a concern. Administrative data were used to examine medical transports and hospital admissions among persons with behavioral health conditions. Data on 70,126 medical transports to emergency departments in three southeastern counties were analyzed. Compared with general medical transports, fewer behavioral health transports resulted in a hospital admission. Among behavioral health transports, persons with schizophrenia were 2.62 times more likely than those with substance use disorders to be admitted, and persons with mood disorders were 4.36 times more likely than those with substance use disorders to be admitted. Also, among behavioral health transports, rural transports were less likely than more urban transports to result in a hospital admission. More training of emergency medical services personnel and more behavioral health crisis resources, especially targeting rural areas and substance use disorders, are needed.

Health care professionals’ perception of security of personal health devices

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Ondiege B

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Brian Ondiege, Malcolm Clarke Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences, Brunel University London, UK Abstract: With the rapid advances in the capabilities of telehealth devices and their increasing connection to the Internet, security is becoming an issue of major concern. Therefore, the perceptions of the health care professionals regarding security are of interest, as the patients trust them to make informed decisions on issues concerning their privacy, data, and health. Eight health care professionals were interviewed to determine their perceptions and knowledge of security in health care. The research further examines one specific aspect of security which is considered of significant concern: the authenticity of a device being from the actual manufacturer and not a counterfeit. This research proposes device registration together with digital signatures and one-time passwords to address the issue of counterfeit remote patient-monitoring devices and identify and authenticate the user of the device. Keywords: telehealth security, health care professionals’ perception, personal health device, authentication

Nonlinearities in personalization-privacy paradox in mHealth adoption: the mediating role of perceived usefulness and attitude.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaofei; Guo, Xitong; Guo, Feng; Lai, Kee-Hung

2014-01-01

Personalization in healthcare refers to individualizing services and products based on patients' health conditions and interests. In order to deliver highly personalized offerings, mHealth providers need to use patients' health information, which provokes patients' concerns over personal health information leakage. So the personalization-privacy paradox is an important issue in the mHealth context. To gain a better understanding of this paradox, we take the personalization and privacy paradox factors as independent variables, incorporating the nonlinear relationships between personalization and privacy, and take attitude and perceived usefulness as middle variables to study mHealth adoption. The hypothesized model is tested through an empirical research of a 489-respondent sample in China. PLS is used for data analysis. (1) Personalization and privacy are found to influence mHealth adoption intention via attitude and perceived usefulness; (2) there is a substitution relationship, also called negative synergy between personalization and privacy in mHealth contexts; (3) attitude mediates the effect of perceived usefulness on intention, indicating a significant role of attitude.

The Meaning and Predictive Value of Self-rated Mental Health among Persons with a Mental Health Problem.

Science.gov (United States)

McAlpine, Donna D; McCreedy, Ellen; Alang, Sirry

2018-06-01

Self-rated health is a valid measure of health that predicts quality of life, morbidity, and mortality. Its predictive value reflects a conceptualization of health that goes beyond a traditional medical model. However, less is known about self-rated mental health (SRMH). Using data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey ( N = 2,547), we examine how rating your mental health as good-despite meeting criteria for a mental health problem-predicts outcomes. We found that 62% of people with a mental health problem rated their mental health positively. Persons who rated their mental health as good (compared to poor) had 30% lower odds of having a mental health problem at follow-up. Even without treatment, persons with a mental health problem did better if they perceived their mental health positively. SRMH might comprise information beyond the experience of symptoms. Understanding the unobserved information individuals incorporate into SRMH will help us improve screening and treatment interventions.

Exercise, diet, health behaviors, and risk factors among persons with epilepsy based on the California Health Interview Survey, 2005.

Science.gov (United States)

Elliott, John O; Lu, Bo; Moore, J Layne; McAuley, James W; Long, Lucretia

2008-08-01

Based on the 2005 California Health Interview Survey, persons with a history of epilepsy report lower educational attainment, lower annual income, and poorer health status, similar to other state-based epidemiological surveys. Previous studies have found persons with epilepsy exercise less and smoke more than the nonepilepsy population. The medical literature has also shown that antiepileptic drugs may cause nutritional deficiencies. Persons with a history of epilepsy in the 2005 CHIS report they walk more for transportation, drink more soda, and eat less salad than the nonepilepsy population. Exercise and dietary behaviors at recommended levels have been found to reduce mortality from many comorbid conditions such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, depression, anxiety, and osteoporosis for which persons with epilepsy are at increased risk. Health professionals in the epilepsy field should step up their efforts to engage patients in health promotion, especially in the areas of exercise, diet, and smoking cessation.

Personality Traits and their Impacts on the Mental Health of Battered Women

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leila amini

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Background & aim: Domestic violence is an individual and social damage, which is affected by personality traits and can cause a crisis for the mental health of individuals; thus, the present study aimed to investigating personality traits and its impact on mental health of battered women in Tehran, 2013. Methods:In this cross-sectional study, 196 married women who referred to Tehran Legal Medicine Center in 2013 were selected based on simple sampling method, and then were studied based on General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28 and the NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI. In this cross-sectional study, the data were analyzed with the Pearson Correlation Test using the SPSS-16. Results: The present study revealed that statistically mental health has a significant and positive correlation with neuroticism personality trait (r=0.318, P

Championing person-first language: a call to psychiatric mental health nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Mary E; Pease, Elizabeth A; Lambert, Kris; Hickman, Diane R; Robinson, Ora; McCoy, Kathleen T; Barut, Jennifer K; Musker, Kathleen M; Olive, Dana; Noll, Connie; Ramirez, Jeffery; Cogliser, Dawn; King, Joan Kenerson

2013-01-01

At the heart of recovery-oriented psychiatric mental health care are the dignity and respect of each person and the ways in which helping professionals convey a person's uniqueness, strengths, abilities, and needs. "Person-first language" is a form of linguistic expression relying on words that reflect awareness, a sense of dignity, and positive attitudes about people with disabilities. As such, person-first language places emphasis on the person first rather than the disability (e.g., "person with schizophrenia" rather than "a schizophrenic"). This article champions the use of person-first language as a foundation for recovery-oriented practice and enhanced collaborative treatment environments that foster respect, human dignity, and hope.

The health care for diabetic persons in Italy: the QUADRI survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Maggini

2008-09-01

Full Text Available To obtain regional and national data on the quality of diabetes care within the Italian National Health Service, a national survey among persons with diabetes was conducted in 2004. A sample of 3,426 diabetic patients (age 18-64 years were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire. The population was middle-aged (median age 57 years, had a low educational level, and was followed primarily in public diabetes centres. A total of 54% reported having hypertension but 14% were not on treatment; for hypercholesterolemia, the corresponding figures were 44% and 26%. Of the 72% who were overweight or obese, 51% were trying to lose weight; 26% currently smoked. Only 66% of patients had undergone haemoglobin A1c testing in the past four months (among the 67% who had ever heard of test; 30% suffered from microvascular or macrovascular complications. Only 5% received all eight main tests recommended by the guidelines within the specified intervals. Our study demonstrates that diabetic patients receive less than optimal care, they are engaged in unhealthy behaviours and received inadequate treatment for comorbidities, and that the translation of guidelines into clinical practice was unsatisfactory. These data have been used to formulate national and regional policy regarding integrated case management to improve the quality of diabetes care.

Understanding views on everyday use of personal health information: Insights from community dwelling older adults.

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Hartzler, A L; Osterhage, K; Demiris, G; Phelan, E A; Thielke, S M; Turner, A M

2018-09-01

Older adults apply various strategies to pursue healthy aging, but we know little about their views and use of personal health information to accomplish those ends. As a first step in formulating the role of personal health information management (PHIM) in healthy aging, we explored the perspectives of older adults on health and health information used in their everyday lives through four focus groups with 25 community-dwelling adults aged 60 and over. We found that the concept of wellness-the holistic and multidimensional nature of health and wellbeing-plays prominently in how older adults think about health and health information. Participants expressed wellness from a position of personal strength, rather than health-related deficits, by focusing on wellness activities for staying healthy through: (1) personal health practices, (2) social network support, and (3) residential community engagement. Although these themes involve personal health information, existing PHIM systems that focus on disease management are generally not designed to support wellness activities. Substantial opportunity exists to fill this wellness support gap with innovative health information technology designed for older adults. Findings carry implications for the design of PHIM tools that support healthy aging and methods for engaging older adults as co-producers of this critical support.

School Ethos and Personal, Social, Health Education

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Brown, Jackie; Busfield, Robert; O'Shea, Alison; Sibthorpe, Joanne

2011-01-01

This paper will discuss research undertaken within a London borough in 2009 that aimed to examine how Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE) was perceived and delivered. The ethos of schools was incorporated into the enquiry as a key determinate of both perception and delivery of PSHE. The findings are presented with particular…

Information security risk measures for cloud-based personal health records

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Mxoli, A

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Personal Health Records (PHRs) provide a convenient way for individuals to better manage their health. With the advancement in technology, they can be stored via Cloud Computing. These are pay-per-use applications offered as a service over...

Personal Health Records: A Systematic Literature Review.

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Roehrs, Alex; da Costa, Cristiano André; Righi, Rodrigo da Rosa; de Oliveira, Kleinner Silva Farias

2017-01-06

Information and communication technology (ICT) has transformed the health care field worldwide. One of the main drivers of this change is the electronic health record (EHR). However, there are still open issues and challenges because the EHR usually reflects the partial view of a health care provider without the ability for patients to control or interact with their data. Furthermore, with the growth of mobile and ubiquitous computing, the number of records regarding personal health is increasing exponentially. This movement has been characterized as the Internet of Things (IoT), including the widespread development of wearable computing technology and assorted types of health-related sensors. This leads to the need for an integrated method of storing health-related data, defined as the personal health record (PHR), which could be used by health care providers and patients. This approach could combine EHRs with data gathered from sensors or other wearable computing devices. This unified view of patients' health could be shared with providers, who may not only use previous health-related records but also expand them with data resulting from their interactions. Another PHR advantage is that patients can interact with their health data, making decisions that may positively affect their health. This work aimed to explore the recent literature related to PHRs by defining the taxonomy and identifying challenges and open questions. In addition, this study specifically sought to identify data types, standards, profiles, goals, methods, functions, and architecture with regard to PHRs. The method to achieve these objectives consists of using the systematic literature review approach, which is guided by research questions using the population, intervention, comparison, outcome, and context (PICOC) criteria. As a result, we reviewed more than 5000 scientific studies published in the last 10 years, selected the most significant approaches, and thoroughly surveyed the health

Subjective health among LGBT persons living with disabilities: A qualitative content analysis.

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Dispenza, Franco; Harper, Lauren S; Harrigan, Megan A

2016-08-01

There exist significant health disparities among both lesbian, gay, bisexual, transexual (LGBT) and disability persons; however, there is a dearth of information regarding the subjective health experiences of LGBT persons living with disabilities (LGBTPWD). As such, the purpose of this study was to understand how LGBTPWD subjectively defined and characterized the meaning of health in their lives. Using qualitative content analyses procedures outlined by Elo and Kyngäs (2008), we conducted a secondary data analysis using a larger questionnaire study that was administered via the Internet. Participants were originally asked to answer the following prompt, "Describe what it personally means to you to be healthy?" Open-ended responses from 79 participants were thematically analyzed over several inductive and comparative coding iterations by a 3-person research team. Trustworthiness of data analysis was ensured via researcher triangulation, negative case analyses, and researcher reflexivity. Four dimensions of subjective health emerged during the qualitative analytic process: physical wellness, emotional vitality, functionality, and social engagement. There are contextually nuanced characteristics that constitute subjective health for LGBTPWD. These findings could help rehabilitation professionals provide culturally competent interventions. Implications for future research and limitations are provided in the discussion section. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

European consumers' perceived seriousness of their eating habits relative to other personal health risks.

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Hoefkens, Christine; Valli, Veronica; Mazzocchi, Mario; Traill, W Bruce; Verbeke, Wim

2013-11-01

Poor eating habits are a key priority on the European public health agenda due to their large health and economic implications. Healthy eating interventions may be more effective if consumers perceive their eating habits as a more serious personal health risk. This study investigates European consumers' perceived seriousness of their eating habits, its determinants and relative importance among other potential personal health risks including weight, stress and pollution. A quantitative survey was conducted during Spring 2011 among samples representative for age, gender and region in five European countries (n=3003). Participants were neutral towards the seriousness of their eating habits for personal health. Eating habits were ranked third after stress and weight. Gender, age, country, health motive, body mass index, and subjective health status were important determinants of the perceived seriousness of their eating habits, whereas perceived financial condition, smoking and education were insignificant. Eating habits were perceived more seriously by women, Italians, obese, and younger individuals with stronger health motives and fair subjective health status. Nevertheless, other health risks were often considered more important than eating habits. More or specific efforts are required to increase Europeans' awareness of the seriousness of their eating habits for personal health. © 2013.

Associations between the Five-Factor Model of Personality and Health Behaviors among College Students

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Raynor, Douglas A.; Levine, Heidi

2009-01-01

Objective: In fall 2006, the authors examined associations between the five-factor model of personality and several key health behaviors. Methods: College students (N = 583) completed the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment and the International Personality Item Pool Big Five short-form questionnaire. Results:…

Interaction of personality traits with social deprivation in determining mental wellbeing and health behaviours.

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Packard, Chris J; Cavanagh, Jonathan; McLean, Jennifer S; McConnachie, Alex; Messow, Claudia-Martina; Batty, G David; Burns, Harry; Deans, Kevin A; Sattar, Naveed; Shiels, Paul G; Velupillai, Yoga N; Tannahill, Carol; Millar, Keith

2012-12-01

Associations between personality traits, mental wellbeing and good health behaviours were examined to understand further the social and psychological context of the health divide. In a cross-sectional study, 666 subjects recruited from areas of high and low socioeconomic deprivation had personality traits and mental wellbeing assessed, and lifestyle behaviours quantified. Regression models (using deprivation as a moderating variable) assessed the extent to which personality traits and mental wellbeing predicted health behaviour. Deprived (vs. affluent) subjects exhibited similar levels of extraversion but higher levels of neuroticism and psychoticism, more hopelessness, less sense of coherence, lower self-esteem and lower self-efficacy (all Pmental wellbeing than in the least deprived group (Pmental wellbeing and extraversion appeared more strongly related to good health behaviours. Persistence of a social divide in health may be related to interactions between personality, mental wellbeing and the adoption of good health behaviours in deprived areas. Effectiveness of health messages may be enhanced by accommodating the variation in the levels of extraversion, neuroticism, hopelessness and sense of coherence.

Health information: reconciling personal privacy with the public good of human health.

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Gostin, L O

2001-01-01

The success of the health care system depends on the accuracy, correctness and trustworthiness of the information, and the privacy rights of individuals to control the disclosure of personal information. A national policy on health informational privacy should be guided by ethical principles that respect individual autonomy while recognizing the important collective interests in the use of health information. At present there are no adequate laws or constitutional principles to help guide a rational privacy policy. The laws are scattered and fragmented across the states. Constitutional law is highly general, without important specific safeguards. Finally, a case study is provided showing the important trade-offs that exist between public health and privacy. For a model public health law, see www.critpath.org/msphpa/privacy.

Trajectories of physical and mental health among persons with morbid obesity and persons with COPD: a longitudinal comparative study

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Bonsaksen T

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Tore Bonsaksen,1 May Solveig Fagermoen,2 Anners Lerdal2,3 1Department of Occupational Therapy, Prosthetics and Orthotics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, 2Department of Nursing Science, Institute of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 3Department for Patient Safety and Development, Lovisenberg Diakonale Hospital, Oslo, NorwayBackground: Morbid obesity and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD are prevalent diseases associated with impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL. Research generally indicates that persons with morbid obesity increase their HRQoL following intervention, whereas evidence of increases in HRQoL in persons with COPD is mixed. Examining the patterns of change over time instead of merely examining whether HRQoL changes will add to the knowledge in this field.Methods: A sample of persons with morbid obesity and persons with COPD was recruited from learning and mastery courses and rehabilitation centers in Norway. The data were collected by self-report questionnaires at the start of patient education and at four subsequent time points during the 1-year follow-up. HRQoL was measured with the Short Form 12, version 2, and repeated measures analysis of variance was employed in the statistical analysis.Results: Participants with morbid obesity linearly increased their physical HRQoL during the 1-year follow-up, whereas participants with COPD showed no change. None of the groups changed their mental HRQoL during follow-up. In all subdomains of HRQoL, the participants with morbid obesity showed favorable, linearly increasing trajectories across the follow-up period. Among the participants with COPD, no change patterns occurred in the subdomains of HRQoL, except for a fluctuating pattern in the mental health domain. Age, sex, and work status did not influence the trajectories of HRQoL in any of the domains.Conclusion: A more favorable trajectory

Personal Health Records: Design considerations for the South African context

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Mxoli, A

2014-09-01

Full Text Available A Personal Health Record (PHR) is a set of internet-based tools that allow individuals to create, store and coordinate their lifelong health information in one place making it available to relevant parties. It typically contains the individual’s...

A new indicator of the oral hygiene habits of disabled persons: relevance of the carer's personal appearance and interest in oral health.

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Limeres, J; Martínez, F; Feijoo, J F; Ramos, I; Liñares, A; Diz, P

2014-05-01

To investigate whether there is a relationship between the oral hygiene habits of individuals with severe disability the carer's personal appearance and interest in oral health. The study group was formed of 60 disabled persons and their respective carers who came for the first time to consultation in the Special-Needs Dentistry Unit of the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. All the carers answered a standardised questionnaire of 28 questions divided into four sections: disabled individual's demographic data, disabled individual's general medical details, social aspects of the carer (personal appearance of the carer and interest in oral health), and disabled individual's oral hygiene habits. The personal appearance of the carers and their interest in the disabled individual's oral health were evaluated using independent scales designed specifically for the study, with five binary items in each scale. The carer's personal appearance and interest in the disabled individual's oral health showed a statistically significant relationship with the individual's oral hygiene habits, particularly with respect to the frequency and duration of toothbrushing, need for physical restraint during toothbrushing, use of a manual toothbrush and use of toothpaste. The carer's personal appearance and interest in the disabled individual's oral health are good indicators of the oral hygiene habits of an individual with severe disability. Consideration should be given to the inclusion of these aspects as a complementary element of the dental record. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Personality and Persuasive Technology: An Exploratory Study on Health-Promoting Mobile Applications

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Halko, Sajanee; Kientz, Julie A.

Though a variety of persuasive health applications have been designed with a preventive standpoint toward diseases in mind, many have been designed largely for a general audience. Designers of these technologies may achieve more success if applications consider an individual's personality type. Our goal for this research was to explore the relationship between personality and persuasive technologies in the context of health-promoting mobile applications. We conducted an online survey with 240 participants using storyboards depicting eight different persuasive strategies, the Big Five Inventory for personality domains, and questions on perceptions of the persuasive technologies. Our results and analysis revealed a number of significant relationships between personality and the persuasive technologies we evaluated. The findings from this study can guide the development of persuasive technologies that can cater to individual personalities to improve the likelihood of their success.

Five-factor model personality traits, spirituality/religiousness, and mental health among people living with HIV.

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Löckenhoff, Corinna E; Ironson, Gail H; O'Cleirigh, Conall; Costa, Paul T

2009-10-01

We examined the association between five-factor personality domains and facets and spirituality/religiousness as well as their joint association with mental health in a diverse sample of people living with HIV (n=112, age range 18-66). Spirituality/religiousness showed stronger associations with Conscientiousness, Openness, and Agreeableness than with Neuroticism and Extraversion. Both personality traits and spirituality/religiousness were significantly linked to mental health, even after controlling for individual differences in demographic measures and disease status. Personality traits explained unique variance in mental health above spirituality and religiousness. Further, aspects of spirituality and religiousness were found to mediate some of the links between personality and mental health in this patient sample. These findings suggest that underlying personality traits contribute to the beneficial effects of spirituality/religiousness among vulnerable populations.

The Social Cognitive Theory of Personality in the Context of Personal Marketing

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Zvjezdana Penava Brekalo

2010-07-01

Full Text Available The starting point of personal marketing is an individual, i.e. a person. Personal marketing, in the sense of the narrowest level of marketing, has a markedly interdisciplinary character, because it relies on the knowledge of psychology - the science of psychological characteristics of a person. Psychological factors of personal marketing, like personality, behaviour, emotions, temperament, character and intelligence are numerous, but in this paper some of the psychological categories relevant for the implementation of personal marketing are singled out and described. These are primarily the self, personal image, needs, desires, motives, motivation, attitudes and behaviour seen from the viewpoint of social cognitive theory of personality in the context of personal marketing.

Is change bad? Personality change is associated with poorer psychological health and greater metabolic syndrome in midlife

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Human, Lauren J.; Biesanz, Jeremy C.; Miller, Gregory E.; Chen, Edith; Lachman, Margie E.; Seeman, Teresa E.

2013-01-01

Objective Personality change is emerging as an important predictor of health and well-being. Extending previous research, we examined whether two types of personality change, directional and absolute, are associated with both subjective and objective indicators of health. Method Utilizing the longitudinal Midlife in the United States Survey (MIDUS) data, we examined whether both types of change over 10 years were associated with psychological well-being, self-reported global health, and the presence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) components and diagnosis. Results Socially undesirable personality change (e.g., becoming less conscientious and more neurotic) and absolute personality change were independently associated with worse perceived health and well-being at Time 2. Notably, absolute personality change, regardless of the direction, was also associated with having a greater number of MetS components and a greater probability of diagnosis at Time 2. Conclusions In sum, too much personality change may be bad for one’s health: socially undesirable and absolute personality change were both associated with worse psychological health and worse metabolic profiles over 10 years. These findings suggest that personality change may contribute to psychological and physical health, and provide initial insight into potential intermediate links between personality change and distal outcomes such as mortality. PMID:22924900

Is change bad? Personality change is associated with poorer psychological health and greater metabolic syndrome in midlife.

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Human, Lauren J; Biesanz, Jeremy C; Miller, Gregory E; Chen, Edith; Lachman, Margie E; Seeman, Teresa E

2013-06-01

Personality change is emerging as an important predictor of health and well-being. Extending previous research, we examined whether two types of personality change, directional and absolute, are associated with both subjective and objective indicators of health. Utilizing the longitudinal Midlife in the United States survey (MIDUS) data, we examined whether both types of change over 10 years were associated with psychological well-being, self-reported global health, and the presence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) components and diagnosis. Socially undesirable personality change (e.g., becoming less conscientious and more neurotic) and absolute personality change were independently associated with worse perceived health and well-being at Time 2. Notably, absolute personality change, regardless of the direction, was also associated with having a greater number of MetS components and a greater probability of diagnosis at Time 2. In sum, too much personality change may be bad for one's health: Socially undesirable and absolute personality change were both associated with worse psychological health and worse metabolic profiles over 10 years. These findings suggest that personality change may contribute to psychological and physical health, and provide initial insight into potential intermediate links between personality change and distal outcomes such as mortality. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Differences in mental health among young adults with borderline personality symptoms of various severities

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Wei-Hsin Lu

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Purpose: This study examined the differences in mental health and behavioral problems among young adults with borderline personality symptoms of various severities. Methods: 500 college students participated in this study. Borderline personality symptoms were evaluated using the Taiwanese version of the Borderline Symptom List (BSL-23. Mental health problems were assessed using the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised Scale. Suicidality and other behavioral problems were assessed using questions from the epidemiological version of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia and BSL-23 Supplement. According to the distribution of BSL-23 scores at the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles, the participants were divided into 4 groups: No/Mild, Moderate, Severe, and Profound. Analysis of variance and the chi-square test were used to compare mental health and behavioral problems among the 4 groups. Results: All mental health problems differed significantly among the 4 groups. The severity of nearly all mental health problems increased with that of borderline personality symptoms. The proportions of most behavioral problems differed significantly among the 4 groups. The Profound group was more likely to have behavioral problems than the other 3 groups. Conclusion: Young adults who had more severe borderline personality symptoms had more severe mental health and behavioral problems. Keywords: Borderline personality, Mental health, Suicidality

Double-Loop Health Technology: Enabling Socio-technical Design of Personal Health Technology in Clinical Practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bardram, Jakob Eyvind; Frost, Mads

2018-01-01

present a case of designing personal health technology for mental health, which is integrated into hospital-based treatment. This system helps patients to manage their disease by tracking and correlation behavior and disease progression and provide feedback to them, while also deployed as part......Personal health technology is rapidly emerging as a response to the challenges associated with significant increase in chronic noncommunicable diseases. The overall design paradigm behind most of these applications is to manually and automatically sample data from sensors and smartphones and use...... this to provide patients with an awareness of their illness and give recommendation for treatment, care, and healthy living. Few of these systems are, however, designed to be part of a complex socio-technical care and treatment processes in existing healthcare systems and clinical pathways. In this chapter, we...

Is research on borderline personality disorder underfunded by the National Institute of Health?

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Zimmerman, Mark; Gazarian, Doug

2014-12-30

The relationship between bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder has generated intense interest. Similar to patients with bipolar disorder, patients with borderline personality disorder are frequently hospitalized, are chronically unemployed, abuse substances, attempt and commit suicide. However, one significant difference between the two disorders is that patients with borderline personality disorder are often viewed negatively by mental health professionals. In the present paper we examined whether this negative bias against borderline personality disorder might be reflected in the level of research funding on the disorder. We searched the National Institute of Health (NIH) Research Portfolio Online Portfolio Reporting Tool (RePORT) for the past 25 years and compared the number of grants funded and the total amount of funding for borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder. The yearly mean number of grants receiving funding was significantly higher for bipolar disorder than for borderline personality disorder. Results were the same when focusing on newly funded grants. For every year since 1990 more grants were funded for bipolar disorder than borderline personality disorder. Summed across all 25 years, the level of funding for bipolar disorder was more than 10 times greater than the level of funding for borderline personality disorder ($622 million vs. $55 million). These findings suggest that the level of NIH research funding for borderline personality disorder is not commensurate with the level of psychosocial morbidity, mortality, and health expenditures associated with the disorder.

Designing smart analytical data services for a personal health framework.

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Koumakis, Lefteris; Kondylakis, Haridimos; Chatzimina, Maria; Iatraki, Galatia; Argyropaidas, Panagiotis; Kazantzaki, Eleni; Tsiknakis, Manolis; Kiefer, Stephan; Marias, Kostas

2016-01-01

Information in the healthcare domain and in particular personal health record information is heterogeneous by nature. Clinical, lifestyle, environmental data and personal preferences are stored and managed within such platforms. As a result, significant information from such diverse data is difficult to be delivered, especially to non-IT users like patients, physicians or managers. Another issue related to the management and analysis is the volume, which increases more and more making the need for efficient data visualization and analysis methods mandatory. The objective of this work is to present the architectural design for seamless integration and intelligent analysis of distributed and heterogeneous clinical information in the PHR context, as a result of a requirements elicitation process in iManageCancer project. This systemic approach aims to assist health-care professionals to orient themselves in the disperse information space and enhance their decision-making capabilities, to encourage patients to have an active role by managing their health information and interacting with health-care professionals.

Willingness to share personal health record data for care improvement and public health: a survey of experienced personal health record users

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Weitzman Elissa R

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Data stored in personally controlled health records (PCHRs may hold value for clinicians and public health entities, if patients and their families will share them. We sought to characterize consumer willingness and unwillingness (reticence to share PCHR data across health topics, and with different stakeholders, to advance understanding of this issue. Methods Cross-sectional 2009 Web survey of repeat PCHR users who were patients over 18 years old or parents of patients, to assess willingness to share their PCHR data with an-out-of-hospital provider to support care, and the state/local public health authority to support monitoring; the odds of reticence to share PCHR information about ten exemplary health topics were estimated using a repeated measures approach. Results Of 261 respondents (56% response rate, more reported they would share all information with the state/local public health authority (63.3% than with an out-of-hospital provider (54.1% (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1, 1.9; p = .005; few would not share any information with these parties (respectively, 7.9% and 5.2%. For public health sharing, reticence was higher for most topics compared to contagious illness (ORs 4.9 to 1.4, all p-values  Conclusions Pediatric patients and their families are often willing to share electronic health information to support health improvement, but remain cautious. Robust trust models for PCHR sharing are needed.

Health services needs of older persons: emerging findings from Tarakan City, East Kalimantan

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Rina K. Kusumaratna

2011-12-01

Full Text Available As older persons are steadily increasing in number and there are no specialized comprehensive healthcare services for older persons in Indonesia, including East Kalimantan, the aim of the present study was to determine the extent of the problems facing healthcare staff and officials in Tarakan City, East Kalimantan, in providing comprehensive healthcare services attuned to the needs of older persons.This study was a qualitative interview-based survey with focus group discussions, involving heads and healthcare officials of seven puskesmas in Tarakan City, East Kalimantan district, with the addition of a number of district health planning officials. The results revealed a difference between daily hospital referral rate of older persons by puskesmas staff and actual daily hospital admission rate for the referrals. None of the consulted healthcare staff had any speciality education in geriatrics or older persons health. The older persons most frequently presented to the hospital with hypertension, diabetes, and myocardial insufficiency. On the other hand, at the health centers the presenting conditions were hypertension, gastroenteritis, rheumatism, sleep disorders, and upper respiratory tract infections. Improved access to healthcare for older persons should be achieved by improving knowledge and skills of human resources, including communication skills, and of supporting healthcare service infrastructure at puskesmas, specifically oriented towards the needs of and designed for use by older persons, such as ramps for wheelchairs, and handrails in corridors. Local governments should strengthen the appropriate service delivery to older persons, and provide support for the maintenance, sustainability and strengthening of community-based care for older persons.

Health service needs of older persons: emerging findings from Tarakan City, East Kalimantan

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Rina K. Kusumaratna

2016-02-01

Full Text Available As older persons are steadily increasing in number and there are no specialized comprehensive healthcare services for older persons in Indonesia, including East Kalimantan, the aim of the present study was to determine the extent of the problems facing healthcare staff and officials in Tarakan City, East Kalimantan, in providing comprehensive healthcare services attuned to the needs of older persons.This study was a qualitative interview-based survey with focus group discussions, involving heads and healthcare officials of seven puskesmas in Tarakan City, East Kalimantan district, with the addition of a number of district health planning officials. The results revealed a difference between daily hospital referral rate of older persons by puskesmas staff and actual daily hospital admission rate for the referrals. None of the consulted healthcare staff had any speciality education in geriatrics or older persons health. The older persons most frequently presented to the hospital with hypertension, diabetes, and myocardial insufficiency. On the other hand, at the health centers the presenting conditions were hypertension, gastroenteritis, rheumatism, sleep disorders, and upper respiratory tract infections. Improved access to healthcare for older persons should be achieved by improving knowledge and skills of human resources, including communication skills, and of supporting healthcare service infrastructure at puskesmas, specifically oriented towards the needs of and designed for use by older persons, such as ramps for wheelchairs, and handrails in corridors. Local governments should strengthen the appropriate service delivery to older persons, and provide support for the maintenance, sustainability and strengthening of community-based care for older persons.

[Being personal: the development of community psychiatric mental health nursing].

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Shiau, Shu-Jen; Lee, Shu-Hong

2009-08-01

Community psychiatric mental health nursing care emphasizes humanistic values and focuses on serving patient and family needs. In Taiwan, such care is delivered largely as part of patient discharge care plans and hospital / community based service models. Issues involved underscore the importance of operating an effective and integrated transfer system, the role and function of nurses and training in relevant competencies (Shiau, Huang & Lin, 2005). This article again emphasizes the importance of 'being personal' in the development of community psychiatric mental health nursing in Taiwan. Critical issues to consider include humanization, empowerment, nursing competencies, regulations, relating on a personal level, and facilitating empowerment and enlightenment on the healing process.

Basic Health, Women’s Health, and Mental Health Among Internally Displaced Persons in Nyala Province, South Darfur, Sudan

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Kim, Glen; Torbay, Rabih; Lawry, Lynn

2007-01-01

Objectives. We assessed basic health, women’s health, and mental health among Sudanese internally displaced persons in South Darfur. Methods. In January 2005, we surveyed 6 registered internally displaced persons camps in Nyala District. Using systematic random sampling, we surveyed 1293 households, interviewing 1 adult female per household (N=1274); respondents’ households totaled 8643 members. We inquired about respondents’ mental health, opinions on women’s rights, and the health status of household members. Results. A majority of respondents had access to rations, shelter, and water. Sixty-eight percent (861 of 1266) used no birth control, and 53% (614 of 1147) reported at least 1 unattended birth. Thirty percent (374 of 1238) shared spousal decisions on timing and spacing of children, and 49% (503 of 1027) reported the right to refuse sex. Eighty-four percent (1043 of 1240) were circumcised. The prevalence of major depression was 31% (390 of 1253). Women also expressed limited rights regarding marriage, movement, and access to health care. Eighty-eight percent (991 of 1121) supported equal educational opportunities for women. Conclusions. Humanitarian aid has relieved a significant burden of this displaced population’s basic needs. However, mental and women’s health needs remain largely unmet. The findings indicate a limitation of sexual and reproductive rights that may negatively affect health. PMID:17138925

Associations between causal attributions and personal stigmatizing attitudes in untreated persons with current mental health problems.

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Stolzenburg, Susanne; Freitag, Simone; Schmidt, Silke; Schomerus, Georg

2018-02-01

Past research has shown that among the general public, certain causal explanations like biomedical causes are associated with stronger desire for social distance from persons with mental illness. Aim of this study was to find out how different causal attributions of persons with untreated mental health problems regarding their own complaints are associated with stigmatizing attitudes, anticipated self-stigma when seeking help and perceived stigma-stress. Altogether, 207 untreated persons with a current depressive syndrome were interviewed. Biomedical causes, but also belief in childhood trauma or unhealthy behavior as a cause of the problem, were associated with stronger personal stigma and with more stigma-stress. Similarities and differences to findings among the general population and implications for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Role of Consumer-Controlled Personal Health Management Systems in the Evolution of Employer-Based Health Care Benefits.

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Jones, Spencer S; Caloyeras, John; Mattke, Soeren

2011-01-01

The passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has piqued employers' interest in new benefit designs because it includes numerous provisions that favor cost-reducing strategies, such as workplace wellness programs, value-based insurance design (VBID), and consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs). Consumer-controlled personal health management systems (HMSs) are a class of tools that provide encouragement, data, and decision support to individuals. Their functionalities fall into the following three categories: health information management, promotion of wellness and healthy lifestyles, and decision support. In this study, we review the evidence for many of the possible components of an HMS, including personal health records, web-based health risk assessments, integrated remote monitoring data, personalized health education and messaging, nutrition solutions and physical activity monitoring, diabetes-management solutions, medication reminders, vaccination and preventive-care applications, integrated incentive programs, social-networking tools, comparative data on price and value of providers, telehealth consultations, virtual coaching, and an integrated nurse hotline. The value of the HMS will be borne out as employers begin to adopt and implement these emerging technologies, enabling further assessment as their benefits and costs become better understood.

Gender Affirmation and Body Modification Among Transgender Persons in Bogotá, Colombia.

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Aguayo-Romero, Rodrigo A; Reisen, Carol A; Zea, Maria Cecilia; Bianchi, Fernanda T; Poppen, Paul J

This paper examined structural, social, and personal characteristics that shape the processes of gender affirmation and body modification among transgender persons (assigned male at birth) in Bogotá, Colombia. Qualitative data from life-history interviews (N=14) and a focus group (N=11) explored research questions concerning the ways in which the internal psychological and external contextual processes influence individuals' decisions and behaviors concerning hormonal treatment, injections, or surgery. Research questions concerning practices and consequences of treatment performed without medical supervision were addressed through qualitative data, as well as quantitative data from 58 transgender participants. Findings indicated variation in ways participants conceptualized gender (e.g., binary or fluid), but an increased feminine presentation was a strong personal desire expressed by many and often encouraged by romantic partners and transgender friends. Transgender individuals within participants' social networks were frequently instrumental not only in providing information about hormones and contouring injections, but also in carrying out procedures-sometimes with negative consequences. Body modification procedures occurred primarily outside the health care system, due to limited access to or awareness of medical care, societal stigma, social norms within the transgender community, and personal decision-making. Public health approaches to protect the health of transgender persons undergoing body modification were suggested.

[Taking personal responsibility in practice: what does it mean?--Insights into daily clinical routines].

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Leonhard

2012-01-01

In our society, taking personal responsibility is basically regarded as a key step to adopting a more active lifestyle. In health care, however, personal responsibility is primarily equated with higher levels of financial contribution from patients. Obviously, the individual's responsibility for his or her health and towards the mutually supportive community is a highly emotional and ideological issue, so the debate is usually rather heated. This is, however, at odds with the "empowered patient" concept. In the present paper "personal responsibility in practice" will be understood to include both physician and patient responsibility. Examples will be employed to demonstrate that, on an individual level, physicians are responsible for diagnosing and treating their patients as indicated and that, on a collective level, they are expected to make responsible use of the resources allocated. Here, patient responsibility will be defined as both taking care for one's own health and the individual's obligation to contribute to the maintenance of our solidarity-based health care system. The tensions between solidarity and subsidiarity and personal responsibility, respectively, will be outlined, and a readjustment of the relation between external support and individual strengths, between solidarity and personal responsibility in terms of Sect. 1 of the Social Book Code V will be advocated. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Importance of Personalized Health-Care Models: A Case Study in Activity Recognition.

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Zdravevski, Eftim; Lameski, Petre; Trajkovik, Vladimir; Pombo, Nuno; Garcia, Nuno

2018-01-01

Novel information and communication technologies create possibilities to change the future of health care. Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) is seen as a promising supplement of the current care models. The main goal of AAL solutions is to apply ambient intelligence technologies to enable elderly people to continue to live in their preferred environments. Applying trained models from health data is challenging because the personalized environments could differ significantly than the ones which provided training data. This paper investigates the effects on activity recognition accuracy using single accelerometer of personalized models compared to models built on general population. In addition, we propose a collaborative filtering based approach which provides balance between fully personalized models and generic models. The results show that the accuracy could be improved to 95% with fully personalized models, and up to 91.6% with collaborative filtering based models, which is significantly better than common models that exhibit accuracy of 85.1%. The collaborative filtering approach seems to provide highly personalized models with substantial accuracy, while overcoming the cold start problem that is common for fully personalized models.

The detrimental impact of maladaptive personality on public mental health: a challenge for psychiatric practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Pascal Hengartner

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Experts in personality psychology and personality disorders have long emphasised the pervasive and persistent detrimental impact of maladaptive personality traits on mental health and functioning. However, in routine psychiatric practice maladaptive personality is readily ignored and personality traits are seldom incorporated into clinical guidelines. The aim of this narrative review is to outline how pervasively personality influences public mental health and how personality thereby challenges common psychiatric practice. A comprehensive search and synthesis of the scientific literature demonstrates that maladaptive personality traits and personality disorders, in particular high neuroticism and negative affectivity, first, are risk factors for divorce, unemployment and disability pensioning; second, relate to the prevalence, incidence and co-occurrence of common mental disorders; third, impair functioning, symptom remission and recovery in co-occurring common mental disorders; and fourth, predispose to treatment resistance, non-response and poor treatment outcome. In conclusion, maladaptive personality is not only involved in the development and course of mental disorders, but also predisposes to chronicity and re-occurrence of psychopathology and reduces the efficacy of psychiatric treatments. The pernicious impact of maladaptive personality on mental health and functioning demands that careful assessment and thorough consideration of personality should be compulsory in psychiatric practice.

Effectiveness of personalized and interactive health risk calculators: a randomized trial.

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Harle, Christopher A; Downs, Julie S; Padman, Rema

2012-01-01

Risk calculators are popular websites that provide individualized disease risk assessments to the public. Little is known about their effect on risk perceptions and health behavior. This study sought to test whether risk calculator features-namely, personalized estimates of one's disease risk and feedback about the effects of risk-mitigating behaviors-improve risk perceptions and motivate healthy behavior. A web-based experimental study using simple randomization was conducted to compare the effects of 3 prediabetes risk communication websites. Setting The study was conducted in the context of ongoing health promotion activities sponsored by a university's human resources office. Patients Participants were adult university employees. Intervention The control website presented nonindividualized risk information. The personalized noninteractive website presented individualized risk calculations. The personalized interactive website presented individualized risk calculations and feedback about the effects of hypothetical risk-mitigating behaviors. Measurements Pre- and postintervention risk perceptions were measured in absolute and relative terms. Health behavior was measured by assessing participant interest in follow-up preventive health services. On average, risk perceptions decreased by 2%. There was no general effect of personalization or interactivity in aligning subjective risk perceptions with objective risk calculations or in increasing healthy behaviors. However, participants who previously overestimated their risk reduced their perceptions by 16%. This was a significantly larger change than the 2% increase by participants who underestimated their risk. Limitations Results may not generalize to different populations, different diseases, or longer-term outcomes. Compared to nonpersonalized information, individualized risk calculators had little positive effect on prediabetes risk perception accuracy or health behavior. Risk perception accuracy was improved in

Testing the Electronic Personal Health Record Acceptance Model by Nurses for Managing Their Own Health

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Trinkoff, A.M.; Storr, C.L.; Wilson, M.L.; Gurses, A.P.

2015-01-01

Summary Background To our knowledge, no evidence is available on health care professionals’ use of electronic personal health records (ePHRs) for their health management. We therefore focused on nurses’ personal use of ePHRs using a modified technology acceptance model. Objectives To examine (1) the psychometric properties of the ePHR acceptance model, (2) the associations of perceived usefulness, ease of use, data privacy and security protection, and perception of self as health-promoting role models to nurses’ own ePHR use, and (3) the moderating influences of age, chronic illness and medication use, and providers’ use of electronic health record (EHRs) on the associations between the ePHR acceptance constructs and ePHR use. Methods A convenience sample of registered nurses, those working in one of 12 hospitals in the Maryland and Washington, DC areas and members of the nursing informatics community (AMIA and HIMSS), were invited to respond to an anonymous online survey; 847 responded. Multiple logistic regression identified associations between the model constructs and ePHR use, and the moderating effect. Results Overall, ePHRs were used by 47%. Sufficient reliability for all scales was found. Three constructs were significantly related to nurses’ own ePHR use after adjusting for covariates: usefulness, data privacy and security protection, and health-promoting role model. Nurses with providers that used EHRs who perceived a higher level of data privacy and security protection had greater odds of ePHR use than those whose providers did not use EHRs. Older nurses with a higher self-perception as health-promoting role models had greater odds of ePHR use than younger nurses. Conclusions Nurses who use ePHRs for their personal health might promote adoption by the general public by serving as health-promoting role models. They can contribute to improvements in patient education and ePHR design, and serve as crucial resources when working with their

Ontological knowledge engine and health screening data enabled ubiquitous personalized physical fitness (UFIT).

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Su, Chuan-Jun; Chiang, Chang-Yu; Chih, Meng-Chun

2014-03-07

Good physical fitness generally makes the body less prone to common diseases. A personalized exercise plan that promotes a balanced approach to fitness helps promotes fitness, while inappropriate forms of exercise can have adverse consequences for health. This paper aims to develop an ontology-driven knowledge-based system for generating custom-designed exercise plans based on a user's profile and health status, incorporating international standard Health Level Seven International (HL7) data on physical fitness and health screening. The generated plan exposing Representational State Transfer (REST) style web services which can be accessed from any Internet-enabled device and deployed in cloud computing environments. To ensure the practicality of the generated exercise plans, encapsulated knowledge used as a basis for inference in the system is acquired from domain experts. The proposed Ubiquitous Exercise Plan Generation for Personalized Physical Fitness (UFIT) will not only improve health-related fitness through generating personalized exercise plans, but also aid users in avoiding inappropriate work outs.

Differences between individual and societal health state valuations: any link with personality?

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Chapman, Benjamin P; Franks, Peter; Duberstein, Paul R; Jerant, Anthony

2009-08-01

The concept of "adaptation" has been proposed to account for differences between individual and societal valuations of specific health states in patients with chronic diseases. Little is known about psychological indices of adaptational capacity, which may predict differences in individual and societal valuations of health states. We investigated whether such differences were partially explained by personality traits in chronic disease patients. Analysis of baseline data of randomized controlled trial. Three hundred seventy patients with chronic disease. The NEO-five factor inventory measure of personality, EuroQoL-5D (EQ-5D) societal-based, and the EQ visual analogue scale individually-based measures of health valuation. Regression analyses modeled Dev, a measure of difference between the EQ-Visual Analogue Scale and EQ-5D, as a function of personality traits, sociodemographic factors, and chronic diseases. Individual valuations were significantly and clinically higher than societal valuations among patients in the second and third quartile of conscientiousness (Dev = 0.08, P = 0.01); among covariates, only depression (Dev = -0.04, P = 0.046) was also associated with Dev. Compared with societal valuations of a given health state, persons at higher quartiles of conscientiousness report less disutility associated with poor health. The effect is roughly twice that of some estimates of minimally important clinical differences on the EQ-5D and of depression. Although useful at the aggregate level, societal preference measures may systematically undervalue the health states of more conscientious individuals. Future work should examine the impact this has on individual patient outcome evaluation in clinical studies.

Art, music, story: The evaluation of a person-centred arts in health programme in an acute care older persons' unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Ford, Karen; Tesch, Leigh; Dawborn, Jacqueline; Courtney-Pratt, Helen

2018-06-01

To evaluate the impact of an arts in health programme delivered by a specialised artist within an acute older person's unit. Acute hospitals must meet the increasingly complex needs of older people who experience multiple comorbidities, often including cognitive impairment, either directly related to their admission or longer term conditions, including dementia. A focus on physical illness, efficiency and tasks within an acute care environment can all divert attention from the psychosocial well-being of patients. This focus also decreases capacity for person-centred approaches that acknowledge and value the older person, their life story, relationships and the care context. The importance of arts for health and wellness, including responsiveness to individual need, is well established: however, there is little evidence about its effectiveness for older people in acute hospital settings. We report on a collaborative arts in health programme on an acute medical ward for older people. The qualitative study used collaborative enquiry underpinned by a constructivist approach to evaluate an arts programme that involved participatory art-making activities, customised music, song and illustration work, and enlivening the unit environment. Data sources included observation of art activities, semi-structured interviews with patients and family members, and focus groups with staff. Data were transcribed and thematically analysed using a line by line approach. The programme had positive impacts for the environment, patients, families and staff. The environment exhibited changes as a result of programme outputs; patients and families were engaged and enjoyed activities that aided recovery from illness; and staff also enjoyed activities and importantly learnt new ways of working with patients. An acute care arts in health programme is a carefully nuanced programme where the skills of the arts health worker are critical to success. Utilising such skill, continued focus on person

Adaptations of Personal Health Record Platform for Medical Research on Chronic Diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Krukowski

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The article reports on experiences in e-Health platforms and services for supporting medical research into the causes and relationships among physiological parameters and health problems concerning different chronic diseases. The Personal Health Record (PHR is a way of standardizing electronic management of medical information between patients and their physicians, including medical bodies collaborating in providing integrated medical care services. We describe roles and aims behind electronic health records, follow with applicable legal and standardizations frameworks and relevant European activities, leading to the presentation of common commercial and open-source implementations of such systems, concluding with the indication of specific adaptations enabling a use of stored personal health data for scientific research into causes and evaluation of chronic illnesses. We describe ethical and privacy concerns that are relevant to using and exchanging electronic health information.

Labour law treatment of health, work ability and personal integrity of the employees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jovanović Predrag

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Health and working ability are assumptions of entering into and the existence of labour relations. The purpose of entering into and the existence of labour relations is in the organised and meaningful work, in the interest of the employer and the employee. The main obligation of the employee is to do their work personally in accordance with their health and work abilities. With regards to the said abilities, the employee is accepted to the work, and protection and maintaining of these abilities is the assumption of the survival and long lasting of the employment. This makes legitimate the need that the health and work ability be protected by law in a suitable way. To that effect, we can talk about protection of health of the employees and safety at work. Since health does not only mean the absence of illness, but also the overall social security of the employees at work and in connection with work, this and issue of insurance of different risks that follow work of the employee fall into measures of health protection. Finally, not only manpower, as an organic unity of health and work abilities, takes part in labour relations, but also the entire personality of the employee with the overall personal (moral and ethical integrity, which also on its part requires appropriate labour law treatment and protection (ban on discrimination, harassment, abuse, protection of personal data, etc..

Health, Supportive Environments, and the Reasonable Person Model

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Stephen Kaplan; Rachel Kaplan

2003-01-01

The Reasonable Person Model is a conceptual framework that links environmental factors with human behavior. People are more reasonable, cooperative, helpful, and satisfied when the environment supports their basic informational needs. The same environmental supports are important factors in enhancing human health. We use this framework to identify the informational...

Secure management of personal health records by applying attribute-based encryption

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ibraimi, L.; Asim, M.; Petkovic, M.

2009-01-01

The confidentiality of personal health records is a major problem when patients use commercial Web-based systems to store their health data. Traditional access control mechanisms have several limitations with respect to enforcing access control policies and ensuring data confidentiality. In

Health conditions and support needs of persons living in residential ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background. Intellectual disability (ID) is a relatively high-incidence disability, with an increased risk of poor physical and mental health. Persons with ID also have lifelong support needs that must be met if they are to achieve an acceptable quality of life. Little is known about these health conditions and support needs in the ...

Medical students and personal smartphones in the clinical environment: the impact on confidentiality of personal health information and professionalism.

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Tran, Kim; Morra, Dante; Lo, Vivian; Quan, Sherman D; Abrams, Howard; Wu, Robert C

2014-05-22

Smartphones are becoming ubiquitous in health care settings. The increased adoption of mobile technology such as smartphones may be attributed to their use as a point-of-care information source and to perceived improvements in clinical communication and efficiency. However, little is known about medical students' use of personal smartphones for clinical work. The intent of the study was to examine final-year medical students' experience with and attitudes toward using personal mobile technology in the clinical environment, with respect to the perceived impact on patient confidentiality and provider professionalism. Cross-sectional surveys were completed by final-year medical students at the University of Toronto. Respondents were asked about the type of personal mobile phone they use, security features on their personal phone, experiences using their personal phone during clinical rotations, and attitudes about using their personal phone for clinical work purposes. The overall response rate was 45.4% (99/218). Smartphone ownership was prevalent (98%, 97/99) with the majority (86%, 85/99) of participants using their personal phones for patient-related communication during clinical rotations. A total of 26% (26/99) of participants reported not having any type of security feature on their personal phone, 94% (90/96) of participants agreed that using their personal phone for clinical work makes them more efficient, and 86% (82/95) agreed that their personal phone allows them to provide better patient care. Although 68% (65/95) of participants believe that the use of personal phones for patient-related communication with colleagues poses a risk to the privacy and confidentiality of patient health information, 22% (21/96) of participants still use their personal phone to text or email identifiable patient data to colleagues. Our findings suggest that the use of personal smartphones for clinical work by medical students is prevalent. There is a need to more fully address

Employee health-relevant personality traits are associated with the psychosocial work environment and leadership.

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Villaume, Karin; Hasson, Dan

2017-01-01

Little is known about personality in relation to assessments of the psychosocial work environment and leadership. Therefore the objective of this study is to explore possible associations and differences in mean values between employee health-relevant personality traits and assessments of the psychosocial work environment and leadership behaviors. 754 survey responses from ten organizations were selected from a large-scale intervention study. The Health-relevant Personality 5 inventory was used to assess personality. Five dimensions of the psychosocial work environment were assessed with 38 items from the QPS Nordic and 6 items from the Developmental Leadership Questionnaire were used to assess leadership behavior. Positive correlations were found between Hedonic capacity (facet of Extraversion) and perceptions of the psychosocial work environment and leadership behavior. Negative correlations were found for Negative affectivity (facet of Neuroticism), Antagonism (facet of Agreeableness), Impulsivity (facet of Conscientiousness) and Alexithymia (facet of Openness). There were also significant differences in mean values of all work environment indicators between levels of health-relevant personality traits. Those with higher levels of hedonic capacity had higher (better) perceptions compared to those with lower levels. Those with higher levels of negative affectivity had lower (worse) perceptions compared to those with lower levels. The findings show a clear association between employee health-relevant personality traits and assessments of the psychosocial work environment and leadership behavior. Personality can be important to take into consideration for leaders when interpreting survey results and when designing organizational interventions.

New considerations on the health of the persons with intellectual developmental disorders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anabel Folch-Mas

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Recent literature indicates that people with Disorders of Intellectual Development (DID experience health disparities in the pathologies that they present, and a worst access to health care. However, current evidence-based knowledge is still sparse outside the Anglo-Saxon  ountries. The POMONA-I and POMONA-II European projects aimed to collect information on the health status of people with DID in Europe. The POMONA-ESP project in Spain is meant to collect health information in a wide and representative sample of persons with DID. Also, there are studies that claim for the need of specialized services for people with DID at the public health system. There are also studies about the current state of the education and training about DID for students within the health sector. In this paper we review the latest evidences about the health of the persons with DID and we present the main research activities and care initiatives about this issue

The relationship between personal traits and job satisfaction among Taiwanese community health volunteers.

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Lin, Mei-Chih; Li, I-chuan; Lin, Kuan-chia

2007-06-01

The purpose of the study was to understand the relationship between job satisfaction and personal traits in health volunteers in one community in Taiwan. Among different kinds of community resources, the human resource is most essential for the process of developing healthy communities and cities. However, it is not easy to keep voluntary workers as part of health programmes even though they have been trained. Previous research has shown that to increase the job satisfaction of such a person, the volunteer needs to improve effectively his/her need to achieve. The need to achieve is an important part of a person's personal traits. A cross-sectional survey design was used to interview 317 health volunteers in various community health centres in I-lan county, northern Taiwan. The research instruments of this study included the 'locus of control orientation scale' for personality measurement, the 'achievement orientation scale' and the 'job satisfaction scale'. Most of the sample volunteers were female with an average age of 49.55 years; the majority was married and living with their spouses. In terms of the volunteers' personal traits, most of them are internal control orientation. The job satisfaction of the volunteers who took part in this research was extremely high. Significant variables correlating with job satisfaction in this study were gender, educational level, religious preference, participation in training, working to promote community health, the willingness to work, the frequency of participating in job training, and cooperation with other volunteer partners. The explainable variance for the prediction of job satisfaction from a combination of achievement orientation and the frequency of collaboration with other people was 9.1%. The results suggest that there is a need to strengthen cooperative relationships among volunteer by initiating well-planned volunteer training programmes and growth groups with the aim of enhancing their interpersonal

Personal Digital Branding as a Professional Asset in the Digital Age.

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Kleppinger, Courtney A; Cain, Jeff

2015-08-25

In recent years, society's rapid adoption of social media has made the boundary between professional and private life nearly indistinguishable. The literature provides guidance on how to demonstrate professionalism via social media platforms. Social media policies within health professions education tend to be legalistic in nature, serving primarily to highlight behaviors students should avoid. One missing element in social media literature is the concept of online invisibility. In this paper, we define personal digital branding, discuss the professional implications of choosing to abstain from social media use, and urge educators to recognize that the personal digital branding may be an emerging asset for young professionals in the twenty-first century.

Secure Management of Personal Health Records by Applying Attribute-Based Encryption

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ibraimi, L.; Asim, Muhammad; Petkovic, M.

2009-01-01

The confidentiality of personal health records is a major problem when patients use commercial Web-based systems to store their health data. Traditional access control mechanisms, such as Role-Based Access Control, have several limitations with respect to enforcing access control policies and

Cues to Personality and Health in the Facial Appearance of Chimpanzees (Pan Troglodytes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robin S. S. Kramer

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Humans (Homo sapiens and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes can extract socially-relevant information from the static, non-expressive faces of conspecifics. In humans, the face is a valid signal of both personality and health. Recent evidence shows that, like humans, chimpanzee faces also contain personality information, and that humans can accurately judge aspects of chimpanzee personality relating to extraversion from the face alone (Kramer, King, and Ward, 2011. These findings suggest the hypothesis that humans and chimpanzees share a system of personality and facial morphology for signaling socially-relevant traits from the face. We sought to test this hypothesis using a new group of chimpanzees. In two studies, we found that chimpanzee faces contained health information, as well as information of characteristics relating to extraversion, emotional stability, and agreeableness, using average judgments from pairs of individual photographs. In a third study, information relating to extraversion and health was also present in composite images of individual chimpanzees. We therefore replicate and extend previous findings using a new group of chimpanzees and demonstrate two methods for minimizing the variability associated with individual photographs. Our findings support the hypothesis that chimpanzees and humans share a personality signaling system.

Algorithmic Skin: Health-Tracking Technologies, Personal Analytics and the Biopedagogies of Digitized Health and Physical Education

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Williamson, Ben

2015-01-01

The emergence of digitized health and physical education, or "eHPE", embeds software algorithms in the organization of health and physical education pedagogies. Particularly with the emergence of wearable and mobile activity trackers, biosensors and personal analytics apps, algorithmic processes have an increasingly powerful part to play…

Case study: the health SmartLibrary experiences in web personalization and customization at the Galter health sciences library, Northwestern University.

Science.gov (United States)

Shedlock, James; Frisque, Michelle; Hunt, Steve; Walton, Linda; Handler, Jonathan; Gillam, Michael

2010-04-01

How can the user's access to health information, especially full-text articles, be improved? The solution is building and evaluating the Health SmartLibrary (HSL). The setting is the Galter Health Sciences Library, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University. The HSL was built on web-based personalization and customization tools: My E-Resources, Stay Current, Quick Search, and File Cabinet. Personalization and customization data were tracked to show user activity with these value-added, online services. Registration data indicated that users were receptive to personalized resource selection and that the automated application of specialty-based, personalized HSLs was more frequently adopted than manual customization by users. Those who did customize customized My E-Resources and Stay Current more often than Quick Search and File Cabinet. Most of those who customized did so only once. Users did not always take advantage of the services designed to aid their library research experiences. When personalization is available at registration, users readily accepted it. Customization tools were used less frequently; however, more research is needed to determine why this was the case.

The Future LGBT Health Professional: Perspectives on Career and Personal Mentorship.

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Sánchez, Nelson F; Callahan, Edward; Brewster, Cheryl; Poll-Hunter, Norma; Sánchez, John Paul

2018-04-01

Mentorship is a critical factor contributing to career success. There is limited research on the quality of mentoring relationships for LGBT health professionals. This study explores facilitators of, obstacles to, and strategies for successful mentorship for LGBT health professional trainees. We applied a convenience sampling strategy to collect quantitative and qualitative data among LGBT health professional trainees. The authors identified trends in data using bivariate analyses and Consensual Qualitative Research methods. Seventy-five LGBT trainees completed surveys and a subset of 23 survey respondents also participated in three focus groups. Among survey participants, 100% identified along the queer spectrum; 10.7% identified along the trans spectrum; 36.0% identified as a racial or ethnic minority; and 61.3% were in MD/DO-granting programs. Eighty-eight percent of trainees reported working with at least one mentor and 48.5% of trainees had at least one mentor of the same sexual orientation. Seventy-two percent of trainees endorsed the importance of having an LGBT-identified mentor for personal development. Qualitative data showed that trainees valued such a mentor for positive role modeling and shared understanding of experiences. Fifty-nine percent of trainees felt it was important to have an LGBT-identified mentor for career development. LGBT peer networking and LGBT-related professional advice were cited as unique benefits in the qualitative findings. LGBT health professional trainees have unique personal and career development needs that may benefit from LGBT mentorship. Academic health centers that facilitate LGBT mentorship could enhance LGBT health trainees' academic productivity and personal development.

The Entrepreneurial Personalities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergaard, Annemarie

The objective of the research is to investigate what constitutes the entrepreneurial personality in terms of innate and learned personality characteristics and how these relate to environmental impact and leadership. The thesis argues that an entrepreneurial personality is a combination of traits......-driven conceptualization, data were collected from 55 active entrepreneurs’ primarily located in Nupark, Holstebro, in Denmark. The selected population of entrepreneurs completed a 2-hour standardised and validated personality test measuring 36 personality traits, a leadership preference test with 27 leadership roles...... is described according to the empirical findings. Furthermore, the research finds that the set of personality traits necessary for an entrepreneur consists of Autonomy, Exploration Drive, Preparedness for Change, and Self-preservation Instinct. In conclusion, to answer the research question regarding...

Pragmatic Randomized, Controlled Trial of Patient Navigators and Enhanced Personal Health Records in CKD.

Science.gov (United States)

Navaneethan, Sankar D; Jolly, Stacey E; Schold, Jesse D; Arrigain, Susana; Nakhoul, Georges; Konig, Victoria; Hyland, Jennifer; Burrucker, Yvette K; Dann, Priscilla Davis; Tucky, Barbara H; Sharp, John; Nally, Joseph V

2017-09-07

Patient navigators and enhanced personal health records improve the quality of health care delivered in other disease states. We aimed to develop a navigator program for patients with CKD and an electronic health record-based enhanced personal health record to disseminate CKD stage-specific goals of care and education. We also conducted a pragmatic randomized clinical trial to compare the effect of a navigator program for patients with CKD with enhanced personal health record and compare their combination compared with usual care among patients with CKD stage 3b/4. Two hundred and nine patients from six outpatient clinics (in both primary care and nephrology settings) were randomized in a 2×2 factorial design into four-study groups: ( 1 ) enhanced personal health record only, ( 2 ) patient navigator only, ( 3 ) both, and ( 4 ) usual care (control) group. Primary outcome measure was the change in eGFR over a 2-year follow-up period. Secondary outcome measures included acquisition of appropriate CKD-related laboratory measures, specialty referrals, and hospitalization rates. Median age of the study population was 68 years old, and 75% were white. At study entry, 54% of patients were followed by nephrologists, and 88% were on renin-angiotensin system blockers. After a 2-year follow-up, rate of decline in eGFR was similar across the four groups ( P =0.19). Measurements of CKD-related laboratory parameters were not significantly different among the groups. Furthermore, referral for dialysis education and vascular access placement, emergency room visits, and hospitalization rates were not statistically significant different between the groups. We successfully developed a patient navigator program and an enhanced personal health record for the CKD population. However, there were no differences in eGFR decline and other outcomes among the study groups. Larger and long-term studies along with cost-effectiveness analyses are needed to evaluate the role of patient navigators

A global travelers' electronic health record template standard for personal health records.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yu-Chuan; Detmer, Don E; Shabbir, Syed-Abdul; Nguyen, Phung Anh; Jian, Wen-Shan; Mihalas, George I; Shortliffe, Edward H; Tang, Paul; Haux, Reinhold; Kimura, Michio

2012-01-01

Tourism as well as international business travel creates health risks for individuals and populations both in host societies and home countries. One strategy to reduce health-related risks to travelers is to provide travelers and relevant caregivers timely, ongoing access to their own health information. Many websites offer health advice for travelers. For example, the WHO and US Department of State offer up-to-date health information about countries relevant to travel. However, little has been done to assure travelers that their medical information is available at the right place and time when the need might arise. Applications of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) utilizing mobile phones for health management are promising tools both for the delivery of healthcare services and the promotion of personal health. This paper describes the project developed by international informaticians under the umbrella of the International Medical Informatics Association. A template capable of becoming an international standard is proposed. This application is available free to anyone who is interested. Furthermore, its source code is made open.

Consumer Opinions of Health Information Exchange, e-Prescribing, and Personal Health Records.

Science.gov (United States)

Cochran, Gary L; Lander, Lina; Morien, Marsha; Lomelin, Daniel E; Brittin, Jeri; Reker, Celeste; Klepser, Donald G

2015-01-01

Consumer satisfaction is a crucial component of health information technology (HIT) utilization, as high satisfaction is expected to increase HIT utilization among providers and to allow consumers to become full participants in their own healthcare management. The primary objective of this pilot study was to identify consumer perspectives on health information technologies including health information exchange (HIE), e-prescribing (e-Rx), and personal health records (PHRs). Eight focus groups were conducted in seven towns and cities across Nebraska in 2013. Each group consisted of 10-12 participants. Discussions were organized topically in the following categories: HIE, e-Rx, and PHR. The qualitative analysis consisted of immersion and crystallization to develop a coding scheme that included both preconceived and emergent themes. Common themes across focus groups were identified and compiled for each discussion category. The study had 67 participants, of which 18 (27 percent) were male. Focus group findings revealed both perceived barriers and benefits to the adoption of HIT. Common HIT concerns expressed across focus groups included privacy and security of medical information, decreases in quality of care, inconsistent provider participation, and the potential cost of implementation. Positive expectations regarding HIT included better accuracy and completeness of information, and improved communication and coordination between healthcare providers. Improvements in patient care were expected as a result of easy physician access to consolidated information across providers as well as the speed of sharing and availability of information in an emergency. In addition, participants were optimistic about patient empowerment and convenient access to and control of personal health data. Consumer concerns focused on privacy and security of the health information, as well as the cost of implementing the technologies and the possibility of an unintended negative impact on the

Towards Personal Exposures: How Technology Is Changing Air Pollution and Health Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Larkin, A; Hystad, P

2017-12-01

We present a review of emerging technologies and how these can transform personal air pollution exposure assessment and subsequent health research. Estimating personal air pollution exposures is currently split broadly into methods for modeling exposures for large populations versus measuring exposures for small populations. Air pollution sensors, smartphones, and air pollution models capitalizing on big/new data sources offer tremendous opportunity for unifying these approaches and improving long-term personal exposure prediction at scales needed for population-based research. A multi-disciplinary approach is needed to combine these technologies to not only estimate personal exposures for epidemiological research but also determine drivers of these exposures and new prevention opportunities. While available technologies can revolutionize air pollution exposure research, ethical, privacy, logistical, and data science challenges must be met before widespread implementations occur. Available technologies and related advances in data science can improve long-term personal air pollution exposure estimates at scales needed for population-based research. This will advance our ability to evaluate the impacts of air pollution on human health and develop effective prevention strategies.

The development and implementation of stroke risk prediction model in National Health Insurance Service's personal health record.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jae-Woo; Lim, Hyun-Sun; Kim, Dong-Wook; Shin, Soon-Ae; Kim, Jinkwon; Yoo, Bora; Cho, Kyung-Hee

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to build a 10-year stroke prediction model and categorize a probability of stroke using the Korean national health examination data. Then it intended to develop the algorithm to provide a personalized warning on the basis of each user's level of stroke risk and a lifestyle correction message about the stroke risk factors. Subject to national health examinees in 2002-2003, the stroke prediction model identified when stroke was first diagnosed by following-up the cohort until 2013 and estimated a 10-year probability of stroke. It sorted the user's individual probability of stroke into five categories - normal, slightly high, high, risky, very risky, according to the five ranges of average probability of stroke in comparison to total population - less than 50 percentile, 50-70, 70-90, 90-99.9, more than 99.9 percentile, and constructed the personalized warning and lifestyle correction messages by each category. Risk factors in stroke risk model include the age, BMI, cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, smoking status and intensity, physical activity, alcohol drinking, past history (hypertension, coronary heart disease) and family history (stroke, coronary heart disease). The AUC values of stroke risk prediction model from the external validation data set were 0.83 in men and 0.82 in women, which showed a high predictive power. The probability of stroke within 10 years for men in normal group (less than 50 percentile) was less than 3.92% and those in very risky group (top 0.01 percentile) was 66.2% and over. The women's probability of stroke within 10 years was less than 3.77% in normal group (less than 50 percentile) and 55.24% and over in very risky group. This study developed the stroke risk prediction model and the personalized warning and the lifestyle correction message based on the national health examination data and uploaded them to the personal health record service called My Health Bank in the health information website - Health

Health-related quality of life in persons with long-standing spinal cord injury

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lidal, I.B.; Veenstra, M.; Hjeltnes, N.

2008-01-01

: Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Norway. METHODS: Survey data and clinical examination of 165 persons with traumatic SCI of more than 20 years duration. HRQOL was assessed with the Norwegian 36-item short-form [corrected] (SF-36) Health Survey. The SF-36 results were compared with Norwegian norm data......STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of all patients with traumatic SCI admitted to Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Norway between 1961 and 1982. OBJECTIVES: To assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in persons with long-standing traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) in Norway. SETTING...... adjusted to age and gender. Differences in HRQOL between subgroups were studied. RESULTS: The persons with SCI exhibited significantly decreased HRQOL in the subscales for Physical Functioning, Bodily Pain, General Health, Social Functioning [corrected] and Vitality compared to the normal population...

The military health system's personal health record pilot with Microsoft HealthVault and Google Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Do, Nhan V; Barnhill, Rick; Heermann-Do, Kimberly A; Salzman, Keith L; Gimbel, Ronald W

2011-01-01

To design, build, implement, and evaluate a personal health record (PHR), tethered to the Military Health System, that leverages Microsoft® HealthVault and Google® Health infrastructure based on user preference. A pilot project was conducted in 2008-2009 at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington. Our PHR was architected to a flexible platform that incorporated standards-based models of Continuity of Document and Continuity of Care Record to map Department of Defense-sourced health data, via a secure Veterans Administration data broker, to Microsoft® HealthVault and Google® Health based on user preference. The project design and implementation were guided by provider and patient advisory panels with formal user evaluation. The pilot project included 250 beneficiary users. Approximately 73.2% of users were Microsoft® HealthVault, and 81 (32.4%) selected Google® Health as their PHR of preference. Sample evaluation of users reflected 100% (n = 60) satisfied with convenience of record access and 91.7% (n = 55) satisfied with overall functionality of PHR. Key lessons learned related to data-transfer decisions (push vs pull), purposeful delays in reporting sensitive information, understanding and mapping PHR use and clinical workflow, and decisions on information patients may choose to share with their provider. Currently PHRs are being viewed as empowering tools for patient activation. Design and implementation issues (eg, technical, organizational, information security) are substantial and must be thoughtfully approached. Adopting standards into design can enhance the national goal of portability and interoperability.

More Stamina, a Gamified mHealth Solution for Persons with Multiple Sclerosis: Research Through Design

Science.gov (United States)

Mylonopoulou, Vasiliki; Rivera Romero, Octavio

2018-01-01

Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the world’s most common neurologic disorders. Fatigue is one of most common symptoms that persons with MS experience, having significant impact on their quality of life and limiting their activity levels. Self-management strategies are used to support them in the care of their health. Mobile health (mHealth) solutions are a way to offer persons with chronic conditions tools to successfully manage their symptoms and problems. Gamification is a current trend among mHealth apps used to create engaging user experiences and is suggested to be effective for behavioral change. To be effective, mHealth solutions need to be designed to specifically meet the intended audience needs. User-centered design (UCD) is a design philosophy that proposes placing end users’ needs and characteristics in the center of design and development, involving users early in the different phases of the software life cycle. There is a current gap in mHealth apps for persons with MS, which presents an interesting area to explore. Objective The purpose of this study was to describe the design and evaluation process of a gamified mHealth solution for behavioral change in persons with MS using UCD. Methods Building on previous work of our team where we identified needs, barriers, and facilitators for mHealth apps for persons with MS, we followed UCD to design and evaluate a mobile app prototype aimed to help persons with MS self-manage their fatigue. Design decisions were evidence-driven and guided by behavioral change models (BCM). Usability was assessed through inspection methods using Nielsen’s heuristic evaluation. Results The mHealth solution More Stamina was designed. It is a task organization tool designed to help persons with MS manage their energy to minimize the impact of fatigue in their day-to-day life. The tool acts as a to-do list where users can input tasks in a simple manner and assign Stamina Credits, a representation of perceived

Lifelong pathways to longevity: personality, relationships, flourishing, and health.

Science.gov (United States)

Kern, Margaret L; Della Porta, Serenity S; Friedman, Howard S

2014-12-01

Building upon decades of research with the lifelong (nine-decade) Terman Life Cycle Study, we present a life pathway model for understanding human thriving that accounts for long-term individual difference in health and longevity, with a particular focus on child personality and adult social relationships. Developing data derived and supplemented from the Terman study (N = 570 males, 451 females), we employed regression and survival analyses to test models of childhood personality predicting adult psychosocial factors (subjective well-being, family relationships, community involvement, subjective achievement, hardships) and subsequent longevity. Child personality differentially related to midlife social relationships, well-being, and hardships. Conscientiousness and good social relationships predicted longer life, whereas subjective well-being was unrelated to mortality risk. Examining multiple life factors across long time periods uncovers important pathways through which personality relates to premature mortality or longevity. Typical stress-and-illness models are untenable and should be replaced with life span trajectory approaches. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Perspectives About Personalization for mHealth Solutions Against Noise Pollution.

Science.gov (United States)

Kepplinger, Sara; Liebetrau, Judith; Clauss, Tobias; Pharow, Peter

2017-01-01

Noise harms the environmental quality and can have negative effect on health and wellbeing. Providing silent areas and periods of rest is one way to improve the perceived environmental quality. However, realization is not easy in the day to day life. The usage of mHealth solutions which can provide information about the sound of a certain area and the respective effect on humans could be supportive. As the perception of sound is highly subjective, the prediction of the perceived acoustic environments is very difficult. This paper describes a course of action to develop an automatic estimation of an acoustic environment, based on the measurement of sound properties solely. The challenges of this endeavor are explained in detail. Possible application areas in mHealth are identified and presented. This future vision paper wants to draw the attention to different possibilities to cope with noise pollution either by personal behavior change or by using personalized data to reach out for a more general applicability for example through soundscape.

Personal Reflection: Reflections on a Family Health History Assignment for Undergraduate Public Health and Nursing Students

Science.gov (United States)

Rooks, Ronica N.; Ford, Cassandra

2013-01-01

This personal reflection describes our experiences with incorporating the scholarship of teaching and learning and problem-based techniques to facilitate undergraduate student learning and their professional development in the health sciences. We created a family health history assignment to discuss key concepts in our courses, such as health…

Categorizing Health Outcomes and Efficacy of mHealth Apps for Persons With Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Bateman, Daniel R; Srinivas, Bhavana; Emmett, Thomas W; Schleyer, Titus K; Holden, Richard J; Hendrie, Hugh C; Callahan, Christopher M

2017-08-30

Use of mobile health (mHealth) apps is growing at an exponential rate in the United States and around the world. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer disease, and related dementias are a global health problem. Numerous mHealth interventions exist for this population, yet the effect of these interventions on health has not been systematically described. The aim of this study is to catalog the types of health outcomes used to measure effectiveness of mHealth interventions and assess which mHealth interventions have been shown to improve the health of persons with MCI, Alzheimer disease, and dementia. We searched 13 databases, including Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, the full Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Ei Compendex, IEEE Xplore, Applied Science & Technology Source, Scopus, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Google Scholar from inception through May 2017 for mHealth studies involving persons with cognitive impairment that were evaluated using at least one quantitative health outcome. Proceedings of the Annual ACM Conferences on Human Factors in Computing Systems, the ACM User Interface Software and Technology Symposium, and the IEEE International Symposium on Wearable Computers were searched in the ACM Digital Library from 2012 to 2016. A hand search of JMIR Publications journals was also completed in July 2017. After removal of duplicates, our initial search returned 3955 records. Of these articles, 24 met final inclusion criteria as studies involving mHealth interventions that measured at least one quantitative health outcome for persons with MCI, Alzheimer disease, and dementia. Common quantitative health outcomes included cognition, function, mood, and quality of life. We found that 21.2% (101/476) of the fully reviewed articles were excluded because of a lack of health outcomes. The health outcomes selected were observed to be inconsistent between studies. For those studies with quantitative health outcomes, more than half (58%) reported

Oral health matters for the nutritional status of older persons-A population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindmark, Ulrika; Jansson, Henrik; Lannering, Christina; Johansson, Linda

2018-03-01

To explore the association between oral health and nutritional status in the context of daily care for older people. Oral problems often increase with age and affect a person's ability to chew and swallow. They might also influence the ability to maintain a satisfactory nutritional status. Oral health awareness is therefore of great importance in nursing care for older people. A retrospective cross-sectional study. Data from the Swedish quality register, Senior Alert, were used, including structured assessments of both oral and nutritional status using the Revised Oral Assessment Guide-Jönköping and the Mini Nutritional Assessment. In total, 1,156 persons (mean age: 82.8 ± 7.9) had both oral and nutritional assessments registered by the nursing staff in daily care. Approximately 29% of participants had moderate oral health problems. Another 12% had severe problems. Over 60% of the persons were considered at risk of malnutrition or were malnourished. There was a weak correlation between poor nutritional status and poor oral health, and approximately one-third of the persons who were at risk or malnourished had simultaneous oral problems. A multivariate logistic regression revealed that when problems involving voice and swallowing were present, there was also a greater possibility of being assessed as at risk of malnourishment or being malnourished. There is a relationship between oral health problems and nutritional status, indicating the importance of evaluating oral health status in older persons with nutritional problems. Nursing staff involved in care for older people should be aware of the importance of including regular oral health check-ups in their work. There is also a need for nursing staff members and oral health professionals to exchange knowledge. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Designing for Underserved Populations: Constraints and Requirements of Personal Health Record Systems

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

In this podcast, Dr. Thomas Horan discusses how language, literacy, and access barriers can be overcome with electronic Personal Health Record (PHR) systems to improve health among the most vulnerable, isolated, and underserved populations.

Personality trait level and change as predictors of health outcomes: findings from a national study of Americans (MIDUS).

Science.gov (United States)

Turiano, Nicholas A; Pitzer, Lindsay; Armour, Cherie; Karlamangla, Arun; Ryff, Carol D; Mroczek, Daniel K

2012-01-01

Personality traits predict numerous health outcomes, but previous studies have rarely used personality change to predict health. The current investigation utilized a large national sample of 3,990 participants from the Midlife in the U.S. study (MIDUS) to examine if both personality trait level and personality change longitudinally predict 3 different health outcomes (i.e., self-rated physical health, self-reported blood pressure, and number of days limited at work or home due to physical health reasons) over a 10-year span. Each of the Big Five traits, except openness, predicted self-rated health. Change in agreeableness, conscientiousness, and extraversion also predicted self-rated health. Trait levels of conscientiousness and neuroticism level predicted self-reported blood pressure. All trait levels except agreeableness predicted number of work days limited. Only change in conscientiousness predicted the number of work days limited. Findings demonstrate that a full understanding of the link between personality and health requires consideration of trait change as well as trait level.

Is personality a driving force for socioeconomic differences in young adults' health care use? A prospective cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kraft, Maren; Arts, Koos; Traag, Tanja; Otten, Ferdy; Bosma, Hans

2017-09-01

To relate personality characteristics at the age of 12 to socioeconomic differences in health care use in young adulthood. And thereby examining the extent to which socioeconomic differences in the use of health care in young adulthood are based on differences in personality characteristics, independent of the (parental) socioeconomic background. Personality of more than 13,000 Dutch 12-year old participants was related to their health and socioeconomic position after a follow-up of 13 years (when the participants had become young adults). In young adulthood, low socioeconomic status was related to high health care use (e.g. low education -hospital admission: OR = 2.21; low income -GP costs: OR = 1.25). Odds ratios (for the socioeconomic health differences) did not decrease when controlled for personality. In this Dutch sample of younger people, personality appeared not to be a driving force for socioeconomic differences in health care use. Findings thus do not support the personality-related, indirect selection perspective on the explanation of socioeconomic differences in health.

Personalized Health Monitoring System for Managing Well-Being in Rural Areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Nedungadi, Prema; Jayakumar, Akshay; Raman, Raghu

2017-12-14

Rural India lacks easy access to health practitioners and medical centers, depending instead on community health workers. In these areas, common ailments that are easy to manage with medicines, often lead to medical escalations and even fatalities due to lack of awareness and delayed diagnosis. The introduction of wearable health devices has made it easier to monitor health conditions and to connect doctors and patients in urban areas. However, existing initiatives have not succeeded in providing adequate health monitoring to rural and low-literate patients, as current methods are expensive, require consistent connectivity and expect literate users. Our design considerations address these concerns by providing low-cost medical devices connected to a low-cost health platform, along with personalized guidance based on patient physiological parameters in local languages, and alerts to medical practitioners in case of emergencies. This patient-centric integrated healthcare system is designed to manage the overall health of villagers with real-time health monitoring of patients, to offer guidance on preventive care, and to increase health awareness and self-monitoring at an affordable price. This personalized health monitoring system addresses the health-related needs in remote and rural areas by (1) empowering health workers in monitoring of basic health conditions for rural patients in order to prevent escalations, (2) personalized feedback regarding nutrition, exercise, diet, preventive Ayurveda care and yoga postures based on vital parameters and (3) reporting of patient data to the patient's health center with emergency alerts to doctor and patient. The system supports community health workers in the diagnostic procedure, management, and reporting of rural patients, and functions well even with only intermittent access to Internet.

Exploring Type-and-Identity-Based Proxy Re-Encryption Scheme to Securely Manage Personal Health Records

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ibraimi, L.; Gangopadhyay, Aryya; Tang, Qiang; Hartel, Pieter H.; Jonker, Willem

2010-01-01

Commercial Web-based Personal-Health Record (PHR) systems can help patients to share their personal health records (PHRs) anytime from anywhere. PHRs are very sensitive data and an inappropriate disclosure may cause serious problems to an individual. Therefore commercial Web-based PHR systems have

Smartloss: A Personalized Mobile Health Intervention for Weight Management and Health Promotion.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Corby K; Gilmore, L Anne; Apolzan, John W; Myers, Candice A; Thomas, Diana M; Redman, Leanne M

2016-03-16

Synonymous with increased use of mobile phones has been the development of mobile health (mHealth) technology for improving health, including weight management. Behavior change theory (eg, the theory of planned behavior) can be effectively encapsulated into mobile phone-based health improvement programs, which is fostered by the ability of mobile phones and related devices to collect and transmit objective data in near real time and for health care or research professionals and clients to communicate easily. To describe SmartLoss, a semiautomated mHealth platform for weight loss. We developed and validated a dynamic energy balance model that determines the amount of weight an individual will lose over time if they are adherent to an energy intake prescription. This model was incorporated into computer code that enables adherence to a prescribed caloric prescription determined from the change in body weight of the individual. Data from the individual are then used to guide personalized recommendations regarding weight loss and behavior change via a semiautomated mHealth platform called SmartLoss, which consists of 2 elements: (1) a clinician dashboard and (2) a mobile phone app. SmartLoss includes and interfaces with a network-connected bathroom scale and a Bluetooth-connected accelerometer, which enables automated collection of client information (eg, body weight change and physical activity patterns), as well as the systematic delivery of preplanned health materials and automated feedback that is based on client data and is designed to foster prolonged adherence with body weight, diet, and exercise goals. The clinician dashboard allows for efficient remote monitoring of all clients simultaneously, which may further increase adherence, personalization of treatment, treatment fidelity, and efficacy. Evidence of the efficacy of the SmartLoss approach has been reported previously. The present report provides a thorough description of the SmartLoss Virtual Weight

Localizing the HL7 Personal Health Monitoring Record for Danish Telemedicine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Henrik Bærbak

2014-01-01

Telemedicine holds a promise of lowering cost in health care and improving the life quality of chronic ill patients by allowing monitoring in the home. The Personal Health Monitoring Record (PHMR) is an international HL7 standard data format for encoding measurements made by devices in the home...

Impact of personality status on the outcomes and cost of cognitive–behavioural therapy for health anxiety

Science.gov (United States)

Sanatinia, Rahil; Wang, Duolao; Tyrer, Peter; Tyrer, Helen; Crawford, Mike; Cooper, Sylvia; Loebenberg, Gemma; Barrett, Barbara

2016-01-01

Background Health anxiety, hypochondriasis and personality disturbance commonly coexist. The impact of personality status was assessed in a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial (RCT). Aims To test the impact of personality status using ICD-11 criteria on the clinical and cost outcomes of treatment with cognitive–behavioural therapy for health anxiety (CBT-HA) and standard care over 2 years. Method Personality dysfunction was assessed at baseline in 444 patients before randomisation and independent assessment of costs and outcomes made on four occasions over 2 years. Results In total, 381 patients (86%) had some personality dysfunction with 184 (41%) satisfying the ICD criteria for personality disorder. Those with no personality dysfunction showed no treatment differences (P = 0.90) and worse social function with CBT-HA compared with standard care (Ppersonality groups showed greater improvement with CBT-HA maintained over 2 years (Ppersonality disorder (Ppersonality disorder. Conclusions The results contradict the hypothesis that personality disorder impairs response to CBT in health anxiety in both the short and medium term. PMID:27445356

Using Social Robots in Health Settings: Implications of Personalization on Human-Machine Communication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lisa Tam and Rajiv Khosla

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In view of the shortage of healthcare workers and a growing aging population, it is worthwhile to explore the applicability of new technologies in improving the quality of healthcare and reducing its cost. However, it remains a challenge to deploy such technologies in environments where individuals have limited knowledge about how to use them. Thus, this paper explores how the social robots designed for use in health settings in Australia have sought to overcome some of the limitations through personalization. Deployed in aged care and home-based care facilities, the social robots are person-centered, emphasizing the personalization of care with human-like attributes (e.g., human appearances to engage in reciprocal communication with users. While there have been debates over the advantages and disadvantages of personalization, this paper discusses the implications of personalization on the design of the robots for enhancing engagement, empowerment and enablement in health settings.

COLLAGE 360: A Model of Person-Centered Care To Promote Health Among Older Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, Elizabeth P; Schreiber, Robert; Morris, John N; Russotto, Aline; Flashner-Fineman, Susan

2016-01-01

Health care leaders and providers have introduced the assumption the typical elder, even in the presence of complex, chronic disease and prevailing illness, is capable of assuming greater personal responsibility for their health care, with a shift from provider-centered to a person-centered model of care. For older adults who often and repeatedly face challenges managing and maintaining their health status, guidance and support is needed. In this study, COLLAGE 360 , a comprehensive assessment system and wellness coaching program that focuses on prevention and wellness, care coordination and self-management of health care was implemented in one continuing care retirement community. Following completion of two assessment tools via directed conversation with a wellness coach, older adults developed an individualized vitality plan that outlined life goals, supporting goals and action plans for goal achievement. Results from this program suggest engagement in the assessment and wellness coaching process via the COLLAGE 360 program translated into sample older adults sensing that they live in a more supportive environment when compared with elders not receiving any wellness coaching. In addition, the older adults had positive effects in the areas of mood, loneliness, social interaction, health status, and life satisfaction. Strategies to improve health and well being need an extended focus beyond the older adult's medical conditions and consider psychological, spiritual and social needs with personal preferences being paramount. These issues are foundational to a person-centered, health promotion approach needed among this population.

Case study: the Health SmartLibrary* experiences in web personalization and customization at the Galter Health Sciences Library, Northwestern University

Science.gov (United States)

Shedlock, James; Frisque, Michelle; Hunt, Steve; Walton, Linda; Handler, Jonathan; Gillam, Michael

2010-01-01

Question: How can the user's access to health information, especially full-text articles, be improved? The solution is building and evaluating the Health SmartLibrary (HSL). Setting: The setting is the Galter Health Sciences Library, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University. Method: The HSL was built on web-based personalization and customization tools: My E-Resources, Stay Current, Quick Search, and File Cabinet. Personalization and customization data were tracked to show user activity with these value-added, online services. Main Results: Registration data indicated that users were receptive to personalized resource selection and that the automated application of specialty-based, personalized HSLs was more frequently adopted than manual customization by users. Those who did customize customized My E-Resources and Stay Current more often than Quick Search and File Cabinet. Most of those who customized did so only once. Conclusion: Users did not always take advantage of the services designed to aid their library research experiences. When personalization is available at registration, users readily accepted it. Customization tools were used less frequently; however, more research is needed to determine why this was the case. PMID:20428276

A review of physical and mental health in homeless persons.

Science.gov (United States)

Martens, W H

2001-01-01

To review the physical and mental status in homeless people. A MEDLINE database search covering 5 decades was supplemented by tracing back through references from existing review work. Over 200 articles were extracted, and 106 were selected for review. Homeless persons suffer frequently from physical health problems like tuberculosis, asthma, bronchitis, HIV infection, and as a consequence, they run an increased risk for premature mortality. The prevalence of mental disorders among homeless individuals varies from 80-95% in the USA, Australia, Canada, Norway, and Germany to 25-33% in Ireland and Spain. The most prominent mental disorders among the homeless, which vary from country to country, are depression, affective disorders, substance abuse, psychotic disorders, schizophrenia, and personality disorders. Homelessness is a major public health problem that should have our special interest.

More Stamina, a Gamified mHealth Solution for Persons with Multiple Sclerosis: Research Through Design.

Science.gov (United States)

Giunti, Guido; Mylonopoulou, Vasiliki; Rivera Romero, Octavio

2018-03-02

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the world's most common neurologic disorders. Fatigue is one of most common symptoms that persons with MS experience, having significant impact on their quality of life and limiting their activity levels. Self-management strategies are used to support them in the care of their health. Mobile health (mHealth) solutions are a way to offer persons with chronic conditions tools to successfully manage their symptoms and problems. Gamification is a current trend among mHealth apps used to create engaging user experiences and is suggested to be effective for behavioral change. To be effective, mHealth solutions need to be designed to specifically meet the intended audience needs. User-centered design (UCD) is a design philosophy that proposes placing end users' needs and characteristics in the center of design and development, involving users early in the different phases of the software life cycle. There is a current gap in mHealth apps for persons with MS, which presents an interesting area to explore. The purpose of this study was to describe the design and evaluation process of a gamified mHealth solution for behavioral change in persons with MS using UCD. Building on previous work of our team where we identified needs, barriers, and facilitators for mHealth apps for persons with MS, we followed UCD to design and evaluate a mobile app prototype aimed to help persons with MS self-manage their fatigue. Design decisions were evidence-driven and guided by behavioral change models (BCM). Usability was assessed through inspection methods using Nielsen's heuristic evaluation. The mHealth solution More Stamina was designed. It is a task organization tool designed to help persons with MS manage their energy to minimize the impact of fatigue in their day-to-day life. The tool acts as a to-do list where users can input tasks in a simple manner and assign Stamina Credits, a representation of perceived effort, to the task to help energy management

Research on Relationship Among Internet-Addiction, Personality Traits and Mental Health of Urban Left-Behind Children

Science.gov (United States)

Ge, Ying; Se, Jun; Zhang, Jingfu

2015-01-01

Aim: In this research, we attempted at exploring the relationships among urban left-behind children’s internet-addiction, personality traits and mental health. Methods: In the form of three relevant questionnaires (Adolescent Pathological Internet Use Scale, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, Children’s Edition in Chinese and Mental Health Test), 796 urban left-behind children in China were investigated, concerning internet-addiction, personality traits and mental health. Results: (1) The internet-addiction rate of urban left-behind children in China reached10.8%—a relatively high figure, with the rate among males higher than that among females. In terms of internet-addition salience, the figure of urban left-behind children was obviously higher than that of non-left-behind children. (2) In China, the personality deviation rate of the overall left-behind children was 15.36%; while the personality deviation rate of the internet-addicted urban left-behind children was 38.88%, a figure prominently higher than that of the non-addicted urban left-behind children group, with the rate among females higher than that among males. (3) The mental health problem rate of the overall urban left-behind children in China was 8.43%; while the rate of the internet-addicted urban left-behind children was 27.77%, a figure significantly higher than that of the non-addicted urban left-behind children. (4) There were significant relationships among internet-addiction, personality traits and mental health. The total score of internet-addiction and its related dimensions can serve as indicators of personality neuroticism, psychoticism and the total scores of mental health. PMID:25946911

[A guide to good practice for information security in the handling of personal health data by health personnel in ambulatory care facilities].

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Henarejos, Ana; Fernández-Alemán, José Luis; Toval, Ambrosio; Hernández-Hernández, Isabel; Sánchez-García, Ana Belén; Carrillo de Gea, Juan Manuel

2014-04-01

The appearance of electronic health records has led to the need to strengthen the security of personal health data in order to ensure privacy. Despite the large number of technical security measures and recommendations that exist to protect the security of health data, there is an increase in violations of the privacy of patients' personal data in healthcare organizations, which is in many cases caused by the mistakes or oversights of healthcare professionals. In this paper, we present a guide to good practice for information security in the handling of personal health data by health personnel, drawn from recommendations, regulations and national and international standards. The material presented in this paper can be used in the security audit of health professionals, or as a part of continuing education programs in ambulatory care facilities. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Successful aging - the nurse - aged person interaction process in primary health care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria João Soares Rodrigues de Sousa Fernandes

2013-12-01

Full Text Available With the aging population and the natural increase of nursing care within gerontology, there is increasing interest in how the nurse interacts with the aged person and utilizes their role to protect and promote successful aging behaviors. The goal lies in understanding the nurse−aged person interaction process. This is a naturalistic study of qualitative paradigm and inductive reasoning, developed in the context of primary health care. We observed the interaction process between nurse and older person in various Health Centers and Day/Socializing Centers and supplemented the information with an interview. The grounded theory analysis method of Corbin & Strauss was used, which provides the triangulation of data and uses theoretical sampling. The nurse−aged person interaction is established in a joint process of recreation of the gerontologic care predisposing, fostering and strengthening knowledge about the essence of life. The elderly person who is the object of nurse care, builds their lived experience by aiming towards integrity, establishing individual and social interaction and enhancing experiences. From this whole interaction process, a central concept emerges: clarification of the aged person’s lived experience.

[Meaning in life and mental health: personal meaning systems of psychotherapists and psychotherapy patients].

Science.gov (United States)

Löffler, Sabine; Knappe, Rainer; Joraschky, Peter; Pöhlmann, Karin

2010-01-01

This study investigated differences in the personal meaning systems of psychotherapists and psychotherapy patients as well as correlations between meaning in life and mental health. We qualitatively assessed the content and structure of the personal meaning systems of 41 psychotherapists and 77 psychotherapy patients. In addition, the participants completed questionnaires measuring meaning in life (LRI-r-d), sense of coherence (SOC-9L), self-esteem (RSES), satisfaction with life (SWLS), self-efficacy (SWK), and depression (BDI). The personal meaning systems of psychotherapists were more complex and coherent compared to psychotherapy patients. In the group of psychotherapy patients, a more elaborate structure of the personal meaning system correlated with the subjective sense of meaning. We were able to confirm correlations between meaning in life and mental health for most of the instances. Psychotherapists had more elaborate and coherent meaning systems than psychotherapy patients. Especially for psychotherapy patients elaborate and coherent meaning systems turned out to be important for mental health.

Health-Related Behavior Mediates the Association Between Personality and Memory Performance in Older Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Mark S; Laborde, Sylvain; Walter, Emma E

2017-03-01

This prospective study explored the potential mediating role of health-related behavior (alcohol involvement, diet, television viewing, and physical activity) in the association between personality and change in memory performance over 2 years. A nationally representative sample of 8,376 U.K. participants aged 55 years and older (4,572 women, 3,804 men) completed self-report measures of personality and health-related behavior in 2010, and completed a memory performance task in 2010 and 2012. After removing variance associated with potential confounding variables, neuroticism and agreeableness had negative associations, and openness and conscientiousness positive associations with change in memory performance. There were no moderation effects by age, sex, education level, or ethnicity. Multiple mediator models demonstrated that physical activity, television viewing, and alcohol intake mediated associations between personality and change in memory performance. These findings provide evidence that the association between personality and memory performance in older adults can be explained, in part, through health-related behavior.

The Personal Norm of Reciprocity among mental health service users: conceptual development and measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Matejkowski, Jason; McCarthy, Kevin S; Draine, Jeffrey

2011-01-01

A measure of an individual's level of internalization of the norm of reciprocity may signal exchange preferences and indicate whether "active" or "passive" mental health services are preferable to consumers. We evaluated the psychometric properties of one such measure, the Personal Norm of Reciprocity (PNR) scale. We recruited 70 persons receiving mental health services and 65 comparison participants to complete questionnaires assessing reciprocity tendencies and correlates of mental illness. Two of three subscales of a shortened PNR showed evidence of reliability and validity. Consumers endorsed higher levels of the reciprocity norm than persons not seeking services. Persons in "active" service settings displayed greater rigidity in application of the reciprocity norm than individuals in "passive" service settings or comparison participants. The shortened PNR can be a useful measure of individual reciprocity preferences. Measurement of the internalization of the norm of reciprocity may assist practitioners in identifying what types of services are more likely to retain and benefit mental health service consumers.

Information and communication technology-enabled person-centered care for the "big five" chronic conditions: scoping review.

Science.gov (United States)

Wildevuur, Sabine E; Simonse, Lianne W L

2015-03-27

Person-centered information and communication technology (ICT) could encourage patients to take an active part in their health care and decision-making process, and make it possible for patients to interact directly with health care providers and services about their personal health concerns. Yet, little is known about which ICT interventions dedicated to person-centered care (PCC) and connected-care interactions have been studied, especially for shared care management of chronic diseases. The aim of this research is to investigate the extent, range, and nature of these research activities and identify research gaps in the evidence base of health studies regarding the "big 5" chronic diseases: diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, cancer, and stroke. The objective of this paper was to review the literature and to scope the field with respect to 2 questions: (1) which ICT interventions have been used to support patients and health care professionals in PCC management of the big 5 chronic diseases? and (2) what is the impact of these interventions, such as on health-related quality of life and cost efficiency? This research adopted a scoping review method. Three electronic medical databases were accessed: PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library. The research reviewed studies published between January 1989 and December 2013. In 5 stages of systematic scanning and reviewing, relevant studies were identified, selected, and charted. Then we collated, summarized, and reported the results. From the initial 9380 search results, we identified 350 studies that qualified for inclusion: diabetes mellitus (n=103), cardiovascular disease (n=89), chronic respiratory disease (n=73), cancer (n=67), and stroke (n=18). Persons with one of these chronic conditions used ICT primarily for self-measurement of the body, when interacting with health care providers, with the highest rates of use seen in chronic respiratory (63%, 46/73) and cardiovascular (53

Consumers’ intention to use health recommendation systems to receive personalized nutrition advice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wendel, S.; Dellaert, B.G.C.; Ronteltap, A.; Trijp, van J.C.M.

2013-01-01

Background: Sophisticated recommendation systems are used more and more in the health sector to assist consumers in healthy decision making. In this study we investigate consumers' evaluation of hypothetical health recommendation systems that provide personalized nutrition advice. We examine

Consumers' intention to use health recommendation systems to receive personalized nutrition advice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

S. Wendel (Sonja); B.G.C. Dellaert (Benedict); A. Ronteltap (Amber); H.C.M. van Trijp (Hans)

2013-01-01

textabstractBackground: Sophisticated recommendation systems are used more and more in the health sector to assist consumers in healthy decision making. In this study we investigate consumers' evaluation of hypothetical health recommendation systems that provide personalized nutrition advice. We

Socio-demographics characteristics and health conditions of older homeless persons of Lima, Peru

OpenAIRE

Moquillaza-Risco, Marlene; Programa Nacional Vida Digna (PNVD), Ministerio de la Mujer y Poblaciones Vulnerables. Lima, Perú.; León, Elsa; Programa Nacional Vida Digna (PNVD), Ministerio de la Mujer y Poblaciones Vulnerables. Lima, Perú.; Dongo, Mario; Programa Nacional Vida Digna (PNVD), Ministerio de la Mujer y Poblaciones Vulnerables. Lima, Perú.; Munayco, César V.; Programa Nacional Vida Digna (PNVD), Ministerio de la Mujer y Poblaciones Vulnerables. Lima, Perú.

2015-01-01

Objectives. Determine the socio-demographics characteristics and health conditions of older homeless persons at the time of enrollment into the National Program “Vida Digna” and the probability of functional dependency by age, and stratified by gender and cognitive impairment. Materials ande methods. We performed a cross sectional study, reviewing all registration forms of the program in order to identify socio-demographic variables and health conditions of older homeless persons at the time ...

Personal Digital Branding as a Professional Asset in the Digital Age

Science.gov (United States)

Kleppinger, Courtney A.

2015-01-01

In recent years, society’s rapid adoption of social media has made the boundary between professional and private life nearly indistinguishable. The literature provides guidance on how to demonstrate professionalism via social media platforms. Social media policies within health professions education tend to be legalistic in nature, serving primarily to highlight behaviors students should avoid. One missing element in social media literature is the concept of online invisibility. In this paper, we define personal digital branding, discuss the professional implications of choosing to abstain from social media use, and urge educators to recognize that the personal digital branding may be an emerging asset for young professionals in the twenty-first century. PMID:26430266

Public health genomics and personalized prevention: lessons from the COGS project.

Science.gov (United States)

Pashayan, N; Hall, A; Chowdhury, S; Dent, T; Pharoah, P D P; Burton, H

2013-11-01

Using the principles of public health genomics, we examined the opportunities and challenges of implementing personalized prevention programmes for cancer at the population level. Our model-based estimates indicate that polygenic risk stratification can potentially improve the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of screening programmes. However, compared with 'one-size-fits-all' screening programmes, personalized screening adds further layers of complexity to the organization of screening services and raises ethical, legal and social challenges. Before polygenic inheritance is translated into population screening strategy, evidence from empirical research and engagement with and education of the public and the health professionals are needed. © 2013 The Association for the Publication of the Journal of Internal Medicine.

Health Sensitivity: Age Differences in the Within-Person Coupling of Individuals' Physical Health and Well-Being

Science.gov (United States)

Schöllgen, Ina; Morack, Jennifer; Infurna, Frank J.; Ram, Nilam; Gerstorf, Denis

2016-01-01

Well-being and physical health are central indicators of quality of life in old age. Research from a between-person difference perspective finds that people in better health than their peers also report higher well-being than their peers. However, we know very little about whether changes in one domain are accompanied by changes in the other…

School Experiences Influence Personal Health and Interpersonal Relationships of Adolescents: The Canadian Case

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Xin

2007-01-01

Canadian data from the 1998 Cross-National Survey on Health Behaviors in School-Aged Children were analyzed to examine the effects of school experiences on personal health (physical health, mental health, self-esteem, helplessness, and body image) and interpersonal relationships (number of close friends and making friends) among adolescents.…

Improving health services to displaced persons in Aceh, Indonesia: a balanced scorecard.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Grace J; Parco, Kristin B; Sihombing, Melva E; Tredwell, Susan P; O'Rourke, Edward J

2010-09-01

After the Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004, the International Organization for Migration constructed temporary health clinics to provide medical services to survivors living in temporary accommodation centres throughout Aceh, Indonesia. Limited resources, inadequate supervision, staff turnover and lack of a health information system made it challenging to provide quality primary health services. A balanced scorecard was developed and implemented in collaboration with local health clinic staff and district health officials. Performance targets were identified. Staff collected data from clinics and accommodation centres to develop 30 simple performance measures. These measures were monitored periodically and discussed at meetings with stakeholders to guide the development of health interventions. Two years after the tsunami, 34 000 displaced persons continued to receive services from temporary health clinics in two districts of Aceh province. From March to December 2007, the scorecard was implemented in seven temporary health clinics. Interventions stimulated and tracked by the scorecard showed measurable improvements in preventive medicine, child health, capacity building of clinic staff and availability of essential drugs. By enhancing communication, the scorecard also led to qualitative benefits. The balanced scorecard is a practical tool to focus attention and resources to facilitate improvement in disaster rehabilitation settings where health information infrastructure is poor. Introducing a mechanism for rapid improvement fostered communication between nongovernmental organizations, district health officials, clinic health workers and displaced persons.

Smartphone as a personal, pervasive health informatics services platform: literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Wac, K

2012-01-01

The article provides an overview of current trends in personal sensor, signal and imaging informatics, that are based on emerging mobile computing and communications technologies enclosed in a smartphone and enabling the provision of personal, pervasive health informatics services. The article reviews examples of these trends from the PubMed and Google scholar literature search engines, which, by no means claim to be complete, as the field is evolving and some recent advances may not be documented yet. There exist critical technological advances in the surveyed smartphone technologies, employed in provision and improvement of diagnosis, acute and chronic treatment and rehabilitation health services, as well as in education and training of healthcare practitioners. However, the most emerging trend relates to a routine application of these technologies in a prevention/wellness sector, helping its users in self-care to stay healthy. Smartphone-based personal health informatics services exist, but still have a long way to go to become an everyday, personalized healthcare-provisioning tool in the medical field and in a clinical practice. Key main challenge for their widespread adoption involve lack of user acceptance striving from variable credibility and reliability of applications and solutions as they a) lack evidence- based approach; b) have low levels of medical professional involvement in their design and content; c) are provided in an unreliable way, influencing negatively its usability; and, in some cases, d) being industry-driven, hence exposing bias in information provided, for example towards particular types of treatment or intervention procedures.

Focus on People: Rethinking the Power and Potential of Personal Health Records - Part 2

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

Dr. Patricia Brennan discusses how Project HealthDesign is working to enhance the utility and flexibility of personal health records as a critical tool to help people take action to improve their health and improve the health care of all Americans.

Focus on People: Rethinking the Power and Potential of Personal Health Records - Part 1

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

Dr. Patricia Brennan discusses how Project HealthDesign is working to enhance the utility and flexibility of personal health records as a critical tool to help people take action to improve their health and improve the health care of all Americans.

Denial of Treatment to Obese Patients—the Wrong Policy on Personal Responsibility for Health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nir Eyal

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In many countries around the world, including Iran, obesity is reaching epidemic proportions. Doctors have recently taken, or expressed support for, an extreme ‘personal responsibility for health’ policy against obesity: refusing services to obese patients. This policy may initially seem to improve patients’ incentives to fight obesity. But turning access to medical services into a benefit dependent on health improvement is a bad policy. It conditions the very aid that patients need in order to become healthier or success in becoming healthier. Whatever else we may think of personal responsibility for health policies, this particular one is absurd. Unfortunately, quite a few personal responsibility for health policies use similar absurd conditioning. They mistakenly use ‘carrots’ or ‘sticks’ for adherence the basic means to the same health outcomes that they seek to promote. This perspective proposes the following rule of thumb: any conditional incentive for healthy choice should be in a currency other than the basic means to that healthy choice.

Personal vis-a-vis social responsibility for disparities in health status: An issue of justice.

Science.gov (United States)

Jha, Ayan; Dobe, Madhumita

2016-01-01

Health inequities are disparities which can be avoided through rational actions on the part of policymakers. Such inequalities are unnecessary and unjust and may exist between and within nations, societies, and population groups. Social determinants such as wealth, income, occupation, education, gender, and racial/ethnic groups are the principal drivers of this inequality since they determine the health risks and preventive behaviors, access to, and affordability of health care. Within this framework, there is a debate on assigning a personal responsibility factor over and above societal responsibility to issues of ill health. One school of philosophy argues that when individuals are worse-off than others for no fault of their own, it is unjust, as opposed to health disparities that arise due to avoidable personal choices such as smoking and drug addiction for which there should (can) be a personal responsibility. Opposing thoughts have pointed out that the relative socioeconomic position of an individual dictates how his/her life may progress from education to working conditions and aging, susceptibility to diseases and infirmity, and the consequences thereof. The existence of a social gradient in health outcomes across populations throughout the world is a testimony to this truth. It has been emphasized that assuming personal responsibility for health in public policy-making can only have a peripheral place. Instead, the concept of individual responsibility should be promoted as a positive concept of enabling people to gain control over the determinants of health through conscious, informed, and healthy choices.

Cognitive decline impairs financial and health literacy among community-based older persons without dementia.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyle, Patricia A; Yu, Lei; Wilson, Robert S; Segawa, Eisuke; Buchman, Aron S; Bennett, David A

2013-09-01

Literacy is an important determinant of health and well-being across the life span but is critical in aging, when many influential health and financial decisions are made. Prior studies suggest that older persons exhibit lower literacy than younger persons, particularly in the domains of financial and health literacy, but the reasons why remain unknown. The objectives of this study were to: (a) examine pathways linking diverse resources (i.e., education, word knowledge, cognitive function, and decision making style) to health and financial literacy among older persons and determine the extent to which the relation of age with literacy represents a direct effect versus an indirect effect due to decrements in specific cognitive functions (i.e., executive functions and episodic memory); and (b) test the hypothesis that declines in executive function and episodic memory are associated with lower literacy among older persons without dementia. Six-hundred and forty-five community-based older persons without dementia underwent detailed assessments of diverse resources, including education, word knowledge, cognitive function (i.e., executive function, episodic memory) and decision making style (i.e., risk aversion), and completed a measure of literacy that included items similar to those used in the Health and Retirement Study, such as numeracy, financial concepts such as compound inflation and knowledge of stocks and bonds, and important health concepts such as understanding of drug risk and Medicare Part D. Path analysis revealed a strong effect of age on literacy, with about half of the effect of age on literacy due to decrements in executive functions and episodic memory. In addition, executive function had an indirect effect on literacy via decision making style (i.e., risk aversion), and education and word knowledge had independent effects on literacy. Finally, among (n = 447) persons with repeated cognitive assessments available for up to 14 years, regression

Health behavior in persons with spinal cord injury: development and initial validation of an outcome measure.

Science.gov (United States)

Pruitt, S D; Wahlgren, D R; Epping-Jordan, J E; Rossi, A L

1998-10-01

To describe the development and initial psychometric properties of a new outcome measure for health behaviors that delay or prevent secondary impairments associated with spinal cord injury (SCI). Persons with SCI were surveyed during routine annual physical evaluations. Veterans Affairs Medical Center Spinal Cord Injury Unit, which specializes in primary care for persons with SCI. Forty-nine persons with SCI, aged 19-73 years, 1-50 years post-SCI. The newly developed Spinal Cord Injury Lifestyle Scale (SCILS). Internal consistency is high (alpha = 0.81). Correlations between clinicians' ratings of participants' health behavior and the new SCILS provide preliminary support for construct validity. The SCILS is a brief, self-report measure of health-related behavior in persons with SCI. It is a promising new outcome measure to evaluate the effectiveness of clinical and educational efforts for health maintenance and prevention of secondary impairments associated with SCI.

Economic evaluation of home-based telebehavioural health care compared to in-person treatment delivery for depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Bounthavong, Mark; Pruitt, Larry D; Smolenski, Derek J; Gahm, Gregory A; Bansal, Aasthaa; Hansen, Ryan N

2018-02-01

Introduction Home-based telebehavioural healthcare improves access to mental health care for patients restricted by travel burden. However, there is limited evidence assessing the economic value of home-based telebehavioural health care compared to in-person care. We sought to compare the economic impact of home-based telebehavioural health care and in-person care for depression among current and former US service members. Methods We performed trial-based cost-minimisation and cost-utility analyses to assess the economic impact of home-based telebehavioural health care versus in-person behavioural care for depression. Our analyses focused on the payer perspective (Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs) at three months. We also performed a scenario analysis where all patients possessed video-conferencing technology that was approved by these agencies. The cost-utility analysis evaluated the impact of different depression categories on the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to test the robustness of the model assumptions. Results In the base case analysis the total direct cost of home-based telebehavioural health care was higher than in-person care (US$71,974 versus US$20,322). Assuming that patients possessed government-approved video-conferencing technology, home-based telebehavioural health care was less costly compared to in-person care (US$19,177 versus US$20,322). In one-way sensitivity analyses, the proportion of patients possessing personal computers was a major driver of direct costs. In the cost-utility analysis, home-based telebehavioural health care was dominant when patients possessed video-conferencing technology. Results from probabilistic sensitivity analyses did not differ substantially from base case results. Discussion Home-based telebehavioural health care is dependent on the cost of supplying video-conferencing technology to patients but offers the opportunity to

Health, work, and personal-related predictors of time to return to work among employees with mental health problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nielsen, Maj Britt D.; Bultmann, Ute; Madsen, Ida E. H.; Martin, Marie; Christensen, Ulla; Diderichsen, Finn; Rugulies, Reiner

2012-01-01

Purpose: To identify health-, personal- and work-related factors predictive of return to work (RTW) in employees sick-listed due to common mental health problems, such as, stress, depression, burnout, and anxiety. Methods: We distributed a baseline questionnaire to employees applying for sickness

Incorporating Personal Health Records into the Disease Management of Rural Heart Failure Patients

Science.gov (United States)

Baron, Karen Parsley

2012-01-01

Personal Health Records (PHRs) allow patients to access and in some cases manage their own health records. Their potential benefits include access to health information, enhanced asynchronous communication between patients and clinicians, and convenience of online appointment scheduling and prescription refills. Potential barriers to PHR use…

Challenges and Opportunities with Empowering Baby Boomers for Personal Health Information Management Using Consumer Health Information Technologies: an Ecological Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

LeRouge, Cynthia M; Tao, Donghua; Ohs, Jennifer; Lach, Helen W; Jupka, Keri; Wray, Ricardo

2014-01-01

"Baby Boomers" (adults born between the years of 1946 and 1964) make up the largest segment of the population in many countries, including the United States (about 78 million Americans) [1]. As Baby Boomers reach retirement age and beyond, many will have increasing medical needs and thus demand more health care resources that will challenge the healthcare system. Baby Boomers will likely accelerate the movement toward patient self-management and prevention efforts. Consumer Health Information Technologies (CHIT) hold promise for empowering health consumers to take an active role in health maintenance and disease management, and thus, have the potential to address Baby Boomers' health needs. Such innovations require changes in health care practice and processes that take into account Baby Boomers' personal health needs, preferences, health culture, and abilities to use these technologies. Without foundational knowledge of barriers and opportunities, Baby Boomers may not realize the potential of these innovations for improving self-management of health and health outcomes. However, research to date has not adequately explored the degree to which Baby Boomers are ready to embrace consumer health information technology and how their unique subcultures affect adoption and diffusion. This position paper describes an ecological conceptual framework for understanding and studying CHIT aimed at satisfying the personal health needs of Baby Boomers. We explore existing literature to provide a detailed depiction of our proposed conceptual framework, which focuses characteristics influencing Baby Boomers and their Personal Health Information Management (PHIM) and potential information problems. Using our ecological framework as a backdrop, we provide insight and implications for future research based on literature and underlying theories represented in our model.

Client perceptions of the mental health engagement network: a qualitative analysis of an electronic personal health record.

Science.gov (United States)

Forchuk, Cheryl; Reiss, Jeffrey P; O'Regan, Tony; Ethridge, Paige; Donelle, Lorie; Rudnick, Abraham

2015-10-14

Information technologies such as websites, mobile phone applications, and virtual reality programs have been shown to deliver innovative and effective treatments for mental illness. Much of the research studying electronic mental health interventions focuses on symptom reduction; however, to facilitate the implementation of electronic interventions in usual mental health care, it is also important to investigate the perceptions of clients who will be using the technologies. To this end, a qualitative analysis of focus group discussions regarding the Mental Health Engagement Network, a web-based personal health record and smartphone intervention, is presented here. Individuals living in the community with a mood or psychotic disorder (n = 394) were provided with a smartphone and access to an electronic personal health record, the Lawson SMART Record, for 12 to 18 months to manage their mental health. This study employed a delayed-implementation design and obtained both quantitative and qualitative data through individual interviews and focus group sessions. Participants had the opportunity to participate in voluntary focus group sessions at three points throughout the study to discuss their perceptions of the technologies. Qualitative data from 95 focus group participants were analysed using a thematic analysis. Four overarching themes emerged from focus group discussions: 1) Versatile functionality of the Lawson SMART Record and smartphone facilitated use; 2) Aspects of the technologies as barriers to use; 3) Use of the Mental health Engagement Network technologies resulted in perceived positive outcomes; 4) Future enhancement of the Lawson SMART Record and intervention is recommended. These qualitative data provide a valuable contribution to the understanding of how smarttechnologies can be integrated into usual mental health care. Smartphones are extremely portable andcommonplace in society. Therefore, clients can use these devices to manage and track mental

Obfuscatable multi-recipient re-encryption for secure privacy-preserving personal health record services.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Yang; Fan, Hongfei; Xiong, Guoyue

2015-01-01

With the rapid development of cloud computing techniques, it is attractive for personal health record (PHR) service providers to deploy their PHR applications and store the personal health data in the cloud. However, there could be a serious privacy leakage if the cloud-based system is intruded by attackers, which makes it necessary for the PHR service provider to encrypt all patients' health data on cloud servers. Existing techniques are insufficiently secure under circumstances where advanced threats are considered, or being inefficient when many recipients are involved. Therefore, the objectives of our solution are (1) providing a secure implementation of re-encryption in white-box attack contexts and (2) assuring the efficiency of the implementation even in multi-recipient cases. We designed the multi-recipient re-encryption functionality by randomness-reusing and protecting the implementation by obfuscation. The proposed solution is secure even in white-box attack contexts. Furthermore, a comparison with other related work shows that the computational cost of the proposed solution is lower. The proposed technique can serve as a building block for supporting secure, efficient and privacy-preserving personal health record service systems.

An ethnographic investigation of healthcare providers' approaches to facilitating person-centredness in group-based diabetes education.

Science.gov (United States)

Stenov, Vibeke; Hempler, Nana Folmann; Reventlow, Susanne; Wind, Gitte

2017-08-22

To investigate approaches among healthcare providers (HCPs) that support or hinder person-centredness in group-based diabetes education programmes targeting persons with type 2 diabetes. Ethnographic fieldwork in a municipal and a hospital setting in Denmark. The two programmes included 21 participants and 10 HCPs and were observed over 5 weeks. Additionally, 10 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients (n = 7) and HCPs (n = 3). Data were analysed using systematic text condensation. Hindering approaches included a teacher-centred focus on delivering disease-specific information. Communication was dialog based, but HCPs primarily asked closed-ended questions with one correct answer. Additional hindering approaches included ignoring participants with suboptimal health behaviours and a tendency to moralize that resulted in feelings of guilt among participants. Supporting approaches included letting participants set the agenda using broad, open-ended questions. Healthcare providers are often socialized into a biomedical approach and trained to be experts. However, person-centredness involves redefined roles and responsibilities. Applying person-centredness in practice requires continuous training and supervision, but HCPs often have minimum support for developing person-centred communication skills. Techniques based on motivational communication, psychosocial methods and facilitating group processes are effective person-centred approaches in a group context. Teacher-centredness undermined person-centredness because HCPs primarily delivered disease-specific recommendations, leading to biomedical information overload for participants. © 2017 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Perspectives on access to personal health information in New Zealand/Aotearoa.

Science.gov (United States)

Menkes, David B; Hill, Charlotte J; Horsfall, Melissa; Jaye, Chrystal

2008-12-01

This study used group interviews to explore Māori and European New Zealander (Pakeha) perspectives on access to personal health information. Two predominant themes emerged: the tension between the individual and society, and differences inherent in the use of formal and informal moral codes. Māori and Pakeha differed in their concept of autonomy and relied on distinct moral codes when considering questions of access; Western values and moral codes were notably less relevant to Māori who described distinct, collectivist means of ensuring social care of the sick and dying. Pakeha but not Māori participants often used hypothetical situations to reach an abstract determination of 'who should know'; the latter instead used personal experience to decide case-by-case. Generational differences were also evident, particularly in the Māori groups. In conclusion, culture should be considered in access to personal health information in New Zealand. Similar cultural variation is likely to be found in other countries; recognition of such differences will help ensure that access to sensitive information is appropriate, inclusive, and ethical.

Assessing Conscientious Personality in Primary Care: An Opportunity for Prevention and Health Promotion

Science.gov (United States)

Israel, Salomon; Moffitt, Terrie E.

2014-01-01

The articles in this special section bolster the already strong evidence base that personality differences in the trait of conscientiousness predict health. What is now needed is a research agenda for translating documented risk associations between low conscientiousness and poor health into policies and interventions that improve health outcomes…

Improving comfort and health with personalized ventilation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Melikov, Arsen Krikor

2004-01-01

The thermal environment and air quality in buildings affects occupants¿ health, comfort and performance. The heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) of buildings today is designed to provide a uniform room environment. However, large individual differences exist between occupants in regard...... existing knowledge on performance of personalized ventilation (PV) and on human response to it. The airflow interaction in the vicinity of the human body is analysed and its impact on thermal comfort and inhaled air quality is discussed together with control strategies and the application of PV in practice...

Evaluation of a Person-Centered, Theory-Based Intervention to Promote Health Behaviors.

Science.gov (United States)

Worawong, Chiraporn; Borden, Mary Jo; Cooper, Karen M; Pérez, Oscar A; Lauver, Diane

Effective promotion of health behaviors requires strong interventions. Applying person-centered approaches and concepts synthesized from two motivational theories could strengthen the effects of such interventions. The aim of the study was to report the effect sizes, fidelity, and acceptability of a person-centered, health behavior intervention based on self-regulation and self-determination theories. Using a pre- and postintervention design, with a 4-week follow-up, advanced practice registered nurses made six weekly contacts with 52 volunteer participants. Most participants were educated White women. Advanced practice registered nurses elicited participant motives and particular goals for either healthy diet or physical activity behaviors. Minutes and type of activity and servings of fat and fruit/vegetables were assessed. Effect sizes for engaging in moderate aerobic activity and in fruit/vegetable and fat intake were 0.53, 0.82, and -0.57, respectively. The fidelity of delivery was 80-97% across contacts, and fidelity of participants' receipt of intervention components was supported. Participant acceptance of the intervention was supported by positive ratings on aspects of relevance and usefulness. To advance the science of health behavior change and improve client health status, person-centered approaches and concepts synthesized from motivational theories can be applied and tested with a randomized, controlled design and diverse samples to replicate and extend this promising behavioral intervention.

[Socio-demographics characteristics and health conditions of older homeless persons of Lima, Peru].

Science.gov (United States)

Moquillaza-Risco, Marlene; León, Elsa; Dongo, Mario; Munayco, César V

2015-10-01

Determine the socio-demographics characteristics and health conditions of older homeless persons at the time of enrollment into the National Program "Vida Digna" and the probability of functional dependency by age, and stratified by gender and cognitive impairment. MATERIALS ANDE METHODS: We performed a cross sectional study, reviewing all registration forms of the program in order to identify socio-demographic variables and health conditions of older homeless persons at the time of enrollment in the program. We did a descriptive analysis of the socio-demographic variables and we also determined the frequency of health conditions. Furthermore, we determined the probability of functional dependency by age, and stratified by gender and cognitive impairment through a logistic regression model. The older homeless persons at the time of enrollment in the program were mostly single men, with a primary education or no education. The study subjects had a high frequency of chronic and mental diseases. 50% of them had certain level of functional impairment and roughly 70% had a certain level of cognitive impairment. The probability of functional dependency increased by age, and it was higher in women than in men. This probability increased according to the level of cognitive impairment. This study shows that older homeless persons are a vulnerable population not only because they live outdoors but also because they a have also for the high prevalence of chronic and mental diseases. These diseases prevent the homeless persons from living by themselves special care to overcome their situations.

Health, work, social trust, and financial situation in persons with Usher syndrome type 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Ehn, Mattias; Wahlqvist, Moa; Danermark, Berth; Dahlström, Örjan; Möller, Claes

2018-05-28

Research has demonstrated that persons with Usher syndrome type 1 (USH1) have significantly poorer physical and psychological health compared to a reference group. To explore the relation between work, health, social trust, and financial situation in USH1 compared to a reference group. Sixty-six persons (18-65 y) from the Swedish Usher database received a questionnaire and 47 were included, 23 working and 24 non-working. The reference group comprised 3,049 working and 198 non-working persons. The Swedish Health on Equal Terms questionnaire was used and statistical analysis with multiple logistic regression was conducted. The USH1 non-work group had a higher Odds ratio (95% CI) in poor psychological and physical health, social trust, and financial situation compared to the USH1 work group and reference groups. Age, gender, hearing, and vision impairment did not explain the differences. The relation between the USH1 work and non-work groups showed the same pattern as the reference groups, but the magnitude of problems was significantly higher. Both disability and unemployment increased the risk of poor health, social trust and financial situation in persons with USH1, but having an employment seemed to counteract the risks related to disability.

What can individuals do to reduce personal health risks from air pollution?

Science.gov (United States)

Laumbach, Robert; Meng, Qingyu; Kipen, Howard

2015-01-01

In many areas of the world, concentrations of ambient air pollutants exceed levels associated with increased risk of acute and chronic health problems. While effective policies to reduce emissions at their sources are clearly preferable, some evidence supports the effectiveness of individual actions to reduce exposure and health risks. Personal exposure to ambient air pollution can be reduced on high air pollution days by staying indoors, reducing outdoor air infiltration to indoors, cleaning indoor air with air filters, and limiting physical exertion, especially outdoors and near air pollution sources. Limited evidence suggests that the use of respirators may be effective in some circumstances. Awareness of air pollution levels is facilitated by a growing number of public air quality alert systems. Avoiding exposure to air pollutants is especially important for susceptible individuals with chronic cardiovascular or pulmonary disease, children, and the elderly. Research on mechanisms underlying the adverse health effects of air pollution have suggested potential pharmaceutical or chemopreventive interventions, such as antioxidant or antithrombotic agents, but in the absence of data on health outcomes, no sound recommendations can be made for primary prevention. Health care providers and their patients should carefully consider individual circumstances related to outdoor and indoor air pollutant exposure levels and susceptibility to those air pollutants when deciding on a course of action to reduce personal exposure and health risks from ambient air pollutants. Careful consideration is especially warranted when interventions may have unintended negative consequences, such as when efforts to avoid exposure to air pollutants lead to reduced physical activity or when there is evidence that dietary supplements, such as antioxidants, have potential adverse health effects. These potential complications of partially effective personal interventions to reduce exposure or

Socio-environmental exposures and health outcomes among persons with sickle cell disease.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika R Asnani

Full Text Available There is much variability in the expression of sickle cell disease (SCD and recent works suggest that environmental and social factors may also influence this variability. This paper aims to use geographic information systems technology to examine the association between socio-environmental exposures and health outcomes in all persons who have attended or currently attend the Sickle Cell Unit in Jamaica. Rural patients presented for clinical care at older ages and had less annual visits to clinic. Persons travelled relatively long distances to seek SCD care and those travelling longer had less health maintenance visits. Urban patients had a higher prevalence of significant pain crises (69.4% vs. 55.8%, p value<0.001 and respiratory events (21.2% vs. 14%, p value<0.001. Prevalence of leg ulcers did not vary between rural and urban patients but was higher in males than in females. Females also had lower odds of having respiratory events but there was no sex difference in history of painful crises. Persons with more severe genotypes lived in higher poverty and travelled longer for healthcare services. Persons in areas with higher annual rainfall, higher mean temperatures and living farther from factories had less painful crises and respiratory events. The paper highlights a need for better access to healthcare services for Jamaicans with SCD especially in rural areas of the island. It also reports interesting associations between environmental climatic exposures and health outcomes.

Health-illness transition among persons using advanced medical technology at home.

Science.gov (United States)

Fex, Angelika; Flensner, Gullvi; Ek, Anna-Christina; Söderhamn, Olle

2011-06-01

This study aimed to elucidate meanings of health-illness transition experiences among adult persons using advanced medical technology at home. As an increasing number of persons perform self-care while using different sorts of advanced medical technology at home, knowledge about health-illness transition experiences in this situation may be useful to caregivers in supporting these patients. A qualitative design was used. Five women and five men, all of whom performed self-care at home, either using long-term oxygen therapy from a ventilator or oxygen cylinder, or performing peritoneal or haemodialysis, were interviewed. Ethics committee approval was obtained. Informed consent was received from all participants, and ethical issues concerning their rights in research were raised. The interviews were analysed using a phenomenological hermeneutical methodology, including both an inductive and a deductive structural analysis. This method offers possibilities to obtain an increased understanding by uncovering a deeper meaning of lived experiences through interviews transcribed as texts. The health-illness transition for adult persons in this context was found to mean a learning process of accepting, managing, adjusting and improving daily life with technology, facilitated by realizing the gain from technology at home. Further, the meaning of the health-illness transition experience was interpreted as contentment with being part of the active and conscious process towards transcending into a new state of living, in which the individual and the technology were in tune. The healthy transition experience was characterized by human growth and becoming. This study elucidates one meaning of health-illness transition experiences in relation to the use of advanced medical technology on a more generic level, independent of the specific type of technology used. A positive attitude towards technology at home facilitates the transition. © 2010 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of

Designing for Underserved Populations: Constraints and Requirements of Personal Health Record Systems

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2009-02-11

In this podcast, Dr. Thomas Horan discusses how language, literacy, and access barriers can be overcome with electronic Personal Health Record (PHR) systems to improve health among the most vulnerable, isolated, and underserved populations.  Created: 2/11/2009 by Coordinating Center for Health Information Service (CCHIS), Healthy Healthcare Settings Goal Team, Office of Strategy and Innovation.   Date Released: 9/2/2009.

PHIT for Duty, a Personal Health Intervention Tool for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury

Science.gov (United States)

2015-04-01

Award Number: W81XWH-11-2-0129 TITLE: PHIT for Duty, a Personal Health Intervention Tool for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury... Brain Injury 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Betty Diamond 5d. PROJECT NUMBER Paul N. Kizakevich 5e. TASK NUMBER E-Mail...and Google App stores.  ActiSleep. PHIT-based sleep diary for data collection in an adolescent sleep and marijuana study. National Institute on Drug

Assessing Commercially Available Personal Health Records for Home Health: Recommendations for Design.

Science.gov (United States)

Kneale, Laura; Choi, Yong; Demiris, George

2016-01-01

Home health nurses and clients experience unmet information needs when transitioning from hospital to home health. Personal health records (PHRs) support consumer-centered information management activities. Previous work has assessed PHRs associated with healthcare providers, but these systems leave home health nurses unable to access necessary information. To evaluate the ability of publically available PHRs to accept, manage, and share information from a home health case study. Two researchers accessed the publically available PHRs on myPHR.com, and attempted to enter, manage, and share the case study data. We qualitatively described the PHR features, and identified gaps between the case study information and PHR functionality. Eighteen PHRs were identified in our initial search. Seven systems met our inclusion criteria, and are included in this review. The PHRs were able to accept basic medical information. Gaps occurred when entering, managing, and/or sharing data from the acute care and home health episodes. The PHRs that were reviewed were unable to effectively manage the case study information. Therefore, increasing consumer health literacy through these systems may be difficult. The PHRs that we reviewed were also unable to electronically share their data. The gap between the existing functionality and the information needs from the case study may make these PHRs difficult to use for home health environments. Additional work is needed to increase the functionality of the PHR systems to better fit the data needs of home health clients.

Health care as perceived by persons with inflammatory bowel disease - a focus group study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lesnovska, Katarina Pihl; Hollman Frisman, Gunilla; Hjortswang, Henrik; Hjelm, Katarina; Börjeson, Sussanne

2017-11-01

The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of health care among persons living with inflammatory bowel disease. The quality of care plays an important role in the life of persons with a chronic disease. To define what persons with inflammatory bowel disease perceive as high-quality care, greater focus must be placed on the individual's own perspective of living with the condition. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted based on focus groups. Five focus groups were conducted with adult persons living with inflammatory bowel disease, 14 men and 12 women aged 19-76 years. The interviews were performed between January-June 2014. The perceptions of health care from the perspective of persons living with inflammatory bowel disease were summarised in two categories: 'professional attitudes of healthcare staff' and 'structure of the healthcare organisation'. Persons with inflammatory bowel disease want to be encountered with respect, experience trust and obtain information at the right time. They also expect shared decision-making, communication and to encounter competent healthcare professionals. Furthermore, the expectations on and perceptions of the structure of the healthcare organisation comprise access to care, accommodation, continuity of care, as well as the pros and cons of specialised care. The findings show the importance of establishing a respectful and trusting relationship, facilitating healthcare staff and persons with inflammatory bowel disease to work as a team in fulfilling individual care needs - but there is room for improvement in terms of quality of care. A person-centred approach, which places the individual and her/his family at the centre, considering them experts on their own health and enabling them to collaborate with healthcare staff, seems important to reach a high-quality healthcare organisation for patients with Inflammatory bowel disease. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Clinical Nursing Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Personal health and consumer informatics. The impact of health oriented social media applications on health outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibbons, M C

2013-01-01

The rapid evolution in the world-wide use of Social Media tools suggests the emergence of a global phenomenon that may have implications in the Personal Health and Consumer Health Informatics domains. However the impact of these tools on health outcomes is not known. The goal of this research was to review the randomized controlled trial (RCT) evidence of the impact of health oriented Social Media informatics tools on health outcomes. Evaluations of Social Media consumer health tools were systematically reviewed. Research was limited to studies published in the English language, published in Medline, published in the calendar year 2012 and limited to studies that utilized a RCT methodological design. Two high quality Randomized Controlled Trials among over 600 articles published in Medline were identified. These studies indicate that Social Media interventions may be able to significantly improve pain control among patients with chronic pain and enhance weight loss maintenance among individuals attempting to lose weight. Significantly more research needs to be done to confirm these early findings, evaluate additional health outcomes and further evaluate emerging health oriented Social Media interventions. Chronic pain and weight control have both socially oriented determinants. These studies suggest that understanding the social component of a disease may ultimately provide novel therapeutic targets and socio-clinical interventional strategies.

Making Personalized Health Care Even More Personalized: Insights From Activities of the IOM Genomics Roundtable.

Science.gov (United States)

David, Sean P; Johnson, Samuel G; Berger, Adam C; Feero, W Gregory; Terry, Sharon F; Green, Larry A; Phillips, Robert L; Ginsburg, Geoffrey S

2015-01-01

Genomic research has generated much new knowledge into mechanisms of human disease, with the potential to catalyze novel drug discovery and development, prenatal and neonatal screening, clinical pharmacogenomics, more sensitive risk prediction, and enhanced diagnostics. Genomic medicine, however, has been limited by critical evidence gaps, especially those related to clinical utility and applicability to diverse populations. Genomic medicine may have the greatest impact on health care if it is integrated into primary care, where most health care is received and where evidence supports the value of personalized medicine grounded in continuous healing relationships. Redesigned primary care is the most relevant setting for clinically useful genomic medicine research. Taking insights gained from the activities of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Roundtable on Translating Genomic-Based Research for Health, we apply lessons learned from the patient-centered medical home national experience to implement genomic medicine in a patient-centered, learning health care system. © 2015 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

Temporal Dynamics of Health and Well-Being: A Crowdsourcing Approach to Momentary Assessments and Automated Generation of Personalized Feedback.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Krieke, Lian; Blaauw, Frank J; Emerencia, Ando C; Schenk, Hendrika M; Slaets, Joris P J; Bos, Elisabeth H; de Jonge, Peter; Jeronimus, Bertus F

Recent developments in research and mobile health enable a quantitative idiographic approach in health research. The present study investigates the potential of an electronic diary crowdsourcing study in the Netherlands for (1) large-scale automated self-assessment for individual-based health promotion and (2) enabling research at both the between-persons and within-persons level. To illustrate the latter, we examined between-persons and within-persons associations between somatic symptoms and quality of life. A website provided the general Dutch population access to a 30-day (3 times a day) diary study assessing 43 items related to health and well-being, which gave participants personalized feedback. Associations between somatic symptoms and quality of life were examined with a linear mixed model. A total of 629 participants completed 28,430 assessments, with a mean (SD) of 45 (32) assessments per participant. Most participants (n = 517 [82%]) were women and 531 (84%) had high education. Almost 40% of the participants (n = 247) completed enough assessments (t = 68) to generate personalized feedback including temporal dynamics between well-being, health behavior, and emotions. Substantial between-person variability was found in the within-person association between somatic symptoms and quality of life. We successfully built an application for automated diary assessments and personalized feedback. The application was used by a sample of mainly highly educated women, which suggests that the potential of our intensive diary assessment method for large-scale health promotion is limited. However, a rich data set was collected that allows for group-level and idiographic analyses that can shed light on etiological processes and may contribute to the development of empirical-based health promotion solutions.

Association Between Personality Traits and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Montero, Javier; Gómez-Polo, Cristina

The aim of this study was to investigate the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among subjects with typical, atypically positive, and atypically negative personality trait scores within the five basic dimensions of personality (neuroticism, extroversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness). A total of 235 subjects not seeking dental treatment were recruited from the families and acquaintances of dental students from the University of Salamanca. The 14-item Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) was used to capture the impact on their OHRQoL. The Neouroticism-Extroversion-Openness Personality Inventory Revised was applied to assess personality profiles. People were classified as having negatively atypical, typical, or positively atypical (PAP) personality, depending on whether the sum of the Z scores was 1, respectively. Pearson correlation, analysis of variance, and logistic regression test were used for the statistical analyses. The sample was comprised of highly educated adults (aged 18-80 years) with good oral health habits. PAP subjects suffered significantly more in the dimension of psychologic discomfort (0.6 ± 0.7) than did their counterparts (0.3 ± 0.6), but the global impact in OHRQoL was comparable. Personality was weakly correlated with OHIP-14. The perception of dental treatment needs was found to be the major predictor of the impact on OHRQoL, but the number of negatively atypical deviated personality traits and the agreeableness raw score also had an effect. The risk of perceiving an impact on OHRQoL is significantly higher in individuals perceiving treatment needs and increases proportionally to the number of negatively atypical personality traits.

78 FR 12065 - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Personal Protective Technology for...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-21

... Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Personal Protective Technology for Pesticide Handlers: Stakeholder Meeting AGENCY: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers...: Notice of public meeting. SUMMARY: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of...

Happiness matters : exploring the linkages between personality, personal happiness, and work-related psychological health among priests and sisters in Italy

OpenAIRE

Francis, Leslie J.; Crea, Giuseppe

2017-01-01

This study responds to the challenge posed by Rossetti’s work to explore the antecedents and consequences of individual differences in happiness among priests and religious sisters. The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire was completed together with measures of personality and work-related psychological health by 95 priests and 61 religious sisters. Overall the data demonstrated high levels of personal happiness among priests and religious sisters, but also significant signs of vulnerability. Pers...

Rapid progress or lengthy process? electronic personal health records in mental health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denis Mike

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract A major objective of many healthcare providers is to increase patients' participation in their own care. The introduction of electronic personal health records (ePHRs may help to achieve this. An ePHR is an electronic database of an individual's health information, accessible to and maintained by the patient. ePHRs are very much in vogue, with an increasing number of studies reporting their potential utility as well as cost. However, the vast majority of these studies focus on general healthcare. Little attempt has been made to document the specific problems which might occur throughout the implementation of ePHRs in mental health. This review identifies such concerns through an electronic search of the literature. Several potential difficulties are highlighted and addressed, including access to information technology, identifying relevant populations and the handling of sensitive information. Special attention is paid to the concept of 'empowerment' and what this means in relation to ePHRs.

Evolution of a web-based, prototype Personal Health Application for diabetes self-management.

Science.gov (United States)

Fonda, Stephanie J; Kedziora, Richard J; Vigersky, Robert A; Bursell, Sven-Erik

2010-10-01

Behaviors carried out by the person with diabetes (e.g., healthy eating, physical activity, judicious use of medication, glucose monitoring, coping and problem-solving, regular clinic visits, etc.) are of central importance in diabetes management. To assist with these behaviors, we developed a prototype PHA for diabetes self-management that was based on User-Centered Design principles and congruent with the anticipatory vision of Project Health Design (PHD). This article presents aspects of the prototype PHA's functionality as conceived under PHD and describes modifications to the PHA now being undertaken under new sponsorship, in response to user feedback and timing tests we have performed. In brief, the prototype Personal Health Application (PHA) receives data on the major diabetes management domains from a Personal Health Record (PHR) and analyzes and provides feedback based on clinically vetted educational content. The information is presented within "gadgets" within a portal-based website. The PHR used for the first implementation was the Common Platform developed by PHD. Key changes include a re-conceptualization of the gadgets by topic areas originally defined by the American Association of Diabetes Educators, a refocusing on low-cost approaches to diabetes monitoring and data entry, and synchronization with a new PHR, Microsoft® HealthVault™. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Personality and mental health treatment: Traits as predictors of presentation, usage, and outcome.

Science.gov (United States)

Thalmayer, Amber Gayle

2018-03-08

Self-report scores on personality inventories predict important life outcomes, including health and longevity, marital outcomes, career success, and mental health problems, but the ways they predict mental health treatment have not been widely explored. Psychotherapy is sought for diverse problems, but about half of those who begin therapy drop out, and only about half who complete therapy experience lasting improvements. Several authors have argued that understanding how personality traits relate to treatment could lead to better targeted, more successful services. Here self-report scores on Big Five and Big Six personality dimensions are explored as predictors of therapy presentation, usage, and outcomes in a sample of community clinic clients (N = 306). Participants received evidence-based treatments in the context of individual-, couples-, or family-therapy sessions. One measure of initial functioning and three indicators of outcome were used. All personality trait scores except Openness associated with initial psychological functioning. Higher Conscientiousness scores predicted more sessions attended for family therapy but fewer for couples-therapy clients. Higher Honesty-Propriety and Extraversion scores predicted fewer sessions attended for family-therapy clients. Better termination outcome was predicted by higher Conscientiousness scores for family- and higher Extraversion scores for individual-therapy clients. Higher Honesty-Propriety and Neuroticism scores predicted more improvement in psychological functioning in terms of successive Outcome Questionnaire-45 administrations. Taken together, the results provide some support for the role of personality traits in predicting treatment usage and outcome and for the utility of a 6-factor model in this context. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Focus on People: Rethinking the Power and Potential of Personal Health Records - Q and A

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

Dr. Patricia Brennan discusses how Project HealthDesign is working to enhance the utility and flexibility of personal health records as a critical tool to help people take action to improve their health and improve the health care of all Americans.

Assessing the privacy policies in mobile personal health records.

Science.gov (United States)

Zapata, Belén Cruz; Hernández Niñirola, Antonio; Fernández-Alemán, José Luis; Toval, Ambrosio

2014-01-01

The huge increase in the number and use of smartphones and tablets has led health service providers to take an interest in mHealth. Popular mobile app markets like Apple App Store or Google Play contain thousands of health applications. Although mobile personal health records (mPHRs) have a number of benefits, important challenges appear in the form of adoption barriers. Security and privacy have been identified as part of these barriers and should be addressed. This paper analyzes and assesses a total of 24 free mPHRs for Android and iOS. Characteristics regarding privacy and security were extracted from the HIPAA. The results show important differences in both the mPHRs and the characteristics analyzed. A questionnaire containing six questions concerning privacy policies was defined. Our questionnaire may assist developers and stakeholders to evaluate the security and privacy of their mPHRs.

Socio-economic differences in self-esteem of adolescents influenced by personality, mental health and social support.

Science.gov (United States)

Veselska, Zuzana; Madarasova Geckova, Andrea; Gajdosova, Beata; Orosova, Olga; van Dijk, Jitse P; Reijneveld, Sijmen A

2010-12-01

Previous studies indicate that self-esteem is lower among adolescents of low socio-economic status and is associated with a number of intrapersonal, interpersonal and socio-cultural factors. Evidence on the mechanisms by which these factors contribute to the connection between socio-economic status and developing self-esteem is incomplete, however. The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to assess whether personality, mental health and social support contribute to the relationship between socio-economic status and self-esteem. A sample of 3694 elementary-school students from Slovakia (mean age = 14.3 years, 49% boys) filled out the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, the Family Affluence Scale, the Ten-Item Personality Inventory, the 12-item General Health Questionnaire and the Perceived Social Support Scale. Hierarchical linear regression showed family affluence, personality dimensions of extroversion, emotional stability and openness to experience, as well as mental health subscales and social support from family and significant others to be associated with self-esteem. Results indicate that personality dimensions and mental health subscales contribute to the association between family affluence and self-esteem. The contribution of personality and mental problems in the relation between socio-economic status and self-esteem may have important implications for the design of promotional programs aimed at enhancing self-esteem.

Is borderline personality disorder only a mental health problem?

Science.gov (United States)

Cailhol, Lionel; Francois, Margot; Thalamas, Claire; Garrido, Cécile; Birmes, Philippe; Pourcel, Laure; Lapeyre-Mestre, Maryse; Paris, Joel

2016-11-01

Patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) have been shown to have increased rates of the use of medical services. The objective of this multicentre study was to compare the utilization of physical health services by patients with severe BPD (n = 36) with that of two control groups: one with other personality disorders (PDs) (n = 38) and one with matched subjects randomly selected from the general population (n = 165). Information was drawn from an insurance database collected over a 5-year period. The results showed that the BPD group had a higher mean number of medication prescriptions (377.3 vs. 97.4, p groups with BPD and other PDs. The annual health-care cost for each BPD patient is estimated to be 12 761 euros, of which 17.6% is due to somatic care. In the BPD group, co-morbidity for narcissistic PD (NPD) contributed to the overall use of medications and hospitalization use. Combined with other data, this exploratory study shows that BPD is a medical burden and not just a psychiatric one. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Type D personality and depressive symptoms are independent predictors of impaired health status in chronic heart failure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schiffer, Angélique A; Pedersen, Susanne S.; Widdershoven, Jos W

2008-01-01

To examine whether Type D personality exerts a stable, independent effect on health status in CHF over time, adjusted for depressive symptoms.......To examine whether Type D personality exerts a stable, independent effect on health status in CHF over time, adjusted for depressive symptoms....

Designing a patient-centered personal health record to promote preventive care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krist Alex H

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Evidence-based preventive services offer profound health benefits, yet Americans receive only half of indicated care. A variety of government and specialty society policy initiatives are promoting the adoption of information technologies to engage patients in their care, such as personal health records, but current systems may not utilize the technology's full potential. Methods Using a previously described model to make information technology more patient-centered, we developed an interactive preventive health record (IPHR designed to more deeply engage patients in preventive care and health promotion. We recruited 14 primary care practices to promote the IPHR to all adult patients and sought practice and patient input in designing the IPHR to ensure its usability, salience, and generalizability. The input involved patient usability tests, practice workflow observations, learning collaboratives, and patient feedback. Use of the IPHR was measured using practice appointment and IPHR databases. Results The IPHR that emerged from this process generates tailored patient recommendations based on guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and other organizations. It extracts clinical data from the practices' electronic medical record and obtains health risk assessment information from patients. Clinical content is translated and explained in lay language. Recommendations review the benefits and uncertainties of services and possible actions for patients and clinicians. Embedded in recommendations are self management tools, risk calculators, decision aids, and community resources - selected to match patient's clinical circumstances. Within six months, practices had encouraged 14.4% of patients to use the IPHR (ranging from 1.5% to 28.3% across the 14 practices. Practices successfully incorporated the IPHR into workflow, using it to prepare patients for visits, augment health behavior counseling, explain test results

Five-Factor Personality Traits and Age Trajectories of Self-Rated Health: The Role of Question Framing

Science.gov (United States)

Löckenhoff, Corinna E.; Terracciano, Antonio; Ferrucci, Luigi; Costa, Paul T.

2011-01-01

We examined the influence of personality traits on mean levels and age trends in four single-item measures of self-rated health: General rating, comparison to age peers, comparison to past health, and expectations for future health. Community-dwelling participants (N = 1,683) completed 7,474 self-rated health assessments over a period of up to 19-years. In hierarchical linear modeling analyses, age-associated declines differed across the four health items. Across age groups, high neuroticism and low conscientiousness, low extraversion, and low openness were associated with worse health ratings, with notable differences across the four health items. Furthermore, high neuroticism predicted steeper declines in health ratings involving temporal comparisons. We consider theoretical implications regarding the mechanisms behind associations among personality traits and self-rated health. PMID:21299558

Information and Communication Technology–Enabled Person-Centered Care for the “Big Five” Chronic Conditions: Scoping Review

Science.gov (United States)

Simonse, Lianne WL

2015-01-01

Background Person-centered information and communication technology (ICT) could encourage patients to take an active part in their health care and decision-making process, and make it possible for patients to interact directly with health care providers and services about their personal health concerns. Yet, little is known about which ICT interventions dedicated to person-centered care (PCC) and connected-care interactions have been studied, especially for shared care management of chronic diseases. The aim of this research is to investigate the extent, range, and nature of these research activities and identify research gaps in the evidence base of health studies regarding the “big 5” chronic diseases: diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, cancer, and stroke. Objective The objective of this paper was to review the literature and to scope the field with respect to 2 questions: (1) which ICT interventions have been used to support patients and health care professionals in PCC management of the big 5 chronic diseases? and (2) what is the impact of these interventions, such as on health-related quality of life and cost efficiency? Methods This research adopted a scoping review method. Three electronic medical databases were accessed: PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library. The research reviewed studies published between January 1989 and December 2013. In 5 stages of systematic scanning and reviewing, relevant studies were identified, selected, and charted. Then we collated, summarized, and reported the results. Results From the initial 9380 search results, we identified 350 studies that qualified for inclusion: diabetes mellitus (n=103), cardiovascular disease (n=89), chronic respiratory disease (n=73), cancer (n=67), and stroke (n=18). Persons with one of these chronic conditions used ICT primarily for self-measurement of the body, when interacting with health care providers, with the highest rates of use seen in chronic

Health effects of daily airborne particle dose in children: Direct association between personal dose and respiratory health effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buonanno, Giorgio; Marks, Guy B.; Morawska, Lidia

2013-01-01

Air pollution is a widespread health problem associated with respiratory symptoms. Continuous exposure monitoring was performed to estimate alveolar and tracheobronchial dose, measured as deposited surface area, for 103 children and to evaluate the long-term effects of exposure to airborne particles through spirometry, skin prick tests and measurement of exhaled nitric oxide (eNO). The mean daily alveolar deposited surface area dose received by children was 1.35 × 10 3 mm 2 . The lowest and highest particle number concentrations were found during sleeping and eating time. A significant negative association was found between changes in pulmonary function tests and individual dose estimates. Significant differences were found for asthmatics, children with allergic rhinitis and sensitive to allergens compared to healthy subjects for eNO. Variation is a child's activity over time appeared to have a strong impact on respiratory outcomes, which indicates that personal monitoring is vital for assessing the expected health effects of exposure to particles. -- Highlights: •Particle dose was estimated through personal monitoring on more than 100 children. •We focused on real-time daily dose of particle alveolar deposited surface area. •Spirometry, skin prick and exhaled Nitric Oxide tests were performed. •Negative link was found between changes in pulmonary functions and individual doses. •A child's lifestyle appeared to have a strong impact on health respiratory outcomes. -- The respiratory health effects of daily airborne particle dose on children through personal monitoring

The Names Have Been Changed to Protect the . . . Humanity: Person-First Language in Correctional Health Epidemiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Bedell, Precious S; Spaulding, Anne C; So, Marvin; Sarrett, Jennifer C

2018-06-01

After objections surfaced following a call for papers on "Prisoner Health," the editors of Epidemiologic Reviews decided to rename this year's volume "Incarceration and Health." In this commentary, we trace the origins of person-first language and explain why using appropriate terms in correctional health, including correctional health epidemiology, matters. We discuss the potential consequences of person-first language for justice-involved individuals and how inclusive language might affect the social, emotional, and physical well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Future directions may include measuring health outcomes when language is systematically changed. The barriers that thwart successful reentry may wane when dehumanizing language disappears.

Focus on People: Rethinking the Power and Potential of Personal Health Records - Part 1

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2008-06-23

Dr. Patricia Brennan discusses how Project HealthDesign is working to enhance the utility and flexibility of personal health records as a critical tool to help people take action to improve their health and improve the health care of all Americans.  Created: 6/23/2008 by Coordinating Center for Health Information Service, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, Healthcare Setting Goal Team.   Date Released: 7/29/2008.

Focus on People: Rethinking the Power and Potential of Personal Health Records - Part 2

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2008-06-23

Dr. Patricia Brennan discusses how Project HealthDesign is working to enhance the utility and flexibility of personal health records as a critical tool to help people take action to improve their health and improve the health care of all Americans.  Created: 6/23/2008 by Coordinating Center for Health Information Service, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, Healthcare Setting Goal Team.   Date Released: 7/29/2008.

[Hardy personality, self-efficacy, and general health in nursing professionals of intensive and emergency services].

Science.gov (United States)

Ríos Rísquez, María Isabel; Sánchez Meca, Julio; Godoy Fernández, Carmen

2010-11-01

In this study, the predictive power of hardy personality and generalized self-efficacy on general health perception was investigated in a sample of nursing personnel working in emergency and intensive care services. A cross-sectional retrospective design was used, and the following measurement instruments were applied: a sociodemographic and work questionnaire, Goldberg's GHQ-28 Health Questionnaire, the Baessler and Schwarzer General Self-efficacy Questionnaire, and the Hardy Personality Subscale of Moreno's Nursing Burnout Questionnaire (CDPE). The results revealed a positive and statistically significant relationship between the individual variables of generalized self-efficacy and hardy personality. A canonical correlation analysis carried out on the psychological distress symptoms with self-efficacy and hardy personality as predictor variables, led us to emphasize the relevance of the construct total hardy personality as a predictor and, consequently, as a protective factor against the onset of psychological distress symptoms in the sample of professionals studied. Lastly, the implications of the results for clinical practice are discussed.

Chinese students in Japan: the mediator and the moderator between their personality and mental health.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yi

2013-01-01

To clarify the influence of personality traits on the psychological acculturation of Chinese international students in Japan, the present study used three structuring questions: (a) What personality trait makes the students vulnerable to psychological distress? (b) What mediates between personality and psychological distress? (c) What buffers personality from psychological distress? The study examined personality traits (Harm-Avoidance, HA; and Self-Directedness, SD; two dimensions of the Temperament and Character Inventory), acculturation attitudes (integration, assimilation, separation, and marginalization), and the mental health (General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)-30) of 253 Chinese students in Japan (17-30 years of age) using self-report questionnaires. The hypotheses are: For the Chinese international students in Japan, (a) the individuals with high HA or low SD are more vulnerable to psychological distress; (b) the acculturation strategy mediates between personality (HA/SD) and mental health (GHQ); (c) social support can moderate the effect of personality on acculturation adaptation. The results show that the Chinese international students in Japan had higher GHQ scores compared to normative standards, and marginalization (a less adaptive strategy) was their second most preferred acculturation strategy, next to integration. Individuals with high HA or low SD were more likely to have a marginalization attitude and suffer from more psychological distress. The mediation effect of marginalization and the moderation effect of social support in life (SSL) between HA/SD and GHQ were confirmed. Most of the hypotheses were supported by the results. Explanations of these findings and their implication for acculturation adaptation are discussed.

Health-promotion in the context of ageing and migration: a call for person-centred integrated practice

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Qarin Lood

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Normal 0 false false false SV JA X-NONE Objective: For the aim of improving the implementation of a health-promoting intervention for older persons who are born abroad, this study aimed to explore health care professionals’ experiences of facilitators and barriers for their possibilities to support healthy ageing in the context of migration. Methods: Qualitative data were collected from four focus groups with health professionals who all had experience of working with older persons who are born abroad. Data were analysed with guidance from the method developed by Krueger and Casey, progressing from an empirical to an abstract level. Results: Five different conditions were found to influence supporting healthy ageing in the context of migration: sense of belonging through significant others; emotional bonds to a place called home; expectations on health and support during the ageing process; mutual understanding as a means for communication; and heterogeneity as a point of departure. The one comprehensive theme, complexity, describes how those aspects are interrelated in a complex and unpredictable way. Conclusions: The results point at the need for focusing on each person's experiences and health expectations, and the study provides a foundation for future research on the integration of whole-system and person-centred practice.

Health-promotion in the context of ageing and migration: a call for person-centred integrated practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qarin Lood

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Normal 0 false false false SV JA X-NONE Objective: For the aim of improving the implementation of a health-promoting intervention for older persons who are born abroad, this study aimed to explore health care professionals’ experiences of facilitators and barriers for their possibilities to support healthy ageing in the context of migration.Methods: Qualitative data were collected from four focus groups with health professionals who all had experience of working with older persons who are born abroad. Data were analysed with guidance from the method developed by Krueger and Casey, progressing from an empirical to an abstract level.Results: Five different conditions were found to influence supporting healthy ageing in the context of migration: sense of belonging through significant others; emotional bonds to a place called home; expectations on health and support during the ageing process; mutual understanding as a means for communication; and heterogeneity as a point of departure. The one comprehensive theme, complexity, describes how those aspects are interrelated in a complex and unpredictable way.Conclusions: The results point at the need for focusing on each person's experiences and health expectations, and the study provides a foundation for future research on the integration of whole-system and person-centred practice.

Characteristics of personal health information management groups: findings from an online survey using Amazon's mTurk.

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Kim, Sujin; Huber, Jeffrey T

2017-10-01

The study characterized three groups with different levels of familiarity with personal health information management (PHIM) in terms of their demographics, health knowledge, technological competency, and information sources and barriers. In addition, the authors examined differences among PHIM groups in subjective self-ratings and objective test scores for health literacy. A total of 202 survey participants were recruited using Amazon's Mechanical Turk (mTurk) service, a crowdsourcing Internet service. Using K-means clustering, three groups with differing levels of familiarity with PHIM were formed: Advanced, Intermediate, and Basic. The Advanced group was the youngest, and the Basic group contained the highest proportion of males, whereas the Intermediate group was the oldest and contained the fewest males. The Advanced group was significantly more likely to engage in provider- or hospital-initiated PHIM activities such as emailing with providers, viewing test results online, and receiving summaries of hospital visits via email or websites than the other groups. The Basic group had significantly lower information management skills and Internet use than the other groups. Advanced and Basic groups reported significant differences in several information barriers. While the Advanced group self-reported the highest general literacy, they scored lowest on an objective health literacy test. For effective personal health records management, it is critical to understand individual differences in PHIM using a comprehensive measure designed to assess personal health records-specific activities. Because they are trained to perform an array of information management activities, medical librarians or patient educators are well positioned to promote the effective use of personal health records by health consumers.

Health effects from fallout.

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Gilbert, Ethel S; Land, Charles E; Simon, Steven L

2002-05-01

This paper primarily discusses health effects that have resulted from exposures received as a result of above-ground nuclear tests, with emphasis on thyroid disease from exposure to 131I and leukemia and solid cancers from low dose rate external and internal exposure. Results of epidemiological studies of fallout exposures in the Marshall Islands and from the Nevada Test Site are summarized, and studies of persons with exposures similar to those from fallout are briefly reviewed (including patients exposed to 131I for medical reasons and workers exposed externally at low doses and low dose rates). Promising new studies of populations exposed in countries of the former Soviet Union are also discussed and include persons living near the Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan, persons exposed as a result of the Chernobyl accident, and persons exposed as a result of operations of the Mayak Nuclear Plant in the Russian Federation. Very preliminary estimates of cancer risks from fallout doses received by the United States population are presented.

Mental Health in Rural Caregivers of Persons With Dementia

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Alexandra J. Werntz

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Informal caregiving for dementia is common and often affects caregiver mental health. In addition to typical stressors faced by caregivers of persons with dementia (PWDs, rural caregivers often face additional stressors associated with living in more remote locations; unfortunately, this group is largely understudied. Ninety-three caregiver–PWD dyads completed measures of social support, perceived control, self-efficacy, burden, and cognitive functioning. Measures of PWD activities of daily living and mental functioning were also collected. These variables were hypothesized to predict caregiver self-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Contrary to predictions, only caregiving-related self-efficacy and caregiver burden predicted the caregiver’s mental health. Future interventions for improving rural caregiver self-reported mental health should target cognitions associated with caregiving self-efficacy and caregiver burden. Health care providers for rural families should focus on ways to reduce feelings of caregiver burden and provide caregivers with useful skills and tools for caregiving.

Augmented Personalized Health: How Smart Data with IoTs and AI is about to Change Healthcare.

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Sheth, Amit; Jaimini, Utkarshani; Thirunarayan, Krishnaprasad; Banerjee, Tanvi

2017-09-01

Healthcare as we know it is in the process of going through a massive change - from episodic to continuous, from disease focused to wellness and quality of life focused, from clinic centric to anywhere a patient is, from clinician controlled to patient empowered, and from being driven by limited data to 360-degree, multimodal personal-public-population physical-cyber-social big data driven. While ability to create and capture data is already here, the upcoming innovations will be in converting this big data into smart data through contextual and personalized processing such that patients and clinicians can make better decisions and take timely actions for augmented personalized health. This paper outlines current opportunities and challenges, with a focus on key AI approaches to make this a reality. The broader vision is exemplified using three ongoing applications (asthma in children, bariatric surgery, and pain management) as part of the Kno.e.sis kHealth personalized digital health initiative.

[Mental health service utilization among borderline personality disorder patients inpatient].

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Cailhol, L; Thalamas, C; Garrido, C; Birmes, P; Lapeyre-Mestre, M

2015-04-01

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by a pervasive pattern of instability and impulsivity. Several North American prospective studies support the high level of mental health care utilization in this population. There is little data in other systems of health organization, such as France. Furthermore, little is known on the variables associated with the mental health service utilization among BPD patients. The main objective was to compare the utilization of mental health care among BPD patients, to the general population and patients with another personality disorder (PD) and to describe the demographic and clinical factors associated with the group of patients who use the most health care. A multi-center (5 public and private centers), epidemiological study. Data were collected prospectively (database of an insurance fund covering 80% of the population) and viewed, retrospectively. We used the data collected during the five years previously to the inclusion. Inclusion criteria were age (18-60 years) and membership in the health insurance fund targeted. Patients on legal protection, forced hospitalization, with a chronic psychotic disorder, manic, mental retardation, or not reading French were excluded. First, four groups were composed: BPD, other PD, control groups for PD and other PD. The first two groups were recruited from a screening of inpatients including a self-administered questionnaire (Personality Disorder Questionnaire 4+). Assessment by a psychologist including the Structured Interview for DSM-IV Personality Disorders (SIDP-IV) was given straight to those who had a score above 28. This questionnaire allowed us to distinguish one group of subjects with BPD and a group with other PD (without BPD). Clinical evaluation included Axis I (MINI), Axis II (SIDP-IV), psychopathological features (YSQ-I, DSQ-40), demographic variables and therapeutic alliance (Haq-II). Matched controls (age, sex) composed the 3rd and 4th group (BPD control and

[How do the obese persons perceive their overall health?].

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Ríos-Martínez, Blanca P; Rangel-Rodríguez, Gabriela; Pedraza-Moctezuma, Luis G

2013-01-01

the purpose was to investigate how the obese person perceives their health in different areas of their life. the SF-36 instrument, which measures various dimensions (social and physical functioning, mental and physical health, bodily pain, limitations due to physical and/or emotional problems, vitality and general health), was applied to 224 patients. It was analyzed whether there were differences between gender, which were channeled to the treatment (surgical and nonsurgical) and the degree of obesity (overweight, obesity and morbid obesity). A descriptive analysis, Student t test, Anova and Tukey t test were used. significant differences (p < 0.05) were found in some dimensions, like tendency to feel tired, exhausted and feeling that their health has been and will continue to deterioration. Women had a worse social and emotional functioning than men; patients with gastric bypass reported more fatigue than patients with gastric band; in regards to the degree of obesity, those who had morbid obesity showed less physical functioning, more pain and worse overall health than those who were just obese. the perception of the obese patients was that their health had deteriorated. Women were more affected in social and emotional functioning than men.

Developing personal values: trainees' attitudes toward strikes by health care providers.

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Li, Su-Ting T; Srinivasan, Malathi; Der-Martirosian, Claudia; Kravitz, Richard L; Wilkes, Michael S

2011-05-01

Worldwide, health care providers use strikes and job actions to influence policy. For health care providers, especially physicians, strikes create an ethical tension between an obligation to care for current patients (e.g., to provide care and avoid abandonment) and an obligation to better care for future patients by seeking system improvements (e.g., improvements in safety, to access, and in the composition and strength of the health care workforce). This tension is further intensified when the potential benefit of a strike involves professional self-interest and the potential risk involves patient harm or death. By definition, trainees are still forming their professional identities and values, including their opinions on fair wages, health policy, employee benefits, professionalism, and strikes. In this article, the authors explore these ethical tensions, beginning with a discussion of reactions to a potential 2005 nursing strike at the University of California, Davis, Medical Center. The authors then propose a conceptual model describing factors that may influence health care providers' decisions to strike (including personal ethics, personal agency, and strike-related context). In particular, the authors explore the relationship between training level and attitudes toward taking a job action, such as going on strike. Because trainees' attitudes toward strikes continue to evolve during training, the authors maintain that open discussion around the ethics of health care professionals' strikes and other methods of conflict resolution should be included in medical education to enhance professionalism and systems-based practice training. The authors include sample case vignettes to help initiate these important discussions. Copyright © by the Association of American medical Colleges.

Analysis of College Students' Personal Health Information Activities: Online Survey.

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Kim, Sujin; Sinn, Donghee; Syn, Sue Yeon

2018-04-20

With abundant personal health information at hand, individuals are faced with a critical challenge in evaluating the informational value of health care records to keep useful information and discard that which is determined useless. Young, healthy college students who were previously dependents of adult parents or caregivers are less likely to be concerned with disease management. Personal health information management (PHIM) is a special case of personal information management (PIM) that is associated with multiple interactions among varying stakeholders and systems. However, there has been limited evidence to understand informational or behavioral underpinning of the college students' PHIM activities, which can influence their health in general throughout their lifetime. This study aimed to investigate demographic and academic profiles of college students with relevance to PHIM activities. Next, we sought to construct major PHIM-related activity components and perceptions among college students. Finally, we sought to discover major factors predicting core PHIM activities among college students we sampled. A Web survey was administered to collect responses about PHIM behaviors and perceptions among college students from the University of Kentucky from January through March 2017. A total of 1408 college students were included in the analysis. PHIM perceptions, demographics, and academic variations were used as independent variables to predict diverse PHIM activities using a principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical regression analyses (SPSS v.24, IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, USA). Majority of the participants were female (956/1408, 67.90%), and the age distribution of this population included an adequate representation of college students of all ages. The most preferred health information resources were family (612/1408, 43.47%), health care professionals (366/1408, 26.00%), friends (27/1408, 1.91%), and the internet (157/1408, 11.15%). Organizational or

Associations between the five-factor model of personality and health behaviors among college students.

Science.gov (United States)

Raynor, Douglas A; Levine, Heidi

2009-01-01

In fall 2006, the authors examined associations between the five-factor model of personality and several key health behaviors. College students (N = 583) completed the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment and the International Personality Item Pool Big Five short-form questionnaire. Highly conscientious individuals were more likely to wear seat belts, utilize alcohol-related harm reduction, exercise, get enough sleep, and consume fruits and vegetables. They were also less likely to smoke cigarettes, consume alcohol, and binge drink. Highly extraverted individuals were more likely to smoke cigarettes, consume alcohol, binge drink, and have multiple sexual partners, and they were less likely to engage in alcohol-related harm reduction, use condoms, and get enough sleep. These findings are supportive of a growing body of evidence indicating that conscientiousness and extraversion are robust concomitants of health behaviors among college students.

Type D personality, temperament, and mental health in military personnel awaiting deployment

OpenAIRE

Mommersteeg, P.M.C.; Denollet, J.; Kavelaars, A.; Geuze, E.; Vermetten, E.; Heijnen, C.J.

2011-01-01

Background The Type D (distressed) personality refers to a general propensity to psychological distress defined by the combination of negative affectivity and social inhibition. Type D personality predicts poor mental and physical health in cardiac patients, but it has been argued that its assessment is affected by the state of illness. Therefore, validation of the Type D construct in healthy adults remains essential. Purpose The objectives of this study were (1) to validate Type D personalit...

Translating Personality Psychology to Help Personalize Preventive Medicine for Young-Adult Patients

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Israel, Salomon; Moffitt, Terrie E.; Belsky, Daniel W.; Hancox, Robert J.; Poulton, Richie; Roberts, Brent; Thomson, W. Murray; Caspi, Avshalom

2014-01-01

The rising number of newly insured young adults brought on by healthcare reform will soon increase demands on primary-care physicians. Physicians will face more young-adult patients which presents an opportunity for more prevention-oriented care. In the current study, we evaluated whether brief observer reports of young adults’ personality traits could predict which individuals would be at greater risk for poor health as they entered midlife. Following the Dunedin Study cohort of 1,000 individuals, we show that very brief measures of young adults’ personalities predicted their midlife physical health across multiple domains (metabolic abnormalities, cardiorespiratory fitness, pulmonary function, periodontal disease, and systemic inflammation). Individuals scoring low on the traits of Conscientiousness and Openness-to-Experience went on to develop poorer health even after accounting for preexisting differences in education, socioeconomic status, smoking, obesity, self-reported health, medical conditions, and family medical history. Moreover, personality ratings from peer informants who knew participants well, and from a nurse and receptionist who had just met participants for the first time, predicted health decline from young adulthood to midlife despite striking differences in level of acquaintance. Personality effect sizes were on par with other well-established health-risk factors such as socioeconomic status, smoking, and self-reported health. We discuss the potential utility of personality measurement to function as an inexpensive and accessible tool for healthcare professionals to personalize preventive medicine. Adding personality information to existing healthcare electronic infrastructures could also advance personality theory by generating opportunities to examine how personality processes influence doctor-patient communication, health service use, and patient outcomes. PMID:24588093

Privacy Protection for Personal Health Device Communication and Healthcare Building Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soon Seok Kim

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a new method for protecting patient privacy when communicating with a gateway which collects bioinformation through using personal health devices, a type of biosensor for telemedicine, at home and in other buildings. As the suggested method is designed to conform with ISO/IEEE 11073-20601, which is the international standard, interoperability with various health devices was considered. We believe it will be a highly valuable resource for dealing with basic data because it suggests an additional standard for security with the Continua Health Alliance or related international groups in the future.

Personality measures in the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project.

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Iveniuk, James; Laumann, Edward O; Waite, Linda J; McClintock, Martha K; Tiedt, Andrew

2014-11-01

Provide recommendations for researchers on the use of the Big Five personality battery in the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), and ensure that the battery does proxy the Big Five. Also, describe the levels of Big Five traits across gender and age. We used an Exploratory Structural Equation Model (ESEM) to analyze NHSAP's personality battery, comparing NSHAP with the National Longitudinal Study of Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). ESEM revealed a 5-factor structure in the NSHAP battery, but with considerable cross-loadings. When these cross-loadings were not included in the model, model fit notably worsened. Reliabilities of Big Five scales were comparable to the HRS and MIDUS, even though NSHAP's battery is shorter. Women were considerably more Agreeable than men, although this gender gap closed among the oldest in the sample (80 years or older). Researchers will be able to make use of NSHAP's personality battery to examine a range of social, biological, and psychological factors at older ages, in light of individuals' general traits. We recommend models which allow for cross-loadings. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Gerontological Society of America 2014.

Mining Minds: an innovative framework for personalized health and wellness support

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Oresti Banos

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The world is witnessing a spectacular shift in the delivery of health and wellness care. The key ingredient of this transformation consists in the use of revolutionary digital technologies to empower people in their self-management as well as to enhance traditional care procedures. While substantial domain-specific contributions have been provided to that end in the recent years, there is a clear lack of platforms that may orchestrate, and intelligently leverage, all the data, information and knowledge generated through these technologies. This work presents Mining Minds, an innovative framework that builds on the core ideas of the digital health and wellness paradigms to enable the provision of personalized healthcare and wellness support. Mining Minds embraces some of the currently most prominent digital technologies, ranging from Big Data and Cloud Computing to Wearables and Internet of Things, and state-of-the-art concepts and methods, such as Context-Awareness, Knowledge Bases or Analytics, among others. This paper aims at thoroughly describing the efficient and rational combination and interoperation of these modern technologies and methods through Mining Minds, while meeting the essential requirements posed by a framework for personalized health and wellness support.

Multidimensional measures validated for home health needs of older persons: A systematic review.

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de Rossi Figueiredo, Daniela; Paes, Lucilene Gama; Warmling, Alessandra Martins; Erdmann, Alacoque Lorenzini; de Mello, Ana Lúcia Schaefer Ferreira

2018-01-01

To conduct a systematic review of the literature on valid and reliable multidimensional instruments to assess home health needs of older persons. Systematic review. Electronic databases, PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scientific Electronic Library Online and the Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Information. All English, Portuguese and Spanish literature which included studies of reliability and validity of instruments that assessed at least two dimensions: physical, psychological, social support and functional independence, self-rated health behaviors and contextual environment and if such instruments proposed interventions after evaluation and/or monitoring changes over a period of time. Older persons aged 60 years or older. Of the 2397 studies identified, 32 were considered eligible. Two-thirds of the instruments proposed the physical, psychological, social support and functional independence dimensions. Inter-observer and intra-observer reliability and internal consistency values were 0.7 or above. More than two-thirds of the studies included validity (n=26) and more than one validity was tested in 15% (n=4) of these. Only 7% (n=2) proposed interventions after evaluation and/or monitoring changes over a period of time. Although the multidimensional assessment was performed, and the reliability values of the reviewed studies were satisfactory, different validity tests were not present in several studies. A gap at the instrument conception was observed related to interventions after evaluation and/or monitoring changes over a period of time. Further studies with this purpose are necessary for home health needs of the older persons. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[What Psychiatrists Should Know about the Medical Documentation They Issue: Admission for Medical Care and Protection, Medical Treatment for Persons with Disabilities, Mental Health Disability Certification, etc].

Science.gov (United States)

Yamasaki, Masao

2015-01-01

Psychiatrists issue a wide variety of documentation, among which are torms such as Registration of Admission for Medical Care and Protection, Periodic Report of Condition, Certification of Medical Treatment for Persons with Disabilities, and Mental Health Disability Certification, which are required under laws such as the Act on Mental Health and Welfare for the Mentally Disabled. These documents are important in that they are related to protecting the human rights of people with mental disorders, as well as securing appropriate medical and welfare services for them. However, in the course of reviewing and evaluating documentation at our Mental Health and Welfare Center, we encounter forms which are incomplete, or which contain inappropriate content. In order to protect the human rights of people with mental disorders, and to ensure the provision of appropriate medical and welfare services for them, I call on psychiatrists to issue carefully written and appropriate documentation. In this talk I will focus primarily on what psychiatrists should know when filling in forms in the course of their day-to-day clinical work.

Integrated Personal Health Records: Transformative Tools for Consumer-Centric Care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raymond Brian

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Integrated personal health records (PHRs offer significant potential to stimulate transformational changes in health care delivery and self-care by patients. In 2006, an invitational roundtable sponsored by Kaiser Permanente Institute, the American Medical Informatics Association, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality was held to identify the transformative potential of PHRs, as well as barriers to realizing this potential and a framework for action to move them closer to the health care mainstream. This paper highlights and builds on the insights shared during the roundtable. Discussion While there is a spectrum of dominant PHR models, (standalone, tethered, integrated, the authors state that only the integrated model has true transformative potential to strengthen consumers' ability to manage their own health care. Integrated PHRs improve the quality, completeness, depth, and accessibility of health information provided by patients; enable facile communication between patients and providers; provide access to health knowledge for patients; ensure portability of medical records and other personal health information; and incorporate auto-population of content. Numerous factors impede widespread adoption of integrated PHRs: obstacles in the health care system/culture; issues of consumer confidence and trust; lack of technical standards for interoperability; lack of HIT infrastructure; the digital divide; uncertain value realization/ROI; and uncertain market demand. Recent efforts have led to progress on standards for integrated PHRs, and government agencies and private companies are offering different models to consumers, but substantial obstacles remain to be addressed. Immediate steps to advance integrated PHRs should include sharing existing knowledge and expanding knowledge about them, building on existing efforts, and continuing dialogue among public and private sector stakeholders. Summary Integrated PHRs

Perceptions of Mindfulness in a Low-income, Primarily African American Treatment-Seeking Sample.

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Spears, Claire Adams; Houchins, Sean C; Bamatter, Wendy P; Barrueco, Sandra; Hoover, Diana Stewart; Perskaudas, Rokas

2017-12-01

Individuals with low socioeconomic status (SES) and members of racial/ethnic minority groups often experience profound disparities in mental health and physical well-being. Mindfulness-based interventions show promise for improving mood and health behaviors in higher-SES and non-Latino White populations. However, research is needed to explore what types of adaptations, if any, are needed to best support underserved populations. This study used qualitative methods to gain information about a) perceptions of mindfulness, b) experiences with meditation, c) barriers to practicing mindfulness, and d) recommendations for tailoring mindfulness-based interventions in a low-income, primarily African American treatment-seeking sample. Eight focus groups were conducted with 32 adults (16 men and 16 women) currently receiving services at a community mental health center. Most participants (91%) were African American. Focus group data were transcribed and analyzed using NVivo 10. A team of coders reviewed the transcripts to identify salient themes. Relevant themes included beliefs that mindfulness practice might improve mental health (e.g., managing stress and anger more effectively) and physical health (e.g., improving sleep and chronic pain, promoting healthier behaviors). Participants also discussed ways in which mindfulness might be consistent with, and even enhance, their religious and spiritual practices. Results could be helpful in tailoring mindfulness-based treatments to optimize feasibility and effectiveness for low-SES adults receiving mental health services.

Resilients, overcontrollers and undercontrollers: A systematic review of the utility of a personality typology method in understanding adult mental health problems.

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Bohane, Laura; Maguire, Nick; Richardson, Thomas

2017-11-01

The person-centred typological approach to personality makes the distinction between overcontrolled and undercontrolled personality types. This review systematically searched for research on the utility of these personality types in adult mental health. A total of 43 papers were included, which were divided broadly into cross-sectional studies, longitudinal studies and studies with clinical populations. Three personality types have been largely replicated in both normal and clinical populations: resilients, overcontrollers and undercontrollers. These types show utility in predicting long-term functioning and mental health, understanding heterogeneous personalities within clinical subgroups and have implications for treatment. Some disagreement on the number of personality types deemed replicable across samples and differing methodologies do exist, with some finding a dimensional approach to personality to have greater predictive utility. These personality types have been shown to be important in a number of mental health problems such as eating disorders, which may prove helpful in developing new psychological interventions. These studies point to the importance of overcontrolled personality types as well as undercontrolled in mental health. More research is needed with a greater range of clinical populations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In-person and online social participation and emotional health in individuals with multiple sclerosis.

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Sparling, Alica; Stutts, Lauren A; Sanner, Haley; Eijkholt, Marleen M

2017-11-01

Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) sometimes have barriers to social participation. The advent of the internet has created online support systems for social participation such as websites for individuals with MS. However, minimal research has been conducted about determinants of individuals' in-person and online social participation or how types of social participation contribute to emotional well-being. The present study aims are: (1) to assess the role of access to resources and other determinants as enabling in-person and online social participation, and (2) to analyze the association between social participation and emotional health of individuals with MS. The sample consisted of 508 individuals diagnosed with relapsing/remitting or secondary/progressive MS. Data from NARCOMS registry and data from original questionnaire on determinants of social participation and emotional health were merged. Logistic and linear regression analyses were performed. Individuals with access to the internet were more likely to participate online with friends (OR 5.47, p social participation with friends reported being happier (B = .38, p health and online social participation. Increasing access to in-person social participation with friends will likely have the most positive impact on emotional health. Future research should examine the aspects of online participation that are helpful or harmful.

Health Orientation, Knowledge, and Attitudes toward Genetic Testing and Personalized Genomic Services: Preliminary Data from an Italian Sample

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Serena Oliveri

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. The study aims at assessing personality tendencies and orientations that could be closely correlated with knowledge, awareness, and interest toward undergoing genetic testing. Methods. A sample of 145 subjects in Italy completed an online survey, investigating demographic data, health orientation, level of perceived knowledge about genetic risk, genetic screening, and personal attitudes toward direct to consumer genetic testing (DTCGT. Results. Results showed that respondents considered genetic assessment to be helpful for disease prevention, but they were concerned that results could affect their life planning with little clinical utility. Furthermore, a very high percentage of respondents (67% had never heard about genetic testing directly available to the public. Data showed that personality tendencies, such as personal health consciousness, health internal control, health esteem, and confidence, motivation to avoid unhealthiness and motivation for healthiness affected the uptake of genetic information and the interest in undergoing genetic testing. Conclusions. Public knowledge and attitudes toward genetic risk and genetic testing among European countries, along with individual personality and psychological tendencies that could affect these attitudes, remain unexplored. The present study constitutes one of the first attempts to investigate how such personality tendencies could motivation to undergo genetic testing and engagement in lifestyle changes.

Relationships among Communication Self-Efficacy, Communication Burden, and the Mental Health of the Families of Persons with Aphasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Tatsumi, Hiroshi; Nakaaki, Shutaro; Satoh, Masayuki; Yamamoto, Masahiko; Chino, Naohito; Hadano, Kazuo

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the relationships among communication self-efficacy (SE), communication burden, and the mental health of the families of persons with aphasia using structural equation modeling (SEM). This study examined 110 pairs of persons with aphasia receiving home care and 1 family caregiver per person with aphasia. The survey items for this study consisted of the Communication Self-efficacy Scale, the Communication Burden Scale, the Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form-Japanese, and the Health-Related Quality of Life: SF-8 Health Survey. The relationships between the constructive concept of "communication self-efficacy" and "communication burden," and "mental-health status" were analyzed using SEM. The results of the SEM analysis revealed that a high communication SE of the families was associated with low burden of communication and good mental-health status. Psychoeducational programs that address the communication SE of family caregivers may have the potential to reduce the burden of communication and to improve the mental health of caregivers. These programs could lead to an enhanced quality of life for both persons with aphasia and their families. Copyright © 2015 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Cradle Coast Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record evaluation research plan

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cummings, Elizabeth; Cheek, Colleen; Van Der Ploeg, Winifred

2012-01-01

In 2010 the Federal Government announced funding over two years to create a Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR) for Australians. One of the wave 2 implementation sites is the Cradle Coast in Tasmania. A PCEHR Program Benefits and Evaluation Partner (BEP) has been appointed to u...

Assessing the Effect of a Personal Health Management System Within Retirement Communities: A Preliminary Investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Slivinske, Lee R.; Kosberg, Jordan I.

1984-01-01

Describes a holistic health care program (Personal Health Management System) initiated within several retirement communities. Initial findings suggested that program participants experienced significant increases in their health and well-being while nonequivalent control group subjects did not. Conceptual and methodological issues are discussed.…

Health care access and quality for persons with disability: Patient and provider recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

McClintock, Heather F; Kurichi, Jibby E; Barg, Frances K; Krueger, Alice; Colletti, Patrice M; Wearing, Krizia A; Bogner, Hillary R

2018-07-01

Significant disparities in health care access and quality persist between persons with disabilities (PWD) and persons without disabilities (PWOD). Little research has examined recommendations of patients and providers to improve health care for PWD. We sought to explore patient and health care provider recommendations to improve health care access and quality for PWD through focus groups in the physical world in a community center and in the virtual world in an online community. In all, 17 PWD, 4 PWOD, and 6 health care providers participated in 1 of 5 focus groups. Focus groups were conducted in the virtual world in Second Life ® with Virtual Ability, an online community, and in the physical world at Agape Community Center in Milwaukee, WI. Focus group data were analyzed using a grounded theory methodology. Themes that emerged in focus groups among PWD and PWOD as well as health care providers to improve health care access and quality for PWD were: promoting advocacy, increasing awareness and knowledge, improving communication, addressing assumptions, as well as modifying and creating policy. Many participants discussed political empowerment and engagement as central to health care reform. Both PWD and PWOD as well as health care providers identified common themes potentially important for improving health care for PWD. Patient and health care provider recommendations highlight a need for modification of current paradigms, practices, and approaches to improve the quality of health care provision for PWD. Participants emphasized the need for greater advocacy and political engagement. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Challenges and opportunities of using recommender systems for personalized health education.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez-Luque, Luis; Karlsen, Randi; Vognild, Lars K

2009-01-01

The use of computers in health education started more than a decade ago, mainly for tailoring health educational resources. Nowadays, many of the computer-tailoring health education systems are using the Internet for delivering different types of health education. Traditionally, these systems are designed for a specific health problem, with a predefined library of educational resources. These systems do not take advantage of the increasing amount of educational resources available on the Internet. One of the reasons is that the high availability of content is making it more difficult to find the relevant one. The problem of information overload has been addressed for many years in the field of recommender systems. This paper is focused on the challenges and opportunities of merging recommender systems with personalized health education. It also discusses the usage of social networks and semantic technologies within this approach.

ISSUES OF INTEGRATION OF SKILLS FAVOURABLE TO HEALTH IN PERSONS WITH DIABETES MELLITUS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vida Gudžinskienė

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Diabetes mellitus is not only a medical, but also a public issue. The number of people with diabetes is increasing every year. Diabetes causes complications of diseases. In addition to infertility issues and foot injuries that worsen the health condition, patients develop diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neuropathy, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular diseases (strokes, ischemic heart diseases, peripheral vascular diseases. Accordingly, training courses for patients and focus on the health of the patients themselves are very important. The object of the research is training of persons with diabetes mellitus and skills favourable to health that help to prevent complications. The aim of the article is to reveal the process of learning of patients with diabetes and the application of skills favourable to health, which help to prevent complications in life. Tasks: 1 determine what kind of training courses are organized in Lithuania for persons with diabetes mellitus; 2 determine what kind of knowledge about health and disease control is provided by medical personnel; 3 reveal what kind of knowledge about health and what skills patients adapt in everyday life. Methods of research: theoretical – analysis of scientific literature, generalization; empirical – questionnaire survey, data analysis was performed by using the SPSS 23.0 program. The t-test was used to compare averages between groups, significant difference was considered to be p < 0,05. Data analysis was performed by applying calculations of non-parametric and parametric criteria. There were 61 patients with diabetes mellitus, aged from 13 to 78 years, who participated in the research. The research sought to reveal what training courses are organized for persons with diabetes mellitus and how patients themselves preserve their health. During the research, participants were questioned about the training courses they have attended; how patients with diabetes mellitus control their disease

Citizens and personal health records - the case of Nelson Mandela Bay.

Science.gov (United States)

Pottas, Dalenca; Mostert-Phipps, Nicky

2013-01-01

This paper explores citizen attitudes towards personal health records. The study was conducted in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. A cross-sectional design was used and structured questionnaires administered by data collectors. Most respondents (90%) believed it to be important to extremely important for their healthcare provider to have their complete medical records. Less than half of them (42%), however, believed that the healthcare provider did have their complete medical record available to them. Nevertheless, 69% do not keep a medical record as a way to address this concern. Most of them (84%) were not aware of the existence of electronic tools to capture a personal health record prior to participating in the survey. Concerns relating to the use of online PHRs were identified as privacy (58%), lack of time (27%) and a disinterest in computers (22%). It was found that the existence of a medical chronic condition is a strong predictor of keeping a medical record (albeit mostly in paper-based format).

Type D personality and coronary atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability: The potential mediating effect of health behavior.

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Cheng, Fangman; Lin, Ping; Wang, Yini; Liu, Guojie; Li, Ling; Yu, Huai; Yu, Bo; Zhao, Zhenjuan; Gao, Xueqin

2018-05-01

The association between type D personality and coronary plaque vulnerability has been suggested. The objective of the study was to evaluate the potential mediating effects of health behavior on the association between type D personality and plaque vulnerability in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. A total of 319 CAD patients were assessed for type D personality and health behavior via self-administered questionnaires. The plaque vulnerability, evaluated according to characteristics, accompaniment, and outcomes of plaque, was assessed by optical coherence tomography. Regression analysis showed that type D personality was independently associated with lipid plaque (odds ratio [OR] = 2.387, p = 0.001), thin cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) (OR = 2.366, p = 0.001), rupture (OR = 2.153, p = 0.002), and lipid arc (β = -0.291, p vulnerability. Psychological stress mediated the relationship between type D and lipid plaque (p = 0.030), TCFA (p = 0.034), and rupture (p = 0.013). Living habits significantly mediated the relationship between type D and lipid plaque (p = 0.028), TCFA (p = 0.036), but not rupture (p = 0.066). Participating in activities was not a significant mediator of the relationship between type D personality and lipid plaque (p = 0.115), TCFA (p = 0.115), or rupture (p = 0.077). Health behaviors (psychological stress and living habits) may be mediators of the association between type D personality and plaque vulnerability. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The influence of re-employment on quality of life and self-rated health, a longitudinal study among unemployed persons in the Netherlands.

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Carlier, Bouwine E; Schuring, Merel; Lötters, Freek J B; Bakker, Bernhard; Borgers, Natacha; Burdorf, Alex

2013-05-24

Unemployed persons have a poorer health compared with employed persons and unemployment may cause ill health. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of re-employment on quality of life and health among unemployed persons on social benefits. A prospective study with 18 months follow-up was conducted among unemployed persons (n=4,308) in the Netherlands, receiving either unemployment benefits or social security benefits. Quality of life, self-rated health, and employment status were measured at baseline and every 6 months of follow up with questionnaires. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) modeling was performed to study the influence of re-employment on change in self-rated health and quality of life over time. In the study population 29% had a less than good quality of life and 17% had a poor self-rated health. Persons who started with paid employment during the follow-up period were more likely to improve towards a good quality of life (OR 1.76) and a good self-rated health (OR 2.88) compared with those persons who remained unemployed. Up to 6 months after re-employment, every month with paid employment, the likelihood of a good quality of life increased (OR 1.12). Starting with paid employment improves quality of life and self-rated health. This suggests that labour force participation should be considered as an important measure to improve health of unemployed persons. Improving possibilities for unemployed persons to find paid employment will reduce socioeconomic inequalities in health.

Effects of perceived discrimination on mental health and mental health services utilization among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons.

Science.gov (United States)

Burgess, Diana; Tran, Alisia; Lee, Richard; van Ryn, Michelle

2007-01-01

Previous research has found that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals are at risk for a variety of mental health disorders. We examined the extent to which a recent experience of a major discriminatory event may contribute to poor mental health among LGBT persons. Data were derived from a cross-sectional strata-cluster survey of adults in Hennepin County, Minnesota, who identified as LGBT (n=472) or heterosexual (n=7,412). Compared to heterosexuals, LGBT individuals had poorer mental health (higher levels of psychological distress, greater likelihood of having a diagnosis of depression or anxiety, greater perceived mental health needs, and greater use of mental health services), more substance use (higher levels of binge drinking, greater likelihood of being a smoker and greater number of cigarettes smoked per day), and were more likely to report unmet mental healthcare needs. LGBT individuals were also more likely to report having experienced a major incident of discrimination over the past year than heterosexual individuals. Although perceived discrimination was associated with almost all of the indicators of mental health and utilization of mental health care that we examined, adjusting for discrimination did not significantly reduce mental health disparities between heterosexual and LGBT persons. LGBT individuals experienced more major discrimination and reported worse mental health than heterosexuals, but discrimination did not account for this disparity. Future research should explore additional forms of discrimination and additional stressors associated with minority sexual orientation that may account for these disparities.

The Impact of Health Literacy on a Patient's Decision to Adopt a Personal Health Record

Science.gov (United States)

Noblin, Alice M.; Wan, Thomas T. H.; Fottler, Myron

2012-01-01

Health literacy is a concept that describes a patient's ability to understand materials provided by physicians or other providers. Several factors, including education level, income, and age, can influence health literacy. Research conducted at one medical practice in Florida indicated that in spite of the patients’ relatively low education level, the majority indicated a broad acceptance of personal health record (PHR) technology. The key variable explaining patient willingness to adopt a PHR was the patient's health literacy as measured by the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS). Adoption and use rates may also depend on the availability of office staff for hands-on training as well as assistance with interpretation of medical information. It is hoped that technology barriers will disappear over time, and usefulness of the information will promote increased utilization of PHRs. Patient understanding of the information remains a challenge that must be overcome to realize the full potential of PHRs. PMID:23209454

Beyond Strain: Personal Strengths and Mental Health of Mexican and Argentinean Dementia Caregivers.

Science.gov (United States)

Sutter, Megan; Perrin, Paul B; Peralta, Silvina Victoria; Stolfi, Miriam E; Morelli, Eliana; Peña Obeso, Leticia Aracely; Arango-Lasprilla, Juan Carlos

2016-07-01

Life expectancy is increasing in Latin America resulting in the need for more family caregivers for older adults with dementia. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationships between personal strengths (optimism, sense of coherence [SOC], and resilience) and the mental health of dementia caregivers from Latin America. Primary family dementia caregivers (n = 127) were identified via convenience sampling at the Instituto de Neurociencias de San Lucas, Argentina, and CETYS University, in Baja California, Mexico and completed measures of these constructs. Personal strengths explained between 32% and 50% of the variance in caregiver mental health. In a series of hierarchical multiple regressions, more manageability (β = -.38, p = .001), general resilience (β = -.24, p = .012), and social competence (β = -.21, p = .034) were uniquely associated with lower depression. Greater comprehensibility (β = -.28, p = .008) was uniquely associated with decreased burden, and manageability was marginally related (β = -.21, p< .10). Greater optimism (β = .37, p< .001) and manageability (β = .27, p = .004) were uniquely associated with increased life satisfaction. The personal strengths of caregivers in Latin America may be particularly important for their mental health because of the culturally imbedded sense of duty toward older family members. Incorporating strengths-based approaches into research on caregiver interventions in regions where caregiving is a highly culturally valued role such as Latin America may have the potential to improve the mental health of dementia caregivers. © The Author(s) 2015.

Identifying preferred format and source of exercise information in persons with multiple sclerosis that can be delivered by health-care providers.

Science.gov (United States)

Learmonth, Yvonne C; Adamson, Brynn C; Balto, Julia M; Chiu, Chung-Yi; Molina-Guzman, Isabel M; Finlayson, Marcia; Riskin, Barry J; Motl, Robert W

2017-10-01

There is increasing recognition of the benefits of exercise in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), yet the MS population does not engage in sufficient amounts of exercise to accrue health benefits. There has been little qualitative inquiry to establish the preferred format and source for receiving exercise information from health-care providers among persons with MS. We sought to identify the desired and preferred format and source of exercise information for persons with MS that can be delivered through health-care providers. Participants were adults with MS who had mild or moderate disability and participated in a range of exercise levels. All participants lived in the Midwest of the United States. Fifty semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis. Two themes emerged, (i) approach for receiving exercise promotion and (ii) ideal person for promoting exercise. Persons with MS want to receive exercise information through in-person consultations with health-care providers, print media and electronic media. Persons with MS want to receive exercise promotion from health-care providers with expertise in MS (ie neurologists) and with expertise in exercise (eg physical therapists). These data support the importance of understanding how to provide exercise information to persons with MS and identifying that health-care providers including neurologists and physical therapists should be involved in exercise promotion. © 2017 The Authors Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The distressed (Type D) personality. A risk marker for poor health outcomes in ICD patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Susanne S.; Schiffer, A A

2011-01-01

The distressed (Type D) personality is an emerging risk marker for poor health outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease. Patients with this personality disposition are typified by a general propensity to experience psychological distress. The contribution focuses on the impact of Type D p...

A Big Five Personality Typology in Adolescents with Congenital Heart Disease: Prospective Associations with Psychosocial Functioning and Perceived Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Rassart, Jessica; Luyckx, Koen; Goossens, Eva; Oris, Leen; Apers, Silke; Moons, Philip

2016-06-01

This study aimed (1) to identify different personality types in adolescents with congenital heart disease (CHD), and (2) to relate these personality types to psychosocial functioning and several domains of perceived health, both concurrently and prospectively. Hence, this study aimed to expand previous research by adopting a person-centered approach to personality through focusing on personality types rather than singular traits. Adolescents with CHD were selected from the database of pediatric and congenital cardiology of the University Hospitals Leuven. A total of 366 adolescents (15-20 years old) with CHD participated at time 1. These adolescents completed questionnaires on the Big Five personality traits, depressive symptoms, loneliness, and generic and disease-specific domains of health. Nine months later, 313 patients again completed questionnaires. Cluster analysis at time 1 revealed three personality types: resilients (37 %), undercontrollers (34 %), and overcontrollers (29 %), closely resembling typologies obtained in previous community samples. Resilients, under-, and overcontrollers did not differ in terms of disease complexity, but differed on depressive symptoms, loneliness, and generic and disease-specific domains of perceived health at both time-points. Overall, resilients showed the most favorable outcomes and overcontrollers the poorest, with undercontrollers scoring in-between. Personality assessment can help clinicians in identifying adolescents at risk for physical and psychosocial difficulties later in time. In this study, both over- and undercontrollers were identified as high-risk groups. Our findings show that both personality traits and types should be taken into account to obtain a detailed view on the associations between personality and health.

Evaluation of primary health workers training program to provide psychoeducation to family caregivers of persons with psychotic disorder

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carla Raymondalexas Marchira

2016-02-01

Full Text Available ABTRACT Many persons suffering psychotic illnesses, such as schizophrenia, are largely untreated in low income countries. In these settings, most persons with severe mental illness live with their families. Thus, families play a particular critical role in determining whether a person with a psychotic illness will receive treatment and what the quality of treatment. Psychoeducation has proven to be extremely effective in helping families develop the knowledge and skills which is necessary to help their family members. Indonesia has a national policy to integrate the management of mental health problems into the primary health care system. However, in practice, such care does not implemented effectively. A preliminary study in primary health centers in two districts of Bantul and Gunung Kidul regency, Yogyakarta province, showed that there was very little or there is not any training for health care workers on diagnosis and treatment of psychotic disorder. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the training program for health workers in three primary health centers in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, to provide psychoeducation to family caregivers for persons with psychotic disorder. A quasi-experimental study with the approach of one group pre and posttest design was performed in this study. Fortythree health workers in 3 primary health centers in Bantul and Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta were trained every week for a month to provide psychoeducation to family caregivers who live with psychotic disorder patient. Result showed that the baseline score of knowledge of schizophrenia among health workers in 3 primary health centers in Bantul and Gunung Kidul before training were not significantly different (p=0.162. After the psychoeducation training program there were significantly different (p=0.003 of the score of knowledge of schizophrenia among health workers in 3 primary health care centers compared with before training. For conclusion, the

Studies of Astrology and Personality.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelley, I.W.

1979-01-01

Reviews the behavioral evidence of the possible relationship between the movements of the planets and personality variables. Concludes that astrology is a science consisting primarily of false data claims and much further research is required before any supported conclusions can be reached. (Author)

Five-Factor Personality Traits and Subjective Health Among Caregivers: The Role of Caregiver Strain and Self-Efficacy

Science.gov (United States)

Löckenhoff, Corinna E.; Duberstein, Paul R.; Friedman, Bruce; Costa, Paul T.

2011-01-01

This study examined the association among caregivers’ five-factor personality traits and subjective health with particular emphasis on the role of two theoretically implicated mediators: multi-domain self-efficacy and caregiver strain. The sample comprised 536 informal caregivers (mean age = 62.9 years, SD = 19.9, 72% female, 98% White) of community-dwelling older adults with multiple functional impairments. Both physical health and mental health were negatively associated with neuroticism and positively associated with extraversion and conscientiousness. Agreeableness and openness were associated with better subjective mental health and physical health, respectively. Multiple mediation analyses indicated that self-efficacy mediated all observed associations between personality and subjective health, whereas caregiver strain selectively mediated the associations of neuroticism and agreeableness with mental health. PMID:21417534

Analysis of Health Behaviors and Personal Values of Childless Women, Pregnant Women and Women Who Recently Delivered.

Science.gov (United States)

Nowicki, Grzegorz Józef; Misztal-Okońska, Patrycja; Ślusarska, Barbara; Rudnicka-Drożak, Ewa; Młynarska, Magdalena; Czekierdowski, Artur

2018-02-27

Preconception lifestyle modifications and reduction of several known risk factors may have an influence on future pregnancy outcomes. The aim of the study was to analyze health behaviors and personal values as well as to assess the relationship between these factors in women without children, in pregnant women and in women who had already delivered babies. The questionnaire survey included the Health Behavior Inventory (HBI), the Personal Value List (PVL) and sociodemographic data and was conducted in 538 women. These women were divided into three groups: women who had recently delivered ( n = 235), pregnant women ( n = 121) and childless women ( n = 182). Pregnant women demonstrated a significantly higher level of declared health behaviors, and also, they rated higher on the subscales values "positive mental attitude" and "health practices", in comparison to women who had recently delivered and to childless women. In all tested groups, the highest rated personal value was "a successful family life", while the most appreciated symbol of happiness was "love and friendship". Our results suggest that the system of values and the perception of happiness symbols may influence women's health behaviors. Positioning "health" in the hierarchy of personal values as the most important one may facilitate the introduction of healthy behaviors. This, in turn, could reduce several adverse pregnancy outcomes that are potentially modifiable with changing preconception health attitudes. Our results also identify several unanswered questions and highlight areas where new research is needed.

Outbreaks of Acute Gastroenteritis Transmitted by Person-to-Person Contact, Environmental Contamination, and Unknown Modes of Transmission--United States, 2009-2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Wikswo, Mary E; Kambhampati, Anita; Shioda, Kayoko; Walsh, Kelly A; Bowen, Anna; Hall, Aron J

2015-12-11

-term-care facilities (n = 4,894). In contrast, 59% (n = 143) of shigellosis outbreaks, 36% (n = 30) of salmonellosis outbreaks, and 32% (n = 84) of other or multiple etiology outbreaks were identified in child care facilities. NORS is the first U.S. surveillance system that provides national data on AGE outbreaks spread through person-to-person contact, environmental contamination, and unknown modes of transmission. The increase in reporting rates during 2009-2013 indicates that reporting to NORS improved notably in the 5 years since its inception. Norovirus is the most commonly reported cause of these outbreaks and, on the basis of epidemiologic data, might account for a substantial proportion of outbreaks without a reported etiology. During 2009-2013, norovirus accounted for most deaths and health care visits in AGE outbreaks spread through person-to-person contact, environmental contamination, and unknown modes of transmission. Recommendations for prevention and control of AGE outbreaks transmitted through person-to-person contact, environmental contamination, and unknown modes of transmission depend primarily on appropriate hand hygiene, environmental disinfection, and isolation of ill persons. NORS surveillance data can help identify priority targets for the development of future control strategies, including hygiene interventions and vaccines, and help monitor the frequency and severity of AGE outbreaks in the United States. Ongoing study of these AGE outbreaks can provide a better understanding of certain pathogens and their modes of transmission. For example, certain reported outbreak etiologies (e.g., Salmonella) are considered primarily foodborne pathogens but can be transmitted through multiple routes. Similarly, further examination of outbreaks of unknown etiology could help identify barriers to making an etiologic determination, to analyze clinical and epidemiologic clues suggestive of a probable etiology, and to discover new and emerging etiologic agents. Outbreak

The moderating role of personal resources in the relationship between psychosocial job demands and health: a cross-sectional study

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Mayerl, Hannes; Stolz, Erwin; Großschädl, Franziska; Rásky, Éva; Freidl, Wolfgang

2017-01-01

Objective The main objective of this research was to investigate the buffering effects of an individual’s physical, mental and social resources in the relationship between psychosocial job demands and (1) health symptoms, (2) mental strain and (3) the body mass index (BMI), respectively. Methods We performed moderated regression analysis to examine data from a large cross-sectional survey of an Austrian employee sample (n=9434). Results The results revealed a robust association between psychosocial job demands and health symptoms as well as mental strain, but only a weak relationship between psychosocial job demands and BMI. Although the personal resources showed a positive effect on health symptoms and mental strain, only weak evidence was found for the hypothesised interaction with psychosocial job demands. Solely the physical fitness of a person was found to mitigate the impact of psychosocial job demands on health symptoms. Conclusions In conclusion, personal resources substantially accounted for the prediction of health. However, the interactions between psychosocial job demands and personal resources only slightly contributed to explaining the variation in health. PMID:28851776

Understanding of advance care planning by family members of persons undergoing hemodialysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Calvin, Amy O; Engebretson, Joan C; Sardual, S Alexander

2014-11-01

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore hemodialysis patients' family members' understanding of end-of-life decision-making processes. The project aimed to address (a) family members' constructions of advance care planning (ACP), including their roles and responsibilities, and (b) family members' perceptions of health care providers' roles and responsibilities in ACP. Eighteen family members of persons undergoing hemodialysis were recruited primarily from outpatient dialysis facilities and interviewed individually. Confirmed transcript data were analyzed, coded, and compared, and categories were established. Interpretations were validated throughout the interviews and peer debriefing sessions were used at a later stage in the analysis. The overarching construct identified was one of Protection. Family members protect patients by (a) Sharing Burdens, (b) Normalizing Life, and (c) Personalizing Care. Recommendations for future research include the need to explore ACP of persons undergoing hemodialysis who do not have a family support system. © The Author(s) 2013.

Representing and organizing information to describe the lived experience of health from a personal factors perspective in the light of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF): a discussion paper.

Science.gov (United States)

Geyh, Szilvia; Schwegler, Urban; Peter, Claudio; Müller, Rachel

2018-03-06

To discuss the representation and organization of information describing persons' lived experience of health from a personal factors perspective in the light of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, using spinal cord injury as a case in point for disability. The scientific literature was reviewed, discussion rounds conducted, and qualitative secondary analyses of data carried out using an iterative inductive-deductive approach. Conceptual considerations are explicated that distinguish the personal factors perspective from other components of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. A representation structure is developed that organizes health-related concepts describing the internal context of functioning. Concepts are organized as individual facts, subjective experiences, and recurrent patterns of experience and behavior specifying 7 areas and 211 concept groups. The article calls for further scientific debate on the perspective of personal factors in the light of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. A structure that organizes concepts in relation to a personal factors perspective can enhance the comprehensiveness, transparency and standardization of health information, and contribute to the empowerment of persons with disabilities. Implications for rehabilitation The present study collected data from scientific literature reviews, discussion rounds and qualitative secondary analyses in order to develop a representation and organization of information describing persons' lived experience of health from a personal factors perspective in the light of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. The following representation structure for health-related information from a personal factors perspective was developed: (i) Individuals facts (i.e., socio-demographical factors, position in the immediate social and physical context, personal history

Using gamification to drive patient’s personal data validation in a Personal Health Record

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guido Giunti

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Gamification is a term used to describe using game elements in non-game environments to enhance user experience. It has been incorporated with commercial success into several platforms (Linkedin, Badgeville, Facebook this has made some researchers theorize that it could also be used in education as a tool to increase student engagement and to drive desirable learning behaviors on them. While in the past years some game elements have been incorporated to healthcare there is still little evidence on how effective they are. Game elements provide engagement consistent with various theories of motivation, positive psychology (e.g., flow, and also provide instant feedback. Feedback is more effective when it provides sufficient and specific information for goal achievement and is presented relatively close in time to the event being evaluated. Feedback can reference individual progress, can make social comparisons, or can refer to task criteria. Electronic personal health record systems (PHRs support patient centered healthcare by making medical records and other relevant information accessible to patients, thus assisting patients in health self-management. A particularly difficult data set that is often difficult to capture are those regarding social and cultural background information. This data set is not only useful to help better healthcare system management, it is also relevant as it is used for epidemiological and preventive purposes. We used gamified mechanics that involve instant feedback to test if they would increase patient’s personal data validation and completion in our PHR as well as overall PHR use. On our presentation we will describe our results and the story behind them.

Focus on People: Rethinking the Power and Potential of Personal Health Records - Q and A

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2008-06-23

Dr. Patricia Brennan discusses how Project HealthDesign is working to enhance the utility and flexibility of personal health records as a critical tool to help people take action to improve their health and improve the health care of all Americans.  Created: 6/23/2008 by Coordinating Center for Health Information Service, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, Healthcare Setting Goal Team.   Date Released: 7/29/2008.

A Two Year Longitudinal Outcome Study of Addicted Health Care Professionals: An Investigation of the Role of Personality Variables

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Angres

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The co-morbidity of personality disorders (PDs and other dysregulatory personality patterns with addiction have been well-established, although few studies have examined this interplay on long-term sobriety outcome. In addition, health care professionals suffering from addiction have both a significant public health impact and a unique set of treatment and recovery challenges. The aim of this study was to investigate if personality variables differentiated sobriety outcome in this population over a two year interval. A clinical sample of health care professionals participated in a substance abuse hospital treatment program individually tailored with respect to personality. Participants took the Temperament and Character Inventory and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory at intake, and were tracked two years post-discharge to determine sobriety status. Univariate analyses showed antisocial personality, female gender, and alcohol dependence were independent predictors of relapse, however a significant relationship between personality and substance use did not exist in multivariate analysis when controlling for demographic variables The lack of multivariate relationships demonstrates the heterogeneity in self-report measures of personality, which suggests the interplay of personality and addiction is complex and individualized.

The value of personal health record (PHR) systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaelber, David; Pan, Eric C

2008-11-06

Personal health records (PHRs) are a rapidly growing area of health information technology despite a lack of significant value-based assessment.Here we present an assessment of the potential value of PHR systems, looking at both costs and benefits.We examine provider-tethered, payer-tethered, and third-party PHRs, as well as idealized interoperable PHRs. An analytical model was developed that considered eight PHR application and infrastructure functions. Our analysis projects the initial and annual costs and annual benefits of PHRs to the entire US over the next 10 years.This PHR analysis shows that all forms of PHRs have initial net negative value. However, at the end of 10 years, steady state annual net value ranging from$13 billion to -$29 billion. Interoperable PHRs provide the most value, followed by third-party PHRs and payer-tethered PHRs also showing positive net value. Provider-tethered PHRs constantly demonstrating negative net value.

Beliefs about Promoting Cognitive Health among Filipino Americans Who Care for Persons with Dementia

Science.gov (United States)

Laditka, Sarah B.; Tseng, Winston; Price, Anna E.; Ivey, Susan L.; Friedman, Daniela B.; Liu, Rui; Wu, Bei; Logsdon, Rebecca G.; Beard, Renee L.

2012-01-01

We examined beliefs about promoting cognitive health among Filipino Americans who care for persons with dementia, their awareness of media information about cognitive health, and their suggestions for communicating such information to other caregivers. We conducted three focus groups (25 participants). The constant comparison method compared…

[Person-centered approach in occupational mental health: theory, research and practice].

Science.gov (United States)

Ikemi, A; Kubota, S; Noda, E; Tomita, S; Hayashida, Y

1992-01-01

The objective of this study was to articulate the person-centered approach (PCAp) in theory and in the research and practice of occupational mental health. First, Carl Rogers' person-centered theory was reviewed. Secondly, a study on 1,661 workers was presented in which psychological variables such as fatigue (FG), depression (DP) and anxiety (AX) were found to be negatively correlated with relationship scales concerning the workers' perception of the person-centered attitudes (PCA) of their superiors, the democratic leadership of their superiors (DEM) and the overall activation (ACT) of their worksites. Significant differences in FG, DP and AX were found among workers who perceived of their superiors as having either high or low PCA. Workers who reported that their superiors had high PCA had significantly less FG, DP and AX than those who perceived of their superiors as having low PCA. Similar results were also obtained when high DEM/low DEM and high ACT/low ACT were compared in terms of workers' FG, DP and AX. Thus, the PCA of job superiors was considered to be positively related to the mental health of workers. Thirdly, PCA training in industry was introduced and evaluated. A total of 137 trainees (managers) conducted active listening, a basic skill in the PCAp, and filled out a relationship inventory immediately afterwards, evaluating themselves as listeners and their partners as listeners. A comparison of scores between the first and last sessions of training showed significant increases in empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard at the last session in both the speakers' version and the listeners' version of the relationship inventory. Cases showing changes in human relations at work as a consequence of PCA training, reported by the trainees and confirmed by an occupational health nurse, were presented. This study showed that PCA, which is positively related to workers' mental health, can increase as a result of training. The implications of

Who Shall Not Be Treated: Public Attitudes on Setting Health Care Priorities by Person-Based Criteria in 28 Nations.

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Rogge, Jana; Kittel, Bernhard

2016-01-01

The principle of distributing health care according to medical need is being challenged by increasing costs. As a result, many countries have initiated a debate on the introduction of explicit priority regulations based on medical, economic and person-based criteria, or have already established such regulations. Previous research on individual attitudes towards setting health care priorities based on medical and economic criteria has revealed consistent results, whereas studies on the use of person-based criteria have generated controversial findings. This paper examines citizens' attitudes towards three person-based priority criteria, patients' smoking habits, age and being the parent of a young child. Using data from the ISSP Health Module (2011) in 28 countries, logistic regression analysis demonstrates that self-interest as well as socio-demographic predictors significantly influence respondents' attitudes towards the use of person-based criteria for health care prioritization. This study contributes to resolving the controversial findings on person-based criteria by using a larger country sample and by controlling for country-level differences with fixed effects models.

Who Shall Not Be Treated: Public Attitudes on Setting Health Care Priorities by Person-Based Criteria in 28 Nations.

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Jana Rogge

Full Text Available The principle of distributing health care according to medical need is being challenged by increasing costs. As a result, many countries have initiated a debate on the introduction of explicit priority regulations based on medical, economic and person-based criteria, or have already established such regulations. Previous research on individual attitudes towards setting health care priorities based on medical and economic criteria has revealed consistent results, whereas studies on the use of person-based criteria have generated controversial findings. This paper examines citizens' attitudes towards three person-based priority criteria, patients' smoking habits, age and being the parent of a young child. Using data from the ISSP Health Module (2011 in 28 countries, logistic regression analysis demonstrates that self-interest as well as socio-demographic predictors significantly influence respondents' attitudes towards the use of person-based criteria for health care prioritization. This study contributes to resolving the controversial findings on person-based criteria by using a larger country sample and by controlling for country-level differences with fixed effects models.

Digital patient: Personalized and translational data management through the MyHealthAvatar EU project.

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Kondylakis, Haridimos; Spanakis, Emmanouil G; Sfakianakis, Stelios; Sakkalis, Vangelis; Tsiknakis, Manolis; Marias, Kostas; Xia Zhao; Hong Qing Yu; Feng Dong

2015-08-01

The advancements in healthcare practice have brought to the fore the need for flexible access to health-related information and created an ever-growing demand for the design and the development of data management infrastructures for translational and personalized medicine. In this paper, we present the data management solution implemented for the MyHealthAvatar EU research project, a project that attempts to create a digital representation of a patient's health status. The platform is capable of aggregating several knowledge sources relevant for the provision of individualized personal services. To this end, state of the art technologies are exploited, such as ontologies to model all available information, semantic integration to enable data and query translation and a variety of linking services to allow connecting to external sources. All original information is stored in a NoSQL database for reasons of efficiency and fault tolerance. Then it is semantically uplifted through a semantic warehouse which enables efficient access to it. All different technologies are combined to create a novel web-based platform allowing seamless user interaction through APIs that support personalized, granular and secure access to the relevant information.

Understanding causal associations between self-rated health and personal relationships in older adults: A review of evidence from longitudinal studies.

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Craigs, Cheryl L; Twiddy, Maureen; Parker, Stuart G; West, Robert M

2014-01-01

As we age we experience many life changes in our health, personal relationships, work, or home life which can impact on other aspects of our life. There is compelling evidence that how we feel about our health influences, or is influenced by, the personal relationships we experience with friends and relatives. Currently the direction this association takes is unclear. To assess the level of published evidence available on causal links between self-rated health and personal relationships in older adults. MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO searches from inception to June 2012 and hand searches of publication lists, reference lists and citations were used to identify primary studies utilizing longitudinal data to investigate self-rated health and personal relationships in older adults. Thirty-one articles were identified. Only three articles employed methods suitable to explore causal associations between changes in self-rated health and changes in personal relationships. Two of these articles suggested that widowhood leads to a reduction in self-rated health in the short term, while the remaining article suggested a causal relationship between self-rated health and negative emotional support from family or friends, but this was complex and mediated by self-esteem and sense of control. While there is an abundance of longitudinal aging cohorts available which can be used to investigate self-rated health and personal relationships over time the potential for these databases to be used to investigate causal associations is currently not being recognized. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Barriers to Homeless Persons Acquiring Health Insurance Through the Affordable Care Act.

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Fryling, Lauren R; Mazanec, Peter; Rodriguez, Robert M

2015-11-01

Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is intended to provide a framework for increasing health care access for vulnerable populations, including the 1.2 million who experience homelessness each year in the United States. We sought to characterize homeless persons' knowledge of the ACA, identify barriers to their ACA enrollment, and determine access to various forms of communication that could be used to facilitate enrollment. At an urban county Level I trauma center, we interviewed all noncritically ill adults who presented to the emergency department (ED) during daytime hours and were able to provide consent. We assessed access to communication, awareness of the ACA, insurance status, and barriers preventing subjects from enrolling in health insurance and compared homeless persons' responses with concomitantly enrolled housed individuals. Of the 650 enrolled subjects, 134 (20.2%) were homeless. Homeless subjects were more likely to have never heard of the ACA (26% vs. 10%). "Not being aware if they qualify for Medicaid" was the most common (70%) and most significant (30%) barrier to enrollment reported by uninsured homeless persons. Of homeless subjects who were unsure if they qualified for Medicaid, 91% reported an income homeless subjects reported access. Homeless persons report having less knowledge of the ACA than their housed counterparts, poor understanding of ACA qualification criteria, and limited access to phone and internet. ED-based outreach and education regarding ACA eligibility may increase their enrollment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Marital Conflict in Older Couples: Positivity, Personality, and Health

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Iveniuk, James; Waite, Linda J.; McClintock, Martha K.; Teidt, Andrew D.

2016-01-01

We examine the implications of health and personality characteristics for late-life marital conflict, using data from the 2010–11 wave of the National Social Life Health and Aging Project (NSHAP), a nationally representative study with data on both partners in 955 marital and cohabitational dyads. Using these data, we relate characteristics of husbands to characteristics of their wives, and vice versa. Wives with husbands in fair or poor physical health are more likely to report high levels of marital conflict, but the reverse is not true. Similarly, wives report more conflict when their husbands are high on Neuroticism, high on Extraversion, and low on a new measure we call Positivity. Our findings point to noteworthy gender differences between men and women in the associations between individual characteristics and levels of marital conflict. We point to differences between husbands’ and wives’ marital roles as a contributor to these differences. PMID:27274569

Personality assessment of homeless adults as a tool for service planning.

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Tolomiczenko, G S; Sota, T; Goering, P N

2000-01-01

The psychiatric status of homeless adults has been described primarily in terms of Axis I disorders. By adding a subset of the Personality Assessment Inventory, this study tests the feasibility and usefulness of a brief, self-administered questionnaire to obtain scores on several dimensions of personality. Cluster analysis sorted 112 tested subjects into four groups characterized by distinct profiles. Two of these were characterized by extreme scores on pathological dimensions of personality (borderline features, antisocial traits, and aggressivity) and differed primarily on the dimension of suicidality. The third reflected moderate levels of personality dysfunction and the fourth did not deviate from adult nonclinical norms. The validity of the clusters was supported by demographic, background, and diagnostic subgroup differences. Brief personality assessment can be a cost-effective approach to matching services with clinical needs of homeless adults by attending to interpersonal dimensions that will likely affect service provision.

Learning to account for the social determinants of health affecting homeless persons.

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McNeil, Ryan; Guirguis-Younger, Manal; Dilley, Laura B; Turnbull, Jeffrey; Hwang, Stephen W

2013-05-01

Intersecting social determinants of health constrain access to care and treatment adherence among homeless populations. Because clinicians seldom receive training in the social determinants of health, they may be unprepared to account for or address these factors when developing treatment strategies for homeless individuals. This study explored: (i) clinicians' preparedness to provide care responsive to the social determinants of health in homeless populations, and (ii) the steps taken by clinicians to overcome shortcomings in their clinical training in regard to the social determinants of health. Qualitative interviews were conducted with doctors (n = 6) and nurses (n = 18) in six Canadian cities. Participants had at least 2 years of experience in providing care to homeless populations. Interview transcripts were analysed using methods of constant comparison. Participants highlighted how, when first providing care to this population, they were unprepared to account for or address social determinants shaping the health of homeless persons. However, participants recognised the necessity of addressing these factors to situate care within the social and structural contexts of homelessness. Participants' accounts illustrated that experiential learning was critical to increasing capacity to provide care responsive to the social determinants of health. Experiential learning was a continuous process that involved: (i) engaging with homeless persons in multiple settings and contexts to inform treatment strategies; (ii) evaluating the efficacy of treatment strategies through continued observation and critical reflection, and (iii) adjusting clinical practice to reflect observations and new knowledge. This study underscores the need for greater emphasis on the social determinants of health in medical education in the context of homelessness. These insights may help to inform the development and design of service-learning initiatives that integrate understandings of the

Mobile personal health records for pregnancy monitoring functionalities: Analysis and potential.

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Bachiri, Mariam; Idri, Ali; Fernández-Alemán, José Luis; Toval, Ambrosio

2016-10-01

Personal Health Records (PHRs) are a rapidly growing area of health information technology. PHR users are able to manage their own health data and communicate with doctors in order to improve healthcare quality and efficiency. Mobile PHR (mPHR) applications for mobile devices have obtained an interesting market quota since the appearance of more powerful mobile devices. These devices allow users to gain access to applications that used to be available only for personal computers. This paper analyzes the functionalities of mobile PHRs that are specific to pregnancy monitoring. A well-known Systematic Literature Review (SLR) protocol was used in the analysis process. A questionnaire was developed for this task, based on the rigorous study of scientific literature concerning pregnancy and applications available on the market, with 9 data items and 35 quality assessments. The data items contain calendars, pregnancy information, health habits, counters, diaries, mobile features, security, backup, configuration and architectural design. A total of 33 mPHRs for pregnancy monitoring, available for iOS and Android, were selected from Apple App store and Google Play store, respectively. The results show that none of the mPHRs selected met 100% of the functionalities analyzed in this paper. The highest score achieved was 77%, while the lowest was 17%. In this paper, these features are discussed and possible paths for future development of similar applications are proposed, which may lead to a more efficient use of smartphone capabilities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Big Data Analysis for Personalized Health Activities: Machine Learning Processing for Automatic Keyword Extraction Approach

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Jun-Ho Huh

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The obese population is increasing rapidly due to the change of lifestyle and diet habits. Obesity can cause various complications and is becoming a social disease. Nonetheless, many obese patients are unaware of the medical treatments that are right for them. Although a variety of online and offline obesity management services have been introduced, they are still not enough to attract the attention of users and are not much of help to solve the problem. Obesity healthcare and personalized health activities are the important factors. Since obesity is related to lifestyle habits, eating habits, and interests, I concluded that the big data analysis of these factors could deduce the problem. Therefore, I collected big data by applying the machine learning and crawling method to the unstructured citizen health data in Korea and the search data of Naver, which is a Korean portal company, and Google for keyword analysis for personalized health activities. It visualized the big data using text mining and word cloud. This study collected and analyzed the data concerning the interests related to obesity, change of interest on obesity, and treatment articles. The analysis showed a wide range of seasonal factors according to spring, summer, fall, and winter. It also visualized and completed the process of extracting the keywords appropriate for treatment of abdominal obesity and lower body obesity. The keyword big data analysis technique for personalized health activities proposed in this paper is based on individual’s interests, level of interest, and body type. Also, the user interface (UI that visualizes the big data compatible with Android and Apple iOS. The users can see the data on the app screen. Many graphs and pictures can be seen via menu, and the significant data values are visualized through machine learning. Therefore, I expect that the big data analysis using various keywords specific to a person will result in measures for personalized

National Health Expenditure Projections, 2017-26: Despite Uncertainty, Fundamentals Primarily Drive Spending Growth.

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Cuckler, Gigi A; Sisko, Andrea M; Poisal, John A; Keehan, Sean P; Smith, Sheila D; Madison, Andrew J; Wolfe, Christian J; Hardesty, James C

2018-03-01

Under current law, national health spending is projected to grow 5.5 percent annually on average in 2017-26 and to represent 19.7 percent of the economy in 2026. Projected national health spending and enrollment growth over the next decade is largely driven by fundamental economic and demographic factors: changes in projected income growth, increases in prices for medical goods and services, and enrollment shifts from private health insurance to Medicare that are related to the aging of the population. The recent enactment of tax legislation that eliminated the individual mandate is expected to result in only a small reduction to insurance coverage trends.

Understanding the “black box” of a health-promotion program: Keys to enable health among older persons aging in the context of migration

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Emmelie Barenfeld

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Although the need to make health services more accessible to persons who have migrated has been identified, knowledge about health-promotion programs (HPPs from the perspective of older persons born abroad is lacking. This study explores the design experiences and content implemented in an adapted version of a group-based HPP developed in a researcher–community partnership. Fourteen persons aged 70–83 years or older who had migrated to Sweden from Finland or the Balkan Peninsula were included. A grounded theory approach guided the data collection and analysis. The findings showed how participants and personnel jointly helped raise awareness. The participants experienced three key processes that could open doors to awareness: enabling community, providing opportunities to understand and be understood, and confirming human values and abilities. Depending on how the HPP content and design are being shaped by the group, the key processes could both inhibit or encourage opening doors to awareness. Therefore, this study provides key insights into how to enable health by deepening the understanding of how the exchange of health-promoting messages is experienced to be facilitated or hindered. This study adds to the scientific knowledge base of how the design and content of HPP may support and recognize the capabilities of persons aging in the context of migration.

Persons with rheumatoid arthritis challenge the relevance of the health assessment questionnaire: a qualitative study of patient perception.

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Ebbevi, David; Essén, Anna; Forsberg, Helena Hvitfeldt

2017-05-12

The Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ) is widely used to measure functional ability in persons with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The instrument was developed with limited involvement from persons with RA, and their perception of the instrument has not been studied in depth. The aim of this study was to explore how persons with RA experience the use of the HAQ in care. The study used secondary data analysis. Persons with RA participated in semi-structured interviews in previous research projects. Thirty-nine interviews were included based on data fit, and thematic analysis applied. The participants questioned the relevance of the HAQ but nevertheless experienced that the instrument had a profound effect on their understanding of health and how care is delivered. The analysis resulted in three themes: Problems with individual items, meaning of the summative score, and effects on care and health perceptions. To make the HAQ relevant to persons with RA, it needs to be revised or to include an option to select items most meaningful to the respondent. To ensure relevance, the HAQ update should preferably be co-created by researchers, clinicians and persons with RA.

Reliability and Validity of Five Mental Health Scales in Older Persons.

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Himmelfarb, Samuel; Murrell, Stanley A.

1983-01-01

Assessed five scales as mental health measures for older persons (N=318). The internal consistency reliabilities for the anxiety, depression, and well-being scales were moderately high to high, but the reliabilities for the affect balance scale suggest some caution. Cutting points for the well-being and depression scales are suggested. (Author/JAC)

Colombian drugs policy. The dose for personal and health rights

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Juan Camilo Fischer Rodríguez

2013-07-01

Full Text Available This article is a review of Colombian law on drugs, with special emphasis on the so-called dose for personal and health rights that relate to the use of legal or illegal drugs. A brief contextualization of international treaties on drugs is presented, as well as presenting some cases representing the current debate on trade control measures and use of illegal drugs. The article argues that in the international and Colombian debate there are no homogeneous positions, and the repressive policies towards illegal drug use coexist with approaches from the public health that point to the recognition of the rights of people who use legal or illegal substances.

Legislative provisions related to marriage and divorce of persons with mental health problems: a global review.

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Bhugra, Dinesh; Pathare, Soumitra; Nardodkar, Renuka; Gosavi, Chetna; Ng, Roger; Torales, Julio; Ventriglio, Antonio

2016-08-01

Realization of right to marry by a person is an exercise of personal liberty, even if concepts of marriage and expectations from such commitment vary across cultures and societies. Once married, if an individual develops mental illness the legal system often starts to discriminate against the individual. There is no doubt that every individual's right to marry or remain married is regulated by their country's family codes, civil codes, marriage laws, or divorce laws. Historically mental health condition of a spouse or intending spouse has been of interest to lawmakers in a number of ways from facilitating divorce to helping the individual with mental illness. There is no doubt that there are deeply ingrained stereotypes that persons with mental health problems lack capacity to consent and, therefore, cannot enter into a marital contract of their own free will. These assumptions lead to discrimination both in practice and in law. Furthermore, the probability of mental illness being genetically transmitted and passed on to offspring adds yet another dimension of discrimination. Thus, the system may also raise questions about the ability of persons with mental health problems to care, nurture, and support a family and children. Internationally, rights to marry, the right to remain married, and dissolution of marriage have been enshrined in several human rights instruments. Domestic laws were studied in 193 countries to explore whether laws affected the rights of people with mental illness with respect to marriage; it was found that 37% of countries explicitly prohibit marriage by persons with mental health problems. In 11% (21 countries) the presence of mental health problems can render a marriage void or can be considered grounds for nullity of marriage. Thus, in many countries basic human rights related to marriage are being flouted.

The relationship of lifestyle factors, personal character, and mental health status of employees of a major Japanese electrical manufacturer.

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Nakayama, K; Yamaguchi, K; Maruyama, S; Morimoto, K

2001-01-01

To examine the relationship lifestyle factors, personal character, mental health status, and job strain a self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted among employees of a leading electrical manufacturing company in Japan. A total of 2,327 workers (Male=1,668, Female=659) responded to the survey. We analyzed the relationships of health practices based on such factors as: Free child (FC) from the Egogram, the Working-life satisfaction, and the General Health Questionnaire-28 through Path-analysis techniques.The following results were obtained: The mental health status was significantly affected by such factors as health practices, Working-life satisfaction, personal character (FC), life satisfaction, and age. Health practices and personal character (FC) showed a direct relationship to the mental health status and an indirect relationship to the Working-life satisfaction and life satisfaction. The variances accounting for mental health status were 41.8% in male workers and 43.8% in female workers.Path-analysis data suggested that mental health status was affected about 40% by lifestyle, personal character, Working-life satisfaction, and life satisfaction. It was suggested that there might be important factors affecting mental health status but which are unknown to us by as much as 60% in the present day. These findings suggested the necessity of further investigation of the relationship among lifestyle factors, mental health status, and job strain among employees of a reputable company in the present day.

Nonevent stress contributes to mental health disparities based on sexual orientation: evidence from a personal projects analysis.

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Frost, David M; LeBlanc, Allen J

2014-09-01

This study examined the role of nonevent stress--in the form of frustrated personal project pursuits in the arenas of relationships and work--as a contributing factor to mental health disparities between heterosexual and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) populations. A purposive sample of 431 LGB (55%) and heterosexually identified (45%) individuals living in the United States and Canada completed the Personal Project Inventory by describing and rating core personal projects they were pursuing. The intensity of perceived barriers to the achievement of relationship- and work-related personal projects served as indicators nonevent stress. Hierarchical linear regression models tested the hypothesis that nonevent stress contributes to the association between sexual orientation and two indicators of mental health: depressive symptoms and psychological well-being. LGB individuals had significantly more depressive symptoms and lower levels of psychological well-being than heterosexuals. Indicators of nonevent stress were significantly associated with mental health outcomes and their inclusion in models attenuated sexual orientation differences in mental health. The critical indirect pathway leading from sexual minority status to mental health occurred via barriers to relationship projects from interpersonal sources. This research suggests that nonevent stress because of structural and interpersonal stigma may contribute to mental health disparities between LGB and heterosexual individuals. The findings have important implications for policy reform around same-sex relationship recognition and workplace discrimination. Future research and clinical work will benefit by expanding existing foci on stress to include nonevent stressors to better understand and address mental health problems, particularly in LGB populations.

Who should decide how much and what information is important in person-centred health care?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaltoft, Mette Kjer; Nielsen, Jesper Bo; Salkeld, Glenn

2015-01-01

implicitly segues into the patient having made a 'good decision'. In person-centred health care, whether, in what form, and with what weight, 'information' is included as a criterion of decision quality is a matter for the person involved, to decide in the light of their own values, preferences, and time...

Correlation between social support, personality traits and mental health in antiaircraft artillerymen

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Bin TIAN

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Objective To quantitatively assess the mental health status and analyze the relationship between social support, personality traits and mental health in antiaircraft artillery personnel. Methods One hundred and forty-five antiaircraft artillerymen were tested with the Social Support Scale, the Symptom Checklist 90(SCL-90, and the Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Short Scale for Chinese (EPQ-RSC. The questionnaires were returned by 143 artillerymen and the data were processed by t-test, pearson correlation analysis and regression analysis. Results Every factor score of SCL-90 was significantly higher than that of civilian cohorts (P < 0.001. The total score(151.88±38.39, P < 0.05 and the scores of somatization (1.63±0.48, P < 0.05, obsessive-compulsiveness (1.95±0.59, P < 0.001, anxiety (1.67±0.51, P < 0.01 and hostility (1.78±0.62, P < 0.01 of SCL-90 were significantly higher than the norm of those of Chinese army men. The utilization of social support showed significant negative correlation with total score (r=－0.205, P < 0.05, interpersonal sensitivity (r=－0.182, P < 0.05, depression (r=－0.200, P < 0.05, paranoid ideation (r=－0.263, P < 0.01, and neuroticism in personality traits (r=－0.241, P < 0.01. There was significant positive correlation between the utilization of social support and EPQ-E (r=0.339, P < 0.01. Every factor of SCL-90 except hostility (r=－0.202 to －0.393, P < 0.05, P < 0.01 showed significant negative correlation with EPQ-E. There was significant positive correlation between most factors of SCL-90 and EPQ-P (except obsessive-compulsive and somatization, r=0.167-0.246, P < 0.05, P < 0.01 and EPQ-N (r=0.386-0.584, P < 0.01. Conclusions The mental health of antiaircraft artillerymen is not so optimistic, and it should be taken care seriously. In addition, we should also pay attention to the effect of utilization of social support and personality trait in improving mental health.

Analysis of Health Behaviors and Personal Values of Childless Women, Pregnant Women and Women Who Recently Delivered

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Misztal-Okońska, Patrycja; Rudnicka-Drożak, Ewa; Młynarska, Magdalena; Czekierdowski, Artur

2018-01-01

Preconception lifestyle modifications and reduction of several known risk factors may have an influence on future pregnancy outcomes. The aim of the study was to analyze health behaviors and personal values as well as to assess the relationship between these factors in women without children, in pregnant women and in women who had already delivered babies. The questionnaire survey included the Health Behavior Inventory (HBI), the Personal Value List (PVL) and sociodemographic data and was conducted in 538 women. These women were divided into three groups: women who had recently delivered (n = 235), pregnant women (n = 121) and childless women (n = 182). Pregnant women demonstrated a significantly higher level of declared health behaviors, and also, they rated higher on the subscales values “positive mental attitude” and “health practices”, in comparison to women who had recently delivered and to childless women. In all tested groups, the highest rated personal value was “a successful family life”, while the most appreciated symbol of happiness was “love and friendship”. Our results suggest that the system of values and the perception of happiness symbols may influence women’s health behaviors. Positioning “health” in the hierarchy of personal values as the most important one may facilitate the introduction of healthy behaviors. This, in turn, could reduce several adverse pregnancy outcomes that are potentially modifiable with changing preconception health attitudes. Our results also identify several unanswered questions and highlight areas where new research is needed. PMID:29495488

Artificial intelligence and immediacy: designing health communication to personally engage consumers and providers.

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Kreps, Gary L; Neuhauser, Linda

2013-08-01

We describe how ehealth communication programs can be improved by using artificial intelligence (AI) to increase immediacy. We analyzed major deficiencies in ehealth communication programs, illustrating how programs often fail to fully engage audiences and can even have negative consequences by undermining the effective delivery of information intended to guide health decision-making and influence adoption of health-promoting behaviors. We examined the use of AI in ehealth practices to promote immediacy and provided examples from the ChronologyMD project. Strategic use of AI is shown to help enhance immediacy in ehealth programs by making health communication more engaging, relevant, exciting, and actionable. AI can enhance the "immediacy" of ehealth by humanizing health promotion efforts, promoting physical and emotional closeness, increasing authenticity and enthusiasm in health promotion efforts, supporting personal involvement in communication interactions, increasing exposure to relevant messages, reducing demands on healthcare staff, improving program efficiency, and minimizing costs. User-centered AI approaches, such as the use of personally involving verbal and nonverbal cues, natural language translation, virtual coaches, and comfortable human-computer interfaces can promote active information processing and adoption of new ideas. Immediacy can improve information access, trust, sharing, motivation, and behavior changes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The moderating role of personal resources in the relationship between psychosocial job demands and health: a cross-sectional study.

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Mayerl, Hannes; Stolz, Erwin; Großschädl, Franziska; Rásky, Éva; Freidl, Wolfgang

2017-08-28

The main objective of this research was to investigate the buffering effects of an individual's physical, mental and social resources in the relationship between psychosocial job demands and (1) health symptoms, (2) mental strain and (3) the body mass index (BMI), respectively. We performed moderated regression analysis to examine data from a large cross-sectional survey of an Austrian employee sample (n = 9434). The results revealed a robust association between psychosocial job demands and health symptoms as well as mental strain, but only a weak relationship between psychosocial job demands and BMI. Although the personal resources showed a positive effect on health symptoms and mental strain, only weak evidence was found for the hypothesised interaction with psychosocial job demands. Solely the physical fitness of a person was found to mitigate the impact of psychosocial job demands on health symptoms. In conclusion, personal resources substantially accounted for the prediction of health. However, the interactions between psychosocial job demands and personal resources only slightly contributed to explaining the variation in health. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Experiencing 'pathologized presence and normalized absence'; understanding health related experiences and access to health care among Iraqi and Somali asylum seekers, refugees and persons without legal status.

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Fang, Mei Lan; Sixsmith, Judith; Lawthom, Rebecca; Mountian, Ilana; Shahrin, Afifa

2015-09-19

Asylum seekers, refugees and persons without legal status have been reported to experience a range of difficulties when accessing public services and supports in the UK. While research has identified health care barriers to equitable access such as language difficulties, it has not considered the broader social contexts of marginalization experienced through the dynamics of 'othering'. The current study explores health and health care experiences of Somali and Iraqi asylum seekers, refugees and persons without legal status, highlighting 'minoritization' processes and the 'pathologization' of difference as analytical lenses to understand the multiple layers of oppression that contribute to health inequities. For the study, qualitative methods were used to document the lived experiences of asylum seekers, refugees and persons without legal status. Thirty-five in-depth interviews and five focus groups were used to explore personal accounts, reveal shared understandings and enable social, cognitive and emotional understandings of on-going health problems and challenges when seeking treatment and care. A participatory framework was undertaken which inspired collaborative workings with local organizations that worked directly with asylum seekers, refugees and persons without legal status. The analysis revealed four key themes: 1) pre-departure histories and post-arrival challenges; 2) legal status; 3) health knowledges and procedural barriers as well as 4) language and cultural competence. Confidentiality, trust, wait times and short doctor-patient consultations were emphasized as being insufficient for culturally specific communications and often translating into inadequate treatment and care. Barriers to accessing health care was associated with social disadvantage and restrictions of the broader welfare system suggesting that a re-evaluation of the asylum seeking process is required to improve the situation. Macro- and micro-level intersections of accustomed societal

Organizational culture, climate and person-environment fit: Relationships with employment outcomes for mental health consumers.

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Kirsh, Bonnie

2000-01-01

Although the effects of organizational culture, climate and person-environment fit have been widely studied in the general population, little research exists in this area regarding consumers of mental health services. This research focuses on organizational culture, climate and person-environment fit and their relationship to employment outcomes for mental health consumers. It also examines specific components of organizational culture which are both desired and perceived by mental health consumers. Thirty-six (N=36) consumers were recruited into one of two groups: individuals who were employed at the time of the study and those who had recently left their jobs. Instruments used were the Workplace Climate Questionnaire (WCQ) and the Organizational Culture Profile (OCP). Significant differences were found between groups along the dimensions of organizational culture/climate and person-environment fit. Although few differences were found between groups with regards to desired workplace characteristics, many differences in perceived characteristics were found. The findings point to the importance of assessing the organizational culture/climate and its congruence with individuals' value systems as part of the work integration process.

[Validation of the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) in vulnerable users of health care services in Santiago, Chile].

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Oyanedel, Juan Carlos; Vargas, Salvador; Mella, Camila; Páez, Darío

2015-09-01

Personal well-being calculates quality of life in terms of the necessary conditions required to live well. To validate the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) in a representative sample of vulnerable users of the public health system in Santiago, Chile. A probabilistic and multistage sample consisting of 400 individuals aged 44 ± 18 years (61% females) belonging to the lower income group of the National Health Fund (FONASA), residents of Gran Santiago was surveyed. Internal consistency and correlation between items and scale were examined. Structure was analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis. The seven-item PWI is a good indicator of subjective well-being in the population under study, considering internal consistency, factor loadings, relation with overall life satisfaction and goodness of fit. The indicators mostly associated with personal well-being are the socioeconomic level followed by relationships with the community, health conditions and achievements. The 7-item version of the PWI is suitable for application in vulnerable health service users.

A module for psycho-social assessment of personal health monitoring.

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Muehlan, Holger; Rhode, Dieter; Schmidt, Silke

2013-01-01

This contribution to an interdisciplinary methodology on Personal Health Monitoring (PHM) aims at developing a psycho-social module for health technology assessment on PHM applications. It covers important aspects that should be taken into account for conducting a health technology assessment from a psycho-social perspective. As it could be used in addition to other tools within the PHM-Ethics approach to health technology assessment it is considered as a module of the interdisciplinary methodology. As a prerequisite, we provide a conceptual framework on psycho-social issues of PHM applications. From that framework we delineate an integrated module for psycho-social health technology assessment for PHM applications, consisting of a map highlighting selective psycho-social issues that may appear when applying a PHM system. This psycho-social tool is at least twofold in its intention as a sole HTA tool on the one hand and as an integral part of the interdisciplinary PHM methodology on the other hand. It provides a quick overview on potential benefits and risks from the user's point of view.

Assessing Student Performance in Hybrid versus Web-Facilitated Personal Health Courses

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Cathorall, Michelle L.; Xin, Huaibo; Blankson, Faustina; Kempland, Monica; Schaefer, Courtney

2018-01-01

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of web-facilitated and hybrid course delivery formats on student learning outcomes for four sections of an undergraduate Personal Health course at a public institution. This is a quasi-experimental study. Two sections were taught as hybrid classes and two sections were taught as webfacilitated classes.…

The role of personality in health care use: Results of a population-based longitudinal study in Germany.

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Hajek, André; Bock, Jens-Oliver; König, Hans-Helmut

2017-01-01

To determine the role of personality in health care use longitudinally. Data were derived from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP), a nationally representative, longitudinal cohort study of German households starting in 1984. Concentrating on the role of personality, we used data from the years 2005, 2009 and 2013. Personality was measured by using the GSOEP Big Five Inventory (BFI-S). Number of physician visits in the last 3 months and hospital stays in the last year were used as measures of health care use. Adjusting for predisposing factors, enabling resources, and need factors, fixed effects regressions revealed that physician visits increased with increasing neuroticism, whereas extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness did not affect physician visits in a significant way. The effect of self-rated health on physician visits was significantly moderated by neuroticism. Moreover, fixed effects regressions revealed that the probability of hospitalization in the past year increased with increasing extraversion, whereas the other personality factors did not affect this outcome measure significantly. Our findings suggest that changes in neuroticism are associated with changes in physician visits and that changes in extraversion are associated with the probability of hospitalization. Since recent studies have shown that treatments can modify personality traits, developing interventional strategies should take into account personality factors. For example, efforts to intervene in changing neuroticism might have beneficial effects for the healthcare system.

The role of personality in health care use: Results of a population-based longitudinal study in Germany.

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André Hajek

Full Text Available To determine the role of personality in health care use longitudinally.Data were derived from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP, a nationally representative, longitudinal cohort study of German households starting in 1984. Concentrating on the role of personality, we used data from the years 2005, 2009 and 2013. Personality was measured by using the GSOEP Big Five Inventory (BFI-S. Number of physician visits in the last 3 months and hospital stays in the last year were used as measures of health care use.Adjusting for predisposing factors, enabling resources, and need factors, fixed effects regressions revealed that physician visits increased with increasing neuroticism, whereas extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness did not affect physician visits in a significant way. The effect of self-rated health on physician visits was significantly moderated by neuroticism. Moreover, fixed effects regressions revealed that the probability of hospitalization in the past year increased with increasing extraversion, whereas the other personality factors did not affect this outcome measure significantly.Our findings suggest that changes in neuroticism are associated with changes in physician visits and that changes in extraversion are associated with the probability of hospitalization. Since recent studies have shown that treatments can modify personality traits, developing interventional strategies should take into account personality factors. For example, efforts to intervene in changing neuroticism might have beneficial effects for the healthcare system.

Segmenting consumers according to experiential preferences based on personality type vs. personality traits – a latent class analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Jeanne

Differences in consumers’ preferences for experiences have been suggested to be based on personality among other things. Personality in consumer research has primarily been operationalized as personality traits using the Five Factor theory. An old, re-emerged discussion in psychology is pointing...... at personality type rather than single personality traits to better understand behavior. Personality type represents “typical configurations of the dispositional attributes that define individuals” (Donnellan and Robins, 2010: 1). Type accounts for the necessity of understanding not only a person’s defining...... trait but also how this interacts with other traits providing a person centered rather than an attribute centered understanding. This allows for a classification of people rather than a classification of attributes of people. In the context of segmentation the objective is classifying people rather than...

Personalized risk assessment of drug-related harm is associated with health outcomes.

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Andrea A Jones

Full Text Available The Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs (ISCD assigned quantitative scores for harm to 20 drugs. We hypothesized that a personalized, ISCD-based Composite Harm Score (CHS would be associated with poor health outcomes in polysubstance users.A prospective community sample (n=293 of adults living in marginal housing was assessed for substance use. The CHS was calculated based on the ISCD index, and the personal substance use characteristics over four weeks. Regression models estimated the association between CHS and physical, psychological, and social health outcomes.Polysubstance use was pervasive (95.8%, as was multimorbid illness (median 3, possible range 0-12. The median CHS was 2845 (interquartile range 1865-3977. Adjusting for age and sex, every 1000-unit CHS increase was associated with greater mortality (odds ratio [OR] 1.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-2.01, p = 0.02, and persistent hepatitis C infection (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.02-1.67, p = 0.04. The likelihood of substance-induced psychosis increased 1.39-fold (95% CI 1.13-1.67, p = 0.001. The amount spent on drugs increased 1.51-fold (1.40-1.62, p < 0.001 and the odds of having committed a crime increased 1.74-fold (1.46-2.10, p < 0.001. Multimorbid illness increased 1.43-fold (95% CI 1.26-1.63, p < 0.001.Greater CHS predicts poorer physical, psychological, and social health, and may be a useful quantitative, personalized measure of risk for drug-related harm.

Knowledge about persons with disability act (1995) among health care professionals dealing with persons affected by disabilities.

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Berry, B S; Devapitchai, K S; Raju, M S

2009-01-01

To assess the level of awareness about the different provisions of the persons with Disability Act (1995) among the health care professionals, 201 health care professionals dealing with the disabled persons from different parts of India were interviewed using structured interview checklist. The data were analysed through statistical package of social sciences software. Chi-square test were applied on the variables and the Pvalues were ascertained. The results show that 48.3% knew about administration hierarchy, 53.7% of respondents were aware of the free education available for the disabled, 68.5% were aware of the employment scheme, 62.7% about poverty alleviation schemes, 59.2% know about the traveling benefits, 56.2% of professionals were aware of the benefits for people with low vision. Only 29.9% of respondents knew about provisions to overcome architectural barriers. 43.8% of them knew about the least disability percentage whereas only 28.4% were aware of research and manpower schemes. Regarding affirmative action, 32.17% told correctly and 52.7% of the professionals responded correctly with respectto non- discrimination schemes. The level of awareness among the professionals working in rural regions is lower with regard to administration hierarchy and poverty alleviation schemes. Informations regarding disabled friendly environments and research and manpower development were found to be low among respondents of all professions which need to be effectively intervened. Gender did not show any influence with respect to the components of the act. The study showed that there is an ample need for educational interventions among the health care professionals in all socio-demography. Inclusion of PWD Act in the curriculum of medical schools as a topic in conferences and workshops for health care professionals are suggested.

Infrastructure for Personalized Medicine at Partners HealthCare

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Scott T. Weiss

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Partners HealthCare Personalized Medicine (PPM is a center within the Partners HealthCare system (founded by Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital whose mission is to utilize genetics and genomics to improve the care of patients in a cost effective manner. PPM consists of five interconnected components: (1 Laboratory for Molecular Medicine (LMM, a CLIA laboratory performing genetic testing for patients world-wide; (2 Translational Genomics Core (TGC, a core laboratory providing genomic platforms for Partners investigators; (3 Partners Biobank, a biobank of samples (DNA, plasma and serum for 50,000 Consented Partners patients; (4 Biobank Portal, an IT infrastructure and viewer to bring together genotypes, samples, phenotypes (validated diagnoses, radiology, and clinical chemistry from the electronic medical record to Partners investigators. These components are united by (5 a common IT system that brings researchers, clinicians, and patients together for optimal research and patient care.

Person-related factors associated with work participation in employees with health problems: a systematic review.

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de Wit, Mariska; Wind, Haije; Hulshof, Carel T J; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W

2018-07-01

The objective of this systematic review was to explore and provide systematically assessed information about the association between person-related factors and work participation of people with health problems. The research question was: what is the association between selected person-related factors and work participation of workers with health problems? A systematic review was carried out in PubMed and PsycINFO to search for original papers published between January 2007 and February 2017. The risk of bias of the studies included was assessed using quality assessment tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute. The quality of evidence was assessed using the GRADE framework for prognostic studies. In total, 113 studies were included, all of which addressed the association between person-related factors and work participation. The factors positively associated with work participation were positive expectations regarding recovery or return to work, optimism, self-efficacy, motivation, feelings of control, and perceived health. The factors negatively associated with work participation were fear-avoidance beliefs, perceived work-relatedness of the health problem, and catastrophizing. Different coping strategies had a negative or a positive relationship with work participation. The results of this review provide more insight into the associations between different cognitions and perceptions and work participation. The results of this study suggest that person-related factors should be considered by occupational- and insurance physicians when they diagnose, evaluate or provide treatment to employees. Further research is required to determine how these physicians could obtain and apply such information and whether its application leads to a better quality of care.