Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Digital Health”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 901 records · Page 50Linked to original sources
PubMed2006

Rapid and cost-effective method to assess vision disorders in a population.

PURPOSE: The aim was to develop a means of rapidly assessing eye health in a cost- and time-effective way to monitor changes over time. METHODS: Key features of the five main eye diseases that cause vision loss in Australia were assessed. Participation was volunteer-based from randomly selected Melbourne suburbs. Recruitment was by mail. Anterior segments and fundi were photographed with a digital non-mydriatic fundus camera. Visual fields were tested with Frequency Doubling Technology. A questionnaire collected information about demographics, general health and lifestyle. Findings from this rapid assessment were compared with those from a population-based study. RESULTS: A total of 1695 people, aged between 70 and 79 years (mean 74), were recruited. The rates and causes of visual impairment were similar between the rapid assessment method and the population-based study. Among the 134 people (8%) with visual impairment at presentation, 98 (73%) had undercorrected refractive error, 17 (13%) had age-related macular degeneration, 11 (8%) had cataract, 2 (2%) had diabetic retinopathy and 2 (2%) had glaucoma. Screening costs per participant were only about AU$145, compared with AU$433 in the Melbourne Visual Impairment Project (VIP). The application of Frequency Doubling Technology as well as the use of a non-mydriatic digital camera for fundus and lens photography resulted in an average examination time of less than half the time needed in the VIP. Data collection took 3 months rather than 4 years in the VIP. CONCLUSION: The rapid assessment method was efficient in time and cost and produced results comparable to a normal population-based survey. Repeating the study design for a similarly sampled group every 2 years would allow the assessment of changes in the prevalence of undiagnosed eye disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Digit-sucking: a review of the literature, clinical observations and treatment recommendations.

Prolonged digit-sucking habits can have a negative impact on dental, speech, physical and emotional development. Children can be helped to eliminate their sucking habits quickly, without coercion, and in a positive way. Admittedly, most of my data is based purely on clinical observation. However, clinical observation is the basis for classical scientific investigation. I welcome this investigation; it is long overdue. Much of the literature available to parents appears to take a rather cavalier attitude with regard to the dental consequences of sucking habits. Parents are frequently left with the impression that no harm is done to the teeth. This perspective is based on the assumption that most children stop the sucking behavior before permanent teeth erupt into the mouth. Therefore, any dental malocclusion in the primary teeth will often be transitional or will spontaneously self-correct. However, as demonstrated by Kelly, et al (1973), millions of children do not discontinue their sucking habits before permanent teeth erupt. In addition, stress levels in today's world are probably significantly greater than when this study was done. Because stress is a powerful stimulus for the sucking activity, it is highly probable that if a similar study were done today, it would produce a substantially greater number of individuals with prolonged sucking habits. The active pursuit of insurance benefits for the Certified Orofacial Myologist providing therapy for the elimination of these habits will be germane to prevention. Research is needed to accomplish this goal including: investigation of the incidence of prolonged digit-sucking habits; the impact of these habits on the entire stomatognathic system, speech development and emotional health; efficacy of treatment (including psychological response) both through the utilization of habit appliances and motivational therapy. The Certified Orofacial Myologist provides many valuable therapeutic programs to enhance dental and speech development. In the words of our president, Marge Snow at the 25th Anniversary of the founding of The International Association of Orofacial Myology, "we are morally and ethically challenged with making this treatment available to everyone". Roberta Pierce (1988) in her paper, "Treatment For The Young Child" wrote, "The overall goal is to create as normal an environment as possible so as to facilitate normal growth and development." The early elimination of digit-sucking habits is one of the most important therapeutic services offered by the Certified Orofacial Myologist because it provides the most benefit toward prevention and the well-being of the whole person. Treatment after the pathology is fully developed is invasive, not cost-effective and does not provide as good a clinical result. Little mouths deserve a big chance to grow healthy and straight.

Child↗
PubMed1997

Evaluation of bias and logistics in a survey of adults at increased risk for oral health decrements.

OBJECTIVES: Designing research to include sufficient respondents in groups at highest risk for oral health decrements can present unique challenges. Our purpose was to evaluate bias and logistics in this survey of adults at increased risk for oral health decrements. METHODS: We used a telephone survey methodology that employed both listed numbers and random digit dialing to identify dentate persons 45 years old or older and to oversample blacks, poor persons, and residents of nonmetropolitan counties. At a second stage, a subsample of the respondents to the initial telephone screening was selected for further study, which consisted of a baseline in-person interview and a clinical examination. We assessed bias due to: (1) limiting the sample to households with telephones, (2) using predominantly listed numbers instead of random digit dialing, and (3) nonresponse at two stages of data collection. RESULTS: While this approach apparently created some biases in the sample, they were small in magnitude. Specifically, limiting the sample to households with telephones biased the sample overall toward more females, larger households, and fewer functionally impaired persons. Using predominantly listed numbers led to a modest bias toward selection of persons more likely to be younger, healthier, female, have had a recent dental visit, and reside in smaller households. Blacks who were selected randomly at a second stage were more likely to participate in baseline data gathering than their white counterparts. Comparisons of the data obtained in this survey with those from recent national surveys suggest that this methodology for sampling high-risk groups did not substantively bias the sample with respect to two important dental parameters, prevalence of edentulousness and dental care use, nor were conclusions about multivariate associations with dental care recency substantively affected. CONCLUSIONS: This method of sampling persons at high risk for oral health decrements resulted in only modest bias with respect to the population of interest.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Special applications in health telematics: electronic prescription/electronic patient file/digital archiving].

Our challenge for the upcoming years is the development and the implementation of telematic applications that allow the exchange of data between different sectors of the health care system by a network system. Although most of the techniques already exist today, our highly administrated health care system makes further developments difficult. The communication process is subject to conventional procedures that have to be agreed upon between the contracting parties. The aim is to implement a common electronic communication platform for the health care system which can be accessed by all users. For this purpose, the implementation of electronic prescriptions (digital transmission of data that are up to now communicated from the physicians' office to the pharmacy in paper form) and of electronic patient files (structured documentations of findings according to standards agreed upon between the contracting parties) are of fundamental importance.

Drug Prescriptions↗
PubMed1994

Using measurement and feedback to reduce health care costs and modify physician practice patterns.

Rising health care costs coupled with an inability to determine what constitutes value in the delivery of health care services lead a group of Cincinnati health care purchasers to seek answers and solutions. The formation of a collaborative effort that includes both purchasers and providers is producing profound changes in the Cincinnati health care market. After one year in operation, data show a significant overall decrease in length of stay, a return to single-digit inflation, and intriguing changes in provider practice patterns.

Cost Control↗
PubMed1996

Digital x-ray imaging: a diagnostic aid for the clinician and a technological instrument for the researcher.

Digital x-ray imaging is a relatively new technology which may have potential for both the oral health care practitioner and the oral researcher. The ability to acquire low x-ray dose images is extremely important to patient care. Additionally, the ability to manipulate these images provides valuable clinical and research information which can enhance overall patient care.

Dental Research↗
PubMed2004

National study of behavioral and life changes since September 11.

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 (9-11), terrorism poses a continuous threat to those living in the United States. A substantial number of people may have experienced behavioral and life changes since the attacks, with possible implications for public health. This study investigated behavioral and life changes American people have experienced since the attacks. Using random-digit dialing that included unpublished numbers and new listings, a nationally representative cross-sectional sample of 807 U.S. adults ages 18 or older was interviewed. Logistic regression analyses indicated that gender, age, race/ethnicity, and employment status were significant predictors for experiencing different outcome variables. The qualitative data obtained from an open-ended question regarding life changes were analyzed and synthesized. The 9-11 events have considerably affected Americans' lifestyles and behavior, which may have various implications for public health policy makers and educators.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

The ratio of second to fourth digit lengths: a marker of impaired fetal growth?

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies showing that impaired fetal growth has long-term adverse health consequences have depended on crude measures of fetal growth such as overall weight or length. For future studies, there is a need to develop improved morphological markers of fetal growth which persist into adult life. Recent studies have suggested that the ratio of the length of the second finger relative to the length of the fourth finger (2D:4D ratio) is determined during fetal life and may be such a marker. AIMS: To determine whether the 2D:4D ratio is associated with size at birth. DESIGN: Cohort study. SUBJECTS: 139 men and women born in Preston, Lancashire between 1935 and 1943. OUTCOME MEASURES: Measurements of the 2D:4D ratio in palm prints. RESULTS: Men who had an above average placental weight and a shorter neonatal crown-heel length had higher 2D:4D ratios in adult life. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary findings lend support to the hypothesis that the 2D:4D ratio is determined during fetal life.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed2000

Physical access to primary health care in Andean Bolivia.

Limited physical access to primary health care is a major factor contributing to the poor health of populations in developing countries, particularly in mountain areas with rugged topography, harsh climates and extensive socioeconomic barriers. Assessing physical access to primary health care is an important exercise for health care planners and policy makers. The development of geographic information system (GIS) technology has greatly improved this assessment process in industrialized countries where digital cartographic data are widely available. In developing countries particularly in mountain areas, however, detailed cartographic data, even in hardcopy form, are nonexistent, inaccurate or severely lacking. This paper uses GIS technology to assess physical access to primary health care in a remote and impoverished region of Andean Bolivia. In addition, it proposes an alternative model of health personnel distribution to maximize physical accessibility. Methods involved extensive fieldwork in the region, utilizing GPS (global positioning system) technology in the development of the GIS and gathering other pertinent health data for the study. Satellite imagery also contributed to the development of the GIS and in the modeling process. The results indicate significant variation in physical access to primary health care across the three study sites. More importantly, this paper highlights the use of GIS technology as a powerful tool in improving physical accessibility in mountain areas of developing countries.

Bolivia↗
PubMed1990

The knowledge and use of screening tests for colorectal and prostate cancer: data from the 1987 National Health Interview Survey.

Data based on the 1987 National Health Interview Survey are presented depicting factors associated with the knowledge and use of three tests for the early detection of colorectal and prostate cancer: digital rectal examination, fecal occult blood tests, and flexible sigmoidoscopy. The percentage of the at risk adult population who have ever heard of or had these tests is reported. The association of demographic, personal resource, and health system factors with knowledge of these tests is explored using multivariate logistic regression. Health system factors are most consistently associated with use of the tests and with knowledge. Family income, family size, education, knowledge of cancer early warning signs, and measures of encounters with the health care system are associated both with knowledge of and, independent of knowledge, with use of the tests. Residency in the non-South, being white or female, and having an optimistic attitude about cancer prevention are all factors associated with greater knowledge of the tests, but not greater use among those aware of the tests. Membership in a health maintenance organization is more strongly associated with knowledge and use of fecal occult blood tests than the other tests. No association was found between current smoking status and knowledge of or use of any of the tests.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Relationship of self-reported asthma severity and urgent health care utilization to psychological sequelae of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center among New York City area residents.

OBJECTIVE: Posttraumatic psychological stress may be associated with increases in somatic illness, including asthma, but the impact of the psychological sequelae of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on physical illness has not been well documented. The authors assessed the relationship between the psychological sequelae of the attacks and asthma symptom severity and the utilization of urgent health care services for asthma since September 11. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors performed a random digit dial telephone survey of adults in the New York City (NYC) metropolitan area 6 to 9 months after September 11, 2001. Two thousand seven hundred fifty-five demographically representative adults including 364 asthmatics were recruited. The authors assessed self-reported asthma symptom severity, emergency room (ER) visits, and unscheduled physician office visits for asthma since September 11. RESULTS: After adjustment for asthma measures before September 11, demographics, and event exposure in multivariate models posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were a significant predictor of self-reported moderate-to-severe asthma symptoms (OR = 3.4; CI = 1.2-9.4), seeking care for asthma at an ER since September 11 (OR = 6.6; CI = 1.6-28.0), and unscheduled physician visits for asthma since September 11 (OR = 3.6; CI = 1.1-11.5). The number of PTSD symptoms was also significantly related to moderate-to-severe asthma symptoms and unscheduled physician visits since September 11. Neither a panic attack on September 11 nor depression since September 11 was an independent predictor of asthma severity or utilization in multivariate models after September 11. CONCLUSIONS: PTSD related to the September 11 terrorist attacks contributed to symptom severity and the utilization of urgent health care services among asthmatics in the NYC metropolitan area.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

The role of National Library of Medicine web sites in newborn screening education.

Expanded newborn screening programs and subsequent detection of rare genetic disorders challenge parents and their medical providers to learn about the treatment and management of these disorders. Many people seek medical information on the Internet but may encounter requests for registration or fees, or find that resources are out of date, difficult to understand, or buried in advertisements. The U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), a component of the National Institutes of Health, provides web-based resources that address the challenges of newborn screening education. These resources include MedlinePlus, Genetics Home Reference, ClinicalTrials.gov, and PubMed. NLM websites are not commercial, do not require registration or fees, and provide varied levels of information for a continuum of audiences from low-literacy consumers to health professionals. Using phenylketonuria as an example, this study describes the information that parents and their medical providers can find through NLM resources. NLM has embraced the digital age and provides the public with reliable, accurate, and up-to-date educational materials.

Genetic Testing↗
PubMed1991

Interval adherence to mammography screening guidelines.

The objectives of this research were to document adherence to mammography screening guidelines among women over 50 years of age and to investigate factors related to adherence. Selected sociodemographic variables--personal breast health history, provider-related variables, and medical care utilization--were studied. Data were collected through a random digit dial telephone survey of 693 women from two geographic areas. While 48% had had a mammogram in the last year, only 20% reported at least two recent mammograms at yearly intervals. Adherence was significantly associated with having a higher income, being white, being 51 to 64 years old and having had breast symptoms and/or a family history of breast cancer. Additionally, women who had a regular physician, higher frequency of clinical breast examination, and a recent physician visit were more adherent. Women enrolled in Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and/or covered by commercial plans were more adherent than women with no insurance or with entitlement coverage only. These relationships were generally maintained in multivariate analysis. While this study is consistent with others that demonstrate increasing adoption of mammographic screening, it also illustrates that the goal of regular screening according to guidelines has yet to be achieved.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1992

What do adult age differences in the Digit Symbol Substitution Test reflect?

Results from three studies are reported in which adults between 18 and 84 years of age performed various versions of the Digit Symbol Substitution Test. The first study revealed that the age-related declines in digit-symbol performance were largely independent of both the amount of education the participants had received and their self-reported health status, and were characterized by a gradual shift in the entire distribution of scores with little age-related increase in variance. The age relations were greatly attenuated after statistical control of a composite measure of perceptual comparison speed, however, implying considerable commonalities between perceptual comparison speed and what the Digit Symbol Substitution Test measures. Two further studies indicated that young and old adults appeared to use similar strategies to perform the task, and were nearly equivalent in the proportions of time devoted to writing the responses and searching the code table.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

The impact of health information on the internet on the physician-patient relationship: patient perceptions.

BACKGROUND: Use of the Internet for health information continues to grow rapidly, but its impact on health care is unclear. Concerns include whether patients' access to large volumes of information will improve their health; whether the variable quality of the information will have a deleterious effect; the effect on health disparities; and whether the physician-patient relationship will be improved as patients become more equal partners, or be damaged if physicians have difficulty adjusting to a new role. METHODS: Telephone survey of nationally representative sample of the American public, with oversample of people in poor health. RESULTS: Of the 3209 respondents, 31% had looked for health information on the Internet in the past 12 months, 16% had found health information relevant to themselves and 8% had taken information from the Internet to their physician. Looking for information on the Internet showed a strong digital divide; however, once information had been looked for, socioeconomic factors did not predict other outcomes. Most (71%) people who took information to the physician wanted the physician's opinion, rather than a specific intervention. The effect of taking information to the physician on the physician-patient relationship was likely to be positive as long as the physician had adequate communication skills, and did not appear challenged by the patient bringing in information. CONCLUSIONS: For health information on the Internet to achieve its potential as a force for equity and patient well-being, actions are required to overcome the digital divide; assist the public in developing searching and appraisal skills; and ensure physicians have adequate communication skills.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Personal digital video: a method to monitor drug regimen adherence during human clinical investigations.

1. Maintaining patient adherence to a drug regimen has proven to be difficult. Missed doses can impact drug efficacy and disease control, leading to increased health-care costs. 2. During clinical drug trials, poor adherence could lead to false conclusions regarding drug efficacy. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine the feasibility of using personal digital video cameras to monitor adherence to a medication regimen during a clinical investigation. 3. Older men and women (60-78 years) participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to determine the effect of ibuprofen or paracetamol on skeletal muscle adaptations to chronic resistance exercise training. Patients took three daily doses of either a placebo or the maximal daily over-the-counter dose of ibuprofen (1.2 g/day) or paracetamol (4.0 g/day) for 12 weeks. Prior to beginning the study, subjects were trained to use a personal digital video camera to record their drug consumption. 4. Subjects correctly recorded 4,956 of 5,375 doses, resulting in an average camera compliance rate of 92% (71-100%). 5. We describe a method of monitoring adherence to a prescribed drug regimen during a clinical investigation. Camera compliance rates, which directly confirm drug consumption, were higher than what is typically obtained with other methods of monitoring adherence. This camera compliance method provides the investigator with a simple and convenient means to generate direct evidence of drug consumption.

Acetaminophen↗
PubMed2005

Effect of test position on pelvic floor muscle assessment.

The aims of this study were to analyse the effect of different body positions on pelvic floor muscle (PFM) assessment using digital muscle testing, manometry and transabdominal ultrasound. In addition, subject acceptance of each testing position was recorded. Subjects were 20 women's health physiotherapists. The testing protocol included the best of three maximum voluntary contractions tested in each of four positions (crook lying, supine, sitting and standing). Significant differences in muscle strength and subject acceptance between positions were found with each tool, most often between lying and upright positions. Digital muscle testing and vaginal squeeze-pressure scores were highest in the lying position, and vaginal resting pressure and transabdominal ultrasound scores were highest in the standing position. Subjects preferred the lying positions for internal examinations. The clinical significance of these differences and the reasons for these variations require further investigation.

Adult↗
PubMed2007

Prospective study of adiposity and weight change in relation to prostate cancer incidence and mortality.

BACKGROUND: Adiposity has been linked inconsistently with prostate cancer, and few studies have evaluated whether such associations vary by disease aggressiveness. METHODS: The authors prospectively examined body mass index (BMI) and adult weight change in relation to prostate cancer incidence and mortality in 287,760 men ages 50 years to 71 years at enrollment (1995-1996) in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study. At baseline, participants completed questionnaires regarding height, weight, and cancer screening practices, including digital rectal examinations and prostate-specific antigen tests. Cox regression analysis was used to calculate relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). RESULTS: In total, 9986 incident prostate cancers were identified during 5 years of follow-up, and 173 prostate cancer deaths were ascertained during 6 years of follow-up. In multivariate models, higher baseline BMI was associated with significantly reduced total prostate cancer incidence, largely because of the relationship with localized tumors (for men in the highest BMI category [>or=40 kg/m(2)] vs men in the lowest BMI category [<25 kg/m(2)]: RR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.50-0.89; P = .0006). Conversely, a significant elevation in prostate cancer mortality was observed at higher BMI levels (BMI <25 kg/m(2): RR, 1.0 [referent group]; BMI 25-29.9 kg/m(2): RR, 1.25; 95% CI, 0.87-1.80; BMI 30-34.9 kg/m(2): RR, 1.46; 95% CI, 0.92-2.33; and BMI >or=35 kg/m(2): RR, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.08-4.15; P = .02). Adult weight gain from age 18 years to baseline also was associated positively with fatal prostate cancer (P = .009), but not with incident disease. CONCLUSIONS: Although adiposity was not related positively to prostate cancer incidence, higher BMI and adult weight gain increased the risk of dying from prostate cancer.

Adiposity↗