2.Smartphone Applications Providing Information about Stroke: Are We Missing Stroke Risk Computation Preventive Applications?.
Journal of Stroke 2017;19(1):115-116
No abstract available.
Smartphone*
;
Stroke*
3.Anxiety and Depression in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis in a Southeast Asian Tertiary Dermatological Centre.
Vanessa Zy LIM ; Roger Cm HO ; Shang Ian TEE ; Madeline Sl HO ; Jiun Yit PAN ; Yen Loo LIM ; Mark By TANG ; Keen Loong CHAN ; Yoke Chin GIAM
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore 2016;45(10):451-455
INTRODUCTIONThis study aimed to assess the frequency of anxiety and depression in a cohort of adult patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) in a tertiary dermatological centre, using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). We looked for any correlation between anxiety and depression with skin disease severity.
MATERIALS AND METHODSPatients with AD were recruited from the National Skin Centre, Singapore, from 2008 to 2009 for a prospective cross-sectional study. The scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) grade was determined and the HADS was administered via interviews.
RESULTSA total of 100 patients (78 males, 22 females) were enrolled (92% Chinese, 4% Malays and 4% Indians). Their average age was 25.7 years. Sixty-five percent used topical steroids, 14% had previously taken oral prednisolone for the control of disease flares, and 20% were on concurrent systemic therapy. The mean SCORAD was 55.0, with 99% of patients having moderate or severe AD. The mean HADS anxiety score was 7.2 and the mean depression score was 5.0. The level of anxiety correlated well with that of depression (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, ρ = 0.59,<0.05); 18% were considered as cases of anxiety and 5% as cases of depression. These patients also had higher SCORAD values compared to other patients with lower scores for anxiety or depression (<0.05). Linear regression demonstrated a statistically significant positive relationship between anxiety and depression scores, and SCORAD scores.
CONCLUSIONOur study identified, by means of the HADS, the frequency of anxiety and depression amongst a cohort of Singaporean patients with AD. More severe skin disease correlated to greater psychological burden. The HADS is a useful screening tool that can constitute part of the overall holistic management of patients with AD so as to improve patient care.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; therapeutic use ; Adult ; Anxiety ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Cohort Studies ; Comorbidity ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Depression ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Male ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Tertiary Care Centers
4.Using Online Respondent Driven Sampling for Vietnamese Youths' Alcohol Use and Associated Risk Factors.
Melvyn W B ZHANG ; Bach Xuan TRAN ; Huong Lan Thi NGUYEN ; Huong Thi LE ; Nguyen Hoang LONG ; Huong Thi LE ; Nguyen Duc HINH ; Tran Dinh THO ; Bao Nguyen LE ; Vu Thi Minh THUC ; Chau NGO ; Nguyen Huu TU ; Carl A LATKIN ; Roger CM HO
Healthcare Informatics Research 2017;23(2):109-118
OBJECTIVES: The average alcohol consumption per capita among Vietnamese adults has consistently increased. Although alcohol-related disorders have been extensively studied, there is a paucity of research shedding light on this issue among Internet users. The study aimed to examine the severity of alcohol-related disorders and other associated factors that might predispose individuals towards alcohol usage in a sample of youths recruited online. METHODS: An online cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,080 Vietnamese youths. A standardized questionnaire was used. Respondent-driven sampling was applied to recruit participants. Multivariate logistic and Tobit regressions were utilized to identify the associated factors. RESULTS: About 59.5% of the males and 12.7% of the total youths declared that they were actively using alcohol. From the total sample, a cumulative total of 32.3% of the participants were drinking alcohol, with 21.8% and 25.0% of the participants being classified as drinking hazardously and binge drinkers, respectively. The majority of the participants (60.7%) were in the pre-contemplative stage. CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of hazardous drinking was recognized among online Vietnamese youths. In addition, we found relationships between alcohol use disorder and other addictive disorders, such as tobacco smoking and water-pipe usage. Our results highlighted that the majority of the individuals are not receptive to the idea of changing their alcohol habits, and this would imply that there ought to be more government effort towards the implementation of effective alcohol control policies.
Adolescent
;
Adult
;
Alcohol Drinking
;
Alcohol-Related Disorders
;
Asian Continental Ancestry Group*
;
Cross-Sectional Studies
;
Drinking
;
Humans
;
Internet
;
Male
;
Prevalence
;
Risk Factors*
;
Smoking
;
Surveys and Questionnaires*
;
Vietnam