BackgroundRelatively little knowledge is available to date about health literacy among the general population in Europe. It is important to gain insights into health literacy competences among the general population, as this might contribute to more effective health promotion and help clarify socio-economic disparities in health. This paper is part of the European Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU). It aims to add to the body of theoretical knowledge about health literacy by measuring perceived difficulties with health information in various domains of health, looking at a number of competences. The definition and measure of health literacy is still topic of debate and hardly any instruments are available that are applicable for the general population. The objectives were to obtain an initial measure of health literacy in a sample of the general population in the Netherlands and to relate this measure to education, income, perceived social status, age, and sex.MethodsThe HLS-EU questionnaire was administered face-to-face in a sample of 925 Dutch adults, during July 2011. Perceived difficulties with the health literacy competences for accessing, understanding, appraising and applying information were measured within the domains of healthcare, disease prevention and health promotion. Multiple linear regression analyses were applied to explore the associations between health literacy competences and education, income, perceived social status, age, and sex.ResultsPerceived difficulties with health information and their association with demographic and socio-economic variables vary according to the competence and health domain addressed. Having a low level of education or a low perceived social status or being male were consistently found to be significantly related to relatively low health literacy scores, mainly for accessing and understanding health information.ConclusionsPerceived difficulties with health information vary between competences and domains of health. Health literacy competences are associated with indicators of socio-economic position and with the domain in which health information is provided.

The emergence of pandemic A(H1N1) 2009 influenza showed the importance of rapid assessment of the degree of immunity in the population, the rate of asymptomatic infection, the spread of infection in households, effects of control measures, and ability of candidate vaccines to produce a response in different age groups. A limitation lies in the available assay repertoire: reference standard methods for measuring antibodies to influenza virus are haemagglutination inhibition (HI) assays and virus neutralization tests. Both assays are difficult to standardize and may be too specific to assess possible partial humoral immunity from previous exposures. Here, we describe the use of antigen-microarrays to measure antibodies to HA1 antigens from seven recent and historical seasonal H1, H2 and H3 influenza viruses, the A(H1N1) 2009 pandemic influenza virus, and three avian influenza viruses. We assessed antibody profiles in 18 adult patients infected with A(H1N1) 2009 influenza virus during the recent pandemic, and 21 children sampled before and after the pandemic, against background reactivity observed in 122 persons sampled in 2008, a season dominated by seasonal A(H1N1) influenza virus. We show that subtype-specific and variant-specific antibody responses can be measured, confirming serological responses measured by HI. Comparison of profiles from persons with similar HI response showed that the magnitude and broadness of response to individual influenza subtype antigens differs greatly between individuals. Clinical and vaccination studies, but also exposure studies, should take these findings into consideration, as they may indicate some level of humoral immunity not measured by HI assays.

Objective The purpose of this study was to describe the results of two treatment regimens for medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS); a graded running programme and the same running programme with additional shockwave therapy (extracorporeal shockwave therapy; ESWT). Design A prospective observational controlled trial. Setting Two different sports medicine departments. Participants 42 athletes with MTSS were included. Intervention Patients from one hospital were treated with a graded running programme, while patients from the other hospital were treated with the same graded running programme and focused ESWT (five sessions in 9 weeks). Main Outcome Measures Time to full recovery (the endpoint was being able to run 18 min consecutively without pain at a fixed intensity). Results The time to full recovery was significantly faster in the ESWT group compared with the patients who only performed a graded running programme, respectively 59.7±25.8 and 91.6±43.0 days (p=0.008). Conclusions This prospective observational study showed that MTSS patients may benefit from ESWT in addition to a graded running programme. ESWT as an additional treatment warrants further investigation in a prospective controlled trial with the addition of randomisation and double blinding.

BackgroundThere is ample evidence that childhood overweight is associated with increased risk of chronic disease in adulthood. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between childhood overweight and common childhood health problems.MethodsData were used from a general population sample of 3960 8-year-old children, participating in the Dutch PIAMA birth cohort study. Weight and height, measured by the investigators, were used to define BMI status (thinness, normal weight, moderate overweight, obesity). BMI status was studied cross-sectionally in relation to the following parental reported outcomes: a general health index, GP visits, school absenteeism due to illness, health-related functional limitations, doctor diagnosed respiratory infections and use of antibiotics.ResultsObesity was significantly associated with a lower general health score, more GP visits, more school absenteeism and more health-related limitations, (adjusted odds ratios around 2.0 for most outcomes). Obesity was also significantly associated with bronchitis (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI): 5.29 (2.58;10.85) and with the use of antibiotics (aOR (95%CI): 1.79 (1.09;2.93)). Associations with flu/serious cold, ear infection and throat infection were positive, but not statistically significant. Moderate overweight was not significantly associated with the health outcomes studied.ConclusionChildhood obesity is not merely a risk factor for disease in adulthood, but obese children may experience more illness and health related problems already in childhood. The high prevalence of the outcomes studied implies a high burden of disease in terms of absolute numbers of sick children.

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The objective of this study was to explore trajectories of lung function decline with age in the general population, and to study the effect of sociodemographic and life style related risk factors, in particular smoking and BMI. For this purpose, we used data from the Doetinchem Cohort Study (DCS) of men and women, selected randomly from the general population and aged 20–59 years at inclusion in 1987–1991, and followed until the present. Participants in the DCS are assessed every five years. Spirometry has been performed as part of this assessment from 1994 onwards. Participants were included in this study if spirometric measurement of FEV1, which in this study was the main parameter of interest, was acceptable and reproducible on at least one measurement round, leading to the inclusion of 5727 individuals (3008 females). Statistical analysis revealed three typical trajectories. The majority of participants followed a trajectory that closely adhered to the Global Lung Initiative Reference values (94.9% of men and 96.4% of women). Two other trajectories showed a more pronounced decline. Smoking and the presence of respiratory complaints were the best predictors of a trajectory with stronger decline. A greater BMI over the follow-up period was associated with a more unfavorable FEV1 course both in men (β = -0.027 (SD = 0.002); P < 0.001) and in women (β = -0.008 (SD = 0.001); P < 0.001). Smokers at baseline who quit the habit during follow-up, showed smaller decline in FEV1 in comparison to persistent smokers, independent of BMI change (In men β = -0.074 (SD = 0.020); P < 0.001. In women β = -0.277 (SD = 0.068); P < 0.001). In conclusion, three typical trajectories of age-related FEV1 decline could be distinguished. Change in the lifestyle related risk factors, BMI and smoking, significantly impact aging-related decline of lung function. Identifying deviant trajectories may help in early recognition of those at risk of a diagnosis of lung disease later in life.

Mortality can be predicted reasonably well over a long period. Genetic factors independently predict mortality, but only modestly more than other risk indicators.

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