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Background: While pregnant smokers are receptive to using smoking cessation pharmacotherapies (SCPs), few actually use prescription SCPs during pregnancy. Due to the uncertainty regarding SCP safety during pregnancy, it is hypothesized that caution among healthcare providers (HCPs) contributes to low SCP utilisation. This study examined the extent of HCPs' concerns regarding SCPs, relative to other medications, using data from MotherSafe, the telephone-based Australian teratology information service. Methods: 71,473 pregnancy-related calls (2001-2016), for which a medication was the primary reason for the call, were categorised as regarding nicotine replacement therapy [NRT], bupropion varenicline or other medicines, which were categorised according to Australia's classification of risk during pregnancy: category A (low risk), B1, B2, B3 , C , D or X (teratogenic). Calls were grouped into those made by HCPs (GPs, midwives, obstetricians or pharmacists) and consumers. Separate logistic regression models examined the odds for HCPs to call about each SCP relative to all other categories of medications. Results: HCPs were more likely to call about bupropion (n=12) than other medications in the same (B2) and higher (B3 and C) risk categories (B2: odds ratio [OR] 3.07; 95%CI 1.38-6.83, B3:2.48; 1.11-5.53, C: 2.36; 1.06-5.26). HCPs were more likely to call about varenicline (n=27) than other medications in the same category B3 (2.74; 1.57-4.78), and higher risk categories (C: 2.67; 1.53-4.67, D: 1.89; 1.08-3.32, X: 1.93; 1.02-3.66). There was no difference in HCP's likelihood to call regarding NRT relative to its corresponding category (D) (1.20; 0.94-1.52). Conclusions: HCPs had a greater level of concern regarding bupropion and varenicline than other medicines in the same and higher risk categories. As these reservations may be limiting the use of SCP during pregnancy, research is needed to better understand and help correct this imbalance. This includes better quality evidence regarding the safety of SCP during pregnancy.

The major purpose of this study was to examine the effects of socio-economic status (SES) on changes in functional abilities, as measured by Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scales, among older people in Taiwan. A prospective longitudinal study design was used. A panel of 874 community-dwelling older people were followed over four years (1994 to 1998). Three SES indicators, education, having ‘extra’ money (more than required for basic necessities), and principal lifetime occupation were included in separate multiple logistic regression models of functional change in physical ADL (PADL) and in instrumental ADL (IADL). Over the four years, the study cohort experienced greater decreases in IADL functioning than in PADL functioning. Having ‘extra’ money was significantly and negatively associated with PADL decline, while level of education had a strong positive relationship with IADL functioning. In addition to SES, age was significantly associated with PADL and IADL functioning change. The paper also reports a comparison of similar findings from several eastern and western countries. This has established that among the available SES indicators, the level of education has most consistently been shown in both eastern and western population studies to be related to health and health change, and that self-perceived economic resource is also related to older people's health in Asian populations.

Accelerated globalization in Taiwan has affected the work, jobs, and lives of people since the 1970s. Examples reported here are from in-depth interviews with eight principal income earners selected from a sample of 1,000 households during 2000. Among them were more losers than winners. Those hardest hit were people whose work or business was in the informal, traditional economic sectors.

Introduction: Evaluating a new health service is different from evaluating a new drug, as the former depends on the local delivery structure and culture. No data are available on the effectiveness of the existing pharmacist-managed quit smoking clinic (PM-QSC) in Malaysia. We evaluated the effectiveness in terms of the quit and default rate, the cost per quitter, cost per patient and the number of days of the patient remained in the managed care of the pharmacist. Methods: The patients’ medical records at the PM-QSC in a tertiary hospital in Melaka, Malaysia, were examined retrospectively from January 2009 to December 2010. Patients were grouped into current smokers, attempted to quit and quitters. Costs were calculated per patient visit on the basis of resource used (smoking cessation agents (SCAs)) and the personnel involved (time spent by the pharmacist). This study was reviewed and approved by the Malaysia Research Ethics Committee (MREC). Results: The quit rate between January 2009 and December 2010 was 5.8%, and the default rate was 71.8%. The average quit period for all smokers enrolled was 298 days. From the health provider perspective, the average costs per quitter, per patient and per quit attempt were MYR 953.28 (USD 308), MYR 55.71 (USD 18) and MYR 34.74 (USD 11), respectively. Conclusion: The pharmacist delivery of cessation services at a public-funded QSC was associated with a high default rate. The pharmacist could not be dismissed entirely as an ineffective health care professional (HCP) for the provision of the cessation service based solely on this preliminary data, but these findings stress the need to address the high default rate prior to the expansion of the service.

We analyzed the changes in, and sources of, income for the elderly from 1989 to 1999 using data from The Survey of the Health and Living Status of the Elderly in Taiwan (Bureau of Health Promotion, 2009). Monthly monetary income was higher in 1999 than 1989, and was higher for males than females. Approximately half of the females stated that money from private income was their main source of income and their income from employment, savings, and investments was lower than that of males. The number of elderly whose main source of income was a government allowance, in the form of social security, increased in the 10-year period with twice as many females being dependent on this source of income as males. The results suggest that there is a connection between low monetary income and so-called affection income as the main source for the elderly. Those receiving financial support from sources including private income and other relatives, had much lower monetary income than those who relied on employment, retirement pension, or savings.

We analyzed the changes in, and sources of, income for the elderly from 1989 to 1999 using data from The Survey of the Health and Living Status of the Elderly in Taiwan (Bureau of Health Promotion, 2009). Monthly monetary income was higher in 1999 than 1989, and was higher for males than females. Approximately half of the females stated that money from private income was their main source of income and their income from employment, savings, and investments was lower than that of males. The number of elderly whose main source of income was a government allowance, in the form of social security, increased in the 10-year period with twice as many females being dependent on this source of income as males. The results suggest that there is a connection between low monetary income and so-called affection income as the main source for the elderly. Those receiving financial support from sources including private income and other relatives, had much lower monetary income than those who relied on employment, retirement pension, or savings.

Background Treatment protocols for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) developed in the past decade have significantly improved patient survival. In most NPC patients, however, the disease is diagnosed at late stages, and for some patients treatment response is less than optimal. This investigation has two aims: to identify a blood-based gene-expression signature that differentiates NPC from other medical conditions and from controls and to identify a biomarker signature that correlates with NPC treatment response. Methods RNA was isolated from peripheral whole blood samples (2 x 10 ml) collected from NPC patients/controls (EDTA vacutainer). Gene expression patterns from 99 samples (66 NPC; 33 controls) were assessed using the Affymetrix array. We also collected expression data from 447 patients with other cancers (201 patients) and non-cancer conditions (246 patients). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to obtain biomarker signatures differentiating NPC samples from controls and other diseases. Differences were also analysed within a subset (n = 28) of a pre-intervention case cohort of patients whom we followed post-treatment. Results A blood-based gene expression signature composed of three genes — LDLRAP1, PHF20, and LUC7L3 — is able to differentiate NPC from various other diseases and from unaffected controls with significant accuracy (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of over 0·90). By subdividing our NPC cohort according to the degree of patient response to treatment we have been able to identify a blood gene signature that may be able to guide the selection of treatment. Conclusion We have identified a blood-based gene signature that accurately distinguished NPC patients from controls and from patients with other diseases. The genes in the signature, LDLRAP1, PHF20, and LUC7L3, are known to be involved in carcinoma of the head and neck, tumour-associated antigens, and/or cellular signalling. We have also identified blood-based biomarkers that are (potentially) able to predict those patients who are more likely to respond to treatment for NPC. These findings have significant clinical implications for optimizing NPC therapy.

Accelerated globalization in Taiwan has affected the work, jobs, and lives of people since the 1970s. Examples reported here are from in-depth interviews with eight principal income earners selected from a sample of 1,000 households during 2000. Among them were more losers than winners. Those hardest hit were people whose work or business was in the informal, traditional economic sectors. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

The major purpose of this study was to examine the effects of socio-economic status (SES) on changes in functional abilities, as measured by Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scales, among older people in Taiwan. A prospective longitudinal study design was used. A panel of 874 community-dwelling older people were followed over four years (1994 to 1998). Three SES indicators, education, having \"extra\" money (more than required for basic necessities), & principal lifetime occupation were included in separate multiple logistic regression models of functional change in physical ADL (PADL) & in instrumental ADL (IADL). Over the four years, the study cohort experienced greater decreases in IADL functioning than in PADL functioning. Having \"extra\" money was significantly & negatively associated with PADL decline, while level of education had a strong positive relationship with IADL functioning. In addition to SES, age was significantly associated with PADL & IADL functioning change. The paper also reports a comparison of similar findings from several eastern & western countries. This has established that among the available SES indicators, the level of education has most consistently been shown in both eastern & western population studies to be related to health & health change, & that self-perceived economic resource is also related to older people's health in Asian populations. 6 Tables, 34 References. Adapted from the source document.