Health impacts for New Zealand military personnel from the South African War of 1899-1902.

AIM: We aimed to update and provide more complete epidemiological information on the health impacts of the South African War on New Zealand military personnel. METHODS: Mortality datasets were identified and analysed. Systematic searches were conducted to identify additional war-attributable deaths in the post-war period. To estimate the morbidity burden, we analysed a random sample of archival military files of 100 military personnel. Lifespan analyses of veterans included those by level of combat exposure (eg, a non-combat sample came from a troopship that arrived at the time the war ended). RESULTS: We identified 10 additional war-attributable deaths (and removed three non-attributable deaths) to give a new New Zealand total of 239 war-attributable deaths. Given the average age of death of 26 years, this equates to the loss of 10,300 years of life. Most deaths (59%) were from disease rather than directly from the conflict (30%). Over a third (39%; 95%CI: 30%-49%) of personnel were estimated to have had some form of reported illness (26%) or injury (14%). The lifespan analysis of veterans suggested no substantive differences by exposure to combat (68.5 [combat] vs 69.1 years [non-combat]) and similarly when compared to a matched New Zealand male population. CONCLUSIONS: The mortality burden was larger and the morbidity impacts on the New Zealand military personnel in this war were much more substantive than revealed in the prior historical literature. There is a need to more fully describe historical conflicts so that their adverse health impacts are properly understood.

History of nutrition policy in Japan.

Why has Japan become the longest-lived country in the world? The longevity is often attributed to Japan's economic growth, but Japan experienced an extended life expectancy prior to achieving such economic growth. During and after the Second World War when the General Headquarters of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers was occupying Japan, the welfare administration system was drastically reformed, resulting in dramatic improvements in the hygiene status, which led to an increase in the average life expectancy in Japan. Here, this background is reviewed, along with an explanation of how Japan has become the world's longest-lived country.

The Evolution of Hemophilia Care: Clinical and Laboratory Advances, Opportunities, and Challenges.

Hemophilia A (HA) and B (HB) are X-linked bleeding disorders caused by mutations in the F8 or F9 gene that result in the absence, or reduced activity, of the corresponding clotting factor. The severity of bleeding and related complications is proportional to the amount of residual circulating functional factor. The development of a safe and effective hemophilia treatment lasted several decades and has been mainly based on clotting factor replacement. Advances in the engineering and manufacturing of clotting concentrates have led to the widespread availability of extended half-life products that reduced the number of intravenous infusions needed to achieve adequate trough levels. The recent development of new nonfactor replacement treatments and biotechnology techniques has offered therapeutic alternatives for hemophilia patients with and without inhibitors. These are characterized by an easier route of administration, low immunogenicity, and, regarding gene therapy and cell-based treatments, potential long-term protection from bleeding after a single treatment course. In this review, we analyze recent progresses in the management of hemophilia and discuss opportunities and challenges.

[Epidemics: lessons from History]. / Épidémies: Leçons d'Histoire.

TITLE: Épidémies: Leçons d'Histoire. ABSTRACT: Jusqu'au milieu du XVIIIe siècle, l'espérance de vie était de 25 ans dans les pays d'Europe, proche alors de celle de la préhistoire. À cette époque, nos ancêtres succombaient, pour la plupart, à une infection bactérienne ou virale, quand la mort n'était pas le résultat d'un épisode critique, comme la guerre ou la famine. Un seul microbe suffisait à terrasser de nombreuses victimes. L'épidémie de SARS-CoV-2 est là pour nous rappeler que ce risque est désormais à nouveau d'actualité. Si son origine zoonotique par la chauve-souris est probable, la contamination interhumaine montre son adaptation rapide à l'homme et permet d'évoquer ainsi la transmission des épidémies, qu'elle soit ou non liée à des vecteurs, ces derniers pouvant représenter dans d'autres occasions un des maillons de la chaîne.

Child development, physiological stress and survival expectancy in prehistoric fisher-hunter-gatherers from the Jabuticabeira II shell mound, South Coast of Brazil.

In this study, we shed light on the interdependency of child growth, morbidity and life expectancy in the fisher-hunter-gatherers of the Jabuticabeira II shell mound (1214-830 cal B.C.E. - 118-413 cal C.E.) located at the South Coast of Brazil. We test the underlying causes of heterogeneity in frailty and selective mortality in a population that inhabits a plentiful environment in sedentary settlements. We reconstruct osteobiographies of 41 individuals (23 adults and 18 subadults) using 8 variables, including age-at-death, stature, non-specific stress markers (cribra orbitalia, porotic hyperostosis, periosteal reactions, periapical lesions and linear enamel hypoplasia), as well as weaning patterns based on stable isotope data to examine how stress factors module growth and survival. Our results show that shorter adult statures were linked to higher morbidity around weaning age and higher chances of dying earlier (before 35 years) than taller adult statures. In addition, short juvenile stature was related to physiological stressors and mortality. The adult "survivors" experienced recurrent periods of morbidity during childhood and adulthood, possibly associated with the high parasite load of the ecosystem and dense settlement rather than to malnourishment. An association between early-stress exposure and premature death was not demonstrated in our sample. To explain our data, we propose a new model called "intermittent stress of low lethality". According to this model, individuals are exposed to recurrent stress during the juvenile and adult stages of life, and, nevertheless survive until reproductive age or later with relative success.

XX > XY?: The changing female advantage in life expectancy.

Females live a lot longer than males in most parts of the world today. But that was not always the case. We ask when and why the female advantage emerged. We show that reductions in maternal mortality and fertility are only partial reasons. Rather, the sharp reduction in infectious disease in the early twentieth century played a role. Those who survive most infectious diseases carry a health burden that affects organs and impacts general well-being. We use newly collected data from Massachusetts containing information on cause of death since 1887 to show that females between the ages of 5 and 25 were disproportionately affected by infectious diseases. Both males and females lived longer as the burden of infectious disease fell, but women were more greatly impacted. Our explanation does not tell us precisely why women live longer than men, but it does help understand the timing of their relative increase.

The contribution of urbanization to changes in life expectancy in Scotland, 1861-1910.

During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, urban populations in Europe and North America continued to be afflicted by very high mortality as rapid urbanization and industrialization processes got underway. Here we measure the effect of population redistribution from (low-mortality) rural to (high-mortality) urban areas on changes in Scottish life expectancy at birth from 1861 to 1910. Using vital registration data for that period, we apply a new decomposition method that decomposes changes in life expectancy into the contributions of two main components: (1) changes in mortality; and (2) compositional changes in the population. We find that, besides an urban penalty (higher mortality in urban areas), an urbanization penalty (negative effect of population redistribution to urban areas on survival) existed in Scotland during the study period. In the absence of the urbanization penalty, Scottish life expectancy at birth could have attained higher values by the beginning of the twentieth century.

Health and economic growth: Evidence from dynamic panel data of 143 years.

This paper re-examines health-growth relationship using an unbalanced panel of 17 advanced economies for the period 1870-2013 and employs panel generalised method of moments estimator that takes care of endogeneity issues, which arise due to reverse causality. We utilise macroeconomic data corresponding to inflation, government expenditure, trade and schooling in sample countries that takes care of omitted variable bias in growth regression. With alternate model specifications, we show that population health proxied by life expectancy exert a positive and significant effect on both real income per capita as well as growth. Our results are in conformity with the existing empirical evidence on the relationship between health and economic growth, they, however, are more robust due to the presence of long-term data, appropriate econometric procedure and alternate model specifications. We also show a strong role of endogeneity in driving standard results in growth empirics. In addition to life expectancy, other constituent of human capital, education proxied by schooling is also positively associated with real per capita income. Policy implication that follows from this paper is that per capita income can be boosted through focussed policy attention on population health. The results, however, posit differing policy implications for advanced and developing economies.

[Medical training did not give survival advantage; life expectancy of Dutch medical professionals born between 1550 and 1909]. / Medische opleiding gaf geen overlevingsvoordeel.

OBJECTIVE: To examine if, over a period of centuries, the Dutch medical establishment enjoyed a survival advantage over a population group with a comparable social background and level of education. DESIGN: Retrospective database research. METHOD: We used documents which provided data on the births and deaths of 15,649 male and 659 female medical professionals and of 15,304 male clergy. We calculated the remaining life expectancy at the age of 25 of those generations born between the middle of the 16th century and the beginning of the 20th century. We applied event history analysis to estimate remaining life expectancy, dependently of survival at the age of 25. In doing this we applied Gompertz distribution and made a maximum likelihood estimation. RESULTS: From the middle of the 16th century onwards, the development of the life expectancy of medical professionals and clergy was comparable; it was characterised by a continuing increase in remaining life expectancy which was only interrupted in those generations who were confronted with a series of epidemics. The level of the remaining life expectancy was also comparable. Only in the generation born in the first decade of the 20th century did the life expectancy of medical professionals become on par with that of the total male population. The remaining life expectancy of female medical professionals born from 1850 onwards was higher than that of the total female population. CONCLUSION: For a long time, medical training conferred no advantage on survival.

The life expectancy gap between North and South Korea from 1993 to 2008.

Background: Comparative research on health outcomes in North and South Korea offers a unique opportunity to explore political and social determinants of health. We examined the age- and cause-specific contributions to the life expectancy (LE) gap between the two Koreas. Methods: We calculated the LE at birth in 1993 and 2008 among North and South Koreans, and cause-specific contributions to the LE discrepancy between the two Koreas in 2008. The cause-specific mortality data from South Korea were used as proxies for the cause-specific mortality data in North Korea in 2008. Results: The LE gap between the two Koreas was approximately 1 year in 1993, but grew to approximately 10 years in 2008. This discrepancy was attributable to increased gaps in mortality among children younger than 1 year and adults 55 years of age or older. The major causes of the increased LE gap were circulatory diseases, digestive diseases, infant mortality, external causes, cancers and infectious diseases. Conclusions: This study underscores the urgency of South Korean and international humanitarian aid programs to reduce the mortality rate of the North Korean people.

Impacto de factores socioeconómicos en la mortalidad por suicidios en Colombia, 2000-2013 / Impact of Socioeconomic Factors on Suicide Mortality in Colombia, 2000-2013 / Impacto de fatores socioeconómicos na mortalidade por suicídios na Colômbia, 2000-2013

Resumen El objetivo fue analizar la tendencia, el impacto y los factores socioeconómicos asociados con la mortalidad por suicidios en Colombia entre el 2000 y el 2013, por sexo, grupos de edad y estratos del índice de necesidades básicas insatisfechas (INB). Se calcularon tasas estandarizadas de mortalidad, años de vida perdidos (AVP) y un análisis de regresión múltiple binomial negativa. La mortalidad por suicidios disminuyó en Colombia entre el 2000 y el 2013. El estrato medio INB tuvo la mayor mortalidad por suicidios; el estrato muy bajo presentó la mayor disminución; y el estrato muy alto tuvo la menor mortalidad. La desigualdad del ingreso se asoció positivamente con el riesgo de fallecer por suicidio, al igual que la tasa de desempleo y la pobreza tienen una relación negativa con la mortalidad de suicidios. Además de los factores de riesgo individuales del suicidio, las condiciones socioeconómicas del entorno deben ser considerados factores de riesgo de suicidio en Colombia.

Abstract This aarticle analyzes the trend, the impact, and the socioeconomic factors associated with suicide mortality in Colombia between 2000 and 2013, according to gender, age groups, and strata of the unsatisfied basic needs index (AVP). We calculated the standardized mortality, lost years of life (AVP), and carried out a negative binomial multiple regression analysis. Mortality from suicides decreased in Colombia between 2000 and 2013. The middle-income stratum INB had the highest mortality from suicides; the very low income stratum showed the greatest decrease; and the very high income stratum had the lowest mortality. Income inequality was positively associated with the risk of dying from suicide, just as the unemployment rate and poverty are negatively related to suicide mortality. In addition to individual risk factors for suicide, socioeconomic conditions in the environment should be considered risk factors for suicide in Colombia.

Resumo O objetivo foi analisar a tendência, o impacto e os fatores socioeconómicos associados a mortalidade por suicídio na Colômbia entre 2000 e 2013, por sexo, camadas de idade e nível de rendas do índice de necessidades básicas insatisfeitas (INB). Calcularam-se taxas padronizadas de mortalidade, anos de vida perdidos (AVP) e análise de regressão múltipla binomial negativa. A mortalidade por suicídio diminuiu na Colômbia entre 2000 e 2013. O nível meio de rendas INB teve a maior mortalidade por suicídio; o nível de rendas muito baixas apresentou a maior diminuição; e o nível de muito altas rendas teve a menor mortalidade. A desigualdade do ingresso foi associada positivamente com o risco de falecer por suicídio, igual que a taxa de desemprego e a pobreza têm relação negativa com a mortalidade de suicídios. Além dos fatores de risco individuais do suicídio, as condições socioeconómicas do entorno devem se considerar fatores de risco de suicídio na Colômbia.

Estimativas de mortalidade para o Rio Grande do Norte em um contexto de pré-transição demográfica / Mortality estimations for Rio Grande do Norte in a context of demographic pre-transition

Para períodos anteriores ao início da transição demográfica há poucos trabalhos quantitativos sobre o impacto da mortalidade na população. Com base nessa lacuna, o presente artigo estimou indicadores de mortalidade para o Rio Grande do Norte no contexto de pré-transição demográfica, utilizando dados do século XIX provenientes de mapas estatísticos de população (1801 e 1805) e de recenseamentos (1872 e 1890). Para lidar com as informações de população e óbito, empregou-se método de Growth Balance de Brass (1975), tabelas de vida de Coale e Demeny (1996), funções extraídas do The Human Mortality Database e técnica de padronização indireta. Como resultados, verificou-se que a mortalidade no Rio Grande do Norte se mostrou mais intensa na população infantil e naquela acima de 50 anos, que representam os segmentos mais vulneráveis às condições adversas como as secas e as doenças infecciosas. Obteve-se também uma expectativa de vida ao nascer de 32,6 anos, valor muito próximo às estimativas de Mortara (1941) para o Brasil entre 1870 e 1890. Sugerem-se novos estudos para o período de pré-transição demográfica e maior utilização de técnicas quantitativas em análises voltadas para o passado brasileiro.

For periods prior to the beginning of the demographic transition, there are few quantitative studies about the impact of mortality on the population. Based on this absence, this article estimates mortality indicators for Rio Grande do Norte in the context of demographic pre-transition, using nineteenth-century data from statistical population maps (1801 and 1805) and census (1872 and 1890). In order to deal with population and death data, Brass's Growth Balance method (1975) was used, as well as Coale and Demeny's life tables (1996), functions extracted from The Human Mortality Database and indirect standardization technique. As a result, it was verified that mortality in Rio Grande do Norte was more intense in child and elderly population, over 50 years old, which represent the most vulnerable populations to adverse conditions such as droughts and infectious diseases. Life expectancy at birth is observed at 32.6 years old, a value very close to Mortara's (1941) estimates for Brazil between 1870 and 1890. Further studies are suggested for the demographic and major pre-transition period as well as the use of demographic techniques in studies focused on the Brazilian past.

Para los períodos anteriores al comienzo de la transición demográfica hay pocos estudios cuantitativos sobre el impacto de la mortalidad en la población. Sobre la base de esta brecha, este artículo estimó indicadores de mortalidad para Rio Grande do Norte, en el contexto previo a la transición demográfica, a partir de datos del siglo XIX: informes estadísticos de población (1801 y 1805) y censos (1872 y 1890). Para hacer frente a la información sobre población y muerte se utilizaron el método de Growth Balance de Brass (1975) y las tablas de vida de Coale Demeny (1996), se extrajeron funciones de The Human Mortality Database y técnicas de estandarización indirecta. Como resultado, se verificó que la mortalidad en Rio Grande do Norte fue más intensa en niños y personas mayores de 50 años, que representan a los más vulnerables frente las condiciones adversas como la sequía y las enfermedades infecciosas. También se obtuvo una esperanza de vida al nacer de 32,6 años, valor muy próximo a las estimaciones de Mortara (1941) para Brasil entre 1870 y 1890. Se sugieren más estudios para la pretransición demográfica y mayor utilización de técnicas cuantitativas en los estudios del pasado brasileño.

[Life expectancy curves reveal major demographic events]. / Espérance de vie et traces des cataclysmes - Chroniques génomiques.

Life expectancy curves for several nations provide an astonishingly precise image of the major events that occurred during the last century, highlight similarities between France and Great Britain, and reflect the tremendous economic hardship associated with the end of the Soviet Union.

La ciencia reta al envejecimiento: hacia un futuro sin enfermedad / No disponible

No disponible

Clinical prediction and the idea of a population.

Using an analysis of the British Medical Journal over the past 170 years, this article describes how changes in the idea of a population have informed new technologies of medical prediction. These approaches have largely replaced older ideas of clinical prognosis based on understanding the natural histories of the underlying pathologies. The 19th-century idea of a population, which provided a denominator for medical events such as births and deaths, was constrained in its predictive power by its method of enumerating individual bodies. During the 20th century, populations were increasingly constructed through inferential techniques based on patient groups and samples seen to possess variable characteristics. The emergence of these new virtual populations created the conditions for the emergence of predictive algorithms that are used to foretell our medical futures.