Public Health & Healthcare | Encyclopedia MDPI

Topic Review

Future Healthcare with Ambient Intelligence and IoMT

Imagine technology that is perceptive, adaptable, and perfectly in tune with human needs. This is the promise of Ambient Intelligence (AMI), a groundbreaking advancement in IT with transformative potential across various domains, especially healthcare. By merging the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), AMI creates a dynamic and responsive medical environment. The survey dives deep into the integration of AMI techniques in IoMT, providing essential insights for both researchers and practitioners eager to innovate in the healthcare sector.

106
19 Jun 2024

Topic Review

Pressure sensors for evaluating hand grasp and pinch

This study addresses the need for highly sensitive tools to evaluate hand strength, particularly grasp and pinch strength, which are vital for diagnosing and rehabilitating conditions affecting hand function. Current devices like the Jamar dynamometer and Martin Vigorimeter, although reliable, fail to measure extremely low force values required for individuals with severe hand impairments. This research introduces a novel device, a modified Martin Vigorimeter, utilizing an ultra-soft latex chamber and differential pressure measurement to detect minute pressure changes, thus significantly enhancing sensitivity. The device offers a cost-effective solution, making advanced hand strength evaluation more accessible for clinical and research applications. Future research should validate its accuracy across diverse populations and settings, exploring its broader implications for hand rehabilitation and occupational health.

67
19 Jul 2024

Topic Review

Upper Cervical Chiropractors Hot Trend in New York

As the bustling metropolis of New York City continues to be at the forefront of health and wellness trends, one particular practice gaining significant attention is Upper Cervical Chiropractic. This specialized form of chiropractic care focuses on the intricate alignment of the uppermost vertebrae in the spine, known as the cervical region.

50
25 Jul 2024

Topic Review

Childhood Obesity and Comorbidities in High-Risk Minority Populations

Developed high-income countries (HICs) such as the UK, USA, Australia and Canada continue to experience a rapid increase in obesity across all age groups. Among children the issue obesity is becoming more concerning since they are now experiencing obesity-associated "adult-diseases" including type-2 diabetes, hypertension and fatty liver diseases. Disparities among populations have also been noted where minority ethnicities suffer a much higher prevalence of childhood obesity and associated comorbidities than the rest of the populations. The increased childhood obesity disparities among populations reflect two concerns: one is HICs’ ineffective intervention approaches in terms of lifestyle, nutrition and physical activity in minority populations, and the second is the virtually non-existent lifestyle obesity interventions in LMICs. There is a need for providing an up to date guidelines on childhood obesity and its comorbidities in high-risk minority populations based on understanding the prevalence and effectiveness of preventative lifestyle interventions. First, we highlight how inadequate obesity screening by body mass index (BMI) can be resolved by using objective adiposity fat percentage measurements alongside anthropometric and physiological components, including lean tissue and bone density. National healthcare childhood obesity prevention initiatives should embed obesity cut-off points for minority ethnicities, especially Asian and South Asian ethnicities within UK and USA populations, whose obesity-related metabolic risks are often underestimated. Secondly, lifestyle interventions are underutilised in children and adolescents with obesity and its comorbidities, especially in minority ethnicity population groups. The overwhelming evidence on lifestyle interventions involving children with obesity comorbidities from ethnic minority populations shows that personalised physical activity and nutrition interventions are successful in reversing obesity and its secondary cardiometabolic disease risks, including those related to cardiorespiratory capacity, blood pressure and glucose/insulin levels. Interventions combining cultural contextualisation and better engagement with families are the most effective in high-risk paediatric minority populations but are non-uniform amongst different minority communities. A sustained preventative health impact can be achieved through the involvement of the community, with stakeholders comprising healthcare professionals, nutritionists, exercise science specialists and policy makers. Our guidelines for obesity assessment and primary and secondary prevention of childhood obesity and associated comorbidities in minority populations are fundamental to reducing global and local health disparities and improving quality of life.

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02 Aug 2024

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