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Boxplots on convergent and discriminant validity. Boxplots of the health metric by general health, long-standing illness, life satisfaction, grouped number of falls, and age groups. Boxes are drawn with widths proportional to the square-roots of the number of observations in the groups, i.e., the smaller the box, the smaller the group size. Groups with a very small number of observations were merged. (PDF 9Â kb)

Questions used to operationalize the six domains of the minimal generic set of functioning and health. Questions used to operationalize the six domains of the minimal generic set and items created based on these questions. When more than one question was used to create an item, the name of the created summary measure is provided. (DOC 42Â kb)

Objective The association between obesity and disability may differ between high-income and low-income/middle-income countries but there are no studies comparing this association between these settings. The aim of the study was to assess this association in nine countries using nationally-representative data from the Collaborative Research on Ageing in Europe (COURAGE) study and the WHO's Study on global AGEing and Adult Health (SAGE). Design Population-based cross-sectional study Setting The survey was conducted in China, Finland, Ghana, India, Mexico, Poland, Russia, South Africa and Spain between 2007 and 2012. Participants 42 116 individuals 50 years and older. The institutionalised and those with limited cognition were excluded. Primary outcome measure Disability was defined as severe or extreme difficulty in conducting at least one of six types of basic activities of daily living (ADL). Results The mean body mass index (BMI) ranged from 20.4 kg/m2 in India to 30.7 kg/m2 in South Africa. Compared to normal BMI (18.5–24.9 kg/m2), BMI≥35 kg/m2 was associated with significantly higher odds for ADL disability in Finland (OR 4.64), Poland (OR 2.77), South Africa (OR 2.19) and Spain (OR 2.42). Interaction analysis showed that obese individuals in high-income countries were more likely to have ADL limitations than those in low-income or middle-income countries. Conclusions The higher odds for disability among obese individuals in high-income countries may imply longer life lived with disability due to factors such as the decline in cardiovascular disease mortality. In South Africa, this may have been due to the exceptionally high prevalence of class III obesity. These findings underscore the importance of obesity prevention to reduce the disability burden among older adults, AK’s work was supported by the Miguel Servet contract financed by the CP13/00150 project, integrated into the National R+D+I and funded by the ISCIII—General Branch Evaluation and Promotion of Health Research—and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF-FEDER). BO’s work was supported by the Sara Borrell postdoctoral programme (reference no. CD12/ 00429) from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spain). WHO’s Study on global AGEing and adult health is supported by the USA National Institute on Aging’s Division of Behavioral and Social Research through Interagency Agreements (OGHA 04034785; YA1323-08-CN-0020; Y1-AG-1005-01) and through research grants (R01-AG034479 and R21-AG034263) and the WHO’s Department of Health Statistics and Information Systems. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) under grant agreement number 223071 (COURAGE in Europe), from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III-FIS research grants number PS09/00295 and PS09/01845 and from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation ACI-Promociona (ACI2009-1010). The study was also supported by the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the factors associated with low skeletal muscle mass (SMM), sarcopenia, and sarcopenic obesity using nationally representative samples of people aged ≥65 years from diverse geographical regions of the world. Methods Data were available for 18 363 people aged ≥65 years who participated in the Collaborative Research on Ageing in Europe survey conducted in Finland, Poland, and Spain, and the World Health Organization Study on global AGEing and adult health survey conducted in China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa, between 2007 and 2012. A skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) was created to reflect SMM. SMM, SMI, and percent body fat (%BF) were calculated with specific indirect population formulas. These estimates were based on age, sex, weight, height, and race. Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity were defined with specific cut-offs. Results The prevalence of sarcopenia ranged from 12.6% (Poland) to 17.5% (India), and that of sarcopenic obesity ranged from 1.3% (India) to 11.0% (Spain). Higher %BF was associated with lower SMM in all countries, and with sarcopenia in five countries (p, SAGE is supported by the United States National Institute on Aging’s Division of Behavioral and Social Research through Interagency Agreements (OGHA 04034785; YA1323-08- CN-0020; Y1-AG-1005-01) and through research grants (R01-AG034479 and R21-AG034263) and the WHO’s Department of Health Statistics and Information Systems. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) under grant agreement number 223071 (COURAGE in Europe), from the Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIFIS research grants number PS09/00295 and PS09/01845, and from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation ACI-Promociona (ACI2009-1010). Stefanos Tyrovolas received a scholarship from the Foundation for Education and European Culture (IPEP) to undertake his post-doctoral research, of which this work is a part. Ai Koyanagi’s work was supported by the Miguel Servet contract financed by the CP13/00150 project, integrated into the National R + D + I and funded by the ISCIII—General Branch Evaluation and Promotion of Health Research—and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF-FEDER). Beatriz Olaya’s work was supported by the Sara Borrell postdoctoral programme (reference no. CD12/00429) from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spain)

Objective To test the hypothesis of ‘horizontal epidemiology’, i.e. that psychosocial difficulties (PSDs), such as sleep disturbances, emotional instability and difficulties in personal interactions, and their environmental determinants are experienced in common across neurological and psychiatric disorders, together called brain disorders. Study Design A multi-method study involving systematic literature reviews, content analysis of patientreported outcomes and outcome instruments, clinical input and a qualitative study was carried out to generate a pool of PSD and environmental determinants relevant for nine different brain disorders, namely epilepsy, migraine, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, dementia, depression, schizophrenia and substance dependency. Information from these sources was harmonized and compiled, and after feedback from external experts, a data collection protocol including PSD and determinants common across these nine disorders was developed. This protocol was implemented as an interview in a cross-sectional Objective To test the hypothesis of ‘horizontal epidemiology’, i.e. that psychosocial difficulties (PSDs), such as sleep disturbances, emotional instability and difficulties in personal interactions, and their environmental determinants are experienced in common across neurological and psychiatric disorders, together called brain disorders. Study Design A multi-method study involving systematic literature reviews, content analysis of patientreported outcomes and outcome instruments, clinical input and a qualitative study was carried out to generate a pool of PSD and environmental determinants relevant for nine different brain disorders, namely epilepsy, migraine, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, dementia, depression, schizophrenia and substance dependency. Information from these sources was harmonized and compiled, and after feedback from external experts, a data collection protocol including PSD and determinants common across these nine disorders was developed. This protocol was implemented as an interview in a cross-sectional, The PARADISE project is supported by the Coordination Theme 1 (Health) of the European Community’s FP7, Grant Agreement No. HEALTHF2- 2009-241572.

Intermittent explosive disorder is common, begins early in life, and is associated with considerable impairment in the United States. The epidemiology of IED outside the United States is unknown. We examined the prevalence and correlates of IED in Iraq, where exposure to violence has been widespread during the last three decades.Data were drawn from a national survey of the Iraq population, the Iraq Mental Health Survey (IMHS), conducted in 2006-2007. The WHO Composite International Diagnostic interview was used to assess DSM-IV disorders, including IED. The response rate was 95.2%.Lifetime and 12-month prevalence estimates of IED were 1.7% and 1.5%. Mean age of onset was 18.5. The mean number of lifetime attacks was 141.6 attacks, and IED-related injuries occurred 61 times per 100 lifetime cases. IED was significantly comorbid with mood and anxiety, but not substance, disorders.Although the prevalence of IED is lower in Iraq than in the United States, the disorder has an early age of onset, is highly persistent, and is associated with substantial comorbidity and functional impairment. Iraq lacks national policies or systematic programmes to reduce aggression, highlighting the importance of implementing violence prevention programmes to reduce the societal burden of violence in Iraq.