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Clinical and Translational Medicine
Published in: Clinical and Translational Medicine 1/2012

Open Access 01-12-2012 | Research

Suboptimal health: a new health dimension for translational medicine

Authors: Wei Wang, Yuxiang Yan

Published in: Clinical and Translational Medicine | Issue 1/2012

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Abstract

Background

One critical premise of disease-related biomarkers is the definition of the counterpart normality. Contrary to pre-clinical models that can be carefully tailored according to scientific need, heterogeneity and uncontrollability is the essence of humans in health studies. Fully characterization of consistent parameters that define the normal population is the basis to individual differences normalization irrelevant to a given disease process. Self claimed normal status may not represent health because asymptomatic subjects may carry chronic diseases or diseases at their early stage such as cancer, diabetes and hypertension.

Methods

This paper exemplifies the characterization of the suboptimal health status (SHS) which represents a new public health problem in a population with ambiguous health complaints such as general weakness, unexplained medical syndrome and chronic fatigue. We applied clinical informatics approaches and developed a questionnaire for measuring SHS. The validity and reliability of this approach were evaluated in a small pilot study and then in a cross-sectional study of 3,405 individuals.

Results

The final questionnaire congregated into a score (SHSQ-25) which could significantly distinguish among several abnormal conditions.

Conclusion

SHSQ-25 could be used as a translational medicine instrument for health measuring in the general population.
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Metadata
Title
Suboptimal health: a new health dimension for translational medicine
Authors
Wei Wang
Yuxiang Yan
Publication date
01-12-2012
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Clinical and Translational Medicine / Issue 1/2012
Electronic ISSN: 2001-1326
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/2001-1326-1-28

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