Low birthweight continues to be a public health priority in many countries, because of its strong association with a child's subsequent risk of morbidity and mortality as well as the child's mental and physical development.1,2 ...

Despite a myriad of studies examining the relationship between socioeconomic status and health outcomes, few have assessed the extent to which biological markers of chronic disease account for social disparities in health. ...

Although previous studies have indicated that performance assessments strongly predict future survival, few have evaluated the incremental value in the presence of controls for self-reported activity and mobility limitations. ...

The process linking chronic and acute health conditions to disability has been conceptualized as a progression through four stages: 1)pathology;(2)substantial impairments; (3) functional limitations (restrictions in ...