WorldWideScience

Sample records for patient demographic characteristics

  1. Demographic characteristics of MS patients in Poland's upper Silesia region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pierzchala, Krystyna; Adamczyk-Sowa, Monika; Dobrakowski, Pawel; Kubicka-Baczyk, Katarzyna; Niedziela, Natalia; Sowa, Pawel

    2015-05-01

    In Poland, no national registry of MS patients has yet been introduced. So far, no demographic studies have been conducted in patients with MS in Upper Silesia. The aim of the present study was to evaluate, for the first time, a selected demographic and clinical parameters in MS patients from the Upper Silesia region and compare these characteristics with previously published data from other regions of Poland. 640 patients with clinically defined MS, were prospectively and randomly selected for the study. Social, socio-economic, and demographic data were obtained through a questionnaire study. All subjects performed a self-assessment of their health condition using EQ-5D and EQ-VAS version questionnaires. The ratio of women to men was 2.18. The average age of onset was 29.6 ± 11.1 years; the disease duration was 7.9 ± 4.5 years. The relapsing-remitting form of MS was diagnosed in 73.12%. In 71.25% the onset was monofocal and in 28.75% multifocal disease onset was observed. Among the studied population 339 (52.97%) patients were still employed. A mean EQ-VAS score of 66.11 ± 20.12 was calculated. Results from our study identify for the first time the demographic and clinical characteristics of the Upper Silesia MS population.

  2. Correlation between demographic characteristics, cognitive functioning and functional independence in stroke patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arsić Slađana

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. It has been assumed that there is causality of the achieved level of functional independence with the degree of preservation of cognitive function in stroke patients. Demographic characteristics may be important for monitoring the achieved level of functional independence. Objective. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of demographic characteristics and functional independence in regard to the level of cognitive impairment in stroke patients. Methods. The study included 50 stroke patients after rehabilitation, as well as age- and gender-matched 50 subjects selected randomly, according to the demographic characteristics of the studied sample, who in their medical history had no neurological disorders. For the assessment of functional independence, the Functional Independence Measure (FIM test was used. The general cognition was estimated by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE test. The statistical analyses included the Mann-Whitney test, for two independent samples, measures of canonical correlation, and χ2 test. Results. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups in relation to risk factors, hypertension and diabetes mellitus type II (p<0.001; There was a statistically significant difference within the groups in relation to the cognitive impairment in all the examined demographic characteristics (p<0.001; the differences within the groups in relation to the cognitive impairment are present on all subscales of the FIM test (p<0.05; the differences within the groups in relation to handedness, hemiparesis, show that mild cognitive impairment is more common among left hemiparesis, while a more severe one is more common among right-sided hemiparesis (p<0.05; More severe cognitive impairment is common among women, the elderly and in persons with lower education (p<0.05. Conclusion. By prevention of risk factors, and prevention of possible cognitive impairment, consequences of stroke can be

  3. Seasonal distribution and demographical characteristics of carpal tunnel syndrome in 1039 patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomes, Irênio; Becker, Jefferson; Ehlers, João Arthur; Kapczinski, Flávio; Nora, Daniel Bocchese

    2004-09-01

    To describe the demographic characteristics of gender, age, and presence of repetitive movements, intake of alcohol and non-steroid anti-inflammatories (NSAI), medical specialties that referred patients to nerve conduction studies and electromyography (NCS-EMG), school attainment, and seasonal distribution in patients with a neurophysiological diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A series of 1039 patients (1549 hands) with neurophysiologically defined CTS was studied. Patients were referred for NCS-EMG in 3 universities and 2 private services, from August 2001 to January 2003. All patients completed a questionnaire containing demographic information. The diagnosis of CTS was established following a pre-established protocol, with defined diagnostic criteria. Around one fourth of patients had already performed NCS-EMG; the greatest frequency of CTS was observed in women (5.6:1) and in patients above the age of 40. Most patients reported performing repetitive movements in their daily routine (69.7%); 12.9% reported use of NSAI and 14.9% regular intake of alcoholic beverages. A greater frequency of CTS was observed in the months of July and August, when compared to the other months of the year. Around 2/3 of the study population had completed at least secondary school. Most requests of nerve conduction studies did not provide a diagnostic hypothesis (59.9%) and neurophysiologic studies were requested mostly by traumatology/orthopedics (71.1%). We have concluded that, in our environment, CTS shows some demographical characteristics that are similar to what the literature describes. Also, we have found that most of our sample concluded at least secondary school, and was referred to neurophysiologic studies by orthopedists. To be pointed out is the seasonal distribution of CTS, which demonstrates a significant association with winter months.

  4. Evaluation of Socio-Demographic Characteristics of HIV/AIDS ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Evaluation of Socio-Demographic Characteristics of HIV/AIDS Patients in a Tertiary Hospital. ... Journal of Pharmaceutical and Allied Sciences. Journal Home ... Keywords: Socio-demographics, HIV/AID, Retrospective, Teaching hospital ...

  5. Clinical and Demographical Characteristics of Patients with Medication Overuse Headache in Argentina and Chile

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shand, Beatriz; Goicochea, Maria Teresa; Valenzuela, Raul

    2015-01-01

    population was formed by 240 MOH subjects, 110 from Chile and 130 from Argentina, consecutively attending the local headache centres. In each centre, specifically trained neurologist interviewed and confirmed the diagnosis according to the ICHD-II criteria. A detailed history was collected on an electronic......BACKGROUND: Data on the characteristics of Medication Overuse Headache (MOH) in Latin American (LA) are scarce. Here we report the demographic and clinical features of the MOH patients from Argentina and Chile enrolled in the multinational COMOESTAS project in the period 2008-2010. METHODS: The LA......, where it affects mostly women, in the most active decades of life. Some differences emerge as regards the demographic and clinical characteristics of MOH in this population as compared to Europe or Northern America. What seems more worrying about MOH in Argentina and Chile is that most patients overuse...

  6. Demographic, clinical and radiological characteristics of seronegative spondyloarthritis Egyptian patients: A rheumatology clinic experience in Mansoura

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adel Abdelsalam

    2017-04-01

    Conclusion: The demographic, clinical and radiological characteristics of Egyptian SpA patients are comparable to those from other countries except for the lower prevalence of extra-articular manifestations.

  7. Demographic characteristics in patients with short-gap and long-gap ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Further analysis of this topic is warranted ... Keywords: demographic characteristics, long-gap esophageal atresia, short-gap ... Thus, we conducted the present study to analyze the character- ..... this issue, providing fundamental information.

  8. Association of Socio-demographic Characteristics with Pattern of Health Seeking Behavior among Hepatitis C Patients in Pakistan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pirani, S.; Ali, T.S.; Allana, S.; Ismail, F.W.

    2017-01-01

    Objectives: To identify association between socio-demographic characteristics and pattern of health seeking behavior among hepatitis C patients in Karachi, Pakistan. Study design, settings and duration: A descriptive, cross-sectional study done at Aga Khan University Hospital and the Civil Hospital Karachi between March and May 2013. Patients and Methods: Hepatitis C patients who were coming for treatment at the above 2 sites underwent a filling of questionnaire by the researcher. The questionnaire collected basic demographic information and their health seeking behavior i.e. visit to traditional healer or spiritual healer or medical doctor. Sample size of 250 patients was calculated. Analysis was done by using Chi square test and Fisher's exact test. p-value of 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: A total of 250 hepatitis patients were interviewed. The study showed that patient's occupation and educational level had significant association with their first visit either to a spiritual healer or traditional healer. More educated group consulted the medical doctor while those with none or low education initially went to see spiritual healers (p < 0.008) and second visit was made to traditional healers (p < 0.002). Patients with larger number of children went less often to visit a medical doctor on their second visit (p = 0.007), and family members belonging to the medical field were more likely to make their first visit to doctors (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Socio-demographic characteristics greatly influence the pattern of health seeking behavior among hepatitis C patients. (author)

  9. Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis: Clinical and Demographic Characteristics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rafique, A.; Amjad, N.; Chand, P.; Ahmed, K.; Ibrahim, S.; Zaidi, S. S. Z.; Rana, M. S.

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To determine the clinical and demographic characteristics of children diagnosed with Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). Study Design: Case series. Place and Duration of Study: The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from January 2000 to June 2012. Methodology: A retrospective analysis was done, regarding medical charts of 43 children under the age of 16 years with a discharge diagnosis of SSPE. Demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded. Results were expressed as percentages. Results: Most of the 43 patients were male (72%). The average age at presentation was 8.7 years with average duration of symptoms being 100.6 days. History of measles was present in 17 patients (39.5%). All children had seizures at presentation and 65% had cognitive impairment. Most patients required poly therapy for control of seizures. Sodium valproate was the most commonly used anti-epileptic agent; Isoprinosine was tried in 22 (51%) patients. CSF for antimeasles antibodies was positive in approximately 86% of the 40 (93%) children. EEG showed burst suppression pattern in 36 (83.7%) cases. Forty-two patients (97.6%) were discharged home in a vegetative state. Conclusion: SSPE is progressive neurodegenerative disorder. It can be prevented by timely immunization against measles. Measles antibody in the CSF is diagnostic for SSPE and is helpful in early diagnosis. Most patients experience a gradual but progressive decline in motor and cognitive functions. (author)

  10. Demographic and clinical characteristics in relation to patient and health system delays in a tuberculosis low-incidence country

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Leutscher, Peter; Madsen, Gitte; Erlandsen, Mogens

    2012-01-01

    Background: Delays in the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis (TB) are commonly encountered. Methods: A study was undertaken among pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) patients in a Danish university hospital to describe demographic and clinical characteristics...

  11. Maternal mortality and delay: Socio-demographic characteristics of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study assessed the contribution of delay to maternal deaths and also determined the socio¬demographic characteristics of patients with maternal deaths with associated delay. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study of all maternal deaths in Irrua specialist Teaching Hospital, Nigeria between January 1999 ...

  12. Demographic characteristics and intravenous drug use among hepatitis C patients in the Kota Setar district, Kedah, Malaysia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Leong Tan

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: This study explored the demographic characteristics of hepatitis C patients in the Kota Setar (KS district, Kedah, Malaysia, the prevalence of intravenous drug use (IVDU as a risk factor among these patients, and the associations between IVDU and demographic characteristics. METHODS: Retrospective data pertaining to 713 patients from January 2009 to December 2013 were retrieved from hospital and disease notification records for analysis. The risk factors for hepatitis C virus (HCV infection were grouped into IVDU and non-IVDU risk factors for analysis using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: Of the hepatitis C patients included in this study, the most common age group was 31 to 40 years (30.2%, and male patients (91.2% made up the overwhelming majority. Ethnic Malays constituted approximately 80.4% of the patients, and IVDU was the main risk factor (77.8% for HCV infection. Multiple logistic regression showed that male patients were 59 times more likely to have IVDU as a risk factor for HCV infection. Single patients were 2.5 times more likely to have IVDU as a risk factor. Patients aged ≥71 years were much less likely than patients aged ≤30 years to have IVDU as a risk factor for HCV infection. CONCLUSIONS: IVDU was found to be an important risk factor for HCV infection among patients in the KS district. The factors associated with IVDU included age, sex, and marital status. Appropriate preventive measures should be developed to target the groups in which IVDU is most likely to be a risk factor for HCV infection.

  13. Socio-demographic characteristics and risk factors among HIV/AIDS patients in Kano, Northern Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iliyasu, Z; Arotiba, J T; Babashani, M

    2004-01-01

    There has been no description of the characteristics of HIV/AIDS patients that are referred to this antiretroviral treatment centre. The information could be useful in planning for prevention, care and support of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and people affected by AIDS (PABA). To describe the socio-demographic characteristics and identify risk factors among HIV/AIDS patients presenting to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. Analysis of a prospectively collected data on 205 consecutive patients presenting to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital from May 2002 to June 2003. Out of the 205 HIV positive patients seen, there were 112 (54.6%) males and 93 (45.4%) females giving a sex ratio of 1.2:1. The age range was 18 to 61 years with an overall mean S.D of 33.7 +/- [corrected] 8 years. The mean for males was 37.3 +/- [corrected] 7.8 years compared to 29.56 years for females. This difference was statistically significant (t = 8.1 DF = 201 P homosexuality. The need for a sustained multi-sectoral preventive effort and the scaling up of treatment and community care initiatives were stressed.

  14. TNM and Modified Dukes staging along with the demographic characteristics of patients with colorectal carcinoma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akkoca, Ayşe Neslin; Yanık, Serdar; Özdemir, Zeynep Tuğba; Cihan, Fatma Gökşin; Sayar, Süleyman; Cincin, Tarık Gandi; Çam, Akın; Özer, Cahit

    2014-01-01

    Aim: Colon adenocarcinoma, is the most common cancer in gastrointesinal system (GIS). The whole world is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. TNM and modified Dukes classification which has great importance in the diagnosis and treatment of Colorectal cancer (CRC). TNM and Modified Dukes classification results of histopathological examination and the demographic characteristics of patients and their relation were investigated. Materials and methods: Lower gastrointestinal operation results of 85 patients were examined accepted to clinical Pathology between January 1997-November 2013. Colon cancer had been diagnosed at 85 patients with pathology materials and staging was done according to the TNM and Modified Duke classification. The demographic characteristics of patients, differentiation grade, lymph node involvement, serous involvement were evaluated retrospectively. Results: In this study 37 patients (43.52%) were men and 48 (56.47%) were women. Ages of patients were between 19 and 87 with a mean age of 57.31 ± 15.31. Lymph node, differentiation, serosa involvement, Modified Dukes and TNM classification was assessed according to sex and age. TNM classification by sex was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). There was no statistically significant relationship between age and differentiation (p = 0.085). Value of differentiation increased towards from 1 to 3 inversely proportional to age. So young patients defined as well-differentiated at the conclusion. Negative relationship was evaluated between age and TNM Class variables. As a result, the relationship between age and TNM was not significant (p > 0.05). However, with increasing age the degree of staging was also found to increase. TNM classification was associated with the differentiation and it was significant (p = 0.043). Conclusion: Colon cancer, when contracted at an early stage, it is suitable for surgery and curative treatment can be done with minimal morbidity and mortality. However

  15. "ALS reversals": demographics, disease characteristics, treatments, and co-morbidities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrison, Daniel; Mehta, Paul; van Es, Michael A; Stommel, Elijah; Drory, Vivian E; Nefussy, Beatrice; van den Berg, Leonard H; Crayle, Jesse; Bedlack, Richard

    2018-04-02

    To identify differences in demographics, disease characteristics, treatments, and co-morbidities between patients with "amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) reversals" and those with typically progressive ALS. Cases of possible ALS reversals were found in prior publications, in the Duke ALS clinic, through self-referral or referral from other Neurologists, and on the internet. Of 89 possible reversals identified, 36 cases were included because chart or literature review confirmed their diagnosis and a robust, sustained improvement in at least one objective measure. Controls were participants in the Pooled Resource Open-Access ALS Clinical Trials database and the National ALS Registry. Cases and controls were compared using descriptive statistics. ALS reversals were more likely to be male, have limb onset disease, and initially progress faster. The prevalences of myasthenia gravis (MG) and purely lower motor neuron disease in cases were higher than estimates of these prevalences in the general population. The odds of taking curcumin, luteolin, cannabidiol, azathioprine, copper, glutathione, vitamin D, and fish oil were greater for cases than controls. When compared to patients with typically progressive ALS, patients with reversals differed in their demographics, disease characteristics, and treatments. While some of these patients may have had a rare antibody-mediated ALS mimicker, such as atypical myasthenia gravis, details of their exams, EMGs and family histories argue that this was unlikely. Instead, our data suggest that ALS reversals warrant evaluation for mechanisms of disease resistance and that treatments associated with multiple ALS reversals deserve further study.

  16. Socio-demographic characteristics and psychosocial consequences of sickle cell disease: the case of patients in a public hospital in Ghana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adzika, Vincent A; Glozah, Franklin N; Ayim-Aboagye, Desmond; Ahorlu, Collins S K

    2017-01-31

    Sickle cell disease (SCD) is of major public health concern globally, with majority of patients living in Africa. Despite its relevance, there is a dearth of research to determine the socio-demographic distribution and psychosocial impact of SCD in Ghana. The objective of this study was to examine the socio-demographic distribution and psychosocial consequences of SCD among patients in Ghana and to assess their quality of life and coping mechanisms. A cross-sectional research design was used that involved the completion of questionnaires on socio-demographic characteristics, quality of life, coping mechanisms, anxiety and depression. Participants were 387 male and female patients attending a sickle cell clinic in a public hospital. Results showed that majority of the patients were single, female, less than 39 years old and had attained secondary school level of education or less. Also, patients were more satisfied by the presence of love, friends and relatives as well as home, community and neighbourhood environment. While pains of varied nature and severity were the major reasons for attending hospital in SCD condition, going to the hospital as well as having faith in God was the most frequently reported mechanisms for coping with an unbearable SCD attacks. Results of multiple regression analysis showed that some socio-demographic and quality of life indicators had strong associations with anxiety and/or depression. It is recommended that a holistic intervention strategy incorporating psychosocial dimensions should be considered in the treatment and management of SCD.

  17. Characteristics of the patient with an ostomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pittman, Joyce

    2011-01-01

    Complications following intestinal and urinary diversion (OSTOMY) surgery are a significant problem for many individuals. Patient characteristics or risk factors have been associated with the development of ostomy complications, but research in this area is limited. To examine the demographic and clinical characteristics of new ostomy patients. Descriptive, cross-sectional study. A convenience sample of 144 new ostomy patients was recruited from a large midwest urban level i trauma teaching hospital system. A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used to examine the demographic and clinical characteristics in persons with a new ostomy. demographic and clinical characteristics included were age, gender, disposition, diagnosis, ostomy type, type of procedure (emergent or elective), stoma type (temporary or permanent), technique of stoma creation (loop or end), stoma site marked preoperatively, body type, stoma height, and complicating factors. Data were collected through a medical record review and direct observation by the WOC nurse. Significant differences were found among demographic and clinical characteristics and ostomy type and disposition. Age, type of procedure, reason for surgery, stoma type, stoma site marking, and complicating factors were significantly different by ostomy type. The majority of stomas were not marked preoperatively (67%). Sixty-eight percent of persons with a stoma above skin level versus 38% with a stoma below skin level were discharged to their home. Statistically significant relationships were found among disposition and type of procedure (P = .036), stoma height (P = .003), reason for surgery (P = .000), and age (P = .005). This study provides additional information regarding specific patient characteristics (demographic and clinical) and their relationship to ostomy type and disposition.

  18. Prevalence, demographics and clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis in Qatar.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deleu, Dirk; Mir, Danial; Al Tabouki, Ahmed; Mesraoua, Rim; Mesraoua, Boulenouar; Akhtar, Naveed; Al Hail, Hassan; D'souza, Atlantic; Melikyan, Gayane; Imam, Yahia Z B; Osman, Yasir; Elalamy, Osama; Sokrab, Tageldin; Kamran, Sadaat; Ruiz Miyares, Francisco; Ibrahim, Faiza

    2013-05-01

    No published epidemiologic data on multiple sclerosis (MS) in Qatar exist. Our objectives were to determine the prevalence, demographics and clinical characteristics of MS in the Middle Eastern country of Qatar. We analyzed data for Qatari MS patients fulfilling the McDonald diagnostic criteria. A total of 154 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. On 31 April 2010, the crude prevalence of MS in Qatar was 64.57 per 100,000 inhabitants (95% CI: 58.31-70.37). The female-to-male ratio was 1.33:1. A positive family history was found in 10.4% of included MS patients. We conclude that Qatar is now a medium-to-high risk area for MS, with some important differences in clinical characteristics as compared to other countries in the region.

  19. Trauma-associated tinnitus: audiological, demographic and clinical characteristics.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter M Kreuzer

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Tinnitus can result from different etiologies. Frequently, patients report the development of tinnitus after traumatic injuries. However, to which extent this specific etiologic factor plays a role for the phenomenology of tinnitus is still incompletely understood. Additionally, it remains a matter of debate whether the etiology of tinnitus constitutes a relevant criterion for defining tinnitus subtypes. OBJECTIVE: By investigating a worldwide sample of tinnitus patients derived from the Tinnitus Research Initiative (TRI Database, we aimed to identify differences in demographic, clinical and audiological characteristics between tinnitus patients with and without preceding trauma. MATERIALS: A total of 1,604 patients were investigated. Assessment included demographic data, tinnitus related clinical data, audiological data, the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, the Tinnitus Questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory, various numeric tinnitus rating scales, and the World Health Organisation Quality of Life Scale (WHOQoL. RESULTS: Our data clearly indicate differences between tinnitus patients with and without trauma at tinnitus onset. Patients suffering from trauma-associated tinnitus suffer from a higher mental burden than tinnitus patients presenting with phantom perceptions based on other or unknown etiologic factors. This is especially the case for patients with whiplash and head trauma. Patients with posttraumatic noise-related tinnitus experience more frequently hyperacousis, were younger, had longer tinnitus duration, and were more frequently of male gender. CONCLUSIONS: Trauma before tinnitus onset seems to represent a relevant criterion for subtypization of tinnitus. Patients with posttraumatic tinnitus may require specific diagnostic and therapeutic management. A more systematic and - at best - standardized assessment for hearing related sequelae of trauma is needed for a better understanding of the underlying pathophysiology and

  20. Trauma-associated tinnitus: audiological, demographic and clinical characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kreuzer, Peter M; Landgrebe, Michael; Schecklmann, Martin; Staudinger, Susanne; Langguth, Berthold

    2012-01-01

    Tinnitus can result from different etiologies. Frequently, patients report the development of tinnitus after traumatic injuries. However, to which extent this specific etiologic factor plays a role for the phenomenology of tinnitus is still incompletely understood. Additionally, it remains a matter of debate whether the etiology of tinnitus constitutes a relevant criterion for defining tinnitus subtypes. By investigating a worldwide sample of tinnitus patients derived from the Tinnitus Research Initiative (TRI) Database, we aimed to identify differences in demographic, clinical and audiological characteristics between tinnitus patients with and without preceding trauma. A total of 1,604 patients were investigated. Assessment included demographic data, tinnitus related clinical data, audiological data, the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, the Tinnitus Questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory, various numeric tinnitus rating scales, and the World Health Organisation Quality of Life Scale (WHOQoL). Our data clearly indicate differences between tinnitus patients with and without trauma at tinnitus onset. Patients suffering from trauma-associated tinnitus suffer from a higher mental burden than tinnitus patients presenting with phantom perceptions based on other or unknown etiologic factors. This is especially the case for patients with whiplash and head trauma. Patients with posttraumatic noise-related tinnitus experience more frequently hyperacousis, were younger, had longer tinnitus duration, and were more frequently of male gender. Trauma before tinnitus onset seems to represent a relevant criterion for subtypization of tinnitus. Patients with posttraumatic tinnitus may require specific diagnostic and therapeutic management. A more systematic and - at best - standardized assessment for hearing related sequelae of trauma is needed for a better understanding of the underlying pathophysiology and for developing more tailored treatment approaches as well.

  1. Validity of self-reported periodontal measures, demographic characteristics and systemic medical conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chatzopoulos, Georgios S; Cisneros, Alejandro; Sanchez, Miguel; Lunos, Scott; Wolff, Larry F

    2018-04-06

    The objective of the present study was to assess self-reported periodontal screening questions, demographic characteristics, systemic medical conditions and tobacco use for predicting periodontal disease among individuals seeking dental therapy in a university dental clinic. In this retrospective study, a total of 4,890 randomly selected dental charts were evaluated from among patients who had attended the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry clinics for treatment. Radiographic bone loss measurements were utilized to assess the severity of periodontal disease. Demographic characteristics as well as medical history of the patients were also recorded. Five self-reported periodontal screening questions were included with the range of answers limited to Yes/No. Generalized logit models were used to assess the association between bone loss and the predictors. The sample mean age was 54.1 years and included 52.6% males and 14.9% smokers with a mean number of missing teeth of 3.5. Self-reported tooth mobility, history of "gum treatment" and the importance to keep the teeth as well as age, tobacco use and cancer were statistically significant (p brushing", gender, diabetes, anxiety and arthritis. Self-reported periodontal screening questions as well as demographic characteristics, smoking and systemic medical conditions were significant predictors of periodontal disease and they could be used as valid, economical and practical measures. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 American Academy of Periodontology.

  2. A Community Patient Demographic System

    OpenAIRE

    Gabler, James M.; Simborg, Donald W.

    1985-01-01

    A Community Patient Demographic System is described. Its purpose is to link patient identification, demographic and insurance information among multiple organizations in a community or among multiple registration systems within the same organization. This function requires that there be a competent patient identification methodology and clear definition of local responsibilities for number assignment and database editing.

  3. Moyamoya vasculopathy - Patient demographics and characteristics in the Finnish population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saarela, Marika; Mustanoja, Satu; Pekkola, Johanna; Tyni, Tiina; Hernesniemi, Juha; Kivipelto, Leena; Tatlisumak, Turgut

    2017-01-01

    Background and purpose Moyamoya vasculopathy, a rare steno-occlusive progressive cerebrovascular disorder, has not been thoroughly studied in Caucasian populations. We established a registry of Finnish patients treated at the Helsinki University Hospital, to collect and report demographic and clinical data. Methods We collected data both retrospectively and prospectively from all the patients with a moyamoya vasculopathy referred to our hospital between January 1987 and December 2014. All patients underwent a neurological outpatient clinic visit. Results We diagnosed 61 patients (50 females, 10 children) with moyamoya vasculopathy. The mean age at the disease-onset was 31.5 ± 17.9 years. The two most common presenting symptoms were ischemic stroke (n = 31) and hemorrhage (n = 8). Forty-four percent underwent revascularization surgery, and 70% were prescribed antithrombotic treatment. Conclusions The results support in part the Western phenotype of the disease considering the later presentation and larger female predominance compared to the Asian moyamoya vasculopathy reports. However, the proportion of ischemic strokes and hemorrhagic strokes is closer to Japanese population than German population. The absence of familial cases points to a different genetic profile in the Finnish patients.

  4. Characteristics and demographics of reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome: A large prospective series of Korean patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Hyun Ah; Lee, Mi Ji; Choi, Hanna; Chung, Chin-Sang

    2018-04-01

    Objectives To report demographics and characteristics of reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) in the Korean cohort. Methods We prospectively recruited patients with definite (imaging-proven) RCVS and probable (imaging-negative) RCVS who visited Samsung Medical Center between June 2012 and September 2016. Clinical manifestations, neuroimaging, treatment, and clinical outcomes were evaluated in all patients. Characteristics of RCVS without typical causes ("idiopathic RCVS") were compared with those of RCVS with identifiable causes ("secondary RCVS"). International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD)-3 beta criteria for 6.7.3 RCVS and 6.7.3.1 probable RCVS were tested. Results A total of 138 patients (104 definite and 34 probable RCVS) were included in this study. Patients with definite RCVS were predominantly female (85.6%) and middle-aged (mean, 50.7 [range, 23-82] years). Probable RCVS was associated with less female predominance (70.6%, p = 0.049), more typical manifestations ( p < 0.001), and none of neurological complications. One-hundred and one (97.1%) patients with definite RCVS had headache, but the typical "recurrent and/or triggered" thunderclap headache was reported in only 83 (82.2%). In most patients with definite RCVS (84.6%), RCVS was idiopathic, while only 16 (15.4%) had secondary causes. Compared to those with secondary RCVS, patients with idiopathic RCVS were older (52.8 ± 11.42 vs. 39.1 ± 9.55 years, p < 0.001). Patients with secondary RCVS had more complications than those with idiopathic RCVS (40.5% vs. 12.5%, p = 0.018). Among idiopathic RCVS patients, 33 (37.5%) reported a preceding event or a change in lifestyle, environment, health, or medication within one month before onset. Conclusion In our cohort, RCVS was benign and idiopathic in most patients, and occurred frequently in middle-aged women. Manifestations of RCVS were more diverse than previously recognized, and forms without any

  5. Socio-demographic characteristics affecting sport tourism choices: A structural model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nataša Slak Valek

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Effective tourism management in the field of sports tourism requires an understanding of differences in socioeconomic characteristics both within and between different market segments. Objective: In the broad tourism market demographic characteristics have been extensively analyzed for differences in destination choices, however little is known about demographic factors affecting sport tourists' decisions. Methods: A sample of Slovenian sports tourists was analyzed using data from a comprehensive survey of local and outbound tourist activity conducted by the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia in 2008. After data weighting the information for 353,783 sports related trips were available for analysis. The research model adopted suggests that four socio-demographic characteristics (gender, age, level of education and income significantly affect a tourist's choice of sports related travel either locally within Slovenia or to a foreign country. Furthermore the destination (local or foreign has an influence on the choice of the type of accommodation selected and the tourist's total expenditure for the trip. For testing the first part of our model (the socio-demographic characteristics effects a linear regression was used, and for the final part of the model (the selection of accommodation type and travel expenditure t-test were applied. Results: The result shows the standardized β regression coefficients are all statistically significant at the .001 level for the tested socio-demographic characteristics and also the overall regression model was statistically significant at .001 level. Conclusions: With these results the study confirmed that all the selected socio-demographic characteristics have a significant influence on the sport-active tourist when choosing between a domestic and foreign tourism destination which in turn affect the type of accommodation chosen and the level of expenditure while travelling.

  6. Comparison of the Five Danish Regions Regarding Demographic Characteristics, Healthcare Utilization, and Medication Use

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Henriksen, Daniel Pilsgaard; Rasmussen, Lotte; Hansen, Morten Rix

    2015-01-01

    nationwide registers: The Danish National Patient Register, The Danish Civil Registration System, The Danish Register of Medicinal Product Statistics, and The Danish National Health Service Register for Primary Care. We compared the Danish regions regarding demographic and socioeconomic characteristics...

  7. Socio-demographic characteristics of a semi-urban community in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Conclusion: The study revealed that more frequent ad-hoc small-scale intensive surveys are needed to obtain valid, reliable demographic information for planning health intervention programmes and allocation of scarce resources to relevant sectors. KEY WORDS: Socio-Demographic characteristics; Semi urban ...

  8. Demographic Characteristics of Our Patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ebru Umay

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Aim: Carpal tunnel (CTS is the most common trap neuropathy but, still fully understood the cause of this and effective factors. In this study was aimed to the evaluation demographic features of the cases with CTS admitted to our electroneuromyography (ENMG laboratory. Material and Methods: In the study, 119 patients with CTS to evaluate our ENMG laboratory were received. All patients age, sex, dominant and affected hand, duration of education, marital status, height, weight, additional diseases, occupational, hand and wrist repetitive motion made, use of computer and smoking status was assessed. Patients’ body mass index (BMI was calculated. Results: 102 cases (85.7% females, mean age was 46.32 years ± 12: 18. While in 115 (96.6% cases using the right hand is dominant, in 85 cases (76.6% with bilateral involvement were at hand. While the rate of patient who between five to eight year duration of education had was 47.1%, 84% patients were married. Also, BMI were determined as 29.33± 3.01. According to the state in 22 patients with additional diseases, diabetes mellitus in 22, hypothyroidism in 4, also 1 patient had arthritis. The majority of our patients (70.6% housewives formed. The 67.2% rate of repetetive activities as making crafts, the computer usage at a rate of 11.8% had history. The rate of smoking was 19.3%.  Conclusions:  As a result, CTS, especially in middle-aged housewives and obese is a common syndrome. Despite many reasons to be reported in the etiology of idiopathic 85%. At a rate of 25.4% of women in our society is considered paid work, especially in terms of determining the etiology of the more detailed studies are needed to ousewives.

  9. Demographic Characteristics Related To Wholesale Marketing Of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Demographic Characteristics Related To Wholesale Marketing Of Yam In Delta State, Nigeria. ... analysis reveals that wholesale yam marketing in the study area was male - dominated (78.8%), most of ... EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT

  10. ADOPTING SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS IN PROFILING GREEN CONSUMERS: A REVIEW OF HYPOTHESES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arif Hartono

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available In the last three decades worldwide environmental consciousness has increased dramatically as well as profiling green consumers have gained tremendous attention in the past. Segmenting and targeting markets base on pro-environmental purchase behavior are essential when companies positioning their green products. Socio-demographic characteristics have gained a lot of attention as the key profiling variables. Such characteristics have been employed by many scholars more frequently for the bases of segmenting and profiling green consumers. However, most existing studies of green consumers’ socio-demographic were US based. The present article attempts to review the common hypotheses of socio-demographic characteristics in profiling green consumers. The present article reviews five general hypotheses relating to socio-demographics and environmental consciousness of green consumers, namely the gender, age, education level, income, and occupation hypotheses, as well as the theoretical explanation for each hypothesis. Most previous studies tend to have the same conclusion in the gender, age, education level, and  income characteristics. Critics to socio-demographic characteristics and a need to conduct green marketing research in Indonesia was also reviewed.Key words: profiling, socio-demographic, green consumer, hypotheses.

  11. Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients referred to psychiatric unit in a tertiary care hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yousafzai, A.W.; Kazim, M.; Jehangiri, A.U.R.

    2015-01-01

    Very few studies from Pakistan have examined the profile of patients seen by psychiatrists in general hospital. The aim of this research is to describe the clinical and demographic characteristics of patients referred to the psychiatric unit of a general hospital over a one year period. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad, from January 1st to December 31st 2012. All patients being referred to psychiatry were included in the study over one year period. The information was recorded on a structured questionnaire and analysed the data using SPSS-19.0. Results: Out of the 105 patients referred to the psychiatric unit, 74 (72.3%) were females. A total of 69 (68.5%) patients were married. More than half were uneducated and only number 4 (3%) patients had university qualification. Housewives made up 64.4% of the patient population followed by students (11%). Majority 55 (53%) had less than Rs. 5000/ monthly income. About 30% patients were shifted to psychiatry ward while, nearly one tenth were discharged. In 35% cases the psychiatrist was asked to help in the management, while in 50% cases only opinion was sought. Aggressive and threatening behaviour was source of concern in majority of patients for the primary team while 34% exhibited suicidal behaviour. Depression was most frequent diagnosis in 45 43% patients, followed by conversion disorder 19 (17%) and delirium 16 (14%). Conclusion: The rate of psychiatric referrals is dismal with only one third of the patients being transferred to the psychiatric ward. The major psychiatric diagnosis was depression. Patients with aggressive and threatening behaviour were more frequently referred. (author)

  12. The Influence of Nurses' Demographics on Patient Participation in Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malfait, Simon; Eeckloo, Kristof; Van Hecke, Ann

    2017-12-01

    Patient participation is an important issue in contemporary healthcare as it improves quality of care and enhances positive health outcomes. The participation of patients is mainly initiated by the nurses' willingness to share their power and responsibility, but knowledge on nurses' demographic characteristics influencing this behavior is nonexistent. This knowledge is essential to understand and improve patient participation. To determine if nurses' demographic characteristics influence their willingness to engage in patient participation. A cross-sectional multicenter study in 22 general and three university hospitals with 997 nurses was performed. The Patient Participation Culture Tool for healthcare workers, which measures patient participation behavior, was used. Multilevel analysis, taking into account the difference in wards and hospitals, was used to identify the influence of demographic characteristics. A position as supervisor (range: p nurses seem to be more reluctant in accepting a collaborative patient role (p = .002) and coping with more active patient behavior (p nurses on geriatric wards (p = .013), who also showed less sharing of information with their patients (p nurses' willingness to share power and responsibility with their patients, perhaps indicating that patient participation behavior is an advanced nursing skill and multifaceted interventions, are needed for optimal implementation. Moreover, supervising nurses have different perceptions on patient participation and possibly regard patient participation as an easier task than their team members. This could lead to misunderstandings about the expectations toward patient participation in daily practice, leading to struggles with their nursing staff. Both findings implicate that implementing patient participation on a wide scale is more difficult than expected, which is conflicting with the widespread societal demand for more participation. © 2017 Sigma Theta Tau International.

  13. Demographic characteristics, leadership styles, job attitudes and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This purpose of this study was to investigate the predictive influence of demographic characteristics, leadership styles, job attitudes and personality on job performance among civil servants in Southwest Nigeria. The sample consists of 400 civil servants (males = 275, females = 125) randomly selected from Southwestern ...

  14. Work-Related Noise Exposure in a Cohort of Patients with Chronic Tinnitus: Analysis of Demographic and Audiological Characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ralli, Massimo; Balla, Maria Paola; Greco, Antonio; Altissimi, Giancarlo; Ricci, Pasquale; Turchetta, Rosaria; de Virgilio, Armando; de Vincentiis, Marco; Ricci, Serafino; Cianfrone, Giancarlo

    2017-09-08

    Work-related noise exposure is one of the major factors contributing to the development of adult-onset hearing loss and tinnitus. The aim of this study was to analyze, in patients with chronic tinnitus and long-term occupational noise exposure, (A) characteristics of hearing loss, tinnitus, comorbidities, demographic characteristics and a history of work-related noise exposure and (B) differences among individuals employed in occupations with high and low risk of developing work-related noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). One hundred thirty six patients with chronic tinnitus and at least a 10 year-long working history were divided into two groups based on the risk of their profession to induce NIHL. Individuals employed in jobs at high risk for NIHL were mostly males and exhibited a poorer hearing threshold, more evident in the left ear. Tinnitus was mostly bilateral; the next largest presentation was left-sided; patients described their tinnitus as buzzing or high-pitched. Correlation between age, length of tinnitus and worse hearing was found. Patients with a higher degree of hearing impairment were mostly males and were more likely to have a family history of hearing loss and at least one cardiovascular comorbidity. Our study shows some differences in individuals with tinnitus and a history of a profession associated with increased exposure to NIHL compared to those without such a history.

  15. Work-Related Noise Exposure in a Cohort of Patients with Chronic Tinnitus: Analysis of Demographic and Audiological Characteristics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Massimo Ralli

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Work-related noise exposure is one of the major factors contributing to the development of adult-onset hearing loss and tinnitus. The aim of this study was to analyze, in patients with chronic tinnitus and long-term occupational noise exposure, (A characteristics of hearing loss, tinnitus, comorbidities, demographic characteristics and a history of work-related noise exposure and (B differences among individuals employed in occupations with high and low risk of developing work-related noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL. One hundred thirty six patients with chronic tinnitus and at least a 10 year-long working history were divided into two groups based on the risk of their profession to induce NIHL. Individuals employed in jobs at high risk for NIHL were mostly males and exhibited a poorer hearing threshold, more evident in the left ear. Tinnitus was mostly bilateral; the next largest presentation was left-sided; patients described their tinnitus as buzzing or high-pitched. Correlation between age, length of tinnitus and worse hearing was found. Patients with a higher degree of hearing impairment were mostly males and were more likely to have a family history of hearing loss and at least one cardiovascular comorbidity. Our study shows some differences in individuals with tinnitus and a history of a profession associated with increased exposure to NIHL compared to those without such a history.

  16. Demographics and patient characteristics of 1209 patients with Gaucher disease: Descriptive analysis from the Gaucher Outcome Survey (GOS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belmatoug, Nadia; Bembi, Bruno; Deegan, Patrick; Elstein, Deborah; Fernandez‐Sasso, Diego; Giraldo, Pilar; Goker‐Alpan, Ozlem; Lau, Heather; Lukina, Elena; Panahloo, Zoya; Schwartz, Ida Vanessa D.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract The Gaucher Outcome Survey (GOS) is an international Gaucher disease (GD) registry established in 2010 for patients with a confirmed GD diagnosis, regardless of GD type or treatment status, designed to evaluate the safety and long‐term effectiveness of velaglucerase alfa and other GD‐related treatments. As of February 25, 2017, 1209 patients had enrolled, the majority from Israel (44.3%) and the US (31.4%). Median age at GOS entry was 40.4 years, 44.1% were male, and 13.3% had undergone a total splenectomy. Most patients had type 1 GD (91.5%) and were of Ashkenazi Jewish ethnicity (55.8%). N370S/N370S was the most prevalent genotype, accounting for 44.2% of genotype‐confirmed individuals (n = 847); however, there was considerable variation between countries. A total of 887 (73.4%) patients had received ≥1 GD‐specific treatment at any time, most commonly imiglucerase (n = 587), velaglucerase alfa (n = 507), and alglucerase (n = 102). Hematological and visceral findings at the time of GOS entry were close to normal for most patients, probably a result of previous treatment; however, spleen volume of patients in Israel was almost double that of patients elsewhere (7.2 multiples of normal [MN] vs. 2.7, 2.9 and 4.9 MN in the US, UK and rest of world), which may be explained by a greater disease severity in this cohort. This analysis aimed to provide an overview of GOS and present baseline demographic and disease characteristics of participating patients to help improve the understanding of the natural history of GD and inform the overall management of patients with the disease. PMID:29090476

  17. Cancer-related Fatigue and its Relationship with Demographic and Clinical Characteristics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maryam Chehrehgosha

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Background and objectives: Fatigue experience is a psychological experience therefore, the relevant caregivers’ acquaintance with this issueis the most important step in offering optimal care for the patients. Accordingly, this study was conductedto determine Cancer-related Fatigue and its Relationship with Demographic and Clinical Characteristics inCancer Patients.A cancer diagnosis is a highly undesirable event for anyone.Methods: characteristics form and the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory. The data were analyzed with the SPSS-18 software and t-test and ANOVA and tukey post hoc test were used.In this analytical study, 150 cancer patients visiting the oncology unit, the Shafa Radiotherapy Center,and Gorgan’s 5th Azar Teaching Hospital in 2012, who were selected with a purposive sampling method,participated in the study for 4 months. The required information was collected using a demographic and clinicalResults: of treatment, 51.3% used chemotherapy-surgery-radiotherapy regimen, 24.7% surgery-chemotherapy regimen,14% used chemotherapy, 7.3% used radiotherapy, and 2.7% used surgery. The overall mean scoreof fatigue was 54.65±8.78 from 100. The variables of residence (P=0. 018, the duration of marriage(P=0.018, the treatment regimen type (P<0.001, and the family’s economic status (P<0.000 were found toThe patients’ mean age was 48.39±1.5 Of the patients, 55.3% had undergone less than 12 monthshave a significant relationship with fatigue.Conclusion: Psychological interventions, besides physical caring and nursing interventions play a significantrole in the all-inclusive management of cancer patients’ problems, in particular, their fatigue.

  18. Socio-demographic and other patient characteristics associated with time between colonoscopy and surgery, and choice of treatment centre for colorectal cancer: a retrospective cohort study

    OpenAIRE

    Goldsbury, David; Harris, Mark Fort; Pascoe, Shane; Olver, Ian; Barton, Michael; Spigelman, Allan; O'Connell, Dianne

    2012-01-01

    Objectives To investigate key patient clinical and demographic characteristics associated with time between colonoscopy and surgery, and choice of treatment centre for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. This will add to the little published research examining the pathway following CRC diagnosis and prior to surgery. Design Retrospective cohort analysis of linked data. Setting A population-based sample of people diagnosed August 2004 to December 2007 in New South Wales, Australia. Participants ...

  19. Clinical and Socio-Demographic Characteristic of Children who ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Clinical and Socio-Demographic Characteristic of Children who receive Emergency Blood Transfusion in Orlu, Imo State Nigeria. ... Malaria was the commonest case of severe anaemia requiring urgent blood transfusion either singly (52.8%) ...

  20. Demographic characteristics and clinical predictors of patients discharged from university hospital-affiliated pain clinic due to breach in narcotic use contract.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakrabortty, Shushovan; Gupta, Deepak; Rustom, David; Berry, Hussein; Rai, Ajit

    2014-01-01

    The current retrospective study was completed with the aim to identify demographic characteristics and clinical predictors (if any) of the patients discharged from our pain clinic due to breach in narcotic use contract (BNUC). Retrospective patient charts' review and data audit. University hospital-affiliated pain clinic in the United States. All patient charts in our pain clinic for a 2-year period (2011-2012). The patients with BNUC were delineated from the patients who had not been discharged from our pain clinic. Pain characteristics, pain management, and substance abuse status were compared in each patient with BNUC between the time of admission and the time of discharge. The patients with BNUC discharges showed significant variability for the discharging factors among the pain physicians within a single pain clinic model with this variability being dependent on their years of experience and their proactive interventional pain management. The patients with BNUC in our pain clinic setting were primarily middle-aged, obese, unmarried males with nondocumented stable occupational history who were receiving only noninterventional pain management. Substance abuse, doctor shopping, and potential diversion were the top three documented reasons for BNUC discharges. In 2011-2012, our pain clinic discharged 1-in-16 patients due to breach in narcotic use contract.

  1. [Demographic characteristics of consumers in Indonesia?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ananta, A

    1993-06-01

    "This paper presents a mosaic of business opportunities arising from the different demographic characteristics of the provinces in the western part of Indonesia. The author discusses the total number of population, density, and per capita income to [shed] some light on the volume of the market. He also presents the business impact of the [changes] in fertility, mortality, and the...life style of those aged 40-64." (SUMMARY IN ENG) excerpt

  2. Social-Demographic Characteristics and Awareness of Radiation ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The aim of this study was to examine the socio-demographic characteristics and awareness of X-ray biohazards among technicians and sub-staff of radiology units in Benue State, North-Central Nigeria. One hundred questionnaires were distributed but only 61 respondents took part in the study comprising 55(90.2%) males ...

  3. Demographic and Travel Characteristics of Travel-Associated Zika Virus Infection Case-Patients in San Diego County, California (January 1, 2016-March 31, 2017).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escutia, Gabriela; McDonald, Eric; Rodríguez-Lainz, Alfonso; Healy, Jessica

    2018-06-01

    Most Zika disease cases diagnosed in the continental US have been associated with travel to areas with risk of Zika transmission, mainly the Caribbean and Latin America. Limited information has been published about the demographic and travel characteristics of Zika case-patients in the United States, besides their age and gender. During 2016-2017 the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, California, expanded the scope and completeness of demographic and travel information collected from Zika case-patients for public health surveillance purposes. The majority (53.8%) of travel-related Zika virus infection case-patients (n = 78) in the county were Hispanic, significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) than the 33.0% of Hispanics in the county. Foreign-born residents, mainly from Mexico, were also overrepresented among cases compared to their share in the county population (33.3 vs. 23.0%; p ≤ 0.05). Seventeen (21.8%) patients reported a primary language other than English (14 Spanish). Most case-patients traveled for tourism (54%) or to visit friends and relatives (36%). This surveillance information helps identify higher-risk populations and implement culturally targeted interventions for Zika prevention and control.

  4. Physical Therapy and Manual Physical Therapy: Differences in Patient Characteristics.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Ravensberg, C. D. Dorine; Oostendorp, Rob A B; van Berkel, Lonneke M.; Scholten-Peeters, Gwendolijne G M; Pool, Jan J.M.; Swinkels, Raymond A. H. M.; Huijbregts, Peter A.

    2005-01-01

    This study compared socio-demographic characteristics, health problem characteristics, and primary process data between database samples of patients referred to physical therapy (PT) versus a sample of patients referred to manual physical therapy (MPT) in the Netherlands. Statistical analysis

  5. Physical therapy and manual physical therapy: Differences in patient characteristics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Ravensberg, C. D. Dorine; Oostendorp, R.A.B.; van Berkel, Lonneke M.; Scholten-Peeters, G.G.M.; Pool, J.J.M.; Swinkels, Raymond A. H. M.; Huijbregts, Peter A.

    2005-01-01

    This study compared socio-demographic characteristics, health problem characteristics, and primary process data between database samples of patients referred to physical therapy (PT) versus a sample of patients referred to manual physical therapy (MPT) in the Netherlands. Statistical analysis

  6. Physical Therapy and Manual Physical Therapy: Differences in Patient Characteristics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Ravensberg, C. D. Dorine; Oostendorp, Rob A B; van Berkel, Lonneke M.; Scholten-Peeters, Gwendolijne G. M.; Pool, Jan J.M.; Swinkels, Raymond A. H. M.; Huijbregts, Peter A.

    2005-01-01

    This study compared socio-demographic characteristics, health problem characteristics, and primary process data between database samples of patients referred to physical therapy (PT) versus a sample of patients referred to manual physical therapy (MPT) in the Netherlands. Statistical analysis

  7. Demographic Characteristics of Strokes Types in Sanliurfa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yusuf Ižnanc

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim: Sanliurfa training and research hospital for diagnosis and treatment of patients with stroke admitted demographic features planned. We aimed to study demographic feature of stroke patient who admitted to Sanliurfa training and research hospital for diagnosis and treatment. Material and Method: 01/10/2011 and 01/9/2012, ischemic and hemorrhagic brain training and research hospital in Sanliurfa vascular disease diagnosis and treatment without any exclusion criteria, patient sequential 454 retrospectively.Results: 366%u2019si 88 were ischemic, hemorrhagic stroke. 54.6% by sex male,% 45.4 were women. Average age: 67.86 di.56.3% radiologically roaming the front circulation infarct brain infarct% found the rear 23.2. Hospital stay duration: 9.27 day.. Hemorrhagic stroke was longer this Sura in the group. Mortality rate 4.6% in all in packaging (21 patients, ischemic in boots in 1.9% (7 patients, hemorrhagic of boots were found at 15.9% (14 patients.Discussion: our study of Sanliurfa province stroke data in terms of the region together, although a portion of their valuable results. In the summer, the ischemic stroke incidence is higher.

  8. Students' Demographic, Academic Characteristics and Performance in Registered General Nursing Licensing Examination in Ghana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doe, Patience Fakornam; Oppong, Elizabeth Agyeiwaa; Sarfo, Jacob Owusu

    2018-01-01

    The decreasing performance of student nurses in the professional licensure examinations (LE) in Ghana is a major concern to stakeholders, especially at a time when the nurse-patient ratio stands at 1: 1500. The study sought to determine the effect of students' demographic and academic characteristics on performance in the Registered General…

  9. Clinical and Demographical Characteristics of Patients with Medication Overuse Headache in Argentina and Chile: Analysis of the Latin American Section of COMOESTAS Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shand, Beatriz; Goicochea, Maria Teresa; Valenzuela, Raul; Fadic, Ricardo; Jensen, Rigmor; Tassorelli, Cristina; Nappi, Giuseppe

    2015-01-01

    Data on the characteristics of Medication Overuse Headache (MOH) in Latin American (LA) are scarce. Here we report the demographic and clinical features of the MOH patients from Argentina and Chile enrolled in the multinational COMOESTAS project in the period 2008-2010. The LA population was formed by 240 MOH subjects, 110 from Chile and 130 from Argentina, consecutively attending the local headache centres. In each centre, specifically trained neurologist interviewed and confirmed the diagnosis according to the ICHD-II criteria. A detailed history was collected on an electronic patient record form. The mean patient age was 38.6 years, with a female/male ratio of 8:2. The mean time since onset of the primary headache was 21 years, whereas duration of MOH was 3.9 years. The primary headache was migraine without aura in 77.5 % and migraine with aura in 18.8 %. Forty two % of the patients self-reported emotional stress associated with the chronification of headache; 43.8 % reported insomnia. The most overused medications were acute drug combinations containing ergotamine (70 %), NSAIDs (33.8 %) and triptans (5.4 %). Though little described, MOH is present also in LA, where it affects mostly women, in the most active decades of life. Some differences emerge as regards the demographic and clinical characteristics of MOH in this population as compared to Europe or Northern America. What seems more worrying about MOH in Argentina and Chile is that most patients overuse ergotamine, a drug that may cause serious adverse events when used chronically. These findings once more underscore the importance of properly diagnose and treat MOH.

  10. Psychopathological and demographic characteristics of hallucinating patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder: an analysis based on AMDP data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baethge, Christopher; Jänner, Michaela; Gaebel, Wolfgang; Malevani, Jaroslav

    2017-06-01

    Hallucinations are at the core of the diagnosis of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders, and many neuroscience studies focus on hallucinations. However, there is a lack of data on prevalence, subtyping, and clinical correlates of hallucinations as well as on the comparison of hallucinating schizophrenia versus hallucinating schizoaffective patients. Analysis of all psychopathology evaluations is based on the AMDP scale in a German psychiatric university hospital between 2007 and 2013 regarding patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (diagnosed according to ICD-10). Hallucinating versus non-hallucinating patients and age- and gender-matched hallucinating schizophrenic versus schizoaffective patients were compared with regard to key psychopathological and demographic characteristics. Relative to patients with schizoaffective disorder, patients with schizophrenia more often hallucinated at admission (36.6 vs. 16.2 %, RR: 2.3, p  other auditory > visual > somatic/tactile > olfactory/gustatory. Hallucinating patients of either disorder were more often affected with respect to delusions (83 vs. 62 % and 81 vs. 48 % among patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, respectively [both p schizoaffective disorder did not differ from hallucinating patients with schizophrenia. This is one of the few studies providing data on hallucinations in a routine clinical care setting. Hallucinations are a sign and likely a cause of greater illness severity. Patients with schizoaffective disorder less often experience hallucinations than patients with schizophrenia, but if they do, they seem to resemble patients with schizophrenia with regard to illness severity.

  11. Relationship between Motor Symptoms, Cognition, and Demographic Characteristics in Treated Mild/Moderate Parkinson's Disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jay S Schneider

    Full Text Available Although Parkinson's disease (PD is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized primarily by motor symptoms, PD patients, at all stages of the disease, can experience cognitive dysfunction. However, the relationships between cognitive and motor symptoms and specific demographic characteristics are not well defined, particularly for patients who have progressed to requiring dopaminergic medication.To examine relationships between motor and cognitive symptoms and various demographic factors in mild to moderate, PD patients requiring anti-PD medication.Cognitive function was assessed in 94 subjects with a variety of neuropsychological tests during baseline evaluations as part of an experimental treatment study. Data were analyzed in relation to Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor scores and demographic variables.Of the UPDRS subscores analyzed, posture/balance/gait was associated with the highest number of adverse cognitive outcomes followed by speech/facial expression, bradykinesia, and rigidity. No associations were detected between any of the cognitive performance measures and tremor. Motor functioning assessed in the "off" condition correlated primarily with disease duration; neuropsychological performance in general was primarily related to age.In PD patients who have advanced to requiring anti-PD therapies, there are salient associations between axial signs and cognitive performance and in particular, with different aspects of visuospatial function suggesting involvement of similar circuits in these functions. Associations between executive functions and bradykinesia also suggest involvement similar circuits in these functions.

  12. Socio-Demographic Characteristics Of Dog Meat Consumers In ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The need to understand consumer spread prompted this study, which had the general objective of understanding the socio-demographic characteristics of dog meat consumers Calabar area of Cross River State, Nigeria. Thirty two (32) dog meat joints, 16 in Calabar Municipality, and 16 in Calabar South Local Government ...

  13. [Association between vaginal secretion culture, socio-demographic characteristics and clinical manifestations of patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodrigues, Márcio Tavares; Gonçalves, Ana Carolina; Alvim, Mariana Carolina Tocantins; Castellano Filho, Didier Silveira; Zimmermmann, Juliana Barroso; da Silva, Vânia Lúcia; Diniz, Cláudio Galuppo

    2013-12-01

    To investigate the etiology and the epidemiological profile of patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and predisposing factors. Vaginal secretions were streaked in Sabouraud agar and yeast samples were isolated and identified by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Demographic and clinical data were obtained with a questionnaire. For statistical analysis, the Student's t-test, the χ² and Fischer tests were applied as needed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software, with the level of significance set at 5%. Sixty-nine patients aged from 15 to 52 years were evaluated. They were predominantly white (79.7%), with higher education (58%), married (56.5%) and sexually active (97.1%). Among them, 34.8% were pregnant, 7.2% diabetic, 1.4% seropositive for AIDS, and 36.2% were using oral contraceptives. Recent antibiotic therapy was mentioned by 13% of the patients, and antifungal or anti-trichomonas therapy was mentioned by 5.8 and 1.4% of the patients, respectively. Corticosteroid use was reported by 2.9% and antineoplastic by 1.4%. Vaginal discharge and itching were the main complaints (97.1 and 73.9%), followed by burning (63.8%) and erythema (63.8%). When present, the vaginal flow was predominantly white (88.1%) or lumpy (86.6%). The diagnosis was confirmed by culture in 55 (79.7%) patients, with mixed infections in 4 patients. The most prevalent species was C. albicans, followed by C. glabrata (one monoinfection and two mixed infections with C. albicans). C. lusitaniae and C. albicans were also identified in mixed infections (two patients). Despite the high culture positivity and clinical data characteristic of VVC, the symptoms were not pathognomonic. C. albicans is the most prevalent species, but other species are also involved in VVC etiology, such as the emergence of C. lusitaniae.

  14. The influence of farmer demographic characteristics on environmental behaviour: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burton, Rob J F

    2014-03-15

    Many agricultural studies have observed a relationship between farmer demographic characteristics and environmental behaviours. These relationships are frequently employed in the construction of models, the identification of farmer types, or as part of more descriptive analyses aimed at understanding farmers' environmental behaviour. However, they have also often been found to be inconsistent or contradictory. Although a considerable body of literature has built up around the subject area, research has a tendency to focus on factors such as the direction, strength and consistency of the relationship - leaving the issue of causality largely to speculation. This review addresses this gap by reviewing literature on 4 key demographic variables: age, experience, education, and gender for hypothesised causal links. Overall the review indicates that the issue of causality is a complex one. Inconsistent relationships can be attributed to the presence of multiple causal pathways, the role of scheme factors in determining which pathway is important, inadequately specified measurements of demographic characteristics, and the treatment of non-linear causalities as linear. In addition, all demographic characteristics were perceived to be influenced (to varying extents) by cultural-historical patterns leading to cohort effects or socialised differences in the relationship with environmental behaviour. The paper concludes that more work is required on the issue of causality. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Characteristics of Patients Involved in Psychotherapy in Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabina Alispahić

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the demographic and clinical characteristics of Bosnian and Herzegovinian patients involved in psychotherapeutic treatments in order to explore the current situation of psychotherapy in Bosnia and Herzegovina.Methods: The study included 213 patients (154 women and 47 men undergoing diverse psychotherapeutic treatments. Data about demographic and clinical characteristics were collected by questionnaire. Following characteristics were documented: age, sex, education, employment status, marital status, specific problem that got the client involved in psychotherapy, type of psychotherapy, and use of psychopharmacology.Results: Majority of the patients undergoing psychotherapy are age up to 40 and female. They are by vast majority holding a university degree and are employed. Nearly equal number of patients is living in partnership or marriage compared to single or never been married. Most frequent reasons for getting involved in the psychotherapy treatment are of the intrapersonal nature (depression, anxiety and panic attacks. Majority of the patients were involved in gestalt and cognitive behavioral psychotherapy, and at the same time majority of those were not prescribed medicaments.Conclusions: We point out and overview some of the most prominent socio-demographic traits of patients undergoing psychotherapy, the ones that could be important in the future research with the higher degree of control. In the terms of personal initiative, psychotherapy stops being a taboo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, there is still a long path until it reaches integration in daily life of the people.

  16. [The demographic and occupational characteristics of Italian migrants to Argentina, 1880-1930].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacopardo, M C; Moreno, J L

    1984-09-01

    "This essay studies...the demographic and socio-professional characteristics of the Italian emigrants in Argentina during the period 1880-1930. Besides a reconstruction of the demographic variables (age, sex, mortality, and fertility) in the historical series, the essay also depicts the professional profile of the Italians in Argentina...." (summary in ENG, FRE) excerpt

  17. Impacts of patient characteristics on hospital care experience in 34,000 Swedish patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wolf Axel

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Standardized patient surveys are widely used for assessing quality of healthcare from the patient perspective. An important purpose of such surveys is to identify disparities in care among different patient groups. The purpose of this study was to 1. evaluate aspects of the validity of the adapted Swedish version of the Picker Patient Care Experience -15 (PPE-15 survey and 2. examine the explanatory value of various socio-demographic and health characteristics in predicting patients’ care experiences. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study design was used. Patients discharged from internal medicine wards at regional and university hospitals in different parts of Sweden during 2010 were invited to participate in the regularly administered national care-experience survey for hospital care. The internal validity of the PPE-15 was assessed with Cronbach’s alpha and item-scale correlations. Pearson product–moment correlation coefficients were used to compare PPE-15 total scores with overall care satisfaction ratings and Spearman correlation coefficients were used to compare PPE-15 total scores with various patient characteristics. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to examine the influence of various patient characteristics on PPE-15 scores. Results The response rate was 66% (n = 34 603. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.87. The correlation between the PPE-15 total score and overall care satisfaction was high (0.62, p  Conclusions Our results supported the internal validity of the Swedish adapted version of the PPE-15. The explanatory value of the examined patient socio-demographic and health characteristics was low, suggesting the need for exploring other patient-related determinants of care experiences. Our findings also suggest a care paradox: patients in greatest need of hospital care are least satisfied with the quality of the care they receive.

  18. Comorbid Depressive Disorders in Anxiety-Disordered Youth: Demographic, Clinical, and Family Characteristics

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Neil, Kelly A.; Podell, Jennifer L.; Benjamin, Courtney L.; Kendall, Philip C.

    2010-01-01

    Research indicates that depression and anxiety are highly comorbid in youth. Little is known, however, about the clinical and family characteristics of youth with principal anxiety disorders and comorbid depressive diagnoses. The present study examined the demographic, clinical, and family characteristics of 200 anxiety-disordered children and…

  19. Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Intradialytic Hypertension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eftimovska-Otovic, Natasa; Grozdanovski, Risto; Taneva, Borjanka; Stojceva-Taneva, Olivera

    2015-01-01

    Intradialytic hypertension with a prevalence of 15% among hemodialysis patients is with unknown pathophysiology, demographic, laboratoiy and clinical characteristic of patients, and it's influence on longtenn clinical effects (cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, rate of hospitalization). The aim of the study is to present the clinical, laboratoiy and demographic characteristics of patients with intradialytic hypertension in our dialysis center. Out of 110 hemodialysis patients, 17 patients (15,45%) had intradialytic hypertension - started at a systolic pressure greater than 140 nun Hg or had an increase in systolic pressure more than 10 mm Hg during the session, and 17 patients were nonnotensive or had a drop in blood pressure dining the dialysis. HD were performed 3 times per week with a duration of 4-5 hours, on machines with controlled ultrafiltration and high flux syntetic membrane (polyetersulfon) sterilized with gamma rays. A dialysate with standard electrolytes content was used (Na(+) 138 mmol/L, K(+) 2,0 mmol/L, Ca(++) 1,5 mmol/L, Mg (+)1,0 mmol/L, CH(3)COO(-) 3,0 mmol/L, Cl -110 mmol/1, HCO(3)(-) 35 mmol/L). We analysed the following demographic and clinical characteristics: gender, age, BMI, dialysis vintage, vascular acces, cardiovascular comorbidity (cardiomyopathy, ischemic cardiac disease, peripheral artery disease, heart valve disease), number and type of antihypertensive drugs, weekly dose of erythropoesis - stimulating agent, standard monthly, three and six months laboratoiy analyzes, and sp Kt/V and PCR. Statistical analysis was performed using the statistical software SPSS 17.0. hi both groups men were predominant (IDH group 88.23%, control group 64.07%). The IDH group was older (59.00 ± 7.64 versus 49.00 ± 13.91, p = 0.314) and with lower BMI (p = 0.246) compared to the control group. The DDH patients had significantly lower serum sodium and higher sodium gradient (135.75 ± 2.03 versus 137.33 ± 1.97, p = 0.042; 2.25 ± 1.98 versus 0.66

  20. Coping strategies and socio-demographic characteristics among Jordanian caregivers of patients receiving hemodialysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eman Alnazly

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Individuals who care for family members receiving chronic hemodialysis (HD are likely to experience burdens that may adversely impact their patients. Effective coping strategies are shaped by various factors, including sociodemographic characteristics. To assess the relationship between caregivers and their patients, we studied 225 family-member caregivers of chronic HD patients through answering the Ways of Coping Questionnaire-Revised. Sociodemographic data, including caregiver age, gender, educational level, relationship to the patients, length of care time and weekly hours of caregiving were analyzed using the t-test, analysis of variance and least-significant difference post hoc test. Of the eight coping strategies investigated, seven were significantly related to at least one of the analyzed sociodemographic variables; these were confrontive coping, distancing, self-controlling, seeking social support, accepting responsibility, planful problem solving and positive reappraisal. The findings of the present study may be useful for administering dialysis by nurses for identifying coping strategies among caregivers and for establishing plans of care that would promote coping strategies in relation to the caregiver′s sociodemographic characteristics.

  1. Does Financial Literacy Moderate the Relationship among Demographic Characteristics and Financial Risk Tolerance? Evidence from Egypt

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amir Ali Shusha

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Financial risk tolerance is certainly an important topic for researchers, investors and personal financial planners or consultants. This study purposed to investigate the effect of demographic characteristics on financial risk tolerance among Egyptians. A literature review of demographic determinants of financial risk tolerance showed dialectical results. Therefore, this study attempts to clarify the debatable issues in these results by studying the moderating role of financial literacy in relationships among demographic characteristics and financial risk tolerance. The study sample included 386 respondents representing different segments of Egyptian people. Using the hierarchical regression analysis, the results demonstrated that there were significant effects of gender, age, educational level and annual income on financial risk tolerance. Moreover, the financial literacy moderates the relationships among demographic characteristics of individuals and their tendency to take a risk.

  2. Socio-demographic and fertility-related characteristics and motivations of oocyte donors in eleven European countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pennings, G; de Mouzon, J; Shenfield, F; Ferraretti, A P; Mardesic, T; Ruiz, A; Goossens, V

    2014-05-01

    Do the socio-demographic and fertility-related characteristics and motivations of oocyte donors differ in European countries? The socio-demographic and fertility-related characteristics and motivations of oocyte donors differ considerably across countries. There have been no other international studies comparing the characteristics of oocyte donors. Regarding their motivations, most studies indicate mixed motives. The proposed study was a transversal epidemiological study. Data were collected from 63 voluntarily participating assisted reproduction technology centres practising oocyte donation in 11 European countries (Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Greece, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, UK and Ukraine). The survey was conducted between September 2011 and June 2012 and ran for 1-6 calendar months depending on the number of cycles of oocyte donation performed at the centre. The sample size was computed in order to allow an estimate of the percentage of a relatively rare characteristic (∼2%) with a precision (95% confidence interval) of 1%. The calculation gave 1118 donors. In total, 1423 forms were obtained from oocyte donors. All consecutive donors in these centres filled out an anonymous questionnaire when they started their hormonal stimulation, asking for their socio-demographic and fertility-related characteristics, their motivations and compensation. Population characteristics were described and compared by country of donation. Motives for donation and mean amount of money were compared between countries and according to the donors characteristics. The socio-demographic and fertility-related characteristics and motivations of oocyte donors varied enormously across European countries. The number of received forms corresponded with a participation rate of 61.9% of the cycles performed by the participating centres. Mean age was 27.4 years. About 49% of donors were fully employed, 16% unemployed and 15% student. The motivation in the total group of

  3. The Interaction of Learning Disability Status and Student Demographic Characteristics on Mathematics Growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stevens, Joseph J; Schulte, Ann C

    This study examined mathematics achievement growth of students without disabilities (SWoD) and students with learning disabilities (LD) and tested whether growth and LD status interacted with student demographic characteristics. Growth was estimated in a statewide sample of 79,554 students over Grades 3 to 7. The LD group was significantly lower in achievement in each grade and had less growth than the SWoD group. We also found that student demographic characteristics were significantly related to mathematics growth, but only three demographic characteristics were statistically significant as interactions. We found that LD-SWoD differences at Grade 3 were moderated by student sex, while Black race/ethnicity and free or reduced lunch (FRL) status moderated LD-SWoD differences at all grades. These results provide practitioners and policy makers with more specific information about which particular LD students show faster or slower growth in mathematics. Our results show that simply including predictors in a regression equation may produce different results than direct testing of interactions and achievement gaps may be larger for some LD subgroups of students than previously reported.

  4. Adjuvant radiation therapy in uterine carcinosarcoma: A population-based analysis of patient demographic and clinical characteristics, patterns of care and outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manzerova, Julia; Sison, Cristina P; Gupta, Divya; Holcomb, Kevin; Caputo, Thomas A; Parashar, Bhupesh; Nori, Dattatreyudu; Wernicke, A Gabriella

    2016-05-01

    To examine clinical and demographic characteristics of a population-based cohort of patients with uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS), to assess access to treatment and survival patterns. Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database was queried for patients diagnosed in 1999-2010 and treated with surgery with or without adjuvant radiation therapy (aRT). The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival functions, and Cox proportional hazards regression - to analyze the effect of covariates on survival. 2342 patients were eligible. African Americans presented with more advanced AJCC stages than other races (35.4% vs. 29.1%; pAfrican Americans vs. others, and women diagnosed in 1999-2004 vs. in 2005-2010, received aRT at a similar rate: 36.5% vs. 39.9% (p=NS), and 39.5% vs. 38.9% (p=NS), respectively. There was a trend towards higher aRT utilization among patients younger than 65 vs. older (41.4% vs. 37.5%; paRT group: 42 vs. 22 (paRT group. African Americans were more likely to present with later stage disease and die of UCS than non-African Americans. Age and stage, but not race, influenced receipt of aRT. Patients treated more recently survived longer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Demographic and Behavioral Characteristics of Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Members

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansen, Robert Jack; Brady, E. Michael; Thaxton, Steven P.

    2016-01-01

    The number of lifelong learning institutes (LLIs) is growing across the United States and it is important for educational planners and administrators to know about current demographic and behavioral characteristics of program participants. A 14-question survey was administered via SurveyMonkey to members who use computers in eight Osher Lifelong…

  6. Clear associations between demographic and psychosocial factors and health-related quality of life in patients with early inflammatory joint complaints.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    G.A. Geuskens (Goedele); A. Burdorf (Alex); A.W.M. Evers (Arne); J.M.W. Hazes (Mieke)

    2008-01-01

    textabstractObjective. To identify demographic and psychosocial characteristics associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with early inflammatory joint complaints. Methods. In this cross-sectional study, patients had inflammatory joint complaints for less than 12 months.

  7. Demographic characteristics and visual status of patients undergoing cataract surgery at a tertiary hospital in Kano, Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurawa, Musbahu Sani; Abdu, Lawan

    2017-01-01

    Objective/Purpose: To describe the demographic and baseline ocular characteristics, prevalence of blindness and visual impairment among patients undergoing extracapsular cataract extraction for age related cataract at the study hospital over a one year period. Materials/Patients: All consecutive patients aged 40 years and above identified with age related cataract in one or both eyes who voluntarily agree to participate were included. The study adhered to the tenets of the Helsinki declaration. Written informed consent was obtained from all eligible patients. All patients underwent basic eye examination by the ophthalmologist. Visual impairment was determined for each eye according to the standard WHO categorizations. Information obtained also included age, sex and history of previous cataract surgery. Data were recorded in manual tally sheets and on modified computer Cataract Surgery Record forms. Analyses were done using SPSS (version 16, SPSS Inc., Chicago, USA). The participation rate was 91.2%. There were 495 eyes of 487 consecutive patients. This include 212 males and 275 females (M:F, 1:1.3). The age range was 40 to 99 years with a mean age of 62.76 ± 10.49 years (61.35 ± 9.75 years in men and 63.85±10.9 years in females). Most of the patients (n = 451; 92.6%, 95% CI: 89.9-94.6%) were aged 50 years and above. Sixty patients (12.3%, 95% CI: 9.6-15.5%) had cataract in both eyes, 427 (87.7%, 95% CI: 84.5-90.3%) were in one eye. Among these, preoperatively 16 (3.3%, 95% CI: 2.0-5.3%) had aphakia, 21 (4.3%, 95% CI: 2.8-6.5%) had uniocular pseudophakia. About 63.2% (95% CI: 58.9-67.4%) of patients had normal vision in the better eye (presenting VA ≥6/18). Overall 9.5% (95% CI: 7.3-12.7%) were bilaterally blind. About 96.8% of eyes (95% CI: 94.5-98.0%) undergoing cataract surgery were blind (presenting VAConclusion: The study highlights preponderance of females and high incidence of blinding cataract. Education and early disease awareness may play an important

  8. Clear associations between demographic and psychosocial factors and health-related quality of life in patients with early inflammatory joint complaints.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Geuskens, G.A.; Burdorf, A.; Evers, A.W.M.; Hazes, J.M.W.

    2008-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Objective. To identify demographic and psychosocial characteristics associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with early inflammatory joint complaints. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, patients had inflammatory joint complaints for less than 12 months. Data

  9. Characteristics of patients diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder compared with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pagel, Tobias; Baldessarini, Ross J; Franklin, Jeremy; Baethge, Christopher

    2013-05-01

    Information on basic demographic and clinical characteristics of schizoaffective disorder is sparse and subject to sampling bias and low diagnostic reliability. In the present study we aimed to: (i) estimate the demographic and clinical descriptors in schizoaffective disorder patients and (ii) compare the findings with those with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. To minimize sampling bias and low reliability, we systematically reviewed studies that simultaneously compared schizoaffective, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder patients. We estimated demographic, clinical, and psychometric characteristics based on weighted pooling, and compared disorders by meta-analysis. We also estimated whether schizoaffective disorder is closer to schizophrenia or to bipolar disorder. We identified 50 studies that included 18312 patients. Most characteristics of the 2684 schizoaffective disorder patients fell between those of 4814 diagnosed with bipolar disorder and 10814 with schizophrenia. However, the schizoaffective group had the highest proportion of women (52%), had the youngest age at illness onset (23.3 ± 3.8 years), and had the highest standardized ratings of psychosis and depression. Differences in pooled parameters between schizoaffective versus schizophrenia and versus bipolar disorder subjects were similar. Values for patients with schizoaffective disorders mostly were intermediate between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. However, the majority of studies showed schizoaffective patients to be more like schizophrenia than bipolar disorder patients in seven out of nine demographic and clinical categories as well as in five out of eight psychometric measures. These results remained similar when we restricted the analyses to studies with psychotic bipolar disorder patients only or to studies using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-IIIR and DSM-IV only. The present study provided estimates of important characteristics of schizoaffective

  10. Demographic, Operational, and Healthcare Utilization Factors Associated with Emergency Department Patient Satisfaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan, Matthew W.; Salzman, Joshua G.; LeFevere, Robert C.; Thomas, Avis J.; Isenberger, Kurt M.

    2015-01-01

    Introduction The primary aim of this study was to determine which objectively-measured patient demographics, emergency department (ED) operational characteristics, and healthcare utilization frequencies (care factors) were associated with patient satisfaction ratings obtained from phone surveys conducted by a third-party vendor for patients discharged from our ED. Methods This is a retrospective, observational analysis of data obtained between September 2011 and August 2012 from all English- and Spanish-speaking patients discharged from our ED who were contacted by a third-party patient satisfaction vendor to complete a standardized nine-item telephone survey by a trained phone surveyor. We linked data from completed surveys to the patient’s electronic medical record to abstract additional demographic, ED operational, and healthcare utilization data. We used univariate ordinal logistic regression, followed by two multivariate models, to identify significant predictors of patient satisfaction. Results We included 20,940 patients for analysis. The overall patient satisfaction ratings were as follows: 1=471 (2%); 2=558 (3%); 3=2,014 (10%), 4=5,347 (26%); 5=12,550 (60%). Factors associated with higher satisfaction included race/ethnicity (Non-Hispanic Black; Hispanic patients), age (patients ≥65), insurance (Medicare), mode of arrival (arrived by bus or on foot), and having a medication ordered in the ED. Patients who felt their medical condition did not improve, those treated in our ED behavioral health area, and those experiencing longer wait times had reduced satisfaction. Conclusion These findings provide a basis for development and evaluation of targeted interventions that could be used to improve patient satisfaction in our ED. PMID:26265963

  11. Relationship between students’ motivation and their socio-demographic characteristics

    OpenAIRE

    Vesna Cigan

    2014-01-01

    This article presents the results of research on the relationship between indicators of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in students attending higher education institutions, and their socio-demographic characteristics: the type of upper secondary education completed, secondary education grade point average, year of study, gender, and parents’ education.  The research was conducted in March 2012, through a survey questionnaire administered to a sample of 604 respondents. The questionnai...

  12. Demographic, clinical and treatment characteristics among Meuhedet sick fund mental health referrals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mishkin, Arie; Cohen-Hadad, Gerard; Lang, Michal; Kofler, Esther; Vardi, Yoel; Schrira, Samuel; Heresco-Levy, Uriel

    2003-01-01

    The role of the sick funds in the delivery of mental health outpatient services is expected to increase in Israel in the near future. Consequently there is an urgent need for assessing relevant parameters of the patient populations and treatment patterns presently characterizing sick fund's mental health delivery frameworks. During a random census month all patients who referred to Kupat Holim Meuhedet mental health services in Jerusalem district completed structured questionnaires including demographic, medical and mental health history data, and the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90). The professionals who performed the screening assessments filled in a structured questionnaire referring to clinical status parameters, diagnosis and treatment decisions. Eighty-three new referrals were screened during the period studied, out of which 54 (65%) were absorbed within the treatment framework of the sick fund. Women patients were twice as numerous as men. The sample was heterogeneous in terms of demographic characteristics and included relatively high rates of recent physical injury and medical hospitalization. Only approximately 10% of the patients had been referred by their family doctor and only approximately 3% had psychotic disorders. The symptom profile reported was characterized by mild to moderate severity and the most common DSM-IV diagnoses made were depressive, anxiety adjustment and personality disorders. About 50% of the sample was recommended individual psychotherapy and though not mutually exclusive approximately 40% psychotropic medication. Relatively small sample size and catchment area. Before generalization of the findings, larger scale studies are warranted. This pilot study offers a rigorous examination of the content of care of a small sick fund mental health delivery system. Our findings may be instrumental in the development of new services and adaptations to changes in mental health policies.

  13. Socio-demographic characteristics and challenges experienced by disabled patients living with HIV/AIDS in a tertiary hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olowookere, S A; Adewole, I F

    2012-09-01

    HIV/AIDS is highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa and few studies had looked at physically and mentally challenged people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in this environment. This study aimed to describe the socio-demographic characteristics and challenges faced by these patients attending University College Hospital, Ibadan. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was done. A semi-structured interviewer administered questionnaire was administered to consecutive disabled PLHIV over a period of six months. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. A total of ninety-nine patients were seen during the study period. The mean age of these patients was 39.9 +/- 9.4 years (range 23-60 years). There were 30 (30.3%) males and 69 (69.7%) females. Twenty-four percent had no formal education while 12% had tertiary education. All respondents had suffered stigmatization/discrimination while most were poor. Eighty-seven percent had AIDS at presentation. Musculoskeletal impairments (46.5%), hearing loss (16.2%) and visual impairment (31.3%) were the commonest disability. Over twenty-three percent had prior history of road traffic accident as the cause of disability. Physically and mentally challenged people living with HIV/AIDS are poor and highly stigmatized. They require special assistance to cope and need economic empowerment to reduce their poverty level.

  14. Demographic, behavioral, and psychometric characteristics of persons denied unescorted access on the basis of psychological assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berghausen, P.E.

    1988-01-01

    This paper examines the demographic, behavioral, and psychometric characteristics of persons who were denied unescorted access authorization for protected areas and vital islands of nuclear power plants, in accordance with the relevant proposed rule of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Demographic characteristics examined include age, sex, occupation, education, marital status, and number of children. Behavioral characteristics examined include substance use/abuse/treatment and instances of antisocial behavior. Psychometric characteristics examined include elevations on basic MMPI clinical scales, elevations on special indices of psychosis and substance abuse, and endorsement of so-called critical items

  15. Do Demographic Characteristics Make Differences? Demographic Characteristics as Moderators in the Associations between Only Child Status and Cognitive/Non-cognitive Outcomes in China

    OpenAIRE

    Liu, Ning; Chen, Yiting; Yang, Xiangdong; Hu, Yi

    2017-01-01

    Different family compositions and sizes may affect child development through the different modes of interaction between family members. Previous studies have compared only children with non-only children in cognitive/non-cognitive outcomes. However, relatively little research has systematically investigated the potential moderators among them. Using a large and representative sample of Chinese students (Grades 7?8; N = 5,752), this study examines the roles of demographic characteristics, such...

  16. Influence of stress factors and socio-demographic characteristics on the sleep quality of nursing students

    OpenAIRE

    Benavente, Sonia Betzabeth Ticona; Silva, Rodrigo Marques da; Higashi, Aline Baraldi; Guido, Laura de Azevedo; Costa, Ana Lucia Siqueira

    2014-01-01

    Objective:To analyze the influence of stress factors and socio-demographic characteristics on the sleep quality of nursing students. Method: An analytical cross-sectional and quantitative study, conducted with 151 nursing students in São Paulo between March and April of 2012. A form for socio-demographic characteristics, the Instrument to Evaluate Stress in Nursing Students and the Pittsburgh Sleep Index were applied. Results: High levels of stress was predominant for Time Management (27.8%) ...

  17. THE INFLUENCE OF TOP MANAGEMENT DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS ON DECISION MAKING APPROACHES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivana Bulog

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Today’s organizational environment requires managers to be an excellent decision maker with the ability to make effective decisions which will shape business performance. Because of the role that managers have in today’s business settings, research interest in the relationship between individual characteristics and managerial decision making in all its aspects has increased over the last decade. This paper aims to provide an overview and discussion of how individuals make choices and decisions by examining the influence of top management demographic characteristics on decision making approaches. Findings suggest that demographic characteristics appear to be valuable for predicting which decision making approach managers prefer. The results of the study show that the average age and education level of decision makers is positively related to the rational decision making approach and negatively to the intuitive decision making approach. Tenure is positively related to the intuitive decision making approach, but the influence is not statistically significant. Also, a difference in the decision making approach was found with respect to gender. In light of the research findings, implications and limitations were discussed and some possibilities for future research are suggested.

  18. Psychosocial and demographic factors influencing pain scores of patients with knee osteoarthritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eberly, Lauren; Richter, Dustin; Comerci, George; Ocksrider, Justin; Mercer, Deana; Mlady, Gary; Wascher, Daniel; Schenck, Robert

    2018-01-01

    Pain levels in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee are commonly assessed by using a numeric scoring system, but results may be influenced by factors other than the patient's actual physical discomfort or disease severity, including psychosocial and demographic variables. We examined the possible relation between knee-pain scores and several psychosocial, sociodemographic, disease, and treatment variables in 355 patients with knee OA. The pain-evaluation instrument was a 0- to 10-point rating scale. Data obtained retrospectively from the patients' medical records were demographic characteristics, body mass index (BMI), concomitant disorders, illicit and prescription drug use, alcohol use, smoking, knee OA treatment, and severity of knee OA indicated by Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) radiographic grade. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine whether these variables correlated with reported pain scores. On univariate analysis, higher pain scores were significantly associated with Native American or Hispanic ethnicity; a higher BMI; current prescription for an opioid, antidepressant, or gabapentinoid medication; depression; diabetes mellitus; fibromyalgia; illicit drug use; lack of health insurance; smoking; previous knee injection; and recommendation by the clinician that the patient undergo knee surgery. Neither the patient's sex nor the KL grade showed a correlation. On multivariate analysis, depression, current opioid prescription, and Native American or Hispanic ethnicity retained a significant association with higher pain scores. Our results in a large, ethnically diverse group of patients with knee OA suggest that psychosocial and sociodemographic factors may be important determinants of pain levels reported by patients with knee OA.

  19. The Familial Factors and Demographic Characteristics of Children with Drug Poisoning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muzaffer Özenir

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the demographic characteristics, role of family factors, etiology and the factors affecting the prognosis in children who had been admitted to our hospital between 04 August 2007 and 24 January 2009 due to intoxication and, based on these data, to determine the preventive measures that can be taken. Methods: One hundred and one children (61 girls and 33 boys were included in the study. Patient age and sex, manner of poisoning, time between ingestion of poison and hospital admission, and attitudes and behaviors of families were recorded. Results: The poisoned patients represented 1.23%of all pediatric emergency admissions. The mean age of the patients was 6.75±5.30 years (range: 2-16. Self-poisoning was detected in 49 cases and 52 cases were accidental poisoning. It was seen that adolescent over 12 years of age were more prone to suicidal poisoning and children aged 2-6 years were more susceptible to accidental poisoning. Paracetamol (13.8% and amitriptyline (10.7% were the most common drugs. Conclusion: Although there are important improvements in the management of intoxication,family education and preventive measurements are of great importance. (The Medical Bulletin of Haseki 2013;51:157-61

  20. Socio-demographic characteristics as determinants of differences in perception of local gastronomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vuksanović Nikola

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to research differences in socio-demographic characteristics of foreign tourists in consumption of local food in the city centres Belgrade and Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia. The research was conducted on a sample of 673 respondents. The results of this study point out the importance of socio-demographic variables in research of local gastronomy as a significant component of tourism product. The research included the determining of the impact of the city the tourists stayed at. The differences were examined via two-factor ANOVA analysis of variance. The obtained results indicate that there are differences between age groups, in the level of education, monthly income and countries that foreign tourists come from, whereas there is no difference between genders in relation to the perception of local gastronomy. At the same time, the findings indicate that there are no differences in the perception of local gastronomy between the cities of Novi Sad and Belgrade. The results confirm previous studies and point out the significance of socio-demographic characteristics of foreign tourists in their perception of local gastronomy and adapting it to the visitors, regardless of the city they visited.

  1. Demographic Factors and Hospital Size Predict Patient Satisfaction Variance- Implications for Hospital Value-Based Purchasing

    Science.gov (United States)

    McFarland, Daniel C.; Ornstein, Katherine; Holcombe, Randall F.

    2016-01-01

    Background Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) incentivizes quality performance based healthcare by linking payments directly to patient satisfaction scores obtained from Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) surveys. Lower HCAHPS scores appear to cluster in heterogeneous population dense areas and could bias CMS reimbursement. Objective Assess nonrandom variation in patient satisfaction as determined by HCAHPS. Design Multivariate regression modeling was performed for individual dimensions of HCAHPS and aggregate scores. Standardized partial regression coefficients assessed strengths of predictors. Weighted Individual (hospital) Patient Satisfaction Adjusted Score (WIPSAS) utilized four highly predictive variables and hospitals were re-ranked accordingly. Setting 3,907 HVBP-participating hospitals. Patients 934,800 patient surveys, by most conservative estimate. Measurements 3,144 county demographics (U.S. Census), and HCAHPS. Results Hospital size and primary language (‘non-English speaking’) most strongly predicted unfavorable HCAHPS scores while education and white ethnicity most strongly predicted favorable HCAHPS scores. The average adjusted patient satisfaction scores calculated by WIPSAS approximated the national average of HCAHPS scores. However, WIPSAS changed hospital rankings by variable amounts depending on the strength of the predictive variables in the hospitals’ locations. Structural and demographic characteristics that predict lower scores were accounted for by WIPSAS that also improved rankings of many safety-net hospitals and academic medical centers in diverse areas. Conclusions Demographic and structural factors (e.g., hospital beds) predict patient satisfaction scores even after CMS adjustments. CMS should consider WIPSAS or a similar adjustment to account for the severity of patient satisfaction inequities that hospitals could strive to correct. PMID:25940305

  2. Radiation oncologists in 2000: demographic, professional, and practice characteristics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cypel, Yasmin; Sunshine, Jonathan H.; Schepps, Barbara

    2002-01-01

    Purpose: To describe the demographic, professional, and practice characteristics of radiation oncologists, emphasizing comparisons to data from a similar 1995 Survey. Methods and Materials: In spring 2000, we surveyed 603 randomly selected radiation oncologists by mail, using a one-page questionnaire - 455 responded. We weighted responses to make answers representative of all radiation oncologists in the United States. Results: Approximately 45% of post-training, professionally active, radiation oncologists were <45 years old and 22% were women. Forty-two percent of radiation oncologists in training were women. Thirty-three percent of radiation-oncology-only practices were solo practices. The greatest percentage of post-training, professionally active, radiation oncologists were in nonacademic private radiation oncology practices. Fifty-three percent of post-training, professionally active, radiation oncologists reported that their workload was about right. Eighteen percent of individuals 60-64 years old and approximately two-thirds of those ≥65 years old were not working (retired). The full-time equivalency of those aged 55-74 fell by 12 percentage points between 1995 and 2000. Conclusions: Most demographic, professional, and practice characteristics remained relatively constant between 1995 and 2000, with the exception of work status patterns. Radiation oncologists reported a more balanced workload than that reported by diagnostic radiologists. The surplus of radiation oncologists, which was predicted in the mid-1990s, was not demonstrated

  3. An Exploration of Adolescent Emotional Intelligence in Relation to Demographic Characteristics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrod, Nicholas R.; Scheer, Scott D.

    2005-01-01

    Emotional intelligence (EI) was measured in 200 youth ages 16-19. EI scores were compared to demographic characteristics of the individuals (age, sex, household income, parents' level of education, and location of residence). Findings indicate that EI levels were positively related to females, parents' education, and household income. The study…

  4. Demographic factors and hospital size predict patient satisfaction variance--implications for hospital value-based purchasing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McFarland, Daniel C; Ornstein, Katherine A; Holcombe, Randall F

    2015-08-01

    Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) incentivizes quality performance-based healthcare by linking payments directly to patient satisfaction scores obtained from Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) surveys. Lower HCAHPS scores appear to cluster in heterogeneous population-dense areas and could bias Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reimbursement. Assess nonrandom variation in patient satisfaction as determined by HCAHPS. Multivariate regression modeling was performed for individual dimensions of HCAHPS and aggregate scores. Standardized partial regression coefficients assessed strengths of predictors. Weighted Individual (hospital) Patient Satisfaction Adjusted Score (WIPSAS) utilized 4 highly predictive variables, and hospitals were reranked accordingly. A total of 3907 HVBP-participating hospitals. There were 934,800 patient surveys by the most conservative estimate. A total of 3144 county demographics (US Census) and HCAHPS surveys. Hospital size and primary language (non-English speaking) most strongly predicted unfavorable HCAHPS scores, whereas education and white ethnicity most strongly predicted favorable HCAHPS scores. The average adjusted patient satisfaction scores calculated by WIPSAS approximated the national average of HCAHPS scores. However, WIPSAS changed hospital rankings by variable amounts depending on the strength of the predictive variables in the hospitals' locations. Structural and demographic characteristics that predict lower scores were accounted for by WIPSAS that also improved rankings of many safety-net hospitals and academic medical centers in diverse areas. Demographic and structural factors (eg, hospital beds) predict patient satisfaction scores even after CMS adjustments. CMS should consider WIPSAS or a similar adjustment to account for the severity of patient satisfaction inequities that hospitals could strive to correct. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine.

  5. Demographic, clinical, and genetic characteristics of patients with medullary thyroid cancer in the past 16 years in Castilla-La Mancha.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Louhibi, Lynda; Marco, Amparo; Pinés, Pedro J; Padillo, José C; Gómez, Inés; Valero, Miguel A; Alramadán, Mubarak; Herranz, Sandra; Aguirre, Miguel; Hernández, Antonio

    2014-10-01

    Medullary thyroid cancer is a rare tumor that is more aggressive and has a worse prognosis than differentiated thyroid cancer. The purpose of this study was to report the demographic, clinical, and genetic characteristics of patients seen in the health care system of the community of Castilla-La Mancha over a 16-year period. Data were collected through a review of patients' medical records. The medical records of 58 patients (mean age at diagnosis, 51 years; range, 6-82 years; 63.8% women) were reviewed. Prevalence rate was 2.84 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, with a high variability between areas (range, 0-5.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants). Familial cases accounted for 34.5% of all medullary thyroid cancers, and the most common mutation was C634Y. The condition was most commonly diagnosed following palpation of a cervical lump (70.6%). At diagnosis, 56 of 58 patients underwent ultrasound and 8 of 58 patients were tested for serum calcitonin. Tumor multicentricity was reported in 59 and 50% of patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2A and 2B, respectively, and in no sporadic cases. Fifty-two percent of patients had an advanced stage (iii or iv) at diagnosis. Median follow-up was 36 months (interquartile range, 14-210); 11 patients were lost to follow-up. In Castilla-La Mancha, medullary thyroid cancer is diagnosed by cervical ultrasound, rather than calcitonin assay. There is a high prevalence of both familial and sporadic medullary thyroid cancer, and a significant variability in the type of proto-oncogen rearranged during transfection mutation as compared to the rest of the Spanish population. Copyright © 2013 SEEN. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  6. Cross-national differences in women's repartnering behaviour in Europe: The role of individual demographic characteristics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulina Gałęzewska

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: With rising union instability across Europe, more individuals now re-enter the partner market and eventually repartner. The increase in cohabitation may also be influencing repartnering behaviour. While several studies examine individual-level characteristics related to repartnering, few take a broader view and compare repartnering levels or explore how demographic characteristics associated with repartnering differ across Europe. Objective: We describe levels of repartnering and the characteristics of those exposed to repartnering in 11 European countries. We then examine whether the relationship between women's demographic characteristics at union dissolution and repartnering are similar or different across countries. Given the recent increase in cohabitation, we pay particular attention to prior cohabitation and marriage, but we also compare age at first union dissolution, first union duration, and presence of children. Methods: Using the Harmonized Histories database, we apply discrete-time hazard models separately by country and to pooled cross-national data. Results: Despite large differences in levels of repartnering, in most countries we find similar associations between demographic characteristics and repartnering. First union type did not matter after controlling for age and children, except in France, where those who previously cohabited had significantly lower risks of repartnering. Age at union dissolution and presence of children are negatively associated with repartnering in almost all countries. Conclusions: Although cohabitation has increased everywhere, prior experience of a coresidential partnership outside of formal marriage makes little difference to repartnering behaviour after controls (except in France. However, regardless of country, older women and/or mothers are less likely to form second unions. Contribution: This study contributes to previous research by examining whether the effects of women

  7. Socio-demographics characteristics and health conditions of older homeless persons of Lima, Peru

    OpenAIRE

    Moquillaza-Risco, Marlene; Programa Nacional Vida Digna (PNVD), Ministerio de la Mujer y Poblaciones Vulnerables. Lima, Perú.; León, Elsa; Programa Nacional Vida Digna (PNVD), Ministerio de la Mujer y Poblaciones Vulnerables. Lima, Perú.; Dongo, Mario; Programa Nacional Vida Digna (PNVD), Ministerio de la Mujer y Poblaciones Vulnerables. Lima, Perú.; Munayco, César V.; Programa Nacional Vida Digna (PNVD), Ministerio de la Mujer y Poblaciones Vulnerables. Lima, Perú.

    2015-01-01

    Objectives. Determine the socio-demographics characteristics and health conditions of older homeless persons at the time of enrollment into the National Program “Vida Digna” and the probability of functional dependency by age, and stratified by gender and cognitive impairment. Materials ande methods. We performed a cross sectional study, reviewing all registration forms of the program in order to identify socio-demographic variables and health conditions of older homeless persons at the time ...

  8. The influence of demographic factors and health-related quality of life on treatment satisfaction in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease treated with esomeprazole

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    El-Dika Samer

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The correlation between treatment satisfaction and demographic characteristics, symptoms, or health-related quality of life (HRQL in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD is unknown. The objective of this study was to assess correlates of treatment satisfaction in patients with GERD receiving a proton pump inhibitor, esomeprazole. Methods Adult GERD patients (n = 217 completed demography, symptom, HRQL, and treatment satisfaction questionnaires at baseline and/or after treatment with esomeprazole 40 mg once daily for 4 weeks. We used multiple linear regressions with treatment satisfaction as the dependent variable and demographic characteristics, baseline symptoms, baseline HRQL, and change scores in HRQL as independent variables. Results Among the demographic variables only Caucasian ethnicity was positively associated with treatment satisfaction. Greater vitality assessed by the Quality of Life in Reflux and Dyspepsia (QOLRAD and worse heartburn assessed by a four-symptom scale at baseline, were associated with greater treatment satisfaction. The greater the improvement on the QOLRAD vitality (change score, the more likely the patient is to be satisfied with the treatment. Conclusions Ethnicity, baseline vitality, baseline heartburn severity, and change in QOLRAD vitality correlate with treatment satisfaction in patients with GERD.

  9. The role of socio demographic variables in predicting patients ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Radiological examination remains a vital and integral aspect of health services delivery and patient satisfaction with radiological service remains beneficial both to patients and hospitals. Aim: To evaluate the influence of patient's socio demographic variables on satisfaction with radiological services. Subjects ...

  10. Demographic profile of patients diagnosed with intracranial ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Abstract. Background: Meningiomas are common brain tumours and display gender, racial and ethnic differences in their demographic profile. ... The mean age of patients was 45.7 ± 10.5 years with a female-to-male ratio of 3.8:1. The mean ...

  11. Characteristics of Patients with Tuberculous Pleural Effusion in Rural Nepal

    OpenAIRE

    M S Paudel; Anjana Kafle; Bishal Khatri Chhetri; Sahadev Prasad Dhungana; Anuj Poudel; Shamsuddhin .

    2013-01-01

      Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in developing countries. Tubercular Pleural effusion is the second most common form of extra pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB), superseded in Prevalence only by lymph node tuberculosis. Pleural effusion occurs in approximately 5% of patients with TB. The purpose of this study was to assess the demographic characteristics of patients presenting with pleural effusion in rural Nepal.   Methods: A retrospe...

  12. Clinical and demographic characteristics associated with the receipt of chemotherapy treatment among 7951 elderly metastatic colon cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reese, Emily S; Onukwugha, Eberechukwu; Hanna, Nader; Seal, Brian S; Mullins, C Daniel

    2013-12-01

    Among older individuals diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer (mCC) there is limited evidence available that describes the characteristics associated with advancing to second- and subsequent lines of treatment with chemotherapy/biologics. Our objective was to describe the trends and lines of treatment received among elderly mCC patients. Elderly beneficiaries diagnosed with mCC from 2003 to 2007 were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)-Medicare dataset. Beneficiaries were followed up until death or censoring. Treatment lines were classified in combinations of chemotherapies and biologics. Modified Poisson regression was used to predict receipt of lines of treatment. Analyses controlled for age, race/ethnicity, gender, marital status, state buy-in during diagnosis year, SEER-registry site, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), poor performance indicators, surgery of primary site, and surgery of regional/distal sites. Among 7951 Medicare beneficiaries identified with mCC, 3266 initiated therapy. Of these, 1440 advanced to second-line treatment. Of these, 274 advanced to a subsequent-line treatment. Surgeries of the primary tumor site and of the regional/distal sites and marital status were the most significant variables associated with advancing through second- and subsequent-line treatments. Greater than 80 years of age, African American race, SEER-registry area, less than 6 months state buy-in assistance in mCC diagnosis year, and having poor performance indicators were inversely associated with receipt of second- or subsequent-line treatments. Among elderly individuals diagnosed with mCC, we identified demographic, clinical, and regional factors associated with receipt of second- and subsequent-line chemotherapy/biologics. Additional research is warranted to understand the role of physician versus patient preferences as well as geographic differences explaining why patients advance through lines of chemotherapy. © 2013 The Authors

  13. Student Media in U.S. Secondary Schools: Associations with School Demographic Characteristics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bobkowski, Piotr S.; Goodman, Mark; Bowen, Candace Perkins

    2012-01-01

    This study provides an up-to-date counting of student media in U.S. public high schools. The analysis underscores the importance of school demographic characteristics in predicting whether schools offer student media. The disparities identified here should inform how journalism schools, scholastic journalism organizations, funding agencies, and…

  14. Perception of Symmetry in Aesthetic Rhinoplasty Patients: Anthropometric, Demographic, and Psychological Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abbas, Ozan Luay; Kurkcuoglu, Ayla; Aytop, Cigdem Derya; Uysal, Cengiz; Pelin, Can

    2017-10-01

    Visual perception of symmetry is a major determinant of satisfaction after aesthetic rhinoplasty. In this study, we sought to investigate the existence of any relationship between anthropometric characteristics of the face and visual perceptions of asymmetry among rhinoplasty patients and to evaluate tools that can shed light on patients who appear at high risk for exaggerating potential asymmetries. In the first part, 168 rhinoplasty patients were asked to fill out the demographic questionnaire, nasal shape evaluation scale, and the somatosensory amplification scale. In the second part, we examined the relationship between anthropometric characteristics of the face and visual perceptions of asymmetry using standardized photographs of 100 medical students. In the third part, patients answered the rhinoplasty outcome evaluation questionnaire 6 months after the surgery. Objectively, no symmetrical face was observed in the anthropometric evaluation. Subjectively, only 73% and 54% of the faces were considered asymmetrical by the rhinoplasty and the control groups, respectively. The rate of asymmetry perception was significantly greater in revision patients when compared with primary rhinoplasty patients. The relationship between the rate of subjective perception of asymmetry and the somatosensory amplification scale scores was statistically significant. We found a significant inverse relationship between the rate of asymmetry perception and the rhinoplasty outcome evaluation scores. Plastic surgeons should be aware of this high selectivity in asymmetry perception, which is associated with poor postoperative satisfaction. Somatosensory amplification scale may help identify rhinoplasty patients at a high risk for exaggerating potential asymmetries. III.

  15. Demographic and clinical features and prescribing patterns of psychotropic medications in patients with the melancholic subtype of major depressive disorder in China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu-Tao Xiang

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Little has been known about the demographic and clinical features of the melancholic subtype of major depressive disorder (MDD in Chinese patients. This study examined the frequency of melancholia in Chinese MDD patients and explored its demographic and clinical correlates and prescribing patterns of psychotropic drugs. METHODS: A consecutively collected sample of 1,178 patients with MDD were examined in 13 psychiatric hospitals or psychiatric units of general hospitals in China nationwide. The cross-sectional data of patients' demographic and clinical characteristics and prescriptions of psychotropic drugs were recorded using a standardized protocol and data collection procedure. The diagnosis of the melancholic subtype was established using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI. Medications ascertained included antidepressants, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics and benzodiazepines. RESULTS: Six hundred and twenty nine (53.4% of the 1,178 patients fulfilled criteria for melancholia. In multiple logistic regression analyses, compared to non-melancholic counterparts, melancholic MDD patients were more likely to be male and receive benzodiazepines, had more frequent suicide ideations and attempts and seasonal depressive episodes, while they were less likely to be employed and receive antidepressants and had less family history of psychiatric disorders and lifetime depressive episodes. CONCLUSIONS: The demographic and clinical features of melancholic MDD in Chinese patients were not entirely consistent with those found in Western populations. Compared to non-melancholic MDD patients, melancholic patients presented with different demographic and clinical features, which have implications for treatment decisions.

  16. The Current Landscape of US Pediatric Anesthesiologists: Demographic Characteristics and Geographic Distribution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muffly, Matthew K; Muffly, Tyler M; Weterings, Robbie; Singleton, Mark; Honkanen, Anita

    2016-07-01

    There is no comprehensive database of pediatric anesthesiologists, their demographic characteristics, or geographic location in the United States. We endeavored to create a comprehensive database of pediatric anesthesiologists by merging individuals identified as US pediatric anesthesiologists by the American Board of Anesthesiology, National Provider Identifier registry, Healthgrades.com database, and the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia membership list as of November 5, 2015. Professorial rank was accessed via the Association of American Medical Colleges and other online sources. Descriptive statistics characterized pediatric anesthesiologists' demographics. Pediatric anesthesiologists' locations at the city and state level were geocoded and mapped with the use of ArcGIS Desktop 10.1 mapping software (Redlands, CA). We identified 4048 pediatric anesthesiologists in the United States, which is approximately 8.8% of the physician anesthesiology workforce (n = 46,000). The median age of pediatric anesthesiologists was 49 years (interquartile range, 40-57 years), and the majority (56.4%) were men. Approximately two-thirds of identified pediatric anesthesiologists were subspecialty board certified in pediatric anesthesiology, and 33% of pediatric anesthesiologists had an identified academic affiliation. There is substantial heterogeneity in the geographic distribution of pediatric anesthesiologists by state and US Census Division with urban clustering. This description of pediatric anesthesiologists' demographic characteristics and geographic distribution fills an important gap in our understanding of pediatric anesthesia systems of care.

  17. The geography of happiness: connecting twitter sentiment and expression, demographics, and objective characteristics of place.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lewis Mitchell

    Full Text Available We conduct a detailed investigation of correlations between real-time expressions of individuals made across the United States and a wide range of emotional, geographic, demographic, and health characteristics. We do so by combining (1 a massive, geo-tagged data set comprising over 80 million words generated in 2011 on the social network service Twitter and (2 annually-surveyed characteristics of all 50 states and close to 400 urban populations. Among many results, we generate taxonomies of states and cities based on their similarities in word use; estimate the happiness levels of states and cities; correlate highly-resolved demographic characteristics with happiness levels; and connect word choice and message length with urban characteristics such as education levels and obesity rates. Our results show how social media may potentially be used to estimate real-time levels and changes in population-scale measures such as obesity rates.

  18. The geography of happiness: connecting twitter sentiment and expression, demographics, and objective characteristics of place.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Lewis; Frank, Morgan R; Harris, Kameron Decker; Dodds, Peter Sheridan; Danforth, Christopher M

    2013-01-01

    We conduct a detailed investigation of correlations between real-time expressions of individuals made across the United States and a wide range of emotional, geographic, demographic, and health characteristics. We do so by combining (1) a massive, geo-tagged data set comprising over 80 million words generated in 2011 on the social network service Twitter and (2) annually-surveyed characteristics of all 50 states and close to 400 urban populations. Among many results, we generate taxonomies of states and cities based on their similarities in word use; estimate the happiness levels of states and cities; correlate highly-resolved demographic characteristics with happiness levels; and connect word choice and message length with urban characteristics such as education levels and obesity rates. Our results show how social media may potentially be used to estimate real-time levels and changes in population-scale measures such as obesity rates.

  19. The Geography of Happiness: Connecting Twitter Sentiment and Expression, Demographics, and Objective Characteristics of Place

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Lewis; Frank, Morgan R.; Harris, Kameron Decker; Dodds, Peter Sheridan; Danforth, Christopher M.

    2013-01-01

    We conduct a detailed investigation of correlations between real-time expressions of individuals made across the United States and a wide range of emotional, geographic, demographic, and health characteristics. We do so by combining (1) a massive, geo-tagged data set comprising over 80 million words generated in 2011 on the social network service Twitter and (2) annually-surveyed characteristics of all 50 states and close to 400 urban populations. Among many results, we generate taxonomies of states and cities based on their similarities in word use; estimate the happiness levels of states and cities; correlate highly-resolved demographic characteristics with happiness levels; and connect word choice and message length with urban characteristics such as education levels and obesity rates. Our results show how social media may potentially be used to estimate real-time levels and changes in population-scale measures such as obesity rates. PMID:23734200

  20. Examination of the Relationship between Demographic Characteristics of the Family and the Language Development of Children

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akçay, Ahmet

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between the demographic characteristics and the language development of children. In the research, a "Personal Information Form" consisting of 14 items containing information about the demographic structure of the family was used and a "Language Development Checklist"…

  1. Demographics of Patients with Double-headed Pterygium and Surgical Outcomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fulya Duman

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: To analyze demographic and ophthalmologic characteristics of patients with double-headed pterygium in the Mediterranean region of Turkey and to evaluate their surgical outcomes. Materials and Methods: Records of all patients who underwent surgery for pterygium in Antalya Atatürk State Hospital between November 2012 and March 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with pterygia on both sides of the cornea (nasal and temporal were included in the study. Patients with less than six months of follow-up were excluded. Age, occupation and smoking status of patients, recurrence of pterygium and any existing complications in records were evaluated. Fibrovascular proliferation more than 0.5 mm over the cornea was accepted as recurrence. Results: Eight (5% of 158 patients who underwent pterygium surgery were diagnosed with double-headed pterygium. Six (75% of the patients were male and two (25% were female. Mean age was 42.63 (26-71 years. It was recorded that all patients had worked under the sun for at least 5 hours a day. No intra-operative or post-operative complications were found. Mean follow-up time after surgery was 12 (6-21 months and no recurrence was detected. Conclusion: Pterygium, especially double-headed pterygium is mostly seen in warm climates and individuals who work outdoors. Dividing the free conjunctival autograft into two and suturing in place of the excised pterygium on both sides of the cornea is a good choice in these patients.

  2. Bone Mineral Density in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis: Incidence and Correlation with Demographic and Clinical Variables

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura MUNTEAN

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate bone mineral density (BMD in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS and determine its correlation with the demographic and clinical characteristics of AS. Patients and Methods: Demographic, clinical and osteodensitometric data were evaluated in a cross-sectional study that included 136 patients with AS. Spine and hip BMD were measured by means of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA. Using the modified Schober’s test we assessed spine mobility. We examined the sacroiliac, anteroposterior and lateral dorso-lumbar spine radiographs in order to grade sacroiliitis and assess syndesmophytes. Disease activity was evaluated using C-reactive protein (CRP levels and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR. Demographic data and BMD measurements were compared with those of 167 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Results: Patients with AS had a significantly lower BMD at the spine, femoral neck, trochanter and total hip as compared to age-matched controls (all p<0.01. According to the WHO classification, osteoporosis was present in 20.6% of the AS patients at the lumbar spine and in 14.6% at the femoral neck. There were no significant differences in BMD when comparing men and women with AS, except for trochanter BMD that was lower in female patients. No correlations were found between disease activity markers (ESR, CRP and BMD. Femoral neck BMD was correlated with disease duration, Schober’s test and sacroiliitis grade. Conclusion: Patients with AS have a lower spine and hip BMD as compared to age- and sex-matched controls. Bone loss at the femoral neck is associated with disease duration and more severe AS.

  3. Oromandibular Dystonia: Demographics and Clinical Data from 240 Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linda Slaim

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Objective To report demographic data from a large cohort of patients with oromandibular dystonia (OMD. Methods This is a retrospective review of patients with OMD referred to our institution between 1989 and 2015. Demographic (age of onset, gender, and familial history of dystonia and clinical (type of OMD, associated dystonia, and etiology of dystonia data were collected from a cohort of 240 individuals. Results The mean age of onset of OMD was 51.6 years old, with a female predominance (2:1. A family history of dystonia was found in 6 patients (2.5%. One hundred and forty-nine patients (62.1% had the jaw-opening type of OMD, 48 patients (20.0% had the jaw-closing type, and 43 patients (17.9% had a mixed form of OMD. Lingual dystonia was also present in 64 (26.7% of these patients. Eighty-two patients (34.2% had a focal dystonia, 131 patients (54.6% had a segmental dystonia, and 27 patients (11.3% had a generalized dystonia. One hundred and seventy-one patients (71.3% had idiopathic OMD. Conclusion OMD is a chronic and disabling focal dystonia. Our study found a prevalence of female patients, an onset in middle age and a predominantly idiopathic etiology. Unlike other studies, jaw-opening was found to be the most frequent clinical type of OMD.

  4. SCIRehab uses practice-based evidence methodology to associate patient and treatment characteristics with outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whiteneck, Gale G; Gassaway, Julie

    2013-04-01

    To describe the application of practice-based evidence (PBE) methodology to spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation in the SCIRehab study, and to summarize associations of patient characteristics and treatment interventions to outcomes. Prospective observational study. Six SCI rehabilitation centers. Patients with traumatic SCI (N=1376) admitted for first rehabilitation. Not applicable. FIM and residence at discharge, and FIM, residence, Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique, work/school status, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Diener Satisfaction with Life Scale, rehospitalization, and presence of pressure ulcers at 1 year postinjury. Patient demographic and injury characteristics explained significant variation in rehabilitation outcomes, particularly functional outcomes. Regression modeling also identified a large number of significant associations with outcomes when total time in each discipline was modeled and when models were developed for each discipline, examining time spent in the many specific interventions provided by each discipline. The application of PBE methodology in the SCIRehab study provided extensive information about the process of inpatient SCI rehabilitation. While patient demographic and injury characteristics explain substantial variation in rehabilitation outcomes, particularly functional outcomes, significant relations also were found between the type and quantity of treatment interventions delivered by each rehabilitation discipline and a broad range of outcomes. Copyright © 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. System-Wide and Group-Specific Health Service Improvements: Cross-Sectional Survey of Outpatient Improvement Preferences and Associations with Demographic Characteristics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeth A. Fradgley

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Efficient patient-centred quality improvement requires an understanding of the system-wide areas of dissatisfaction along with evidence to identify the programs which can be strategically targeted according to specific patient characteristics and preferences. This cross-sectional study reports the proportion of chronic disease outpatients selecting 23 patient-centred improvement initiatives. Using univariate tests and multivariable logistic regressions, this multi-site study also identifies initiatives differentially selected by outpatients according to clinical and demographic characteristics. A total of 475 outpatients participated (49% response. Commonly selected initiatives included: reducing wait-times (22.3%; convenient appointment scheduling (16.0%; and receiving up-to-date treatment information (16.0%. Within univariate tests, preferences for information and service accessibility initiatives were not significantly associated with specific subgroups. However, seven initiatives were preferred according to age, gender, diagnosis status, and chronic disease type within multivariate models. For example, neurology outpatients were more likely to select assistance to manage psychological symptoms when compared to oncology outpatients (OR: 2.89. Study findings suggest that system-wide programs to enhance information provision are strategic approaches to improve experiences across patient characteristics. Furthermore, a few initiatives can be targeted to specific groups and emphasized the importance of detailed scoping analyses and tailored implementation plans when designing patient-centred quality improvement programs.

  6. Influence of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics on the quality of life

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grbić Gordana

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. The quality of life is a multidimensional concept, which is best expressed by the subjective well-being. Evaluation of the quality of life is the basis for measuring the well-being, and the determination of factors that determine the quality of life quality is the basis for its improvement Objective. To evaluate and assess the determinants of the perceived quality of life of group distinguishing features which characterize demographic and socioeconomic factors. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study of a representative sample of the population in Serbia aged over 20 years (9479 examinees. The quality of life was expressed by the perception of well-being (pleasure of life. Data on the examinees (demographic and socioeconomic characteristics were collected by using a questionnaire for adults of each household. To process, analyze and present the data, we used the methods of parametric descriptive statistics (mean value, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, variance analysis and factor analysis. Results. Although men evaluated the quality of life with a slightly higher grading, there was no statistically significant difference in the evaluation of the quality of life in relation to the examinee’s gender (p>0.005. Among the examinees there was a high statistically significant difference in grading the quality of life depending on age, level of education, marital status and type of job (p<0.001. In relation to the number of children, there was no statistically significant difference in he grading of the quality of life (p>0.005. Conclusion. The quality of life is influenced by numerous factors that characterize each person (demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of individual. Determining factors of the quality of life are numerous and diverse, and the manner and the strength of their influence are variable.

  7. Characteristics of patients initiating raloxifene compared to those initiating bisphosphonates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Sara

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Both raloxifene and bisphosphonates are indicated for the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, however these medications have different efficacy and safety profiles. It is plausible that physicians would prescribe these agents to optimize the benefit/risk profile for individual patients. The objective of this study was to compare demographic and clinical characteristics of patients initiating raloxifene with those of patients initiating bisphosphonates for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Methods This study was conducted using a retrospective cohort design. Female beneficiaries (45 years and older with at least one claim for raloxifene or a bisphosphonate in 2003 through 2005 and continuous enrollment in the previous 12 months and subsequent 6 months were identified using a collection of large national commercial, Medicare supplemental, and Medicaid administrative claims databases (MarketScan®. Patients were divided into two cohorts, a combined commercial/Medicare cohort and a Medicaid cohort. Within each cohort, characteristics (demographic, clinical, and resource utilization of patients initiating raloxifene were compared to those of patients initiating bisphosphonate therapy. Group comparisons were made using chi-square tests for proportions of categorical measures and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests for continuous variables. Logistic regression was used to simultaneously examine factors independently associated with initiation of raloxifene versus a bisphosphonate. Results Within both the commercial/Medicare and Medicaid cohorts, raloxifene patients were younger, had fewer comorbid conditions, and fewer pre-existing fractures than bisphosphonate patients. Raloxifene patients in both cohorts were less likely to have had a bone mineral density (BMD screening in the previous year than were bisphosphonate patients, and were also more likely to have used estrogen or estrogen/progestin therapy in the

  8. The Relationship Between Demographic Characteristics and Retirement Satisfaction in Elderly Retirement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatemeh Kianpour Ghahfarokhi

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between demographic characteristics and retirement satisfaction in elderly members of registered retirement Education Center in Ahwaz. Methods & Materials: This study was descriptive-correlative. The sample of study includes ninety-six retirees referring to retirement center of Ahvaz Using Convenience of haphazard sampling in year 1388. Participants were requested to fill in Retirement Descriptive Index as well as a demographic questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistic, Simple correlation and regression repeatedly analysis (by SPSS 16 versions. Results: There are significant positive correlation between health, employment, financial status, usefulness feeling, spouse employment with retirement satisfaction and negative correlation between retirement age and spouse retirement with retirement satisfaction. Conclusion: This study reveals that health, re-employment after retirement, having a good financial status and usefulness feeling increase retirement satisfaction. But retirement age and retirement satisfaction‌ decrease it.

  9. Demographic and Personality Characteristics of Internet Child Pornography Downloaders in Comparison to Other Offenders

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reijnen, L.; Bulten, B.H.; Nijman, H.L.I.

    2009-01-01

    This research study was conducted to map out the demographic and psychological aspects of Internet child pornography offenders. The backgrounds, characteristics, and MMPI profiles of 22 Internet child pornography offenders were statistically compared to those of 112 perpetrators of other offenses.

  10. In search of patient characteristics that may guide empirically based treatment selection for personality disorder patients-a concept map approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Manen, J G; Kamphuis, J H; Goossensen, A; Timman, R; Busschbach, J J V; Verheul, R

    2012-08-01

    Using the concept map method, this study aimed to summarize and describe patient characteristics pertinent to treatment selection for patients with personality disorders (PDs). Initial patient characteristics were derived from the research literature and a survey among Dutch expert clinicians. Concept mapping is a formalized conceptualization procedure that describes the underlying cognitive structures people use in complex tasks, such as treatment allocation. Based on expert opinions of 29 Dutch clinicians, a concept map was generated that yielded eight domains of patient characteristics, i.e., Severity of symptoms, Severity of personality pathology, Ego-adaptive capacities, Motivation and working alliance, Social context, Social demographic characteristics, Trauma, and Treatment history and medical condition. These domains can be ordered along two bipolar axes, running from internal to external concepts and from vulnerability to strength concepts, respectively. Our findings may serve as input for the delineation of algorithms for patient-treatment matching research in PD.

  11. Patient characteristics upon initial presentation to chiropractic teaching clinics: A descriptive study conducted at one university

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaeser, Martha A.; Hawk, Cheryl; Anderson, Michelle

    2014-01-01

    Objective The purpose of this study was to compare demographics and chief complaints of the new patient population at our institution's fee-for-service clinics to the patient population of practicing chiropractors in the United States. We also compared the prevalence of obesity and hypertension to reference standards for the adult population. Methods Patient data were obtained from the electronic health records. All records identified as new patients during October 2013 were included. Variables of interest were clinic site, patient demographics, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), chief complaint, and ICD-9 codes. Descriptive statistics were computed and compared to reference standards from previous reports. Results During October 2013, there were 224 new patients that entered the clinics. The average patient was a 31- to 50-year-old white male. Our clinic patients differed from those seen by US chiropractors in the distribution of all demographic variables. For adult patients, 31.4% were overweight, 29% were obese, and 8% stage 1 or 2 hypertension. Conclusion New patients in the fee-for-service teaching clinics appear to be dissimilar to those of US practicing chiropractors in several important demographics, characteristics, and types of complaints. The new patients had lower levels of overweight, obesity, and hypertension compared to US reference standards. PMID:25162982

  12. Socio-demographic characteristics, types and Slit Skin Smear (SSS) of the leprosy patients: a hospital based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarker, U K; Mohammad, Q D; Uddin, M J; Chowdhury, R N; Bhattacharjee, M; Mondol, G; Roy, N

    2014-07-01

    This study was aimed to identify the socio-demographic profile, to know the types and to find out the Slit Skin Smear (SSS) result associated with leprosy. It was a descriptive type of cross sectional study. Total 62 patients having clinical features of leprosy, attending in Department of Neurology of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH) and Mymensingh Tuberculosis and Leprosy Hospital, Mymensingh from January 2010 to December 2011 were included. Patients underwent a detailed clinical evaluation followed by laboratory investigations. Out of 62 cases, the results showed that the mean age of leprosy patients were 37.8±14.6 years with the age range 12-80 years and the peak incidence was between 20-40 years. The frequency of male and female was 70.9% and 29.1% respectively with M: F of 2.4:1. From rural area 74.2% leprosy patients and 25.8% patients were from urban area and mainly day-labours (25.8%) and housewife (24.2%) by occupation. Married was 87.1% of patients and 12.9% were unmarried. Twenty one percent (21%) leprosy patients were found contact with leprosy. It was observed in this study that, 35.5% patients were PB (Pauci Bacillary) group and 64.5% of the patients were in MB (Multi Bacillary) group. Lepromatous Leprosy (LL) patients were (17.7%) and Borderline Lepromatous (BL) patients were (11.3%). Patients with Tuberculoid Type (TT) were (3.2%) and patients with Borderline Tuberculoid (BT) were (61.3%). The result of Slit skin smear (SSS) examination was negative in 59.7% patients and positive in 40.3%.

  13. The impact of demographic and psychological characteristics and cost behaviors on views towards the luxury restaurant

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nazanin Haji Mirza Hossein Yazdi

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available This study examines the impact of psychological characteristics, materialism, unity, uniqueness, hedonism, and perfectionism, and demographic characteristics including gender, age and income as well as the costing behavior (price on the views towards the luxury restaurant. The results show that perfectionism and uniqueness had a direct impact on the consumer's views towards luxury restaurant. On the other hand, the demographic characteristics such as age, income and education had a positive relationship with the consumer's views towards the luxury restaurant. Finally, a new hypothesis as the relationship between price and service quality and customer atti-tudes was examined in this study and it was concluded that there was a significant positive rela-tionship between price and customer’s views. The results of the research data also confirmed the relationship between price and service quality.

  14. Identification of risk factors and demographic features of patients with peri partum cardiomyopathy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharieff, S.; Khan, Shah-e-Zaman

    2002-01-01

    Objective: To describe and identify the demographic features and risk factors for peri partum cardiomyopathy (PPCM). Design: A prospective study: The study was conducted at the department of Adult Cardiology, National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), Karachi, Pakistan from December 1999 to August 2001. Subjects and Methods: A total of 35 consecutive patients diagnosed to have peri partum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) on echocardiogram were enrolled. Proforma containing demographic characteristics and established risk factors for PPCM was established and filled carefully. The data gathered was analyzed statistically. Results: The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 30.8-6.74 years. Urdu speaking (Mohajir) population was found to be more affected ethnic group (42.9%) Majority of the patients was from lower socio-economic group with poor nutritional status (77%) and multiparous (77.14%). 25.7% had past history of PPCM and 71.4% presented during postpartum period. Mortality at six months was 22.8% while 42.9% had persistent disease and only 34.3% recovered completely. Conclusion: Advanced age, lower economic group with poor nutritional status, multi parity and past history of peri partum cardiomyopathy were identified as risk factors for the development of PPCM, especially among Mohajir population. There was no statistically significant difference between the clinical features and outcome of patients presented first time or with recurrent PPCM. We identified advanced age (>30 years), high LVEDD, and low ejection fraction (EF) at initial presentation as poor prognostic factors. (author)

  15. Demographic and Clinical Outcomes of the Patients with Shoulder Pain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bayram Kelle

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Localized shoulder pain is one of the most important pathologies of musculoskeletal system. A prevalence study has revealed that it is the third most common pathology among the locomotor system diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the statistical results of the demographic and clinical information regarding patients, who applied to our clinic with shoulder pain. Methods: Information of 68 patients with shoulder pain, who were registered in the first 6 months of 2011 to our Physical medicine and rehabilitation Clinique were examined. Patients' demographic data and information regarding their complaints were obtained (e.g. duration, diagnosis, treatment, and so on. and statistical analyses were performed on these findings. Results: Totally findings of 42 patients were obtained. The majority of patients were female, who were housewives. A large proportion of complaints were chronic with multiple diagnoses. Almost all patients received combined treatments. Conclusion: Even though our findings are in accordance with the literature, the low sampling size was a significant limitation. [Cukurova Med J 2013; 38(2.000: 170-173

  16. Perfectionism, selected demographic and job characteristics as predictors of burnout in operating suite nurses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dorota Włodarczyk

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: The study was aimed at verifying the predictive power of perfectionism for professional burnout among nurses exposed to distress resulting from work in an operating suite and testing whether this effect exists after controlling for selected demographic and job characteristics. Material and Methods: The study group consisted of 100 nurses (93 women; mean age: 38.67 years. The majority in the group worked in public facilities (68%, in duty system (62%, as operating (75% or anesthesiology (25% nurses. To test perfectionism The Polish Adaptive and Maladaptive Perfectionism Questionnaire (AMPQ (Perfekcjonizm Adaptacyjny i Dezadaptacyjny - PAD, developed by Szczucka, was used. To examine burnout the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI by Demerouti et al. was adopted. The effects of selected demographic and job characteristics were controlled. Results: The results of hierarchical regression analyses revealed that after controlling for selected demographic and job characteristics maladaptive perfectionism was a significant predictor of disengagement and exhaustion whereas adaptive perfectionism predicted a better work engagement. Significant predictors were also: education, number of workplaces, duty system and marital status. Conclusions: The study allowed to confirm the hypothesis on a harmful role of maladaptive perfectionism in shaping burnout among operating suite nurses. The hypothesis on protective function of adaptive perfectionism was confirmed only partially, with regard to disengagement. The results of the study also highlighted some risk factors of burnout which may exist in this occupational group. This confirms the need to continue research in this area. Med Pr 2013;64(6:761–773

  17. Socio-economic characteristics of patients with generalized retinal dystrophy in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bertelsen, Mette; Linneberg, Allan; Rosenberg, Thomas

    2015-01-01

    the Danish Retinitis Pigmentosa Registry and 228,500 control subjects matched by age and gender. Demographic and socio-economic data were retrieved from Statistics Denmark. Differences between cases and controls were estimated using conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: On 1 January 2012, 2285 patients......PURPOSE: To examine socio-economic characteristics of patients with generalized retinal dystrophy in Denmark. METHODS: Cross-sectional population-based study with analysis of socio-economic characteristics including income, education, employment status and civil status in 2285 patients from...... with a Danish civil registration number were registered as having a generalized retinal dystrophy. At the age of 40 years, less patients than controls had a high education (odds ratio (OR), 0.51; 95% confidence interval (CI95), 0.41-0.62), a high income (OR, 0.21; CI95, 0.17-0.26) and were married (OR, 0.39; CI...

  18. Diabetic Prevalence in Bangladesh: The Role of Some Associated Demographic and Socioeconomic Characteristics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imam, Tasneem

    2012-12-01

    The study attempts at examining the association of a few selected socio-economic and demographic characteristics on diabetic prevalence. Nationally representative data from BIRDEM 2000 have been used to meet the objectives of the study. Cross tabulation, Chi-square and logistic regression analysis have been used to portray the necessary associations. Chi- square reveals significant relationship between diabetic prevalence and all the selected demographic and socio-economic variables except ìeducationî while logistic regression analysis shows no significant contribution of ìageî and ìeducationî in diabetic prevalence. It has to be noted that, this paper dealt with all the three types of diabetes- Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational.

  19. Demographic Features in Patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Berat Meryem Alkan

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Summary Özet Orijinal Araştırma / Original Investigation 77 Aim: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS is characterized by pain, vasomotor and sudomotor changes and trophic disturbances. It may develop as a result of trauma, especially extremity fractures and surgery. Although the pathogenesis of CRPS is not exactly clear explained, it has been suggested that central and periferal mechanisms play role and neurogenic inflamatuar and microvasculer functional impairmensts are accompanying to the process. Not all but some of the patients with past trauma or with other possible etiological factors develop CRPS. This suggests the presence of an individual predisposition. In this article, we searched post fractüred CRPS-I patients demographic characteristics, current systemic diseases and symptoms that accompany a CRPS in our records. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study conducted in Ankara Atatürk Education and Research Hospital, medical records of 356 patients admitted to physical medicine and rehabilitation outpatient clinics with fractures between January 2011 and June 2011 were evaluated and 34 patients diagnosed as CRPS-1 were included in the study. Results: 34 of 356 patients (9.56% with fractures were diagnosed as CRPS-1 in our outpatient clinics. Mean age of the patients was 46.05 years and 10 patients were females (29.4% and 24 patients (70.6% were males. Fractures were in upper extremities in 18 patients (52.9% and in lower extremities in 16 (47.1% patients. Neuropsychiatric disorders and other systemic diseases that may have a role in etiology of CRPS were found in lower rates in medical records of our patients. Conclusion: CRPS does not develop in every patients after travma who has etiologic risk factors, so it reminds that there exists a tendency to CRPS. We have observed that CRPS-1 risk was increased in male patients and in upper extremity fractures. We did not observe any other impertant factor which increases

  20. Demographic characteristics and employment among people with severe mental illness in a multisite study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burke-Miller, Jane K; Cook, Judith A; Grey, Dennis D; Razzano, Lisa A; Blyler, Crystal R; Leff, H Stephen; Gold, Paul B; Goldberg, Richard W; Mueser, Kim T; Cook, William L; Hoppe, Sue K; Stewart, Michelle; Blankertz, Laura; Dudek, Kenn; Taylor, Amanda L; Carey, Martha Ann

    2006-04-01

    People with psychiatric disabilities experience disproportionately high rates of unemployment. As research evidence is mounting regarding effective vocational programs, interest is growing in identifying subgroup variations. Data from a multisite research and demonstration program were analyzed to identify demographic characteristics associated with employment outcomes, after adjusting for the effects of program, services, and study site. Longitudinal analyses found that people with more recent work history, younger age, and higher education were more likely to achieve competitive employment and to work more hours per month, while race and gender effects varied by employment outcome. Results provide strong evidence of demographic subgroup variation and need.

  1. Demographics of Head and Neck Cancer Patients: A Single Institution Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kitanova, Martina; Dzhenkov, Deyan L; Ghenev, Peter; Sapundzhiev, Nikolay

    2017-01-01

    Introduction Head and neck cancer (HNC) comprises a diverse group of oncological entities, originating from various tissue types and organ localizations, situated in the topographical regions of the head and neck (H&N). This single institution retrospective study was aimed at establishing the HNC patient demographics and categorizing the individual incidence of H&N malignancies, regarding their organ of origin and main histopathological type. Materials and methods All histologically verified cases of HNC from a single tertiary referral center were reviewed in a descriptive retrospective manner. Data sampling period was 47 months. Results Male to female ratio of the registered HNC cases was 3.24:1. The mean age of diagnosis was 63.84 ± 12.65 years, median 65 years. The most common HNC locations include the larynx 30.37% (n = 188), lips and oral cavity 29.08% (n = 180), pharynx 20.03% (n = 124) and salivary glands 10.94% (n = 68), with other locations such as the external nose, nasal cavity and sinuses and auricle and external ear canal harboring a minority of the cases. The main histopathological groups include squamous cell carcinoma 76.74% (n = 475) and adenocarcinoma 6.14% (n = 38), with other malignant entries such as other epithelial malignancies, primary tonsillar, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue or parenchymal lymphomas, connective tissue neoplasias, neuroendocrine and vascular malignancies diagnosed in a minority of cases. Conclusion Considered to be relatively rare, HNC represents a diverse group of oncological entities with individual and specific demographic characteristics. The reported single institution results appear representative of the national incidence and characteristics of HNC. PMID:28875091

  2. [Quality of life of caregivers for patients of cerebrovascular accidents: association of (socio-demographic) characteristics and burden].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, Tatiana Ferreira da; Costa, Kátia Nêyla de Freitas Macêdo; Fernandes, Maria das Graças Melo; Martins, Kaisy Pereira; Brito, Silmery da Silva

    2015-04-01

    Investigating the association between quality of life with socio-demographic characteristics and the burden of caregivers for individuals with cerebrovascular accident sequelae. A descriptive, cross-sectional study with a sample composed of 136 caregivers. For data collection, a semi-structured questionnaire, the Barthel, Burden Interview and Short-Form-36 scales were used. Correlation analysis, t-Student test and F-test were used for the analysis in order to compare averages. Significant averages in quality of life were demonstrated in association with female caregivers and those over 60 years in the field 'functional capacity,' and in the domains of 'mental health' and 'vitality' for those with higher income. Regarding burden association, the highlighted areas were 'functional capacity,' 'physical aspects,' 'emotional aspects' and 'pain.' The creation of public policies and social support to effectively reduce the burden on caregivers is a necessity.

  3. Demographic characteristics and prevalence of other sexually transmitted diseases in HIV-positive patients seen in the Dermatology cum Genitourinary Clinic, Hospital Sultanah Aminah, Johor Bahru.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choon, S E; Mathew, M; Othman, B S

    2000-06-01

    The demographic characteristics, risk behaviourand prevalence of other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) were determined in 132 HIV-infected individuals seen in a Dermatology cum Genitourinary Clinic, Hospital Sultanah Aminah Johor Bahru. Sixty-one (46.2%) were Malays, 37.9% Chinese, 10.6% Indians and 5.3% were of other ethnic groups. The male to female ratio was 4.5:1. Most of the patients (82.5%) were between 20 to 40 years-old. Seventy (53.0%) were single, 34.1% were married and 7.5% were divorcees. The majority of them (97.7%) were heterosexual. Fifty seven (53.3%) of our male patients patronised commercial workers. Eighty-one (61.8%) were not intravenous drug users (IVDU). Of the 50 IVDUs, 24 had multiple sexual exposures. Fifty-three (48.2%) of the 109 patients screened for STDs had one or more other STDs. Thirty-four patients (31.9%) reported one STD in the past and 3.6% reported two STDs in the past. Fifty-six patients (42.4%) had developed AIDS. Thirteen had passed away. The main mode of transmission of HIV infection in this population is through heterosexual intercourse and the prevalence of STDs is high. These findings indicate a need to advocate responsible sexual behaviour and to detect as well as treat STDs early to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV.

  4. Survey of relationship between principals’ demographic characteristics and conflict management style choices

    OpenAIRE

    SEDIGHEH MOKHTARPOUR; MOHSEN KHADEMI; HOSSEIN MOKHTARPOUR

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: Conflict is inevitable in workplaces and it is very important to manage it in a proper way to minimize the problems that might arise. The aim of this research is surveying the relationship between principals’ demographic characteristics and the choice of conflict management styles. Methods: The statistical society included 213 employed principals of Shiraz high schools. The data on conflict management style choices were gathered using the conflict management qu...

  5. Differences in consumer use of food labels by weight loss strategies and demographic characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bleich, Sara N; Wolfson, Julia A

    2015-12-22

    Little is known about national patterns in the use of fast food and packaged food labels among adults by weight loss strategies and demographic characteristics. We analyzed the Consumer Behavior Module in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2010 among adults (N = 9,690). For each of the outcome variables - use of packed food and fast food menu labels - multiple logistic regressions were used to adjust for potential differences in population characteristics by weight loss activities and demographic characteristics. Overall, 69 percent of adults reported they would use fast food information and 76 percent reported using the nutrition facts panel on packaged foods. Adults trying to lose weight had a greater likelihood of reporting use of nutrition information to choose fast foods (OR = 1.72; 95 % CI: 1.29, 2.29) and using the nutrition facts panel on food labels (OR = 1.92; 95 % CI: 1.60, 2.30). Black and Hispanic adults were more likely to report using ingredients lists on packaged foods compared to Whites (White -63 %, Black/Hispanic -68 %, p fast food nutrition information.

  6. Demographic and Lifestyle Characteristics, but Not Apolipoprotein E Genotype, Are Associated with Intelligence among Young Chinese College Students.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiao-Fen Chen

    Full Text Available Intelligence is an important human feature that strongly affects many life outcomes, including health, life-span, income, educational and occupational attainments. People at all ages differ in their intelligence but the origins of these differences are much debated. A variety of environmental and genetic factors have been reported to be associated with individual intelligence, yet their nature and contribution to intelligence differences have been controversial.To investigate the contribution of apolipoprotein E (APOE genotype, which is associated with the risk for Alzheimer's disease, as well as demographic and lifestyle characteristics, to the variation in intelligence.A total of 607 Chinese college students aged 18 to 25 years old were included in this prospective observational study. The Chinese revision of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (the fourth edition, short version was used to determine the intelligence level of participants. Demographic and lifestyle characteristics data were obtained from self-administered questionnaires.No significant association was found between APOE polymorphic alleles and different intelligence quotient (IQ measures. Interestingly, a portion of demographic and lifestyle characteristics, including age, smoking and sleep quality were significantly associated with different IQ measures.Our findings indicate that demographic features and lifestyle characteristics, but not APOE genotype, are associated with intelligence measures among young Chinese college students. Thus, although APOE ε4 allele is a strong genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, it does not seem to impact intelligence at young ages.

  7. Differences in characteristics and patient-reported questionnaire responses in patients who choose non-surgical versus surgical treatment for severe hip osteoarthritis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Have, Mads; Overgaard, Søren; Jensen, Carsten

    Background: Preoperative patient characteristics may influence patient choice for participating in RCT’s. Purpose / Aim of Study: This study aimed to compare patient characteristics, level of pain, physical function and joint space width in patients with severe hip osteoarthritis (OA) who accepted...... or refused to participate in a RCT. Materials and Methods: In this prospective cohort study a total of 137 patients with primary hip OA were asked to choose between surgical or non- surgical treatment. We then compared the characteristics of each patient cohort (demographics, pain level and duration......, analgesic use, exercise habits), the radiographic hip OA state and their responses to Hip dysfunction and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS, 0-100) and European Quality of Life Scale (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaires. Findings / Results: The between-group HOOS scores were significantly different in three out...

  8. Demographics, phenotypic health characteristics and genetic analysis of centenarians in China

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zeng, Yi; Feng, Qiushi; Gu, Danan

    2017-01-01

    -old aged 65-79. Based on the CLHLS data and other relevant studies, we summarize demographic and socioeconomic characteristics as well as self-reported and objectively-tested health indicators of centenarians in China, with an emphasis on gender differences and rural/urban disparities. We then compare five......After a brief introduction to the background, significance and unique features of the centenarian population in China, we describe the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Study (CLHLS), which is the world's largest study of centenarians, nonagenarians, octogenarians, and compatible young...

  9. The Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Ulcerative Colitis in a Northeast Brazilian Population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruno César da Silva

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical and demographic characteristics of UC in Bahia, a Brazilian state, and to identify the variables associated with extensive colitis, steroid therapy, immunosuppression, and colectomy. Methods. In this cross-sectional study UC patients were interviewed, and additional information was collected from the medical records. Descriptive statistics and multivariate Poisson regression analysis were used. Results. This study included 267 individuals, the mean age of whom was 39.4 years at diagnosis. There was a predominance of females and left-side colitis. Extensive colitis was positively associated with male gender, diarrhea, weight loss, and a younger age at diagnosis. In contrast, active smoking and a family history of IBD were negatively associated with extensive colitis. Positive associations were observed between steroid therapy and diarrhea, weight loss, urban patients, extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs, and hospitalization. Younger age and weight loss at diagnosis, a family history of IBD, extensive colitis, EIMs, hospitalization, and steroid therapy were all positively associated with immunosuppression. In contrast, Caucasian individuals, smokers, patients with rectal bleeding, and rural patients areas were all observed to have a decreased likelihood of immunosuppression. Conclusions. Our results corroborate the association between higher prevalence of extensive colitis and younger age at diagnosis. An association between steroid therapy and clinical presentation at diagnosis was observed. The observation that white individuals and rural patients use less immunosuppressive drugs highlights the need to study the influence of environmental and genetic factors on the behavior of UC in this population.

  10. Socio-demographic characteristics and career choices amongst Chilean dental students.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karla Gambetta

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the socio-demographic and career choice characteristics of dental students in two publicly funded universities in Chile. A total of 601 dental students participated in the study with a 53% response rate.The written survey covered age, gender, type of school attended, place of residence, parental occupation, level of education, tuition fees payment methods, along with motivations and preferences towards dentistry as a career. The respondents had an average age of 22 years old. Sixty one percent of respondents were female, and the majority had completed secondary education in private and subsidized schools with only 21.5% having finished in public schools. Most of the students covered their tuition fees with parental money (37.1%, followed by any type of loan (27.9%. The majority of students (63.8% had placed dentistry as their first career choice with self-motivation being the most important reason for their decision. This study provides a description of the socio-demographic and economic profile of Chilean dental students and provides insights about career decision issues. It also purposes areas for further research and management by academics for future program development.

  11. Demographic and Personality Characteristics of Internet Child Pornography Downloaders in Comparison to Other Offenders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reijnen, Lotte; Bulten, Erik; Nijman, Henk

    2009-01-01

    This research study was conducted to map out the demographic and psychological aspects of Internet child pornography offenders. The backgrounds, characteristics, and MMPI profiles of 22 Internet child pornography offenders were statistically compared to those of 112 perpetrators of other offenses. In comparison to the other sexual offenders, the…

  12. The effectiveness of SMS Reminders and the impact of patient characteristics on missed appointments in a public dental outpatient clinic

    OpenAIRE

    Emilia Bellucci; Lasitha Dharmasena; Lemai Nguyen; Hanny Calache

    2017-01-01

    This paper reports on the Failure To Attend (FTA) rate of appointments as well as patients following the implementation of SMS reminders in a public dental outpatient service.  Given the ineffectiveness of the intervention and a highly representative patient’s profile, this paper identifies the demographic characteristics of patients who miss all of their appointments.  Data on appointment attendance, patient demographics and dental service type was collected over a time period of 46 consecut...

  13. Facebook addiction among Turkish college students: the role of psychological health, demographic, and usage characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koc, Mustafa; Gulyagci, Seval

    2013-04-01

    This study explored Facebook addiction among Turkish college students and its behavioral, demographic, and psychological health predictors. The Facebook Addiction Scale (FAS) was developed and its construct validity was assessed through factor analyses. A total of 447 students reported their personal information and Facebook usage and completed the FAS and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). The results revealed that weekly time commitment, social motives, severe depression, and anxiety and insomnia positively predicted Facebook addiction. Neither demographic variables nor the interactions of gender by usage characteristics were found to be significant predictors.

  14. Quality of life of caregivers for patients of cerebrovascular accidents: association of (socio-demographic characteristics and burden

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tatiana Ferreira da Costa

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE Investigating the association between quality of life with socio-demographic characteristics and the burden of caregivers for individuals with cerebrovascular accident sequelae. METHOD A descriptive, cross-sectional study with a sample composed of 136 caregivers. For data collection, a semi-structured questionnaire, the Barthel, Burden Interview and Short-Form-36 scales were used. Correlation analysis, t-Student test and F-test were used for the analysis in order to compare averages. RESULTS Significant averages in quality of life were demonstrated in association with female caregivers and those over 60 years in the field 'functional capacity,' and in the domains of 'mental health' and 'vitality' for those with higher income. Regarding burden association, the highlighted areas were 'functional capacity,' 'physical aspects,' 'emotional aspects' and 'pain.' CONCLUSION The creation of public policies and social support to effectively reduce the burden on caregivers is a necessity.

  15. The Advanced Glaucoma Intervention Study (AGIS): 3. Baseline characteristics of black and white patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1998-07-01

    The purpose of this report is to examine the differences at baseline in demographic, medical, and ophthalmic characteristics between blacks and whites enrolled in the Advanced Glaucoma Intervention Study (AGIS), a multicenter, randomized, clinical trial. Multicenter, randomized, controlled trial. A total of 332 black patients (451 eyes), 249 white patients (325 eyes), and 10 patients of other races (13 eyes) with open-angle glaucoma that could not be controlled by medical therapy alone participated. There was no intervention performed. The investigators compare the baseline demographic, medical, and ophthalmic characteristics of black and white patients, adjusting the comparisons for age and gender. Blacks in the study were younger than whites and had more systemic hypertension and diabetes than whites. The visual field defects of blacks on average were substantially more severe than those of whites. Intraocular pressures and visual acuity scores were similar in the two groups. Blacks were more hyperopic and had relatively fewer disk rim hemorrhages than whites. The findings of the current study concur with those of previous clinical studies of open-angle glaucoma that visual field defects are more severe in blacks than whites.

  16. Interior Design Styles and Socio-demographic Characteristics in Egypt: From the concept of Zeitgeist

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rasha Mahmoud Ali El-Zeiny

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Interior design plays an important role in reflecting the social and cultural environments of countries and showing the characteristics of the age. The previous literature has suggested that people’s preferences for interior design styles are influenced by social distinctions, based on education level and age. In this study, we have argued more precisely socio – demographic factors (gender, age, income, major and city that affect the Egyptians’ preferences for interior design styles, and have discussed to what extent do the people preferences reflect Zeitgeist in Egypt. The findings supported the idea that socio-demographic factors can explain people’s design preferences.

  17. The Effects of Faculty Demographic Characteristics and Disciplinary Context on Dimensions of Job Satisfaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seifert, Tricia A.; Umbach, Paul D.

    2008-01-01

    This study applies Kalleberg's framework to better understand the effects of diverse demographic faculty characteristics on dimensions of job satisfaction. We also extend his work and the work of others to explore the contextual effects of academic disciplines on faculty job satisfaction. We find that women are consistently less satisfied than…

  18. Demographic Characteristics and Clinical Outcome of Work-related Open Globe Injuries in the Most Industrialised Region of Turkey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sertaç Argun Kıvanç

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: To evaluate demographic characteristics and clinical outcomes of work-related open globe injuries in the most industrialized region of Turkey. Materials and Methods: The demographic and medical records of patients with work-related open globe injuries who presented to the ophthalmology or emergency departments with an official occupational accident report were retrospectively reviewed. Visual acuity categories were defined according to the World Health Organization. The injury types and zones of the open globes were classified according to Birmingham Eye Trauma Terminology System. Results: Among 479 patients with work-related eye injuries in 5 years, there were 102 eyes of 101 patients with open globe injuries (21%. The mean age of the patients was 34.5±8.9 years with a mean follow-up of 12.5±12.6 months. The injuries peaked in June in the hour between 12:00 and 13:00. Eighty-six percent presented to emergency services within 12 hours after the injury. Twenty-two percent of the patients had been wearing protective eyewear at the time of injury. The open globe injuries were penetrating in 51%, intraocular foreign body in 40%, rupture in 7% and perforation in 2% of the eyes. The most frequent finding was traumatic cataract. Final visual acuity of 33.3% of patients was below 3/60. Seventy-eight percent of patients that had visual acuity worse than 6/18 at presentation had visual acuity of 6/18 or better at final visit. Sixty-three percent of eyes which had injuries involving all 3 zones resulted in phthisis bulbi, enucleation or evisceration. Conclusion: Work-related open globe injuries may have severe consequences such as visual impairment and blindness among the young male working population in industrialized areas. Nearly half of the occupational open globe injuries resulted in visual impairment and blindness.

  19. Multiple Sclerosis and Several Demographic Characteristics, Family History of MS, and Month of Birth: A Case-Control Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bagheri

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Background Several factors have been reported as risk factors for multiple sclerosis (MS; however, the main causes of the disease are still unknown. A geographical area with a low MS incidence is Ahvaz, Iran. Objectives The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of several demographic characteristics, family history, and birth month with MS in Ahvaz. Patients and Methods This was a case-control study including 155 MS cases and 155 controls matched for age, sex, and residential status. The participants were selected randomly, using a systematic method, from the MS patients referred to the MS Society of Khuzestan (Iran. The data collection tool was a standardized questionnaire designed by the authors to assess demographic characteristics. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics including mean, frequency, and standard deviation and inferential statistical tests including χ2, Fisher’s exact test, and logistic regression using SPSS version 19. Results In both cases and controls, no significant associations were found between Arab ethnicity and incidence of MS, marital status and risk of MS in Ahvaz, or more than 15-year residency in Ahvaz, birth in Khuzestan, and month of birth and the risk of MS (P > 0.05. However, there was a marginally significant association between living from birth to age 15 years in Ahvaz and MS (P = 0.05. Furthermore, there was an association between a family history of MS and the risk of MS in Ahvaz (P = 0.02, which was significant in univariate logistic regression (P = 0.006. Conclusions The findings suggested that according to the ecological conditions of Ahvaz, a family history of MS may increase the risk of developing MS.

  20. Relationship between Socioeconomic Demographic Characteristics with Antibiotic Self-Medication in Community Dwelling Adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Aditya

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Infectious diseases escalation in developing countries especially in Indonesia lead to increasing use of antibiotics in the community. Self-medication with antibiotics may increase the risk of resistant bacteria and irrational use of antibiotics. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between socioeconomic -demographic characteristics with antibiotic self-medication. Methods: An analytical cross sectional study was conducted on people from Sayang Village in West Java Indonesia aged over 18 years and had experience in using antibiotics. A total of 146 respondents were selected as the sample of this study. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were analysed by using descriptive statistics and Chi-Square test to analyze the relationship between socioeconomic demographic characteristics with antibiotic self-medication. Results: Out of 146 questionnaires that were completed, 111 were female and 35 male respondents, 75 respondents had experience in using antibiotics without prescription. The survey showed significant relation between antibiotics use with monthly income (p=0,031 and source of income (p=0,009. Conclusions: The study confirms that there is relation between monthly income and source of income with antibiotic self-medication.

  1. Clinical characteristics of patients who have recovered from schizophrenia: the role of empathy and positive-self schema.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chung, Young-Chul; Kim, Hyun-Min; Lee, Keon-Hak; Zhao, Tong; Huang, Guang-Biao; Park, Tae-Won; Yang, Jong-Chul

    2013-05-01

    This article compares the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with schizophrenia who recovered with those who achieved remission. Participants were classified based on predetermined criteria for recovery and remission. Data on demographic characteristics, information on duration of untreated psychosis, and assessments of current and historical symptom profiles and socio-occupational functioning emerged from careful chart review and direct interviews. Cross-sectional assessments of clinical variables were derived from the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms, the Personal and Social Performance Scale, the Social Functioning Questionnaire, the Schizophrenia Cognition Rating Scale (ScoRS), the Basic Empathy Scale, and the Brief Core Schema Scales (BCSS). We found no significant differences between recovered and remitted groups with respect to demographic variables or duration of untreated psychosis. Cognitive and total empathy scores, positive-self schema score on the BCSS, and global score on the ScoRS were significantly higher in the recovered than the remitted group. Furthermore, patients with good levels of empathy and positive-self schema and intact neurocognitive functioning were more likely to achieve recovery. These results suggest that empathy, positive-self schema and neurocognitive functioning may serve as important clinical characteristics distinguishing those patients who have recovered from those who have achieved only remission. © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  2. Establishment and baseline characteristics of a nationwide Danish cohort of patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kulas Søborg, Marie-Louise; Leganger, Julie; Quitzau Mortensen, Laura

    2017-01-01

    Objectives.: The aim of this study was to investigate national prevalence, general demographic characteristics and survival of Danish patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). Method.: A population-based cohort study was conducted using a database consisting of the entire Danish population alive...

  3. Do effects of common case-mix adjusters on patient experiences vary across patient groups?

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Boer, Dolf; van der Hoek, Lucas; Rademakers, Jany; Delnoij, Diana; van den Berg, Michael

    2017-11-22

    Many survey studies in health care adjust for demographic characteristics such as age, gender, educational attainment and general health when performing statistical analyses. Whether the effects of these demographic characteristics are consistent between patient groups remains to be determined. This is important as the rationale for adjustment is often that demographic sub-groups differ in their so-called 'response tendency'. This rationale may be less convincing if the effects of response tendencies vary across patient groups. The present paper examines whether the impact of these characteristics on patients' global rating of care varies across patient groups. Secondary analyses using multi-level regression models were performed on a dataset including 32 different patient groups and 145,578 observations. For each demographic variable, the 95% expected range of case-mix coefficients across patient groups is presented. In addition, we report whether the variance of coefficients for demographic variables across patient groups is significant. Overall, men, elderly, lower educated people and people in good health tend to give higher global ratings. However, these effects varied significantly across patient groups and included the possibility of no effect or an opposite effect in some patient groups. The response tendency attributed to demographic characteristics - such as older respondents being milder, or higher educated respondents being more critical - is not general or universal. As such, the mechanism linking demographic characteristics to survey results on patient experiences with quality of care is more complicated than a general response tendency. It is possible that the response tendency interacts with patient group, but it is also possible that other mechanisms are at play.

  4. Second branchial cleft fistulae: patient characteristics and surgical outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kajosaari, Lauri; Mäkitie, Antti; Salminen, Päivi; Klockars, Tuomas

    2014-09-01

    Second branchial cleft anomalies predispose to recurrent infections, and surgical resection is recommended as the treatment of choice. There is no clear consensus regarding the timing or surgical technique in the operative treatment of these anomalies. Our aim was to compare the effect of age and operative techniques to patient characteristics and treatment outcome. A retrospective study of pediatric patients treated for second branchial sinuses or fistulae during 1998-2012 at two departments in our academic tertiary care referral center. Comparison of patient characteristics, preoperative investigations, surgical techniques and postoperative sequelae. Our data is based on 68 patients, the largest series in the literature. One-fourth (24%) of patients had any infectious symptoms prior to operative treatment. Patient demographics, preoperative investigations, use of methylene blue, or tonsillectomy had no effect on the surgical outcome. There were no re-operations due to residual disease. Three complications were observed postoperatively. Our patient series of second branchial cleft sinuses/fistulae is the largest so far and enables analyses of patient characteristics and surgical outcomes more reliably than previously. Preoperative symptoms are infrequent and mild. There was no difference in clinical outcome between the observed departments. Performing ipsilateral tonsillectomy gave no outcome benefits. The operation may be delayed to an age of approximately three years when anesthesiological risks are and possible harms are best avoided. Considering postoperative pain and risk of postoperative hemorrhage a routine tonsillectomy should not be included to the operative treatment of second branchial cleft fistulae. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Survey of relationship between principals’ demographic characteristics and conflict management style choices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SEDIGHEH MOKHTARPOUR

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Conflict is inevitable in workplaces and it is very important to manage it in a proper way to minimize the problems that might arise. The aim of this research is surveying the relationship between principals’ demographic characteristics and the choice of conflict management styles. Methods: The statistical society included 213 employed principals of Shiraz high schools. The data on conflict management style choices were gathered using the conflict management questionnaire. The t-test, ANOVA and regression were used to analyze the data. Results: The results of this research showed that the compromise style was the most frequently used method by principals followed by collaboration and accommodation, domination and avoidance, respectively. There was a significant association between the principals’ level of income and the use of collaboration and accommodation styles. There was a statistically significant difference between gender and the use of the five fold approach in the domination style. Overall, there was a significant association between the principals’ demographic characteristics and the conflict management style choices. Concolusion: The principals should notice that conflict is inevitable in organizations and they should consider the opinions and ideas of both parties involved in the conflict. So the best approach for conflict management by principals is to pay attention to its outcomes and choose the style which has the most benefit for the involved parties.

  6. Demographic, Clinical and Genetic Characteristics of Child Gaucher Disease Patients in Russia: Pediatric Register Data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. B. Movsisyan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Registers are an effective tool for tracing the dynamics of patients with rare pathologies.Objective: Our aim was to examine the demographic, clinical and genetic features of child Gaucher disease patients in Russia.Methods: We held a retrospective survey of the pediatric register data with regard to children suffering from Gaucher disease. The period of data accounting was from 2006 to 2016.Results: 115 children with Gaucher disease aged from 3 months to 17 years (the median age of diagnosis is 5 years were registered; 62 them (53.9% are girls. The prevalence of the disease was 0.32 cases for 100,000 children. 95 (82.6% children had 1st type of Gaucher disease, 6 (5.2% — 2nd, and 1 (12.2% — 3rd. Maximum morbidity was in Central (27; 23.5% and Volga (27; 23.5% Federal Districts; minimal — in the Far East (3; 2.6%. By the time of diagnosis all the patients were suffering from splengomegaly. The genotype and phenotype correlations in 90 children with Gaucher disease were as follows: in case of 1st type (n = 77, in 21 (27.3% cases, the p.N370S/р.L444P genotype was set, in 12 (15.6% — the р.N370S/other mutation; in case of 2nd and 3rd types, in 13 children with neuropathic forms, in 9 (62.9% cases — the p.L444P/p.L444P, in 3 (231% — the p.L444P/p. D409H. The rest of genotypes were presented by other mutations, 13 of which were revealed for the first time. The p.W223R (p.W184R mutation is specific for Russian patients. Enzyme replacement therapy was carried out for 109 patients (94.8%: in 105 (96.3% children (1st and 3rd types of Gaucher disease with imiglucerase, in 4 (3.7% children with 1st type — with velaglucerase alfa. Pathogenetic treatment stops the main symptoms in most patients.Conclusion: The pediatric Gaucher disease register allows to systemize the data concerning the disease course in children and optimizing the approaches to its monitoring in Russia.

  7. Establishment and baseline characteristics of a nationwide Danish cohort of patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kulas Søborg, Marie-Louise; Leganger, Julie; Quitzau Mortensen, Laura

    2017-01-01

    at any given time between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2012, based upon longitudinal Danish national registers. All patients with EDS were identified, and the cohort was described by disease prevalence, basic demographic characteristics, mean age at death and mortality for the observational period...

  8. Characteristics of somatic tinnitus patients with and without hyperacusis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Massimo Ralli

    Full Text Available Determine if somatic tinnitus patients with hyperacusis have different characteristics from those without hyperacusis.172 somatic tinnitus patients with (n = 82 and without (n = 90 hyperacusis referred to the Tinnitus Unit of Sapienza University of Rome between June 2012 and June 2016 were compared for demographic characteristics, tinnitus features, self-administered questionnaire scores, nature of somatic modulation and history.Compared to those without hyperacusis, patients with somatic tinnitus and hyperacusis: (a were older (43.38 vs 39.12 years, p = 0.05, (b were more likely to have bilateral tinnitus (67.08% vs 55.56%, p = 0.04, (c had a higher prevalence of somatic modulation of tinnitus (53.65% vs 36.66%, p = 0.02 and (d scored significantly worse on tinnitus annoyance (39.34 vs 22.81, p<0.001 and subjective hearing level (8.04 vs 1.83, p<0.001.Our study shows significantly higher tinnitus modulation and worse self-rating of tinnitus and hearing ability in somatic tinnitus patients with hyperacusis versus somatic tinnitus patients without hyperacusis. These differences could prove useful in developing a better understanding of the pathophysiology and establishing a course of treatment for these two groups of patients.

  9. Improving Demographic Components of Integrated Assessment Models: The Effect of Changes in Population Composition by Household Characteristics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brian C. O' Neill

    2006-08-09

    This report describes results of the research project on "Improving Demographic Components of Integrated Assessment Models: The Effect of Changes in Population Composition by Household Characteristics". The overall objective of this project was to improve projections of energy demand and associated greenhouse gas emissions by taking into account demographic factors currently not incorporated in Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) of global climate change. We proposed to examine the potential magnitude of effects on energy demand of changes in the composition of populations by household characteristics for three countries: the U.S., China, and Indonesia. For each country, we planned to analyze household energy use survey data to estimate relationships between household characteristics and energy use; develop a new set of detailed household projections for each country; and combine these analyses to produce new projections of energy demand illustrating the potential importance of consideration of households.

  10. Characteristics of physicians and patients who join team-based primary care practices: evidence from Quebec's Family Medicine Groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coyle, Natalie; Strumpf, Erin; Fiset-Laniel, Julie; Tousignant, Pierre; Roy, Yves

    2014-06-01

    New models of delivering primary care are being implemented in various countries. In Quebec, Family Medicine Groups (FMGs) are a team-based approach to enhance access to, and coordination of, care. We examined whether physicians' and patients' characteristics predicted their participation in this new model of primary care. Using provincial administrative data, we created a population cohort of Quebec's vulnerable patients. We collected data before the advent of FMGs on patients' demographic characteristics, chronic illnesses and health service use, and their physicians' demographics, and practice characteristics. Multivariate regression was used to identify key predictors of joining a FMG among both patients and physicians. Patients who eventually enrolled in a FMG were more likely to be female, reside outside of an urban region, have a lower SES status, have diabetes and congestive heart failure, visit the emergency department for ambulatory sensitive conditions and be hospitalized for any cause. They were also less likely to have hypertension, visit an ambulatory clinic and have a usual provider of care. Physicians who joined a FMG were less likely to be located in urban locations, had fewer years in medical practice, saw more patients in hospital, and had patients with lower morbidity. Physicians' practice characteristics and patients' health status and health care service use were important predictors of joining a FMG. To avoid basing policy decisions on tenuous evidence, policymakers and researchers should account for differential selection into team-based primary health care models. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

  11. Demographic Characteristics of Stroke Types in Adıyaman

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yaşar Altun

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: We aimed to investigate the etiologic, demographic, clinical features, and risk factors of patients who were hospitalized, followed up, and treated due to stroke in our hospital. Materials and Methods: In this study, the hospital records of patients diagnosed as having stroke or cerebrovascular disease (CVD between January 2013 and January 2015 in Adıyaman University Training and Research Hospital, where patients with stroke are frequently admitted or transferred, were retrospectively investigated. Results: In the past two years, 683 patients were followed-up or treated for stroke and CVD in our hospital. Stroke patients constituted 0.06% of all emergency admissions. Of these patients, 87.8% were diagnosed as having ischemic stroke and 8.6% were diagnosed as having hemorrhagic stroke. The sex distribution was almost equal (50.8% were males and 49.2% were females. Based on the results of brain scans performed during admission, radiologically, 498 (81.1% patients showed evidence of anterior system involvement and 116 (18.9% patients showed evidence of posterior system involvement. No focal areas were observed in computed tomography scans in 508 patients. However, diffusion magnetic resonance findings of these 508 patients were pathologic. Most of the patients with stroke were aged above 65 years (74.9%. The most common symptom during admission was unilateral muscle weakness (63.3%, and 58.6% of the patients were brought to the hospital by ambulance. Conclusion: As well as the results of our study being parallel to previous studies, our study also reflects the majority of stroke data in Adıyaman, Turkey, and provides significant results regarding our geographic region

  12. Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in Omani Children - Single Center Experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saif Al-Yaarubi

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: To describe the demographic characteristics and clinical presentation of Omani children with type 1 diabetes mellitus at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman. Methods: A retrospective analysis of all children with type 1 diabetes mellitus attending the Pediatric Endocrine Unit at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Oman from June 2006 to May 2013. Results: One hundred and forty-four patients were included in the study. The mean±SD of age at diagnosis was 6.7 ± 3.7 years. The median duration of symptoms was 10 days (IQR; 5-14. The most commonly reported presenting symptoms were polyuria (94%, polydipsia (82%, and weight loss (59%. Diabetic ketoacidosis at initial presentation was diagnosed in 31% of the patients. Different insulin regimens were prescribed: multiple daily injections in 109 (76% patients, twice daily insulin regimen in 23 (16% patients, and insulin pump therapy in 12 (8% patients. Family history of type 1 diabetes mellitus was present in 31 (22% patients. There were no significant differences in presenting complaints (polyuria, p=0.182; polydipsia, p=0.848, duration of symptoms (p=0.331, reported weight loss (p=0.753, or diabetic ketoacidosis at presentation (p=0.608 between patients with and without family history of type 1 diabetes mellitus. Conclusion: Polyuria, polydipsia and weight loss are the most common presenting symptoms. Family history of type 1 diabetes mellitus is highly prevalent among the studied patients. Diabetic ketoacidosis was found to be less common in Oman compared to other diabetes centers in the Middle East.

  13. Patient and Practice Characteristics: Impact on Career Satisfaction of Obstetrician-Gynecologists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmidt, Alex M

    2015-01-01

    This study examined demographic and practice characteristics that affect the career satisfaction of obstetrician-gynecologists. Data were retrieved from the 2008 Health Tracking Physician Survey, conducted by the Center for Studying Health System Change. The survey consisted of a nationally representative sample of physicians belonging to the American Medical Association. A final sample of 290 obstetrician-gynecologists was obtained from the study. Results indicated more than 80% of obstetrician-gynecologists were either "somewhat satisfied" or "very satisfied" with their careers in medicine. Nearly 56% were older than 48 years; 59% of respondents were men and 77% were of white race. The average obstetrician-gynecologist worked 54 hours per week in medically related activities. Regression analysis showed a significant relationship between obstetrician-gynecologist career satisfaction and the following: adequate time with patients, perceived quality of care, income, work hours, and revenue from Medicaid. In addition, Hispanic patients and the presence of formal written guidelines had a positive impact on career satisfaction. It was concluded that quality care, time with patients, work hours, and income are the major predictors of obstetrician-gynecologist career satisfaction. Further research is needed to understand the relationship between patient demographics and career satisfaction.

  14. Patient Characteristics and Treatment Outcomes for African American, Hispanic, and White Adolescents in DATOS-A.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rounds-Bryant, Jennifer L.; Staab, Jennifer

    2001-01-01

    Compared background, pre-treatment characteristics, and post-treatment outcomes of African American, Hispanic, and white adolescent substance abusers participating in the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Studies for Adolescents (DATOS-A). Found that patients were similar with respect to basic pre-treatment demographics. Compared to white adolescents,…

  15. Classification of multiple sclerosis patients by latent class analysis of magnetic resonance imaging characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zwemmer, J N P; Berkhof, J; Castelijns, J A; Barkhof, F; Polman, C H; Uitdehaag, B M J

    2006-10-01

    Disease heterogeneity is a major issue in multiple sclerosis (MS). Classification of MS patients is usually based on clinical characteristics. More recently, a pathological classification has been presented. While clinical subtypes differ by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signature on a group level, a classification of individual MS patients based purely on MRI characteristics has not been presented so far. To investigate whether a restricted classification of MS patients can be made based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative MRI characteristics and to test whether the resulting subgroups are associated with clinical and laboratory characteristics. MRI examinations of the brain and spinal cord of 50 patients were scored for 21 quantitative and qualitative characteristics. Using latent class analysis, subgroups were identified, for whom disease characteristics and laboratory measures were compared. Latent class analysis revealed two subgroups that mainly differed in the extent of lesion confluency and MRI correlates of neuronal loss in the brain. Demographics and disease characteristics were comparable except for cognitive deficits. No correlations with laboratory measures were found. Latent class analysis offers a feasible approach for classifying subgroups of MS patients based on the presence of MRI characteristics. The reproducibility, longitudinal evolution and further clinical or prognostic relevance of the observed classification will have to be explored in a larger and independent sample of patients.

  16. Prevalence, demographic and clinical characteristics of body dysmorphic disorder among psychiatric outpatients with mood, anxiety or somatoform disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Meer, Job; van Rood, Yanda R; van der Wee, Nic J; den Hollander-Gijsman, Margien; van Noorden, Martijn S; Giltay, Erik J; Zitman, Frans G

    2012-09-01

    To describe the prevalence, demographic and clinical characteristics of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) compared with other psychiatric outpatients with a mood, anxiety or somatoform disorder. Outpatients referred for treatment of a mood, anxiety or somatoform disorder were routinely assessed at intake. A structured interview (MINI-Plus), observer-based and self-rating instruments were administered by an independent assessor. Among our sample of 3798 referred patients, 2947 patients were diagnosed with at least one DSM-IV mood, anxiety or somatoform disorder. Of these patients 1.8% (n = 54) met the diagnostic criteria for BDD. In comparison with other outpatients, patients with BDD were on average younger, less often married and were more often living alone. Highly prevalent comorbid diagnoses were major depression (in 46.3% of cases), social anxiety disorder (in 35.2% of cases) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (in 16.7% of cases). Furthermore, patients with BDD had higher scores on the Clinical Global Impression of Severity (CGI-S) as well as lower scores on the Short Form 36 social role functioning. BDD is frequently associated with depression, social phobia and OCD. Patients with BDD have more distress and more impaired interpersonal functioning.

  17. Demographic characteristics of nuclear installations sites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doumenc, A.; Faure, J.

    1988-01-01

    The selection of a nuclear installations sites can not be conceived without a deep analysis of demographic context. This analysis permits to define the critical populations around the installation and is an essential element of emergency plans. 1 tab., 2 refs. (F.M.)

  18. An analysis of depressive symptoms in stroke survivors: verification of a moderating effect of demographic characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Eun-Young; Kim, Jung-Hee

    2017-04-08

    The rehabilitation of depressed stroke patients is more difficult because poststroke depression is associated with disruption of daily activities, functioning, and quality of life. However, research on depression in stroke patients is limited. The aim of our study was to evaluate the interaction of demographic characteristics including gender, age, education level, the presence of a spouse, and income status on depressive symptoms in stroke patients and to identify groups that may need more attention with respect to depressive symptoms. We completed a secondary data analysis using data from a completed cross-sectional study of people with stroke. Depression was measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. In this study, depressive symptoms in women living with a spouse were less severe than among those without a spouse. For those with insufficient income, depressive symptom scores were higher in the above high school group than in the below high school group, but were lower in patients who were living with a spouse than in those living without a spouse. Assessing depressive symptoms after stroke should consider the interaction of gender, economic status, education level, and the presence/absence of a spouse. These results would help in comprehensive understanding of the importance of screening for and treating depressive symptoms during rehabilitation after stroke.

  19. Who Tweets with Their Location? Understanding the Relationship between Demographic Characteristics and the Use of Geoservices and Geotagging on Twitter.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luke Sloan

    Full Text Available In this paper we take advantage of recent developments in identifying the demographic characteristics of Twitter users to explore the demographic differences between those who do and do not enable location services and those who do and do not geotag their tweets. We discuss the collation and processing of two datasets-one focusing on enabling geoservices and the other on tweet geotagging. We then investigate how opting in to either of these behaviours is associated with gender, age, class, the language in which tweets are written and the language in which users interact with the Twitter user interface. We find statistically significant differences for both behaviours for all demographic characteristics, although the magnitude of association differs substantially by factor. We conclude that there are significant demographic variations between those who opt in to geoservices and those who geotag their tweets. Not withstanding the limitations of the data, we suggest that Twitter users who publish geographical information are not representative of the wider Twitter population.

  20. The relationship between some demographic characteristics and organizational commitment of nurses working in the Social Security Hospital of Khorramabad.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sepahvand, Faribah; Atashzadeh-Shoorideh, Foorozan; Parvizy, Soroor; Tafreshi, Mansoureh Zagheri

    2017-06-01

    Reduction in organizational commitment of nurses results in deficiency of care services. Some demographic factors affect organizational commitment. The present study is intended to determine the organizational commitment of nurses and its relationship with demographic characteristics. This study was a descriptive correlation (cross-sectional) study in January and February of 2016 on 126 nurses who held Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) or Master of Science (M.Sc.) and at least one year of work experience in the Social Security Hospital of Khorramabad, selected using the census method. Data collection tools included a demographic characteristics form and Allen and Meyer questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 20. Independent-samples t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to determine the relationship between organizational commitment and demographic characteristics. The majority of nurses had moderate organizational commitment, the highest score belonging to the continuance commitment (22.33%), and the lowest score belonging to the normative commitment (19.16%). Also, there was a significant correlation between the continuance commitment and work experience (p=0.001), the staff posts (p=0.01) and shifts (p=0.04). Considering the moderate level of subjects' organizational commitment in the present study, managers should take necessary measures to increase the attachment and organizational commitment of nurses and provide the ground for improving nursing services.

  1. Do effects of common case-mix adjusters on patient experiences vary across patient groups?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dolf de Boer

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Many survey studies in health care adjust for demographic characteristics such as age, gender, educational attainment and general health when performing statistical analyses. Whether the effects of these demographic characteristics are consistent between patient groups remains to be determined. This is important as the rationale for adjustment is often that demographic sub-groups differ in their so-called ‘response tendency’. This rationale may be less convincing if the effects of response tendencies vary across patient groups. The present paper examines whether the impact of these characteristics on patients’ global rating of care varies across patient groups. Methods Secondary analyses using multi-level regression models were performed on a dataset including 32 different patient groups and 145,578 observations. For each demographic variable, the 95% expected range of case-mix coefficients across patient groups is presented. In addition, we report whether the variance of coefficients for demographic variables across patient groups is significant. Results Overall, men, elderly, lower educated people and people in good health tend to give higher global ratings. However, these effects varied significantly across patient groups and included the possibility of no effect or an opposite effect in some patient groups. Conclusion The response tendency attributed to demographic characteristics – such as older respondents being milder, or higher educated respondents being more critical – is not general or universal. As such, the mechanism linking demographic characteristics to survey results on patient experiences with quality of care is more complicated than a general response tendency. It is possible that the response tendency interacts with patient group, but it is also possible that other mechanisms are at play.

  2. The effectiveness of SMS Reminders and the impact of patient characteristics on missed appointments in a public dental outpatient clinic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emilia Bellucci

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper reports on the Failure To Attend (FTA rate of appointments as well as patients following the implementation of SMS reminders in a public dental outpatient service.  Given the ineffectiveness of the intervention and a highly representative patient’s profile, this paper identifies the demographic characteristics of patients who miss all of their appointments.  Data on appointment attendance, patient demographics and dental service type was collected over a time period of 46 consecutive months.  Using descriptive and inferential statistics (chi-square, two sample tests and Marascuilo procedure we found the SMS intervention was ineffective in reducing the FTA rates. Further, patients associated with high rates of non-attendance exhibited one or more of the following characteristics: male; age 26 – 44; non-concession card holders; a person of Indigenous, local, Asian or African descent, and of refugee status, persons living in low socio-economic areas; and appointments in General Care and Student Clinics. Whilst the literature overwhelmingly attributes SMS reminders to improving the attendance rate of patients in outpatient clinics, our contradictory findings suggest a more targeted approach in settings whose patients exhibit strong characteristics associated with non-attendance.

  3. Disparities in the frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption by socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics in Canada

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sharaf Mesbah F

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The health benefits of adequate fruit and vegetable (F&V consumption are significant and widely documented. However, many individuals self-report low F&V consumption frequency per day. This paper examines the disparities in the frequency of F&V consumption by socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics. Method This study uses a representative sample of 93,719 individuals from the Canadian Community Health Survey (2007. A quantile regression model is estimated in order to capture the differential effects of F&V determinants across the conditional distribution of F&V consumption. Results The conditional and unconditional analyses reveal the existence of a socioeconomic gradient in F&V consumption frequency, in which the low income-education groups consume F&V less frequently than the high income-education groups. We also find significant disparities in F&V consumption frequency by demographic and lifestyle characteristics. The frequency of F&V consumption is relatively lower among: males, those in middle age, singles, smokers, individuals with weak social interaction and households with no children. The quantile regression results show that the association between F&V consumption frequency, and socio-demographic and lifestyle factors varies significantly along the conditional F&V consumption distribution. In particular, individual educational attainment is positively and significantly associated with F&V consumption frequency across different parts of the F&V distribution, while the income level matters only over the lower half of the distribution. F&V consumption follows a U-shaped pattern across the age categories. Those aged 30-39, 40-49 and 50-59 years consume F&V less frequently than those aged 18-29 years. The smallest F&V consumption is among the middle aged adults (40-49. Conclusions Understanding the socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics of individuals with low F&V consumption frequency could increase the

  4. Language Disorders in a Child Psychiatric Center: Demographic Characteristics and Comorbidity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dyrborg, Jørgen; Goldschmidt, Vibeke V.

    1996-01-01

    expressive language disorders, 47% receptive language disorders, and 26% mixed specific developmental disorders (inclusive language disorder). The prevalence of previously unsuspected language disorders was 27%. 75% of patients with language disorders could furthermore be psychiatrically diagnosed......In this study demographic variables and comorbidity were registered in a group of children and adolescents with language disorders. Ss were drawn from 1,151 consecutively admitted psychiatric patients (0-17 yrs) in a 5-yr period. 116 patients had language disorders (10%), and 73% were boys. 27% had...... in accordance with 8 main categories of ICD-10. Language disorders were most often found to be comorbid with conduct disorders, and the comorbidity was most frequent in the adolescent group. Boys had significantly more conduct disorders than girls, and girls had significantly more emotional disorders than boys...

  5. Counterproductive Work Behaviors: a Socio-Demographic Characteristic-Based Study among Employees in the Nigerian Maritime Sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Uche Ignatius Ikechukwu

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The prevalence of counterproductive work behavior (CWB does not only differ across industries but also varies significantly according to socio-demographic characteristics. This study examines CWB and socio-demographic characteristics among selected employees in the Nigerian maritime industry. Causal research design was adopted to survey 1,000 employees selected through multistage sampling approach in three selected parastatals (Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, and Nigerian Shippers Council. The data obtained were analyzed with ANOVA and t-test. Based on the analysis carried out, CWB was found to be significantly related to gender, age, marital status, employee cadre, and income, while employees’ level of educational attainment is not significantly related to CWB. Based on the abovementioned findings, the study concludes that the level of education is not significantly connected to the employees’ propensity towards CWB, while other socio-demographic variables are strongly associated to CWB in the workplace. The study recommends that management should develop a mechanism for identifying and selecting their potential employees as a guide against poor organizational fit of employees and that of the organization. Likewise, effort should be intensified to develop and improve organizational culture that will propel citizenship behavior in the workplace.

  6. A study of communication skills in health care management students and its association with demographic characteristics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shiva Karimzadeh

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Communication skills are one of the most important skills for health care managers and play an important role in their personal life and future occupation. The present study aimed to evaluate the students’ communication skills as well as its relationship with the students’ demographic characteristics. Method: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 153 university students majoring in healthcare management in 2014. A self-administered communication skills questionnaire and demographic information form were used to collect the data. Then, the data were analyzed by using SPSS software and appropriate statistical tests including T-Test and ANOVA. Results: The results showed that the students on average got 77.60 out of possible 100 in communication skills. The relationship between communication skills and demographic characteristics, except age, was not statistically significant (p<0.001. The total Cronbach’s alpha was estimated 0.7. There was a statistically significant difference between the communication skills scores of participants in terms of different age groups (p<0.05. Conclusion: The present findings showed a moderate score in communicative skills in students of health care management. Although the communication skill levels in these students were not low, due to the importance of these skills in their future occupation, serious attention is needed to improve their communication skills.

  7. Do Patient Characteristics Predict Outcome of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for Social Anxiety Disorder?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jörg Wiltink

    Full Text Available Little is known about patient characteristics as predictors for outcome in manualized short term psychodynamic psychotherapy (PDT. No study has addressed which patient variables predict outcome of PDT for social anxiety disorder.In the largest multicenter trial on psychotherapy of social anxiety (SA to date comparing cognitive therapy, PDT and wait list condition N = 230 patients were assigned to receive PDT, of which N = 166 completed treatment. Treatment outcome was assessed based on diverse parameters such as endstate functioning, remission, response, and drop-out. The relationship between patient characteristics (demographic variables, mental co-morbidity, personality, interpersonal problems and outcome was analysed using logistic and linear regressions.Pre-treatment SA predicted up to 39 percent of variance of outcome. Only few additional baseline characteristics predicted better treatment outcome (namely, lower comorbidity and interpersonal problems with a limited proportion of incremental variance (5.5 to 10 percent, while, e.g., shame, self-esteem or harm avoidance did not.We argue that the central importance of pre-treatment symptom severity for predicting outcomes should advocate alternative treatment strategies (e.g. longer treatments, combination of psychotherapy and medication in those who are most disturbed. Given the relatively small amount of variance explained by the other patient characteristics, process variables and patient-therapist interaction should additionally be taken into account in future research.Controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN53517394.

  8. A tale of two epidemics: gender differences in socio-demographic characteristics and sexual behaviors among HIV positive individuals in Mexico City.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bautista-Arredondo, Sergio; Servan-Mori, Edson; Beynon, Fenella; González, Andrea; Volkow, Patricia

    2015-12-16

    To date, the HIV epidemic in Mexico has been concentrated mainly among men who have sex with men, butheterosexual transmission, particularly to women, is increasingly important. This study examine gender differences in socio-demographic characteristics and risk behaviors of HIV positive individuals in Mexico City. We analyzed data from a cross-sectional survey of 1,490 clinic patients (male:female ratio 8:1) with HIV inMexico City in 2010. We examined socio-demographic characteristics, risk behavior, and history of HIV infection.From multivariate non-linear probability (probit) models we calculated predicted probabilities by sex of several outcomes: marginalization, demographic and sexual risk behaviors. Significant differences were found between men and women. Multivariate models suggest that women had lower schooling levels; were less likely to have been employed in the past month and earn more than the minimal wage; more likely to have children, to have been sexually abused, to never have used condoms and to report having been infected by a stable partner. Additionally, women were less likely to report having a partner with a history of migration to the USA and to have engaged in transactional sex. Significant differences exist between men and women with HIV in Mexico City in terms of their socioeconomicand behavioral profiles, which translate into differences in terms of exposure to HIV infection. Women face social and economic vulnerability while men tend to have riskier sexual behavior. Gender issues must be approached in prevention and treatment efforts, using diverse methods to target those most vulnerable and at risk.

  9. Relationships between menstrual and menopausal attitudes and associated demographic and health characteristics: The Hilo Women’s Health Study

    OpenAIRE

    Morrison, Lynn A.; Sievert, Lynnette L.; Brown, Daniel E.; Rahberg, Nichole; Reza, Angela

    2010-01-01

    The objective of this study was to examine the relation of menstrual attitudes to menopausal attitudes and the demographic and health characteristics associated with each. This cross-sectional study consisted of a randomly selected sample of 1824 respondents aged 16 to 100 years in multi-ethnic Hilo, Hawai`i. Women completed questionnaires for demographic and health information, such as age, ethnicity, education, residency in Hawai`i, menopausal status, exercise, and attitudes toward menstrua...

  10. [Characteristics of the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients with and without diabetes mellitus type 2].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrión-Torres, Omar; Cazorla-Saravia, Patrick; Torres Sales, José William; Yhuri Carreazo, Nilton; De La Cruz Armijo, Frank Enrique

    2015-10-01

    To determine whether there are demographic, clinical and radiological differences among patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and patients with TB and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2 + TB). Observational retrospective cohort study. We compared the clinical characteristics of patients according to sex, age, time to sputum conversion to negative, presence of cavitation and the cure rate, duration of treatment and the proportion of change of treatment regimen, in patients with and without DM2 served by the Tuberculosis Control Program from 2010 to 2012 in the Rebagliati Healthcare Network of Lima, Peru. 31 patients with TB+DM2 and 144 patients with TB were included. Differences (p<0.05) in the diagnostic method, the average of symptoms and the resistance pattern of TB among patients with and without DM2 were found. The presence of cavitation was more frequent in patients with TB + DM2. Having TB + DM2 delayed the time to sputum smear conversion to negative (RRa 4.16, 95% CI: 1.1-1.6) in the adjusted Cox regression analysis. There are differences in demographic, clinical and radiological characteristics in TB patients with and without DM2.The time to sputum conversion to negative is greater in patients with DM2.

  11. Burnout in Social Workers Treating Children as Related to Demographic Characteristics, Work Environment, and Social Support

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamama, Liat

    2012-01-01

    This study examined sense of burnout among 126 social workers who directly treat children and adolescents within the human service professions. Burnout was investigated in relation to social workers' demographic characteristics (age, family status, education, and seniority at work), extrinsic and intrinsic work conditions, and social support by…

  12. Mucocutaneous and demographic features of systemic sclerosis: A profile of 46 patients from Eastern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sudip Kumar Ghosh

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc is a multisystem connective tissue disorder of uncertain etiology. The clinical picture is frequently dominated by prominent cutaneous manifestations that have diagnostic and prognostic significance. The objective of the present study was to find out the demographic profile and the relative frequencies and characteristics of different mucocutaneous features of SSc in a group of patients from eastern India. In addition, we sought to compare the frequency and pattern of the findings in the limited versus the diffuse variety of the disease. Materials and Methods:This was a cross-sectional, clinical observational study. Consecutive patients of SSc attending the dermatology O.P.D. of a tertiary care hospital of eastern India over 3 years were enrolled to the present study. Results:A total of 46 patients (41 females and 5 males; mean age 29.6±12.3 years of SSc were evaluated. Among mucocutaneous manifestations Raynaud′s phenomenon was present in 39 (84.8% patients. Other cutaneous features included dyspigmentation (40, 86.9%, sclerodactyly (38, 82.6%, inability to open the mouth (38,82.6%, mat-like telangiectasia (11,23.1%, fingertip ulceration and scarring (29,63%, cutaneous calcinosis (1,2.2%, digital gangrene in (2,4.3%, generalized pruritus (4,8.7%, cutaneous small vessel vasculitis (2,4.3%, chronic urticaria (2,4.3%, flexion contractures of the fingers (13,28.3%, and amputation of the digits (3,6.5%. Mucosal changes were observed in 10 (21.7% patients and nail changes were seen in 13 (28.2% patients. Diffuse cutaneous SSc was noted in 27 (58.7% patients and limited cutaneous SSc was seen in the remainder. Thirty-six (78.2% patients tested positive for ANA. Conclusion: The present study provides a snapshot of the spectrum of the demographic and mucocutaneous manifestations of SSc in the eastern Indian population. We have not observed any statistically significant differences between dcSSc and lcSSc in terms

  13. Relationships among mental health status, social context, and demographic characteristics in Taiwanese aboriginal adolescents: a structural equation model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yen, Cheng-Fang; Hsu, Chia-Chuang; Liu, Shu-Chun; Huang, Chi-Fen; Ko, Chih-Hung; Yen, Ju-Yu; Cheng, Chung-Ping

    2006-10-01

    The purposes of this study were to examine the relationships among mental health status, demographic characteristics, and social contexts, including family conflict and support, connectedness to school, and affiliation with peers who exhibit delinquent behavior and who use substances, among Taiwanese aboriginal adolescents. A total of 251 aboriginal junior high school students in an isolated mountainous area of southern Taiwan were recruited, and the relationships among mental health status, demographic characteristics, and social contexts among them were examined using a structural equation model (SEM). The SEM revealed that family conflict and support had direct influences on mental health status and connectedness to school. Family conflict had a direct relationship with affiliation with peers who use substances, and family conflict and support were both indirectly linked with affiliation with peers who exhibit delinquent behavior and who used substances; these were mediated by a poor mental health status. Female and older age were directly linked with a poor mental health status and were indirectly linked with a greater number of peers who exhibit delinquent behavior and who use substances via the poor mental health status. Disruptive parenting was directly linked with affiliation with peers who use substances. The authors suggest that those who devise strategies to improve aboriginal adolescents' mental health and discourage substance use should take these relationships among mental health, demographic characteristics, and social contexts into account.

  14. Do sedentary behaviors mediate associations between socio-demographic characteristics and BMI in women living in socio-economically disadvantaged neighborhoods?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Compernolle, Sofie; De Cocker, Katrien; Abbott, Gavin; Verloigne, Maïté; Cardon, Greet; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Ball, Kylie

    2015-04-09

    Women living in deprived neighborhoods are a risk group for overweight and obesity, particularly during the childbearing years. Several socio-demographic characteristics may compound this risk, but little is known about why this might be the case. Sedentary behaviors are emerging as a socio-demographically patterned risk factor for obesity. The purpose of the present study was to assess socio-demographic differences in sedentary behaviors, and to examine whether these behaviors could explain the relation between socio-demographic variables and BMI (BMI) in this risk group. Women aged 18-46 years were recruited from 40 urban and 40 rural deprived neighborhoods in Victoria, Australia. In total, 3879 women reported socio-demographic variables (age, educational level, employment status, marital status, number of children, residential location and country of birth), sedentary behaviors (television time, computer time, total screen time and total sedentary time), physical activity, and height and weight, which were used to calculate BMI. For each socio-demographic variable, four single mediation models were conducted using two-level mixed-models regression analyses. Mediating effects were examined using the MacKinnon product-of-coefficients procedure and the Sobel test. All socio-demographic variables were significantly associated with sedentary behaviors. Single mediation analyses revealed that television time (αβ = 0.017, 95% CI = 0.000, 0.030) and total screen time (αβ = 0.006, 95% CI = 0.000, 0.012) mediated 14.1% and 4.9% of the relationship between educational level and BMI, respectively. Total screen time mediated 45.1% of the relationship between employment status and BMI (αβ = -0.020, 95% CI = -0.033, -0.006), and television time mediated 8.2% of the relationship between country of birth and BMI (αβ = -0.008, 95% CI = -0.016, -0.001). Sedentary behaviors differed depending on socio-demographic characteristics, and partly

  15. Predisposition to depressive symptoms in patients with paranoid schizophrenia: constitutional-biological, socio-demographic factors and the debut of the disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kh. S. Zhyvago

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Aim. To identify the constitutional-biological, socio-demographic (microsocial and clinical-dynamic (the debut of the disease factors of predisposition to the depressive symptoms development in patients with paranoid schizophrenia. Materials and methods. A clinical-anamnestic, socio-demographic, clinical-psychopathological and pathopsychological examinations of 82 patients with paranoid schizophrenia with depressive symptoms identified and compared with 47 patients with paranoid schizophrenia without depressive symptoms. The study was managed using the PANSS, CDSS, HDRS scales and a questionnaire for the assessment of social functioning and quality of the mentally ill life. Groups did not differ in the basic demographic indicators. The study of constitutional and biological predisposition factors included the study of heredity and premorbid characterological features of patients. Socio-demographic (before the onset of the disease microsocial conditions and the current stage factors –family relationships; characteristics of living conditions; financial position; the quality of nutrition. To factors of the disease onset were attributed: age debut; factors that preceded the first episode; syndromes of the first episode; the first reference to a psychiatrist; suicidal statements and intentions. Results. It was evaluated the prognostic significance of individual predisposing factors to depression in patients with paranoid schizophrenia and found the following factors of predisposition (p<0.05: the heredity of schizophrenia and affective disorders; low level of erudition, combined with emotional and volitional immaturity, anxiety, prone to mood swings; low income and the cost of food, clothing and leisure; poor living conditions; unstable or conflictual family relationships; the presence of the first episode of affective symptoms, such as depressive, which is stored in the further course of the disease, as well as anhedonia, sleep and appetite

  16. Demographic And Histopathological Characteristics Of Colorectal Polyps: A Descriptive Study Based On Samples Obtained From Symptomatic Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cekodhima Genta

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Colorectal polyps (CP are common among individuals older than 50 years. Some polyp types can precede colorectal cancer (CRC. This study aimed at describing histopathological characteristics of colorectal polyps in relation to age and gender among symptomatic patients referred for a colonoscopy examination during 2011-2014 in Tirana, Albania.

  17. Demographics and sexual characteristics of sex-enhancing medication users: Study of a web-based cross-sectional sample of sexually active men

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abul-Fotouh Ahmed

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: To evaluate the frequency of sex-enhancing medications (S-EM use and to investigate the demographics and sexual characteristics of the S-EM users amongst a Saudi Arabian male population. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional sample of 1176 Saudi Arabian men was recruited using a web-based survey between 1 January and 1 April 2015. The survey included multiple open and closed questions to assess the frequency of S-EM use; and demographics, clinical, and sexual characteristics of S-EM users, as well as their perceptions of S-EM. Results: Amongst the participants, 1008 were sexually active and included in the data analysis. Of the sexually active participants, 402 (39.9% reported S-EM use in the form of herbal or phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors at some time in their lives. Comparing S-EM users with S-EM non-users, the S-EM users had a number of demographic and sexual characteristics including: higher education level, higher income, smoking, more than one sexual partner, longer sexual activity duration, higher frequency of sexual intercourse, and lower sexual satisfaction level. Most of the S-EM users (82.1% bought S-EM without a medical prescription and 62.5% had used them recreationally. In all, 52% of respondents used S-EM to treat ED and 69% of those who used it recreationally reported enhancement of erection with S-EM usage. Conclusions: Demographic and sexual characteristics of S-EM users and the attitude of the users towards the S-EM were identified amongst a Saudi Arabian male population. Keywords: Characteristics, Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, Sex-enhancing medication use

  18. PSA testing without clinical indication for prostate cancer in relation to socio-demographic and clinical characteristics in the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health Study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Karlsen, Randi V; Larsen, Signe B; Christensen, Jane

    2013-01-01

    Background. Social differences in prostate cancer (PC) incidence and mortality might be related to testing for prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Although routine PSA screening is not recommended in Denmark, testing without clinical indication increased during the past decade. We evaluated...... associations between socio-demographic or clinical characteristics and PSA testing without clinical indication. Material and methods. In the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health Cohort, we identified 1051 men with PC diagnosed in 1993-2008. Diagnostic and clinical characteristics were obtained from medical records......, and socio-demographic information was retrieved from administrative registers. We used general logistic regression analysis to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between socio-demographic or clinical characteristics and PSA testing without clinical indication. Cox...

  19. Suicides in the indigenous and non-indigenous populations in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Northwestern Russia, and associated socio-demographic characteristics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sumarokov, Yury A.; Brenn, Tormod; Kudryavtsev, Alexander V.; Nilssen, Odd

    2014-01-01

    Background To describe suicide rates in the indigenous and non-indigenous populations of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug (NAO) in 2002–2012, as well as associated socio-demographic characteristics. Study design Retrospective population-based mortality study. Methods Data from autopsy reports were used to identify 252 cases of suicide in the NAO in 2002–2012. Data on socio-demographic characteristics of these cases were obtained from passports and medical records at local primary health care units, and were then linked to total population data from the Censuses in 2002 and 2010. Suicide rates for the indigenous Nenets population and the non-indigenous population were standardized to the European standard population. The rates were also estimated according to different socio-demographic characteristics and compared by calculating relative risks. Results The crude suicide rates were 79.8 per 100,000 person-years (PYs) in the Nenets population and 49.2 per 100,000 PYs in the non-indigenous population. The corresponding standardized estimates were 72.7 per 100,000 PYs and 50.7 per 100,000 PYs. The highest suicide rates in the Nenets population were observed in the age group 20–29 years (391 per 100,000 PYs), and in females aged 30–39 years (191 per 100,000 PYs). Socio-demographic characteristics associated with high suicide rates in the Nenets population were age 20–39 years, male, urban residence, having secondary school or higher education, being an employee or employer, and being single or divorced. Males aged 20–29 years, and females aged 30–39 and aged 70 years and above had the highest suicide rates in the non-indigenous population (137.5, 21.6 and 29.9 per 100,000 PYs, respectively). The elevated suicide rates observed in the non-indigenous population were associated with male sex, rural residence, secondary school education, being an employee or employer, and being single or divorced. Conclusions Suicide rates in the NAO were substantially higher among

  20. Relationships between menstrual and menopausal attitudes and associated demographic and health characteristics: the Hilo Women's Health Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morrison, Lynn A; Sievert, Lynnette L; Brown, Daniel E; Rahberg, Nichole; Reza, Angela

    2010-07-01

    The objective of this study was to examine the relation of menstrual attitudes to menopausal attitudes and the demographic and health characteristics associated with each. This cross-sectional study consisted of a randomly selected sample of 1,824 respondents aged 16 to 100 years in multi-ethnic Hilo, Hawai'i. Women completed questionnaires for demographic and health information, such as age, ethnicity, education, residency in Hawai'i, menopausal status, exercise, and attitudes toward menstruation and menopause. Women more often chose positive terms, such as "natural," to describe menstruation (60.8%) and menopause (59.4%). In bivariate analyses, post-menopausal women were significantly more likely to have positive menstrual and menopausal attitudes than pre-menopausal women. Factor analyses were used to cluster attitudes followed by linear regression to identify demographic characteristics associated with factor scores. Asian-American ethnicity, higher education, reporting more exercise, and growing up outside of Hawai'i were associated with positive menstrual attitudes. Higher education, older age, post-menopausal status, growing up outside of Hawai'i and having hot flashes were associated with positive menopausal attitudes. Bivariate correlation analyses suggested significant associations between factor scores for menstrual and menopausal attitudes. Both negative and positive menstrual attitudes were positively correlated with the anticipation of menopause, although negative attitudes toward menstruation were negatively correlated with menopause as a positive, natural life event. Demographic variables, specifically education and where one grows up, influenced women's attitudes toward menstruation and menopause and should be considered for inclusion in subsequent multi-ethnic studies. Further research is also warranted in assessing the relationship between menstrual and menopausal attitudes.

  1. Socio-demographic and clinical profiles of paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenia: a prospective, multicenter study in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiang, Yu-Tao; Wang, Chuan-Yue; Chiu, Helen F K; Weng, Yong-Zhen; Bo, Qi-Jing; Chan, Sandra S M; Lee, Edwin H M; Ungvari, Gabor S

    2011-07-01

    This study aimed to explore the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of paranoid and nonparanoid subtypes of schizophrenia. In a multicenter, randomized, controlled, longitudinal study, 374 clinically stable schizophrenia patients were interviewed at entry with standardized assessment instruments and followed for 12-26 months. In the multivariate analysis, male sex, married marital status, urban abode, and more frequent relapse over the study period were independently associated with paranoid schizophrenia. The socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of Chinese patients with the paranoid subtype of schizophrenia are different from those of their Caucasian counterparts who are more likely to be women and have a better outcome. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Demographic, clinical and antibody characteristics of patients with digital ulcers in systemic sclerosis: data from the DUO Registry

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Denton, Christopher P.; Krieg, Thomas; Guillevin, Loic; Schwierin, Barbara; Rosenberg, Daniel; Silkey, Mariabeth; Zultak, Maurice; Matucci-Cerinic, Marco; Stetter, M.; Lackner, K.; Tomi, N.; Hafner, F.; Brodmann, M.; Kuen-Spiegel, M.; Kolle, H.; Raffier, B.; Hamberger, N.; Metz, S.; Siebel, C.; Trummer, M.; Thonhofer, R.; Illmer, X.; Trautinger, F.; Schmidt, P.; Rintelen, B.; Sautner, J.; Willfort-Ehringer, A.; Margeta, C.; Monshi, B.; Pirkhammer, D.; Richter, L.; Holzer, G.; Minmair, G.; Broll, H.; Takacs, M.; Hirschl, M.; Mesaric, P.; Feldmann, R.; Semmelweis, K.; Hundstorfer, M.; Reinhart, V.; Maurer, B.; Verner, D.; Distler, O.; Schmidt-Bosshard, R.; Bohmova, J.; Prochazkova, L.; Nemec, P.; Fojtik, Z.; Soukup, T.; Smrzova, A.; Suchy, D.; Zemanova, I.; Becvar, R.; Gawlik, A.; Koch, M.; Rauen, T.; Voss, B.; Kurthen, R.; Unholzer, A.; Starz, H.; Welzel, J.; Plaumann, K.; Merk, B.; Bloching, H. H.; Moosig, F.; Frey, P.; Kahl, S.; Schleenbecker, H.; Storck-Mueller, K.; Schwarting, A.; Hazenbiller, A.; Nichelmann, V.; Flaig, W.; Rumbaur, C.; Boesenberg, I.; Schmeiser, T.; Marx, J.; Mayer, L.; Stein, T.; Ochs, W.; Rasche, C.; Worm, M.; Riemekasten, G.; Deuschle, K.; Becker, M.; Kleiner, H. J.; Schulze, K.; Tiggers, C.; Peters, J.; Kirschke, J.; Schaefer, C.; Monshausen, M.; Mengden, T.; Sadeghlar, F.; Seidel, M.; Hillebrecht, C.; Andresen, J.; Reemtsen, R.; Stoeckl, F.; Sperling, S.; Podda, M.; Wagner, N.; Guenzel, J.; Wuerzburg, I.; Luethke, K.; Enderlein, M.; Kayser, M.; Gerber, A.; Haust, M.; Hoff, N. P.; Mota, R.; Akanay-Diesel, S.; Jahnke, K.; Mettler, S.; Toeller, S.; Zwenger, S.; Klein, E.; Hahn, K.; Beyer, C.; Distler, J.; Katzemich, A.; Erfurt-berge, C.; Sticherling, M.; Schuch, F.; Rapp, P.; Mitchell, A.; Freundlieb, C.; Rushentsova, U.; Himsel, A.; Henkemeier, U.; Eilbacher, P.; Ullrich-Guenther, C.; Neul, S.; Oelsner, M.; Hermanns, G.; Fiene, M.; Gause, A.; Mensing, C.; Klings, D.; Mensing, H.; Messall, J.; Zuper, R.; May, D.; Bruckner, L.; Sheikh, N.; Aries, P.; Kirchberg, S.; Funkert, A.; Blank, N.; Lupaschko, S.; Schwuerzer-Voit, M.; Meier, L.; Herr, U.; Meier, U.; Neek, G.; Wernitzsch, H.; Pfoehler, C.; Assmann, G.; Vosswinkel, J.; Krog, B.; Wollersdorfer, E.; Oltmann-Schroeder, J.; Zeuner, R.; Uhlig, S.; Barth, S.; Huegel, R.; Glaeser, R.; Rabe, B.; Schuster, J.; Scholz, J.; Kremer, K.; Robakidze-Torbahn, M.; Moinzadeh, P.; Mittag, M.; Dohse, A.; Muhlack, A.; Schultz, L.; Schult, S.; Frambach, Y.; Kettenbach, A.; Fell, I.; Schweda, K.; Steinbrink, K.; Podobinska, M.; Harmuth, W.; Nielen, C.; Kaczmarczyk, A.; Kellner, C.; von Oelhafen, J.; von Bildering, P. B.; Kunze, S.; Niedermeier, A.; Messer, G.; Sardy, M.; Bekou, V.; Belloni, B.; Huettig, B.; Ziai, M.; Hein, R.; Hallecker, A.; Gaubitz, M.; Hallermann, C.; Schmidt, K.; Herrgott, I.; Hildebrandt, B.; Eiden, E.; Guertler, I.; Gernot Scheibl, E.; Brand, H.; Kaeding, U.; Weiss, E.; Reischel, N.; Kern, S.; Baumann, C.; Hellmich, B.; Loeffler, C.; Pflugfelder, J.; Karaenke, P.; Ruchenburg, J.; Blume, J.; Zabel, M.; Deppermann, N.; Chromik, S.; Metzler, C.; Krupp, E.; Rumpel, H.; Krause Rostock, J.-O.; Kneitz, C.; Federow, I.; Schneider, K.; Semmler, M.; Hapke, S.; Barnd, A.; Linke, M.; Kampe-Juzak, E.; Knoebel, K.; Niefanger, K.; Wilhelm, H. U.; Lauterwein, B.; Fierlbeck, G.; Schanz, S.; Pfeiffer, C.; Hassel, R.; Wahn, H.; Schildt, K.; von Elling, A.; Boro, D.; Ebel, J.; Ahmadi, K.; Moritz, D.; Dietl, S.; Dyballa, J.; Alsheimer, B.; Schuetz, N.; Schuart, T.; Mueglich, C.; Tony, H. P.; Marina, P.; Deininger, F.; Hartmann, F.; Olsen, A. B.; Sondergaard, K. H.; Naderi, Y.; Iversen, L. V.; Karlsmark, T.; Knudsen, J. B.; Gil, J. G.; Lopez, J. C. F.; Tasende, J. A. P.; Gonzales, M. F.; Sandoval, A. A.; del Carmen Torres Martin, M.; Corteguera, M.; Barca, B. A.; Montes, I. C.; de la Torre, R. G.; Victoria Egurbide, M.; Pros, A.; Munoz, J.; Simeon, C. P.; Espinosa, G.; Espinposa, G.; Rodriguez, M. A. P.; Castellvi, I.; Mascaro, J. M.; Bellido, D.; Manzanedo, V. S.; Huertas, M. P.; Sanchez, M. D. M.; Trenado, M. S. S.; Garcia, P. V.; Gines Martinez, F.; Angeles Aquirre, M.; del Rio, A. H.; Vazquez, J. L. G.; Coleman, J. V.; Lopez, M. R.; Sanchez, P. S.; Aizpuru, E. M. F.; Mateo, F. J. N.; Callejas, J. L.; Ortego, N.; Santo, M. P.; Rubio, M.; Martin, I.; Cruz, A.; Crespo, M.; Ramos, P. C.; Fernandez, A. S.-A.; Filloy, J. A. M.; Rodriguez, T. R. V.; Marhuenda, A. R.; Blanco, J. J. R.; Hernan, M. G. B.; Mendoza, A. Z.; de la Puente, C.; Rabaneda, E. V.; de Vicuna, R. G.; del Mar Ripoll Macias, M.; del la Pena Lefebvre, P. G.; de Ramon, E.; Camps, M. T.; Fernandez, C.; Miguelez, R.; Uson, J.; Delgado, E. G.; Villaverde, V.; Maceiras, F.; Cruz, J.; Mosquera, J. A.; Mera, A.; Pampin, E. P.; Blanco, J. S.; Maneiro, J. R.; Diaz, J. J.; Losada, L.; Caamano, M.; Fernandez, S.; Insua, S. A.; Laurin, C. U.; Sanchez, J.; Fernandez, N. C.; Becerra, N. D.; Garcia, A.; Nicolas, G. M.; del Carmen Ortega de la O, M.; Rueda, A.; Calvo, J.; Roman Ivorra, J.; Sancho Alegre, J. J.; Barbado, J.; Montes, J.; Saez, L.; Kaarto, A.; Makinen, H.; Madaule, S.; Dadban, A.; Lok, C.; Ferrandiz, D.; Moiton, M. P.; Magy-Bertrand, N.; Taieb, A.; Droitcourt, C.; Belin, E.; Balquiere, S.; Prey, S.; Boulon, C.; Constans, J.; Richez, C.; Sassolas, B.; Misery, L.; Greco, M.; collet, E.; Berthier, S.; Leguy-Seguin, V.; Imbert, B.; Carpentier, P.; Blaise, S.; Maillard, H.; Beneton, N.; Launay, D.; Hachulla, E.; Woijtasik, G.; Charlanne, H.; Lambert, M.; Jourdain, N.; Hatron, P. Y.; Morell, S.; Spars, A.; Couraud, A.; Doeffel-hantz, V.; Fauchais, A. L.; Vidal, E.; Goudran, G.; Bezanahary, H.; Boussely, N.; Manea, P.; Dumonteil, S.; Loustaud-ratti, V.; Hot, A.; Coppere, B.; Desmurs-Clavel, H.; Ninet, J.; Girard-Madoux, M. H.; Granel, B.; Keynote, A.; Khau van Kien, A.; Rullier, P.; Le Quellec, A.; Riviere, S.; Bessis, D.; Cohen, J. D.; Farcas, C.; Granel-brocard, F.; Agard, C.; Durant, C.; Fuzibet, J. G.; Queyrel, V.; Berezne, A.; Guillevin, L.; Mouthon, L.; Frances, C.; Toledano, C.; Cabane, J.; Tiev, K.; Farge, D.; Keshtmand, H.; Lazareth, I.; Priollet, P.; Michon-Pasturel, U.; Wipff, J.; Assous, N.; Cartry, O.; Kostrzwewa, E.; Doutre, M. S.; Blum, L.; Reguiai, Z.; Letremy, A.; Perlat, A.; Cazalets-lacoste, C.; Decaux, O.; Jego, P.; Duval-modeste, A. B.; Deboves, O.; Sordet, C.; Chatelus, E.; Chiffot, H.; Sibillia, J.; Couret, B.; Moulis, G.; Sailler, L.; Adoue, D.; Gaches, F.; Diot, E.; Skowron, F.; Zenone, T.; Quemeneur, T.; Kyndt, X.; Wahl, D.; Zuily, S.; Moline, T.; Bravetti, V.; Galanopoulos, N.; Vasilopoulos, D.; Vlachoyannopoulos, P.; Kritikos, I.; Tsifetaki, N.; Koutroumbas, A.; Garyfallos, A.; Athanassiou, P.; Aslanidis, S.; Kamali, S.; Dimitroulas, T.; Galanopoulo, V.; Elezoglou, A.; Grier, A.; Murray, M.; O'Rourke, M.; Gabrielli, A.; Lapadula, G.; Serafino, L.; Terlizzi, N.; Bellissimo, S.; Stisi, S.; Malavolta, N.; Airo, P.; Vacca, A.; Battaglia, E.; Foti, R.; Mazzuca, S.; Bortoluzzi, A.; Trotta, F.; Galluccio, F.; Marucci, A.; Cantatore, F.; Bucci, R.; Puppo, F.; de Angeli, R.; Grassi, W.; Cipriani, P.; Mazzone, A.; Faggioli, P.; Severino, A.; Scorza, R.; Belloli, L.; Ughi, N.; Antivalle, M.; del Papa, N.; Maglione, W.; Zeni, S.; Ferri, C.; Colaci, M.; Varcasia, G.; Cuomo, G.; Cozzi, F.; Triolo, G.; Gatti, S.; Montecucco, C. M.; Doveri, M.; Nigro, A.; Olivieri, I.; Bajoochi, G.; Rosato, E.; Salsano, F.; Faustini, F.; Ferraccioli, G.; Colonna, L.; Pallotta, S.; Riccieri, V.; Mussi, A.; Bellisai, F.; Galeazzi, M.; Fusaro, E.; Saracco, M.; Pellerito, R.; Masolini, P.; de Vita, S.; Lombardi, S.; Lunardi, C.; Moolenburgh, J. D.; Heurkens, A. H. M.; Voskuyl, A.; Hak, A. E.; Stroes, E. S. K.; Remans, J.; Gerdes, V.; van Woerkom, J. M.; de Long, A. J. L.; Kaasjager, H. A. H.; Visser, H.; Janssen, M.; van Guldener, C.; van Neer, F.; Vos, P.; Peters, A. J.; Hulsmans, H.; Ronday, K.; Goekoop, R.; Ewals, J.; Valentijn, R.; de Bois, M.; Westedt, M. L.; Siewertsz van Reesema, D.; Knifjj-Dutmer, E.; Stolk, J. N.; Willems, H.; Kuiper-geertsma, D. G.; Baudaoin, P.; Fretter, P.; Westra, R.; Sonnaville, P. B. J.; Smit, A.; Bootsma, H.; Brouwer, L.; Bijl, M.; Molders, N.; Lebrun, C.; van der Veen, M. J.; Noordzij, M.; Houben, H.; Landewe, R. M. B.; Vercoutere, W.; Jahangier de Veen, Z. N.; Zijlstra, T. R.; Ubels, F.; Bruyn, G.; Jansen, P.; Schuerwegh, A.; Huizinga, T. W. J.; Paassen, P.; Hurkens, T.; Geurts, M.; van den Hoogen, F.; Vonk, M.; Jacobs, P. J. C.; Groenendael, J. H. L. M.; Seys, P.; van Zeben, D.; van Paassen, H.; Groenendael, J.; Han, K. H.; Wlarvens, M.; van Hagen, M.; van Daele, P.; Dolhain, R.; Gerards, A. H.; van der Lubbe, P.; Kanter, M. D. E.; Muller, W. H.; Ton, E.; van Krugten, M.; van Gameren, I.; Lanting, P.; den Hengst, C.; Gjessdal, C. G.; Hjertaker, S. L.; Madland, T. M.; Bendvold, A.; Bitter, H.; Hoffmann-Vold, A. M.; Midtvedt, O.; Bakland, G.; Aslkaksen, H. K.; Seip, M.; Kalstad, S.; Koldingsnes, W.; Grandauent, B.; Nordvag, B. Y.; Stran, E. K.; Skomsvoll, J.; Andersen, M.; Thomsen, R. S.; Pedersen, T.; Bakkeheim, V.; Cordeiro, A.; Alves, J.; Oliveira, S.; Coelho, P.; Resende, C.; Ponte, C.; Almeida, I.; Silva, I.; Santos, C.; Camara, I.; Costa, J.; Hellstrom, H.; Mohammad, A.; Lind, I.; Lind, K.; Bracin, T.; Liljequist, E.; Vingren, T.; Ostenson, A.; Hermansson, E.; Thorsson, C.; Soderlin, M.; Nordin, A.; Waldheim, E.; Vengemyr, K.; Albertsson, K.; Karlsson, M. L.; Rydvald, Y.; Rizk, M.; Dolnicar, A. S.; Lukac, J.; James, J.; McHugh, N.; Cole, S.; Brown, S.; Hamilton, A.; Faizal, A.; Hall, F.; Murphy, K.; Skingle, S.; Harris, H.; Madhok, F.; Hampson, R.; Baguley, E.; Ogunbambi G, O.; Lamb, J.; Anderson, M.; Moots, R.; White-Alao, B.; Morrison, C.; Dobson, J.; Gordon, P.; Salerno, R.; Denton, C.; Parker, L.; Ochiel, R.; Vincent, R.; Zimba, S.; Ngcozana, T.; Xu, Y.; D'Cruz, D.; Choong, L. M.; Herrick, A.; Wragg, E.; Manning, J.; Moore, T.; Kelsey, C.; Chakravarty, K.; Skyes, H.; Athiveer, P.

    2012-01-01

    The Digital Ulcers Outcome (DUO) Registry was designed to describe the clinical and antibody characteristics, disease course and outcomes of patients with digital ulcers associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc). The DUO Registry is a European, prospective, multicentre, observational, registry of SSc

  3. Cervical Tuberculous Lymphadenitis: Clinico-demographic Profiles of Patients in a Secondary Level Hospital of Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamal, Mohammad Shah; Hoque, Md Hafiz Ehsanul; Chowdhury, Fazle Rabbi; Farzana, Rubina

    2016-01-01

    Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health problem in Bangladesh since long. The present incidence and prevalence rates of all forms of TB are 227 and 404/100,000 population respectively. The aim of this study was to find out the clinical characteristics of involved cervical lymph nodes, demographic characteristics of the patients and response to treatment of Cervical Tuberculous Lymphadenitis (CTL) cases. A prospective study was performed in Shaheed Shamsuddin Ahmed Hospital, Sylhet, Bangladesh from June 2012 to June 2014. Total 65 patients having CTL attending outpatient department of the hospital were enrolled. Age of the patients ranged from 5 to 60 years with a mean of 25.6 years. Two third (67.7%) of the patients were female. Male: Female ratio was 1:2.1. More than half of the patients came from rural areas (53.8%) and from low socio-economic conditions (58.5%). Most of the patients presented with unilateral (87.7%), multiple (82.3%), matted (68.6%) lymph nodes, <3cm diameter (54%), commonly in right side (57.9%). Abscess was found in 21.5% cases. Discharging sinus was found in 9.2% cases. Most commonly involved lymph node group was level V (59.4%) followed by level II (42.2%). Systemic features were found in 63.07% patients. Associated lung lesion was found in 3.1% cases. FNAC was found positive for tuberculosis in 83.9% cases. Most of the patients (78.46%) were cured with six months anti-tubercular chemotherapy. Early diagnosis and treatment is critical in reducing the overall prevalence. It is essential to have awareness regarding common presentations of cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis among the general population as well as healthcare professionals working in the resource poor primary and secondary level hospitals.

  4. [Medico-social characteristics of patients with chronic pancreatitis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kosyura, S D; Fedorov, I G; Gavrilina, N S; Sedova, G A

    2014-01-01

    Comparative analysis of the health status of patients with chronic toxic-metabolic pancreatitis (CTMP) and chronic obstructive pancreatitis (COP). The gender and social factors was analysed. 250 patients with chronic pancreatitis examined. On based of the TIGAR-O classification, two groups of patients choosed: the 1-st group included 142 (56.8%) a patient with CTMP, the 2-nd group--108 (43.2%) patients COP. The social characteristics of patients had produced, including assessment of status social (gender, age, educational level, employment, marital status, bad habits). Quality of life was assessed by using the updated questionnaire SF-36. The average age of patients with CP is 53.2 years, male to female ratio is 3:2. At stake is 56.8% of all CTMP patients with CP, the median age is 42.3 years, the male to female ratio is 4:1. The average age of patients with COP is 54.6 years, male to female ratio is 1:4. Do not work, not married, engaged in an anti-social way of life 43% of people working age with CTMP, have a lower education in comparison with patients with COP. Patients with CTMP reduced social significance illustrate reduced social significance as personal (reduction in the level of education, an anti-social way of life), and social (lack of employment, deterioration of demographic indicators).

  5. Socio-demographic characteristics and risk factors of ante-partum fetal death in a tertiary care hospital in Dhaka City.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azim, A K; Sultana, N; Chowdhury, S; Azim, E

    2013-10-01

    The objectives of this study were to assess the socio-demographic profile and to identify the risk factors of ante-partum fetal death which occurs after the age of viability of fetus. This prospective observational study was conducted in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department of Ad-din Women Medical College Hospital from June 2009 to July 2010. A total of 14,015 pregnant patients were admitted in the study place after the age of viability, which was taken as 28 weeks of gestation for our facilities. Eighty-three (0.59%) of them were identified as intrauterine fetal death. Assessment of maternal socio-demographic characteristics and maternal-fetal risk factors were evaluated with a semi structured questionnaire which was pre-tested before executing in this study. Majority (81.92%, n=68) of the patients were below 30 years of age, 78.31% belonged to middle socioeconomic group. Almost 58% women had education below secondary school certificate (SSC) level and 28.91% took regular antenatal checkup. About 61.45% patients were multi-gravida. Most (59.04%) ante-partum deaths were identified below 32 weeks of pregnancy. Out of 83 patients, maternal risk factors were identified in 41(49.59%) cases where fetal risk factors were found in 16(19.27%) cases; no risk factors could be determined in rests. Hypertension (48.78%), diabetes (21.95%), hyperpyrexia (17.3%), abruptio placentae (4.88%) and UTI (7.36%) were identified as maternal factors; and congenital anomaly (37.5%), Rh incompatibility (37.5%), multiple pregnancy (12.5%) and post-maturity (12.5%) were the fetal risk factors. Here, proximal biological risk factors are most important in ante-partum fetal deaths. More investigations and facilities are needed to explain the causes of ante-partum deaths.

  6. Demographics and sexual characteristics of sex-enhancing medication users: Study of a web-based cross-sectional sample of sexually active men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Abul-Fotouh; Alshahrani, Saad; Morgan, Anthony; Gabr, Ahmed H; Abdel-Razik, Mohamed; Daoud, Abdallah

    2017-12-01

    To evaluate the frequency of sex-enhancing medications (S-EM) use and to investigate the demographics and sexual characteristics of the S-EM users amongst a Saudi Arabian male population. A cross-sectional sample of 1176 Saudi Arabian men was recruited using a web-based survey between 1 January and 1 April 2015. The survey included multiple open and closed questions to assess the frequency of S-EM use; and demographics, clinical, and sexual characteristics of S-EM users, as well as their perceptions of S-EM. Amongst the participants, 1008 were sexually active and included in the data analysis. Of the sexually active participants, 402 (39.9%) reported S-EM use in the form of herbal or phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors at some time in their lives. Comparing S-EM users with S-EM non-users, the S-EM users had a number of demographic and sexual characteristics including: higher education level, higher income, smoking, more than one sexual partner, longer sexual activity duration, higher frequency of sexual intercourse, and lower sexual satisfaction level. Most of the S-EM users (82.1%) bought S-EM without a medical prescription and 62.5% had used them recreationally. In all, 52% of respondents used S-EM to treat ED and 69% of those who used it recreationally reported enhancement of erection with S-EM usage. Demographic and sexual characteristics of S-EM users and the attitude of the users towards the S-EM were identified amongst a Saudi Arabian male population.

  7. Differences in consumer use of food labels by weight loss strategies and demographic characteristics

    OpenAIRE

    Bleich, Sara N.; Wolfson, Julia A.

    2015-01-01

    Background Little is known about national patterns in the use of fast food and packaged food labels among adults by weight loss strategies and demographic characteristics. Methods We analyzed the Consumer Behavior Module in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007?2010 among adults (N?=?9,690). For each of the outcome variables ? use of packed food and fast food menu labels ? multiple logistic regressions were used to adjust for potential differences in population characteris...

  8. The counseling african americans to control hypertension (caatch trial: baseline demographic, clinical, psychosocial, and behavioral characteristics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diaz-Gloster Marleny

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Effectiveness of combined physician and patient-level interventions for blood pressure (BP control in low-income, hypertensive African Americans with multiple co-morbid conditions remains largely untested in community-based primary care practices. Demographic, clinical, psychosocial, and behavioral characteristics of participants in the Counseling African American to Control Hypertension (CAATCH Trial are described. CAATCH evaluates the effectiveness of a multi-level, multi-component, evidence-based intervention compared with usual care (UC in improving BP control among poorly controlled hypertensive African Americans who receive primary care in Community Health Centers (CHCs. Methods Participants included 1,039 hypertensive African Americans receiving care in 30 CHCs in the New York Metropolitan area. Baseline data on participant demographic, clinical (e.g., BP, anti-hypertensive medications, psychosocial (e.g., depression, medication adherence, self-efficacy, and behavioral (e.g., exercise, diet characteristics were gathered through direct observation, chart review, and interview. Results The sample was primarily female (71.6%, middle-aged (mean age = 56.9 ± 12.1 years, high school educated (62.4%, low-income (72.4% reporting less than $20,000/year income, and received Medicaid (35.9% or Medicare (12.6%. Mean systolic and diastolic BP were 150.7 ± 16.7 mm Hg and 91.0 ± 10.6 mm Hg, respectively. Participants were prescribed an average of 2.5 ± 1.9 antihypertensive medications; 54.8% were on a diuretic; 33.8% were on a beta blocker; 41.9% were on calcium channel blockers; 64.8% were on angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs. One-quarter (25.6% of the sample had resistant hypertension; one-half (55.7% reported medication non-adherence. Most (79.7% reported one or more co-morbid medical conditions. The majority of the patients had a Charlson Co-morbidity score ≥ 2. Diabetes

  9. Characteristic and Outcome of Psoriatic Arthritis Patients with Hyperuricemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    AlJohani, Roa'A; Polachek, Ari; Ye, Justine Yang; Chandran, Vinod; Gladman, Dafna D

    2018-02-01

    To determine the characteristics of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who have hyperuricemia (HUC) and their outcomes, especially cardiovascular (CVD) and kidney diseases. Patients have been followed prospectively at the PsA clinic according to a standard protocol at 6- to 12-month intervals. We defined HUC in men > 450 µ mol/l or women > 360 µ mol/l. We matched patients with HUC based on sex and age ± 5 years with normal uric acid patients. Demographics information and disease characteristics were reviewed. Outcomes of patients with HUC, especially CVD and kidney diseases, were recorded. Conditional logistic regression was performed to determine factors independently associated with HUC in patients with PsA. There were 325 (31.9%) out of 1019 patients with PsA who had HUC. Of these, 318 cases were matched to 318 controls. There were 11 (3.4%) out of 325 patients with HUC who had gout. Patients with HUC had longer disease duration and a higher Psoriasis Area and Severity Index. They had more concurrent comorbidities, including CVD and metabolic diseases, as well as higher prevalence of kidney stones and higher creatinine. Only 1 patient with HUC was treated with allopurinol at first evaluation visit and 7 patients during followup. Over the followup, 163 of the 318 patients had persistent HUC (pHUC) for more than 2 visits. Patients with pHUC developed more myocardial infarction, heart failure, and renal impairment. Multivariate analysis showed an association between pHUC, PsA disease duration, and obesity. HUC is common in patients with PsA, especially in those with longer disease duration and obesity. Proper control of HUC and metabolic diseases may play a preventive role in improving PsA outcomes.

  10. [Some unique characteristics of the demographic situation in Russia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brui, B; Mikhailov, E

    1991-01-01

    The authors briefly describe the demographic situation in the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic, using data from the 1989 census and current demographic research. Changes in the birth rate and population growth are examined, and migration flows in the various regions of the republic are compared. Factors affecting low birth rates are analyzed, and trends in marriage, divorce, mortality, and life expectancy are explored.

  11. The role of behavioral economic incentive design and demographic characteristics in financial incentive-based approaches to changing health behaviors: a meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haff, Nancy; Patel, Mitesh S; Lim, Raymond; Zhu, Jingsan; Troxel, Andrea B; Asch, David A; Volpp, Kevin G

    2015-01-01

    To evaluate the use of behavioral economics to design financial incentives to promote health behavior change and to explore associations with demographic characteristics. Studies performed by the Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics at the University of Pennsylvania published between January 2006 and March 2014. Randomized, controlled trials with available participant-level data. Studies that did not use financial incentives to promote health behavior change were excluded. Participant-level data from seven studies were pooled. Meta-analysis on the pooled sample using a random-effects model with interaction terms to examine treatment effects and whether they varied by incentive structure or demographic characteristics. The pooled study sample comprised 1403 participants, of whom 35% were female, 70% were white, 24% were black, and the mean age was 48 years (standard deviation 11.2 years). In the fully adjusted model, participants offered financial incentives had higher odds of behavior change (odds ratio [OR]: 3.96; p financial incentives and gender, age, race, income, or education. When further adjusting for incentive structure, blacks had higher odds than whites of achieving behavior change (OR: 1.67; p Financial incentives designed using concepts from behavioral economics were effective for promoting health behavior change. There were no large and consistent relationships between the effectiveness of financial incentives and observable demographic characteristics. Second-order examinations of incentive structure suggest potential relationships among the effectiveness of financial incentives, incentive structure, and the demographic characteristics of race and income.

  12. [Socio-demographics characteristics and health conditions of older homeless persons of Lima, Peru].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moquillaza-Risco, Marlene; León, Elsa; Dongo, Mario; Munayco, César V

    2015-10-01

    Determine the socio-demographics characteristics and health conditions of older homeless persons at the time of enrollment into the National Program "Vida Digna" and the probability of functional dependency by age, and stratified by gender and cognitive impairment. MATERIALS ANDE METHODS: We performed a cross sectional study, reviewing all registration forms of the program in order to identify socio-demographic variables and health conditions of older homeless persons at the time of enrollment in the program. We did a descriptive analysis of the socio-demographic variables and we also determined the frequency of health conditions. Furthermore, we determined the probability of functional dependency by age, and stratified by gender and cognitive impairment through a logistic regression model. The older homeless persons at the time of enrollment in the program were mostly single men, with a primary education or no education. The study subjects had a high frequency of chronic and mental diseases. 50% of them had certain level of functional impairment and roughly 70% had a certain level of cognitive impairment. The probability of functional dependency increased by age, and it was higher in women than in men. This probability increased according to the level of cognitive impairment. This study shows that older homeless persons are a vulnerable population not only because they live outdoors but also because they a have also for the high prevalence of chronic and mental diseases. These diseases prevent the homeless persons from living by themselves special care to overcome their situations.

  13. Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome: demographic, clinical, endoscopic and histological panorama

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abbasi, A.; Bhutto, K. A.R.; Baloch, A.

    2015-01-01

    To assess the demographic, clinical, endoscopic and histological spectrum of Solitary Rectal Ulcer Syndrome (SRUS). Study Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Medical Unit-III, Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) and Ward 7, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Karachi, from January 2009 to June 2012. Methodology: Patients with SRUS, based on characteristic endoscopic and histological findings, were enrolled. Patients were excluded if they had other causes of the rectal lesions (neoplasm, infection, inflammatory bowel disease, and trauma). Endoscopically, lesions were divided on the basis of number (solitary or multiple) and appearance (ulcerative, polypoidal/nodular or erythematous mucosa). Demographic, clinical and endoscopic characteristics of subjects were evaluated. Results: Forty-four patients met the inclusion criteria; 21 (47.7%) were females and 23 (52.3%) were males with overall mean age of 33.73 ±13.28 years. Symptom-wise 41 (93.2%) had bleeding per rectum, 39 (88.6%) had mucous discharge, 34 (77.3%) had straining, 34 (77.3%) had constipation, 32 (72.7%) had tenesmus, 5 (11.4%) had rectal prolapse and 2 (4.5%) had fecal incontinence. Twelve (27.27%) patients presented with hemoglobin less 10 gm/dl, 27 (61.36%) with 10 - 12 gm/dl and 05 (11.36%) subjects had hemoglobin more than 12 gm/dl. Endoscopically, 26 (59.1%) patients had mucosal ulceration, 11 (25.0%) had mucosal ulceration with polypoid characteristics; while only polypoid features were found in 7 (15.9%) subjects. Conclusion: Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome affects adults of both genders with diverse clinical presentation and nonspecific endoscopic features. (author)

  14. An assessment of treatment guidelines, clinical practices, demographics, and progression of disease among patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Japan, the United States, and Europe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takei, Koji; Tsuda, Kikumi; Takahashi, Fumihiro; Hirai, Manabu; Palumbo, Joseph

    2017-10-01

    There is an increasing clinical research focus on neuroprotective agents in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, it is unclear how generalisable clinical study trial results are between different countries and regions. To assess similarities and differences in clinical practice and treatment guidelines for ALS, and also to compare the demographics and rate of progression of disease in patients with ALS enrolled in clinical trials in Japan, the US, and Europe. We performed a review of clinical studies published since 2000 to compare the demographics and characteristics of patients with ALS. Progression of ALS disease was assessed in patients receiving placebo. The changes per month in ALSFRS-R score were calculated and compared between the studies. Overall, diagnostic criteria, recognition of ALS symptoms, comorbidities, use of riluzole, and nutritional, and respiratory support were similar. Regarding demographics and characteristics, there were no clear differences in the incidence of sporadic ALS (range 91-98%), bulbar onset (range 11-41%), and median time from onset to diagnosis (range 9-14 months) among the populations despite the difference in race between regions. However, use of tracheostomy-based invasive respiratory support was higher in Japan (29-38%) than in the US (4%) and Europe (1-31%). Rate of progression of disease was similar between the US and Europe study populations (range -0.89 to -1.60 points/month), and the Japanese study populations (range -1.03 to -1.21 points/month). There is evidence to support the generalisability of data from the Japanese ALS trial experience to the US and Europe populations in early to mid-stage of ALS.

  15. Demographic correlates of children and adolescents with Autistic disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ayyoub Malek

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Comparison of the demographic characteristics of patients provides useful information to their identification. This study aimed to determine the demographic characteristics of children and adolescents with autistic disorder (AD. Methods: In this cross-sectional case-control study, 115 children and adolescents with AD were selected from Autism Society Rehabilitation Center in Tabriz, Iran, and 112 normal children and adolescents from the public schools, in 2014. The participants in both groups were matched regarding age and gender. Diagnosis of AD was performed using diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders-4th edition (DSM-IV criteria and clinical diagnostic interviews by two child and adolescent psychiatrists. The demographic information of children and adolescents and their parents were collected from the medical records of children and interviews with their mothers. Results: Most of the children with autism had second or higher birth order and had families with more than three members. Mothers of children with autism had significantly lower levels of education and were mostly housewives. Fathers of autistic children mostly had high school diploma and fewer had university education, and most of them were employed. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the AD group and the control group regarding the average height and weight of children and the residence (urban or rural and age of parents at childbirth.Conclusion: The demographic characteristics of the two groups of children and adolescents with AD and normal controls were different from each other regarding family size, birth order, parent occupation, and parent education variables.

  16. Burnout and demographic characteristics of workers experiencing different types of work-home interaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merecz, Dorota; Andysz, Aleksandra

    2014-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore configurations of positive versus negative interactions between work and home (WHI) and their relation to burnout and demographic characteristics. Sample of 533 Polish workers were interviewed by means of self-administered questionnaires (SWING and MBI-GS). Demographic and work characteristics were also controlled. Cluster analysis distinguished 5 types of WHIs: positive WHI (18%), negative WHI (15.9%), no interaction (29.3%), mutual positive interactions (15.4%) and positive HWI (21.4%). The quality of WHI was associated with number of work hours and tenure at main place of employment. The effect of gender on the quality of work-home interaction was not significant. Configuration of WHIs affected the level of burnout. Again, there was no significant difference between men and women in terms of burnout and its sub-dimensions. The least burned-out were people from positive WHI, positive HWI and mutual positive interaction groups. The most burned-out were people who experienced negative WHI the most often. In this group, predominance of men working more than 10 h per day was observed. The majority of study group (71%) experienced rather integration than segmentation of both spheres. Our results suggest that segmentation is not an universal and effective strategy of coping with work and home demands - it may prevent the positive home-work spillover, which can be buffer or remedy against stress or burnout. We consider cluster analysis the appropriate method in research on relation to work-family balance issue, which may be useful in unraveling relationships between this phenomenon and attitudes and behaviors.

  17. Patient and Physician Characteristics Associated with the Provision of Weight Loss Counseling in Primary Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutton, Gareth R.; Herman, Katharine G.; Tan, Fei; Goble, Mary; Dancer-Brown, Melissa; Van Vessem, Nancy; Ard, Jamy D.

    2013-01-01

    Background A variety of physician and patient characteristics may influence whether weight loss counseling occurs in primary care encounters. Objectives This study utilized a cross-sectional survey of primary care patients, which examined patient characteristics, physician characteristics, and characteristics of the physician-patient relationship associated with weight loss counseling and recommendations provided by physicians. Participants Participants (N=143, mean age=46.8 years, mean BMI=36.9 kg/m2, 65% Caucasian) were overweight and obese primary care patients participating in a managed care weight loss program. Measures Participants completed self-report surveys in the clinic prior to the initial weight loss session. Surveys included items assessing demographic/background characteristics, weight, height, and a health care questionnaire evaluating whether their physician had recommended weight loss, the frequency of their physicians’ weight loss counseling, and whether their physician had referred them for obesity treatment. Results Patient BMI and physician sex were most consistently associated with physicians’ weight loss counseling practices. Patients seen by female physicians were more likely to be told that they should lose weight, received more frequent obesity counseling, and were more likely to have been referred for obesity treatment by their physician. Length and frequency of physician-patient contacts were unrelated to the likelihood of counseling. Conclusions These findings add to previous evidence suggesting possible differences in the weight loss counseling practices of male and female physicians, although further research is needed to understand this potential difference between physicians. PMID:24743007

  18. Do effects of common casemix adjusters on patient experiences vary across patient groups?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boer, D. de; Hoek, L. van der; Rademakers, J.; Delnoij, D.; Berg, M. van den

    2017-01-01

    Background: Many survey studies in health care adjust for demographic characteristics such as age, gender, educational attainment and general health when performing statistical analyses. Whether the effects of these demographic characteristics are consistent between patient groups remains to be

  19. Improved Survival of Patients With Extensive Burns: Trends in Patient Characteristics and Mortality Among Burn Patients in a Tertiary Care Burn Facility, 2004-2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strassle, Paula D; Williams, Felicia N; Napravnik, Sonia; van Duin, David; Weber, David J; Charles, Anthony; Cairns, Bruce A; Jones, Samuel W

    Classic determinants of burn mortality are age, burn size, and the presence of inhalation injury. Our objective was to describe temporal trends in patient and burn characteristics, inpatient mortality, and the relationship between these characteristics and inpatient mortality over time. All patients aged 18 years or older and admitted with burn injury, including inhalation injury only, between 2004 and 2013 were included. Adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the relationship between admit year and inpatient mortality. A total of 5540 patients were admitted between 2004 and 2013. Significant differences in sex, race/ethnicity, burn mechanisms, TBSA, inhalation injury, and inpatient mortality were observed across calendar years. Patients admitted between 2011 and 2013 were more likely to be women, non-Hispanic Caucasian, with smaller burn size, and less likely to have an inhalation injury, in comparison with patients admitted from 2004 to 2010. After controlling for patient demographics, burn mechanisms, and differential lengths of stay, no calendar year trends in inpatient mortality were detected. However, a significant decrease in inpatient mortality was observed among patients with extensive burns (≥75% TBSA) in more recent calendar years. This large, tertiary care referral burn center has maintained low inpatient mortality rates among burn patients over the past 10 years. While observed decreases in mortality during this time are largely due to changes in patient and burn characteristics, survival among patients with extensive burns has improved.

  20. Clinical and demographic characteristics of patients with occupational contact dermatitis: A 3-year single center experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aslı Aytekin

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Background and Design: Occupational contact dermatitis (OCD is responsible for 80-90% of the occupational dermatoses. The aim of this work was to evaluate the clinical features of patients with OCD admitted to our hospital. Materials and Methods: The records of patients, who were admitted to our hospital with OCD between December 2009 and January 2013, were evaluated retrospectively. One hundred fifty-nine patients, who were diagnosed with OCD according to the Mathias criteria, were included in the study. Age, sex, location of the lesions, atopic status, glove use, occupational exposure time and total IgE levels of the patients were assessed. Patients with positive allergic reaction with "European Standard Series Skin Patch Test" were identified as allergic OCD and patients with negative test results as "irritant OCD". The clinical features and patch results of patients are evaluated. Results: One hundred fifty-nine patients with a mean age of 39±7.9 years consisted of 151 men and 8 women. The hands were the most common site of OCD; the palms were the most common affected areas of hand eczema. Eighty-one patients (50.1% were identified to have allergic OCD and 78 (49.9% as irritant OCD. Irritant OCD was most commonly seen in dental technicians, whereas allergic OCD was most commonly seen in tailors. The top 3 most frequent allergens were potassium dichromate (15.1%, nickel sulfate (9.11% and cobalt chloride (10.7%. Conclusion: In our country, there has been no comprehensive study presenting the clinical and descriptive characteristics of OCD. For preventing OCD and reducing sick leave we need to have data that belong to our country. Consequently, multicenter studies should be performed for establishing our own database on OCD.

  1. Comparison of Conflict Management Strategies of Physical Education Office Managers Based on some Demographic Characteristics

    OpenAIRE

    Fatemeh Ghorbanalizadeh Ghaziani; Mohsen Moadi; Siavash Khodaparast Sareshkeh

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of study was comparison of conflict management strategies of physical education office managers based on their some demographic characteristics. All of managers of physical education office of Mazandaran (n = 15) and Guilan (n = 16) province and their assistant [(n = 15) and (n =16) respectively] response to Putnam and Wilson’s “organizational communication conflict instrument (OCCI)”.Analysis showed that Mazandaran’s and Guilan’s managers and their assistant hadn’t differences to...

  2. Understanding nurses' and physicians' fear of repercussions for reporting errors: clinician characteristics, organization demographics, or leadership factors?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castel, Evan S; Ginsburg, Liane R; Zaheer, Shahram; Tamim, Hala

    2015-08-14

    Identifying and understanding factors influencing fear of repercussions for reporting and discussing medical errors in nurses and physicians remains an important area of inquiry. Work is needed to disentangle the role of clinician characteristics from those of the organization-level and unit-level safety environments in which these clinicians work and learn, as well as probing the differing reporting behaviours of nurses and physicians. This study examines the influence of clinician demographics (age, gender, and tenure), organization demographics (teaching status, location of care, and province) and leadership factors (organization and unit leadership support for safety) on fear of repercussions, and does so for nurses and physicians separately. A cross-sectional analysis of 2319 nurse and 386 physician responders from three Canadian provinces to the Modified Stanford patient safety climate survey (MSI-06). Data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, multiple linear regression, and hierarchical linear regression. Age, gender, tenure, teaching status, and province were not significantly associated with fear of repercussions for nurses or physicians. Mental health nurses had poorer fear responses than their peers outside of these areas, as did community physicians. Strong organization and unit leadership support for safety explained the most variance in fear for both nurses and physicians. The absence of associations between several plausible factors including age, tenure and teaching status suggests that fear is a complex construct requiring more study. Substantially differing fear responses across locations of care indicate areas where interventions may be needed. In addition, since factors affecting fear of repercussions appear to be different for nurses and physicians, tailoring patient safety initiatives to each group may, in some instances, be fruitful. Although further investigation is needed to examine these and other factors in detail, supportive

  3. Relationship between parent demographic characteristics, perinatal and early childhood behaviors, and body mass index among preschool-age children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Messiah, Sarah E; Asfour, Lila; Arheart, Kristopher L; Selem, Sarah M; Uhlhorn, Susan B; Natale, Ruby

    2015-04-01

    Approximately 25% of US 2-to-5-year olds are overweight and ethnic minority groups are disproportionately affected. We explored the relationship between parent demographic characteristics, various perinatal/early childhood (EC) factors, and child body mass index (BMI) to determine possible contributors to these disparities. A preschool-based randomized controlled (N = 28 centers) obesity prevention intervention was conducted among multiethnic 2-to-5 year olds. Baseline assessment of demographic characteristics, various perinatal/EC factors, and child BMI were analyzed via generalized linear mixed models and logistic regression analysis. Foreign-born parents were almost 2.5 times as likely to have an obese child versus children of US-born parents (OR 2.43, 95% CI 1.53-3.87). Families who spoke Spanish only or a combination of Creole/English at home were over twice as likely to have an obese preschool child versus families who spoke English only at home. Parent place of birth and language spoken at home plays a significant role in early childhood obesity. Future early childhood healthy weight initiatives should incorporate strategies that take into account these particular parent characteristics.

  4. The Mayo Clinic Arizona Spasmodic Dysphonia Experience: A Demographic Analysis of 718 Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Alpen B; Bansberg, Stephen F; Adler, Charles H; Lott, David G; Crujido, Lisa

    2015-11-01

    Analyze demographic data collected over a 25-year experience of 718 patients with spasmodic dysphonia (SD) who have been treated with botulinum toxin-A (BoNT-A) and compare our data with previously published studies. Seven hundred eighteen patients with SD were treated with 6621 BoNT-A injections at Mayo Clinic Arizona between 1989 and 2014. All patients were treated by the same physician team. Background demographic data for each patient were recorded. Of 718 patients, 557 patients were female (77.6%). Six hundred sixty of 718 (91.8%) patients had adductor SD (AdSD), and 58 of 718 (8.1%) patients had abductor SD (AbSD). Average age of onset was 51 years. Of 718 patients, 378 (52.6%) had vocal tremor (VT); VT was present in 54.4% of AdSD patients and 32.1% of AbSD patients. Thirty-seven of 718 (5.2%) patients had other dystonias, including cervical dystonia (2.3%), blepharospasm (1.4%), limb dystonia (1.1%), and oromandibular dystonia (0.3%). A positive family history of SD was present in only 6 of 718 patients (0.8%) and of other dystonias in 11 of 718 patients (1.5%). Spasmodic dysphonia is a chronic and potentially disabling focal laryngeal dystonia. The Mayo Clinic Arizona SD experience compares to prior reports and reveals a female preponderance, onset in middle age, infrequent hereditary pattern, high co-occurrence of VT, and low co-occurrence of other dystonias. © The Author(s) 2015.

  5. Characteristics of electronic patient-provider messaging system utilisation in an urban health care organisation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sean Patrick Mikles

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Research suggests that electronic messaging can improve patient engagement. Studies indicate that a ‘digital divide’ may exist, where certain patient populations may be using electronic messaging less frequently. This study aims to determine which patient characteristics are associated with different levels of usage of an electronic patient-provider messaging system in a diverse urban population.Methods Cross-sectional electronic health record data were extracted for patients 10 years of age or older who live in New York City and who visited a set of clinics between 1 July 2011 and 30 June 2012. Regression analyses determined which participant characteristics were associated with the sending of electronic messages.Results Older, female, English-speaking participants of white race who received more messages, had any diagnoses, more office visits and a provider who sent messages were more likely to send more messages. Non-Millennial, non-white participants who received fewer messages, had more office visits, any diagnoses, a provider who saw fewer patients with patient portal accounts, lived in a low socioeconomic status neighbourhood, and did not have private insurance were more likely to send zero messages.Conclusion This study found significant differences in electronic messaging usage based on demographic, socioeconomic and health-related patient characteristics. Future studies are needed to support these results and determine the causes of observed associations.

  6. Socio-demographic profile of patients with sarcoidosis vis-à-vis tuberculosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, D; Vinay, N; Agarwal, R; Agarwal, A N

    2013-11-25

    Sarcoidosis and tuberculosis closely resemble each other and Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been implicated as a causative agent for sarcoidosis. Herein we explore the socio-demographic features of patients with sarcoidosis vis-a-vis tuberculosis. In a prospective case-control design, we studied hundred patients each of newly diagnosed sarcoidosis, bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis and healthy controls. Socio-demographic profile was recorded on a standardized questionnaire. Information about tobacco smoking, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and cooking fuels was also collected. Various parameters were compared among the three groups. Compared to tuberculosis, patients with sarcoidosis were elder, had better body mass index (BMI), higher urban residence (OR 2.19, 95% CI: 1.02-4.69), were better educated (ORs 8.50 to 74.25 for different categories), had higher per capita income (OR 13.33; 95% CI: 6.79-26.19) and belonged to better overall socio-economic status (SES) (ORs 8.57-195.0 for different categories). All these differences were also significant when sarcoidosis patients were compared to healthy controls albeit to a lesser degree. Tobacco smoking, ETS exposure and use of fossil/biomass fuels for cooking were more commonly seen in TB patients. In the multivariate analysis, as compared to TB or controls, sarcoidosis patients had higher odds for a better SES after adjusting for age, gender, BMI, religion, smoking, ETS exposure and cooking fuel. Patients with sarcoidosis are likely to be better educated and more affluent compared to those with tuberculosis and healthy controls and this can be useful in clinical differential diagnosis of the two conditions in populations with high prevalence of TB.

  7. Do effects of common case-mix adjusters on patient experiences vary across patient groups?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Boer, Dolf; van der Hoek, Lucas; Rademakers, Jany; Delnoij, Diana; van den Berg, Michael

    2017-01-01

    Many survey studies in health care adjust for demographic characteristics such as age, gender, educational attainment and general health when performing statistical analyses. Whether the effects of these demographic characteristics are consistent between patient groups remains to be determined. This

  8. Baseline demographics, clinical features, and treatment protocols of 240 patients with optic neuropathy: experiences from a neuro-ophthalmological clinic in the Aegean region of Turkey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karti, Omer; Karti, Dilek Top; Kilic, İlay Hilal; Gokcay, Figen; Celebisoy, Nese

    2017-12-19

    To analyze the demographic patterns, clinical characteristics, and treatment protocols of optic neuropathies. The hospital data of patients with optic neuropathy admitted to the Department of Neuro-ophthalmology in a tertiary referral center in Turkey between January 2010 to January 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic patterns, clinical features, treatment protocols, and the natural disease courses were assessed. The total number of patients with optic neuropathy seen over this period was 240, which consist of 43 with idiopathic optic neuritis (17.9%), 40 with multiple sclerosis-related optic neuritis (16.7%), 12 with chronic relapsing inflammatory optic neuritis (5.0%), 12 with atypical optic neuritis (5.0%), 11 with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders-related optic neuritis (4.6%), 90 with non-arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy (37.5%), 4 with arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy (1.7%), 10 with traumatic optic neuropathy (4.1%), 6 with compressive optic neuropathy (2.5%), and 12 with mitochondrial optic neuropathy [9 with toxic optic neuropathy (3.7%) and 3 with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (1.2%)]. There were 101 males (42%) and 139 females (58%). The mean age was 43.34 ± 15.86 years. This study reported the demographics, clinical characteristics, and treatment protocols of optic neuropathies in a neuro-ophthalmology specialty clinic at a tertiary referral center in Turkey during the past decade. The data may be useful in assessing the global status of optic neuropathies.

  9. Burnout and demographic characteristics of workers experiencing different types of work-home interaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dorota Merecz

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore configurations of positive versus negative interactions between work and home (WHI and their relation to burnout and demographic characteristics. Material and Methods: Sample of 533 Polish workers were interviewed by means of self-administered questionnaires (SWING and MBI-GS. Demographic and work characteristics were also controlled. Results: Cluster analysis distinguished 5 types of WHIs: positive WHI (18%, negative WHI (15.9%, no interaction (29.3%, mutual positive interactions (15.4% and positive HWI (21.4%. The quality of WHI was associated with number of work hours and tenure at main place of employment. The effect of gender on the quality of work-home interaction was not significant. Configuration of WHIs affected the level of burnout. Again, there was no significant difference between men and women in terms of burnout and its sub-dimensions. The least burned-out were people from positive WHI, positive HWI and mutual positive interaction groups. The most burned-out were people who experienced negative WHI the most often. In this group, predominance of men working more than 10 h per day was observed. The majority of study group (71% experienced rather integration than segmentation of both spheres. Conclusions: Our results suggest that segmentation is not an universal and effective strategy of coping with work and home demands – it may prevent the positive home-work spillover, which can be buffer or remedy against stress or burnout. We consider cluster analysis the appropriate method in research on relation to work-family balance issue, which may be useful in unraveling relationships between this phenomenon and attitudes and behaviors.

  10. The Association of Point-of-Sale E-cigarette Advertising with Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Neighborhoods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wan, Neng; Siahpush, Mohammad; Shaikh, Raees A; McCarthy, Molly; Ramos, Athena; Correa, Antonia

    2018-06-01

    Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) marketing expenditure is skyrocketing in the United States. However, little is understood about the geographic and socio-demographic patterns of e-cigarette advertising. We examined the associations between point-of-sale (POS) e-cigarette advertising and neighborhood socio-demographic characteristics in the Omaha Metropolitan Area of Nebraska. In 2014, fieldworkers collected comprehensive POS e-cigarette advertising data from all stores that sell tobacco (n = 463) in the Omaha Metropolitan Area. We used Geographic Information Systems to map POS e-cigarette advertisement density for the entire study area. Linear regression was used to examine the association between socio-demographic factors and POS e-cigarette advertising density. E-cigarette advertising density exhibited an obviously uneven geographic pattern in Omaha. Higher level of POS e-cigarette advertising was significantly related to lower median household income, higher percentage of Hispanics, and higher percentage of young adults. However, after adjusting for covariates, only median household income remained significantly associated with POS e-cigarette advertising. We found geographic, socioeconomic, and racial and ethnic disparities in exposure to POS e-cigarette advertising in Omaha, Nebraska. Future studies are needed to understand how these disparities influence e-cigarette adoption by different social groups and how to use such information to inform e-cigarette prevention strategies.

  11. Attitudes Toward LGBT Patients Among Students in the Health Professions: Influence of Demographics and Discipline.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Christina K; West, Lindsey; Stepleman, Lara; Villarosa, Margo; Ange, Brittany; Decker, Matthew; Waller, Jennifer L

    2014-09-01

    Health providers' personal and professional experiences may predict attitudes toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals and can therefore serve as key targets for health professions training aimed at decreasing barriers to high-quality patient care. This study explored the relationship between professional, demographic, and training characteristics and health professions student attitudes toward LGBT patients. Students from a health sciences university and applied mental health programs in Georgia (N=475) completed a survey that included a modified version of the Attitudes Toward LGBT Patients Scale (ATLPS). Profession, sexual orientation, current financial status, religion, religiosity, spirituality, and self-reported familiarity with various religious perspectives on sex were associated with ATLPS scores. However, religiosity and self-reported familiarity with various religious perspectives on sex were the only significant predictors of ATLPS scores when these variables were included in one general linear model. Health professions students with higher levels of religiosity and lower levels of self-reported familiarity with various religious perspectives on sex reported less positive attitudes toward LGBT individuals. Results suggest that personal factors may be important to address in interprofessional curriculum related to LGBT patient care. Self-report biases and other factors may limit the accuracy and generalizability of the findings.

  12. Patterns of Sociodemographic and Clinicopathologic Characteristics of Stages II and III Colorectal Cancer Patients by Age: Examining Potential Mechanisms of Young-Onset Disease

    OpenAIRE

    Murphy, Caitlin C.; Sanoff, Hanna K.; Stitzenberg, Karyn B.; Baron, John A.; Lund, Jennifer L.; Sandler, Robert S.

    2017-01-01

    Background and Aims. As a first step toward understanding the increasing incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in younger (age < 50) populations, we examined demographic, clinicopathologic, and socioeconomic characteristics and treatment receipt in a population-based sample of patients newly diagnosed with stages II and III CRC. Methods. Patients were sampled from the National Cancer Institute's Patterns of Care studies in 1990/91, 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010 (n = 6, 862). Tumor characteristics...

  13. Relationships between menstrual and menopausal attitudes and associated demographic and health characteristics: The Hilo Women’s Health Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sievert, Lynnette L.; Brown, Daniel E.; Rahberg, Nichole; Reza, Angela

    2010-01-01

    The objective of this study was to examine the relation of menstrual attitudes to menopausal attitudes and the demographic and health characteristics associated with each. This cross-sectional study consisted of a randomly selected sample of 1824 respondents aged 16 to 100 years in multi-ethnic Hilo, Hawai`i. Women completed questionnaires for demographic and health information, such as age, ethnicity, education, residency in Hawai`i, menopausal status, exercise, and attitudes toward menstruation and menopause. Women more often chose positive terms, such as “natural,” to describe menstruation (60.8%) and menopause (59.4%). In bivariate analyses, post-menopausal women were significantly more likely to have positive menstrual and menopausal attitudes than pre-menopausal women. Factor analyses were used to cluster attitudes followed by linear regression to identify demographic characteristics associated with factor scores. Asian-American ethnicity, higher education, reporting more exercise, and growing up outside of Hawai`i were associated with positive menstrual attitudes. Higher education, older age, post-menopausal status, growing up outside of Hawai`i and having hot flashes were associated with positive menopausal attitudes. Bivariate correlation analyses suggested significant associations between factor scores for menstrual and menopausal attitudes. Both negative and positive menstrual attitudes were positively correlated with the anticipation of menopause, although negative attitudes toward menstruation were negatively correlated with menopause as a positive, natural life event. Demographic variables, specifically education and where one grows up, influenced women’s attitudes toward menstruation and menopause and should be considered for inclusion in subsequent multi-ethnic studies. Further research is also warranted in assessing the relationship between menstrual and menopausal attitudes. PMID:20853216

  14. Demographic, psychological and smoking characteristics of users of an on-line smoking cessation programme in the Spanish language

    OpenAIRE

    Mañanes, Guillermo; Vallejo, Miguel A.; Vallejo-Slocker, Laura

    2016-01-01

    Objective: To determine the characteristics of users of a smoking cessation programme run by the Open University of Spain (Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia [UNED]). Methods: We examined the demographic, psychological and smoking characteristics of 23,763 smokers who participated in the on-line smoking cessation program of the UNED. The programme was open to any smoker, free of charge, and was fully automated and with direct access. Results: A total of 93.5% of the users were Span...

  15. Demographic, psychological and smoking characteristics of users of an on-line smoking cessation programme in the Spanish language

    OpenAIRE

    Guillermo Mañanes; Miguel A. Vallejo; Laura Vallejo-Slocker

    2016-01-01

    Objective: To determine the characteristics of users of a smoking cessation programme run by the Open University of Spain (Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia [UNED]). Methods: We examined the demographic, psychological and smoking characteristics of 23,763 smokers who participated in the on-line smoking cessation program of the UNED. The programme was open to any smoker, free of charge, and was fully automated and with direct access. Results: A total of 93.5% of the users wer...

  16. Stress Causing Factors Among Teachers in Elementary Schools and Their Relationship with Demographic and Job Characteristics

    OpenAIRE

    Agai–Demjaha, Teuta; Minov, Jordan; Stoleski, Sasho; Zafirova, Beti

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Once high levels of work-related stress among teachers were confirmed many studies concentrated on identifying and investigating key stress factors among school teachers. Unfortunately there are very few researches made on stress causing factors among teachers in Republic of Macedonia. AIM: To determine the most frequent stress causing factors among teachers in elementary schools and to investigate their relationship with demographic and job characteristics. METHODOLOGY: W...

  17. A study of communication skills in health care management students and its association with demographic characteristics

    OpenAIRE

    Shiva Karimzadeh; Rita Rezaee; Peivand Bastani

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: Communication skills are one of the most important skills for health care managers and play an important role in their personal life and future occupation. The present study aimed to evaluate the students’ communication skills as well as its relationship with the students’ demographic characteristics. Method: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 153 university students majoring in healthcare management in 2014. A self-administered communication skills questionna...

  18. Characteristics of critically ill patients in ICUs in mainland China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Bin; An, Youzhong; Kang, Yan; Yu, Xiangyou; Zhao, Mingyan; Ma, Xiaochun; Ai, Yuhang; Xu, Yuan; Wang, Yushan; Qian, Chuanyun; Wu, Dawei; Sun, Renhua; Li, Shusheng; Hu, Zhenjie; Cao, Xiangyuan; Zhou, Fachun; Jiang, Li; Lin, Jiandong; Chen, Erzhen; Qin, Tiehe; He, Zhenyang; Zhou, Lihua

    2013-01-01

    We sought to describe the demographics, case mix, interventions, and clinical outcome of critically ill patients admitted to ICUs in Mainland China. A 2-month (July 1, 2009, to August 31, 2009) prospective, observational cohort study. Twenty-two ICUs in Mainland China. Adult patients admitted to participating ICUs during the study period with an ICU length of stay >24 hrs. None. Patient characteristics, including demographics, underlying diseases, severity of illness, admission status, complications, intervention and treatment during ICU stay, and clinical outcome were recorded in case report form. The primary outcome measure was all-cause hospital mortality. Independent predictors for hospital mortality were determined with multivariate logistic regression analysis. One thousand two hundred ninety-seven patients met the inclusion criteria for the study, 821 (63.3%) were male, and mean age was 58.5 ± 19.2 yrs. Mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score was 18.0 ± 8.1, and mean Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score was 6.5 ± 3.8. One third of the patients were postoperative ICU admissions. Seven hundred sixty-five patients (59.0%) developed infections, followed by severe sepsis or septic shock (484, 37.3%), acute kidney injury (398, 30.7%), and acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (351, 27.1%). Mechanical ventilation was used in almost three fourths of the patients, whereas any type of renal replacement therapy was used in 173 patients (13.3%). Hospital mortality was 20.3%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis found that Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, solid tumor, severe sepsis/septic shock, acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome, and acute kidney injury were independent risk factors for hospital mortality. Critically ill patients in ICUs in Mainland China exhibited a case mix similar to those of Western countries, although there are significant differences in intensive care unit

  19. Factors contributing to perceptions about policies regarding the electronic monitoring of sex offenders: the role of demographic characteristics, victimization experiences, and social disorganization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Button, Deeanna M; Tewksbury, Richard; Mustaine, Elizabeth E; Payne, Brian K

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to explore factors contributing to perceptions about electronic monitoring policies governing sex offenders. Guided by Tannenbaum's theory of attribution and Shaw and McKay's theory of social disorganization, the authors examine the influence of demographic characteristics, victimization experiences, and neighborhood characteristics on perceptions about policies regarding the electronic monitoring of sex offenders. Ordinary least squares regression and logistic regression analyses of stratified telephone survey data reveal that factors associated with favorable views on the use of global positioning satellite monitoring for registered sex offenders appear to stem primarily from individuals' demographic characteristics. Experiential and neighborhood factors do provide some influence over individuals' views of electronic monitoring policies for sex offenders. Theoretical and policy implications are discussed.

  20. Characteristics and clinical aspects of patients with spinal cord injury undergoing surgery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    João Simão de Melo-Neto

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To identify the characteristics of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI undergoing surgery. METHODS: Previously, 321 patients with SCI were selected. Clinical and socio-demographic variables were collected. RESULTS: A total of 211 patients were submitted to surgery. Fall and injuries in the upper cervical and lumbosacral regions were associated with conservative treatment. Patients with lesions in the lower cervical spine, worse neurological status, and unstable injuries were associated with surgery. Individuals undergoing surgery were associated with complications after treatment. The authors assessed whether age influenced the characteristics of patients submitted to surgery. Subjects with <60 years of age were associated with motorcycle accidents and the morphologies of injury were fracture-dislocation. Elderly individuals were associated to fall, SCI in the lower cervical spine and the morphology of injury was listhesis. Subsequently, the authors analyzed the gender characteristics in these patients. Women who suffered car accidents were associated to surgery. Women were associated with paraparesis and the morphologic diagnosis was fracture-explosion, especially in the thoracolumbar transition and lumbosacral regions. Men who presented traumatic brain injury and thoracic trauma were related to surgery. These individuals had a worse neurological status and were associated to complications. Men and the cervical region were most affected, thereby, these subjects were analyzed separately (n= 92. The presence of complications increased the length of hospital stay. The simultaneous presence of morphological diagnosis, worst neurological status, tetraplegia, sensory, and motor alterations were associated with complications. Pneumonia and chest trauma were associated with mortality. CONCLUSION: These factors enable investments in prevention, rehabilitation, and treatment.

  1. Peritoneal membrane characteristics in patients on peritoneal dialysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jamal Al-wakeel

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Peritoneal dialysis (PD is a well-established modality for treatment of patients with end-stage renal disease, giving excellent patient and technique survival rates. In Saudi Arabia, data collected by the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation showed that in 2008, patients on PD accounted for a mere 4.8% of total patients on renal replacement therapy, including hemodialysis and renal transplantation. This study was conducted to identify the characteristics of membrane per-meability in the Saudi population and to assess the role of various factors affecting solute transport across the peritoneal membrane. We followed up a total of 52 patients on Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD as well as Automated Peritoneal Dialysis (APD, being treated in the PD unit of the King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh. There were 30 female and 22 male patients; 14 patients were using CAPD while 38 patients were on APD. The mean age of the patients was 50.5 years, with a range of 14-86 years. The average body mass index (BMI was 27.1 kg/m 2 and the mean body surface area (BSA of the study patients was 1.71 m 2 . A standardized PET test was performed on all patients, 4-6 weeks after initiation of regular PD. The Kt/V and creatinine clearance measured 6-8 weeks after initiation of dialysis were 1.96 and 56.59 L/week, respectively. Residual renal function was assessed on the basis of daily urine output, using 24-hour urine collection. The mean serum urea con-centration was 16.91 mmol/L and mean serum creatinine was 702 μmol/L. According to the Peritoneal Equiliberation Test (PET, 8% of the subjects belonged to the high trans-porter category, 44% patients belonged to the high-average transport group, 46% to the low-average category and 2% came in the low transporter category. Our study suggests that the patient characteristics and demographic para-meters seen in the Saudi population are comparable to those seen in other studies from the Middle East and

  2. Occupational and demographic factors associated with violence in the emergency department.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gates, Donna; Gillespie, Gordon; Kowalenko, Terry; Succop, Paul; Sanker, Maria; Farra, Sharon

    2011-01-01

    Violence against health care workers is a serious and growing problem. The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to (a) describe the frequency of workplace violence (WPV) against emergency department (ED) workers; (b) identify demographic and occupational characteristics related to WPV; and (c) identify demographic and occupational characteristics related to feelings of safety and level of confidence when dealing with WPV. Survey data were collected from 213 workers at 6 hospital EDs. Verbal and physical violence was prevalent in all 6 EDs. There were no statistically significant differences in the frequency of violence for age, job title, patient population, and hospital location. Sexual harassment was the only category of violence affected by gender with females having a greater frequency. Feelings of safety were positively related to the frequency of WPV. Females were significantly more likely to feel unsafe and have less confidence in dealing with WPV. The study findings indicate that all ED workers are at risk of violence, regardless of personal and occupational characteristics. Feelings of safety are related to job satisfaction and turnover. Violence has serious consequences for the employers, employees, and patients. It is recommended that administration, managers, and employees collaborate to develop and implement prevention strategies to reduce and manage the violence.

  3. Empathy, burnout, demographic variables and their relationships in oncology nurses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fariba Taleghani

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Development of nurse–patient empathic communication in the oncology ward is of great importance for the patients to relieve their psychological stress, however, nursing care of cancer patients is accompanied with high stress and burnout. The present study aimed to define the level of empathy and its association with burnout and some demographic characteristics of oncology nurses. Materials and Methods: This descriptive/correlation study was conducted in a professional cancer treatment center in Isfahan. Through census sampling, 67 oncology nurses were selected. The data collection tools were Jefferson Scale of Nursing Empathy, Maslach Burnout Inventory, and demographic characteristics questionnaire. Results: Mean nurses' empathy and overall burnout scores were 62.28 out of 100 and 38.8 out of 100, respectively. Score of empathy showed an inverse correlation with overall burnout score (r = −0.189, P = 0.04, depersonalization (r = −0.218, P = 0.02, and personal accomplishment (r = −0.265, P = 0.01. Multiple regression test was used to detect which dimension of burnout was a better predictor for the reduction of empathy score. Results showed that the best predictors were lack of personal accomplishment (P = 0.02, depersonalization (P = 0.04, and emotional exhaustion (P = 0.14, respectively. The most influential demographic factor on empathy was work experience (r = 0.304, P = 0.004. One-way analysis of variance showed that official staff had a higher empathy score (f = 2.39, P = 0.045 and their burnout was lower (f = 2.56, P = 0.04. Conclusions: Results showed a negative relationship between empathy and burnout in oncology nurses. Therefore, nursing support from managers to reduce burnout increases empathic behavior of nurses.

  4. Empathy, Burnout, Demographic Variables and their Relationships in Oncology Nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taleghani, Fariba; Ashouri, Elaheh; Saburi, Morteza

    2017-01-01

    Development of nurse-patient empathic communication in the oncology ward is of great importance for the patients to relieve their psychological stress, however, nursing care of cancer patients is accompanied with high stress and burnout. The present study aimed to define the level of empathy and its association with burnout and some demographic characteristics of oncology nurses. This descriptive/correlation study was conducted in a professional cancer treatment center in Isfahan. Through census sampling, 67 oncology nurses were selected. The data collection tools were Jefferson Scale of Nursing Empathy, Maslach Burnout Inventory, and demographic characteristics questionnaire. Mean nurses' empathy and overall burnout scores were 62.28 out of 100 and 38.8 out of 100, respectively. Score of empathy showed an inverse correlation with overall burnout score ( r = -0.189, P = 0.04), depersonalization ( r = -0.218, P = 0.02), and personal accomplishment ( r = -0.265, P = 0.01). Multiple regression test was used to detect which dimension of burnout was a better predictor for the reduction of empathy score. Results showed that the best predictors were lack of personal accomplishment ( P = 0.02), depersonalization ( P = 0.04), and emotional exhaustion ( P = 0.14), respectively. The most influential demographic factor on empathy was work experience ( r = 0.304, P = 0.004). One-way analysis of variance showed that official staff had a higher empathy score ( f = 2.39, P = 0.045) and their burnout was lower ( f = 2.56, P = 0.04). Results showed a negative relationship between empathy and burnout in oncology nurses. Therefore, nursing support from managers to reduce burnout increases empathic behavior of nurses.

  5. Empathy, Burnout, Demographic Variables and their Relationships in Oncology Nurses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taleghani, Fariba; Ashouri, Elaheh; Saburi, Morteza

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: Development of nurse–patient empathic communication in the oncology ward is of great importance for the patients to relieve their psychological stress, however, nursing care of cancer patients is accompanied with high stress and burnout. The present study aimed to define the level of empathy and its association with burnout and some demographic characteristics of oncology nurses. Materials and Methods: This descriptive/correlation study was conducted in a professional cancer treatment center in Isfahan. Through census sampling, 67 oncology nurses were selected. The data collection tools were Jefferson Scale of Nursing Empathy, Maslach Burnout Inventory, and demographic characteristics questionnaire. Results: Mean nurses’ empathy and overall burnout scores were 62.28 out of 100 and 38.8 out of 100, respectively. Score of empathy showed an inverse correlation with overall burnout score (r = −0.189, P = 0.04), depersonalization (r = −0.218, P = 0.02), and personal accomplishment (r = −0.265, P = 0.01). Multiple regression test was used to detect which dimension of burnout was a better predictor for the reduction of empathy score. Results showed that the best predictors were lack of personal accomplishment (P = 0.02), depersonalization (P = 0.04), and emotional exhaustion (P = 0.14), respectively. The most influential demographic factor on empathy was work experience (r = 0.304, P = 0.004). One-way analysis of variance showed that official staff had a higher empathy score (f = 2.39, P = 0.045) and their burnout was lower (f = 2.56, P = 0.04). Conclusions: Results showed a negative relationship between empathy and burnout in oncology nurses. Therefore, nursing support from managers to reduce burnout increases empathic behavior of nurses. PMID:28382057

  6. Early insights into the characteristics and evolution of clinical parameters in a cohort of patients prescribed sacubitril/valsartan in Germany.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wachter, Rolf; Viriato, Daniel; Klebs, Sven; Grunow, Stefanie S; Schindler, Matthias; Engelhard, Johanna; Proenca, Catia C; Calado, Frederico; Schlienger, Raymond; Dworak, Markus; Balas, Bogdan; Bruce Wirta, Sara

    2018-04-01

    This study aimed to provide early insights into sacubitril/valsartan (sac/val) prescription patterns and the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients prescribed sac/val in primary care and cardiology settings in Germany. The study used electronic medical records from the German IMS® Disease Analyzer database. Patients with ≥1 prescription for sac/val during 1 January-31 December 2016 (n = 1643) were identified and followed up for ≤12 months from first prescription. Patients with ≥1 heart failure (HF) diagnosis during the study period, ≥1 additional HF diagnosis in the full history of the database, and ≥1 prescription for an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker and a β-blocker during the study period, without a prescription for sac/val (n = 25,264), were included as a reference cohort. Changes in clinical parameters in the 12 months before and after sac/val initiation were investigated and compared with those from the PARADIGM-HF study. The characteristics of patients prescribed sac/val more closely resembled those of patients enrolled in PARADIGM-HF (e.g. younger age, higher proportion of men than women, lower systolic blood pressure) than patients in the reference cohort. Most patients were initiated on the lowest dose of sac/val irrespective of clinical setting. Significant decreases (p < 0.001) in NT-proBNP and glycated haemoglobin levels were observed following sac/val initiation. Patients prescribed sac/val had similar baseline demographics and clinical characteristics to those from PARADIGM-HF, and most patients were initiated on the lowest dose. Changes in clinical parameters before and after initiation mirrored findings from the PARADIGM-HF study.

  7. Demographic and psychological correlates of New Zealanders support for euthanasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Carol Hj; Duck, Isabelle M; Sibley, Chris G

    2017-01-13

    To explore the distribution of New Zealanders' support towards the legalisation of euthanasia and examine demographic and psychological factors associated with these attitudes. 15,822 participants responded to the 2014/15 New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study (NZAVS) survey. This survey included an item on people's attitudes towards euthanasia, and information on their demographic and psychological characteristics. The majority of New Zealanders expressed support for euthanasia, which was assessed by asking "Suppose a person has a painful incurable disease. Do you think that doctors should be allowed by law to end the patient's life if the patient requests it?" Non-religious, liberal, younger, employed, non-parents and those living in rural areas were more supportive. Those of Pacific or Asian ethnicity, with lower income and higher deprivation, education and socio-economic status were less supportive. Furthermore, those high on extraversion, conscientiousness and neuroticism showed more support, while those high on agreeableness and honesty-humility exhibited less support. There is strong public support for euthanasia when people are asked whether doctors should be allowed by law to end the life of a patient with a painful incurable disease upon their request. There are reliable demographic and personality differences in support for euthanasia.

  8. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of asthmatic children ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Introduction: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder associated with variable air flow obstruction and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. It is characterised clinically by recurrent episodes of cough, difficulty in breathing and wheezing which resolves spontaneously or with treatment. The socio-demographic and clinical ...

  9. Tuberculosis outbreaks predicted by characteristics of first patients in a DNA fingerprint cluster.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kik, Sandra V; Verver, Suzanne; van Soolingen, Dick; de Haas, Petra E W; Cobelens, Frank G; Kremer, Kristin; van Deutekom, Henk; Borgdorff, Martien W

    2008-07-01

    Some clusters of patients who have Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates with identical DNA fingerprint patterns grow faster than others. It is unclear what predictors determine cluster growth. To assess whether the development of a tuberculosis (TB) outbreak can be predicted by the characteristics of its first two patients. Demographic and clinical data of all culture-confirmed patients with TB in the Netherlands from 1993 through 2004 were combined with DNA fingerprint data. Clusters were restricted to cluster episodes of 2 years to only detect newly arising clusters. Characteristics of the first two patients were compared between small (2-4 cases) and large (5 or more cases) cluster episodes. Of 5,454 clustered cases, 1,756 (32%) were part of a cluster episode of 2 years. Of 622 cluster episodes, 54 (9%) were large and 568 (91%) were small episodes. Independent predictors for large cluster episodes were as follows: less than 3 months' time between the diagnosis of the first two patients, one or both patients were young (<35 yr), both patients lived in an urban area, and both patients came from sub-Saharan Africa. In the Netherlands, patients in new cluster episodes should be screened for these risk factors. When the risk pattern applies, targeted interventions (e.g., intensified contact investigation) should be considered to prevent further cluster expansion.

  10. Inequalities in reported cancer patient experience by socio-demographic characteristic and cancer site: evidence from respondents to the English Cancer Patient Experience Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saunders, C L; Abel, G A; Lyratzopoulos, G

    2015-01-01

    Patient experience is a critical dimension of cancer care quality. Understanding variation in experience among patients with different cancers and characteristics is an important first step for designing targeted improvement interventions. We analysed data from the 2011/2012 English Cancer Patient Experience Survey (n = 69,086) using logistic regression to explore inequalities in care experience across 64 survey questions. We additionally calculated a summary measure of variation in patient experience by cancer, and explored inequalities between patients with cancers treated by the same specialist teams. We found that younger and very old, ethnic minority patients and women consistently reported worse experiences across questions. Patients with small intestine/rarer lower gastrointestinal, multiple myeloma and hepatobiliary cancers were most likely to report negative experiences whereas patients with breast, melanoma and testicular cancer were least likely (top-to-bottom odds ratio = 1.91, P patients with cancers treated by the same specialty for five of nine services (P patients with ovarian, multiple myeloma, anal, hepatobiliary and renal cancer reported notably worse experiences than patients with other gynaecological, haematological, gastrointestinal and urological malignancies respectively. Initiatives to improve cancer patient experience across oncology services may be suitably targeted on patients at higher risk of poorer experience. © 2014 The Authors. European Journal of Cancer Care published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Socio-Demographic, Clinical and Behavioral Characteristics Associated with a History of Suicide Attempts among Psychiatric Outpatients: A Case Control Study in a Northern Mexican City.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alvarado-Esquivel, Cosme; Sánchez-Anguiano, Luis Francisco; Arnaud-Gil, Carlos Alberto; Hernández-Tinoco, Jesús; Molina-Espinoza, Luis Fernando; Rábago-Sánchez, Elizabeth

    2014-03-01

    Little is known about the epidemiology of suicide attempts among psychiatric outpatients in Mexico. This study was aimed to determine the socio-demographic, clinical and behavioral characteristics associated with suicide attempts in psychiatric outpatients in two public hospitals in Durango, Mexico. Two hundred seventy six psychiatric outpatients (154 suicide attempters and 122 patients without suicide attempt history) attended the two public hospitals in Durango City, Mexico were included in this study. Socio-demographic, clinical and behavioral characteristics were obtained retrospectively from all outpatients and compared in relation to the presence or absence of suicide attempt history. Increased prevalence of suicide attempts was associated with mental and behavioral disorders due to psychoactive substance use (F10-19) (P=0.01), schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders (F20-29) (P=0.02), mood (affective) disorders (F30-39) (Purban residence (OR=2.31, 95% CI: 1.17-4.57; P=0.01), memory impairment (OR=1.91, 95% CI: 1.07-3.40; P=0.02), alcohol consumption (OR=2.39, 95% CI: 1.21-4.70; P=0.01), and sexual promiscuity (OR=3.90, 95% CI: 1.74-8.77; PMexico. Results may be useful for an optimal planning of preventive measures against suicide attempts in psychiatric outpatients.

  12. Socio-demographic characteristics associated with HIV and syphilis ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objectives: We aimed to evaluate socio-demographic factors associated with HIV and syphilis seroreactivity in pregnant Malawians presenting for antenatal care in late third trimester of pregnancy. Methods: Between December 2000 and March 2004 at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital Blantyre, Malawi, we collected ...

  13. Dog and owner demographic characteristics and dog personality trait associations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kubinyi, Eniko; Turcsán, Borbála; Miklósi, Adám

    2009-07-01

    The aim of this study was to analyze the relationships between four personality traits (calmness, trainability, dog sociability and boldness) of dogs (Canis familiaris) and dog and owner demographics on a large sample size with 14,004 individuals. German speaking dog owners could characterize their dog by filling out a form on the Internet. There were five demographic variables for dogs and nine for owners. Two statistical methods were used for investigating the associations between personality and demographic traits: the more traditional general linear methods and regression trees that are ideal for analyzing non-linear relationships in the structure of the data. The results showed that calmness is influenced primarily by the dog's age, the neutered status, the number of different types of professional training courses (e.g. obedience, agility) the dog had experienced and the age of acquisition. The least calm dogs were less than 2.5 years old, neutered and acquired after the first 12 weeks of age, while the calmest dogs were older than 6.9 years. Trainability was affected primarily by the training experiences, the dog's age, and the purpose of keeping the dog. The least trainable dogs had not received professional training at all and were older than 3 years. The most trainable dogs were those who participated in three or more types of professional training. Sociability toward conspecifics was mainly determined by the age, sex, training experience and time spent together. The least sociable dogs were older than 4.8 years and the owners spent less than 3h with the dog daily. The most sociable dogs were less than 1.5 years old. Males were less sociable toward their conspecifics than females. Boldness was affected by the sex and age of the dog and the age of acquisition. The least bold were females acquired after the age of 1 year or bred by the owner. The boldest dogs were males, acquired before the age of 12 weeks, and were younger than 2 years old. Other variables

  14. Importance of demographic characteristics and nurses' role in women's perceptions and experiences of gynaecological examination

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dušanka Zaić

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Gynaecological examination is crucial for protecting the reproductive health of women. The purpose of the study was to explore the perception of women towards gynaecological examination, the importance of some demographic characteristics and the role of a nurse. Methods: A quantitative methodology was used for study purposes. A structured web questionnaire was applied on a non-random, convenience sample of women (n = 476. The questionnaire was published on the most popular Slovenian web forums. Prior to the main research project, a pilot study was conducted on a sample of 10 women. The statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, t-test, Pearson's and Spearman's correlation coefficient. Results: Results of the study show a statistically significant correlation between the respondents' residential environment (t = -2.436, p = 0.015, the level of educational attainment (rs=-0.153, p = 0.001 and the presence of discomfort and fear before the gynaecological examination. The role of a nurse in reducing the level of discomfort and fear before (t = -0.931, p = 0.352 and during (t = -0.888, p = 0.375 the gynaecological examination was not proven statistically significant. Discussion and conclusions: Besides the demographic characteristics, a number of personal and societal factors influence women's attitudes towards gynaecological examination and the associated discomfort and fear. The study suggests that further qualitative studies are needed to gain a deeper understanding of how women experience a pelvic examination.

  15. Patients with substance use and personality disorders: a comparison of patient characteristics, treatment process, and outcomes in Swiss and U.S. substance use disorder programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moggi, Franz; Giovanoli, Anna; Buri, Caroline; Moos, Bernice S; Moos, Rudolf H

    2010-01-01

    Cross-cultural comparisons may increase our understanding of different models of substance use treatment and help identify consistent associations between patients' characteristics, treatment conditions, and outcomes. The aim of the study was to compare matched samples of substance use disorder (SUD) patients with personality disorders (PD) in Swiss and the United States (U.S.) residential SUD treatment programs and examine the relationship of program characteristics to 1-year outcomes. A prospective, naturalistic design was used to compare 132 demographically matched Swiss and U.S. male patients drawn from a sample of 10 Swiss and 15 U.S. public treatment programs. Patients completed comparable inventories at admission, discharge, and 1-year follow-up. Compared to Swiss SUD-PD patients, U.S. SUD-PD patients had more severe substance use and psychosocial problems at admission and follow-up. More intensive treatment and a stronger emphasis on patients' involvement were related to better outcomes for both Swiss and U.S. SUD-PD patients. There may be some cross-cultural consistency in the associations between treatment characteristics and SUD-PD patients' outcomes. Treatment evaluation findings from representative programs in one country may apply elsewhere and contribute to our overall knowledge about how to improve SUD-PD patients' outcomes.

  16. Effects of Demographic Characteristics, Educational Background, and Supporting Factors on ICT Readiness of Technical and Vocational Teachers in Malaysia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alazzam, Abu-Obaideh; Bakar, Ab Rahim; Hamzah, Ramlah; Asimiran, S.

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine ICT readiness and the effects of demographic characteristics, educational background, and support factors on the ICT readiness of technical and vocational teachers in Malaysia. The questionnaire was administered to 329 technical and vocational teachers who are teaching engineering subjects in Malaysian…

  17. Predicting voluntary turnover in employees using demographic characteristics: A South African case study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anton F. Schlechter

    2016-03-01

    Design: An exploratory research design was employed. Secondary quantitative data were extracted from an existing human resources database and analysed. Data obtained for 2592 employees in a general insurance company based in South Africa and Namibia formed the basis for the analysis. Logistic regression analysis was employed to predict employee turnover using various demographic characteristics available within the database. A likelihood ratio test was used to build a predictive model and the Akaike information criterion and Schwarz criterion were used to test how much value each variable added to the model and if its inclusion was warranted. The model was tested by conducting statistical tests of the significance of the coefficients. Deviance and Pearson goodness-of-fit statistics as well as the R-square test of significance were used. The overall goodness-of-fit of the model was also tested using the Hosmer and Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test. Findings: The current findings provide partial support for a predictive model explaining employee turnover. The model tested 14 demographic variables and the following five variables were found to have statistically significant predictive value: age, years of service, cost centre, performance score and the interaction between number of dependants and years of service. It is proposed that these five demographic variables be used as a model to help identify employees at risk of turnover or termed as flight risks. Practical implications: Gaining an understanding of the factors that influence employee voluntary turnover can be instrumental in sustaining workforce stability. The proposed model could help human resources professionals identify employees at risk of turnover using data that are readily available to them. This will further enable the use of targeted interventions to prevent turnover before it happens. Decreased levels of turnover will result in cost saving, enhanced talent management and greater competitive advantage.

  18. Comparing the demographic factors of patient with limited and diffuse type of alopecia areata

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mina Daliri

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: Alopecia areata is a chronic inflammatory disease that involves the hair follicle. Clinically, patients with alopecia areata may have patchy or confluent hair loss on the scalp or body so we conduct a study to compare the demographic aspects of patient with limited and diffuse type of alopecia areata.Materials and Method: We conducted a descriptive-analyzing study in which 306 patient were chosen. The patients were divided into two groups of diffuse and limited Alopecia. Demographic factors including age, gender, disease onset were compared in two groups. Results: Out of 306 patients, 58.8 % were male and 41.2 % were female. 247 patients (80.7% suffered from limited type and 59 patients (19.2% suffered from diffuse type. The mean age of the onset of involvement in limited group was 21.9±12 yr and 15.8±12 yr in diffuse group. The mean duration of involvement in limited group was 18.7 months and 71 months in diffuse group. Conclusion: Diffuse type alopecia areata starts at lower age and has longer duration. Our study results were similar to the others. Like other studies, thyroid disorders and atopic dermatitis are positively correlative to the severity of disease

  19. Epidemiologic and Demographic Features, Therapeutic Intervention and Prognosis of the Patients with Cerebral Aneurysm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masih Sabouri

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Cerebral aneurysms are a kind of cardiovascular diseases which are accompanied with high morbidity and mortality due to rupturing and causing subarachnoid hemorrhages. The current study aimed to determine epidemiologic and demographic features and prognosis of patients with cerebral aneurysms. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 465 patients with cerebral aneurysms hospitalized in Al-Zahra Hospital were studied. The required information including demographic, epidemiologic, and clinical features of the disease were extracted from their records. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS software and the factors associated with the prognosis of the disease were determined. Results: Four hundred and sixty-five cases with cerebral aneurysm undergoing surgery were investigated. The mean age of the patients was 48 ± 14 years whereas 216 cases (46.5% were male and 249 (53.5% were female. Two hundred and thirty-seven patients (51% remitted completely while the disease caused moderate disability in 84 cases (18.1%, severe disability in 24 ones (5.2% and vegetative state in 9 cases (1.9% and mortality in 57 ones while it was unknown in 54 cases (11.6%. In terms of the age of patient, WFNS index, anatomical position of aneurysm, type of aneurysm lesion, the incidence season of the disease, type of postoperative complications, family history and operative approach, the disease outcome had a significant difference while gender, ethnicity, and risk factors had no significant effect on the disease outcome. Conclusions: According to the type of aneurysm, the incidence position of the aneurysm and other epidemiologic, demographic, and clinical features, providing the prevention and treatment strategies is necessary.

  20. Effect of Socio-Demographic and Clinical Characteristics on Physical Activity of Pregnant Women at Referral Hospital in Riyadh, KSA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shaffi Ahamed Shaik

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of socio demographic and clinical characteristics of pregnant women on their physical activity. Methods: An observational quantitative cross sectional design was carried out in the delivery ward and paediatrics clinic of king Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study subjects included all women who had delivered in the last three months, during the study period between 2013- 2014. The sample size was 336. Data collection included socio-demographic variables, pregnancy related variables and the physical activity by using validated pregnancy physical activity questionnaire. Results: The mean (standard deviation total physical activity score of all the study subjects was 197.39(72.1. The physical activity scores are statistically significantly higher in younger women, graduation education level, and among those who were employed. The physical activity scores were statistically significantly higher in women who had normal delivery, did not have any illness and those who had followed the advice to perform physical activity. Conclusion: The levels of physical activity along with their socio demographic and clinical characteristic were assessed among the pregnant women. The study found low pursuance of physical activity during pregnancy. Any kind of illness suffered during pregnancy further reduced the physical activity levels. It was only the young and educated pregnant women who held onto regular physical activity as advised during their pregnancy.

  1. URBANIZATION AND SPATIAL CHANGES IN DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS IN MONTERREY METROPOLITAN REGION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arun Kumar Acharya

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available This paper tries to explore the process of urbanization and spatial changes in demographic features in the Monterrey Metropolitan Region (MMR, Mexico. This city is the third largest urban sector in Mexico which has around 4 million population. It is also the industrial and economic capital of the country. The present study found that rapid urbanization in the metropolitan region has a close association with process of industrialization. In population distribution and composition, study found that the metropolitan region had its “demographic transition” during the years seventies and currently the region is taking advantages of demographic bonus cohort, i.e. a higher concentration of population in economic active groups compare to children and old age population. However, this paper indentified a higher imbalance in metropolitan demographic scenario. On the one hand, there is di-populization in the city center region and in other there is a steady increment of population in peri-urban region.

  2. Demographic characteristics, social competence, and behavior problems in children with gender identity disorder : A cross-national, cross-clinic comparative analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cohen-Kettenis, PT; Owen, A; Kaijser, VG; Bradley, SJ; Zucker, KJ

    This study examined demographic characteristics, social competence, and behavior problems in clinic-referred children with gender identity problems in Toronto, Canada (N = 358), and Utrecht, The Netherlands (N = 130). The Toronto sample was, on average, about a year younger than the Utrecht sample

  3. Demographic Characteristics and Medical Service Use of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome Patients at an Integrated Treatment Hospital Focusing on Complementary and Alternative Medicine: A Retrospective Review of Electronic Medical Records

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hee Seung Choi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To report the patient demographics and nonsurgical complementary and alternative medicine treatment used at a Korean medicine hospital for low back pain (LBP and/or sciatica after surgery. Methods. Medical records of patients who visited a spine-specialized Korean medicine hospital at 2 separate sites for continuous or recurrent LBP or sciatica following back surgery were reviewed. The demographics, MRI and/or CT scans, and treatments were assessed. Results. Of the total 707 patients, 62% were male and the average age was 50.20 years. Ninety percent of patients presented with LBP and 67% with sciatica. Eighty-four percent were diagnosed with herniated nucleus pulposus at time of surgery. Of these patients, 70% had pain recurrence 6 months or later, but 19% experienced no relief or immediate aggravation of pain after surgery. Many patients selected traditional Korean medicine treatment as primary means of postsurgery care (47%. When time to pain recurrence was short or pain persisted after surgery, return of symptoms at the same disc level and side was frequent. Conclusion. An integrative treatment model focusing on Korean medicine and used in conjunction with radiological diagnostics and conventional medicine is currently used as a treatment option for patients with pain after lumbar spine surgery.

  4. Characteristics and Outcomes of Elderly Patients Refused to ICU

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María-Consuelo Pintado

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. There are few data regarding the process of deciding which elderly patients are refused to ICU admission, their characteristics, and outcome. Methods. Prospective longitudinal observational cohort study. We included all consecutive patients older than 75 years, who were evaluated for admission to but were refused to treatment in ICU, during 18 months, with 12-month followup. We collected demographic data, ICU admission/refusal reasons, previous functional and cognitive status, comorbidity, severity of illness, and hospital and 12-month mortality. Results. 338 elderly patients were evaluated for ICU admission and 88 were refused to ICU (26%. Patients refused because they were “too ill to benefit” had more comorbidity and worse functional and mental situation than those admitted to ICU; there were no differences in illness severity. Hospital mortality rate of the whole study cohort was 36.3%, higher in patients “too ill to benefit” (55.6% versus 35.8%, P<0.01, which also have higher 1-year mortality (73.7% versus 42.5%, P<0.01. High comorbidity, low functional status, unavailable ICU beds, and age were associated with refusal decision on multivariate analysis. Conclusions. Prior functional status and comorbidity, not only the age or severity of illness, can help us more to make the right decision of admitting or refusing to ICU patients older than 75 years.

  5. Event characteristics and socio-demographic features of rape ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objectives: On account of increasing awareness of the need for Post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and availability of requisite drugs, victims of rape are now presenting at health facilities including ours to access PEP for HIV. This study set to document the socio-demographic features of these victims and the event ...

  6. [Demographic characteristics and mortality among indigenous peoples in Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira, Maria Evanir Vicente; Matsuo, Tiemi; Souza, Regina Kazue Tanno de

    2011-12-01

    The present study aimed to assess mortality rates and related demographic factors among indigenous peoples in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Central-West Brazil, compared to the State's general population. Mortality rates were estimated based on data obtained from the Health Care Database for Indigenous Peoples and monthly patient care records as well as demographic data from the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS) and mortality data from the SUS Mortality Database. Compared to the overall population, among indigenous peoples there were proportionally more individuals under 15 years of age and fewer elderly, besides higher mortality rates at early ages and from infectious and parasitic diseases. Indigenous men showed significantly higher mortality rates from external causes and respiratory and infectious diseases, while among women the mortality rates from external causes and infectious diseases were higher. Suicide rates among young indigenous individuals were also particularly alarming. Indigenous people's health conditions are worse than those of the general population in Mato Grosso do Sul.

  7. Academic, Socio-Emotional and Demographic Characteristics of Adolescents Involved in Traditional Bullying, Cyberbullying, or Both: Looking at Variables and Persons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solomontos-Kountouri, Olga; Tsagkaridis, Konstantinos; Gradinger, Petra; Strohmeier, Dagmar

    2017-01-01

    The present paper (1) examined variables, which could predict traditional bullying, cyberbullying, traditional victimization and cybervictimization and (2) looked at persons to examine whether academic, socio-emotional and demographic characteristics differed between traditional, cyber and mixed bullies, victims and bully-victims. A sample of…

  8. Socio-demographic characteristics of participation in the opportunistic German cervical cancer screening programme: results from the EPIC-Heidelberg cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seidel, David; Becker, Nikolaus; Rohrmann, Sabine; Nimptsch, Katharina; Linseisen, Jakob

    2009-04-01

    To analyse participation in the German cervical cancer screening programme by socio-demographic characteristics. In the EPIC-Heidelberg cohort study 13,612 women aged 35-65 years were recruited between 1994 and 1998. Follow-up questionnaires were used to analyse participation in cervical cancer screening. Subjects were categorised according to age (birth cohort), education, vocational training, employment status, marital status and household size. Associations between socio-demographic characteristics and participation in cervical cancer screening were analysed using multinomial logistic regression. Females of the oldest and middle birth cohort were less likely to be screened compared to the youngest birth cohort. Less-educated women and those with a low-level secondary school degree had a decreased likelihood of undergoing screening in comparison to better educated women. Married women and women living in households with four or more persons were more likely to participate in the screening programme than single women or women living alone. Employment status did not modify participation in cervical cancer screening. Knowledge on the characteristics of women with a lower attendance to cervical cancer screening could be used to improve the effectiveness of the current (opportunistic) programme by dedicated health promotion programmes. However, an organized screening programme with written invitation of all eligible women would be the preferred option.

  9. [Demographic and clinical features of patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Piauí, Brazil--evaluation of 98 patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almeida, Maria do Socorro Teixeira Moreira; Almeida, João Vicente Moreira; Bertolo, Manoel Barros

    2014-01-01

    Brazilian epidemiological studies on rheumatoid arthritis are scarce, mainly in the northeast; thus many data currently available originate from the international literature. To describe demographic, clinical and serological characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) followed-up by the same physician, in state of Piauí, Brazil. Data were collected between August 2010 and March 2013, in three health services of Piauí that provided health care in Rheumatology: a university-affiliated hospital, a public outpatient clinic and a private clinic. The numbers represent mean ± SD or percentage: 47.5±11.03 years-old non-Caucasian woman, non-smoker (59.2%), low educational level, mean disease duration of 7.7 years ± 7.6, and major extra-articular manifestations were rheumatoid nodules (19.4%) and sicca syndrome (46.9%). Features of rheumatoid arthritis obtained in this study are similar to those found in some national and international studies, but we observed higher female preponderance and illiteracy rate, in addition to a moderately severe erosive disease on average, with frequent sicca and other extra-articular manifestations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  10. Patient characteristics and treatment outcome in functional anorectal pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atkin, Gary K; Suliman, Amna; Vaizey, Carolynne J

    2011-07-01

    Functional anorectal pain occurs in the absence of any clinical abnormality. It is common and disabling; it has previously been reported in only a few studies involving small patient numbers. This study aimed to report the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes for patients with functional anorectal pain. Patient demographics, clinical history, and tests results for all referrals for anorectal physiological testing between 1997 and 2009 were prospectively recorded. For patients with functional anorectal pain, further information was gained from clinical notes. Clinical history, anorectal physiology, and radiological imaging data were recorded for all patients; treatment outcome was noted for patients treated and followed up at the present unit. One hundred seventy patients, 99 female, with a median age of 48 years (range, 18-86), were studied. Patients were classified as having chronic proctalgia (pain duration ≥20 min, 158 patients) or proctalgia fugax (pain duration proctalgia fugax had a higher internal anal sphincter thickness and resting pressure than patients with chronic proctalgia, whereas patients with a family history of similar symptoms were more likely to have proctalgia fugax and higher resting pressures and internal anal sphincter thickness compared with those without a family history of these symptoms. Patients referred for treatment underwent a range of interventions including biofeedback (29 patients, 17 improved), tricyclic antidepressants (26 patients, 10 improved), Botox injection (9 patients, 5 improved), and sacral nerve stimulation (3 patients, 2 improved). Biofeedback had the greatest treatment effect, especially in patients with defecatory dysfunction. Biofeedback is beneficial in the subset of patients with functional anorectal pain and difficulty with defecation. Tricyclic antidepressants, Botox, and sacral nerve stimulation may also have a role.

  11. [Community attitudes towards mental illness and socio-demographic characteristics: an Italian study].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buizza, Chiara; Pioli, Rosaria; Ponteri, Marco; Vittorielli, Michela; Corradi, Angela; Minicuci, Nadia; Rossi, Giuseppe

    2005-01-01

    To assess the association between socio-demographic characteristics and community attitudes towards mentally ill people. We assessed a sample of 280 subjects, stratified for sex and age, which has identified using the electoral registers of Brescia. A letter was sent to everyone in order to introduce the future potential study participant to the topics of the public attitudes towards mental illness and it included an invitation to take part in the study. After, 280 subjects were contacted by telephone. Finally, 174 persons, who expressed their willingness to collaborate, were visited by a team of four trained interviewers. The instruments used were: a semi-structured interview; the Community Attitudes to the Mentally Ill (CAMI) inventory, which is composed by 40 statements, concerning the degree of acceptance of mental health services and mentally ill patients in the community; and the Fear and Behavioural Intentions (FABI) inventory, which is composed by 10 items, concerning fears and behavioural intentions towards mentally ill people. 106 subjects refused to participate. Factor analysis of the CAMI revealed three components Physical distance and fear, Social isolation and Social responsibility and tolerance. Factor 1 is associated with: people >61 years old; people being divorced/widowed/living separated; people who haven't participated in social or volunteer activities. Factor 2 is associated with: people > 41 years old; people being schooled at a level that's higher than elementary level; unemployed people. Factor 3 doesn't present any associations. The results of this study outline the need to: a) promote interventions focused to improve the general attitude towards people with mental illness; b) to favour specific actions in order to prevent or eliminate prejudices in subgroups of the population.

  12. Establishment and baseline characteristics of a nationwide Danish cohort of patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulas Søborg, Marie-Louise; Leganger, Julie; Quitzau Mortensen, Laura; Rosenberg, Jacob; Burcharth, Jakob

    2017-05-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate national prevalence, general demographic characteristics and survival of Danish patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). A population-based cohort study was conducted using a database consisting of the entire Danish population alive at any given time between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2012, based upon longitudinal Danish national registers. All patients with EDS were identified, and the cohort was described by disease prevalence, basic demographic characteristics, mean age at death and mortality for the observational period of 13 years. The cohort held 1427 unique persons with EDS, giving a national prevalence of 0.02%. The EDS population had a mean ( s . d .) age of 34.9 (18.6) years and comprised 73.9% females and 26.1% males. Of the cohort, 95.9% originated from Denmark and 57% were unmarried. We found that 31.6% of the cohort received state-granted subsidies, of which 77% were in the form of early retirement pension. Regarding educational status, 28.1% of the EDS cohort had completed primary education (⩽10th grade) as their highest educational level, while 71.9% had completed a higher level. During the observation period, 42 patients died, with a mean ( s . d .) age at death of 53.6 (21.7) years. This study confirmed a small national prevalence of patients diagnosed with EDS and showed that the majority of patients diagnosed are female. The EDS cohort had a lower educational level, mean age and life expectancy compared with the background population and showed a predisposition for receiving state-granted subsidies. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  13. Associations between demographic characteristics and physical activity practices in Nevada schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monnat, Shannon M; Lounsbery, Monica A F; McKenzie, Thomas L; Chandler, Raeven Faye

    2017-02-01

    Schools are important settings for not only providing and promoting children's physical activity (PA) but also for reducing PA disparities. We investigated associations between school-level demographic characteristics (racial/ethnic and socioeconomic composition, urban-rural status, and student-to-teacher ratio) and 16 PA-promoting practices in 347 Nevada public elementary, middle, and high schools in 2014. We found that low-cost and easy-to-implement practices are most prevalent. There is relative demographic equity in ten of 16 PA practices and significant differences in six PA practices in Nevada schools. Schools with comparatively larger percentages of Black students are the most disadvantaged, as they have the fewest PA-supportive practices in place. Higher percent black was associated with lower odds of providing classroom activity breaks (AOR=0.632, 95% CI=0.453-0.881) and bike racks (AOR=0.60, 95% CI=0.362-0.996), greater odds of withholding recess/PE for disciplinary reasons (AOR=1.377, 95% CI=1.006-1.885), and lower odds of having recess supervisors who are trained to promote PA (AOR=0.583, 95% CI=0.374-0.909). Schools with greater percentages of Hispanic students have lower odds of providing before-school PA programs (AOR=0.867, 95% CI=0.761-0.987), whereas schools with greater percentages of low-SES students have greater odds of providing after-school PA programs (AOR=1.135, 95% CI=1.016-1.268). Higher student-to-teacher ratio was also associated with greater odds of providing after-school PA programs (AOR=1.135, 95% CI=1.016-1.268). Urban-rural status was unrelated to all PA practices. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Impact of digital imaging and communications in medicine workflow on the integration of patient demographics and ophthalmic test data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pandit, Ravi R; Boland, Michael V

    2015-02-01

    To determine the impact of a Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) workflow on the linkage of demographic information to ophthalmic testing data. Evaluation of technology. Six hundred ninety-nine visual field testing encounters performed by 6 ophthalmic technicians and the transfer error queue of 37 442 ophthalmic test results. At 3 months before and 6 and 18 months after implementation of a DICOM workflow, technicians recorded the work required to enter, confirm, or edit patient demographics in each visual field device. We also determined the proportion of imaging tests sent to an error queue for manual reconciliation because of incorrect demographic information before and 3, 6, and 18 months after the DICOM workflow was established. The proportion of testing encounters for which staff had to enter, edit, or merge patient demographics and the proportion of misfiled images. Staff entered, edited, or merged data for 48% of patients before implementation (n = 237). This decreased to 24% within 6 months and 20% within 18 months of implementing the DICOM archive (n = 230 and n = 232, respectively). Staff could locate a patient in a DICOM work list for 97% of encounters at 3 months and 99% at 18 months. Before implementation, 9.2% of the images required additional intervention to be associated with the correct patient (n = 3581). This decreased by 85% over 6 months to 1.4% (n = 9979; P workflow in an ophthalmology clinic reduced the need to enter or edit patient demographic information into imaging or testing devices by more than 50% and reduced the need to manage misfiled images by 76%. In a clinical environment that demands both efficiency and patient safety, the DICOM workflow is an important update to current practice. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Comparing clinical and demographic characteristics of people with mental illness in hospital- and community-based residential rehabilitation units in Queensland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meehan, Tom; Stedman, Terry; Parker, Stephen; Curtis, Bretine; Jones, Donna

    2017-05-01

    Objective The aim of the present study was to examine care pathways and characteristics of mental health consumers participating in both hospital- and community-based residential rehabilitation programs. Methods An audit of consumers (n=240) in all publicly funded residential rehabilitation units in Queensland was performed on the same day in 2013. Data collection focused on demographic characteristics, clinical information and measures of consumer functioning. Results Significant differences emerged for consumers in community- and hospital-based services with regard to age, length of stay, functioning, Mental Health Act status, guardianship status, family contact and risk of violence. Consumers in hospital-based programs have more severe and complex problems. Conclusions Consumers in residential rehabilitation units have high levels of disability, poor physical health and high levels of vulnerability. Nonetheless, it is likely that a sizeable proportion of consumers occupying rehabilitation beds in Queensland could be discharged if more 'step-down' options to move patients on were available. What is known about the topic? A small subgroup of people with severe and complex mental health problems is likely to require time in a residential rehabilitation program. This group is characterised by failure to respond to treatment, severe negative symptoms and some degree of cognitive impairment. What does this paper add? Patients currently occupying residential rehabilitation beds in Queensland have high levels of disability, poor physical health and high levels of vulnerability. Patients in hospital-based programs are more severely disabled than those in community-based programs. What are the implications for practitioners? It is likely that a sizeable proportion of patients occupying rehabilitation beds in Queensland could be discharged if more 'step-down' options were available. Future planning initiatives need to focus on developing a greater array of community

  16. Comparison of Personality Characteristics and Coping Strategies in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis and Control Group

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammadi

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Background The present study aimed to investigate personality traits and coping strategies in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS who were admitted to Sina hospital compared with healthy individuals. Objectives The aim of the present study was to compare personality characteristics and coping strategies between patients with MS and healthy controls. Materials and Methods The study sample included 55 patients with MS and 57 matched healthy control individuals. The data were gathered via a demographic form, the ways of coping questionnaire, and the NEO five-factor inventory. The data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and logistic regression. Results No significant differences in personality characteristics were observed between patients and healthy controls (all P > 0.05. Only the coping strategy subscale of Distancing was significant between patients and healthy controls (P 0.05. Only the Neuroticism personality trait and the Distancing coping strategy were predictive of group membership (i.e., healthy or patient. Conclusions Our study suggests that the personality traits of patients with MS and healthy individuals are not significantly different. Patients with MS are likely to use the same coping strategies as healthy individuals, except in the subscale of Distancing.

  17. Patients' Non-Medical Characteristics Contribute to Collective Medical Decision-Making at Multidisciplinary Oncological Team Meetings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Restivo, Léa; Apostolidis, Thémis; Bouhnik, Anne-Déborah; Garciaz, Sylvain; Aurran, Thérèse; Julian-Reynier, Claire

    2016-01-01

    The contribution of patients' non-medical characteristics to individual physicians' decision-making has attracted considerable attention, but little information is available on this topic in the context of collective decision-making. Medical decision-making at cancer centres is currently carried out using a collective approach, at MultiDisciplinary Team (MDT) meetings. The aim of this study was to determine how patients' non-medical characteristics are presented at MDT meetings and how this information may affect the team's final medical decisions. Observations were conducted at a French Cancer Centre during MDT meetings at which non-standard cases involving some uncertainty were discussed from March to May 2014. Physicians' verbal statements and predefined contextual parameters were collected with a non-participant observational approach. Non numerical data collected in the form of open notes were then coded for quantitative analysis. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed. In the final sample of patients' records included and discussed (N = 290), non-medical characteristics were mentioned in 32.8% (n = 95) of the cases. These characteristics corresponded to demographics in 22.8% (n = 66) of the cases, psychological data in 11.7% (n = 34), and relational data in 6.2% (n = 18). The patient's age and his/her "likeability" were the most frequently mentioned characteristics. In 17.9% of the cases discussed, the final decision was deferred: this outcome was positively associated with the patients' non-medical characteristics and with uncertainty about the outcome of the therapeutic options available. The design of the study made it difficult to draw definite cause-and-effect conclusions. The Social Representations approach suggests that patients' non-medical characteristics constitute a kind of tacit professional knowledge that may be frequently mobilised in physicians' everyday professional practice. The links observed between patients

  18. Serum lipid levels were related to socio-demographic characteristics in a German population-based child cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dathan-Stumpf, Anne; Vogel, Mandy; Rieger, Kristin; Thiery, Joachim; Hiemisch, Andreas; Kiess, Wieland

    2016-08-01

    Socio-demographic factors affect the development and lives of children and adolescents. We examined links between serum lipids and apolipoproteins and socio-demographic factors in the Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases Child (LIFE Child) study. The Winkler index and the Family Affluence Scale were used to define characteristics of the social status of 938 boys and 860 girls aged from birth to 19 years. We then used univariate and multivariate regression analyses to examine the socio-demographic impact on total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), cholesterol triglycerides and apolipoproteins A1 (ApoA1) and B (ApoB). No significant influences on the Winkler index or the Family Affluence Scale were observed regarding the concentrations of serum lipids for total cholesterol or LDL cholesterol. However, and most importantly, children and adolescents with high social status and high family affluence showed significantly higher HDL cholesterol and ApoA1 levels than those with lower individual totals. A higher Winkler index was associated with significantly lower values for triglycerides and ApoB. Adolescents with higher family wealth and social status showed a lower cardiovascular risk profile, as measured by the concentrations of HDL cholesterol and triglycerides as well as ApoA1 and B. ©2016 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Demographics of implant placement and complications of a patient subgroup in a dental hospital population.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Brennan, Maire

    2011-03-14

    Little has been reported about the demographics of implant placement in the Irish population and the complications that occur. This is important in terms of service planning and providing patient information.

  20. Demographics of implant placement and complications of a patient subgroup in a dental hospital population.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Brennan, Maire

    2010-05-01

    Little has been reported about the demographics of implant placement in the Irish population and the complications that occur. This is important in terms of service planning and providing patient information.

  1. Epidemiological, demographic, and clinical characteristics of 47 cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease from Saudi Arabia: a descriptive study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Assiri, Abdullah; Al-Tawfiq, Jaffar A; Al-Rabeeah, Abdullah A; Al-Rabiah, Fahad A; Al-Hajjar, Sami; Al-Barrak, Ali; Flemban, Hesham; Al-Nassir, Wafa N; Balkhy, Hanan H; Al-Hakeem, Rafat F; Makhdoom, Hatem Q; Zumla, Alimuddin I; Memish, Ziad A

    2013-09-01

    Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is a new human disease caused by a novel coronavirus (CoV). Clinical data on MERS-CoV infections are scarce. We report epidemiological, demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of 47 cases of MERS-CoV infections, identify knowledge gaps, and define research priorities. We abstracted and analysed epidemiological, demographic, clinical, and laboratory data from confirmed cases of sporadic, household, community, and health-care-associated MERS-CoV infections reported from Saudi Arabia between Sept 1, 2012, and June 15, 2013. Cases were confirmed as having MERS-CoV by real-time RT-PCR. 47 individuals (46 adults, one child) with laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV disease were identified; 36 (77%) were male (male:female ratio 3·3:1). 28 patients died, a 60% case-fatality rate. The case-fatality rate rose with increasing age. Only two of the 47 cases were previously healthy; most patients (45 [96%]) had underlying comorbid medical disorders, including diabetes (32 [68%]), hypertension (16 [34%]), chronic cardiac disease (13 [28%]), and chronic renal disease (23 [49%]). Common symptoms at presentation were fever (46 [98%]), fever with chills or rigors (41 [87%]), cough (39 [83%]), shortness of breath (34 [72%]), and myalgia (15 [32%]). Gastrointestinal symptoms were also frequent, including diarrhoea (12 [26%]), vomiting (ten [21%]), and abdominal pain (eight [17%]). All patients had abnormal findings on chest radiography, ranging from subtle to extensive unilateral and bilateral abnormalities. Laboratory analyses showed raised concentrations of lactate dehydrogenase (23 [49%]) and aspartate aminotransferase (seven [15%]) and thrombocytopenia (17 [36%]) and lymphopenia (16 [34%]). Disease caused by MERS-CoV presents with a wide range of clinical manifestations and is associated with substantial mortality in admitted patients who have medical comorbidities. Major gaps in our knowledge of the epidemiology, community prevalence

  2. Clinical and Demographic Variables Associated Coping and the Burden of Caregivers of Schizophrenia Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mora-Castañeda, Belvy; Márquez-González, María; Fernández-Liria, Alberto; de la Espriella, Ricardo; Torres, Néstor; Arenas Borrero, Álvaro

    To analyse of the relationship between burden of illness and coping strategies and the demographic variables of caregivers, and the demographic and clinical variables of people diagnosed with schizophrenia. Multicentre correlational cross-sectional study including 70 people diagnosed with schizophrenia, or a schizoaffective disorder, and 70 primary informal caregivers. They were evaluated using Zarit Caregiver Burden Inventory, Family Coping Strategies Questionnaire, Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms, Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms, and the brief Disability Assessment Scale. Burden of illness positively associated with patient impairment in occupational and social functioning, and negatively with education level. Avoidance, coercion and positive communication were positively associated with impairment in occupational and social functioning of patients. Social interest and friendships showed a positive association with the education level of caregivers. Spiritual assistance negatively correlated with impairment in social functioning and patient age, and resignation was negatively associated with length of the disorder and patient education level. Burden and dysfunctional coping strategies, such as avoidance and coercion, are associated with functional impairment of the patient. These findings suggest the need to provide support to caregivers, adjusted to the functional level of the patient, in order to prevent burden of care. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  3. Demographic and health characteristics of the population residing within the 30-km area around the Kozloduy NPP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dimitrov, P.; Bliznakov, V.

    1993-01-01

    Based on detailed analysis of data on demographic and health state of the population residing within the 30-km zone around the Kozloduj NPP, an attempt was made to detect any impact of the power plant on population health under normal NPP operational conditions. The health characteristics of the population revealed no unfavorable trends. Particular attention was given to diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs, malignant new growths, complications of pregnancy, and congenital anomalies. (author)

  4. A Survey Study to Find out the Relationship between Leadership Styles and Demographic Characteristics of Elementary and Secondary School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tatlah, Ijaz Ahmed; Quraishi, Uzma; Hussain, Ishtiaq

    2010-01-01

    This article reports a study aiming to investigate the leadership styles of elementary and secondary school teachers' in Public Sector schools in Lahore, Pakistan. The study also explored if there was any correlation between demographic characteristics of teachers and their leadership styles. A survey was conducted using Task-oriented and…

  5. Clinical and demographic profile of HIV/AIDS patients diagnosed at a tertiary care centre in Kashmir

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mir, M.A.; Ahmad, P.M.; Siddeque, M.A.; Sofi, F.A.; Ahmad, S.N.; Dar, M.R.

    2010-01-01

    Objectives: To study the clinical and demographic profile of HIV/AIDS patients diagnosed at a tertiary care centre. Methods: The study was conducted on a group of 1141 patients suspected of having HIV/AIDS on clinical grounds. Screening was done using different Elisa's as advised by NACO and those confirmed as HIV positive were studied for their clinical spectrum and different demographic parameters. Results: Out of 1141 patients tested, 26 proved to have HIV 1 infection with no case of HIV 2 detected. Mean age of presentation was 40.04 +- 7 years, main age group affected 31-40 years and a male: female ratio of 4.2:1 was observed. More than 42% were non Kashmiris with armed forces outnumbering all other occupational classes. Heterosexual transmission was the commonest with married out numbering unmarried. Fever, asthenia and weight loss were the predominant symptoms and pulmonary tuberculosis and oropharyngeal candidiasis commonest opportunistic infections. Conclusion: The clinical and demographic profile of HIV/AIDS patients in Kashmir is largely similar to the rest of India. Kashmir no longer stands immune to the menace of HIV/AIDS. With increasing globalization, frequent travel and change in social values the state is likely to witness an alarming rise in new cases unless a multi pronged approach is undertaken to control the spread. (author)

  6. Characteristics of cancer patients presenting to an integrative medicine practice-based research network.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edman, Joel S; Roberts, Rhonda S; Dusek, Jeffery A; Dolor, Rowena; Wolever, Ruth Q; Abrams, Donald I

    2014-09-01

    To assess psychosocial characteristics, symptoms and reasons for seeking integrative medicine (IM) care in cancer patients presenting to IM clinical practices. A survey of 3940 patients was conducted at 8 IM sites. Patient reported outcome measures were collected and clinicians provided health status data. This analysis compares 353 participants self-identified as cancer patients with the larger noncancer cohort. Mean age of the cancer cohort was 55.0 years. Participants were predominantly white (85.9%), female (76.4%), and well educated (80.5% completed college). For 15.2% of cancer patients, depression scores were consistent with depressive symptoms, and average scores for perceived stress were higher than normal, but neither were significantly different from noncancer patients. The most prevalent comorbid symptoms were chronic pain (39.8%), fatigue (33.5%), and insomnia (23.3%). In the cancer cohort, perceived stress was significantly associated with depression, fatigue, insomnia, pain, and QOL. Cancer patients who chose an IM clinical practice "seeking healthcare settings that address spirituality as an aspect of care" had significantly higher levels of perceived stress, depression, and pain than those not selecting this reason. Demographic characteristics, depression scores, perceived stress scores, and reasons for seeking integrative cancer care were not significantly different between cancer patients and noncancer patients. Perceived stress may be an important indicator of QOL. The association of perceived stress, depression and pain with seeking spirituality suggests that providing IM interventions, such as effective stress management techniques and pastoral or spiritual counseling, may be helpful to patients living with cancer. © The Author(s) 2014.

  7. Socio-Demographic Characteristics Of Adults Screened For Hiv/Aids ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    AIDS in Nigeria with a prevalence rate of 9.3 among adults aged 15 to 45 years. Yet, there is paucity of information on the socio-demographic factors associated with this level of prevalence. We hereby report the prevalence and ...

  8. Prevalence of multimorbidity in the Brazilian adult population according to socioeconomic and demographic characteristics.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Januse Nogueira de Carvalho

    Full Text Available Knowledge on the occurrence of multimorbidity is important from the viewpoint of public policies, as this condition increases the consumption of medicines as well as the utilization and expenses of health services, affecting life quality of the population. The objective of this study was to estimate prevalence of self-reported multimorbidity in Brazilian adults (≥18 years old according to socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. A descriptive study is presented herein, based on data from the National Health Survey, which was a household-based survey carried out in Brazil in 2013. Data on 60,202 adult participants over the age of 18 were included. Prevalences and its respective confidence intervals (95% were estimated according to sex, age, education level, marital status, self-reported skin color, area of residence, occupation and federative units (states. Poisson regression models univariate and multivariate were used to evaluate the association between socioeconomic and demographic variables with multimorbidity. To observe the combinations of chronic conditions the most common groups in pairs, trios, quartets and quintets of chronic diseases were observed. The prevalence of multimorbidity was 23.6% and was higher among women, in individuals over 60 years of age, people with low educational levels, people living with partner, in urban areas and among unemployed persons. The states of the South and Southeast regions presented higher prevalence. The most common groups of chronic diseases were metabolic and musculoskeletal diseases. The results demonstrated high prevalence of multimorbidity in Brazil. The study also revealed that a considerable share of the economically active population presented two or more chronic diseases. Data of this research indicated that socioeconomic and demographic aspects must be considered during the planning of health services and development of prevention and treatment strategies for chronic diseases, and

  9. Limitations of a Short Demographic Questionnaire for Bedside Estimation of Patients’ Global Cognitive Functioning in Epilepsy Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iris Gorny

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available ObjectivesThe German socio-demographic estimation scale was developed by Jahn et al. (1 to quickly predict premorbid global cognitive functioning in patients. So far, it has been validated in healthy adults and has shown a good correlation with the full and verbal IQ of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS in this group. However, there are no data regarding its use as a bedside test in epilepsy patients.MethodsForty native German speaking adult patients with refractory epilepsy were included. They completed a neuropsychological assessment, including a nine scale short form of the German version of the WAIS-III and the German socio-demographic estimation scale by Jahn et al. (1 during their presurgical diagnostic stay in our center. We calculated means, correlations, and the rate of concordance (range ±5 and ±7.5 IQ score points between these two measures for the whole group, and a subsample of 19 patients with a global cognitive functioning level within 1 SD of the mean (IQ score range 85–115 and who had completed their formal education before epilepsy onset.ResultsThe German demographic estimation scale by Jahn et al. (1 showed a significant mean overestimation of the global cognitive functioning level of eight points in the epilepsy patient sample compared with the short form WAIS-III score. The accuracy within a range of ±5 or ±7.5 IQ score points for each patient was similar to that of the healthy controls reported by Jahn et al. (1 in our subsample, but not in our whole sample.ConclusionOur results show that the socio-demographic scale by Jahn et al. (1 is not sufficiently reliable as an estimation tool of global cognitive functioning in epilepsy patients. It can be used to estimate global cognitive functioning in a subset of patients with a normal global cognitive functioning level who have completed their formal education before epilepsy onset, but it does not reliably predict global cognitive functioning in epilepsy patients

  10. Australian perspectives on surrogacy: the influence of cognitions, psychological and demographic characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Constantinidis, Deborah; Cook, Roger

    2012-04-01

    The aim of the present study was to explore current Australian support levels for surrogacy treatments and also whether this support differed between traditional surrogacy and gestational surrogacy. The focus was also on understanding the underlying influences on surrogacy attitudes. It was hypothesized that cognitions, psychological and demographic characteristics would all predict attitudes to surrogacy and that cognitive concerns about surrogacy would be the strongest predictor. Participants (N = 195: 79 male, 116 female; age range 18-76 years) were first-year psychology undergraduates (47%) and friends and associates of the authors (53%). They completed a survey pack which assessed attitudes and knowledge about surrogacy, as well as empathy and other personality characteristics. The results indicated that there has been a marked increase in support for surrogacy treatment in recent years, with nearly 80% of participants supporting surrogacy, and that support for gestational surrogacy was greater than that for traditional surrogacy (Psurrogacy were the strongest predictors of surrogacy attitudes (R(2)= 0.393). A limitation of the present study was the use of a non-representative, self-selected sample that tended to be well educated and perhaps liberal minded. Despite this, given the high levels of support, it could be concluded that the recent, more permissive legislative changes, which were finalized in 2010, are reflective of the values of Australian society.

  11. Demographic characteristic and analysis of pulmonary paragonimiasis in patients attending RIMS, Manipur

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haorongbam Sunanda

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Human infection by the lung fluke Paragonimus westermani is widely distributed in Africa, Asia, and South America. Transmission of the parasite to humans primarily occurs through the consumption of raw or undercooked crabs. Clinical features of recently diagnosed pulmonary Paragonimiasis show that patients present with a variety of clinical and radiological findings, frequently mimics tuberculosis and lung cancer. Methods: Here in this study, we report a cross-sectional study of pulmonary paragonimiasis in our institute over a period of two year. Results: it was observed that out of eleven cases, prevalence of paragonimiasis was almost equal among both the genders, with a mean age of 38.1 ± 16.96, affecting people from hills. Three patients were erroneously treated with antitubercular drugs without any relief. The association with eosinophilia in the peripheral blood and tissue[16] was seen in all the study subjects and majority patients had pleural fluid eosinophilia. Patients were diagnosed by serological test, Paragonimus ova in Sputum smear and Pleural fluid. All study subjects had excellent clinical responses to praziquantel given at dose of 25 mg/kg given orally 3 times daily for 3 consecutive days. Conclusions: There is a need to generate awareness among the clinicians and public regarding Paragonimiasis and to consider it in differential diagnosis of TB and carcinoma lung. Physicians should consider the possibility of paragonimiasis among patients who present with chest complaints with eosinophilia from the endemic regions.

  12. Demographic characteristic and analysis of pulmonary paragonimiasis in patients attending RIMS, Manipur.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sunanda, Haorongbam; Shivalingaiah, Bhavya; Paley, Tamar; Asoka, Wangkheimayum

    2016-01-01

    Human infection by the lung fluke Paragonimus westermani is widely distributed in Africa, Asia, and South America. Transmission of the parasite to humans primarily occurs through the consumption of raw or undercooked crabs. Clinical features of recently diagnosed pulmonary Paragonimiasis show that patients present with a variety of clinical and radiological findings, frequently mimics tuberculosis and lung cancer. Here in this study, we report a cross-sectional study of pulmonary paragonimiasis in our institute over a period of two year. it was observed that out of eleven cases, prevalence of paragonimiasis was almost equal among both the genders, with a mean age of 38.1 ± 16.96, affecting people from hills. Three patients were erroneously treated with antitubercular drugs without any relief. The association with eosinophilia in the peripheral blood and tissue[16] was seen in all the study subjects and majority patients had pleural fluid eosinophilia. Patients were diagnosed by serological test, Paragonimus ova in Sputum smear and Pleural fluid. All study subjects had excellent clinical responses to praziquantel given at dose of 25 mg/kg given orally 3 times daily for 3 consecutive days. There is a need to generate awareness among the clinicians and public regarding Paragonimiasis and to consider it in differential diagnosis of TB and carcinoma lung. Physicians should consider the possibility of paragonimiasis among patients who present with chest complaints with eosinophilia from the endemic regions.

  13. Incidence of workers compensation indemnity claims across socio-demographic and job characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Juan; Leigh, J Paul

    2011-10-01

    We hypothesized that low socioeconomic status, employer-provided health insurance, low wages, and overtime were predictors of reporting workers compensation indemnity claims. We also tested for gender and race disparities. Responses from 17,190 (person-years) Americans participating in the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 1997-2005, were analyzed with logistic regressions. The dependent variable indicated whether the subject collected benefits from a claim. Odds ratios for men and African-Americans were relatively large and strongly significant predictors of claims; significance for Hispanics was moderate and confounded by education. Odds ratios for variables measuring education were the largest for all statistically significant covariates. Neither low wages nor employer-provided health insurance was a consistent predictor. Due to confounding from the "not salaried" variable, overtime was not a consistently significant predictor. Few studies use nationally representative longitudinal data to consider which demographic and job characteristics predict reporting workers compensation indemnity cases. This study did and tested some common hypotheses about predictors. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  14. Demographic characteristics of patients using a fully integrated psychosocial support service for cancer patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hope Teresa

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Psychosocial support services are an important component of modern cancer treatment. A major challenge for all psychosocial services is the achievement of equity of use. Previous studies in the UK have found that women of higher socio-economic status with breast cancer were over-represented amongst those accessing support services. People with other cancer diagnoses, those from socio-economically deprived areas, and men, were under-represented. Findings The Oncology Health Service, Kingston Upon Hull, UK, delivers fully integrated psychosocial support and interventions. To assess equity of access in this service, a cross-sectional study of all patients with cancer accessing the service during a 5 day period was carried out. One hundred and forty-five patients attended. Forty four percent were male, and the types of cancer were broadly in the proportions expected on the basis of population prevalence (breast cancer 22%, colorectal cancer 21%, lung cancer 16%. Sixty six percent came from the three most deprived quintiles of the Townsend deprivation Index. Conclusions The fully integrated Oncology Health Service in Hull is accessed by a more diverse range of patients than previously reported for other services, and is an example of a model of service by which socially equitable use of psychosocial support in the National Health Service might be achieved.

  15. Considering context in academic medicine: differences in demographic and professional characteristics and in research productivity and advancement metrics across seven clinical departments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warner, Erica T; Carapinha, René; Weber, Griffin M; Hill, Emorcia V; Reede, Joan Y

    2015-08-01

    To understand the disciplinary contexts in which faculty work, the authors examined demographics, professional characteristics, research productivity, and advancement across seven clinical departments at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and nationally. HMS analyses included faculty from seven clinical departments-anesthesiology, medicine, neurology, pediatrics, psychiatry, radiology, and surgery-in May 2011 (N = 7,304). National analyses included faculty at 141 U.S. medical schools in the same seven departments as of December 31, 2011 (N = 91,414). The authors used chi-square and Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney tests to compare departmental characteristics. Heterogeneity in demographics, professional characteristics, and advancement across departments was observed in HMS and national data. At HMS, psychiatry had the highest percentage of underrepresented minority faculty at 6.6% (75/1,139). In anesthesiology, 24.2% (128/530) of faculty were Asian, whereas in psychiatry only 7.9% (90/1,139) were (P advancement across clinical departments at HMS and nationally. The context in which faculty work, of which department is a proxy, should be accounted for in research on faculty career outcomes and diversity inclusion in academic medicine.

  16. Relationship between sleep quality and mental health according to demographics of 850 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eslaminejad, Alireza; Safa, Mitra; Ghassem Boroujerdi, Fatemeh; Hajizadeh, Farzaneh; Pashm Foroush, Maryam

    2017-10-01

    We aimed to study sleep problems in hospitalized chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and assess the relationship of sleep quality with mental health and demographics of patients. Our study sample consisted of 850 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients hospitalized in Masih Daneshvari Hospital. Demographic data were collected and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality and mental health questionnaires were filled out for patients. The results showed that 5.9 percent were suffering from severe sleep problems, while 4.7 percent had severe mental problems. A strong positive correlation was found between the total scores of mental health and sleep quality ( p mental health problems was higher in females compared to males. Mental health and sleep quality play important roles in quality of life of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

  17. Characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis presenting for physiotherapy management: a multicentre study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kennedy, Norelee; Keogan, Fiona; Fitzpatrick, Martina; Cussen, Grainne; Wallace, Lorraine

    2007-03-01

    To describe the characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) attending for physiotherapy management in Ireland. Managers of physiotherapy departments in the 53 hospitals in Ireland were invited to participate in a multi-centre observational study over a 6-month period. Data on patients with RA the day of presentation for physiotherapy management were recorded. These data related to patient demographic details, disease management, aids and appliances, splint and orthoses usage and occupational issues. The Health Assessment Questionnaire was also recorded for each patient. A total of 273 patients from eight physiotherapy departments participated in the survey (n = 199; 73% female). Mean age of the participants was 59.3 (SD 12.5) years with mean disease duration of 13.8 (SD 10.6) years. The majority of the patients were inpatients (n = 170, 62%). Sixty-eight per cent of patients had attended for previous physiotherapy treatment and 98% were under current rheumatologist care. Biologic therapies were prescribed to 11% of patients. Use of splint and foot orthoses was high with 133 patients (49%) wearing splints and 75 (31%) wearing foot orthoses. The majority of patients had moderate (n = 119, 44%) or severe (n = 94, 35%) disability as per Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score. Mean HAQ score was 1.5, with HAQ scores showing increasing disability with increasing age, disease duration and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels. Patients with RA attending for physiotherapy management present with varied profiles. This study provides valuable information on the characteristics of patients with RA attending for physiotherapy management which will contribute to physiotherapy service planning and delivery and will optimize patient care.

  18. The Socio-Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of the Adult Epileptic Patients Applying to the Neurology Clinic of Erciyes University and the Relation of These Phenomena to Depression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vesile Şenol

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The epidemiological characteristics of epilepsy vary from society to society. Epilepsy, whose prevalence is between 0.5-1.0%, is usually seen in early and late ages, at the both of ends of life, and more often in males, and in people who have low income and education. Besides ıts neuropsychologic effects, epilepsy is a disease which has psychological, socilogical aspects such as social isolation, low self-esteem and depression. Depression is seen more often in people with epilepsy than people who don’t have this disease. The percentage of depression for the whole life-time for people with epilepsy is 10-30%. Age at onset of epilepsy, seizure type, frequency, time and the type of treatment (mono-poly therapy affect the incidence and degree of depression. OBJECTIVES: To define the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of epilepsy cases, to determine the percentage of depressive disorders in epilepsy cases, to probe the characteristics of epileptic seizure and its relation to depression. METHODS: The study was conducted through a face-to-face survey of 102 adult epileptic patients who applied to the Erciyes University Epilepsy Outpatient Clinic between October 2004 and 2005. In order to gather the data, which was prepared by the researcher “A survey form for the epileptic individuals” and “The Turkish Version of Beck Depression Inventory”, whose accuracy and validity was checked by Hisli, was used. RESULTS: The average age for the cases is 34.3±12.6, the average age at seizure onset is 21.4±14.6 and in 66% of them the seizure started when they were under 25. Majority of the cases were male and lower than the minimum wage. Among the patients, 45.6% had generalized (tonic-clonic seizures, and 36% had been ≥1/month seizures and 32% seizure-free during the previous year. CONCLUSION: The average of depressive disorder was 29.4%. 15.7% of the cases were with major depression. Age at onset epilepsy, seizure type and

  19. Demographic Composition of the Online Buyers in Turkey

    OpenAIRE

    Sinan NARDALI

    2011-01-01

    Demographic variables may have an impact on Internet usage patterns. Online buyers’ characteristics keeps changing time along with the shifting dynamics of Turkish consumers’ demographic profile and day by day online shopping becomes a safe and popular option in Turkey. Current study investigates demographic composition of the online buyers that influence consumer attitudes towards online shopping behavior in Izmir, the third largest city in Turkey. This study examines attitudes toward online...

  20. Out-of-School and "At Risk?" Socio-Demographic Characteristics, AIDS Knowledge and Risk Perception among Young People in Northern Tanzania

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bastien, Sheri

    2008-01-01

    This paper investigates the reasons why young people in urban and rural Kilimanjaro, Tanzania do not attend school, their socio-demographic characteristics, AIDS knowledge and risk perception. A structured face-to-face interview was conducted with 1007 young people between the ages of 13 and 18. Findings suggest that non-attendance is the product…

  1. Relationships between perceived diagnostic disclosure, patient characteristics, psychological distress and illness perceptions in Indian cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chittem, Mahati; Norman, Paul; Harris, Peter R

    2013-06-01

    Non-disclosure of a cancer diagnosis is a common practice in many Asian cultures where family-based medical decision making is the norm. The present study sought to compare Indian cancer patients who were aware versus unaware of their cancer diagnosis on a range of patient characteristics, levels of psychological distress and illness perceptions. A sample of 329 Indian cancer patients were interviewed about their understanding of their illness (to assess awareness of a cancer diagnosis) and administered the following measures: the modified Rotterdam Symptom Checklist, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Brief Illness Perceptions Questionnaire. Demographic and medical details were also obtained. Over half of the sample (54.1%) was unaware of their cancer diagnosis. A logistic regression analysis predicting perceived diagnostic disclosure indicated that awareness of a cancer diagnosis was associated with being involved in medical decisions, receiving multiple treatments, longer treatment durations, greater perceived understanding of one's illness (illness coherence) and citing a cause for one's illness. The results highlight the importance of the context in which decisions about the patient's illness are made (e.g. by whom) as well as illness perceptions relating to patients' understanding of their illness. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. Demographic details, clinical features, and nutritional characteristics of young adults with Type 1 diabetes mellitus - A South Indian tertiary center experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joseph, Mini; Shyamasunder, Asha H; Gupta, Riddhi D; Anand, Vijayalakshmi; Thomas, Nihal

    2016-01-01

    Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) accounts for 5-10% of all diagnosed diabetes and the highest incidence is found in India. The main objectives were to study the demographic, clinical, and nutritional characteristics of young adults with T1DM and its effect glycosylated hemoglobin levels. This cross-sectional study was conducted among young adults with T1DM (18-45 years of age) in a tertiary hospital in South India. Data were obtained from updated medical records. The dietary data were assessed from food diaries and 24 h recall method. Anthropometry was determined. The analysis revealed that socio-economic variables did not affect the glycosylated hemoglobin levels. The mean glycosylated hemoglobin value was 8.81 ± 2.38%. Nearly, half the patients were malnourished. The overall dietary intake was inadequate. The multivariate regression model, adjusted for confounding factors such as gender, age, and body mass index, revealed that only duration of diabetes and protein intake were significant predictors of glycosylated hemoglobin status ( P diabetes management. However, there is an urgent need to educate our patients on nutrition therapy. T1DM patients need specialized advice to ensure appropriately balanced nutrition that has a significant impact on their long-term glycemic control.

  3. Fast food intake in Canada: Differences among Canadians with diverse demographic, socio-economic and lifestyle characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Black, Jennifer L; Billette, Jean-Michel

    2015-02-03

    To estimate the contribution of fast food to daily energy intake, and compare intake among Canadians with varied demographic, socioeconomic and lifestyle characteristics. Using the National Cancer Institute method, nationally representative estimates of mean usual daily caloric intake from fast food were derived from 24-hour dietary recall data from the Canadian Community Health Survey Cycle 2.2 (n = 17,509) among participants age ≥ 2 years. Mean daily intake and relative proportion of calories derived from fast food were compared among respondents with diverse demographic (age, sex, provincial and rural/urban residence), socio-economic (income, education, food security status) and health and lifestyle characteristics (physical activity, fruit/vegetable intake, vitamin/ mineral supplement use, smoking, binge drinking, body mass index (BMI), self-rated health and dietary quality). On average, Canadians reported consuming 146 kcal/day from fast food, contributing to 6.3% of usual energy intake. Intake was highest among male teenagers (248 kcal) and lowest among women ≥ 70 years of age (32 kcal). Fast food consumption was significantly higher among respondents who reported lower fruit and vegetable intake, poorer dietary quality, binge drinking, not taking vitamin/mineral supplements (adults only), and persons with higher BMI. Socio-economic status, physical activity, smoking and self-rated health were not significantly associated with fast food intake. While average Canadian fast food consumption is lower than national US estimates, intake was associated with lower dietary quality and higher BMI. Findings suggest that research and intervention strategies should focus on dietary practices of children and adolescents, whose fast food intakes are among the highest in Canada.

  4. Characteristics of Patients With Satisfactory Functional Gain Following Total Joint Arthroplasty in a Postacute Rehabilitation Setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hershkovitz, Avital; Vesilkov, Marina; Beloosesky, Yichayaou; Brill, Shai

    2017-01-10

    Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is an effective and successful treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip and knee as quantified by several measures, such as pain relief, improved walking, improved self-care, functions, and increased quality of life. Data are lacking as to the definition of a satisfactory functional gain in a postacute setting and identifying the characteristics of older patients with TJA who may achieve that gain. Our aim was to characterize patients who may achieve a satisfactory functional gain in a postacute rehabilitation setting following TJA. This was a retrospective study of 180 patients with TJA admitted during 2010-2013. The main outcome measures were the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), the Montebello Rehabilitation Factor Score (MRFS) on the motor FIM, and the Timed Get Up and Go Test. Satisfactory functional gain was defined as an mFIM MRFS score above median score. Comparisons of clinical and demographic characteristics between patients who achieved a satisfactory functional gain versus those who did not were performed by the Mann-Whitney U test and the χ test. The proportion of patients who achieved a satisfactory functional gain was similar in the total knee arthroplasty and total hip arthroplasty (THA) groups. The most significant characteristic of patients who achieved a satisfactory functional gain was their admission functional ability. Age negatively impacted the ability to achieve a satisfactory functional gain in patients with THA. Functional level on admission is the best predictive factor for a better rehabilitation outcome for patients with TJA. Age negatively affects functional gain in patients with THA.

  5. Demographic and clinical profile of patients with complicated unsafe abortion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siddique, S.; Hafeez, M.

    2007-01-01

    To describe the demographic and clinical profile of patients admitted as a result of complicated unsafe abortion. The study was carried out in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Jinnah Hospital, Lahore from August 2001 to July 2002. Patients admitted with complicated unsafe abortion were evaluated regarding age, parity, marital and educational status, indication for abortion, method used, qualification of abortion providers, contraceptive usage, complications and death rate in abortion seekers. Descriptive statistics was used for describing variables. Fiftynine patients were admitted with complicated unsafe abortion. The mean age was 29 years, 95% were married and multiparous, 40% had secondary and higher education, 85% approached unqualified abortion providers who used instrumentation in more than 40% of cases for termination of pregnancy resulting in visceral trauma. More than 50% were using contraception and 5% died due to postabortion complications. Unsafe abortion is a major health problem. The associated morbidity is much higher than mortality. This study focus on the need of postabortion care and easy accessibility to contraception to improve quality of health. (author)

  6. Characteristics of patients with missing information on stage: a population-based study of patients diagnosed with colon, lung or breast cancer in England in 2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Girolamo, Chiara; Walters, Sarah; Benitez Majano, Sara; Rachet, Bernard; Coleman, Michel P; Njagi, Edmund Njeru; Morris, Melanie

    2018-05-02

    Stage is a key predictor of cancer survival. Complete cancer staging is vital for understanding outcomes at population level and monitoring the efficacy of early diagnosis initiatives. Cancer registries usually collect details of the disease extent but staging information may be missing because a stage was never assigned to a patient or because it was not included in cancer registration records. Missing stage information introduce methodological difficulties for analysis and interpretation of results. We describe the associations between missing stage and socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with colon, lung or breast cancer in England in 2013. We assess how these associations change when completeness is high, and administrative issues are assumed to be minimal. We estimate the amount of avoidable missing stage data if high levels of completeness reached by some Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), were achieved nationally. Individual cancer records were retrieved from the National Cancer Registration and linked to the Routes to Diagnosis and Hospital Episode Statistics datasets to obtain additional clinical information. We used multivariable beta binomial regression models to estimate the strength of the association between socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of patients and missing stage and to derive the amount of avoidable missing stage. Multivariable modelling showed that old age was associated with missing stage irrespective of the cancer site and independent of comorbidity score, short-term mortality and patient characteristics. This remained true for patients in the CCGs with high completeness. Applying the results from these CCGs to the whole cohort showed that approximately 70% of missing stage information was potentially avoidable. Missing stage was more frequent in older patients, including those residing in CCGs with high completeness. This disadvantage for older patients was not explained fully by the

  7. Socio-demographic, behavioral and functional characteristics of groups of community and institutionalized elderly Quechua Indians of Peru, and their association with nutritional status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fortunato, Laura; Drusini, Andrea G

    2005-06-01

    Socio-demographic, behavioral, functional and anthropometric data for groups of elderly Quechua Indians of Peru were used to investigate the effects of gender and lifestyle patterns on nutritional status. Two community-dwelling samples were selected for study, representative of divergent lifestyles in terms of their combination of socio-economic, demographic and cultural contexts, plus an ad-hoc sample of institutionalized individuals with controlled food intake and reduced physical activity. Results suggest that differences in socio-demographic, behavioral and functional characteristics exist between the sexes and across settings (low- vs. highland) and lifestyles (institutionalized vs. community-dwelling; semi-urban vs. rural). These factors are likely to be related to diverging dietary and physical activity patterns, and have considerable effects on the nutritional status of the respondents.

  8. Lichen planopilaris: Demographic, clinical and histopathological characteristics and treatment outcomes of 25 cases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deren Özcan

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Background and Design: Lichen planopilaris (LPP is a type of cicatricial alopecia characterized by autoreactive lymphocytic destruction of the hair follicle. We aimed to evaluate the demographic, clinical and histopathological features, and treatment outcomes of patients with LPP. Materials and Methods: Medical reports of 25 patients, who have been diagnosed with LPP according to the clinical and histopathological findings between January 2006 and June 2012, were retrospectively reviewed. The transverse and vertical sections of scalp biopsy specimens were re-evaluated by a pathologist, and the findings were noted. Results: Of the 25 patients, 18 were female and 7 were male, the mean age was 49.8±12.4 years. Eighteen patients had been diagnosed with classic LPP and 7 patients with frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA. The alopecia has begun in postmenopausal period in 5 patients with FFA. Alopecia was associated with pruritus, pain and/or burning in 19 patients. Extra-scalp involvement was observed in 11 patients. The most common clinical findings were follicular hyperkeratosis (92%, perifollicular erythema (48%, perifollicular lichenoid papules, and positive hair-pull test (44%. Dermatoscopic examination was performed in 14 patients, and most commonly, absence of follicular openings (100%, perifollicular scales (92.9% and perifollicular erythema (50% were noted. The most common diagnostic histopathological findingsmwere follicular vacuolar and lichenoid degeneration (88% and vacuolar and lichenoid interface changes (56%. Twenty-three patients who were started on treatment received topical, intramuscular and intralesional corticosteroids, topical minoxidil, oral tetracycline, cyclosporine A, and hydroxychloroquine either alone or in combination. Progression of alopecia was prevented and the symptoms and/or signs were reduced in 12 (75% of 16 patients whose follow-up data were available. Conclusion: LPP can be diagnosed accurately through a detailed

  9. Exile and demographic population growth in Serbia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stevanović Radoslav

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available The data of the 2002 population census on refugee population are analyzed in this paper with a basic aim to determine the significance (contribution of refugee corpus in demographic development of the Republic of Serbia. By analyzing the data, it has been determined that the refugee corpus does not significantly differ from the domicile population in the basic, above all demographic and other qualitative characteristics. The differences which can be noticed with certain (primarily socio-economic characteristics, due to the proportionally small participation of refugee persons in relation to the total (domicile population, could not significantly influence the total demographic, socio-economic and other characteristics of the population of central Serbia and Vojvodina. The most significant contribution of refugee (classifying the refugee corpus in the country's total population is reflected in the mitigation of the depopulation trend, namely population growth, not only both micro-entities, but also lower administrative-territorial entities (districts depending on the enumerated refugee population in them. However, population projections indicate that by the middle of this century (2050 the positive effects of the basically larger number of inhabitants will be lost caused by the inflow of refugee population.

  10. An evaluation of the relations between flow regime components, stream characteristics, species traits and meta-demographic rates of warmwater stream fishes: Implications for aquatic resource management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peterson, James T.; Shea, C.P.

    2015-01-01

    Fishery biologists are increasingly recognizing the importance of considering the dynamic nature of streams when developing streamflow policies. Such approaches require information on how flow regimes influence the physical environment and how those factors, in turn, affect species-specific demographic rates. A more cost-effective alternative could be the use of dynamic occupancy models to predict how species are likely to respond to changes in flow. To appraise the efficacy of this approach, we evaluated relative support for hypothesized effects of seasonal streamflow components, stream channel characteristics, and fish species traits on local extinction, colonization, and recruitment (meta-demographic rates) of stream fishes. We used 4 years of seasonal fish collection data from 23 streams to fit multistate, multiseason occupancy models for 42 fish species in the lower Flint River Basin, Georgia. Modelling results suggested that meta-demographic rates were influenced by streamflows, particularly short-term (10-day) flows. Flow effects on meta-demographic rates also varied with stream size, channel morphology, and fish species traits. Small-bodied species with generalized life-history characteristics were more resilient to flow variability than large-bodied species with specialized life-history characteristics. Using this approach, we simplified the modelling framework, thereby facilitating the development of dynamic, spatially explicit evaluations of the ecological consequences of water resource development activities over broad geographic areas. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  11. Socio-demographic Characteristics and Food Hygiene Level Assessment of Food Handlers in Cafeterias around a Federal University in Nigeria

    OpenAIRE

    C. E. Aruwa; A. J. Akindusoye; S. I. Awala

    2017-01-01

    Background and Objective: Globally, food hygiene/food borne illnesses remain subjects of great concern. This study sought to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of food hygiene; and to determine the types, prevalence and load of microbial isolates among food handlers’ in cafeterias around a University in South-Western Nigeria. It also highlighted the socio-demographic characteristics of food handlers/respondents. Study Design: A cross sectional descriptive design was used, followe...

  12. A cross-sectional study of socio-demographic factors associated with patient access to primary care in Slovenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kert, Suzana; Švab, Igor; Sever, Maja; Makivić, Irena; Pavlič, Danica Rotar

    2015-04-21

    Primary care (PC) is the provision of universally accessible, integrated, person-centred, comprehensive health and community services. Professionals active in primary care teams include family physicians and general practitioners (FP/GPs). There is concern in Slovenia that the current economic crisis might change the nature of PC services. Access, one of the most basic requirements of general practice, is universal in Slovenia, which is one of the smallest European countries; under national law, compulsory health insurance is mandatory for its citizens. Our study examined access to PC in Slovenia during a time of economic crisis as experienced and perceived by patients between 2011 and 2012, and investigated socio-demographic factors affecting access to PC in Slovenia. Data were collected as a part of a larger international study entitled Quality and Costs of Primary Care in Europe (QUALICOPC) that took place during a period of eight months in 2011 and 2012. 219 general practices were included; in each, the aim was to evaluate 10 patients. Dependent variables covered five aspects of access to PC: communicational, cultural, financial, geographical and organizational. 15 socio-demographic factors were investigated as independent variables. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis and multilevel analysis were applied. There were 1,962 patients in the final sample, with a response rate of 89.6%. The factors with the most positive effect on access to PC were financial and cultural; the most negative effects were caused by organizational problems. Financial difficulties were not a significant socio-demographic factor. Greater frequency of visits improves patients' perception of communicational and cultural access. Deteriorating health conditions are expected to lower perceived geographical access. Patients born outside Slovenia perceived better organizational access than patients born in Slovenia. Universal medical insurance in Slovenia protects most patients from PC

  13. Using Twitter data for demographic research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dilek Yildiz

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Social media data is a promising source of social science data. However, deriving the demographic characteristics of users and dealing with the nonrandom, nonrepresentative populations from which they are drawn represent challenges for social scientists. Objective: Given the growing use of social media data in social science research, this paper asks two questions: 1 To what extent are findings obtained with social media data generalizable to broader populations, and 2 what is the best practice for estimating demographic information from Twitter data? Methods: Our analyses use information gathered from 979,992 geo-located Tweets sent by 22,356 unique users in South East England between 23 June and 4 July 2014. We estimate demographic characteristics of the Twitter users with the crowd-sourcing platform CrowdFlower and the image-recognition software Face++. To evaluate bias in the data, we run a series of log-linear models with offsets and calibrate the nonrepresentative sample of Twitter users with mid-year population estimates for South East England. Results: CrowdFlower proves to be more accurate than Face++ for the measurement of age, whereas both tools are highly reliable for measuring the sex of Twitter users. The calibration exercise allows bias correction in the age-, sex-, and location-specific population counts obtained from the Twitter population by augmenting Twitter data with mid-year population estimates. Contribution: The paper proposes best practices for estimating Twitter users' basic demographic characteristics and a calibration method to address the selection bias in the Twitter population, allowing researchers to generalize findings based on Twitter to the general population.

  14. Clinical characteristics in patients with asymmetric idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Callahan, Sean J; Xia, Meng; Murray, Susan; Flaherty, Kevin R

    2016-10-01

    A group of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) presents with disease affecting one lung markedly more than the other. At this time, it is unclear how this population differs from those who present with more symmetric disease. We sought to explain the characteristics of the asymmetric group and how their disease progresses. In this retrospective case-control study we accessed an interstitial lung disease (ILD) database and identified 14 asymmetric IPF cases via high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scoring of each lung lobe's disease severity. We identified 28 symmetric IPF controls from the same database using the same methods, and compared the clinical features of each group. Patients with asymmetric disease exhibited similar demographics as those in the general IPF population; they were predominantly male (64%), elderly (69 years old), and used tobacco (57%). We found a trend toward significantly increased all-cause mortality in the case population two years following diagnosis (p = 0.089). Pulmonary function tests were significantly lower in the case group at the time of diagnosis, then both groups experienced gradual decline. We found no statistically significant differences in number of IPF exacerbations (cases 43%, controls 39%, p = 0.824) and gastro-esophageal reflux (both groups 50%). Patients with asymmetric IPF resemble patients in the general IPF population but may have a lower overall survival rate. Further systemic factors may be studied to identify reasons for disease asymmetry and clinical decline in this population. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  15. Risk Factors and Stroke Characteristic in Patients with Postoperative Strokes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Yi; Cao, Wenjie; Cheng, Xin; Fang, Kun; Zhang, Xiaolong; Gu, Yuxiang; Leng, Bing; Dong, Qiang

    2017-07-01

    Intravenous thrombolysis and intra-arterial thrombectomy are now the standard therapies for patients with acute ischemic stroke. In-house strokes have often been overlooked even at stroke centers and there is no consensus on how they should be managed. Perioperative stroke happens rather frequently but treatment protocol is lacking, In China, the issue of in-house strokes has not been explored. The aim of this study is to explore the current management of in-house stroke and identify the common risk factors associated with perioperative strokes. Altogether, 51,841 patients were admitted to a tertiary hospital in Shanghai and the records of those who had a neurological consult for stroke were reviewed. Their demographics, clinical characteristics, in-hospital complications and operations, and management plans were prospectively studied. Routine laboratory test results and risk factors of these patients were analyzed by multiple logistic regression model. From January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2015, over 1800 patients had neurological consultations. Among these patients, 37 had an in-house stroke and 20 had more severe stroke during the postoperative period. Compared to in-house stroke patients without a procedure or operation, leukocytosis and elevated fasting glucose levels were more common in perioperative strokes. In multiple logistic regression model, perioperative strokes were more likely related to large vessel occlusion. Patients with perioperative strokes had different risk factors and severity from other in-house strokes. For these patients, obtaining a neurological consultation prior to surgery may be appropriate in order to evaluate the risk of perioperative stroke. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  16. The relationship of neighborhood demographic characteristics to point-of-sale tobacco advertising and marketing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Widome, Rachel; Brock, Betsy; Noble, Petra; Forster, Jean L

    2013-01-01

    Exposure to tobacco marketing has been associated with an increased likelihood that youth start smoking and may interfere with tobacco cessation. We aimed to describe the prevalence, placement, and features of tobacco advertising at the point of sale by race, ethnicity, and other neighborhood demographics, as well as by store type. A cross-sectional assessment of the advertising environment in establishments that held tobacco licenses in our study region (a metropolitan area in the Midwest USA) was conducted in 2007. Stores were geocoded and linked with block group demographic data taken from the Year 2000 US census. We calculated associations between our hypothesized predictors, race, ethnicity, and other neighborhood demographics, and two types of outcomes (1) amount and (2) characteristics of the advertising. Tobacco advertising at the point of sale was most common in gas stations/convenience stores, liquor stores, and tobacco stores. A 10% difference in a block group's African-American/Black population was associated with 9% (95% confidence interval [CI]=3%, 16%) more ads as well as a greater likelihood that ads would be close to the ground (prevalence ratio [PR]=1.15 [95% CI=1.04, 1.28]). Block groups with greater African-American/Black, Asian, people on public assistance or below 150% of the poverty threshold, or people under the age of 18 years had more ads for menthol brands. Block groups with greater proportions of Whites were more likely to have ads that used health words, such as 'light' or 'natural' (PR for 10% difference in White population=1.41 [95% CI=1.17-1.70]). Chain stores were more likely to have greater amounts of advertising, ads close to the ground, ads for price deals, or ads that use words that imply health. Tobacco advertising targets communities with various racial and ethnic profiles in different ways. Now that US Food and Drug Administration has the authority to regulate the marketing and sale of tobacco products, there is new

  17. Using a generalised identity reference model with archetypes to support interoperability of demographics information in electronic health record systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu Chen; Berry, Damon; Stephens, Gaye

    2015-01-01

    Computerised identity management is in general encountered as a low-level mechanism that enables users in a particular system or region to securely access resources. In the Electronic Health Record (EHR), the identifying information of both the healthcare professionals who access the EHR and the patients whose EHR is accessed, are subject to change. Demographics services have been developed to manage federated patient and healthcare professional identities and to support challenging healthcare-specific use cases in the presence of diverse and sometimes conflicting demographic identities. Demographics services are not the only use for identities in healthcare. Nevertheless, contemporary EHR specifications limit the types of entities that can be the actor or subject of a record to health professionals and patients, thus limiting the use of two level models in other healthcare information systems. Demographics are ubiquitous in healthcare, so for a general identity model to be usable, it should be capable of managing demographic information. In this paper, we introduce a generalised identity reference model (GIRM) based on key characteristics of five surveyed demographic models. We evaluate the GIRM by using it to express the EN13606 demographics model in an extensible way at the metadata level and show how two-level modelling can support the exchange of instances of demographic identities. This use of the GIRM to express demographics information shows its application for standards-compliant two-level modelling alongside heterogeneous demographics models. We advocate this approach to facilitate the interoperability of identities between two-level model-based EHR systems and show the validity and the extensibility of using GIRM for the expression of other health-related identities.

  18. Socio-demographic characteristics associated with cigarettes smoking, drug abuse and alcohol drinking among male medical university students in Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jalilian, Farzad; Karami Matin, Behzad; Ahmadpanah, Mohammad; Ataee, Mari; Ahmadi Jouybari, Touraj; Eslami, Ahmad Ali; Mirzaei Alavijeh, Mehdi

    2015-01-01

    Substance abuse is one of the most complicated social problems. Understanding socio-demographic characteristics of those who abuse substances could help deal with this problem more efficiently. The main objective of this study was to determine socio-demographic characteristics associated with alcohol drinking, cigarettes smoking and drug abuse among a sample of male medical university students in Iran. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2014 among 425 male medical college students randomly selected with the proportional to size among different faculties in Isfahan and Kermanshah medical universities in Iran. A self-report written questionnaire was applied to collect data. Data were analyzed by the SPSS-20. Mean age of the respondents was 19.9 yr (ranging from 18 to 22 yr). About 19.4%, 3.9%, and 10.1% of the respondents had history of cigarette smoking, drug use, and alcohol drinking during the past three months, respectively. Logistic regression showed that mother's educational level, living place, economic status, and parents' divorce were the most influential predictive factors on substance abuse. Considering the high prevalence of substance abuse (especially smoking and alcohol drinking), it seems essential to design educational interventions to prevent substance abuse, paying attention to predictive factors mentioned above, among college students.

  19. Conservational status and demographic characteristics of Patella ferruginea Gmelin, 1791 (Mollusca, Gastropoda) on the Alboran Island (Western Mediterranean)

    OpenAIRE

    Paracuellos, M.; Nevado, J. C.; Moreno, D.; Giménez, A.; Alesina, J. J.

    2003-01-01

    Due to the high risk of the global extinction in which Patella ferruginea Gmelin, 1791 is found, it is considered of great interest to describe and quantify its demographic characteristics in those sites where it still persists, as well as to evaluate the reasons which have led this limpet to be one of the most threatened marine species in the Mediterranean Sea. Over the study period (2000-2002), systematic census were made on the perimeter of the Alboran Island (Alboran Sea, westernmost area...

  20. Marriage characteristics and reproductive health of adolescents in Turkey: findings from Demographic and Health Surveys 1998 and 2008.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tezcan, Sabahat; Adali, Tuğba

    2012-01-01

    Adolescent marriage is an important issue given its social and medical consequences. This study focuses on the recent trends in adolescent marriage and reproductive health in Turkey to provide insights for action. Data from the Demographic and Health Surveys of 1998 and 2008 were used. Adolescent marriage and reproductive health indicators were assessed for urban-rural residences, demographic regions and educational levels. Logistic regression was used to predict marriage and birth in adolescence. Despite the decrease in the proportion of married adolescents from 1998 to 2008, the findings suggest no improvement in some marriage characteristics. In both surveys, over 60% of ever-married adolescents had been pregnant at least once. There is an increase in contraceptive use and antenatal care. Our findings showed that in Turkey, women living in rural areas, from poor households, with more traditional parental families, with less education, and who are not working are more likely to get married in their adolescent ages.

  1. Assessment of demographic and pathoanatomic risk factors in recurrent patellofemoral instability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hiemstra, Laurie Anne; Kerslake, Sarah; Lafave, Mark

    2017-12-01

    The WARPS/STAID classification employs clinical assessment of presenting features and anatomic characteristics to identify two distinct subsets of patients within the patellofemoral instability population. The purpose of this study was to further define the specific demographics and the prevalence of risky pathoanatomies in patients classified as either WARPS or STAID presenting with recurrent patellofemoral instability. A secondary purpose was to further validate the WARPS/STAID classification with the Banff Patella Instability Instrument (BPII), the Marx activity scale and the Patellar Instability Severity Score (ISS). A convenience sample of 50 patients with recurrent patellofemoral instability, including 25 WARPS and 25 STAID subtype patients, were assessed. Clinical data were collected including assessment of demographic risk factors (sex, BMI, bilaterality of symptoms, affected limb side and age at first dislocation) and pathoanatomic risk factors (TT-TG distance, patella height, patellar tilt, grade of trochlear dysplasia, Beighton score and rotational abnormalities of the tibia or femur). Patients completed the BPII and the Marx activity scale. The ISS was calculated from the clinical assessment data. Patients were stratified into the WARPS or STAID subtypes for comparative analysis. An independent t test was used to compare demographics, the pathoanatomic risk factors and subjective measures between the groups. Convergent validity was tested with a Pearson r correlation coefficient between the WARPS/STAID and ISS scores. Demographic risk factors statistically associated with a WARPS subtype included female sex, age at first dislocation and bilaterality. Pathoanatomic risk factors statistically associated with a WARPS subtype included trochlear dysplasia, TT-TG distance, generalized ligamentous laxity, patellar tilt and rotational abnormalities. The independent t test revealed a significant difference between the ISS scores: WARPS subtype (M = 4.4, SD

  2. What Matters Most? Assessing the Influence of Demographic Characteristics, College-Specific Risk Factors, and Poly-Drug Use on Nonmedical Prescription Drug Use

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lanier, Christina; Farley, Erin J.

    2011-01-01

    Objective: Although prior recent research has revealed a significant relationship between the nonmedical use of prescription drugs, demographic characteristics, college-specific risk factors, and other substance use among college students, there remains a need to conduct a comparative analysis on the differential impact these factors may have on…

  3. Prescription opioid use: Patient characteristics and misuse in community pharmacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cochran, Gerald; Bacci, Jennifer L; Ylioja, Thomas; Hruschak, Valerie; Miller, Sharon; Seybert, Amy L; Tarter, Ralph

    2016-01-01

    Opioid pain medication misuse is a major concern for US public health. The purpose of this article is to: 1) describe the demographic and physical, behavioral, and mental health characteristics of patients who fill opioid medications in community pharmacy settings; and 2) describe the extent of opioid medication misuse behaviors among these patients. We recruited and screened a convenience sample of patients with the use of a tablet computer-based assessment protocol that examined behavioral, mental, and physical health. Descriptive and inferential statistics were calculated to describe respondents and their opioid medication misuse and health characteristics. Patients were screened in 2 urban and 2 rural community pharmacies in southwestern Pennsylvania. Survey participants were adult patients filling opioid pain medications who were not currently receiving treatment for a cancer diagnosis. None. Validated screening measures included the Prescription Opioid Misuse Index, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test C, Short Form 12, Drug Abuse Screening Test 10, Primary Care Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) screen, and the Patient Health Questionnaire 2. A total of 333 patients were screened (71.2% response rate). Nearly the entire population reported pain above and general health below national norms. Hydrocodone (19.2%) and morphine (20.8%) were found to be the medications with the highest rates of misuse-with hydrocodone having more than 4 times higher odds of misuse compared with other medications (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 4.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-17.4). Patients with positive screens for illicit drug use (AOR 8.07, 95% CI 2.7-24.0), PTSD (AOR 5.88, 95% CI 2.3-14.7), and depression (AOR 2.44, 95% CI 1.0-5.9) also had significantly higher odds for misuse compared with those with negative screening results. These findings provide important foundational data that suggest implementation of regular opioid misuse screening protocols within

  4. Recreational road runners: injuries, training, demographics and physical characteristics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joris Pazin

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1980-0037.2008v10n3p277 The purpose of this study was to study recreational road runners in order to identify: their physical characteristics, demographics, running profile (training distance, frequency, duration, and experience and the prevalence of injuries and their association with age, running profile, and other sports practiced. Body mass, height (from which BMI was calculated and waist circumference were also measured. The sample of runners was composed of 115 men who participated in two events organized in Santa Catarina State, Brazil, in 2006: 22nd Maratona de Blumenau and 5th Desafio Praias e Trilhas (Florianópolis. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and the chi-square test to identify associations between injury prevalence and other variables (p<.05. The majority of the runners were aged between 18 and 50 years (63.2%, with 36.8% older than 50 years. In terms of educational level 24.3% had attended only elementary school, 35.4% high school, and 40% degree courses. Monthly family income (based on Brazilian minimum wage in Reais - R$ 380.00 varied between R$ 300 and R$ 999 for 23.3% of the runners, between R$ 1000 and R$ 2900 for 45.2%, and above R$ 3000 for 31.3% of them. Seventy two percent of them have been running regularly for more than 6 years, and 57% had received specialist guidance for running; 56.5% run more than 64 km/week. The injury prevalence for one year was 37.7%; BMI and waist circumference were within healthy limits. No associations were found between injury prevalence and other variables studied.

  5. Demographics, phenotypic health characteristics and genetic analysis of centenarians in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Yi; Feng, Qiushi; Gu, Danan; Vaupel, James W

    2017-07-01

    After a brief introduction to the background, significance and unique features of the centenarian population in China, we describe the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Study (CLHLS), which is the world's largest study of centenarians, nonagenarians, octogenarians, and compatible young-old aged 65-79. Based on the CLHLS data and other relevant studies, we summarize demographic and socioeconomic characteristics as well as self-reported and objectively-tested health indicators of centenarians in China, with an emphasis on gender differences and rural/urban disparities. We then compare five-year-age-specific trajectories of physical and cognitive functions, self-reported health, and life satisfactions from ages 65-69 to 100+, concluding that good psychological resilience and optimism are keys to the exceptional longevity enjoyed by centenarians. We discuss recent findings of novel loci and pathways that are significantly associated with longevity based on the genome-wide association study (GWAS) of the CLHLS centenarian sample, which is 2.7 times as large as prior GWAS of longevity. We also highlight colleagues' and our own studies on longevity candidate genes and gene-environment interaction analyses. Finally, we discuss limitations inherent in our studies of centenarians in China and further research perspectives. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Conservational status and demographic characteristics of Patella ferruginea Gmelin, 1791 (Mollusca, Gastropoda) on the Alboran Island (Western Mediterranean)

    OpenAIRE

    Paracuellos, M.; Nevado, J. C.; Moreno, D.; Giménez, A.; Alesina, J. J.

    2003-01-01

    Due to the high risk of the global extinction in which Patella ferruginea Gmelin, 1791 is found, it is considered of great interest to describe and quantify its demographic characteristics in those sites where it still persists, as well as to evaluate the reasons which have led this limpet to be one of the most threatened marine species in the Mediterranean Sea. Over the study period (2000–2002), systematic census were made on the perimeter of the Alboran Island (Alboran Sea, westernmost area...

  7. Clinical characteristics associated with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato skin culture results in patients with erythema migrans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Franc Strle

    Full Text Available Clinical characteristics associated with isolation of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato from skin have not been fully evaluated. To gain insight into predictors for a positive EM skin culture, we compared basic demographic, epidemiologic, and clinical data in 608 culture-proven and 501 culture-negative adult patients with solitary EM. A positive Borrelia spp. skin culture was associated with older age, a time interval of >2 days between tick bite and onset of the skin lesion, EM ≥ 5 cm in diameter, and location of the lesion on the extremities, whereas several other characteristics used as clinical case definition criteria for the diagnosis of EM (such as tick bite at the site of later EM, information on expansion of the skin lesion, central clearing were not. A patient with a 15-cm EM lesion had almost 3-fold greater odds for a positive skin culture than patients with a 5-cm lesion. Patients with a free time interval between the tick bite and onset of EM had the same probability of a positive skin culture as those who did not recall a tick bite (OR=1.02; however, the two groups had >3-fold greater odds for EM positivity than patients who reported a tick bite with no interval between the bite and onset of the lesion. In conclusion, several yet not all clinical characteristics used in EM case definitions were associated with positive Borrelia spp. skin culture. The findings are limited to European patients with solitary EM caused predominantly by B. afzelii but may not be valid for other situations.

  8. Relation Between Demographic Factors And Hospitalization In ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Relation Between Demographic Factors And Hospitalization In Patients With Gastrointestinal Disorders, Using Quantail Regression Analysis. ... East African Journal of Public Health ... Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate relation between demographic factors and hospitalization in gastrointestinal disorders.

  9. Making the Case for Demographic Data in Extension Programming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curtis, Katherine J.; Verdoff, Daniel; Rizzo, Bill; Beaudoin, James

    2012-01-01

    Understanding one's community is essential for effective Extension programming across all program areas. The use of current and reliable demographic data is crucial for Extension to develop effective education and programming to track change and to uncover hidden community characteristics. We discuss what demographic data are, present…

  10. Characteristics and status of Korean medicine use in whiplash-associated disorder patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Nohyeon; Shin, Byung-Cheul; Shin, Joon-Shik; Lee, Jinho; Lee, Yoon Jae; Kim, Me-Riong; Hwang, Eui-Hyoung; Jung, Chan Yung; Ruan, Diana; Ha, In-Hyuk

    2018-04-06

    Patients are free to choose conventional or Korean medicine treatment under the dual medical system in Korea, and the prevalence of patients who choose Korean medicine treatment for whiplash-associated disorders (WADs) is high. This study analyzed the sociodemographic characteristics and medical service use in this population to provide healthcare providers with basic usage information of complementary and alternative medicine for WAD. A total of 8291 outpatients who registered under automobile insurance coverage and visited the main branch of Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine from April 1, 2014 to August 10, 2016 were included. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, symptoms, and accident and treatment-related details were collected from electronic medical records. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify baseline factors predictive of total treatment duration. The most prevalent demographic of patients who chose Korean medicine for WAD treatment was males in their thirties whose initial visit to the hospital was 16.1 ± 94.1 days from the accident. Neck pain accompanied by low back pain (57.0%) was the most common complaint, and for singular pain, neck pain (13.5%) was the most prevalent. Baseline numeric rating scale (NRS) pain levels were generally moderate (4-6) regardless of area. Patients received 7.2 ± 10.2 sessions of treatment for 32.6 ± 55.3 days. The most commonly prescribed treatment modalities in order of highest frequency were acupuncture, cupping, pharmacopuncture, and herbal medicine, which collectively accounted for > 90% of treatments. Acupuncture was administered 29.0 ± 40.8 times, and cupping 14.0 ± 18.7 times as the two highest frequency treatments. In multivariate regression analysis, longer treatment periods were found to be associated with higher NRS, older age, and delayed initial visits at baseline. This study highlights the characteristics and Korean medicine use of WAD

  11. Differences in esophageal cancer characteristics and survival between Chinese and Caucasian patients in the SEER database

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Min-Qiang; Li, Yue-Ping; Wu, San-Gang; Sun, Jia-Yuan; Lin, Huan-Xin; Zhang, Shi-Yang; He, Zhen-Yu

    2016-01-01

    Background To compare the clinicopathologic characteristics and survival of Chinese and Caucasian esophageal cancer (EC) patients residing in the US, using a population-based national registry (Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results [SEER]) database. Methods Patients with EC were identified from the SEER program from 1988 to 2012. Kaplan–Meier survival methods and Cox proportional hazards regression were performed. Results A total of 479 Chinese and 35,748 Caucasian EC patients were identified. Compared with Caucasian patients, the Chinese patients had a later year of diagnosis, remained married after EC was diagnosed, had esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCCs) more frequently, had tumors located in the upper-third and middle-third of the esophagus more frequently, and fewer patients presented with poorly/undifferentiated EC and underwent cancer-directed surgery. In Chinese patients, the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinomas (EACs) increased from 1988 to 2012 (P=0.054), and the majority of EAC patients had tumors located in the lower thoracic esophagus. The overall survival (OS) was not significantly different between Chinese and Caucasian patients (P=0.767). However, Chinese patients with ESCC had a significantly better OS when compared to their Caucasian counterparts, whereas there was no significant difference in the OS between Chinese and Caucasian patients with EAC. Conclusion The presenting demographic features, tumor characteristics, and outcomes of EC patients differed between Chinese and Caucasian patients residing in the US. Chinese patients diagnosed with EAC tended to share similar clinical features with their Caucasian counterparts, and the Chinese patients with ESCC had better OS than their Caucasian counterparts. PMID:27799791

  12. The Influence of Self-Esteem and Selected Demographic Characteristics on First Semester Academic Achievement of Students Enrolled in a College of Agriculture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaspard, Mae B.; Burnett, Michael F.; Gaspard, Camile P.

    2011-01-01

    The primary purpose of this study was to determine the influence of self-esteem and selected demographic characteristics on academic achievement among students at the freshman level in the College of Agriculture at Louisiana State University. The sample of the study was all students at Louisiana State University enrolled in the Introduction to…

  13. Demographic and clinical characteristics of consistent and inconsistent longitudinal reporters of lifetime suicide attempts in adolescence through young adulthood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hart, Shelley R; Musci, Rashelle J; Ialongo, Nicholas; Ballard, Elizabeth D; Wilcox, Holly C

    2013-10-01

    Within the context of the recent release of the 2012 National Suicide Prevention Strategy, and as the third leading cause of death for individuals 10- to 24-years-old, suicide prevention is a national priority. A consistently reported and robust risk factor for suicide is a prior suicide attempt; however few studies have investigated the consistency of self-reported lifetime suicide attempts. The goal of this study is to describe the prevalence and characteristics of inconsistent reporting of suicide attempt in a longitudinal cohort of participants annually assessed in 12 waves of data collected from middle school (age 12) to early adulthood (age 22). Among this cohort (n = 678), we compared those who consistently, inconsistently, and never reported a suicide attempt according to demographic and clinical variables. Almost 90% (88.5%) of our sample inconsistently reported a lifetime suicide attempt. Consistent and inconsistent reporters of lifetime suicide attempt did not differ on demographic or clinical variables with the exception of higher rates of lifetime suicidal ideation among consistent reporters (P adolescents. Inconsistent and consistent reporters of suicide attempt differ on few demographic or clinical variables; further prospective research should investigate the reasons for inconsistent reporting as well as the validity and stability of reporting in predicting future suicidal behavior. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Differences in Demographic and Psychological Variables in Suicide by Self-immolation and Poisoning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azadeh Memarian

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: Self-immolation and intentional poisoning are two common methods for suicidal attempts in developing countries. Few studies have compared the characteristics of people who commit suicide by self-immolation or intentional poisoning. Hence, the aim of this study was to compare demographic, social, and psychological features between these two groups.Methods: In the present study, patients hospitalized after suicide by self-immolation in Shaheed Motahari Hospital, Tehran, were compared to patients hospitalized due to intentional poisoning in Loghman Hakim Hospital, Tehran, in 2011. Demographic and psychological data were collected by interviews and questionnaires and analyzed by SPSS software (version 16.Results: Overall, 50 patients with poisoning and 21 patients with self-immolation were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The mean age of the patients in the poisoning group was significantly lower than the self-immolation group (P=0.007. The number of married people in the self-immolation group was significantly higher than the poisoning group (P=0.014. Substance abuse was also significantly higher (P=0.048 and educational level was significantly lower (P=0.023 in the self-immolation group. However, the prevalence of anxiety disorders (P=0.001 and adjustment disorders (P=0.007 was significantly higher in the poisoning group than the self-immolation group.Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest the presence of differences between individuals who commit suicide by self-immolation or by poisoning in terms of demographic and psychological factors. Identification of these differences can be important in planning suicide prevention measures and education.

  15. Differences in Demographic and Psychological Variables in Suicide by Self-immolation and Poisoning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kamran Aghakhani

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Self-immolation and intentional poisoning are two common methods for suicidal attempts in developing countries. Few studies have compared the characteristics of people who commit suicide by self-immolation or intentional poisoning. Hence, the aim of this study was to compare demographic, social, and psychological features between these two groups. Methods: In the present study, patients hospitalized after suicide by self-immolation in Shaheed Motahari Hospital, Tehran, were compared to patients hospitalized due to intentional poisoning in Loghman Hakim Hospital, Tehran, in 2011. Demographic and psychological data were collected by interviews and questionnaires and analyzed by SPSS software (version 16. Results: Overall, 50 patients with poisoning and 21 patients with self-immolation were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The mean age of the patients in the poisoning group was significantly lower than the self-immolation group (P=0.007. The number of married people in the self-immolation group was significantly higher than the poisoning group (P=0.014. Substance abuse was also significantly higher (P=0.048 and educational level was significantly lower (P=0.023 in the self-immolation group. However, the prevalence of anxiety disorders (P=0.001 and adjustment disorders (P=0.007 was significantly higher in the poisoning group than the self-immolation group. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest the presence of differences between individuals who commit suicide by self-immolation or by poisoning in terms of demographic and psychological factors. Identification of these differences can be important in planning suicide prevention measures and education.

  16. [A comparison of stroke patients' characteristics between a sub-Saharan Africa population (Abidjan) and a French stroke unit (Amiens): An observational study].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bugnicourt, J-M; Tchouata-Ngandjouc, L; Beugre, K; Chillon, J-M; Godefroy, O

    2013-03-01

    Stroke characteristics in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) differ from developed countries. However, SSA subjects undergo epidemiological and demographic transition and it appears that the prevalence of vascular risk factors (RF) increases in this population. Here we aimed to compare stroke patients' characteristics between a SSA hospital (Cocody University Hospital, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire) and a French stroke unit (Amiens University Hospital, Amiens, France). This retrospective study included all consecutive stroke patients admitted between January and May 2008 (Cocody University Hospital, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire) and between October and December 2008 (Amiens University Hospital, Amiens, France). We assessed each patient's demographic details, RF, and CT confirmed pathological stroke type. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was estimated using the four-component Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equation and CKD was defined as a GFR less than 60ml/min/1.73 m(2). One hundred and ninety five patients were included (Amiens: 92; Abidjan: 103) with a mean age of 63±14 years. Patients in Amiens had more known vascular RF than African patients, whereas African patients had more RF discovered during hospitalisation. Furthermore, CKD was significantly more common in SSA patients (43% vs 24%, P=0.001). More African than European patients had cerebral hemorrhage (34% vs 8%, Pstroke mortality and treatments at hospital discharge were similar between the two hospitals. Finally, a high proportion of patients in Abidjan suffered from cervical atherosclerosis, although it was significantly lower than patients in Amiens (37% vs 67%, Pstroke patients. These findings could partly explain the high prevalence of cervical atherosclerosis found in this population. These results warrant confirmation in prospective studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  17. Demographics, behavior problems, and psychosexual characteristics of adolescents with gender identity disorder or transvestic fetishism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zucker, Kenneth J; Bradley, Susan J; Owen-Anderson, Allison; Kibblewhite, Sarah J; Wood, Hayley; Singh, Devita; Choi, Kathryn

    2012-01-01

    This study provided a descriptive and quantitative comparative analysis of data from an assessment protocol for adolescents referred clinically for gender identity disorder (n = 192; 105 boys, 87 girls) or transvestic fetishism (n = 137, all boys). The protocol included information on demographics, behavior problems, and psychosexual measures. Gender identity disorder and transvestic fetishism youth had high rates of general behavior problems and poor peer relations. On the psychosexual measures, gender identity disorder patients had considerably greater cross-gender behavior and gender dysphoria than did transvestic fetishism youth and other control youth. Male gender identity disorder patients classified as having a nonhomosexual sexual orientation (in relation to birth sex) reported more indicators of transvestic fetishism than did male gender identity disorder patients classified as having a homosexual sexual orientation (in relation to birth sex). The percentage of transvestic fetishism youth and male gender identity disorder patients with a nonhomosexual sexual orientation self-reported similar degrees of behaviors pertaining to transvestic fetishism. Last, male and female gender identity disorder patients with a homosexual sexual orientation had more recalled cross-gender behavior during childhood and more concurrent cross-gender behavior and gender dysphoria than did patients with a nonhomosexual sexual orientation. The authors discuss the clinical utility of their assessment protocol.

  18. Personal and socio-demographic characteristics as correlates of value orientations and interests of students in Vojvodina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gajić Olivera

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Social transition and changes in the cultural context inevitably impose the need of redefining the value systems which are particularly reflected through the differences of the multicultural framework such as, for example, Vojvodina. The paper presents the results of a theoretical and empirical study of students’ interests and value orientations. The results are viewed through the prism of influence of respondents’ individual and socio-demographic characteristics. Non-experimental causal method was used to study the correlation between variable groups. Interviewing was the research technique. The instrument for data collection was the questionnaire constructed for the purposes of the research. The study was conducted during the school year 2007/08 in Novi Sad, on the sample of 480 respondents - students of the University of Novi Sad, aged 19 to 24. Gender was studied in the group of personal (individual, constitutional features and it proved out to be a significant correlate of certain interests: sport, cultural and creative, as well as relational values (nourishing harmonious family relations, marriage, parenthood, partnership, feeling of belonging et al.. In the group of socio-demographic characteristics (structural forms of the family, financial status, social background, socio-cultural space: rural-urban it was established that social background correlates with interest in sport activities, educational and artistic interests, while variables social background and place of residence correlate with social life and social relations as dominant value orientations. Research results provide pedagogical implications for educational work with youth aimed at developing the values connected with constructive activities and encouragement of proactive orientation with respect to one’s own surroundings and existence, as well as the guidelines for introducing new contents into the existing curricula, in accordance with the expressed values and

  19. Predicting tularemia with clinical, laboratory and demographical findings in the ED.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yapar, Derya; Erenler, Ali Kemal; Terzi, Özlem; Akdoğan, Özlem; Ece, Yasemin; Baykam, Nurcan

    2016-02-01

    We aimed to determine clinical, laboratory and demographical characteristics of tularemia on admission to Emergency Department (ED). Medical data of 317 patients admitted to ED and subsequently hospitalized with suspected tularemia between January 1, 2011, and May 31, 2015, were collected. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to microagglutination test results, as tularemia (+) and tularemia (-). Of the 317 patients involved, 49 were found to be tularemia (+) and 268 were tularemia (-). Mean age of the tularemia (+) patients was found to be higher than that of tularemia (-) patients. When compared to tularemia (-) patients, a significant portion of patients in tularemia (+) patients were elderly, living in rural areas and had contact with rodents. When clinical and laboratory findings of the 2 groups were compared, any statistical significance could not be determined. Tularemia is a disease of elderly people living in rural areas. Contact with rodents also increases risk of tularemia in suspected patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Socio-demographic factors and edentulism: the Nigerian experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akeredolu Patricia

    2004-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The rate of total edentulism is said to be increasing in developing countries and this had been attributed mainly to the high prevalence of periodontal diseases and caries. Several reports have shown that non-disease factors such as attitude, behavior, dental attendance, characteristics of health care systems and socio-demographic factors play important roles in the aetiopathogenesis of edentulism. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between socio-demographic factors and edentulism. Methods A total of 152 patients made up of 80 (52.6% males and 72 (47.4% females who presented in two prosthetic clinics located in an urban and a rural area were included in the study. The relationship between gender, age, socio-economic status and edentulism in this study population was established. Results No significant relationship between gender and denture demand was noted in the study. The demand for complete dentures increased with age while the demand for removable partial dentures also increased with age until the 3rd decade and then started to decline. A significant relationship was found between denture demand and the level of education with a higher demand in lower educational groups (p Conclusions The findings in this study revealed a significant relationship between socio-demographic variables and edentulism with age, educational level and socio-economic status playing vital roles in edentulism and denture demand.

  1. Patterns of Sociodemographic and Clinicopathologic Characteristics of Stages II and III Colorectal Cancer Patients by Age: Examining Potential Mechanisms of Young-Onset Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caitlin C. Murphy

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background and Aims. As a first step toward understanding the increasing incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC in younger (age < 50 populations, we examined demographic, clinicopathologic, and socioeconomic characteristics and treatment receipt in a population-based sample of patients newly diagnosed with stages II and III CRC. Methods. Patients were sampled from the National Cancer Institute’s Patterns of Care studies in 1990/91, 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010 (n=6,862. Tumor characteristics and treatment data were obtained through medical record review and physician verification. We compared sociodemographic and clinicopathologic characteristics and treatment patterns of younger (age < 50 and older (age 50–69, age ≥ 70 CRC patients. Results. Younger patients were more likely to be black (13% and Hispanic (15% than patients aged 50–69 years (11% and 10%, resp. and ≥70 years (7% each. A larger proportion of young white (41% and Hispanic (33% patients had rectal tumors, whereas tumors in the right colon were the most common in young black patients (39%. The majority of younger patients received chemotherapy and radiation therapy, although receipt of microsatellite instability testing was suboptimal (27%. Conclusion. Characteristics of patients diagnosed with young-onset CRC differ considerably by race/ethnicity, with a higher proportion of black and Hispanic patients diagnosed at the age of < 50 years.

  2. Relationship between students’ motivation and their socio-demographic characteristics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vesna Cigan

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This article presents the results of research on the relationship between indicators of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in students attending higher education institutions, and their socio-demographic characteristics: the type of upper secondary education completed, secondary education grade point average, year of study, gender, and parents’ education.  The research was conducted in March 2012, through a survey questionnaire administered to a sample of 604 respondents. The questionnaire examined, among other things, students’ motivation for learning, self-assessment of motivation for learning English and further professional development, and self-assessment of overall satisfaction with the study programme.  According to the self-determination theory developed by Deci and Ryan (2000, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are essential for undertaking any activity, including learning. As a social agent, each individual interacts with different social groups in an action-oriented set of circumstances, and develops his/her personality (CEFR. Social contexts that catalyse intrapersonal and interpersonal differences also have a significant influence on motivation. Gardner’s theory of motivation emphasizes the importance of social components and the extrinsic nature of instrumental and integrative ­orientation. Instrumental-integrative dichotomy was further developed by Dörnyei (1994: 279, who introduced a motivational framework consisting of three levels: the language level, the learner level and the learning situation level. Survey results show that the respondents are generally highly-motivated to learn, and that intrinsic motivation is predominant. Statistically significant differences were found between gender, secondary education grade point average, and year of study and the type and intensity of motivation, whereas the type of upper secondary education completed, and parents’ education, were not found to be statistically

  3. Patient characteristics of smokers undergoing lumbar spine surgery: an analysis from the Quality Outcomes Database.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asher, Anthony L; Devin, Clinton J; McCutcheon, Brandon; Chotai, Silky; Archer, Kristin R; Nian, Hui; Harrell, Frank E; McGirt, Matthew; Mummaneni, Praveen V; Shaffrey, Christopher I; Foley, Kevin; Glassman, Steven D; Bydon, Mohamad

    2017-12-01

    OBJECTIVE In this analysis the authors compare the characteristics of smokers to nonsmokers using demographic, socioeconomic, and comorbidity variables. They also investigate which of these characteristics are most strongly associated with smoking status. Finally, the authors investigate whether the association between known patient risk factors and disability outcome is differentially modified by patient smoking status for those who have undergone surgery for lumbar degeneration. METHODS A total of 7547 patients undergoing degenerative lumbar surgery were entered into a prospective multicenter registry (Quality Outcomes Database [QOD]). A retrospective analysis of the prospectively collected data was conducted. Patients were dichotomized as smokers (current smokers) and nonsmokers. Multivariable logistic regression analysis fitted for patient smoking status and subsequent measurement of variable importance was performed to identify the strongest patient characteristics associated with smoking status. Multivariable linear regression models fitted for 12-month Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores in subsets of smokers and nonsmokers was performed to investigate whether differential effects of risk factors by smoking status might be present. RESULTS In total, 18% (n = 1365) of patients were smokers and 82% (n = 6182) were nonsmokers. In a multivariable logistic regression analysis, the factors significantly associated with patients' smoking status were sex (p smoker (p = 0.0008), while patients with coronary artery disease had greater odds of being a smoker (p = 0.044). Patients' propensity for smoking was also significantly associated with higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class (p smokers and nonsmokers. CONCLUSIONS Using a large, national, multiinstitutional registry, the authors described the profile of patients who undergo lumbar spine surgery and its association with their smoking status. Compared with nonsmokers, smokers were younger, male

  4. Perceived risks in online hotel services acquisition: Determinant factors of reduction strategies and their relation with consumer´s demographical characteristics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anderson Gomes de Souza

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this article was to identify which factors determine the adoption of strategies to reduce perceived risk in the purchase of hotel services online, checking whether there is any relation between those relievers and demographical characteristics. A factor analysis was conducted after application of a structured questionnaire with consumers who have a habit of traveling and booking hotels through the internet. The results showed that the factors that characterize the strategies used by consumers as a means of reducing risk in the virtual environment are: users and partners own experience, regulation guarantees and certainty and higher price. That is, it can be considered that these factors are relevant and tend to be used by consumers as a way to reduce risks when purchasing a hotel service online. On the other hand, it was found that demographic characteristics show no relationship with consumers´ perception of risk. With these results, the question that remains is whether the companies in this field of activity develop actions aligned with these factors in order to enable consumers to reduce their risk perceptions while buying these services on websites.

  5. A study of the demographic characteristics of domestic tourists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, B; Liu, X; Zhao, R

    1996-01-01

    "A sample survey was conducted [in China]: more than 6,000 questionnaires were submitted and retrieved from domestic tourists in Shanghai, Xi'ian, Huangshan, and Huashan in order to provide data for demographic analysis of the special fluid population of tourists. The paper looks at the relationship between tourists' gender, age, income, occupation, education, and family structure, as well as their tourist activity, selection of destinations, shopping, and other tourist behaviors." excerpt

  6. Association of Socioeconomic Position and Demographic Characteristics with Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Healthcare Access among Adults Living in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. M. Hosey

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. The burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD is increasing in low-to-middle income countries. We examined how socioeconomic and demographic characteristics may be associated with CVD risk factors and healthcare access in such countries. Methods. We extracted data from the World Health Organization’s STEPwise approach to surveillance 2002 cross-sectional dataset from Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM. We used these data to estimate associations for socioeconomic position (education, income, and employment and demographics (age, sex, and urban/rural with CVD risk factors and with healthcare access, among a sample of 1638 adults (25–64 years. Results. In general, we found significantly higher proportions of daily tobacco use among men than women and respondents reporting primary-level education (12 years. Results also revealed significant positive associations between paid employment and waist circumference and systolic blood pressure. Healthcare access did not differ significantly by socioeconomic position. Women reported significantly higher mean waist circumference than men. Conclusion. Our results suggest that socioeconomic position and demographic characteristics impact CVD risk factors and healthcare access in FSM. This understanding may help decision-makers tailor population-level policies and programs. The 2002 Pohnpei data provides a baseline; subsequent population health surveillance data might define trends.

  7. Association of demographic characteristics, symptomatology, retrospective and prospective memory, executive functioning and intelligence with social functioning in schizophrenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiang, Yu-Tao; Shum, David; Chiu, Helen F K; Tang, Wai-Kwong; Ungvari, Gabor S

    2010-12-01

    The objective of this study was to explore the influence of socio-demographic and clinical factors and neurocognitive variables (i.e. prospective and retrospective memory, executive functioning, and intelligence) on social functioning in Chinese schizophrenia patients. The study sample comprised 110 Chinese schizophrenia patients. Their clinical condition and social functioning were evaluated with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Functional Needs Assessment (FNA), respectively. Three prospective memory (PM) tasks (time-, event-, and activity-based), three tests of executive functioning (the Design Fluency Test [DFT], Tower of London [TOL], and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test [WCST]), one test of intelligence (Raven's Progressive Matrices), and two retrospective memory (RM) tasks (the immediate and delayed recall conditions of the Logical Memory subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scales-Revised [WMS-R]) were administered to all patients. In correlation analyses higher education and better performance on the WCST (categories completed) and the Logical Memory subtests (delayed and immediate) of the WMS-R are significantly correlated with better social functioning, whereas a lower WCST score (perseverative errors) and more severe negative symptoms are associated with poorer social functioning. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that higher education and a lower WCST score (perseverative errors) independently contribute to better social functioning. Unexpectedly, most socio-demographic and clinical factors do not seem to have a significant impact on social functioning of Chinese schizophrenia patients living in a Chinese society. Negative symptoms and certain cognitive deficits were the main predictors of social functioning and they should be the main targets for antipsychotic treatment and psychosocial interventions to improve social adjustment in Chinese schizophrenia patients.

  8. Demographic Characteristics of Voluntary Donors Registered in Beijing Tongren Hospital Eye Bank of China: A Retrospective Study From 2007 to 2016.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Y; Zhang, Y N; Liu, Y; Zhang, J; Li, A P; Liang, Q F; Pan, Z Q

    2017-10-01

    Lack of willingness to pledge eyes among the general population is the main cause for the shortage of cornea tissue in China. A few studies have implied that general-population adults with specific demographics showed more willingness to donate their eyes. In this study, we analyzed the demographic characteristics of 918 voluntary donors registered in Beijing Tongren Hospital Eye Bank in the past 10 years for possible predictors that might help us to identify potential donors in Beijing and increase the donation rate. All copies of voluntary eye donation application forms filled by the registrants from 2007 to 2016 were collected. Basic demographics listed in the application form were extracted for analysis. Demographics were described as proportions and compared by means of a χ 2 test. Besides that, donor counts and proportions of combining 2 demographics from the 4 main demographics were described and compared. Voluntary donors greater than 50 years of age (n = 477, 53.0%) predominated the proportions. Regarding education level and occupation, donors with tertiary education (n = 484, 57.4%) were more numerous than donors with primary and secondary education (n = 355, 42.1%); office clerks, workers, and government officers were more willing to pledge eyes than were donors engaged in other occupations. In addition, donors of the Han race (n = 856, 94.9%) made up the majority and mainly were distributed in 5 central administrative districts of Beijing (n = 629, 77.5%). The present study suggests that older women (>50 years of age), living in a central district, with higher education level and engaged in white-collar work, were possible predictors for potential donors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Motivations of Marathoners by socio demographic and training variables

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio Zarauz Sancho

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available in the growing population of Spanish and Mexican route runners we analyze their main motivations for running and their main bio-socio-demographic characteristics. It also analyzes the influence on the score of these variables in each of the motivational subscales in both Spanish as in Mexican route runners sample. This gives valuable data describing their motivations and socio-demographic characteristics and training, and concludes that in the Mexican sample route runners were obtained significantly higher scores than in the Spanish in each of the motivations for running analyzed . Moreover, the two motivations accounted for both samples are the most self-determined (meaning of life, self-esteem and health orientation and least valued was the least self-determined (recognition. Also that in bio-socio-demographic characteristics of the Mexican sample, there are many significant differences by gender, while the Spanish sample there are only on primary work activity and BMI. Finally, the influence of biological variables sociodemographic scores on each of the motivational subscales analyzed, there are many significant differences, both by gender and between Spanish and Mexican samples.

  10. Personality characteristics in patients with somatized disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ekaterina Anatolyevna Tolkach

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: to study personality characteristics, behavioral style, and modes of relations with their people in patients with somatized disorder. Subjects and methods. Eighty-six patients diagnosed as having somatized disorder were examined using Leary's interpersonal diagnosis system. Results. The author revealed the following personality characteristics and behavioral styles: a depressed need for authoritarianism, dominance, autonomy, aggressiveness, a display of qualities, such as superfriendliness, benevolence, submissiveness, dependency, and suspiciousness. These characteristics give an insight into the development of somatization in patients with somatized disorder.

  11. An update on the characteristics of patients attending the Kooyong Low Vision Clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chong, Mae Fa; Jackson, A Jonathan; Wolffsohn, James S; Bentley, Sharon A

    2016-11-01

    Since 1972, the Australian College of Optometry has worked in partnership with Vision Australia to provide multidisciplinary low-vision care at the Kooyong Low Vision Clinic. In 1999, Wolffsohn and Cochrane reported on the demographic characteristics of patients attending Kooyong. Sixteen years on, the aim of this study is to review the demographics of the Kooyong patient cohort and prescribing patterns. Records of all new patients (n = 155) attending the Kooyong Low Vision Clinic for optometry services between April and September 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Median age was 84.3 years (range 7.7 to 98.1 years) with 59 per cent female. The majority of patients presented with late-onset degenerative pathology, 49 per cent with a primary diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration. Many (47.1 per cent) lived with their families. Mean distance visual acuity was 0.57 ± 0.47 logMAR or approximately 6/24. The median spectacle-corrected near visual acuity was N8 (range N3 to worse than N80). Fifty patients (32.3 per cent) were prescribed new spectacles, 51 (32.9 per cent) low vision aids and five (8.3 per cent) were prescribed electronic magnification devices. Almost two-thirds (63.9 per cent) were referred for occupational therapy management and 12.3 per cent for orientation and mobility services. The profile of patients presenting for low-vision services at Kooyong is broadly similar to that identified in 1999. Outcomes appear to be similar, aside from an expected increase in electronic devices and technological solutions; however, the nature of services is changing, as treatments for ocular diseases advance and assistive technology develops and becomes more accessible. Alongside the aging population and age-related ocular disease being the predominant cause of low vision in Australia, the health-funding landscape is becoming more restrictive. The challenge for the future will be to provide timely, high-quality care in an economically efficient model. © 2016

  12. Clinicopathological characteristics of renal cell carcinoma in a dialysis patient

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayashida, Yushi; Sumitani, Haruo

    2009-01-01

    In order to clarify the clinicopathological features of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) occurring in chronic hemodialysis patients, we analyzed patient demographics, hemodialysis duration, pathological characteristics of the tumors and prognosis of these patients. We retrospectively reviewed the record of 16 patients who had undergone radical nephrectomy for RCC at Kawashima Hospital between November 1994 and December 2007. They ranged in age from 32 to 82 years old (mean age, 55.0), and comprised 14 males and 2 females. All the patients were clinical stage I. As for the underlying disease which caused renal failure, chronic glomerulonephritis was noted in 12 patients and diabetes mellitus was noted in 1 patient. The causes in 3 patients were unknown. The duration of hemodialysis ranged from 1 to 226 months, (90 months on average). As for the main diagnostic methods, CT was performed in 14 cases. Two patients demonstrated macroscopic hematuria Acquired cystic disease of the kidney (ACDK) was present in 10 patients (68.8%). Patients were divided two groups; patients who had undergone open surgery (group 1, N=7) and patients who had undergone retroperitoneoscopic surgery (group 2, N=9). The following factors were analyzed: operation time, bleeding volume, postoperative complications, hospitalization. Nephrectomy was performed for the right kidney in 8 patients, and for the left kidney in 8 patients. Operation time ranged from 90 to 150 minutes (average, 111 min), in group 1, and from 80 to 284 minutes (average, 146 min), in group 2. Bleeding volume ranged from 10 to 170 ml (average, 72 ml), in group 1, and from 10 to 50 ml (average, 15 ml), in group 2. Complications of nephrectomy were observed in 6 patients, but all were minor problems. As for hospitalization, in group 1 it was 20 days and in group 2 it was 12 days. Fifteen patients survived and are tumor free. One patient died of causes unrelated to RCC. (author)

  13. Patient characteristics and perceived health status of individuals with HIV and tuberculosis coinfection in Guangxi, China

    OpenAIRE

    Zhu, Yujia; Wu, Jizhou; Feng, Xue; Chen, Huanhuan; Lu, Huaxiang; Chen, Li; Luo, Liuhong; Rui, Chao

    2017-01-01

    Abstract To explore demographics, clinical and medication profiles, patients? social support, and perceived health status in HIV/TB coinfected patients in Guangxi, China. We performed a cross-sectional study in the HIV clinic of the Guigang City People's Hospital (N?=?150). Health professionals conducted face-to-face interviews and collected data from patients? electronic medical records regarding patients? demographic, clinical, and medication information, as well as their social support and...

  14. Plan demographics, participants' saving behavior, and target-date fund investments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Youngkyun

    2009-05-01

    This analysis explores (1) whether plan demographic characteristics would affect individual participant contribution rates and target-date fund investments and (2) equity glide paths for participants in relation to plan demographics by considering target replacement income and its success rate. PLAN DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS IN PARTICIPANT CONTRIBUTION RATES: This study finds empirical evidence that 401(k) plan participants' contribution rates differ by plan demographics based on participants' income and/or tenure. In particular, participants in 401(k) plans dominated by those with low income and short tenure tend to contribute less than those in plans dominated by participants with high income and long tenure. Future research will explore how participant contribution behavior may also be influenced by incentives provided by employers through matching formulae. PLAN DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS IN TARGET-DATE FUND INVESTMENTS: The study also finds empirical evidence that participants' investments in target-date funds with different equity allocations differ by plan demographics based on participants' income and/or tenure. In particular, target-date fund users with 90 percent or more of their account balances in target-date funds who are in 401(k) plans dominated by low-income and short-tenure participants tend to hold target-date funds with lower equity allocations, compared with their counterparts in plans dominated by high-income and long-tenure participants. Future research will focus on the extent to which these characteristics might influence the selection of target-date funds by plan sponsors. EQUITY GLIDE PATHS: Several stylized equity glide paths as well as alternative asset allocations are compared for participants at various starting ages to demonstrate the interaction between plan demographics and equity glide paths/asset allocations in terms of success rates in meeting various replacement income targets. The equity glide path/asset allocation providing

  15. Variation in school health policies and programs by demographic characteristics of US schools, 2006.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balaji, Alexandra B; Brener, Nancy D; McManus, Tim

    2010-12-01

    To identify whether school health policies and programs vary by demographic characteristics of schools, using data from the School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) 2006. This study updates a similar study conducted with SHPPS 2000 data and assesses several additional policies and programs measured for the first time in SHPPS 2006. SHPPS 2006 assessed the status of 8 components of the coordinated school health model using a nationally representative sample of public, Catholic, and private schools at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Data were collected from school faculty and staff using computer-assisted personal interviews and then linked with extant data on school characteristics. Results from a series of regression analyses indicated that a number of school policies and programs varied by school type (public, Catholic, or private), urbanicity, school size, discretionary dollars per pupil, percentage of white students, percentage of students qualifying for free lunch funds, and, among high schools, percentage of college-bound students. Catholic and private schools, smaller schools, and those with low discretionary dollars per pupil did not have as many key school health policies and programs as did schools that were public, larger, and had higher discretionary dollars per pupil. However, no single type of school had all key components of a coordinated school health program in place. Although some categories of schools had fewer policies and programs in place, all had both strengths and weaknesses. Regardless of school characteristics, all schools have the potential to implement a quality school health program. © Published 2010. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  16. Demographics and frequency of the intermittently upturned omentum at CT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Penn, Alex; Wang, Wilbur; Wang, Zhen Jane; Yee, Judy; Webb, Emily M.; Yeh, Benjamin M., E-mail: ben.yeh@ucsf.edu

    2013-11-01

    Objectives: To describe the demographics and frequency of the intermittently upturned omentum at CT. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed abdominal CT scans of 336 consecutive patients (189 men and 147 women) who were imaged between June 1 and June 17, 2010 and who had prior comparison scans. Readers recorded the presence or absence of an intermittently upturned omentum, defined as a thick rind of fat interposed between the liver and the anterior abdominal wall seen on one but not the other scan. At chart review, we recorded patient demographics and other clinical characteristics (prior surgical history, presence of cirrhosis). Results: An intermittently upturned omentum was found in 10 of 336 (3.0%) patients. An intermittently upturned omentum was seen more commonly in men than in women (9 of 189 men, or 4.8% versus 1 of 147 women, or 0.7%, p = 0.047) and in cirrhotics (4 of 37 cirrhotics, or 10.8% versus 6 of 299 non-cirrhotics, or 2.0%, p = 0.023). In a sub-analysis of patients without prior abdominal surgery, this finding was again seen more commonly in men than women (7 of 163 men, or 4.3% versus 0 of 134 women, or 0%, p = 0.018) and in cirrhotics (3 of 33 cirrhotics, or 9.1% versus 4 of 264 non-cirrhotics, or 1.5%, p = 0.032). Conclusions: An intermittently upturned omentum is not uncommon and is more frequently seen in men and in patients with cirrhosis who may have a larger anterior hepatic space.

  17. Demographics and frequency of the intermittently upturned omentum at CT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Penn, Alex; Wang, Wilbur; Wang, Zhen Jane; Yee, Judy; Webb, Emily M.; Yeh, Benjamin M.

    2013-01-01

    Objectives: To describe the demographics and frequency of the intermittently upturned omentum at CT. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed abdominal CT scans of 336 consecutive patients (189 men and 147 women) who were imaged between June 1 and June 17, 2010 and who had prior comparison scans. Readers recorded the presence or absence of an intermittently upturned omentum, defined as a thick rind of fat interposed between the liver and the anterior abdominal wall seen on one but not the other scan. At chart review, we recorded patient demographics and other clinical characteristics (prior surgical history, presence of cirrhosis). Results: An intermittently upturned omentum was found in 10 of 336 (3.0%) patients. An intermittently upturned omentum was seen more commonly in men than in women (9 of 189 men, or 4.8% versus 1 of 147 women, or 0.7%, p = 0.047) and in cirrhotics (4 of 37 cirrhotics, or 10.8% versus 6 of 299 non-cirrhotics, or 2.0%, p = 0.023). In a sub-analysis of patients without prior abdominal surgery, this finding was again seen more commonly in men than women (7 of 163 men, or 4.3% versus 0 of 134 women, or 0%, p = 0.018) and in cirrhotics (3 of 33 cirrhotics, or 9.1% versus 4 of 264 non-cirrhotics, or 1.5%, p = 0.032). Conclusions: An intermittently upturned omentum is not uncommon and is more frequently seen in men and in patients with cirrhosis who may have a larger anterior hepatic space

  18. The demographic and clinical characteristics of leprosy in Saudi Arabia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alotaibi, Mohammad H; Bahammam, Salman A; Ur Rahman, Saeed; Bahnassy, Ahmed A; Hassan, Imad S; Alothman, Adel F; Alkayal, Abdulkareem M

    2016-01-01

    Leprosy is a chronic disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Although the occurrence of leprosy has declined in Saudi Arabia, it has not yet been eradicated. To our knowledge, this descriptive retrospective study is the first to assess the clinical presentation of leprosy at the time of diagnosis in Saudi Arabia. All study subjects were leprosy patients admitted to Ibn Sina hospital, the only referral hospital for leprosy in Saudi Arabia, between January 2000 and May 2012. A total of 164 subjects, the majority of whom (65%) were between 21 and 50 years of age, were included, and the male-to-female ratio was 2.8:1. Of these 164 patients, 63% were Saudis, and 77% of all admitted patients were from the western region. Lepromatous leprosy was observed most frequently (33%), and 31% of cases had a positive history of close contact with leprosy. At the time of diagnosis, 84% of all subjects presented with skin manifestation. The prevalence of neurological deficit at the time of diagnosis was 87%. Erythema nodosum leprosum (E.N.L.) developed in only 10% of all subjects. Further studies are needed to determine the clinical characteristics pertaining to each type of leprosy in the region, and training courses in caring for and diagnosing patients with leprosy should be organized for health workers. Copyright © 2016 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Socio-demographic Characteristics of Individuals with History of Crack Cocaine Use in the US General Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yur'yev, Andriy; Akerele, Evaristo

    2016-11-01

    This study explores socio-demographic characteristics of individuals with history of crack cocaine use. Data from the 29th Round of General Social Survey was used. Respondents with history of crack cocaine use were compared to respondents without such history. T test was applied to identify differences between groups. Approximately 6 % of respondents reported lifetime history of crack cocaine use. Groups with and without history of crack cocaine use differed significantly in gender, marital status, education, income distribution, employment, health perception, family and financial satisfaction, criminal history, happiness, sexual history, history of injection drug use, and HIV testing. There were no significant differences for race. The study provides insights that could improve identification and prevention of substance use disorders.

  20. Psychological characteristics of patients with asthma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bulcun, Emel; Turkel, Yakup; Oguztürk, Omer; Dag, Ersel; Visal Buturak, S; Ekici, Aydanur; Ekici, Mehmet

    2018-01-01

    Psychological distress of patients with asthma may be reduced when they learned to live with their illness. Asthma can change the psychological and personality characteristics. We aim to investigate the psychological and personality characteristics of patients with asthma using MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory). Thirty-three adult patients with asthma (23 female and 10 male) and 20 healthy controls (14 females and 6 males) were enrolled in this study. Psychometric evaluation was made with the Turkish version of the MMPI. The patients were separated into two groups according to the duration of symptoms (recent-onset asthma introvert. Patients with long-standing asthma have less psychological distress, suggesting that learned to cope with his illness. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Effect of demographic factors on brachytherapy treatment results in patients with endometrial cancer 1995-2010.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jurczyk, Mieczysława U; Chmaj-Wierzchowska, Karolina; Klofik, Joanna; Sajdak, Stefan; Opala, Tomasz

    2013-01-01

    Approximately 1 in 20 female cancers in Europe is of the endometrium. Endometrial carcinoma is the most common gynaecologic cancer. Considering the fact that an upward tendency has recently been observed in morbidity due to this type of cancer, this is a serious medical problem. The presented report describes the results of the analysis of selected demographic factors and their effect on the incidence of endometrial cancer. Analysis of the results of treatment of endometrial cancer during 1995-2010 was also an objective of the study. Based on medical records obtained from the HDR Laboratory of Brachytherapy at the Gynaecological & Obstetrics Clinical Hospital, University of Medical Sciences in Poznań, the results of treatment of patients with endometrial cancer by brachytherapy were analyzed. The analysis covered a group of 400 patients. More than a half of the patients completed their education on the level of elementary or secondary school. Taking into consideration the weight of the patients, it appeared that most women had excessive body weight. Most frequently, concomitant hypertension was observed. Moreover, the age at menarche was 12 and 13. Demographic factors exert a significant effect on the incidence of endometrial cancer. 1. Overweight and obesity are important risk factors of endometrial cancer. 2. A strong relationship is observed between the occurrence of hypertension or diabetes, and the development of endometrial cancer. 3. Women who come from the rural environment and continue to live in this environment are more likely to contract endometrial cancer.

  2. Demographic, criminal and psychiatric factors related to inmate suicide

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Blaauw, E.; Kerkhof, A.J.F.M.; Hayes, L.M.

    2005-01-01

    A review of 19 studies suggests that it may be feasible to identify prisoners with suicide risk on the basis of demographic, psychiatric, and criminal characteristics. The present study aimed to identify combinations of characteristics that are capable of identifying potential suicide victims.

  3. Demographic, criminal, and psychiatric factors related to inmate suicide

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Blaauw, E.; Kerkhof, A.J.; Hayes, L.M.

    2005-01-01

    A review of 19 studies suggests that it may be feasible to identify prisoners with suicide risk on the basis of demographic, psychiatric, and criminal characteristics. The present study aimed to identify combinations of characteristics that are capable of identifying potential suicide victims.

  4. Food insecurity and budgeting among Liberians in the US: how are they related to socio-demographic and pre-resettlement characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nunnery, D L; Haldeman, L A; Morrison, S D; Dharod, J M

    2015-04-01

    Objectives of this study: (1) Examine food insecurity (FI) prevalence and its relationship with sociodemographic and pre-resettlement characteristics; (2) Investigate differences in amount of money spent on food/month by food security status and socio-demographic characteristics. A pilot study with semi-structured in-home interviews was conducted with Liberian caregivers (n = 33). FI was indicated in 61% of households. FI was higher among women >40, had ≤ high school education and those making ≤$1,000/month. Women arriving in US >15 years of age were more likely to be food insecure. Participants spent an average $109/month on groceries/member. Food insecure women, and those without a car spent more money on food (P resettlement. Besides poor economic conditions, pre-resettlement characteristics were associated with food security status. These findings call for future research to understand how preresettlement conditions affect food choices, budgeting and thereby food security status.

  5. Role of Patients' Demographic Characteristics and Spatial ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    variables.[4‑6] The degree of difficulty of impacted mandibular third molar removal has also been linked to post‑operative ... Statistically significant variables were selected for multiple regression analysis to ... Similar surgical modality was.

  6. original article socio-demographic characteristics of patients

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    boaz

    Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is RNA virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency ... blood of an HIV infected person. ... immune system has taken place as seen by the presence .... education are mostly affected with the disease due to .... retroviral drug) Nevirapine. ... interventions together in a broad attack on the.

  7. Benzodiazepine prescription in relation to psychiatric diagnosis and patient characteristics: A pilot study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marić Nađa P.

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Benzodiazepines are widely used drugs which are often misused. Analysis of psychotropic drugs prescription in Serbia showed high prescription rate of benzodiazepines in the psychiatric patient population, with an increasing trend. Potential association between psychiatric diagnostic categories (organic brain syndrome, psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder, unipolar depression, anxiety disorder, personality disorder, or the sociodemographic characteristics of patients (gender, age, education, marital state and benzodiazepine prescribing practice was not thoroughly tested. Aim: By analyzing routine practice of the university clinic, the aim of this study was to examine whether there is an association between clinical or socio-demographic characteristics of the patients and benzodiazepine prescribing practice. Material and methods: This study was carried out by retrospective analysis of the patient's medical charts after hospital discharge (n=102. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, testing the difference between groups and correlation analysis. Results: At the discharge, 94.1% of patients had benzodiazepines prescribed, with an average dose of 4.6 ± 3.2mg lorazepam dose equivalents. It is shown that female patients were prescribed with higher doses of benzodiazepines than male patients (p=0.018, that the average dose was higher for patients treated with an overall larger number of psychiatric drugs (p = 0.013, as well as that hospital inpatients had higher doses compared to day hospital-treated patients (p = 0.011. Patients with a diagnosis of personality disorder had a slight upward trend of benzodiazepine dose (p=0.078. Conclusion: Current research provided a clear insight into the actual practice of benzodiazepine prescription at local university center. Similarly to our region, indications for prescribing benzodiazepines appear to be quite broad and not specific enough worldwide. This is why it is important to

  8. Socio-demographic and lifestyle-related characteristics associated with self-reported any, daily and occasional smoking during pregnancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baron, Ruth; Manniën, Judith; de Jonge, Ank; Heymans, Martijn W; Klomp, Trudy; Hutton, Eileen K; Brug, Johannes

    2013-01-01

    Smoking during pregnancy is a risk factor for various adverse birth outcomes. In order to develop effective interventions, insight is needed into the characteristics associated with pregnant women who smoke. Unknown is whether these characteristics differ for women who smoke daily and women who smoke occasionally. Our study sample, drawn from the DELIVER study (Sept 2009-March 2011), consisted of 6107 pregnant women in primary care in the Netherlands who were up to 34 weeks pregnant. The associations of thirteen socio-demographic or lifestyle-related characteristics with 'any smoking', 'daily smoking' and 'occasional smoking' during pregnancy were tested using multiple binary logistic regression with general estimating equations (GEE). Characteristics most strongly associated with any smoking were low education (OR 10.3; 95% confidence interval (CI) 7.0-15.4), being of Turkish ethnicity (OR 3.9; 95%CI 2.3-6.7) and having no partner (OR 3.7; 95%CI 2.3-6.0). Women of Dutch ethnicity were three times more likely to smoke than those from Dutch-speaking Caribbean countries and non-religious women were much more likely to smoke than religious women. Low education was markedly more strongly associated with daily smoking than with occasional smoking (OR 20.3; 95%CI 13.2-31.3 versus OR 6.0; 95%CI 3.4-10.5). Daily smokers were more likely to be associated with other unfavorable lifestyle-related characteristics, such as not taking folic acid, being underweight, and having had an unplanned pregnancy. There is still much potential for health gain with respect to smoking during pregnancy in the Netherlands. Daily and occasional smokers appear to differ in characteristics, and therefore possibly require different interventions.

  9. Using demographic characteristics of populations to detect spatial fragmentation following suspected ebola outbreaks in great apes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Genton, Céline; Cristescu, Romane; Gatti, Sylvain; Levréro, Florence; Bigot, Elodie; Motsch, Peggy; Le Gouar, Pascaline; Pierre, Jean-Sébastien; Ménard, Nelly

    2017-09-01

    Demographic crashes due to emerging diseases can contribute to population fragmentation and increase extinction risk of small populations. Ebola outbreaks in 2002-2004 are suspected to have caused a decline of more than 80% in some Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) populations. We investigated whether demographic indicators of this event allowed for the detection of spatial fragmentation in gorilla populations. We collected demographic data from two neighbouring populations: the Lokoué population, suspected to have been affected by an Ebola outbreak (followed from 2001 to 2014), and the Romani population, of unknown demographic status before Ebola outbreaks (followed from 2005 to 2014). Ten years after the outbreak, the Lokoué population is slowly recovering and the short-term demographic indicators of a population crash were no longer detectable. The Lokoué population has not experienced any additional demographic perturbation over the past decade. The Romani population did not show any of the demographic indicators of a population crash over the past decade. Its demographic structure remained similar to that of unaffected populations. Our results highlighted that the Ebola disease could contribute to fragmentation of gorilla populations due to the spatially heterogeneous impact of its outbreaks. The demographic structure of populations (i.e., age-sex and group structure) can be useful indicators of a possible occurrence of recent Ebola outbreaks in populations without known history, and may be more broadly used in other emerging disease/species systems. Longitudinal data are critical to our understanding of the impact of emerging diseases on wild populations and their conservation. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Trend and Demographic Characteristics of Maxillofacial Fractures in Level I Trauma Center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emodi, Omri; Wolff, Amir; Srouji, Hanna; Bahouth, Hany; Noy, Dani; Abu El Naaj, Imad; Rachmiel, Adi

    2018-03-01

    The aim of this study was to analyze the pattern and treatment of craniomaxillofacial injuries in the northern part of Israel, within a Jewish majority and large Arab minority population. A 5-year retrospective study evaluated patients treated for craniomaxillofacial fractures. Fracture cause, type, site, and patient demographics were evaluated. Patient age ranged from 1 to 94 years with an average age of 36.7 years; 52% of the victims were Jews and 48% Arabs. There was male predilection in both sectors (78.3% vs 21.7%). The main site of injury was the zygomatic bone (33.5%) followed by nasal bone, orbital, mandible, frontal sinus, and maxillary fractures. The main etiology of injuries was falls (45.4%) with significantly more falls reported by females (52.1% vs 43.2% in males). Motor vehicle accidents caused injuries more frequent in males. Arabs experienced CMF fractures at a younger age compared to Jews (27.8 and 44.8 average age, respectively). In the elderly, the trend reversed where Jews were more prone to craniomaxillofacial fractures. Compared to their weight in the population, the Arab sector experiences more craniomaxillofacial injuries. The Jewish elderly population tends to reside in nursing homes where they are more susceptible to accidental falls, whereas young Arab males are more exposed to motor vehicle accidents and interpersonal violence. Falls were the main cause of injuries particularly in women. This may reflect the women's fear of reporting domestic violence. We believe that increased government investments in infrastructures and education will lower the incidence of craniomaxillofacial trauma and balance the gap between both sectors and sexes.

  11. The contribution of demographic and morbidity factors to self-reported visit frequency of patients: a cross-sectional study of general practice patients in Australia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Britt Helena

    2004-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Understanding the factors that affect patients' utilisation of health services is important for health service provision and effective patient management. This study aimed to investigate the specific morbidity and demographic factors related to the frequency with which general practice patients visit a general practitioner/family physician (GP in Australia. Methods A sub-study was undertaken as part of an ongoing national study of general practice activity in Australia. A cluster sample of 10,755 general practice patients were surveyed through a random sample of 379 general practitioners. The patient reported the number of times he/she had visited a general practitioner in the previous twelve months. The GP recorded all the patient's major health problems, including those managed at the current consultation. Results Patients reported an average of 8.8 visits to a general practitioner per year. After adjusting for other patient demographics and number of health problems, concession health care card holders made on average 2.6 more visits per year to a general practitioner than did non-card holders (p Conclusions Anxiety, back pain and depression are associated with greater patient demand for general practice services than other health problems. The effect of sociodemographic factors on patient utilisation of general practice services is complex. Equity of access to general practice services remains an issue for patients from remote areas, while concession health care card holders are attending general practice more frequently than other patients relative to their number of health problems.

  12. Seasonal distribution and demographical characteristics of carpal tunnel syndrome in 1039 patients Distribuição sazonal e características demográficas da síndrome do túnel do carpo em 1039 pacientes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irênio Gomes

    2004-09-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To describe the demographic characteristics of gender, age, and presence of repetitive movements, intake of alcohol and non-steroid anti-inflammatories (NSAI, medical specialties that referred patients to nerve conduction studies and electromyography (NCS-EMG, school attainment, and seasonal distribution in patients with a neurophysiological diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. METHOD: A series of 1039 patients (1549 hands with neurophysiologically defined CTS was studied. Patients were referred for NCS-EMG in 3 universities and 2 private services, from August 2001 to January 2003. All patients completed a questionnaire containing demographic information. The diagnosis of CTS was established following a pre-established protocol, with defined diagnostic criteria. RESULTS: Around one fourth of patients had already performed NCS-EMG; the greatest frequency of CTS was observed in women (5.6:1 and in patients above the age of 40. Most patients reported performing repetitive movements in their daily routine (69.7%; 12.9% reported use of NSAI and 14.9% regular intake of alcoholic beverages. A greater frequency of CTS was observed in the months of July and August, when compared to the other months of the year. Around 2/3 of the study population had completed at least secondary school. Most requests of nerve conduction studies did not provide a diagnostic hypothesis (59.9% and neurophysiologic studies were requested mostly by traumatology/orthopedics (71.1%. CONCLUSION: We have concluded that, in our environment, CTS shows some demographical characteristics that are similar to what the literature describes. Also, we have found that most of our sample concluded at least secondary school, and was referred to neurophysiologic studies by orthopedists. To be pointed out is the seasonal distribution of CTS, which demonstrates a significant association with winter months.OBJETIVO: Descrever as caracter

  13. The Relationship between Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Snorkeling Satisfaction in Pulau Payar Marine Park, Kedah

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nurbaidura Salim

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Due to its popularity and lucrative business opportunity, snorkeling has become the predominant activity in many marine parks. Continuous growth in the number of tourists and mass tourism has resulted in uncontrolled number of tourists, sometimes to pass over the carrying capacity of the site. Due to the lack of control and enforcement, many tour boat operators are seen bringing snorkelers to small fragile sites at the same timeframe. Such situation has resulted in reduced quality of tourist experience and satisfaction level as they need to cram in with others at the designated snorkeling areas. This study analyzes the influence of tourist demographic profile on the satisfaction level with snorkeling experience in the Pulau Payar Marine Park, a small coral island in Malaysia. A total of 259 snorkelers answered the survey that forms the basis of this paper. The results tested using t-tests and ANOVA, show significant differences between satisfaction level and respondents’ socio-demographic characteristics. Findings of the study indicated that only origin and education level positively associated with visitor satisfaction. Several issues, such as limiting the numbers of boats to be allowed at the site and facilities management such as toilets, changing rooms and solid waste management were among issues need to be considered by the Marine Park Department, in order to protect the island and its sustainability. This study highlights the importance of site management, in environmentally sensitive areas, for marine park managers and tour operators toward developing strategic marketing mixes for the different market segments.

  14. The LupusQoL and associations with demographics and clinical measurements in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McElhone, Kathleen; Castelino, Madhura; Abbott, Janice; Bruce, Ian N; Ahmad, Yasmeen; Shelmerdine, Joanna; Peers, Kate; Isenberg, David; Ferenkeh-Koroma, Ada; Griffiths, Bridget; Akil, Mohammed; Maddison, Peter; Gordon, Caroline; Teh, Lee-Suan

    2010-11-01

    Having developed and validated a disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measure for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the LupusQoL, we determined its relationship to demographic and clinical measurements in a group of patients with SLE. A group of 322 outpatients completed the LupusQoL. Demographic (age, sex, marital status, ethnicity) and clinical variables (disease duration, disease activity, damage) were recorded. Associations between the 8 LupusQoL domains and age, disease duration, disease activity, and damage were explored using Spearman's correlation coefficients. Differences in LupusQoL scores were examined for sex and marital status using the Mann-Whitney U test. Ethnic groups were compared using ANOVA. All domains of LupusQoL were impaired, with fatigue (56.3) being the worst affected and body image (80.0) the least. The correlations between the LupusQoL domain scores and age (r = -0.01 to -0.22) and disease duration (r = 0 to 0.16) were absent or weak. Similarly, there were no significant differences in the LupusQoL scores regarding sex, marital status, or the 3 main ethnic groups (Black-Caribbean, Asian, White). Although there were statistically significant correlations between the scores of the LupusQoL domains and some scores of the British Isles Lupus Assessment Group index (r = -0.22 to 0.09) and the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (r = -0.29 to 0.21), these were weak. HRQOL was impaired in this cohort of outpatients with SLE as assessed by the validated lupus-specific LupusQoL. There were no clinically important associations between the 8 domains of the LupusQoL and clinical or demographic variables in this group of patients. Thus, the LupusQoL is a relatively independent outcome measure in patients with SLE.

  15. Patients' demographic and clinical characteristics and level of care associated with lost to follow-up and mortality in adult patients on first-line ART in Nigerian hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Odafe, Solomon; Idoko, Ochanya; Badru, Titilope; Aiyenigba, Bolatito; Suzuki, Chiho; Khamofu, Hadiza; Onyekwena, Obinna; Okechukwu, Emeka; Torpey, Kwasi; Chabikuli, Otto N

    2012-09-18

    Clinical outcome is an important determinant of programme success. This study aims to evaluate patients' baseline characteristics as well as level of care associated with lost to follow-up (LTFU) and mortality of patients on antiretroviral treatment (ART). Retrospective cohort study using routine service data of adult patients initiated on ART in 2007 in 10 selected hospitals in Nigeria. We captured data using an electronic medical record system and analyzed using Stata. Outcome measures were probability of being alive and retained in care at 12, 24 and 36 months on ART. Potential predictors associated with time to mortality and time to LTFU were assessed using competing risks regression models. After 12 months on therapy, 85% of patients were alive and on ART. Survival decreased to 81.2% and 76.1% at 24 and 36 months, respectively. Median CD4 count for patients at ART start, 12, 18 and 24 months were 152 (interquartile range, IQR: 75 to 242), 312 (IQR: 194 to 450), 344 (IQR: 227 to 501) and 372 (IQR: 246 to 517) cells/µl, respectively. Competing risk regression showed that patients' baseline characteristics significantly associated with LTFU were male (adjusted sub-hazard ratio, sHR = 1.24 [95% CI: 1.08 to 1.42]), ambulatory functional status (adjusted sHR = 1.25 [95% CI: 1.01 to 1.54]), World Health Organization (WHO) clinical Stage II (adjusted sHR = 1.31 [95% CI: 1.08 to 1.59]) and care in a secondary site (adjusted sHR = 0.76 [95% CI: 0.66 to 0.87]). Those associated with mortality include CD4 count < 50 cells/µl (adjusted sHR = 2.84 [95% CI: 1.20 to 6.71]), WHO clinical Stage III (adjusted sHR = 2.67 [95% CI: 1.26 to 5.65]) and Stage IV (adjusted sHR = 5.04 [95% CI: 1.93 to 13.16]) and care in a secondary site (adjusted sHR = 2.21 [95% CI: 1.30 to 3.77]). Mortality was associated with advanced HIV disease and care in secondary facilities. Earlier initiation of therapy and strengthening systems in secondary level facilities may improve retention and

  16. Lead and eagles: demographic and pathological characteristics of poisoning, and exposure levels associated with other causes of mortality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franson, J. Christian; Russell, Robin E.

    2014-01-01

    We conducted a retrospective analysis to evaluate demographic and pathologic characteristics in 484 bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and 68 golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) diagnosed with lead poisoning at the U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center. As part of our analysis, we compared characteristics of lead poisoned eagles with those that died of other causes. Odds of lead poisoning were greater for bald eagles versus golden eagles, females versus males, adults versus juveniles, and eagles from the Mississippi and Central flyways versus the Atlantic and Pacific flyways. In addition to spatial, species, and demographic associations, we detected a distinct temporal trend in the collection date of lead poisoned bald eagle carcasses. These carcasses were found at greater frequency in late autumn and winter than spring and summer. Lesions in lead poisoned birds included emaciation, evidence of bile stasis, myocardial degeneration and necrosis, and renal tubular nephrosis and necrosis. Ingested lead ammunition or fragments were found in 14.2 % of bald eagles and 11.8 % of golden eagles. The overall mean liver lead concentration (wet weight basis) for eagles diagnosed with lead poisoning was 28.9 ± 0.69 SE mg/kg in bald eagles and 19.4 ± 1.84 SE mg/kg in golden eagles. In eagles diagnosed with collision trauma, electrocution, poisoning (other than lead), emaciation, infectious disease, trapping death, other, and undetermined causes, average liver lead concentrations were low (<1 mg/kg) and did not differ among causes of mortality. Thus, based on our data, we found no evidence that lead exposure of eagles predisposed them to other causes of mortality.

  17. ANALYSIS OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC POTENTIAL IN FUNCTION OF TOURISM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mijalce Gjorgievski

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Man is the prime mover of the overall social economic and political life of the entire globe and therefore he is studied from various aspects depending on the needs of what we want to obtain information on the demographic potential and its features.In this paper, the subject of study will be processing potential through its demographic characteristics (number condition, age structure, natural increase, economic activity, religious composition, etc. for the tourism economy. We know that the basic elements of tourism are the natural and cultural wealth that detect, evaluate and put into operation in tourism. However, it has its function, the basic factor are the people who need to visit those places, so it is very important to understand the demographic characteristics of people in every region of the globe in order to come to some understanding of the habits, needs and affinities of people depending on age, nationality and religious affiliation, etc. when choosing their travel destination.

  18. Socio-demographic and clinical features of Irish iatrogenic hepatitis C patients: a cross-sectional survey.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    McKenna, Olivia

    2009-01-01

    BACKGROUND: A discrete sub-group of iatrogenically-acquired hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected individuals exists in the Irish population on whom limited current research data is available. The aim of this study was to establish a current profile of the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of the Irish iatrogenic hepatitis C population and to determine factors predicting symptoms experienced. METHODS: An anonymous, national, cross-sectional survey was conducted to explore this populations\\' self-reported health and social attributes. Data were collected on 290 respondents. RESULTS: Mean time since infection was 26 years. Eighty-four percent (n = 237) of respondents were female (mean age = 55.9 +\\/- 9.6 years). Hepatic and extra-hepatic symptoms were common (62% and 99% respectively). Fatigue and pain were frequent complaints while 89% reported diagnosed co-morbid disease. On logistic regression, female gender, age and co-morbid disease emerged as independent predictors of self-reported symptoms. CONCLUSION: This study describes the current status of the iatrogenically infected patient cohort in Ireland, adding to existing knowledge regarding the clinical course and consequences of HCV infection. Changing healthcare needs were shown by comparison with earlier surveys in this same population, in terms of disease progression, development of co-morbid disease and ageing.

  19. Association of testosterone levels with socio-demographic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Self-administered questionnaires were used to obtain socio-demographic characteristics of the subjects. Biometric measurements including weight, height and waist circumference were also recorded. Results: Serum testosterone levels of Ugandan men were within the normal physiological ranges. Married participants and ...

  20. Demographic and anthropometrical analysis and genotype distribution of chronic hepatitis C patients treated in public and private reference centers in Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Focaccia

    Full Text Available Hepatitis C virus (HCV infection is a serious public health problem, since 80% to 85% of HCV carriers develop a persistent infection that can progress into liver cirrhosis and hepatocarcinoma. Considering that the response of hepatitis C patients to combination therapy with interferon and ribavirin depends on HCV characteristics as well as on host features, we made a retrospective analysis of demographic and anthropometrical data and HCV genotype distribution of chronic hepatitis C patients treated in public and private reference centers in Brazil. The medical records of 4,996 patients were reviewed, 81% from public and 19% from private institutions. Patients' median age was 46 years, and there was a higher prevalence of male (62% and white patients (80%. The analysis of HCV-infecting strains showed a predominance of genotype 1 (64% over genotypes 2 and 3. The patients' mean weight was 70.6 kg, and 65% of the patients weighed less than 77kg. Overweight and obesity were observed in 37.8% and 13.6% of the patients, respectively. Since a body weight of 75 kg or less has been considered an independent factor that significantly increases the odds of achieving a sustained virological response, the Brazilian population seems to have a more favorable body weight profile to achieve a sustained response than the American and European populations. The finding that 65% of chronic hepatitis C patients have a body weight of 77 kg or less may have a positive pharmacoeconomic impact on the treatment of genotype 1 HCV patients with weight-based doses of peginterferon.

  1. Demographic and Mental Health Characteristics of Individuals Who Present to Community Health Clinics With Substance Misuse

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Praise O. Iyiewuare

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Community health clinics (CHCs are an opportune setting to identify and treat substance misuse. This study assessed the characteristics of patients who presented to a CHC with substance misuse. Methods: Personnel at a large CHC administered a 5-question screener to patients between June 3, 2014, and January 15, 2016, to assess past 3-month alcohol use, prescription opioid misuse, or illicit drug use. We stratified screen-positive patients into 4 diagnostic groups: (1 probable alcohol use disorder (AUD and no comorbid opioid use disorder (OUD; (2 probable heroin use disorder; (3 probable prescription OUD, with or without comorbid AUD; and (4 no probable substance use disorder. We describe substance use and mental health characteristics of screen-positive patients and compare the characteristics of patients in the diagnostic groups. Results: Compared to the clinic population, screen-positive patients (N = 733 included more males ( P < .0001 and had a higher prevalence of probable bipolar disorder ( P < .0001 and schizophrenia ( P < .0001. Eighty-seven percent of screen-positive patients had probable AUD or OUD; only 7% were currently receiving substance use treatment. The prescription opioid and heroin groups had higher rates of past bipolar disorder and consequences of mental health conditions than the alcohol only or no diagnosis groups ( P < .0001. Conclusions: Patients presenting to CHCs who screen positive for alcohol or opioid misuse have a high likelihood of having an AUD or OUD, with or without a comorbid serious mental illness. Community health clinics offering substance use treatment may be an important resource for addressing unmet need for substance use treatment and comorbid mental illness.

  2. A study of clinico-demographic profile of patients with dissociative disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SK Shah

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Objectives To study the clinical and socio demographic profile of patients with dissociative disorder and their comorbid mental illness. Materials and methods Fifty-one patients of dissociative disorder presenting to emergency and outpatient department of Psychiatry at College of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital during the period from Jan to March 2012 were included. International statistical classification of diseases and related health problems tenth edition, diagnostic criteria for research (ICD-10, DCR was used. Results Out of 51 patients, the majority 24 (47.1%, were in the age group 15-29. However the age of presentation ranged from 9-45 years. The females were more, 44 (86.3% as compared to males 7 (13.7%. The majority of patients had low level of education with none of the patients having education above intermediate level. The majority of patients, 27(52.9% belonged to lower middle class. 49% of the patients presented with dissociative convulsions, 15.7% with dissociative motor disorders, 15.7% with dissociative stupor, 11.8% with dissociative anesthesia and sensory loss and 7.8% with trance and possession disorder. Depressive illness was found co-morbid with dissociative disorder in 33.3%, borderline personality disorder in 9.8% and histrionic personality disorder in 7.8%. There was history of immediate stressful events that supposedly precipitated the event in 76.5%. Conclusion Dissociative disorder mainly affects young female of lower socio-economic and educational status with history of immediate stressful life events precipitating the illness. Journal of College of Medical Sciences-Nepal, 2012, Vol-8, No-3, 30-35 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jcmsn.v8i3.8683

  3. Assessment of explanatory models of mental illness: effects of patient and interviewer characteristics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ghane, S.; Kolk, A.M.; Emmelkamp, P.M.G.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Explanatory models (EMs) refer to patients’ causal attributions of illness and have been shown to affect treatment preference and outcome. Reliable and valid assessment of EMs may be hindered by interviewer and respondent disparities on certain demographic characteristics, such as

  4. Demographic and clinicopathological profile of patients with chronic pancreatitis in a tertiary referral teaching hospital of West Bengal: Personal experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharjee, Prosanta Kumar; Mukerjee, Aishik; Adhikary, Chandranath

    2015-09-01

    There is a paucity of data on the demographic and clinicopathological profiles of patients with chronic pancreatitis from the eastern part of India. This study documents the demographic and clinicopathological profiles of patients with chronic pancreatitis presenting to a general surgery unit of a tertiary referral hospital of Kolkata. The records of 145 patients presenting with chronic pancreatitis over a 5-year period were scrutinized and their demographics, clinical profile, and complications and morphological changes of the pancreas are described. Of the 145 patients, more than 50% were under the age of 30 years. Males were affected more frequently than females (M/F = 3.8:1). While idiopathic pancreatitis was the most common form of chronic pancreatitis (41.4%), alcohol was found to be the most common etiology (37.9%). Pain was the most common presenting symptom (n = 143; 98.6%). Sixty-five subjects (45%) had diabetes of which 32 subjects were insulin-dependent. On contrast-enhanced computed tomography, ductal dilatation was seen in 80 (55.17%) subjects, while ductal calculi and ductal dilatation in 54 cases (37.2%). Parenchymal calcification was seen in 45 patients of whom 40 patients (89%) were under the age of 30 years. Pseudocyst was the most common complication (n = 16) followed by biliary obstruction (n = 8) and portal hypertension (n = 4). Patients with alcoholic pancreatitis had significantly higher frequency of severe abdominal pain, diabetes, and local complications as compared to the other forms of pancreatitis in our study. Idiopathic pancreatitis was the most common form of chronic pancreatitis in this study, followed by alcoholic pancreatitis and then tropical pancreatitis.

  5. Socio-demographic and lifestyle-related characteristics associated with self-reported any, daily and occasional smoking during pregnancy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruth Baron

    Full Text Available Smoking during pregnancy is a risk factor for various adverse birth outcomes. In order to develop effective interventions, insight is needed into the characteristics associated with pregnant women who smoke. Unknown is whether these characteristics differ for women who smoke daily and women who smoke occasionally. Our study sample, drawn from the DELIVER study (Sept 2009-March 2011, consisted of 6107 pregnant women in primary care in the Netherlands who were up to 34 weeks pregnant. The associations of thirteen socio-demographic or lifestyle-related characteristics with 'any smoking', 'daily smoking' and 'occasional smoking' during pregnancy were tested using multiple binary logistic regression with general estimating equations (GEE. Characteristics most strongly associated with any smoking were low education (OR 10.3; 95% confidence interval (CI 7.0-15.4, being of Turkish ethnicity (OR 3.9; 95%CI 2.3-6.7 and having no partner (OR 3.7; 95%CI 2.3-6.0. Women of Dutch ethnicity were three times more likely to smoke than those from Dutch-speaking Caribbean countries and non-religious women were much more likely to smoke than religious women. Low education was markedly more strongly associated with daily smoking than with occasional smoking (OR 20.3; 95%CI 13.2-31.3 versus OR 6.0; 95%CI 3.4-10.5. Daily smokers were more likely to be associated with other unfavorable lifestyle-related characteristics, such as not taking folic acid, being underweight, and having had an unplanned pregnancy. There is still much potential for health gain with respect to smoking during pregnancy in the Netherlands. Daily and occasional smokers appear to differ in characteristics, and therefore possibly require different interventions.

  6. Socio-demographic, Clinical and Laboratory Features of Rotavirus Gastroenteritis in Children Treated in Pediatric Clinic

    OpenAIRE

    Azemi, Mehmedali; Berisha, Majlinda; Ismaili-Jaha, Vlora; Kolgeci, Selim; Avdiu, Muharrem; Jakupi, Xhevat; Hoxha, Rina; Hoxha-Kamberi, Teuta

    2013-01-01

    Aim: The aim of work was presentation of several socio-demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics of gastroenteritis caused by rotavirus. The examinees and methods: The examinees were children under the age of five years treated at the Pediatric Clinic due to acute gastroenteritis caused by rotavirus. Rotavirus is isolated by method chromatographic immunoassay by Cer Test Biotec. Results: From the total number of patients (850) suffering from acute gastroenteritis, feces test on bac...

  7. Effects of selected socio-demographic characteristics on nutrition knowledge and eating behavior of elementary students in two provinces in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qian, Ling; Zhang, Fan; Newman, Ian M; Shell, Duane F; Du, Weijing

    2017-07-14

    National and international child health surveys have indicated an increase in childhood obesity in China. The increase has been attributed to a rising standard of living, increasing availability of unhealthy foods, and a lack of knowledge about healthy diet. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of selected socio-demographic characteristics on the BMI, nutrition knowledge, and eating behavior of elementary school children. Multistage stratified cluster sampling was used. Information on demographics, nutrition knowledge, and eating behavior was gathered by means of questionnaires. The schools' doctors provided the height and weight data. The study was set in one economically advantaged and one economically disadvantaged province in China. The participants were Grade 3 students, ages 8-10 years (N = 3922). A cluster analysis identified four socio-demographic variables distinguished by parental education and family living arrangement. A one-way ANOVA compared differences among the clusters in BMI, child nutrition knowledge, and child eating behavior. Students in the cluster with lowest parent education level had the lowest nutrition knowledge scores and eating behavior scores. There was no significant benefit from college education versus high school education of parents in the other three clusters. BMI was not affected by parent education level. The nutrition status of elementary school age children will benefit most by increasing the general level of education for those adults who are presently least educated.

  8. Understanding the Demographic Differences in Neighborhood Walking Supports.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlson, Susan A; Watson, Kathleen B; Paul, Prabasaj; Schmid, Thomas L; Fulton, Janet E

    2017-04-01

    Information about how presence and usefulness of neighborhood supports for walking differs by demographic characteristics can help guide community strategies to promote walking. Reported presence and usefulness of neighborhood supports (shops, transit stops, sidewalks, parks, interesting things to look at, well-lit at night, low crime rate, and cars following speed limit) were examined in 3973 U.S. adults who completed the 2014 SummerStyles survey. Percentage reporting neighborhood supports as present ranged from 25.3% (SE = 0.8) for interesting things to 55.8% (SE = 1.0) for low crime rate. Percentage who reported a support as useful ranged from 24.6% (SE = 1.4) for transit stops to 79.0% (SE = 1.1) for sidewalks among those with the support. This percentage ranged from 13.4% (SE = 0.8) for transit stops to 52.8% (SE = 1.1) for shops among those without the support. One or more demographic differences were observed for the presence of each support, and the presence of all supports differed by education and metro status. Demographic patterns were less clear when examining usefulness and patterns often differed by support type and presence. Presence and usefulness of neighborhood supports for walking can differ by type and demographic characteristics. Recognizing these difference can help communities plan and implement strategies to promote walking.

  9. Characteristics of patients contacting a center for undiagnosed and rare diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mueller, Tobias; Jerrentrup, Andreas; Bauer, Max Jakob; Fritsch, Hans Walter; Schaefer, Juergen Rolf

    2016-06-21

    Little is known about the characteristics of patients seeking help from dedicated centers for undiagnosed and rare diseases. However, information about their demographics, symptoms, prior diagnoses and medical specialty is crucial to optimize these centers' processes and infrastructure. Using a questionnaire, structured information from 522 adult patients contacting a center for undiagnosed and rare diseases was obtained. The information included basic sociodemographic data (age, gender, insurance status), previous hospital admissions, primary symptoms of complaint and previously determined diagnosis. The majority of patients completing the questionnaire were female, 300 (57 %) vs. 222 men (43 %). The median age was 52 years (range 18-92). More than half, 309 (59 %), of our patients had never been admitted to a university hospital. Common diagnoses included other soft tissue disorders, not classified elsewhere (ICD M79, n = 63, 15.3 %), somatoform disorders (ICD F45, n = 51, 12.3 %) and other polyneuropathies (ICD G62, n=36, 8.7 %). The most frequent symptoms were general weakness (n = 180, 36.6 %) followed by arthralgia (n = 124, 25.2 %) and abdominal discomfort (n = 113, 23.0 %). The majority of patients had either internal medicine (81.3 %) and/or neurologic (37.6 %) health problems. Pain-associated diagnoses and the typical "unexplained" medical conditions (chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome) are frequent among people contacting a center dedicated to undiagnosed diseases. The chief symptoms are mostly unspecific. An interdisciplinary organizational approach involving mainly internal medicine, neurology and psychiatry/psychosomatic care is needed.

  10. Factors associated with oncology patients' involvement in shared decision making during chemotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colley, Alexis; Halpern, Jodi; Paul, Steven; Micco, Guy; Lahiff, Maureen; Wright, Fay; Levine, Jon D; Mastick, Judy; Hammer, Marilyn J; Miaskowski, Christine; Dunn, Laura B

    2017-11-01

    Oncology patients are increasingly encouraged to play an active role in treatment decision making. While previous studies have evaluated relationships between demographic characteristics and decision-making roles, less is known about the association of symptoms and psychological adjustment characteristics (eg, coping styles and personality traits) and decision-making roles. As part of a larger study of symptom clusters, patients (n = 765) receiving chemotherapy for breast, gastrointestinal, gynecological, or lung cancer provided information on demographic, clinical, symptom, and psychological adjustment characteristics. Patient-reported treatment decision-making roles (ie, preferred role and role actually played) were assessed using the Control Preferences Scale. Differences among patients, who were classified as passive, collaborative, or active, were evaluated using χ 2 analyses and analyses of variance. Over half (56.3%) of the patients reported that they both preferred and actually played a collaborative role. Among those patients with concordant roles, those who were older, those with less education and lower income, and those who were less resilient were more likely to prefer a passive role. Several psychological adjustment characteristics were associated with decision-making role, including coping style, personality, and fatalism. Oncology patients' preferences for involvement in treatment decision making are associated with demographic characteristics as well as with symptoms and psychological adjustment characteristics, such as coping style and personality. These results reaffirm the complexities of predicting patients' preferences for involvement in decision making. Further study is needed to determine if role or coping style may be influenced by interventions designed to teach adaptive coping skills. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of hepatitis B virus in HIV-infected patients in Guangdong, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, S M; Cai, W P; Hu, F Y; Lan, Y; Liao, B L; Chen, Y P; Tang, X P

    2016-09-01

    This study investigated the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in HIV-infected adults at the time of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation in Guangdong province, China. A total of 2793 HIV-infected adults were enrolled between January 2004 and September 2011. Demographic data and laboratory parameters were collected, HBV-DNA levels were measured, and HBV genotypes were identified before ART initiation. The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in HIV-infected patients was 13.2%. A total of 266 HIV/HBV co-infected patients and 1469 HIV mono-infected patients were recruited. The median alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels of HIV/HBV co-infected patients were higher than HIV mono-infected patients (32 U/L vs. 22 U/L, p HIV/HBV co-infected patients was lower than HIV mono-infected patients (59 cells/mm(3) vs. 141 cells/mm(3), p study indicates a high prevalence of HBsAg in HIV-infected adults in Guangdong. The level of CD4 cell count in HIV/HBV co-infected patients was much lower than HIV mono-infected patients, especially in patients who were HBeAg-positive and had a high level of HBV-DNA. The predominant HBV genotype in HIV/HBV co-infected patients is genotype B. © The Author(s) 2015.

  12. Medical home characteristics and the pediatric patient experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burnet, Deborah; Gunter, Kathryn E; Nocon, Robert S; Gao, Yue; Jin, Janel; Fairchild, Paige; Chin, Marshall H

    2014-11-01

    The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) has roots in pediatrics, yet we know little about the experience of pediatric patients in PCMH settings. To examine the association between clinic PCMH characteristics and pediatric patient experience as reported by parents. We assessed the cross-sectional correlation between clinic PCMH characteristics and pediatric patient experience in 24 clinics randomly selected from the Safety Net Medical Home Initiative, a 5-state PCMH demonstration project. PCMH characteristics were measured with surveys of randomly selected providers and staff; surveys generated 0 (worst) to 100 (best) scores for 5 subscales, and a total score. Patient experience was measured through surveying parents of pediatric patients. Questions from the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems-Clinician and Group instrument produced 4 patient experience measures: timeliness, physician communication, staff helpfulness, and overall rating. To investigate the relationship between PCMH characteristics and patient experience, we used generalized estimating equations with an exchangeable correlation structure. We included 440 parents and 214 providers and staff in the analysis. Total PCMH score was not associated with parents' assessment of patient experience; however, PCMH subscales were associated with patient experience in different directions. In particular, quality improvement activities undertaken by clinics were strongly associated with positive ratings of patient experience, whereas patient care management activities were associated with more negative reports of patient experience. Future work should bolster features of the PCMH that work well for patients while investigating which PCMH features negatively impact patient experience, to yield a better patient experience overall.

  13. Patient characteristics and stratification in medical treatment studies for metastatic colorectal cancer: a proposal for standardization of patient characteristic reporting and stratification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sorbye, H; Köhne, C-H; Sargent, D J; Glimelius, B

    2007-10-01

    Prognostic factors have the potential to determine the survival of patients to a greater extent than current antineoplastic agents. Despite this knowledge, there is no consensus on, first, what patient characteristics to report and, second, what stratification factors to use in metastatic colorectal cancer trials. Seven leading oncology and medical journals were reviewed for phase II and III publications reporting on medical treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer patients during 2001-2005. One hundred and forty-three studies with 21 214 patients were identified. The reporting of patient characteristics and use of stratification was noted. Age, gender, performance status, metastases location, sites and adjuvant chemotherapy were often reported (99-63%). Laboratory values as alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase and white blood cell count, repeatedly found to be of prognostic relevance, were rarely reported (5-9%). Stratification was used in all phase III trials; however, only study centre was used with any consistency. There is considerable inconsistency in the reporting of patient characteristics and use of stratification factors in metastatic colorectal cancer trials. We propose a standardization of patient characteristics reporting and stratification factors. A common set of characteristics and strata will aid in trial reporting, interpretation and future meta-analyses.

  14. Migrant nurses in Brazil: demographic characteristics, migration flow and relationship with the training process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Kênia Lara; de Sena, Roseni Rosângela; Tavares, Tatiana Silva; Belga, Stephanie Marques Moura Franco; Maas, Lucas Wan Der

    2016-01-01

    Objective to analyze the migration of nurses in Brazil, describe the demographic characteristics of migrant nurses, the main migration flows, and establish relationships with the training process. Method a descriptive, exploratory study, based on 2010 Census data. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Result there were 355,383 nurses in Brazil in 2010. Of these, 36,479 (10.3%) reported having moved compared to the year 2005: 18,073 (5.1%) for intrastate migration, 17,525 (4.8%) interstate migration, and 871 (0.2%) international migration. Females (86.3%), Caucasians (65.2%), and unmarried (48.3%) nurses prevailed in the population, without considerable variation between groups according to migration situation. The findings indicate that the migration flows are driven by the training process for states that concentrate a greater number of courses and positions in undergraduate and graduate studies, and the motivation of employment opportunity in regions of economic expansion in the country. Conclusion it is necessary to deepen the discussion on the movement of nurses in Brazil, their motivations, and international migration. PMID:27027681

  15. Migrant nurses in Brazil: demographic characteristics, migration flow and relationship with the training process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kênia Lara Silva

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective to analyze the migration of nurses in Brazil, describe the demographic characteristics of migrant nurses, the main migration flows, and establish relationships with the training process. Method a descriptive, exploratory study, based on 2010 Census data. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Result there were 355,383 nurses in Brazil in 2010. Of these, 36,479 (10.3% reported having moved compared to the year 2005: 18,073 (5.1% for intrastate migration, 17,525 (4.8% interstate migration, and 871 (0.2% international migration. Females (86.3%, Caucasians (65.2%, and unmarried (48.3% nurses prevailed in the population, without considerable variation between groups according to migration situation. The findings indicate that the migration flows are driven by the training process for states that concentrate a greater number of courses and positions in undergraduate and graduate studies, and the motivation of employment opportunity in regions of economic expansion in the country. Conclusion it is necessary to deepen the discussion on the movement of nurses in Brazil, their motivations, and international migration.

  16. Differences in Food and Beverage Marketing Policies and Practices in US School Districts, by Demographic Characteristics of School Districts, 2012.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merlo, Caitlin L; Michael, Shannon; Brener, Nancy D; Coffield, Edward; Kingsley, Beverly S; Zytnick, Deena; Blanck, Heidi

    2016-12-15

    Foods and beverages marketed in schools are typically of poor nutritional value. School districts may adopt policies and practices to restrict marketing of unhealthful foods and to promote healthful choices. Students' exposure to marketing practices differ by school demographics, but these differences have not yet been examined by district characteristics. We analyzed data from the 2012 School Health Policies and Practices Study to examine how food and beverage marketing and promotion policies and practices varied by district characteristics such as metropolitan status, size, and percentage of non-Hispanic white students. Most practices varied significantly by district size: a higher percentage of large districts than small or medium-sized districts restricted marketing of unhealthful foods and promoted healthful options. Compared with districts whose student populations were majority (>50%) non-Hispanic white, a higher percentage of districts whose student populations were minority non-Hispanic white (≤50% non-Hispanic white) prohibited advertising of soft drinks in school buildings and on school grounds, made school meal menus available to students, and provided families with information on school nutrition programs. Compared with suburban and rural districts, a higher percentage of urban districts prohibited the sale of soft drinks on school grounds and used several practices to promote healthful options. Preliminary findings showing significant associations between district demographics and marketing policies and practices can be used to help states direct resources, training, and technical assistance to address food and beverage marketing and promotion to districts most in need of improvement.

  17. Validation of mismatch negativity and P3a for use in multi-site studies of schizophrenia: characterization of demographic, clinical, cognitive, and functional correlates in COGS-2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Light, Gregory A; Swerdlow, Neal R; Thomas, Michael L; Calkins, Monica E; Green, Michael F; Greenwood, Tiffany A; Gur, Raquel E; Gur, Ruben C; Lazzeroni, Laura C; Nuechterlein, Keith H; Pela, Marlena; Radant, Allen D; Seidman, Larry J; Sharp, Richard F; Siever, Larry J; Silverman, Jeremy M; Sprock, Joyce; Stone, William S; Sugar, Catherine A; Tsuang, Debby W; Tsuang, Ming T; Braff, David L; Turetsky, Bruce I

    2015-04-01

    Mismatch negativity (MMN) and P3a are auditory event-related potential (ERP) components that show robust deficits in schizophrenia (SZ) patients and exhibit qualities of endophenotypes, including substantial heritability, test-retest reliability, and trait-like stability. These measures also fulfill criteria for use as cognition and function-linked biomarkers in outcome studies, but have not yet been validated for use in large-scale multi-site clinical studies. This study tested the feasibility of adding MMN and P3a to the ongoing Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia (COGS) study. The extent to which demographic, clinical, cognitive, and functional characteristics contribute to variability in MMN and P3a amplitudes was also examined. Participants (HCS n=824, SZ n=966) underwent testing at 5 geographically distributed COGS laboratories. Valid ERP recordings were obtained from 91% of HCS and 91% of SZ patients. Highly significant MMN (d=0.96) and P3a (d=0.93) amplitude reductions were observed in SZ patients, comparable in magnitude to those observed in single-lab studies with no appreciable differences across laboratories. Demographic characteristics accounted for 26% and 18% of the variance in MMN and P3a amplitudes, respectively. Significant relationships were observed among demographically-adjusted MMN and P3a measures and medication status as well as several clinical, cognitive, and functional characteristics of the SZ patients. This study demonstrates that MMN and P3a ERP biomarkers can be feasibly used in multi-site clinical studies. As with many clinical tests of brain function, demographic factors contribute to MMN and P3a amplitudes and should be carefully considered in future biomarker-informed clinical studies. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  18. Demographics and macroeconomic effects in aesthetic surgery in the UK.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duncan, C O; Ho-Asjoe, M; Hittinger, R; Nishikawa, H; Waterhouse, N; Coghlan, B; Jones, B

    2004-09-01

    Media interest in aesthetic surgery is substantial and suggestions of demographic changes such as reductions in age or an increase in the number of male patients are common. In spite of this, there is no peer reviewed literature reporting demographics of a contemporary large patient cohort or of the effect of macroeconomic indicators on aesthetic surgery in the UK. In this study, computer records 13006 patients presenting between 1998 and the first quarter of 2003 at a significant aesthetic surgery centre were analysed for procedures undergone, patient age and sex. Male to female ratios for each procedure were calculated and a comparison was made between unit activity and macroeconomic indicators. The results showed that there has been no significant demographic change in the procedures studied with patient age and male to female ratio remaining constant throughout the period studied for each procedure. Comparison with macroeconomic indicators suggested increasing demand for aesthetic surgery in spite of a global recession. In conclusion, media reports of large scale demographic shifts in aesthetic surgery patients are exaggerated. The stability of unit activity in spite of falling national economic indicators suggested that some units in the UK might be relatively immune to economic vagaries. The implications for training are discussed.

  19. [The clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of patients with gout in China].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, H; Fang, W G; Zuo, X X; Wu, R; Li, X X; Chen, J W; Zhou, J G; Yang, J; Song, H; Duan, X J; Lin, X F; Zeng, X W; Zeng, H

    2018-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the demographic characteristics, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of patients with gout in China. Methods: Clinical data of 6 814 patients with gout from 100 hospitals in 27 provinces, municipalities or autonomous regions in China were collected and analyzed. Results: (1) The ratio of male to female in patients with gout was 14.7∶1. The mean age of onset was (48.8±15.1) years old. Mean serum urate level was (526.7±132.3) μmol/L. Patients' education background was of U-shaped distribution; (2) Hypertension was the most common comorbidity [15.8%(1 079/6 814)], then overweight or obesity [51.9%(3 536/6 814)]; (3) Alcohol and high-purine food intake were dominant triggering factors in men. The diagnosis of gout was made after onset in majority of patients with cardinal symptom arthralgia. Most patients had the disease less than 5 years, and the longer the course, the more flares in the previous year of entry; (4) Febuxostat was the mostly used urate-lowering medication. 20.7%(1 412/6 814), 10.8%(739/6 814) and 3.9%(265/6 814) of patients were followed up in 4 weeks, 12 weeks and 24 weeks after registration, and 18.9%(267/1 412), 29.1%(215/739) and 38.1%(101/265) of them reached the control target of serum urate levels, respectively. After treatment, patients' liver function was not affected, but serum creatinine levels decreased significantly. Conclusions: The proportion of gout patients who reach target serum urate level is very low. Further steps including education and survey need to be carried on.

  20. A demographic and epidemiological study of a Mexican chiropractic college public clinic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ndetan Harrison T

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Descriptive studies of chiropractic patients are not new, several have been performed in the U.S., Australia, Canada, and Europe. None have been performed in a Latin American country. The purpose of this study is to describe the patients who visited a Mexican chiropractic college public clinic with respect to demographics and clinical characteristics. Methods This study was reviewed and approved by the IRB of Parker College of Chiropractic and the Universidad Estatal del Valle de Ecatepec (UNEVE. Five hundred patient files from the UNEVE public clinic from May 2005 to May 2007 were selected from an approximate total number of 3,700. Information was collected for demographics, chief complaints, associated complaints, and previous care sought. Results The sample comprised 306 (61.2% female. Most files (44.2% were in the age range of 40–59 years (mean of 43.4 years. The most frequent complaints were lumbar pain (29.2% and extremity pain (28.0%, most commonly the knee. Most (62.0% described their complaints as greater than one year. Trauma (46.6% was indicated as the initial cause. Mean VAS score was 6.26/10 with 20% rated at 8/10. Conclusion Demographic results compared closer to studies conducted with private clinicians (females within the ages of 40–59. The primary complaint and duration was similar to previous studies (low back pain and chronic, except in this population the cause was usually initiated by trauma. The most striking features were the higher number of extremity complaints and the marked increased level of VAS score (20% rated as 8/10.

  1. Clear cell sarcoma of the kidney: patients' characteristics and improved outcome in developing countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zekri, Wael; Alfaar, Ahmad Samir; Yehia, Dina; Elshafie, Maged M; Zaghloul, Mohamed Saad; El-Kinaai, Naglaa; Taha, Hala; Refaat, Amal; Younes, Alaa A

    2014-12-01

    Clear cell sarcoma of the kidney (CCSK) is a rare and aggressive tumor accounting for 5% of pediatric renal tumors with an incidence of 20 patients per year in the USA. It is bone metastasizing with poor prognosis. Our aim was to show characteristics of patients in relation to improved outcome in one of the developing countries. We included all patients diagnosed as CCSK in the period between July 2007 and March 2012 at Children's Cancer Hospital, Egypt. Patients' demographics, clinical presentation, pathology, and management were reviewed. Follow up was continued until April 2013. Twenty-five patients were identified in the defined time interval, accounting for 7% all renal tumors diagnosed at the hospital. Mean age was 36 months. Abdominal swelling and hematuria were the most common presentations. Stages I, II, III, IV, and V represented 9 (36%), 3 (12%), 8 (32%), 3 (12%), and 2 (8%), respectively. Twenty-four patients had radical nephrectomy either upfront or after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. Surgery was followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. Abdominal radiotherapy was given for local stages II and III. Twenty-two patients reached complete remission, while one patient had stationary disease and two patients died due to progression and relapse. Overall survival was 88.5% and event-free survival was 87.8% at 45 months. Although previous studies indicate poor prognosis of CCSK, our experience shows that those patients can be treated using extensive chemotherapy combined with proper local control. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. [Clinical and demographic profile and risk factors for Clostridium difficile infection].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvajal, Carlos; Pacheco, Carlos; Jaimes, Fabián

    2017-01-24

    Clostridium difficile infection is the leading cause of nosocomial infectious diarrhea. The increasing incidence added to a lower rate of response to the initial treatment and higher rates of relapse has generated a higher burden of the disease. To determine the clinical characteristics of hospitalized patients with C. difficile infection. We made a nested case-cohort study. We reviewed medical records of the patients with nosocomial diarrhea for whom an assay for toxin A-B of C. difficile had been requested from February, 2010, to February, 2012. We defined case as a patient with diarrhea and a positive assay for the toxin, and control as those patients with a negative assay for the toxin. We collected data on demographic and clinical characteristics, risk factors, hospital length of stay, treatment, and complications. We collected data from 123 patients during the follow-up period, 30 of whom were positive for the toxin. Mean age in the study population was 49 years and 60% were men. The main symptoms were abdominal pain (35%) and fever (34%). The principal complications were electrolytic alteration and severe sepsis with secondary acute kidney injury. Mortality was 13% and independent factors associated to the appearance of the infection were the use of proton pump inhibitors and previous gastrointestinal tract surgery. The use of proton pump inhibitors and previous gastrointestinal tract surgery were factors associated to C. difficile infection.

  3. Leadership and Small Firm Performance: The Moderating Effects of Demographic Characteristics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flanigan, Rod L.; Bishop, Jacob L.; Brachle, Ben J.; Winn, Bradley A.

    2017-01-01

    The present study builds on extant leadership literature by examining the role demographic variables (including age, tenure as a leader at the current company, experience in the industry, and level of education) play as moderating effects on the relationship between leadership style and small business financial performance in the national…

  4. Adolescent prostitution in south-western Nigeria: demographic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Context: Adolescent prostitution, an interesting area of reproductive health focus, is of great socioeconomic and medical burden in Nigeria. Objective: This study aims to determine the demographic characteristics and risk factors for adolescent prostitution in Nigeria Method: This was a cross- sectional study using ...

  5. Characteristics and risk factors of cerebrovascular accidents after percutaneous coronary interventions in patients with history of stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Hua; Feng, Li-qun; Bi, Qi; Wang, Yu-ping

    2010-06-01

    Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a well-established method for managing coronary diseases. However, the increasing use of PCI has led to an increased incidence of acute cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) related to PCI. In this study, we investigated the characteristics and risk factors of CVA after PCI in patients with known stroke history. Between January 1, 2005 and March 1, 2009, 621 patients with a history of stroke underwent a total of 665 PCI procedures and were included in this retrospective study. Demographic and clinical characteristics, previous medications, procedures, neurologic deficits, location of lesion and in-hospital clinical outcomes of patients who developed a CVA after the cardiac catheterization laboratory visit and before discharge were reviewed. Acute CVA was diagnosed in 53 (8.5%) patients during the operation or the perioperative period. Seventeen patients suffered from transient ischemic attack, thirty-four patients suffered from cerebral infarction and two patients suffered from cerebral hemorrhage. The risk factors for CVA after PCI in stroke patients were: admission with an acute coronary syndrome, use of an intra-aortic balloon pump, urgent or emergency procedures, diabetes mellitus, and poor left ventricular systolic function, arterial fibrillation, previous myocardial infarction, dyslipidemia, tobacco use, and no/irregular use of anti-platelet medications. The incidence of CVA during and after PCI in patients with history of stroke is much higher than that in patients without history of stroke. Patients with atrial fibrillation, previous myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, tobacco use, and no or irregular use of anti-platelet medications were at higher risk for recurrent stroke. This study showed a strong association between acute coronary syndromes and in-hospital stroke after PCI.

  6. The influence of trauma and patient characteristics on provider burnout in VA post-traumatic stress disorder specialty programmes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, Hector A; McGeary, Cindy A; Finley, Erin P; McGeary, Donald D; Ketchum, Norma S; Peterson, Alan L

    2016-03-01

    Prolonged exposure (PE) and cognitive processing therapy (CPT) - post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatments now available at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - expose the provider to graphic traumatic material. Little is known about the impact of traumatic material on VHA providers. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between trauma content, patient characteristics, and burnout among VHA PTSD Clinical Team (PCT) providers. It was hypothesized that trauma content and patient characteristics would significantly predict burnout in this population. This cross-sectional study consisted of 137 participants. The sample was mostly female (67%), Caucasian (non-Hispanic; 81%), and married (70%) with a mean age of 44.3 years (SD = 11.3). Participants completed an electronic survey that assessed demographics, patient characteristics (i.e., anger, personality disorder, malingering), trauma content characteristics (e.g., killing of women and children) as well as burnout as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS; Maslach et al., 1996, Burnout inventory manual. Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologist Press). Over half of the study population reported being bothered by trauma content; however, trauma content did not predict burnout. Treating patients with personality disorders and suspected malingering predicted burnout in PCT providers. High numbers (77%) reported perceiving that emotional exhaustion impacted the quality of care they provided. These findings suggest an important role of burnout assessment, prevention, and treatment strategies at the VHA. This paper addresses the impact of provider burnout on perceived quality of care. This paper also addresses potential predictors of burnout in PCT settings. This paper outlines potential remedies to provider burnout in the VHA. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

  7. Characteristics of patients consulting their regular primary care physician according to their prescribing preferences for homeopathy and complementary medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lert, France; Grimaldi-Bensouda, Lamiae; Rouillon, Frederic; Massol, Jacques; Guillemot, Didier; Avouac, Bernard; Duru, Gerard; Magnier, Anne-Marie; Rossignol, Michel; Abenhaim, Lucien; Begaud, Bernard

    2014-01-01

    Homeopathic care has not been well documented in terms of its impact on patients' utilization of drugs or other complementary and alternative medicines (CAM). The objective of this study was to describe and compare patients who visit physicians in general practice (GPs) who prescribe only conventional medicines (GP-CM), regularly prescribe homeopathy within a mixed practice (GP-Mx), or are certified homeopathic GPs (GP-Ho). The EPI3-LASER study was a nationwide observational survey of a representative sample of GPs and their patients from across France. Physicians recorded their diagnoses and prescriptions on participating patients who completed a self-questionnaire on socio-demographics, lifestyle, quality of life Short Form 12 (SF-12) and the complementary and alternative medicine beliefs inventory (CAMBI). A total of 6379 patients (participation rate 73.1%) recruited from 804 GP practices participated in this survey. Patients attending a GP-Ho were slightly more often female with higher education than in the GP-CM group and had markedly healthier lifestyle. They did not differ greatly in their comorbidities or quality of life but exhibited large differences in their beliefs in holistic medicine and natural treatments, and in their attitude toward participating to their own care. Similar but less striking observations were made in patients of the GP-Mx group. Patients seeking care with a homeopathic GP did not differ greatly in their socio-demographic characteristics but more so by their healthier lifestyle and positive attitude toward CAM. Further research is needed to explore the directionality of those associations and to assess the potential economic benefits of homeopathic management in primary care. Copyright © 2013 The Faculty of Homeopathy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Trends and Characteristics of Pediatric Dentistry Patients Treated under General Anesthesia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rudie, Maxwell N; Milano, Michael M; Roberts, Michael W; Divaris, Kimon

    2018-05-11

    The aims of this study were to describe the demographic characteristics of pediatric dentistry patients undergoing dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia (DRGA) at UNC-Chapel Hill during the last 13 years and identify factors associated with multiple (1 versus 2 or more) DRGA visits during that timeframe. Administrative claims data were used to identify children and adolescents (age <18 years) who underwent DRGA between 1/1/2002 and 12/31/2014 at the UNC Hospitals system. Information on children's age, sex and all treatment-associated CDT codes were collected. Descriptive statistics and bivariate tests of association were used for data analyses. There were 4,413 DRGAs among 3,973 children (median age=4 years 8 months, males=55%) during the study period. The annual rate of DRGAs increased over time, peaking (n=447) in 2013. Overall, 9% of children had ≥2 visits with repeat rates up to 18%. There was no association between children's sex and receipt of one versus multiple DRGAs; however, craniofacial cases were more likely (p<0.0005) to have multiple DRGAs compared to non-craniofacial ones. DRGAs are on the increase-with the exception of craniofacial and special health care needs patients, multiple DRGAs may be reflective of sub-optimal adherence to preventive and continuing care recommendations.

  9. Demographic characteristics, social competence, and behavior problems in children with gender identity disorder: a cross-national, cross-clinic comparative analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen-Kettenis, Peggy T; Owen, Allison; Kaijser, Vanessa G; Bradley, Susan J; Zucker, Kenneth J

    2003-02-01

    This study examined demographic characteristics, social competence, and behavior problems in clinic-referred children with gender identity problems in Toronto, Canada (N = 358), and Utrecht, The Netherlands (N = 130). The Toronto sample was, on average, about a year younger than the Utrecht sample at referral, had a higher percentage of boys, had a higher mean IQ, and was less likely to be living with both parents. On the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), both groups showed, on average, clinical range scores in both social competence and behavior problems. A CBCL-derived measure of poor peer relations showed that boys in both clinics had worse ratings than did the girls. A multiple regression analysis showed that poor peer relations were the strongest predictor of behavior problems in both samples. This study-the first cross-national, cross-clinic comparative analysis of children with gender identity disorder-found far more similarities than differences in both social competence and behavior problems. The most salient demographic difference was age at referral. Cross-national differences in factors that might influence referral patterns are discussed.

  10. Patterns of the Demographics, Clinical Characteristics, and Resource Utilization Among Maternal Decedents in Texas, 2001 - 2010: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oud, Lavi

    2015-12-01

    Contemporary reporting of maternal mortality is focused on single, mutually exclusive causes of death among a minority of maternal decedents (pregnancy-related deaths), reflecting initial events leading to death. Although obstetric patients are susceptible to the lethal effects of downstream, more proximate contributors to death and to conditions not caused or precipitated by pregnancy, the burden of both categories and related patients' attributes is invisible to clinicians and healthcare policy makers with the current reporting system. Thus, the population-level demographics, clinical characteristics, and resource utilization associated with pregnancy-associated deaths in the United States have not been adequately characterized. We used the Texas Inpatient Public Use Data File to perform a population-based cohort study of the patterns of demographics, chronic comorbidity, occurrence of early maternal demise, potential contributors to maternal death, and resource utilization among maternal decedents in the state during 2001 - 2010. There were 557 maternal decedents during study period. Chronic comorbidity was reported in 45.2%. Most women (74.1%) were admitted to an ICU. Hemorrhage (27.8%), sepsis (23.5%), and cardiovascular conditions (22.6%) were the most commonly reported potential contributing conditions to maternal death, varying across categories of pregnancy-associated hospitalizations. More than one condition was reported in 39% of decedents. One in three women died during their first day of hospitalization, with no significant change over the past decade. The mean hospital length of stay was 7.9 days and total hospital charges were $250,000 or higher in 65 (11.7%) women. The findings of the high burden of chronic illness, patterns of occurrence of a broad array of potential contributing conditions to pregnancy-associated death, and the resource-intensive needs of a large contemporary population-based cohort of maternal decedents may better inform

  11. Serum Anti-Hbs-Ag in Stable Hemodialysis Patients and its Relationship with Various Demographic and Biochemical Data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azar BARADARAN

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: To evaluate the relationship between various biochemical, nutritional and demographic factors with immune response to hepatitis B vaccine in maintenance hemodialysis (HD patients. Material and Methods: A retro-prospective study was carried out on 68 patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis .Patients were vaccinated against hepatitis B virus with an intramuscular hepatitis B vaccination schedule, 40 micrograms at 0, 1, and 6 months. We also selected 32 age matched normal healthy persons who had vaccinated against hepatitis B previously to compare the antibody production with HD patients. Results: The value of serum antibody level against hepatitis B surface antigen ( HBs in hemodialisis patients and healthy persons were 35±55(median=5.5 and 135±71 (median=175 mIU/ml respectively. There was a significant deference between mean serum antibody level against HBs antigen of hemodialysis patients and normal subjects (p<0.001, there were not any significant differences of antibody production against HBs antigen between males and females or diabetic and non diabetics. There were no correlation between serum antibody level against HBs-Ag and serum albumin and also with body mass index. There were not significant correlation between anti-HBs antibody level and age, amounts of hemodialysis, duration of dialysis, dialysis adequacy, serum ferritin level and serum lipids. There were not also significant correlation between anti-HBs antibody level and serum parathormone, calcium, phosphorus, serum hemoglobin and hematocrit level. Conclusion: In this study, there was not significant correlation between serum antibody level against hepatitis B surface antigen and various nutritional and demographic factors of patients under regular hemodialysis.

  12. [Demographic features and difficulties in rehabilitation in patients referred to hand rehabilitation unit for phalangeal fractures].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahin, Füsun; Yücel, Serap Dalgiç; Yilmaz, Figen; Ergöz, Ernur; Kuran, Banu

    2006-01-01

    We evaluated demographic and occupational features of patients with phalangeal fractures of the hand, etiologies and types of injuries, and the results of rehabilitation. The study included 91 fingers of 62 patients (54 males, 8 females; mean age 28+/-13 years; range 4 to 59 years) who were referred to our hand rehabilitation unit for phalangeal fractures. Demographic features, the cause and localization of injury, the type of surgery, time from surgery to rehabilitation, and the follow-up period were determined. At the end of rehabilitation, range of motion (ROM) of the phalangeal joint and total ROM of the injured fingers were assessed using the Strickland-Glogovac rating system. A great majority of injuries were caused by work accidents, followed by sport injuries and falls occurring in students. Sixty patients (96.8%) were right-handed. The fractures occurred in the dominant hand in 29 patients (46.8%). The majority of patients (n=45) were primary school graduates. The most common mechanism of injury was accidents related to heavy work machinery (n=18). The most commonly injured finger and the phalanx were the third finger (n=25, 27.5%) and the proximal phalanx (n=59, 56.7%), respectively. Only 27 patients (43.6%) had a sufficient follow-up with a mean of 79.7+/-46.6 days (range 30 to 254 days). Following rehabilitation, the mean ROM and the total ROM were 45.0+/-22.9 degrees and 63.3+/-16.1 degrees for the injured joint and the thumb, and 31.3+/-22.5 degrees and 122+/-60.3 degrees for the injured joint and the other fingers, respectively. Our data provide important insight into appropriate treatment and rehabilitation of phalangeal fractures, in particular, shortcomings in the treatment and follow-up.

  13. Effects of selected socio-demographic characteristics on nutrition knowledge and eating behavior of elementary students in two provinces in China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ling Qian

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background National and international child health surveys have indicated an increase in childhood obesity in China. The increase has been attributed to a rising standard of living, increasing availability of unhealthy foods, and a lack of knowledge about healthy diet. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of selected socio-demographic characteristics on the BMI, nutrition knowledge, and eating behavior of elementary school children. Methods Multistage stratified cluster sampling was used. Information on demographics, nutrition knowledge, and eating behavior was gathered by means of questionnaires. The schools’ doctors provided the height and weight data. The study was set in one economically advantaged and one economically disadvantaged province in China. The participants were Grade 3 students, ages 8–10 years (N = 3922. Results A cluster analysis identified four socio-demographic variables distinguished by parental education and family living arrangement. A one-way ANOVA compared differences among the clusters in BMI, child nutrition knowledge, and child eating behavior. Students in the cluster with lowest parent education level had the lowest nutrition knowledge scores and eating behavior scores. There was no significant benefit from college education versus high school education of parents in the other three clusters. BMI was not affected by parent education level. Conclusion The nutrition status of elementary school age children will benefit most by increasing the general level of education for those adults who are presently least educated.

  14. Wildlife value orientations and demographics in The Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vaske, J.J.; Jacobs, M.H.; Sijtsma, M.T.J.

    2011-01-01

    This article identified the Dutch publics’ value orientations toward wildlife and examined differences in value orientations among four demographic characteristics: age, sex, current residence, and education. The two wildlife value orientations—domination and mutualism—were based on prior theorizing

  15. The Demographics of Patients with Skin Cancer who Underwent Surgery in Diyarbakır and Performed Surgical Techniques

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Burhan Özalp

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The major factor for developing malignant skin cancers is sunlight exposure. This study aimed to evaluate the demographics of patients with skin cancers who underwent surgery in Diyarbakır where the population is exposed to more sunlight than most other Turkish cities. Methods: The medical records of patients who underwent surgery for malignant skin cancer excision between 2011 and 2016 were searched using University Hospital’s patient database program. Data about patients’ demographics, cancer features, and the surgical techniques performed were collected. Results: Over a 5-year period, 190 patients underwent surgical excision. The male to female ratio was 1.56, and the mean age was 65.8 ± 15.7 (range, 20-94 years. The most common skin cancer was basal cell carcinoma (n=138, 72.7%, followed by squamous cell carcinoma (n=45, 23.7% and malignant melanoma (n=5, 2.6%. The most common surgery was primary excision, which was performed in 90 of 190 patients (47.36%; tissue reconstruction with a skin graft or flap surgery was required for the remaining 100 (52.63%, showing a significant difference (p<0.001. Conclusion: Basal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer, and less than half of the patients sought treatment immediately after they recognized the lesion. The public should be educated about skin cancers to increase early diagnosis and encourage timely treatment, thereby decreasing morbidity and mortality from skin cancer.

  16. Role of disease and demographic factors as determinants of return migration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Handlos, Line Neerup; Petersen, Jorgen Holm; Bygbjerg, Ib Christian

    2017-01-01

    AIMS: A number of aspects of the health status of migrants who return to their country of origin have been explored in the literature; however, a more general description of the incidence of disease and demographic characteristics is lacking. The aim of this research was to contribute such a desc......AIMS: A number of aspects of the health status of migrants who return to their country of origin have been explored in the literature; however, a more general description of the incidence of disease and demographic characteristics is lacking. The aim of this research was to contribute...

  17. Are species photosynthetic characteristics good predictors of seedling post-hurricane demographic patterns and species spatiotemporal distribution in a hurricane impacted wet montane forest?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luke, Denneko; McLaren, Kurt

    2018-05-01

    In situ measurements of leaf level photosynthetic response to light were collected from seedlings of ten tree species from a tropical montane wet forest, the John Crow Mountains, Jamaica. A model-based recursive partitioning ('mob') algorithm was then used to identify species associations based on their fitted photosynthetic response curves. Leaf area dark respiration (RD) and light saturated maximum photosynthetic (Amax) rates were also used as 'mob' partitioning variables, to identify species associations based on seedling demographic patterns (from June 2007 to May 2010) following a hurricane (Aug. 2007) and the spatiotemporal distribution patterns of stems in 2006 and 2012. RD and Amax rates ranged from 1.14 to 2.02 μmol (CO2) m-2s-1 and 2.97-5.87 μmol (CO2) m-2s-1, respectively, placing the ten species in the range of intermediate shade tolerance. Several parsimonious species 'mob' groups were formed based on 1) interspecific differences among species response curves, 2) variations in post-hurricane seedling demographic trends and 3) RD rates and species spatiotemporal distribution patterns at aspects that are more or less exposed to hurricanes. The composition of parsimonious groupings based on photosynthetic curves was not concordant with the groups based on demographic trends but was partially concordant with the RD - species spatiotemporal distribution groups. Our results indicated that the influence of photosynthetic characteristics on demographic traits and species distributions was not straightforward. Rather, there was a complex pattern of interaction between ecophysiological and demographic traits, which determined species successional status, post-hurricane response and ultimately, species distribution at our study site.

  18. [Influence of patients' attitude on doctors' satisfaction with the doctor-patient relationship].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Zheng; Qiu, Ze-qi; Zhang, Tuo-hong

    2009-04-18

    To describe the doctors' satisfaction of the doctor-patient relationship and find out the influencing factors of the patients, gathering evidence to improve the doctor-patient relationship. This study was a cross-sectional study, in which doctors and nurses in 10 hospitals of Beijing, Shandong and Chongqing were surveyed with structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The mean score of the doctors' satisfaction of the doctor-patient relationship was 59.97, which was much lower than the patients'. The patients' socio-demographic characteristics, social economic status (SES) and behavior characteristics influence the interaction of the doctors and the patients. The doctors' satisfaction of the doctor-patient relationship was influenced by the patients' trust. The doctors' perspective is helpful to define the tension and the cause of the doctor-patient relationship. The patients' characteristics have important influence on the doctor-patient relationship. It's necessary to take action on the patients to improve the doctor-patient relationship.

  19. Impact of socio-demographic characteristics on travel expenditures of Hungarian tourists in the village of Skorenovac

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krejić Živana

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Development of rural tourism in Vojvodina affects the survival of village and livelihoods of its people. Despite the numerous problems that villages of Vojvodina face, an example of good practice is the village of Skorenovac in the municipality of Kovin in Banat. Local culture, traditions and legends of the distant past, and a unique way of life of the population of this village are the primary motives and grounds of the arrival of tourists and they affect the development of rural tourism. The aim of this study was to determine whether there are differences in the consumption of Hungarian tourists in the village Skorenovac in relation to age, level of education and gender. The results of research should serve as encouragement of rural households to monitor socio-demographic characteristics of tourists to suitably form the tourist offer in order to increase profit.

  20. Socio-demographic and Clinical Features of Young Adult Males Using Synthetic Cannabinoid (English

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taner Oznur

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Object: Synthetic Cannabinoid (SC use is becoming more widespread throughout the world. Studies that revealed user profiles indicate that the drug is especially popular among young men. Knowledge on sociodemographic, clinical characteristics and motivation for SC users in our country is limited. On the other hand, in spite of the increase of information known about symptoms of acute intoxication of SC use, physical and psychiatric consequences and loss of function due to longterm use of SC is limited. In this study, we aimed to investigate socio-demographic and clinical characteristics associated with SC use and the negative consequences caused by the use of SC. Methods: 166 male patients who admitted to the psychiatric outpatient clinic due to SC use disorder between November 2014 to April 2015 were enrolled in the study. Demographic data of patients, substance use characteristics, familial substance use, reasons for substance use, medical history, the problems related to drug use was questioned. Results: The age of onset for SC use was found to be 17.25 ± 2.30. SC using duration was 3.79 ± 2.15 years. The most common agents accompanying SC use were smoking (95.8% and cannabis (88.6%. It was determined that 62.7% developed suicidal ideas due to SC use. Among psychiatric side effects, most common were euphoria, hallucinations, skepticism and suicidal ideation. About 1/3 of cases were found to live loss of business and legal issues depending on long-term SC use. 76.5% of the patients' consumed SC through inhalation and 22.9 % orally. It was determined that oral users began SC use at an earlier age than users via inhalation. Discussion: Despite the physical, mental, occupational, social and legal problems caused by the use of SC, it has become an important public health problem, especially among young men. Effective intervention programs for the use of outbreaking SCs need to be developed.

  1. Differences in Food and Beverage Marketing Policies and Practices in US School Districts, by Demographic Characteristics of School Districts, 2012

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michael, Shannon; Brener, Nancy D.; Coffield, Edward; Kingsley, Beverly S.; Zytnick, Deena; Blanck, Heidi

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Foods and beverages marketed in schools are typically of poor nutritional value. School districts may adopt policies and practices to restrict marketing of unhealthful foods and to promote healthful choices. Students’ exposure to marketing practices differ by school demographics, but these differences have not yet been examined by district characteristics. Methods We analyzed data from the 2012 School Health Policies and Practices Study to examine how food and beverage marketing and promotion policies and practices varied by district characteristics such as metropolitan status, size, and percentage of non-Hispanic white students. Results Most practices varied significantly by district size: a higher percentage of large districts than small or medium-sized districts restricted marketing of unhealthful foods and promoted healthful options. Compared with districts whose student populations were majority (>50%) non-Hispanic white, a higher percentage of districts whose student populations were minority non-Hispanic white (≤50% non-Hispanic white) prohibited advertising of soft drinks in school buildings and on school grounds, made school meal menus available to students, and provided families with information on school nutrition programs. Compared with suburban and rural districts, a higher percentage of urban districts prohibited the sale of soft drinks on school grounds and used several practices to promote healthful options. Conclusion Preliminary findings showing significant associations between district demographics and marketing policies and practices can be used to help states direct resources, training, and technical assistance to address food and beverage marketing and promotion to districts most in need of improvement. PMID:27978408

  2. Response to baricitinib therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with inadequate response to csDMARDs as a function of baseline characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kremer, Joel M; Schiff, Michael; Muram, David; Zhong, Jinglin; Alam, Jahangir; Genovese, Mark C

    2018-01-01

    We analysed the effects of baseline characteristics on the safety and efficacy of baricitinib in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with inadequate response to conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) from two phase III trials. In RA-BEAM (NCT01710358), patients with inadequate response to methotrexate were randomised to placebo, baricitinib 4 mg or adalimumab 40 mg. RA-BUILD (NCT01721057) patients had inadequate response to ≥1 csDMARDs and were randomised to either placebo or once-daily baricitinib (2 or 4 mg). Both study populations were naïve to biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs). Primary end point for both studies was American College of Rheumatology 20% improvement (ACR20) response at week 12. Pooled data from the two trials were analysed post hoc based on select subgroups defined by age, previous csDMARD use, baseline RA disease activity, etc, with assessment of clinical and safety outcomes at week 12 and radiographic outcomes at week 24 for the baricitinib 4 mg and placebo-treated patients. Efficacy was observed with baricitinib 4 mg treatment irrespective of patient demographics and baseline disease characteristics. ORs primarily favoured baricitinib over placebo in the ACR20 response. In other outcomes such as Disease Activity Score for 28 joints based on high-sensitivity C reactive protein levels, Simplified Disease Activity Index score ≤11 and radiographic progression, baricitinib 4 mg showed better responses than placebo regardless of baseline characteristics. Safety events were more common in patients over 65 years, but similar between baricitinib 4 mg and placebo patients. Baseline characteristics did not substantially affect clinical response to baricitinib 4 mg in patients with RA with inadequate response to csDMARDs.

  3. Association between time of pay-for-performance for patients and community health services use by chronic patients.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xi Sun

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Pay-for-performance for patients is a cost-effective means of improving health behaviours. This study examined the association between the pay time for performance for patients and CHS use by chronic patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was undertaken to estimate distribution characteristics of CHS use in 2011 and collect data of socio-demographic characteristics (sex, age, education level, occupation, disposable personal income in 2011, distance between home and community health agency, chronic disease number, and time of pay-for-performance for patients. Participants were 889 rural adults with hypertension or type II diabetes aged 35 and above. Standardized CHS use means chronic patients use CHS at least once per quarter. RESULTS: Patients who received incentives prior to services had 2.724 times greater odds of using standardized CHS than those who received incentives after services (95%CI, 1.986-3.736, P<0.001. For all subgroups (socio-demographic characteristics and chronic disease number, patients who received incentives prior to services were more likely to use standardized CHS than those receiving incentives after services. CONCLUSIONS: Pay time for performance for patients was associated with CHS use by chronic patients. Patients receiving incentive prior to services were more likely to use standardized CHS. And pay time should not be ignored when the policy on pay-for-performance for patients is designed.

  4. Relationship between patient characteristics and treatment allocation for patients with personality disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Manen, Janine G; Andrea, Helene; van den Eijnden, Ellen; Meerman, Anke M M A; Thunnissen, Moniek M; Hamers, Elisabeth F M; Huson, Nelleke; Ziegler, Uli; Stijnen, Theo; Busschbach, Jan J V; Timman, Reinier; Verheul, Roel

    2011-10-01

    Within a large multi-center study in patients with personality disorders, we investigated the relationship between patient characteristics and treatment allocation. Personality pathology, symptom distress, treatment history, motivational factors, and sociodemographics were measured at intake in 923 patients, who subsequently enrolled in short-term or long-term outpatient, day hospital, or inpatient psychotherapy for personality pathology. Logistic regressions were used to examine the predictors of allocation decisions. We found a moderate relationship (R(2) = 0.36) between patient characteristics and treatment setting, and a weak relationship (R(2) = 0.18) between patient characteristics and treatment duration. The most prominent predictors for setting were: symptom distress, cluster C personality pathology, level of identity integration, treatment history, motivation, and parental responsibility. For duration the most prominent predictor was age. We conclude from this study that, in addition to pathology and motivation factors, sociodemographics and treatment history are related to treatment allocation in clinical practice.

  5. Demographic and Personal Characteristics of Male and Female Chairs in Academic Psychiatry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doyle, Marley; Pederson, Aderonke; Meltzer-Brody, Samantha

    2016-06-01

    Despite the strong representation of female psychiatrists in residency and early-career positions, the number of female faculty sharply decreases in tenured or executive leadership positions. Why there exists a marked change in representation at the level of senior leadership within academic psychiatry is unclear. The authors investigated the causative factors contributing to this observation and gathered information about the personal characteristics of women in executive leadership roles. The authors surveyed psychiatry chairs at academic institutions. They identified all female chairs and randomly selected a group of male chairs to serve as a control group. The survey assessed perceived barriers, strengths, and weaknesses and differences in demographics and leadership styles between female and male chairs. Ten percent of psychiatry chairs were female. Male chairs were more likely than female chairs to head large departments (p = 0.02, confidence interval (CI) -17.1-69.1) and had a higher H-index (p = 0.001, CI 6.6-37.2). Female chairs were more likely than male chairs to perceive barriers in their career development (p = 0.01, CI 0.7-2.2), citing little or no mentorship (p = 0.04), gender discrimination (p = 0.0001), and family obligations (p = 0.001) more often. Academic institutions must incorporate programs to decrease barriers and work to achieve equitable representation of women in upper-level leadership positions. Moreover, academic medicine must evolve to cultivate a family-friendly environment that successfully supports both genders.

  6. Description of selected characteristics of familial glioma patients – Results from the Gliogene Consortium

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sadetzki, Siegal; Bruchim, Revital; Oberman, Bernice

    2013-01-01

    While certain inherited syndromes (e.g. Neurofibromatosis or Li-Fraumeni) are associated with an increased risk of glioma, most familial gliomas are non-syndromic. This study describes the demographic and clinical characteristics of the largest series of non-syndromic glioma families ascertained ...

  7. Openness to Change: Experiential and Demographic Components of Change in Local Health Department Leaders

    OpenAIRE

    Jadhav, Emmanuel D.; Holsinger, James W.; Fardo, David W.

    2015-01-01

    Background During the 2008–2010 economic recession, Kentucky local health department (LHD) leaders utilized innovative strategies to maintain their programs. A characteristic of innovative strategy is leader openness to change. Leader demographical research in for-profit organizations has yielded valuable insight into leader openness to change. For LHD leaders, the nature of the association between leader demographic and organizational characteristics on leader openness to change is unknow...

  8. Demographic variables, clinical aspects, and medicolegal implications in a population of patients with adjustment disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anastasia, Annalisa; Colletti, Chiara; Cuoco, Valentina; Quartini, Adele; Urso, Stefania; Rinaldi, Raffaella; Bersani, Giuseppe

    2016-01-01

    Although adjustment disorder (AD) is considered as residual diagnosis and receives little attention in research, it plays an important role in clinical practice and also assumes an increasingly important role in the field of legal medicine, where the majority of diagnostic frameworks (eg, mobbing) often refer to AD. Our study aimed to look for specific stressor differences among demographic and clinical variables in a naturalistic setting of patients with AD. A restrospective statistical analysis of the data of patients diagnosed with AD from November 2009 to September 2012, identified via manual search from the archive of the outpatient setting at the University Unit of Psychiatry "A. Fiorini" Hospital, Terracina (Latina, Italy), was performed. The sample consisted of 93 patients (46 males and 47 females), aged between 26 and 85, with medium-high educational level who were mainly employed. In most cases (54.80%), a diagnosis of AD with mixed anxiety and depressed mood was made. In all, 72% of the sample reported a negative family history for psychiatric disorders. In 22.60%, a previous history of psychopathology, especially mood disorders (76.19%), was reported. The main stressors linked to the development of AD were represented by working problems (32.30%), family problems (23.70%), and/or somatic disease (22.60%) with significant differences with respect to age and sex. Half of the patients were subjected to a single first examination; 24.47% requested a copy of medical records. Confirming previous data from previous reports, our results suggest that AD may have a distinct profile in demographic and clinical terms. Increased scientific attention is hoped, particularly focused on addressing a better definition of diagnostic criteria, whose correctness and accuracy are critical, especially in situations with medicolegal implications.

  9. FBXW7 mutations in patients with advanced cancers: clinical and molecular characteristics and outcomes with mTOR inhibitors.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Denis L Jardim

    Full Text Available FBXW7 is a tumor suppressor gene responsible for the degradation of several proto-oncogenes. Preclinical data suggest that FBXW7 mutations sensitize cells to mTOR inhibitors. Clinicopathologic characteristics of cancer patients with FBXW7 mutations and their responses to mTOR inhibitors remain unknown.Using multiplex gene panels we evaluated how the FBXW7 mutation affected the cancer phenotype of patients referred to a phase I clinic starting January 2012. Whenever possible patients positive for FBXW7 mutation were treated with regimens containing an mTOR inhibitors and their outcomes were reviewed.FBXW7 mutations were detected in 17 of 418 patients (4.0%. Among tumor types with more than 10 patients tested, FBXW7 mutations occurred in colorectal cancer (7/49; 14.3%, squamous cell cancer of head and neck (2/18; 11.1%, liver (1/13; 7.7%, and ovarian cancers (1/40; 2.5%. No one clinical, pathological or demographic feature was characteristic of the FBXW7-mutated patient population. The mutation occurred in isolation in only 2/17 (12% patients, and KRAS was frequently found as a concomitant mutation, especially in patients with colorectal cancer (6/7; 86%. Ten patients were treated on a protocol containing an mTOR inhibitor, with a median time to treatment failure of 2.8 months (range, 1.3-6.8. One patient with liver cancer (fibrolamellar subtype continues to have a prolonged stable disease for 6.8+ months.In patients with advanced cancers, somatic mutations in FBXW7 usually occur with other simultaneous molecular aberrations, which can contribute to limited therapeutic efficacy of mTOR inhibitors.

  10. Are characteristics of team members important for quality management of chronic patients at primary care level?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klemenc-Ketis, Zalika; Poplas-Susič, Antonija

    2017-12-01

    To determine the possible associations between higher levels of selected quality indicators and the characteristics of providers. In 2011, an ongoing project on a new model of family medicine practice was launched in Slovenia; the family physicians' working team (a family physician and a practice nurse) was extended by a nurse practitioner working 0.5 full-time equivalents. This was an example of a personalised team approach to managing chronic patients. We included all family medicine practices in the six units of the Community Health Centre Ljubljana which were participating in the project in December 2015 (N = 66). Data were gathered from automatic electronic reports on quality indicators provided monthly by each practice. We also collected demographic data. There were 66 family medicine teams in the sample, with 165 members of their teams (66 family physicians, 33 nurse practitioners and 66 practice nurses). Fifty-six (84.4%) of the family physicians were women, as were 32 (97.0%) of the nurse practitioners, and 86 (95.5%) of the practice nurses. Multivariate analysis showed that a higher level of the quality indicator "Examination of diabetic foot once per year" was independently associated with nurse practitioners having attended additional education on diabetes, duration of participation in the project, age and years worked since graduation of nurse practitioners, working in the Center unit and not working in the Bezigrad unit. Characteristics of team members are important in fostering quality management of chronic patients. Nurse practitioners working in new model family practices need obligatory, continuous professional education in the management of chronic patients. The quality of care of chronic patients depends on the specific characteristics of the members of the team, which should be taken into account when planning quality improvements. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Relationships Between Self-Reported Leadership Practices, Job Satisfaction, and Demographics of Radiology Administrators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackowski, Melissa B; Burroughs, Brandon Michael

    2015-01-01

    To evaluate the self-reported leadership practices of radiology administrators and the demographic characteristics associated with those leadership practices. The effect of these demographic characteristics and leadership practices on job satisfaction also was studied. One-hundred forty-nine American Society of Radiologic Technologists members who indicated they have a position of administrator/manager, chief technologist, or supervisor completed a demographic survey and the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) self-survey tool. The LPI divides successful leadership into 5 practices: Challenge the Process, Inspire a Shared Vision, Enable Others to Act, Encourage the Heart, and Model the Way. The categories Challenge the Process and Inspire a Shared Vision had the lowest mean scores and the widest variation. Having had formal leadership training and being older were demographic characteristics associated with higher LPI scores. Having a higher LPI score and having had formal leadership training were associated with higher job satisfaction. Formal leadership training was the only statistically significant variable when using LPI score as the response variable. The results of this study show that radiology administrators would benefit from formal leadership training that focuses on challenging the process and inspiring a shared vision.

  12. Serbian demographers on demography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rašević Mirjana

    2013-01-01

    ageing were singled out the most as significant for examining in the immediate future. The inclusion of Stanovništvo on the Science Citation Information Journal List and expanding the circle of authors were the basic recommendations of the respondents regarding better quality of the journal. All interviewed experts mentioned various kinds of knowledge and characteristics necessary for demographers to posses in order to be successful. Contrary to the homogeneous opinion that a demographer should be a superior-researcher, a wide range of responses were given to the question regarding selecting the best indicator for determining the successfulness of researchers in the study of population. As many as eight out of ten interviewed experts believe population ageing is the greatest population challenge which Serbia is facing. However, a low level of consensus appeared among the demographers as regards the range of the political response. Namely, five experts declared they were pessimists in view of the possibilities for mitigating the challenge they singled out. On the contrary, five interviewed experts expressed optimism, as they believe in the economic development of Serbia, the possibilities of institutional adjustments to demographic changes, and/or in man and his rationality. Conclusion: Demographers in Serbia highly appreciate the discipline they belong to. At the same time they are strict critics and have high expectations in all matters dealing with demography. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 47006: Istraživanje demografskih fenomena u funkciji javnih politika u Srbiji

  13. Characteristics of patients in routine psycho-oncological care, and changes in outcome variables during and after their treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garssen, Bert; Van der Lee, Marije; Van der Poll, Amber; Ranchor, Adelita V; Sanderman, Robbert; Schroevers, Maya J

    2016-10-01

    The primary aim of this study was to determine the characteristics of clients and interventions in routine psycho-oncological care. The secondary aim was to determine the course of symptomatology during and after the psychological interventions. During a period of nine months, all clients who sought help in one of the seven psycho-oncological care institutes in the Netherlands were approached to participate in the present study (N = 483). Information was gathered with respect to demographic and medical characteristics, and type and duration of the interventions. In addition, depression, anxiety, well-being, quality of life, fatigue and daily function were determined before interventions and three and nine months later. Compared to the Dutch cancer population, patients in psycho-oncological care were more often young and female. Compared to the general Dutch population, they were highly educated and were more likely to have a partner. Clinical levels of depression, anxiety and/or fatigue were found among 83% of the patients. After three months, only 23% had completed their intervention; this figure was 62% after nine months. Symptoms decreased significantly for all outcome variables. An importance difference with randomised controlled trials is the low session frequency and the long intervention time of patients in clinical care.

  14. Demographic, criminal and psychiatric factors related to inmate suicide

    OpenAIRE

    Blaauw, E.; Kerkhof, A.J.F.M.; Hayes, L.M.

    2005-01-01

    A review of 19 studies suggests that it may be feasible to identify prisoners with suicide risk on the basis of demographic, psychiatric, and criminal characteristics. The present study aimed to identify combinations of characteristics that are capable of identifying potential suicide victims. Characteristics of 95 suicide victims in the Dutch prison system were compared with those of a random sample of 247 inmates in ten jails. Combinations of indicators for suicide risk were also tested for...

  15. Socio-demographic characteristics as determinants of quality of life and depression of older people in Serbia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaredić Biljana N.

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Studying the process of aging and old age is an important question in social sciences. The quality of life at this age, among other things, is being enriched with new life opportunities and challenges, as well as developmental tasks every single individual has to face with. Therefore the focus of this research is the correlation of the quality of life and depressiveness with different demographic characteristics of older people in Serbia. The demographic variables included: gender, age, education, marital status and monthly income of the respondents. The quality of life is measured using the Older People's Quality of Life Questionnaire - OPQOL (Bowling, 2009, as well as several questions on life domain satisfaction and chronical disease, while depressiveness was measured using Geriatric Depression Scale - GDS (Greenberg, 2007. The sample was a convenience one, consisted of 497 respondents, 50,35% of men and 49,7% of women, 65-92 years old. The final results show that the quality of life of older people in Serbia is within the average range, and depressiveness belongs to the -category with the level of mild occurence. Men are more satisfied with a job they have or used to have, while women better estimate their independence and control over their life. The age of respondents positively correlates with marital satisfaction, satisfaction with job, with parental role, health, social relations, independence and monthly incomes. The amount of monthly income positively correlates with job satisfaction and well-being, while it is negatively correlated with health, social relations, independence, home and neighbourhood, financial status and the depressiveness of the respondents. The level of education is significantly correlated with marital satisfaction, job, whole life, health, social relations and activities, satisfaction with home and neighbourhood, emotional and psychic well-being, financial status and the level of depressiveness of the respondents

  16. Comparative study of an HIV risk scorecard and regression models to rank effects of demographic characteristics on risk of aquiring an HIV infection

    OpenAIRE

    Wilbert Sibanda; Philip Pretorius

    2013-01-01

    This research paper covers the development of an HIV risk scorecard using SAS Enterprise MinerTM. The HIV risk scorecard was developed using the 2007 South African annual antenatal HIV and syphilis seroprevalence data. Limited comparisons are made with a more recent 2010 antenatal database. Antenatal data contains various demographic characteristics for each pregnant woman, such as pregnant woman’s age, male sexual partner’s age, population group, level of education, gravidity, parity, HIV an...

  17. Development of a Decision Support System to Predict Physicians' Rehabilitation Protocols for Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawamdeh, Ziad M.; Alshraideh, Mohammad A.; Al-Ajlouni, Jihad M.; Salah, Imad K.; Holm, Margo B.; Otom, Ali H.

    2012-01-01

    To design a medical decision support system (MDSS) that would accurately predict the rehabilitation protocols prescribed by the physicians for patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) using only their demographic and clinical characteristics. The demographic and clinical variables for 170 patients receiving one of three treatment protocols for knee…

  18. Sensorimotor Characteristics of Neuro-Ophthalmology and Oculo-Plastics Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christoff, Alex

    2015-01-01

    Certified orthoptists are routinely required, as a standard component of outpatient care, to examine and identify the cause of double vision described by neuro-ophthalmology and oculo-plastics patients. Peer-reviewed articles in the strabismus literature describing the significance of this role of the orthoptists, especially in more complex cases of strabismus, do exist, but are outdated. The importance of creating a differential diagnosis in the understanding of the disease process is a well-recognized component of medical education and modern medicine. This work was a retrospective chart review and descriptive study of the most common clinical characteristics of adult neuro-ophthalmology and oculo-plastics patients seen over a 9-year period by an orthoptist in a large, urban academic institution in the United States. History and clinical data obtained included demographic information; whether the subjects were neuro-ophthalmology or oculo-plastic patients or both; chief complaint; past medical history and associated medical risk factors; past ocular history of strabismus or amblyopia; whether reported diplopia was monocular or binocular; visual acuities; sensorimotor examination and fusion status information; presence or absence of ptosis; pupil size and reactivity; basic accommodative function; orthoptist and physician diagnoses; and suggested treatment of diplopia. Five hundred seventy-five subjects were identified based on inclusion criteria. Racial demographics matched that of the state of Maryland, with the majority of the patients being Caucasian. The minority were of Hispanic origin. Ninety-one percent of the study cohort was referred by the department of neuro-ophthalmology at the institution. Hypertension was a statistically significant medical risk factor for acquired strabismus and diplopia in this adult cohort. Etiology for the strabismus and associated diplopia suggested by the orthoptist was in close agreement with the final diagnosis made by the

  19. Clinical and angiographic characteristics of patients likely to have vulnerable plaques: analysis from the PROSPECT study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bourantas, Christos V; Garcia-Garcia, Hector M; Farooq, Vasim; Maehara, Akiko; Xu, Ke; Généreux, Philippe; Diletti, Roberto; Muramatsu, Takashi; Fahy, Martin; Weisz, Giora; Stone, Gregg W; Serruys, Patrick W

    2013-12-01

    This study sought to determine the clinical and angiographic variables that would identify patients with high-risk "vulnerable" coronary plaques. In the PROSPECT (Providing Regional Observations to Study Predictors of Events in the Coronary Tree) study, in patients successfully treated for acute coronary syndrome (ACS), plaque composition, plaque burden, and minimal luminal area as detected by 3-vessel radiofrequency intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging were associated with an increased risk of developing future events from untreated atherosclerotic lesions (vulnerable plaques). Whether baseline demographic and angiographic findings can be used to identify patients most likely to have vulnerable coronary plaques has not been examined. On the basis of 3-vessel radiofrequency IVUS imaging, patents in the PROSPECT trial were classified in 2 groups according to whether or not one or more untreated high-risk plaques were present, defined as having ≥2 high-risk features (a thin-cap fibroatheroma, plaque burden ≥70%, and/or minimal luminal area ≤4 mm(2)). The high-risk group (those with one or more high-risk lesions) had higher Framingham risk score (7.5 ± 3.4 vs. 6.9 ± 3.3; p = 0.04), more extensive coronary artery disease, and more nonculprit lesion-related cardiovascular events during the 3-year follow-up (hazard ratio: 2.63; 95% confidence interval: 1.62 to 3.66; p < 0.0001). However, demographic factors had poor discrimination in detecting high-risk patients (area under the curve 0.55), and discrimination was only slightly improved when angiographic variables were entered into the model (area under the curve 0.64). Clinical and angiographic characteristics had poor predictive accuracy in identifying patients with untreated high-risk plaques related to future adverse events. This finding highlights the potential value of comprehensive 3-vessel imaging assessment (either invasive or noninvasive) to evaluate plaque phenotype for more accurate risk

  20. Characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Qatar: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lutf, Abdo; Poil, Abdul R; Hammoudeh, Mohammed

    2014-01-01

    To describe the clinical characteristics, serologic, radiological and clinical disease activity, and modality of therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at tertiary outpatient care in Qatar. The study design was cross-sectional where 100 consecutive cases who met 1987 American College of Rheumatology criteria for diagnosis of RA were enrolled in this study. Demographic data (sex, nationality and age) numbers of swollen and tender joints, X-rays and current medications were collected during outpatients visits to Hamad General Hospital. Disease Activity Score of 28 joints (DAS28) and Health Assessment Questionnaires (HAQ) scores were calculated. All patients with RA who were seen as rheumatology outpatients were invited to participate in the study. One hundred patients were seen and examined during their follow-up at the outpatient clinic; data were collected and analyzed. Females represented 67% of all patients, 6% had more than six swollen joints, 9% had more than six tender joints. DAS28 and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28) calculation revealed 49% of patients were in remission (DAS28  3.2.Mean HAQ score was 1.02. Rheumatoid factor (RF) was positive in 63%, while anti-cyclic citrullinated protein antibody (anti-CCP) was positive in 71%, and 49% were positive for both. Radiography of hands and feet during the previous year was done in 65% of patients: 11% of them had erosions. Sixty-six percent were on one synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) and 27% where on more than one synthetic DMARD and 7% where on no DMRD. Glucocorticoids were used in 51% and 29% were on biologics. Sixty-four percent of rheumatoid arthritis patients in Qatar were in remission or had low disease activity while the remaining 36% had active disease and among these patients 29% were on biologics. © 2013 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  1. clinical characteristics of cataract patients with pseudoexfoliation

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    User

    the clinical characteristics of pseudoexfoliation syndrome among cataract patients examined at ... CONCLUSION: A significant number of patients with PEX had poor zonular integrity and high IOP ... Poor zonular integrity may give rise to.

  2. Clinical Characteristic Picture and Impact of Symptoms on Quality of Life of Interstitial Cystitis Patients in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Ming-Huei; Lin, Alex Tong-Long; Kuo, Hann-Chorng; Chen, Yung-Fu

    2014-01-01

    No clinical characteristic picture and impact of symptoms on quality of life (QOL) of interstitial cystitis (IC) patients in Taiwan had been reported. This paper is intended to provide preliminary descriptive results of IC research in Taiwan. A total of 319 patients, based on National Institute of Arthritis, Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) criteria, were enrolled in the study from February 2004 through March 2006. Evaluation data included baseline demographic information, patient and family medical history, dietary effects, pregnancy data, sexual relationships with symptoms, and impact of symptoms on quality of life. The main responsibility of the hospitals discussed was patient care and data collection. Taichung Hospital presents the results. The Interstitial Cystitis Database (ICDB) patients were predominantly female, that is, 86% of the total, with an average enrollment age of 46. The analysis of various symptoms indicates the following distribution: (i) 94% frequency; (ii) 80% pain; (iii) 53% nocturia; (iv) 43% urgency; and (v) 10% associated incontinence. Approximately 83% reported pain over the bladder while in full stage, and 74% reported pain relief after voiding. The predominant characteristic of pain was full sensation (54%) with the predominant position on low abdominal area (52%). Moreover, 80% reported sleeping disturbance due to disease, and 66% reported difficulty in performing daily work. Interstitial cystitis patients in Taiwan have lower economic status but lower impact on QOL than Western patients. However, the sexual-related pain and sleeping disorder were higher than previously thought and deserve our attention. Accordingly, this research provides a foundation for further investigations of baseline associations and longitudinal trends. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  3. Qualified nurses' perceptions of nursing graduates' abilities vary according to specific demographic and clinical characteristics. A descriptive quantitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Missen, Karen; McKenna, Lisa; Beauchamp, Alison; Larkins, Jo-Ann

    2016-10-01

    Evidence from the literature and anecdotally from clinical settings suggests that newly graduated nurses are not fully prepared to be independent practitioners in healthcare settings. The aim of this study was to explore perceptions of qualified nurses in relation to the practice readiness of newly registered nursing graduates and determine whether these views differ according to specific demographic characteristics, clinical settings, and geographical locations. A descriptive quantitative design was used. An online survey tool was used to assess how qualified nurses (n=201) in Victoria, Australia, rated newly graduated nurses' abilities on 51 individual clinical skills/competencies in eight key skill areas. A composite score was calculated for each skill area and a comparative analysis was undertaken on the various cohorts of participants according to their demographic and clinical characteristics using one-way ANOVA and post hoc tests. Newly graduated nurses were found to be lacking competence in two key skill areas and were rated as performing adequately in the remaining six skill areas assessed. Significant differences (p≤0.05) in performance were found according to the age of the nurse, number of years registered, the educational setting in which they undertook their nurse education, their role, and the clinical area in which they worked. There were no significant differences according to whether the nurse worked in the private or public healthcare sector. Few differences were found between nurses working in a metropolitan vs. regional/rural healthcare setting. This is the first study to quantify the scale of this problem. Our findings serve as a reference for both nurse education providers and healthcare settings in better preparing nursing graduates to be competent, safe practitioners in all clinical areas. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Nurses’ and Cancer Patients’ Perceptions of Symptom Distress-A replication Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    1991-01-01

    Procedure 58 Data Analysis Plan 59 Summary 60 CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS OF DATA ANALYSIS 61 Description of the Samples 61 Demographic Characteristics of Patients...61 Demographic Characteristics of Nurses 67 Instrument Reliability 68 Statistical Analysis of the Research Questiors 70 Research Question 1 70...attain, NURSING SITUATION 1 9 IPATIENT NUR’,E HEALTH-ILLNESS Symptoms of Cancer Treatment Perception Perception Symptom Distress Modified Symptom

  5. Demographic and transportation parameters in RADTRAN

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brogan, J.D.; Cashwell, J.W.; Neuhauser, K.S.

    1989-01-01

    Recent efforts at Sandia National Laboratories have focused not only on modification of the RADTRAN transportation risk analysis code but also on updating the default parameters for population, land use, and roadway characteristics used by the code. Changes to the code have been discussed earlier in this Conference. This paper summarizes the results of a review of transportation and demographic parameters, performed to complement recent model modifications

  6. Sense of coherence and socio-demographic characteristics predicting posttraumatic stress symptoms and recovery in the aftermath of the Second Lebanon War.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kimhi, Shaul; Eshel, Yohanan; Zysberg, Leehu; Hantman, Shira; Enosh, Guy

    2010-01-01

    This study investigated the role of sense of coherence (SOC) as a mediator between demographic attributes of individuals (gender, age, economic situation, and exposure to traumatic events during the war) and two war outcomes (postwar stress symptoms and perceived posttraumatic recovery). The participants were 870 adults (ages ranged between 20 and 85), who were affected by the Second Lebanon War and were evacuated from their home town. They were administered the research questionnaire approximately one year after this war. Path analysis indicated the following: gender, age, economic situation, and exposure were significantly associated with level of symptoms as well as perceived recovery. However, three of these connections (age, economic, and exposure) were partially mediated by SOC which was linked with lower levels of stress symptoms and higher levels of perceived posttraumatic recovery. Unlike our hypothesis, exposure by age interaction was not significantly associated with SOC and the two war outcomes. Results supported the hypotheses that SOC mediates between demographic characteristics and negative (symptoms) as well as positive (perceived recovery) war outcomes.

  7. The influence of demographic and psychosocial factors on the intensity of pain among chronic patients receiving home-based nursing care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T Antony

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim: To determine the influence of the demographic and the psychosocial factors on the intensity of pain manifestation among the chronic ill patients. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out among 328 chronic patients under home-based nursing care in Southern State of Kerala, India, from July to August 2015. Each patient was interviewed during a scheduled home visit by a trained health professional. The translated version of the assessment tool questionnaire "Medical Outcome Study-Short Form Health Survey" was used for the data collection. Results: Sixty-four (19.5% out of 328 patients reported pain as one of the primary symptoms of their disease. The percentage of the patients who were suffering from pain increases with the improvements in both the educational level and the monthly income (P = 0.002 and 0.019, respectively. The social interaction with the relatives and other community members was significantly related to pain manifestation (P = 0.013. A higher degree of social interaction was associated with lower pain intensity (P = 0.019. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that certain demographic and psychosocial factors carry a significant level of influence on the pain manifestation and its intensity among the chronic patients. Hence, improvements in education, economic status, and psychosocial support should be considered for the management of the chronic patients.

  8. [The beginning of the Cuban demographic revolution].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hernandez Castellon, R

    1981-01-01

    The characteristics of the Cuban demographic revolution associated with the main economic, political, and social changes in the country are analyzed. The authors begin with a brief historical outline of the political-economic situation in the country in the middle of the 19th century. There is emphasis on the dependency of the Cuban economy and its monoproducer nature (with sugar being the major export). This was due to the Spanish colonization and to the subsequent American neocolonization. The discovery of the cause for yellow fever by a Cuban physician and the sanitation campaign conducted by the Americans contributed to a diminishing of mortality. A great migratory flow occurred due to the price of sugar in the world market. This must have influenced Cuban demographic patterns which are a major factor linked to the demographic revolution. The influence on proliferation of urbanization and educational trends is emphasized. The low participation in economic activities of women during the early part of the century did affect fertility levels. The trends in mortality throughout the period 1907-43 are pointed out. It was found that 1 major aspect which had a bearing on Cuban demographic patterns was the 2 large migratory flows. An analysis of growth rates in the population--which also confirms the demographic changes in Cuba--is presented. It is concluded that the 4th decade of this century witnessed Cuba's entry in a new stage of the demographic revolution, a stage in which decreased fertility and mortality go together to create a new period. (author's)

  9. Bleeding frequency and characteristics among hematologic malignancy inpatient rehabilitation patients with severe thrombocytopenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Jack B; Tennison, Jegy M; Rutzen-Lopez, Isabel M; Silver, Julie K; Morishita, Shinichiro; Dibaj, Seyedeh S; Bruera, Eduardo

    2018-03-28

    To identify the frequency and characteristics of bleeding complications during acute inpatient rehabilitation of hematologic malignancy patients with severe thrombocytopenia. Retrospective descriptive analysis. Comprehensive cancer center acute inpatient rehabilitation unit. Consecutive hematologic malignancy patients with a platelet count of less than or equal to 20,000/microliter (μL) on the day of acute inpatient rehabilitation admission from 1/1/2005 through 8/31/2016. Medical records were retrospectively analyzed for demographic, laboratory, and medical data. Patients were rehabilitated using the institutional exercise guidelines for thrombocytopenic patients. Bleeding events noted in the medical record. Out of 135 acute inpatient rehabilitation admissions, 133 unique patients were analyzed with a total of 851 inpatient rehabilitation days. The mean platelet count was 14,000/μL on the day of admission and 22,000/μL over the course of the rehabilitation admission. There were 252 days of inpatient rehabilitation where patients had less than 10,000/μL platelets. A total of 97 bleeding events were documented in 77/135 (57%) admissions. Of the 97 bleeding events, 72 (74%), 14 (14%), and 11 (11%) were considered to be of low, medium, and high severity, respectively. There were 4/97 (4%) bleeding events that were highly likely attributable to physical activity but only 1/4 was considered high severity. Bleeding rates were .09, .08, .17, and .37 for > 20,000, 15-20,000, 10-15,000, and rehabilitation in severely thrombocytopenic hematologic cancer patients. Bleeding rates increased with lower platelet counts. However, using the exercise guidelines for severely thrombocytopenic patients, the risk of severe exercise-related bleeding events was low.

  10. Associations Between Physician Empathy, Physician Characteristics, and Standardized Measures of Patient Experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaitoff, Alexander; Sun, Bob; Windover, Amy; Bokar, Daniel; Featherall, Joseph; Rothberg, Michael B; Misra-Hebert, Anita D

    2017-10-01

    To identify correlates of physician empathy and determine whether physician empathy is related to standardized measures of patient experience. Demographic, professional, and empathy data were collected during 2013-2015 from Cleveland Clinic Health System physicians prior to participation in mandatory communication skills training. Empathy was assessed using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy. Data were also collected for seven measures (six provider communication items and overall provider rating) from the visit-specific and 12-month Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Clinician and Group (CG-CAHPS) surveys. Associations between empathy and provider characteristics were assessed by linear regression, ANOVA, or a nonparametric equivalent. Significant predictors were included in a multivariable linear regression model. Correlations between empathy and CG-CAHPS scores were assessed using Spearman rank correlation coefficients. In bivariable analysis (n = 847 physicians), female sex (P empathy scores. In multivariable analysis, female sex (P empathy scores. Of the seven CG-CAHPS measures, scores on five for the 583 physicians with visit-specific data and on three for the 277 physicians with 12-month data were positively correlated with empathy. Specialty and sex were independently associated with physician empathy. Empathy was correlated with higher scores on multiple CG-CAHPS items, suggesting improving physician empathy might play a role in improving patient experience.

  11. Demographic pattern of male breast cancer: an institutional based study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanseem, S.; Khan, M.M.; Khan, M.M.K.

    2011-01-01

    Background: Male breast cancer incidence rises with age with peak in the sixth and seventh decade. It is one of the rare diseases and accounts for less than 1% of all malignancies worldwide. It is usually diagnosed in the late stage with poor prognosis. Objective: The purpose of this study was to know the demographic pattern and tumour characteristic of breast cancer in men reported at Institute of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine (IRNUM), Peshawar. Methods: Retrospective data was collected from the (IRNUM), Peshawar for a period of three years (2006-2008). The evaluation was done from the histopathological reports of mastectomy and biopsy specimens. All male patients in the age group 26 -86 year with breast cancer were included in the study. The age of the patients and tumour characteristics recorded were size, grade, type, skin involvement and stage. Results: Total number of male patients with breast cancer were 31 (2.1%) out of the total patients with breast malignancy during the study period with the mean age of 58.3 years. Tumour size ranged from 2 to 12 Cm. with average of 3.6 Cm. Invasive ductal carcinoma was found in 87% , papillary carcinoma in 6.5%, each of malignant fibrous histocytoma and sarcoma in 3.2% cases. Maximum number of patients was of grade II (41%). Patients in whom stage of the disease was know n were 22 cases with 45.5% had stage III disease and 32% had stage IV disease. Skin involvement was found positive in 8 (25.8%). Conclusion: Due to poor health care system breast cancer is diagnosed in a late stage of the disease and prognosis is poor. (author)

  12. Demographic profile and epidemiology of injury in Mthatha, South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhaffala, A; Longo-Mbenza, B; Kingu, J H; Peden, M; Kafuko-Bwoye, A; Clarke, M; Mazwai, E L

    2013-12-01

    To determine the magnitude, socio-demographic and epidemiological characteristics of injury at a Provincial referral hospital. This review was conducted on all trauma patients admitted at the Mthatha Hospital Complex and Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital from the 1(st) January 1997 to the 31(st) December 2000. The incident rate of injuries was 3.2% (n=2460/75,833 total admissions). Injured patients were mostly black (80%) and males (ratio: 5 men: 1 woman). Only 8.1% of injured patients were transported to hospital by ambulances. The leading causes of injuries were inter-personal violence accounting for 60% of cases, and motor vehicle accidents accounting for 19%; of them 38% were due to poor visibility, over speeding, and fatigue. The overall mortality was 33% (n=821) independently predicted by poverty (OR=8.2 95%CI 6-11.1; P40 years(OR=7.8 95%CI 7.7-12.1;P<0.0001). The burden of injury is a mass issue that warrants regional attention with quality of care and training.

  13. The Relationship between Demographic Variables and Diabetes Self-Management in Diabetic Patients in Amman City/Jordan

    OpenAIRE

    Adwan, Mezyed A.; Najjar, Yahya W.

    2012-01-01

    Background: Diabetes is a chronic disease that requires routine and complicated self care. Although self care can be managed by most diabetes patients, there are many variables that may make diabetes self-management difficult. Aim: The study examined the relationship between clients? demographic variables and diabetes self-management in diabetic clients in Amman city/Jordan. Method: The data were collected through a self-completed questionnaire developed by the researchers and combined with t...

  14. Contribution of Patient Characteristics to Differences in Readmission Rates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barnett, Michael L.; Hsu, John; McWilliams, J. Michael

    2016-01-01

    Importance Medicare penalizes hospitals with higher than expected readmission rates by up to 3% of annual inpatient payments. Expected rates are adjusted only for patients’ age, sex, discharge diagnosis, and recent diagnoses. Objective To assess the extent to which a comprehensive set of patient characteristics accounts for differences in hospital readmission rates. Design and Setting Using survey data from the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and linked Medicare claims, we assessed 29 patient characteristics from survey data and claims as potential predictors of 30-day readmission when added to standard Medicare adjustments of hospital readmission rates. We then compared the distribution of these characteristics between participants admitted to hospitals with higher vs. lower hospital-wide readmission rates reported by Medicare. Finally, we estimated differences in the probability of readmission between these groups of participants before vs. after adjusting for the additional patient characteristics. Participants HRS participants enrolled in Medicare who were hospitalized from 2009–2012 (n=8,067 admissions). Main Outcomes and Measures All-cause readmission within 30 days of discharge. Results Of the additional 29 patient characteristics assessed, 22 significantly predicted readmission beyond standard adjustments, and 17 of these were distributed differently between hospitals in the highest vs. lowest quintiles of publicly reported hospital-wide readmission rates (p≤0.04 for all). Almost all of these differences (16 of 17) indicated that participants admitted to hospitals in the highest quintile of readmission rates were more likely to have characteristics that were associated with a higher probability of readmission. The difference in the probability of readmission between participants admitted to hospitals in the highest vs. lowest quintile of hospital-wide readmission rates was reduced by 48% from 4.41 percentage points with

  15. Openness to change: experiential and demographic components of change in in Local Health Department leaders

    OpenAIRE

    Emmanuel D Jadhav; James W. Holsinger; David W Fardo

    2015-01-01

    Background: During the 2008-10 economic recession, Kentucky local health department (LHD) leaders utilized innovative strategies to maintain their programs. A characteristic of innovative strategy is leader openness to change. Leader demographical research in for-profit organizations has yielded valuable insight into leader openness to change. For LHD leaders the nature of the association between leader demographic and organizational characteristics on leader openness to change is unknown. Th...

  16. Characteristics of female patients with primary lung cancer treated with radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shiojima, Kazumi; Hayakawa, Kazushige; Nakayama, Yuko; Saito, Yoshihiro; Mitomo, Osamu; Katano, Susumu; Mitsuhashi, Norio; Niibe, Hideo

    1993-01-01

    From 1976 to 1985, 402 patients with primary lung cancer were treated with radiotherapy at our hospital. There were 75 female patients who formed the basis of our analysis. Comparing the characteristics of female and male patients, the predominant characteristics of the female patients were as follows; 1) larger proportion of the patients with adenocarcinoma, 2) higher percentage of stage 4 patients, 3) lower average age, 4) better performance status (PS), 5) lower frequency of lethal complications, and 6) higher frequency of more than two admissions. The prognosis of female patients was better than that of males. The favorable characteristics of female patients for prognosis, were lower average age, better PS, and lower frequency of lethal complications. A higher frequency of admission to hospital might be a favorable characteristics for female patients to extend survival in patients with recurrence disease. (author)

  17. Socio - demographic characteristics of HIV patients diagnosed at ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2016-09-12

    Sep 12, 2016 ... the treatment programme. All HIV positive mothers were referred for treatment. Refusal to participate in the study carried no penalty. Data were recorded and standard statistical analysis was performed using SPSS statistical package version 20. Continuous variables were summarized using means,.

  18. Mental health problems in a regional population of Australian adolescents: association with socio-demographic characteristics

    OpenAIRE

    Dray, Julia; Bowman, Jenny; Freund, Megan; Campbell, Elizabeth; Hodder, Rebecca K.; Lecathelinais, Christophe; Wiggers, John

    2016-01-01

    Background Population level data regarding the general mental health status, and the socio-demographic factors associated with the mental health status of adolescents in Australia aged 12?16?years is limited. This study assessed prevalence of mental health problems in a regional population of Australian students in Grades 7?10, and investigated associations between mental health problems and socio-demographic factors. Methods A web-based survey was conducted in 21 secondary schools located in...

  19. Money attitude of Ukrainian young people: socio-demographic aspect

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MARIANNA SIMKIV

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available The article presents the results of research on social and demographic factors of Ukr health literacy, health culture, young adults, concepts of health and healthy lifestyle, motivations, forms of communication, learning methods ainian youth money attitudes. The aim of the research is to identify dependency between money attitudes of the young people and such social and demographic characteristics as sex, age, education, place of residence, place of employment, employment position and level of income. The research required application of survey and questionnaire methods as well as statistical methods of results processing.

  20. Clinical characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorder and co-occurring epilepsy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emma W Viscidi

    Full Text Available To estimate the prevalence of epilepsy in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD and to determine the demographic and clinical characteristics of children with ASD and epilepsy in a large patient population.Cross-sectional study using four samples of children with ASD for a total of 5,815 participants with ASD. The prevalence of epilepsy was estimated from a population-based sample. Children with and without epilepsy were compared on demographic and clinical characteristics. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the association between demographic and clinical characteristics and epilepsy.The average prevalence of epilepsy in children with ASD 2-17 years was 12.5%; among children aged 13 years and older, 26% had epilepsy. Epilepsy was associated with older age, lower cognitive ability, poorer adaptive and language functioning, a history of developmental regression and more severe ASD symptoms. The association between epilepsy and the majority of these characteristics appears to be driven by the lower IQ of participants with epilepsy. In a multivariate regression model, only age and cognitive ability were independently associated with epilepsy. Children age 10 or older had 2.35 times the odds of being diagnosed with epilepsy (p<.001 and for a one standard deviation increase in IQ, the odds of having epilepsy decreased by 47% (p<.001.This is among the largest studies to date of patients with ASD and co-occurring epilepsy. Based on a representative sample of children with ASD, the average prevalence of epilepsy is approximately 12% and reaches 26% by adolescence. Independent associations were found between epilepsy and older age and lower cognitive ability. Other risk factors, such as poor language and developmental regression, are not associated with epilepsy after controlling for IQ. These findings can help guide prognosis and alert clinicians to patients with ASD who are at increased risk for epilepsy.

  1. Comparison of road traffic injury characteristics between local versus floating migrant patients in a tertiary hospital between 2007 and 2010.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chungui Xu

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to give a description of the road traffic injuries (RTIs characteristics of floating migrant population by comparing with those of local residents in a harbor city of China. METHODS: A population-based descriptive study was carried out between 2007 and 2010 with RTI patient records from the Fifth Center Hospital of Tianjin. Inpatient diagnoses of RTI patients were defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10 codes. We analyzed the demographics and general characteristics of RTI patients that were in the hospital during the four years. In order to compare the group differences between local resident patients and floating migrant patients, the distribution of their ages, diagnoses, severity of injuries, duration of inpatient stays, hospitalization cost were analyzed. RESULTS: People between the ages of 16 and 55 were the most likely to suffer RTIs. The floating migrant patients between the ages of 16 and 45 had a higher incidence of accidents, while local resident patients between 46 and 55 had a higher incidence of accidents. Compared to local resident patients, floating migrant patients were more vulnerable to open injuries and severe traffic injuries. With the severity of injuries ranked from mild to severe, floating migrant patients had lower duration of inpatient stay, but higher hospitalization costs compared to local resident patients. CONCLUSIONS: Floating migrant patients had a different age distribution, severity of injuries, diseases, inpatient duration and hospitalization cost compared with local resident patients. Compared to local resident patients, floating migrants had a higher risk to RTIs and were more vulnerable to severer traffic accidents at lower ages.

  2. Prevalence and characteristics of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder in a cohort of young patients in day treatment for eating disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicely, Terri A; Lane-Loney, Susan; Masciulli, Emily; Hollenbeak, Christopher S; Ornstein, Rollyn M

    2014-01-01

    Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is a "new" diagnosis in the recently published DSM-5, but there is very little literature on patients with ARFID. Our objectives were to determine the prevalence of ARFID in children and adolescents undergoing day treatment for an eating disorder, and to compare ARFID patients to other eating disorder patients in the same cohort. A retrospective chart review of 7-17 year olds admitted to a day program for younger patients with eating disorders between 2008 and 2012 was performed. Patients with ARFID were compared to those with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and other specified feeding or eating disorder/unspecified feeding or eating disorder with respect to demographics, anthropometrics, clinical symptoms, and psychometric testing, using Chi-square, ANOVA, and post-hoc analysis. 39/173 (22.5%) patients met ARFID criteria. The ARFID group was younger than the non-ARFID group and had a greater proportion of males. Similar degrees of weight loss and malnutrition were found between groups. Patients with ARFID reported greater fears of vomiting and/or choking and food texture issues than those with other eating disorders, as well as greater dependency on nutritional supplements at intake. Children's Eating Attitudes Test scores were lower for children with than without ARFID. A higher comorbidity of anxiety disorders, pervasive developmental disorder, and learning disorders, and a lower comorbidity of depression, were found in those with ARFID. This study demonstrates that there are significant demographic and clinical characteristics that differentiate children with ARFID from those with other eating disorders in a day treatment program, and helps substantiate the recognition of ARFID as a distinct eating disorder diagnosis in the DSM-5.

  3. Herbal Medicines: Socio-Demographic Characteristics And Pattern ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Herbal medicines are used by patients, mostly without the knowledge of their Doctors and other Health providers. The presentation, course and outcomes of the patient's condition may thus be affected. There has been a lot of concern recently about the use of herbal medicines. The Ghana Food and Drugs Board has come ...

  4. Factor structure and measurement invariance across various demographic groups and over time for the PHQ-9 in primary care patients in Spain.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    César González-Blanch

    Full Text Available The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9 is a widely-used screening tool for depression in primary care settings. The purpose of the present study is to identify the factor structure of the PHQ-9 and to examine the measurement invariance of this instrument across different sociodemographic groups and over time in a sample of primary care patients in Spain. Data came from 836 primary care patients enrolled in a randomized controlled trial (PsicAP study and a subsample of 218 patients who participated in a follow-up assessment at 3 months. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA was used to test one- and two-factor structures identified in previous studies. Analyses of multiple-group invariance were conducted to determine the extent to which the factor structure is comparable across various demographic groups (i.e., gender, age, marital status, level of education, and employment situation and over time. Both one-factor and two-factor re-specified models met all the pre-established fit criteria. However, because the factors identified in the two-factor model were highly correlated (r = .86, the one-factor model was preferred for its parsimony. Multi-group CFA indicated measurement invariance across different demographic groups and across time. The present findings suggest that physicians in Spain can use the PHQ-9 to obtain a global score for depression severity in different demographic groups and to reliably monitor changes over time in the primary care setting.

  5. Demographic Composition of the Online Buyers in Turkey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sinan NARDALI

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Demographic variables may have an impact on Internet usage patterns. Online buyers’ characteristics keeps changing time along with the shifting dynamics of Turkish consumers’ demographic profile and day by day online shopping becomes a safe and popular option in Turkey. Current study investigates demographic composition of the online buyers that influence consumer attitudes towards online shopping behavior in Izmir, the third largest city in Turkey. This study examines attitudes toward online shopping and provides a better understanding of the potential of online buyers for both researchers and practitioners. The study is based on an empirical research work, and a convenience sample of 400. Frequencies, descriptive statistics, and One-Way ANOVA tests were used in the analysis of data. The study shows that Turkish Internet consumer segment is relatively young, well educated, in mid economic status and professions associated with Internet more than five years.

  6. Effects of Program and Patient Characteristics on Retention of Drug Treatment Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hser, Yih-Ing; Joshi, Vandana; Maglione, Margaret; Chou, Chih Ping; Anglin, M. Douglas

    2001-01-01

    Studied the effects of program and patient characteristics on patient retention in residential, out-patient, and methadone maintenance drug treatment programs. Data for 26,047 patients in 87 programs show that threshold retention rates were generally low for all 3 program types, although program practice and service provision played important…

  7. Characteristics and determinants of adult patients with acute poisoning attending the accident and emergency department of a teaching hospital in Qatar.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khudair, I F; Jassim, Z; Hanssens, Y; Alsaad, W A

    2013-09-01

    Data about etiologic and demographic characteristics of acute poisoning in adults in Qatar are lacking. This prospective observational study was undertaken to analyze characteristics and possible determinants of acute poisoning in adults in Qatar. During 2010, 18,073 patients attended the emergency department of Hamad General Hospital, a teaching hospital in Qatar. Out of them, 599 (3.3%) patients were diagnosed as "poisoning case" with either chemical or pharmaceutical substances. The prevalence rate of poisoning incidence was 35.3/100,000 population. Seven patients died, corresponding with a case-fatality rate of 0.39/1000. The majority were male (65%) and the mean age was 34 years. The poisons involved were mainly chemicals (61.6%) and pharmaceuticals (38.4%). Female, mainly single, suffered more intentional poisoning compared to male. Of the patients aged 60 years and above (7.2%), the majority (95.3%) suffered unintentional poisoning with pharmaceuticals; 56% with warfarin, 12% with digoxin and 7% with insulin. Multivariate analysis shows that female gender, single status, younger than 35 years of age, being poisoned by pharmaceutical products, and the need for hospitalization are significant determinants for acute intentional poisoning after adjusting all other possible covariates. The findings of this study can be used to establish awareness and prophylactic campaigns in Qatar.

  8. How do demographic transitions and public health policies affect patients with Parkinson’s disease in Brazil?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bovolenta TM

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Tânia M Bovolenta, Andre C Felicio R. Neurology Program, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil Abstract: Brazil is currently experiencing a significant demographic transition characterized by a decrease in fertility rates and an exponential increase in the number of elderly citizens, which presents a special challenge for the health care professionals. More than other portions of the population, the elderly are most commonly affected by chronic diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. Policymakers contend that Brazil is reasonably well-prepared regarding elderly health care, with policies that aim to ensure the quality of life and the well-being of this portion of the population. However, what happens in practice falls short of what the Brazilian Constitution sets forth. Specifically, there is a clear contradiction between what the law recognizes as being a citizen’s rights and the implementation of guidelines. Because health financing in Brazil remains relatively low, the civil society tries to fill in the gaps as much as possible in the treatment of elderly patients suffering from chronic diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. In this review, we outline the current legislation in Brazil regarding the elderly and in particular, patients with Parkinson’s disease, in the context of a rapidly aging population. Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, demographic transition, public health, health assistance financing

  9. Demographics and ocular biometric characteristics of patients undergoing cataract surgery in Auckland, New Zealand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, Jinny J; Misra, Stuti L; McGhee, Charles Nj; Patel, Dipika V

    2016-03-01

    The aim is to investigate ethnic variation, in presentation and biometric parameters, within the population undergoing cataract surgery in Auckland. The design is a retrospective study. Four thousand nine hundred thirty-one eyes of 3524 consecutive patients undergoing cataract surgery in Auckland Public Hospital over 18 months were included in the study. Analysis of preoperative medical records was performed. Age, gender, self-reported ethnicity, keratometry, anterior chamber depth, axial length and intraocular lens (IOL) power data were collected. Māori (4.7%) were under-represented compared with the proportion of Māori attending the eye clinic (5.5%) and in the major patient catchment area (8.2%). People of Māori, Pacific and Indian ethnicities presented at a significantly younger age (66.4, 65.9 and 67.9 years, respectively) than those of Caucasian and Asian ethnicities (76.4 and 71.3 years, respectively, P biometric parameters. These data may help identify potential biometric refinements and those at risk of developing ocular morbidities known to be associated with these parameters. © 2015 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

  10. Understanding Water Storage Practices of Urban Residents of an Endemic Dengue Area in Colombia: Perceptions, Rationale and Socio-Demographic Characteristics.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tatiana García-Betancourt

    Full Text Available The main preventive measure against dengue virus transmission is often based on actions to control Ae. Aegypti reproduction by targeting water containers of clean and stagnant water. Household water storage has received special attention in prevention strategies but the evidence about the rationale of this human practice is limited. The objective was to identify and describe water storage practices among residents of an urban area in Colombia (Girardot and its association with reported perceptions, rationales and socio-demographic characteristics with a mixed methods approach.Knowledge, attitudes and practices and entomological surveys from 1,721 households and 26 semi-structured interviews were conducted among residents of Girardot and technicians of the local vector borne disease program. A multivariate analysis was performed to identify associations between a water storage practice and socio-demographic characteristics, and knowledge, attitudes and practices about dengue and immature forms of the vector, which were then triangulated with qualitative information.Water storage is a cultural practice in Girardot. There are two main reasons for storage: The scarcity concern based on a long history of shortages of water in the region and the perception of high prices in water rates, contrary to what was reported by the local water company. The practice of water storage was associated with being a housewife (Inverse OR: 2.6, 95% CI 1.5 -4.3. The use of stored water depends on the type of container used, while water stored in alberca (Intra household cement basins is mainly used for domestic cleaning chores, water in plastic containers is used for cooking.It is essential to understand social practices that can increase or reduce the number of breeding sites of Ae. Aegypti. Identification of individuals who store water and the rationale of such storage allow a better understanding of the social dynamics that lead to water accumulation.

  11. [Characteristics of patients suffering from multiple sclerosis according to professional situation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abbas, D; Gehanno, J-F; Caillard, J-F; Beuret-Blanquart, F

    2008-06-01

    To describe the health and professional status of multiple sclerosis patients of working age and to compare a group of patients in work (group T1) with a group of unemployed patients (group T2). A case-controlled study was performed. In the course of a specific consultation with a neurologist, demographic, medical and professional data were gathering using a questionnaire. Descriptive and comparative statistical analyses were then performed. A total of 76 patients were included in the study: 54 were in work (group T1) and 22 were unemployed (group T2). Hence, the employment rate was 71%, with an average time since disease onset of nine years at the time of the study. Low educational level (p=0.02), disease progression (p=0.0001), the presence of motor symptoms (p=0.01), cerebellar symptoms (p=0.02) or cognitive symptoms (p=0.03), a worse EDSS (p=0.0001) and a job requiring force (p=0.05) or manual dexterity (p=0.05) were found to be negative factors. Employment in the public sector (p=0.003) or large companies (p=0.03) were found to be protective factors. Access to the workplace was better for currently employed patients (p=0.03). This study shows that differences exist within the MS patient population according to the professional situation. It underlines the importance of clinical and demographics variables as determinants of differences in employment status. Not surprisingly, unemployed patients are more likely to have been classified as handicapped workers. Factors linked to work-induced constraints did not emerge from the survey because the questionnaire items were not appropriate for addressing this latter issue.

  12. Patients who share transparent visit notes with others: characteristics, risks, and benefits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Sara L; Mejilla, Roanne; Darer, Jonathan D; Oster, Natalia V; Ralston, James D; Leveille, Suzanne G; Walker, Jan; Delbanco, Tom; Elmore, Joann G

    2014-11-12

    Inviting patients to read their primary care visit notes may improve communication and help them engage more actively in their health care. Little is known about how patients will use the opportunity to share their visit notes with family members or caregivers, or what the benefits might be. Our goal was to evaluate the characteristics of patients who reported sharing their visit notes during the course of the study, including their views on associated benefits and risks. The OpenNotes study invited patients to access their primary care providers' visit notes in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Pre- and post-intervention surveys assessed patient demographics, standardized measures of patient-doctor communication, sharing of visit notes with others during the study, and specific health behaviors reflecting the potential benefits and risks of offering patients easy access to their visit notes. More than half (55.43%, 2503/4516) of the participants who reported viewing at least one visit note would like the option of letting family members or friends have their own Web access to their visit notes, and 21.70% (980/4516) reported sharing their visit notes with someone during the study year. Men, and those retired or unable to work, were significantly more likely to share visit notes, and those sharing were neither more nor less concerned about their privacy than were non-sharers. Compared to participants who did not share clinic notes, those who shared were more likely to report taking better care of themselves and taking their medications as prescribed, after adjustment for age, gender, employment status, and study site. One in five OpenNotes patients shared a visit note with someone, and those sharing Web access to their visit notes reported better adherence to self-care and medications. As health information technology systems increase patients' ability to access their medical records, facilitating access to caregivers may improve perceived health

  13. Frequency and characteristics of individuals with seasonal pattern among depressive patients attending primary care in France.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azorin, Jean-Michel; Adida, Marc; Belzeaux, Raoul

    2015-01-01

    High rates of bipolar disorder (BD) have been found among major depressives with seasonal pattern (SP) consulting in psychiatric departments, as well as among patients seeking primary care. As SP was reported to be common in the latter, the current study was designed to assess (a) the frequency and characteristics of SP among major depressives attending primary care and (b) the prevalence and aspects of BD in this population. Among 400 patients who consulted French general practitioners (GPs) for major depression between February and December 2010, 390 could be included in the study: 167 (42.8%) met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, criteria for seasonal pattern [SP(+)], whereas 223 (57.2%) did not meet these criteria [SP(-)]. The two groups were compared on demographic, clinical, family history and temperamental characteristics. Compared to SP(-), SP(+) patients were more frequently female, married and with a later age at first depressive episode, and showed more atypical vegetative symptoms, comorbid bulimia and stimulant abuse. They also exhibited more lifetime depressive episodes, were more often diagnosed as having BD II and met more often bipolarity specifier criteria, with higher rates of bipolar temperaments and a higher BD family loading. Among SP(+) patients, 68.9% met the bipolarity specifier criteria, whereas 31.1% did not. Seasonality was not influenced by climatic conditions. The following independent variables were associated with SP: BD according to bipolarity specifier, female gender, comorbid bulimia nervosa, hypersomnia, number of depressive episodes and family history of substance abuse. Seasonal pattern is frequent among depressive patients attending primary care in France and may be indicative of hidden bipolarity. Given the risks associated with both SP and bipolarity, GPs are likely to have a major role in regard to prevention. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Prevalence of Sun Protection Use and Sunburn and Association of Demographic and Behaviorial Characteristics With Sunburn Among US Adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holman, Dawn M; Ding, Helen; Guy, Gery P; Watson, Meg; Hartman, Anne M; Perna, Frank M

    2018-05-01

    Monitoring sun protection and sunburn over time at the population level can provide valuable information about progress toward skin cancer prevention goals and inform future intervention efforts. To examine the prevalence of sun protection use (shade, sunscreen, and clothing) and sunburn and the association between sunburn and individual characteristics and health behaviors in the US population. In this cross-sectional study using a nationally representative sample of 31 162 US adults from the 2015 National Health Interview Survey-Cancer Control Supplement, household interviews of civilian, noninstitutionalized US adults were conducted throughout 2015 in person and completed on the telephone when necessary. Data analysis was performed from August 16, 2016, to September 6, 2017. The prevalence of sunburn and use of sun protection and their association with demographic characteristics, sun sensitivity, and health-related behaviors and conditions using multivariable logistic regression modeling. A total of 31 162 respondents (mean [SD] age, 47.0 [0.36] years; 13 932 male [44.7%] and 17 230 female [55.3%]) were included in the analyses, with 34.2% experiencing sunburn in 2015. Sunburn prevalence was higher among younger age groups (51.2% in adults 18-29 years old; 95% CI, 48.8%-53.7%), non-Hispanic white individuals (42.5%; 95% CI, 41.2%-43.9%), and those with sun-sensitive skin (50.2%). However, sunburn was also prevalent among black (13.2%; 95% CI, 11.6%-15.1%) and Hispanic (29.7%; 95% CI, 27.6%-31.9%) individuals, demographic groups that are often considered to be at low risk of skin cancer. The most frequent sun protection behaviors were staying in the shade (37.1%; 95% CI, 36.3%-38.0%) and using sunscreen (31.5%; 95% CI, 30.7%-32.3%) followed by wearing long clothing to the ankles (28.4%; 95% CI, 27.6-29.1). Sun avoidance behaviors (seeking shade and not going in the sun) were significantly (39.5% vs 35.1%; P sunburn. Those who used self-applied sunless tanning

  15. Socio-demographic and clinical factors affecting adherence to ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Socio-demographic and clinical factors affecting adherence to antihypertensive medications and blood pressure control among patients attending the family practice clinic in a tertiary hospital in northern Nigeria.

  16. Vulnerability to exercise addiction, socio-demographic, behavioral and psychological characteristics of runners at risk for eating disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Lodovico, Laura; Dubertret, Caroline; Ameller, Aurely

    2018-02-01

    Excessive exercise is frequently associated with eating disorders and may degenerate into exercise addiction. We still don't know whether runners at risk for eating disorders are at risk for exercise addiction. Our aim is to assess: 1) risk for exercise addiction in runners at risk for eating disorders and 2) socio-demographic, behavioral and psychological characteristics distinguishing runners at-risk from not-at-risk for eating disorders. We assessed risk for eating disorders and exercise addiction using the SCOFF questionnaire and the Exercise Addiction Inventory personality traits with the Big-Five Inventory Test, socio-demographic data, eating and training habits in a sample of 154 healthy runners. Twenty five subjects had a score of ≥2 at the SCOFF and were included in the group "at risk for eating disorders". In this group, we found a higher percentage of subjects at risk for exercise addiction (p=0.01) and higher average scores at the Exercise Addiction Inventory (p=0.01) than runners not at risk (N=136). Runners at risk were statistically younger (p=0.03), women (p=0.001), started running to lose weight more often (p=0.03), lost more kilos since affiliation in their running club (p=0.04), and were characterized by neurotic traits using the Big-Five-Inventory Test (p=3.10 -6 ). Screening for exercise addiction and mood disorders could lead to a more accurate management of runners at risk for eating disorders. Identifying vulnerable individuals will facilitate the prevention of eating disorders and preserve the benefits of sport practice. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  17. Disability in Fibromyalgia Associates with Symptom Severity and Occupation Characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fitzcharles, Mary-Ann; Ste-Marie, Peter A; Rampakakis, Emmanouil; Sampalis, John S; Shir, Yoram

    2016-05-01

    It is intuitive that disability caused by illness should be reflected in illness severity. Because disability rates for fibromyalgia (FM) are high in the developed world, we have examined disease and work characteristics for patients with FM who were working, unemployed, or receiving disability payments for disability as a result of FM. Of the 248 participants in a tertiary care cohort study of patients with FM, 90 were employed, 81 were not employed and not receiving disability payments, and 77 were not working and currently receiving disability payments awarded for disability caused by FM. Demographic, occupation, and disease characteristics were compared among the groups. The prevalence of disability caused by FM was 30.8%. There were no demographic differences among the working, unemployed, or disabled patients. With the exception of measures for anxiety and depression, all measurements for disease severity differed significantly among the groups, with greater severity reported for the disabled group, which used more medications and participated less in physical activity. Disabled patients were more likely previously employed in manual professions or the service industry, whereas employed patients were more commonly working in non-manual jobs that included clerical, managerial, or professional occupations (p = 0.005). The one-third rate of disability for this Canadian cohort of patients with FM is in line with other reports from the western world. Associations of disability compensation were observed for subjective report of symptom severity, increased use of medications, and previous employment in more physically demanding jobs.

  18. Psychosocial and socio-demographic factors associated with outcomes for patients undergoing rehabilitation for chronic whiplash associated disorders: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baltov, Petko; Côte, Julie; Truchon, Manon; Feldman, Debbie Ehrmann

    2008-01-01

    Identify psychosocial and socio-demographic factors (measured prior to treatment) that were associated with post-treatment self-perceived pain and disability and two secondary outcomes: psychological distress, and return to work in patients undergoing multidisciplinary rehabilitation for chronic whiplash associated disorders (WAD). Interviews were conducted with 28 patients with chronic WAD at entry to and completion of an intensive rehabilitation program, and a telephone interview was carried out three months later. Participants completed pain and disability, and psychological distress questionnaires, at baseline and at both follow-ups. They also completed psychosocial questionnaires and provided socio-demographic information. The effect of each of the independent variables on the outcomes was first evaluated by simple regressions, and then subsequently by multiple regression analysis. Higher baseline pain and disability predicted higher pain and disability at both follow-ups (p factor that affected pain and disability post-rehabilitation. Psychosocial factors played a role in the prognosis of psychological distress and return to work.

  19. CD4+ T cell count, HIV-1 viral loads and demographic variables of newly identified patients with HIV infection in Wuhan, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Man-Qing; Tang, Li; Kong, Wen-Hua; Zhu, Ze-Rong; Peng, Jin-Song; Wang, Xia; Yao, Zhong-Zhao; Schilling, Robert; Zhou, Wang

    2013-10-01

    In China, the rate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing is increasing among men who have sex with men. The purpose of the present study was to describe HIV-related biomarkers and selected demographic variables of persons with newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS, among men who have sex with men in particular, in Wuhan China. Demographic indicators, and CD4+ T cell counts and HIV-1 viral load were collected from individuals newly identified as HIV-1 antibody positive during 2011. Of 176 enrolled patients, 132 (75.0%) were men who have sex with men. This group was significantly younger and had higher CD4+ T cell counts than patients who were likely infected through heterosexual contact. Most men who have sex with men (56.6%) were discovered by initiative investigation. Among heterosexual patients CD4+ T cell counts and HIV-1 viral load were significantly correlated; among the group of men who have sex with men, no such association was found. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Designated Stroke Center Status and Hospital Characteristics as Predictors of In-Hospital Mortality among Hemorrhagic Stroke Patients in New York, 2008-2012.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gatollari, Hajere J; Colello, Anna; Eisenberg, Bonnie; Brissette, Ian; Luna, Jorge; Elkind, Mitchell S V; Willey, Joshua Z

    2017-01-01

    Although designated stroke centers (DSCs) improve the quality of care and clinical outcomes for ischemic stroke patients, less is known about the benefits of DSCs for patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Compared to non-DSCs, hospitals with the DSC status have lower in-hospital mortality rates for hemorrhagic stroke patients. We believed these effects would sustain over a period of time after adjusting for hospital-level characteristics, including hospital size, urban location, and teaching status. We evaluated ICH (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision; ICD-9: 431) and SAH (ICD-9: 430) hospitalizations documented in the 2008-2012 New York State Department of Health Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System inpatient sample database. Generalized estimating equation logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between DSC status and in-hospital mortality. We calculated ORs and 95% CIs adjusted for clustering of patients within facilities, other hospital characteristics, and individual level characteristics. Planned secondary analyses explored other hospital characteristics associated with in-hospital mortality. In 6,352 ICH and 3,369 SAH patients in the study sample, in-hospital mortality was higher among those with ICH compared to SAH (23.7 vs. 18.5%). Unadjusted analyses revealed that DSC status was related with reduced mortality for both ICH (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.5-0.8) and SAH patients (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.3-0.7). DSC remained a significant predictor of lower in-hospital mortality for SAH patients (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.3-0.9) but not for ICH patients (OR 0.8, 95% CI 0.6-1.0) after adjusting for patient demographic characteristics, comorbidities, hospital size, teaching status and location. Admission to a DSC was independently associated with reduced in-hospital mortality for SAH patients but not for those with ICH. Other patient and hospital characteristics may explain the benefits of DSC

  1. Office-Based vs Traditional Operating Room Management of Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis: Impact of Patient Characteristics and Disease Severity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tatar, Emel Çadalli; Kupfer, Robbi A; Barry, Jonnae Y; Allen, Clint T; Merati, Albert L

    2017-01-01

    Management of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) in adults has evolved to include office-based laser techniques. To determine whether demographic or disease characteristics differ between patients undergoing office-based (office group) vs traditional operating room (OR group) surgical approaches for RRP. This study was a medical record review of adult patients with RRP treated between January 2011 and September 2013 at a tertiary care center. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the setting in which the patient had the most procedures during the past 2 years. Demographic and disease characteristics were compared between patients receiving predominantly office-based vs predominantly OR management. Of 57 patients (47 male and 10 female, with a mean [SD] age of 53.5 [16.4] years) treated during the 2-year period, 34 patients underwent predominantly office-based management and 23 patients underwent predominantly OR management. Sex, age, and weight were not statistically significantly different between the 2 groups. Patients in the OR group had a younger age at RRP diagnosis (mean [SD], 28.7 [22.0] years in the OR group and 45.5 [20.5] years in the office group), with a mean difference of 16.8 years (95% CI, -28.3 to -5.4 years). Patients in the OR group also had a significantly higher Derkay score (mean [SD], 15.1 [5.7] in the OR group and 10.7 [5.0] in the office group), with a mean difference of 4.4 (95% CI, 1.6-7.3). No statistically significant differences in comorbidities were observed between the 2 groups except for type 1 or 2 diabetes, which was more common in the OR group. There were 5 patients (22%) with diabetes in the OR group and 1 patient (3%) with diabetes in the office group, with a mean difference of 19% (95% CI, 2.7%-35%). In a subanalysis that excluded patients with juvenile-onset RRP, Derkay score (mean [SD], 13.9 [4.5] in the OR group and 10.8 [5.1] in the office group), with a mean difference of 3.1 (95% CI, 0.5-6.1), and the

  2. Demographic processes of developmentally peripheral areas in Hungary

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pénzes János

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The current study investigates the demographic processes and challenges of the Hungarian developmentally peripheral settlements. Demographic challenges can be regarded as important consequences of the social and economic disadvantages in spatial terms. However, the interrelating negative demographic tendencies cause even more backward situation blocking or hindering the development. The objective of the current analysis is to discover the demographic characteristics of the peripheral settlements, to detect the spatial disparities and to point out the correlation between backwardness and the investigated demographic phenomena with the help of the census databases 1980-2011 and local datasets on Roma population. Using methods of multivariate statistical analysis, seven indicators were selected in order to achieve the goals of the paper. Backward areas are primarily characterized by population decrease with significant disparities, but there were growing communities among them as well. Some small villages in Northern and Southwestern Hungary will foreseeably face complete depopulation within few years. Primarily small sized villages faced intense decrease in rate of natural change, but dynamic population growth was also detected. Migration loss tends to correlate with the extent of peripherality, as increasing values of migration balance accompany decreasing ratio of peripheral settlements in the area. The ratio of elderly population shows an expressively two-faced character, with the extremely aging and very juvenile settlements. The ratios of Roma population reflect the scale of peripherality. Extended ethnic change could be predicted in Northeastern and Southwestern Hungary and near the Middle Tisza valley. Presented demographic processes will make the backwardness of most of the peripheral settlements stable.

  3. Demographic, psychological and smoking characteristics of users of an on-line smoking cessation programme in the Spanish language.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mañanes, Guillermo; Vallejo, Miguel A; Vallejo-Slocker, Laura

    2016-01-01

    To determine the characteristics of users of a smoking cessation programme run by the Open University of Spain (Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia [UNED]). We examined the demographic, psychological and smoking characteristics of 23,763 smokers who participated in the on-line smoking cessation program of the UNED. The programme was open to any smoker, free of charge, and was fully automated and with direct access. A total of 93.5% of the users were Spaniards, with an equal percentage of participation among men and women. The mean age was 39 years. Somewhat less than half were married and had a university education. The participants smoked a mean of 19.3 cigarettes per day, showing a mid-range level of nicotine dependence according to the Heaviness of Smoking Index. The results of the Anxiety and Depression subscales of the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) and Perceived Stress Scale were not clinically significant. In a secondary analysis of the data, we found gender differences in all the variables measured. The results of this study confirm the digital divide, with lower participation among people with a lower educational level. No association was observed between stress, anxiety or depression and cigarette consumption. Copyright © 2015 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  4. Factors associated with socio-demographic characteristics and antenatal care and iron supplement use in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Senegal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verney, Allison; Reed, Barbara A; Lumumba, Jude B; Kung'u, Jacqueline K

    2018-02-01

    Antenatal care (ANC) offers remarkable opportunities to reach a large number of women with effective nutrition and health interventions, including iron (Fe) supplementation. However, all women do not equally seek nor benefit from ANC. We aimed to identify characteristics associated with ANC and Fe use among women in hard-to-reach areas in Afar, Ethiopia; Sedhiou and Kolda, Senegal; and Kakamega, Kenya. Women who gave birth within 1 year preceding the survey (n = 4,575) from 15 different sub-regions were randomly selected and surveyed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify associations of socio-demographic characteristics with ANC and Fe use. Factors that showed positive associations with ANC uptake included education, income, possession of a mobile phone, and the occupation of the mother or another household member. Beginning ANC in the first trimester associated positively with achievement of 4 or more ANC visits, and having any ANC visits related positively with Fe intake. Distance to the nearest health facility was negatively associated, and type of nearest facility and counselling and health education were positively associated with some outcomes. The results from these surveys demonstrate the need to ensure access of services across all population groups and can help identify ANC programming needs. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Students’ attitudes towards learning communication skills : correlating attitudes, demographic and metacognitive variables

    OpenAIRE

    Lumma-Sellenthin, Antje

    2012-01-01

    Objectives: This study aimed at exploring the relationship of students' attitudes towards learning communication skills to demographic variables, metacognitive skills, and to the appreciation of patient-oriented care. Methods: The cross-sectional survey study involved first- and third-term students from two traditional and two problem-based curricula (N= 351). Demographic variables, attitudes towards communication skills learning, patient orientation, and awareness of learning strategies were...

  6. The relationship between the socio-demographic characteristics of employees and their organizational identification and their perceived attractiveness of corporate culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nesmeianova R.K.

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The article presents the results of comparing the interrelationships between the individual characteristics of employees (gender, age, education, position and seniority in the organization with the types of organizational identification that they form, the level of need for it, and the degree of attractiveness of the corporate culture. The study involved 252 respondents (185 women, 67 men, all — representatives of commercial organizations. Data collection was carried out in one stage, a questionnaire was proposed, which included three methods. The resulting material was mathematically processed using the Mann-Whitney U-test and Kruskal-Wallis test. Data are received that managers are less likely than performers to experience negative, ambiguous or neutral feelings towards their organization. The older the employees, the higher the level of their identification with it. The most senior employees are identified most with their company, as well as employees who have a long working record. Thus, a correlation was revealed between the socio-demographic characteristics of employees and the organizational variables under study.

  7. Clinical characteristics of keratoconus patients in Malaysia: a review from a cornea specialist centre

    OpenAIRE

    Mohd-Ali, Bariah; Abdu, Mustafa; Yaw, Choong Yean; Mohidin, Norhani

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate the demographic profile, refraction, visual acuity (VA), corneal curvature (K) and severity of keratoconus (KC) patients from a cornea specialist centre in Malaysia. This may improve the management of KC patients in this country. Methods: Records of 13,000 patients were reviewed. The patients were categorized into 4 age groups: (Gp 1: 42 years). Refraction and VA were determined using subjective refraction and Snellen chart. Corneal curvature was measured using Orbscan...

  8. HIV-infected mental health patients: characteristics and comparison with HIV-infected patients from the general population and non-infected mental health patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schadé Annemiek

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Objectives HIV-infected patients are at increased risk of developing mental health symptoms, which negatively influence the treatment of the HIV-infection. Mental health problems in HIV-infected patients may affect public health. Psychopathology, including depression and substance abuse, can increase hazardous sexual behaviour and, with it, the chance of spreading HIV. Therefore, it is important to develop an optimal treatment plan for HIV-infected patients with mental health problems. The majority of HIV-infected patients in the Netherlands (almost 60% are homosexual men. The main objectives of this study were to describe the clinical and demographic characteristics of patients with HIV who seek treatment for their mental health symptoms in the Netherlands. Secondly, we tested whether HIV infected and non-infected homosexual patients with a lifetime depressive disorder differed on several mental health symptoms. Methods We compared a cohort of 196 patients who visited the outpatient clinic for HIV and Mental Health with HIV-infected patients in the general population in Amsterdam (ATHENA-study and with non-HIV infected mental health patients (NESDA-study. DSM-IV diagnoses were determined, and several self-report questionnaires were used to assess mental health symptoms. Results Depressive disorders were the most commonly occurring diagnoses in the cohort and frequent drug use was common. HIV-infected homosexual men with a depressive disorder showed no difference in depressive symptoms or sleep disturbance, compared with non-infected depressive men. However, HIV-positive patients did express more symptoms like fear, anger and guilt. Although they showed significantly more suicidal ideation, suicide attempts were not more prevalent among HIV-infected patients. Finally, the HIV-infected depressive patients displayed a considerably higher level of drug use than the HIV-negative group. Conclusion Habitual drug use is a risk factor for

  9. Digitized Speech Characteristics in Patients with Maxillectomy Defects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elbashti, Mahmoud E; Sumita, Yuka I; Hattori, Mariko; Aswehlee, Amel M; Taniguchi, Hisashi

    2017-12-06

    Accurate evaluation of speech characteristics through formant frequency measurement is important for proper speech rehabilitation in patients after maxillectomy. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of digital acoustic analysis and vowel pentagon space for the prediction of speech ability after maxillectomy, by comparing the acoustic characteristics of vowel articulation in three classes of maxillectomy defects. Aramany's classifications I, II, and IV were used to group 27 male patients after maxillectomy. Digital acoustic analysis of five Japanese vowels-/a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, and /u/-was performed using a speech analysis system. First formant (F1) and second formant (F2) frequencies were calculated using an autocorrelation method. Data were plotted on an F1-F2 plane for each patient, and the F1 and F2 ranges were calculated. The vowel pentagon spaces were also determined. One-way ANOVA was applied to compare all results between the three groups. Class II maxillectomy patients had a significantly higher F2 range than did Class I and Class IV patients (p = 0.002). In contrast, there was no significant difference in the F1 range between the three classes. The vowel pentagon spaces were significantly larger in class II maxillectomy patients than in Class I and Class IV patients (p = 0.014). The results of this study indicate that the acoustic characteristics of maxillectomy patients are affected by the defect area. This finding may provide information for obturator design based on vowel articulation and defect class. © 2017 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

  10. Assessment of Multiple Intrauterine Gestations from Ovarian Stimulation (AMIGOS) Trial: Baseline Characteristics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diamond, Michael P.; Legro, Richard S.; Coutifaris, Christos; Alvero, Ruben; Robinson, Randal D.; Casson, Peter; Christman, Gregory M.; Ager, Joel; Huang, Hao; Hansen, Karl R.; Baker, Valerie; Usadi, Rebecca; Seungdamrong, Aimee; Bates, G. Wright; Rosen, R. Mitchell; Haisonleder, Daniell; Krawetz, Stephen A.; Barnhart, Kurt; Trussell, J.C.; Jin, Yufeng; Santoro, Nanette; Eisenberg, Esther; Zhang, Heping

    2015-01-01

    Objective To identify baseline characteristics of women with unexplained infertility to determine whether treatment with an aromatase inhibitor will result in a lower rate of multiple gestations than current standard ovulation induction medications. Design Randomized, prospective clinical trial Patients 900 couples with unexplained infertility Interventions: Ovarian stimulation with gonadotropins, clomiphene citrate, or letrozole in conjunction with intrauterine insemination. Setting Multicenter University based clinical practices. Main Outcome Measures Demographic, laboratory, imaging, and survey characteristics. Interventions Collection of baseline demographics, blood samples, and ultrasonographic assessments. Results Demographic characteristics of women receiving clomiphene citrate, letrozole, or gonadotropins for ovarian stimulation were very consistent. Their mean age was 32.2 ± 4.4 years and infertility duration was 34.7± 25.7 months, with 59% primary infertility. More than 1/3 of the women were current or past smokers. The mean BMI was 27 and mean AMH level was 2.6; only 11 women (1.3%) had antral follicle counts of less than 5. Similar observations were identified for hormonal profiles, ultrasound characterization of the ovaries, semen parameters, and quality of life assessments in both male and female partners. Conclusion The cause of infertility in the couples recruited to this treatment trial is elusive, as the women were regularly ovulating and had evidence of good ovarian reserve both by basal FSH, AMH levels, and antral follicle counts; the male partners had normal semen parameters. The three treatment subgroups have common baseline characteristics, thereby providing comparable patient populations for testing the hypothesis that use of letrozole for ovarian stimulation can reduce the rates of multiples from that observed with gonadotropin and clomiphene citrate treatment. PMID:25707331

  11. Depressive disorders and family functioning among the caregivers of patients with schizophrenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osman, C B; Alipah, B; Tutiiryani, M D; Ainsah, O

    2010-09-01

    To determine the prevalence of depressive disorders among caregivers of patients with schizophrenia, its association with patient's and caregiver's socio-demographic characteristics and family functioning. This was a cross-sectional study of caregivers of patients with schizophrenia at the outpatient clinic, Hospital Permai Johor Bahru, Malaysia. The study was conducted between August and October 2008. A total of 243 caregivers who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were enrolled, of whom 232 completed the self-administered socio-demographic questionnaire, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30) and the McMaster Family Assessment Device. A total of 33 caregivers with the GHQ-30 cut-off point of 7/8 were assessed further by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview to diagnose depressive disorder. The prevalence of psychological distress in our study sample was 14% (n = 33) and that of depressive disorders was 6% (n = 14). There was no association between patients' and caregivers' socio-demographic characteristics with depressive disorders, but there were significant associations between depressive disorders and family functioning dimensions in terms of Communication and Roles. Although the causal link was not established, the results suggested that depression had a significant association with family functioning among caregivers of patients with schizophrenia.

  12. The Role of Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Lifestyle of Consumers in Determinig Buying Tendency

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Slišković

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This study was based on a three-dimensional conceptualization of the buying tendency stemming from cognitive and affective impulsivity and susceptibility to the situational factors of buying. The aim of the study was to examine the relationships of different dimensions of buying tendency to basic socio-demographic characteristics and lifestyles of consumers. The study was conducted using a survey on a sample of 194 respondents from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The obtained results indicate greater levels of cognitive and affective buying impulsivity in women compared to men, with no gender differences identified in the susceptibility to buying situational factors. Furthermore, significant effects were obtained by the level of total monthly family income of respondents in all dimensions of buying tendency, while the level of respondents' monthly income had a significant effect only on cognitive impulsivity. Employment status and education level had no significant effect on the buying tendency. Among the four studied consumers’ lifestyles (innovative, family, social and leadership oriented, innovatively oriented lifestyle has the strongest correlation to all three dimensions of buying tendency. In other words, innovatively oriented subjects are more prone to impulsive buying and susceptible to buying situational factors. In addition to the innovative orientation lifestyle, impulsive buying was also associated with the leadership orientation, but to a lesser extent. Susceptibility to buying situational factors was associated with all lifestyle orientations, apart from the family orientation.

  13. Clinical and demographic profile of cancer patients in a consultation-liaison psychiatric service

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanessa de Albuquerque Citero

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT CONTEXT: An almost 50% prevalence of psychiatric disorders among cancer patients has prompted a series of studies on consultation-liaison psychiatry. Nonetheless, there are few reports on the epidemiological factors involving comorbidity between cancer and psychiatric disorders. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the epidemiological profile of cancer inpatients referred to the consultation-liaison psychiatric service in an oncology hospital during its first year of activity. TYPE OF STUDY: Descriptive study. SETTING: Tertiary-care teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: 319 patients referred 412 times to the consultation-liaison psychiatry service. PROCEDURES: From August 97 to July 98, an appraisal was made of data on all admissions registered at the Hospital do Câncer, and also all referrals registered at the consultation-liaison psychiatry service. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: The demographics and patients' clinical data, the type and flow of the request, and the evaluation conducted by the service were analyzed and comparisons with the hospital data were made. The distribution of the number of referrals was used to construct a profile of patients who had repeatedly used the service. RESULTS: Psychiatric diagnoses were found in 59% of the cases. Forty-three percent of these required medication, 18.3% needed psychotherapy, 22.1% family intervention and 20.5% guidance from the staff. Over 22.8% of the consultations were reevaluations, mainly involving younger male patients with worst prognoses. These patients required lengthier and more elaborate intervention, and had higher prevalence of depressive and behavioral disorders. CONCLUSION: A younger and mainly male population of non-surgical oncological cases was referred to the consultation-liaison psychiatric service during its first year of activity. The psychiatric disorder prevalence was higher than expected, and consisted predominantly of mood disorders. We detected a priority group, namely the reevaluated

  14. Changing demographics and state fiscal outlook: the case of sales taxes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mullins, D R; Wallace, S

    1996-04-01

    "Broad-scale demographic changes have implications for state and local finance in terms of the composition of the base of revenue sources and their yields. This article examines the effect of such changes on the potential future yield of consumption-based taxes. The effect of household characteristics and composition on the consumption of selected groups of goods subject to ad valorem retail sales taxes is estimated, generating demographic elasticities of consumption. These elasticities are applied to projected demographic changes in eight states through the year 2000. The results show rather wide variation in expected consumption shifts and potential tax bases across the states, with income growth having the greatest effect...." The geographical focus is on the United States. excerpt

  15. Hyperstate matrix models : extending demographic state spaces to higher dimensions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roth, G.; Caswell, H.

    2016-01-01

    1. Demographic models describe population dynamics in terms of the movement of individuals among states (e.g. size, age, developmental stage, parity, frailty, physiological condition). Matrix population models originally classified individuals by a single characteristic. This was enlarged to two

  16. Enrollment of Patients With Lung and Colorectal Cancers Onto Clinical Trials

    OpenAIRE

    Fouad, Mona N.; Lee, Jeannette Y.; Catalano, Paul J.; Vogt, Thomas M.; Zafar, Syed Yousuf; West, Dee W.; Simon, Christian; Klabunde, Carrie N.; Kahn, Katherine L.; Weeks, Jane C.; Kiefe, Catarina I.

    2012-01-01

    Both practice environment and patient clinical and demographic characteristics are associated with cancer clinical trial enrollment; simultaneous intervention may be required when trying to increase enrollment rates.

  17. Compliance with different physical activity recommendations and its association with socio-demographic characteristics using an objective measure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scheers, Tineke; Philippaerts, Renaat; Lefevre, Johan

    2013-02-14

    In the past decades, several public health guidelines concerning physical activity have been published. This study evaluated compliance with various physical activity guidelines and examined the associations between meeting the guidelines and socio-demographic characteristics. Data were obtained from 357 Flemish men and women (41.9 ± 9.6 years). Physical activity was assessed for seven consecutive days using the SenseWear Armband. The prevalence of sufficient physical activity was calculated according to various public health guidelines. Logistic regressions examined the associations between socio-demographic characteristics and the odds of meeting the different guidelines. 87.2% of men and 68.1% of women achieved ≥150 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), but only 57.6% and 37.3% accumulated this amount as ≥30 min/day on ≥5 days/week. With regard to vigorous physical activity, 27.9% of men and 15.7% of women achieved ≥75 min/week and 12.8% and 7.0% achieved ≥20 min/day on ≥3 days/week. In addition, 34.9% of men and 21.6% of women attained an average physical activity level (PAL) of 1.75 MET and thus met the criteria for weight maintenance. Only 16.3% of men and 14.1% of women took 10000 steps/day on 7 days/week. Women had a lower probability of achieving 30 min/day MVPA on 5 days/week (OR: 0.40), or a weekly total of 150 min or 500 MET.min MVPA or 75 min of vigorous activity compared to men (OR: 0.27-0.46). In addition, they were 50% less likely to meet the guidelines for weight maintenance. The odds of engaging in 150 min/week MVPA or attaining a PAL of 1.75 was lower with higher age. Educational level was positively related with accumulating 75 min/week of vigorous activity, but negatively with taking 10000 steps/day. Smokers were 60% less likely to participate weekly in 150 min of MVPA compared to non-smokers. The prevalence of sufficient physical activity differed greatly depending on the definition used. Women and subjects

  18. Clinical characteristics and usage of statins in patients with stable ischemic heart disease referred for angiography or coronary artery bypass grafting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I.V. Shklianka

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim – to compare the clinical characteristics and frequency of statins usage in real clinical practice in patients referred to a specialized clinic for angiography or coronary artery bypass grafting. Materials and methods. In a retrospective slice single-center study data from a primary examination of 155 patients with stable ischemic heart disease, consecutively selected for coronary artery bypass grafting surgery, were analyzed. Depending on the inclusion of statins in the list of medicinal prescriptions, patients were retrospectively divided into two groups: those who had been prescribed statins while they were initially referred to a specialized cardiac surgery center for angiography or revascularization (n = 84 and those who were not prescribed statins (n ​​= 71. Results. The studied patients’ cohort was characterized by earlier coronary events, signs of the peripheral artery atherosclerosis and other absolute indications for treatment with statins in vast majority of cases. At the same time, groups of patients who had been and had not been prescribed statins, did not differ by vast majority of demographic, clinical and instrumental characteristics, concomitant diseases and risk factors. No statin therapy was associated with higher levels of total cholesterol and interleukin-6 compared with the group of patients taking statins (total cholesterol, respectively, 4.8 versus 4.2 mmol/l (p = 0.016 and interleukin-6, respectively, 4.4 versus. 3.1 p/ml (p = 0.022. In general, statins were prescribed in 54,2 % of patients, among them high doses – in 17 patients (20.2 %, moderate – 46 patients (54.8 %, low – 21 patients (25 %. Conclusions. The obtained data show the insufficient level of ambulatory statins usage in patients with ischemic heart disease referred for myocardial revascularization and significant discrepancy between clinical characteristics and real statins usage. Therefore, there is a great need to determine the

  19. The influence of population characteristics on variation in general practice based morbidity estimations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    van den Dungen C

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background General practice based registration networks (GPRNs provide information on morbidity rates in the population. Morbidity rate estimates from different GPRNs, however, reveal considerable, unexplained differences. We studied the range and variation in morbidity estimates, as well as the extent to which the differences in morbidity rates between general practices and networks change if socio-demographic characteristics of the listed patient populations are taken into account. Methods The variation in incidence and prevalence rates of thirteen diseases among six Dutch GPRNs and the influence of age, gender, socio economic status (SES, urbanization level, and ethnicity are analyzed using multilevel logistic regression analysis. Results are expressed in median odds ratios (MOR. Results We observed large differences in morbidity rate estimates both on the level of general practices as on the level of networks. The differences in SES, urbanization level and ethnicity distribution among the networks' practice populations are substantial. The variation in morbidity rate estimates among networks did not decrease after adjusting for these socio-demographic characteristics. Conclusion Socio-demographic characteristics of populations do not explain the differences in morbidity estimations among GPRNs.

  20. Demographic factors associated with moral sensitivity among nursing students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tuvesson, Hanna; Lützén, Kim

    2017-11-01

    Today's healthcare environment is often characterized by an ethically demanding work situation, and nursing students need to prepare to meet ethical challenges in their future role. Moral sensitivity is an important aspect of the ethical decision-making process, but little is known regarding nursing students' moral sensitivity and its possible development during nursing education. The aims of this study were to investigate moral sensitivity among nursing students, differences in moral sensitivity according to sample sub-group, and the relation between demographic characteristics of nursing students and moral sensitivity. A convenience sample of 299 nursing students from one university completed a questionnaire comprising questions about demographic information and the revised Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire. With the use of SPSS, non-parametric statistics, including logistic regression models, were used to investigate the relationship between demographic characteristics and moral sensitivity. Ethical considerations: The study followed the regulations according to the Swedish Ethical Review Act and was reviewed by the Ethics Committee of South-East Sweden. The findings showed that mean scores of nursing students' moral sensitivity were found in the middle to upper segment of the rating scale. Multivariate analysis showed that gender (odds ratio = 3.32), age (odds ratio = 2.09; 1.73), and parental status (odds ratio = 0.31) were of relevance to nursing students' moral sensitivity. Academic year was found to be unrelated to moral sensitivity. These demographic aspects should be considered when designing ethics education for nursing students. Future studies should continue to investigate moral sensitivity in nursing students, such as if and how various pedagogical strategies in ethics may contribute to moral sensitivity in nursing students.

  1. Demographic stagnation and decline in Spain: A cause for concern?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Serrano-Martínez José-María

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available For years, the Spanish population has been rapidly ageing, showing signs of atony and stagnation. Between 1996 and 2007, in a phase of economic growth, the entry of foreign immigrants drove a global increase in population. But after the economic recession migratory flows show negative net balances. Our objective is to explain and confirm the demographic regression suffered by Spain. We are also interested in showing how the recent and intense immigration process has failed to generate significant changes in natural demographic characteristics and trends. National censuses, published by the National Institute of Statistics (INE, are our main source of demographic data. The analysis of the most recent relevant scientific literature has allowed us to compare opinions and discuss results. The data confirm an uncertain and worrying future for the Spanish population.

  2. Job Satisfaction among Jordan's Kindergarten Teachers: Effects of Workplace Conditions and Demographic Characteristics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abu Taleb, Tagreed Fathi

    2013-01-01

    The main objective of this study was to examine the job satisfaction levels of Jordanian kindergarten teachers in relation to work-related dimensions and socio-demographic variables. The sample consisted of 264 randomly selected teachers working in private kindergartens in Amman. To meet the study's objectives, a two part questionnaire was…

  3. "Demografic characteristics of opioid addiction in patients undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft "

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdollahi M.H

    2007-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: According to some previous reports prevalence of addiction estimated to be 3٪ in Iran. One of the most important key points about addiction is the identification of predisposing factors for starting substance use. False general believes can play important roles in this regard. This study evaluated the demographic characteristics of opioids addiction and the visions of them about the effect of opioids on their cardiac diseases. Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study intended to evaluate situation of opiate dependency among 1329 CABG patients in Yazd Afshar hospital based on criteria of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, Fourth edition (DSM-IV.Data were collected from each subject by a self report questionnaire and structured interview and was analyzed using chi-square and ANOVA and MC nemar test. P<0.05 was determined significant. Results: The data were gathered from 1329 CABG patients (945 men and 384 women. In addition 131 patients (9.9% containing 127 men (98.9% and 4 women (1.1% were opium dependent based on DSM-IV criteria. Mean age of opium dependent group was significantly higher than non-dependent patients (58.5 ± 10.08 VS 50.7 ± 10.15 (P= 0.000. Opium was the most common used substance (96.9% and inhalation was the preferred pattern of use (52.7%. Majority of addicted patients were simple workers (44%. Based on educational levels, 57.2% of opium dependents have had primary education (under high school. Eighty two (62.5% of addicted groups believed that after starting opium, their cardiovascular function and chest pain had been improved. Although before starting opium use 58 (44.6% of them have had this belief Conclusion: The prevalence of opium addiction in CABG patients is relatively high, and the majority of addicted patients are on this belief that opiates have positive effects on improvement of their chest pain and cardiovascular function. Because the effects of opioids on chest pain are

  4. SPOP Mutations in Prostate Cancer across Demographically Diverse Patient Cohorts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mirjam Blattner

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Recurrent mutations in the Speckle-Type POZ Protein (SPOP gene occur in up to 15% of prostate cancers. However, the frequency and features of cancers with these mutations across different populations is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate SPOP mutations across diverse cohorts and validate a series of assays employing high-resolution melting (HRM analysis and Sanger sequencing for mutational analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded material. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: 720 prostate cancer samples from six international cohorts spanning Caucasian, African American, and Asian patients, including both prostate-specific antigen-screened and unscreened populations, were screened for their SPOP mutation status. Status of SPOP was correlated to molecular features (ERG rearrangement, PTEN deletion, and CHD1 deletion as well as clinical and pathologic features. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Overall frequency of SPOP mutations was 8.1% (4.6% to 14.4%, SPOP mutation was inversely associated with ERG rearrangement (P < .01, and SPOP mutant (SPOPmut cancers had higher rates of CHD1 deletions (P < .01. There were no significant differences in biochemical recurrence in SPOPmut cancers. Limitations of this study include missing mutational data due to sample quality and lack of power to identify a difference in clinical outcomes. CONCLUSION: SPOP is mutated in 4.6% to 14.4% of patients with prostate cancer across different ethnic and demographic backgrounds. There was no significant association between SPOP mutations with ethnicity, clinical, or pathologic parameters. Mutual exclusivity of SPOP mutation with ERG rearrangement as well as a high association with CHD1 deletion reinforces SPOP mutation as defining a distinct molecular subclass of prostate cancer.

  5. [Socio-demographic characteristics, subjective well-being, and homophobia experienced by a sample of gay men from three cities in Chile].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barrientos-Delgado, Jaime; Cárdenas-Castro, Manuel; Gómez-Ojeda, Fabiola

    2014-06-01

    This article describes the socio-demographic characteristics of a sample of gay men in three cities in Chile, as well as experience with homophobia and subjective well-being. Snowball sampling was used to interview 325 gay men. The main findings included high levels of perceived discrimination and victimization, but interviewees reported higher levels of social well-being compared to studies elsewhere in the country. Age was related to differences in levels of social well-being, but not other variables. Individuals with university education reported higher levels of victimization and greater impact of discrimination on their lives. Gay men in Santiago reported a higher relative impact from incidents of aggression, but better levels of social well-being and happiness compared to those in other regions of Chile.

  6. Clinical trial enrollment, patient characteristics, and survival differences in prospectively registered metastatic colorectal cancer patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sorbye, Halfdan; Pfeiffer, Per; Cavalli-Björkman, Nina

    2009-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Trial accrual patterns were examined to determine whether metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients enrolled in trials are representative of a general cancer population concerning patient characteristics and survival. METHODS: A total of 760 mCRC patients referred for their first...... oncological consideration at 3 hospitals in Scandinavia covering defined populations were registered consecutively during 2003 to 2006. Clinical trial enrollment, patient characteristics, and treatment were recorded prospectively, and the follow-up was complete. RESULTS: Palliative chemotherapy was initiated...

  7. Inpatient dermatology: Characteristics of patients and admissions in a tertiary level hospital in Eastern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arpita Sen

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Dermatology is primarily a non-acute, outpatient-centered clinical specialty, but substantial number of patients need indoor admission for adequate management. Over the years, the need for inpatient facilities in Dermatology has grown manifold; however, these facilities are available only in some tertiary centers. Aims and Objectives: To analyze the characteristics of the diseases and outcomes of patients admitted in the dermatology inpatient Department of a tertiary care facility in eastern India. Materials and Methods: We undertook a retrospective analysis of the admission and discharge records of all patients, collected from the medical records department, admitted to our indoor facility from 2011 to 2014. The data thus obtained was statistically analyzed with special emphasis on the patient's demographic profile, clinical diagnosis, final outcome, and duration of stay. Results and Analysis: A total of 375 patients were admitted to our indoor facility during the period. Males outnumbered females, with the median age in the 5th decade. Immunobullous disorders (91 patients, 24.27% were the most frequent reason for admissions, followed by various causes of erythroderma (80 patients, 21.33% and infective disorders (73 patients, 19.47%. Other notable causes included cutaneous adverse drug reactions, psoriasis, vasculitis, and connective tissue diseases. The mean duration of hospital stay was 22.2±15.7 days; ranging from 1 to 164 days. Majority of patients (312, 83.2% improved after hospitalization; while 29 (7.73% patients died from their illness. About 133 patients (35.64% required referral services during their stay, while 8 patients (2.13% were transferred to other departments for suitable management. Conclusion: Many dermatoses require inpatient care for their optimum management. Dermatology inpatient services should be expanded in India to cater for the large number of cases with potentially highly severe dermatoses.

  8. Patient Characteristics Predicting Readmission Among Individuals Hospitalized for Heart Failure

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Connor, Melissa; Murtaugh, Christopher M.; Shah, Shivani; Barrón-Vaya, Yolanda; Bowles, Kathryn H.; Peng, Timothy R.; Zhu, Carolyn W.; Feldman, Penny H.

    2015-01-01

    Heart failure is difficult to manage and increasingly common with many individuals experiencing frequent hospitalizations. Little is known about patient factors consistently associated with hospital readmission. A literature review was conducted to identify heart failure patient characteristics, measured before discharge, that contribute to variation in hospital readmission rates. Database searches yielded 950 potential articles, of which 34 studies met inclusion criteria. Patient characteristics generally have a very modest effect on all-cause or heart failure–related readmission within 7 to 180 days of index hospital discharge. A range of cardiac diseases and other comorbidities only minimally increase readmission rates. No single patient characteristic stands out as a key contributor across multiple studies underscoring the challenge of developing successful interventions to reduce readmissions. Interventions may need to be general in design with the specific intervention depending on each patient's unique clinical profile. PMID:26180045

  9. Physician-patient communication in HIV disease: the importance of patient, physician, and visit characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, I B; Kaplan, S

    2000-12-15

    Although previous work that considered a variety of chronic conditions has shown that higher quality physician-patient communication care is related to better health outcomes, the quality of physician-patient communication itself for patients with HIV disease has not been well studied. To determine the relationship of patient, visit, physician, and physician practice characteristics to two measures of physician-patient communication for patients with HIV disease. Cross-sectional survey of physicians and patients. Cohort study enrolling patients from throughout eastern Massachusetts. 264 patients with HIV disease and their their primary HIV physicians (n = 69). Two measures of physician-patient communication were used, a five-item general communication measure (Cronbach's alpha = 0.93), and a four-item HIV-specific communication measure that included items about alcohol, drug use, and sexual behaviors (Cronbach's alpha = 0.92). The mean age of patients was 39. 5 years, 24% patients were women, 31.1% were nonwhite, and 52% indicated same-sex contact as their principal HIV risk factor. The mean age of physicians was 39.1 years, 33.3% were female, 39.7% were specialists, and 25.0% self-identified as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. In multivariable models relating patient and visit characteristics to general communication, longer reported visit length (pbetter communication. The interaction of patient gender and visit length was also significant (p =.02); longer visit length was more strongly associated with better general communication for male than female patients. In similar models relating patient and visit characteristics to HIV-specific communication, longer visit length (p better communication. In multivariable models relating physician and practice characteristics to general communication no variables were significant. However, both female physician gender (p =.002) and gay/lesbian/bisexual sexual preference (p =.003) were significantly associated with better HIV

  10. [The demographic evolution of homogeneous micro-regions in the period 1970-1980].

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Souza Alf; Lana Rcds

    1982-01-01

    "The purpose of this study is to examine the demographic evolution of the Brazilian homogeneous microregions in the period 1970/80. It is based on the relative variations observed [in] the population as a whole.... Microregional unities were classified according to the intensity of their populational increase and loss. The different classes were spatially identified in order to establish the relation between demographic growth and the characteristics of the areas." (summary in ENG) excerpt

  11. Demographic development of ukrainian rural area: lessons of history, modern socio-economic threats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D.P. Melnychuk

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The article is devoted to urgent problems of demographic development of rural areas, their impact on socioeconomic processes at all levels of the national economic system. The content of demographic and economic antonyms of «demographic development» and «demographic catastrophe» has been characterized. The article analyzes the historical background of demographic change in rural areas, their socio-economic consequences. It’s reasonably concluded that the economic development of Ukraine requires urgent settlement of the negative socio-demographic trends that are characteristic for a Ukrainian village. Nowadays, these trends are of a destructive nature. They lead to a protracted crisis of agricultural production which is very difficult to overcome solely with the tools of technical and technological modernization. This will complicate the food security of the state for many years; lower the level and quality of life of the population, lead to greater territorial disparities and degradation of rural areas and the marginalization of residents of Ukrainian villages.

  12. Family Caregiver Knowledge, Patient Illness Characteristics, and Unplanned Hospital Admissions in Older Adults With Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geddie, Patricia I; Wochna Loerzel, Victoria; Norris, Anne E

    2016-07-01

    To explore factors related to unplanned hospital admissions and determine if one or more factors are predictive of unplanned hospital admissions for older adults with cancer.
. A prospective longitudinal design and a retrospective chart review.
. Adult oncology outpatient infusion centers and inpatient units at Orlando Regional Medical Center in Florida.
. A convenience sample of 129 dyads of older adults with cancer and their family caregivers. 
. Family caregiver demographic and side effect knowledge data were collected prospectively during interviews with family caregivers using a newly developed tool, the Nurse Assessment of Family Caregiver Knowledge and Action Tool. Patient demographic and clinical data were obtained through a retrospective chart review. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate data and examine relationships among variables.
. Patient illness characteristics; impaired function; side effects, such as infection, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea; family caregiver knowledge; and unplanned hospital admissions.
. Unplanned hospital admissions were more likely to occur when older adults had impaired function and side effects, such as infection, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. Impaired function and family caregiver knowledge did not moderate the effects of these side effects on unplanned hospital admissions. 
. Findings suggest that the presence of impaired function and side effects, such as infection, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, predict unplanned hospital admissions in older adults with cancer during the active treatment phase. Side effects may or may not be related to chemotherapy and may be related to preexisting comorbidities. 
. Nurses can conduct targeted assessments to identify older adults and their family caregivers who will need additional follow-up and support during the cancer treatment trajectory. Information gained from these assessments will assist nurses to provide practical and

  13. Clinical characteristics and outcomes for patients with an initial emergency presentation of malignancy: a 15 month audit of patient level data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savage, Philip; Sharkey, Rachel; Kua, Teresa; Papanastasopoulos, Panagiotis; McDonald-Burrows, Zoe; Hassan, Shazalia; Probst, Fay; Sanders, Ali; Millington, Hugh

    2015-02-01

    To investigate the demographics, diagnoses and outcomes for new adult cancer patients with an initial presentation via the A&E or acute oncology teams. Patients with initial emergency presentation of malignancy have been documented to have poorer treatment outcomes and shorter survival. Patient level data on this subject is relatively limited with regard to the demographics, diagnoses and the clinical factors that may underlie late presentations. A 15 month audit of the patients presenting with a new diagnosis of malignancy was performed in 2011-2012. Data on demographics, diagnosis and outcome were assembled and analysed. The clinical data on emergency presentations were compared to reference information on the incidence and median age at presentation for each malignancy within the standard population. During the study a total of 178 new cancer patients presented via the A and E service. The most frequent diagnoses were lung cancer with 21% of cases and CNS and colorectal cancer each with 9% of cases. There was a higher incidence of emergency new presentations of lung cancer, CNS tumours, ovarian, pancreatic and testicular cancer than in the standard population, whilst breast cancer, bladder cancer and prostate cancer patients were under-represented. The median age at diagnosis was 74 and for a number of malignancies including CNS tumours, breast cancer, colorectal cancer and head and neck cancer the emergency cases presented at significantly greater ages than in the standard population. Overall 27% of patients were unfit or unsuitable for a diagnostic biopsy, this group had only a 3 month median survival compared to 14 months for those suitable for biopsy and treatment. Despite a wide range of initiatives, the emergency and late diagnosis of patients with metastatic cancer remains a significant challenge with many patients too advanced and unwell at presentation for active treatment. These patients tend to be older and have malignancies that present with either

  14. Demographic variables, clinical aspects, and medicolegal implications in a population of patients with adjustment disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anastasia A

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Annalisa Anastasia,1 Chiara Colletti,1 Valentina Cuoco,1 Adele Quartini,1 Stefania Urso,2 Raffaella Rinaldi,2 Giuseppe Bersani1 1Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 2Department of Anatomical, Istological, Forensic and Locomotor System Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy Introduction: Although adjustment disorder (AD is considered as residual diagnosis and receives little attention in research, it plays an important role in clinical practice and also assumes an increasingly important role in the field of legal medicine, where the majority of diagnostic frameworks (eg, mobbing often refer to AD. Our study aimed to look for specific stressor differences among demographic and clinical variables in a naturalistic setting of patients with AD.Methods: A restrospective statistical analysis of the data of patients diagnosed with AD from November 2009 to September 2012, identified via manual search from the archive of the outpatient setting at the University Unit of Psychiatry “A. Fiorini” Hospital, Terracina (Latina, Italy, was performed.Results: The sample consisted of 93 patients (46 males and 47 females, aged between 26 and 85, with medium–high educational level who were mainly employed. In most cases (54.80%, a diagnosis of AD with mixed anxiety and depressed mood was made. In all, 72% of the sample reported a negative family history for psychiatric disorders. In 22.60%, a previous history of psychopathology, especially mood disorders (76.19%, was reported. The main stressors linked to the development of AD were represented by working problems (32.30%, family problems (23.70%, and/or somatic disease (22.60% with significant differences with respect to age and sex. Half of the patients were subjected to a single first examination; 24.47% requested a copy of medical records.Conclusion: Confirming previous data from previous reports, our results

  15. Antropometric assessment of nutritional status and socio-demographic characteristics in children up to 2 years of age

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shahid, A.; Ramzan, A.; Memon, A.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Malnutrition is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in children. It is important to realize that normal length and weight being attained at 1 year of age, would predict the nutritional status at 3 years of age. To asses the nutritional status and the associated socio-demographic characteristics in supposedly healthy Children of up to 2 years of age and highlight the importance of anthropometric measurements in routine child health care. Anthropometric measurements i.e. height and weight, were measured and a standard Questionnaire was used to interview the mothers regarding socio-demographic back ground information after a verbal informed consent and ensuring confidentiality. Height for age, weight for age and weight for height of the children were compared with the National Centre of Health Statistics (NCHS) reference population of the United States and Z -score< - 2 SD were considered as stunted, under weight and wasted respectively. Data was analyzed using SPSS software package. We observed stunting in 22%, wasting in 15% and under weight in 31.6% children. Majority of children with low weight were between 19 - 24 months of age Regarding socio-economic status of the households, 53.8% had family income less than Rs. 6000 month and almost 50% had a family size of 6-10 persons. Parents' education to the level of illiteracy (father, 27% and mother, 4 0%) and incomplete immunization ( 20%) were other associated factors for stunting, wasting and under weight. About 32% of children up to 2 years of age in the selected population were under weight, followed by stunning (22%). Policy Message: Anthropometric measurement of children is useful in routine child care settings as it will facilitate early identification and timely interventions for emerging health problems. (author)

  16. Demographic variables in coal miners’ safety attitude

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Wen-wen; Wu, Xiang; Ci, Hui-Peng; Qin, Shu-Qi; Liu, Jia-Long

    2017-03-01

    To change unsafe behavior through adjusting people’s safety attitudes has become an important measure to prevent accidents. Demographic variables, as influential factors of safety attitude, are fundamental and essential for the research. This research does a questionnaire survey among coal mine industry workers, and makes variance analysis and correlation analysis of the results in light of age, length of working years, educational level and experiences of accidents. The results show that the coal miners’ age, length of working years and accident experiences correlate lowly with safety attitudes, and those older coal miners with longer working years have better safety attitude, as coal miners without experiences of accident do.However, educational level has nothing to do with the safety attitude. Therefore, during the process of safety management, coal miners with different demographic characteristics should be put more attention to.

  17. Impact of family structure and socio-demographic characteristics on child health and wellbeing in same-sex parent families: A cross-sectional survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crouch, Simon Robert; McNair, Ruth; Waters, Elizabeth

    2016-05-01

    Children with same-sex attracted parents develop well in terms of their health and wellbeing. There are many recognised factors that have an impact on child health, in general, including individual, family and wider social mediators. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of family structure and socio-demographic characteristics on child health and wellbeing in Australian same-sex parent families. A cross-sectional survey of self-identified same-sex attracted parents from across Australia was used to collect information on child health and wellbeing between May and December 2012. Mixed-effects multiple linear regression models were used to identify associations between family structure/socio-demographic characteristics and child wellbeing. Child health outcomes were measured using the Child Health Questionnaire and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. In same-sex parent families, biological relationships, parental gender and parental education were not significantly associated with health and wellbeing. Parental income, rurality and stable parental relationships were associated with health and wellbeing, and living in a single-parent household was associated with poorer wellbeing. Stable dual parent families offer good outcomes for children with same-sex attracted parents. Family processes are most important. This study does not support the assertion that children require both male and female parents, nor that biological relationships are essential to health and wellbeing. This study provides scientific data from a cross-sectional Australian-based study to describe and understand health determinants for children in family contexts that comprise same-sex parent and all family contexts. It recommends equitable, stigma-free family support. © 2016 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  18. Subjective well-being among primary health care patients.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alis Ozcakir

    Full Text Available The psychological importance of subjective well-being for a healthy life has been well recognized. It is also well known that depressive and anxiety disorders have a negative effect on subjective well-being. The aim of this cross-sectional, descriptive study was to assess the subjective well-being status of a group of primary healthcare patients in relation to socio-demographic characteristics, personal health and mood-status.A total of 284 patients participated in the study. The Oxford Happiness Scale, Life Satisfaction Scale, DASS-42 (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales-42 and a questionnaire about socio-demographic characteristics were completed by the participants.In general, the participants were found to be moderately happy and satisfied with their lives. They had mild levels of depression, anxiety and stress. In terms of happiness, an older age (≥40 years, educated to secondary level or higher and not having depression or anxiety were found to be factors increasing happiness. In terms of life satisfaction, female gender, an older age (≥40 years, educated to secondary level or higher, being single and not having depression were found to increase life satisfaction.Primary healthcare providers should give more importance to the mood status of their patients. Screening for depression and anxiety should be applied at the primary healthcare level because negative mood status is more important than some socio-demographic characteristics in respect of unhappiness and dissatisfaction.

  19. Subjective well-being among primary health care patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozcakir, Alis; Oflu Dogan, Fatma; Cakir, Yakup Tolga; Bayram, Nuran; Bilgel, Nazan

    2014-01-01

    The psychological importance of subjective well-being for a healthy life has been well recognized. It is also well known that depressive and anxiety disorders have a negative effect on subjective well-being. The aim of this cross-sectional, descriptive study was to assess the subjective well-being status of a group of primary healthcare patients in relation to socio-demographic characteristics, personal health and mood-status. A total of 284 patients participated in the study. The Oxford Happiness Scale, Life Satisfaction Scale, DASS-42 (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales-42) and a questionnaire about socio-demographic characteristics were completed by the participants. In general, the participants were found to be moderately happy and satisfied with their lives. They had mild levels of depression, anxiety and stress. In terms of happiness, an older age (≥40 years), educated to secondary level or higher and not having depression or anxiety were found to be factors increasing happiness. In terms of life satisfaction, female gender, an older age (≥40 years), educated to secondary level or higher, being single and not having depression were found to increase life satisfaction. Primary healthcare providers should give more importance to the mood status of their patients. Screening for depression and anxiety should be applied at the primary healthcare level because negative mood status is more important than some socio-demographic characteristics in respect of unhappiness and dissatisfaction.

  20. Clinical characteristics of patients seizure following the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inatomi, Yuichiro; Nakajima, Makoto; Yonehara, Toshiro; Ando, Yukio

    2017-06-01

    To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with seizure following the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake. We retrospectively studied patients with seizure admitted to our hospital for 12weeks following the earthquake. We compared the clinical backgrounds and characteristics of the patients: before (the same period from the previous 3years) and after the earthquake; and the early (first 2weeks) and late (subsequent 10weeks) phases. A total of 60 patients with seizure were admitted to the emergency room after the earthquake, and 175 (58.3/year) patients were admitted before the earthquake. Of them, 35 patients with seizure were hospitalized in the Department of Neurology after the earthquake, and 96 (32/year) patients were hospitalized before the earthquake. In patients after the earthquake, males and non-cerebrovascular diseases as an epileptogenic disease were seen more frequently than before the earthquake. During the early phase after the earthquake, female, first-attack, and non-focal-type patients were seen more frequently than during the late phase after the earthquake. These characteristics of patients with seizure during the early phase after the earthquake suggest that many patients had non-epileptic seizures. To prevent seizures following earthquakes, mental stress and physical status of evacuees must be assessed. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.