Tremor severity and age: a cross-sectional, population-based study of 2,524 young and midlife normal adults.

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Louis, Elan D; Hafeman, Danella; Parvez, Faruque; Liu, Xinhua; Alcalay, Roy N; Islam, Tariqul; Ahmed, Alauddin; Siddique, Abu Bakar; Patwary, Tazul Islam; Melkonian, Stephanie; Argos, Maria; Levy, Diane; Ahsan, Habibul

2011-07-01

Mild action tremor occurs in most normal people. Yet this tremor mainly has been studied within the context of advanced age rather than among the vast bulk of adults who are not elderly. Whether this tremor worsens during young and middle age is unknown. Using cross-sectional data from a large population-based study of young and midlife normal adults (age range, 18-60 years), we assessed whether increasing age is associated with more severe action tremor. Two thousand five hundred and twenty-four adults in Araihazar, Bangladesh, drew an Archimedes spiral with each hand. Tremor in spirals was rated (0-3) by a blinded neurologist, and a spiral score (range, 0-6) was assigned. Spiral score was correlated with age (r = 0.06, P = .004). With each advancing decade, the spiral score increased (P = .002) so that the spiral score in participants in the highest age group (age 60) was approximately twice that of participants in the youngest age group (age 18-19); P = .003. In the regression model that adjusted for potential confounders (sex, cigarettes, medications, asthma inhalers, and tea and betel nut use), spiral score was associated with age (P = .0045). In this cross-sectional, population-based study of more than 2500 young and midlife normal adults, there was a clear association between age and tremor severity. Although the magnitude of the correlation coefficient was modest, tremor severity was higher with each passing decade. These data suggest that age-dependent increase in tremor amplitude is not restricted to older people but occurs in all adult age groups. Copyright © 2011 Movement Disorder Society.

White-matter microstructure and hearing acuity in older adults: a population-based cross-sectional DTI study.

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Rigters, Stephanie C; Cremers, Lotte G M; Ikram, M Arfan; van der Schroeff, Marc P; de Groot, Marius; Roshchupkin, Gennady V; Niessen, Wiro J N; Baatenburg de Jong, Robert J; Goedegebure, André; Vernooij, Meike W

2018-01-01

To study the relation between the microstructure of white matter in the brain and hearing function in older adults we carried out a population-based, cross-sectional study. In 2562 participants of the Rotterdam Study, we conducted diffusion tensor imaging to determine the microstructure of the white-matter tracts. We performed pure-tone audiogram and digit-in-noise tests to quantify hearing acuity. Poorer white-matter microstructure, especially in the association tracts, was related to poorer hearing acuity. After differentiating the separate white-matter tracts in the left and right hemisphere, poorer white-matter microstructure in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus and the right uncinate fasciculus remained significantly associated with worse hearing. These associations did not significantly differ between middle-aged (51-69 years old) and older (70-100 years old) participants. Progressing age was thus not found to be an effect modifier. In a voxel-based analysis no voxels in the white matter were significantly associated with hearing impairment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A COMMUNITY BASED CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY: INCREASING PREVALENCE OF TYPE 2 DIABETES AMONG RURAL ADULT POPULATION OF KARNATAKA, INDIA

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Tapas Brata Tripathy

2013-06-01

Full Text Available A community based cross-sectional study in the age group 25 years and above conducted at the field area of primary health centre Chakenahalli, Hassan district, Karnataka, India. The population was similar in characteristics regarding occupation, socio-economic status and food habits. Total of 626 subjects were included by multi-stage sampling. Information collected by the interviewers through face to face interview, after informed consent. The individuals were assessed on anthropometric parameters and screening was done by Random Blood Glucose (RBG with a standardized technique; diagnosis of type 2 diabetes done by WHO criteria. Prevalence of diabetes was found in 11.3% males and 15% females, altogether the total prevalence was 13.09% with 8.79% self reported cases of diabetes . Hypertension was associated with 25.6% diabetic subjects. It was also observed that 28.1% of study population had BMI ≥ 25.

Prevalence of age-related macular degeneration in Nakuru, Kenya: a cross-sectional population-based study.

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Wanjiku Mathenge

Full Text Available Diseases of the posterior segment of the eye, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD, have recently been recognised as the leading or second leading cause of blindness in several African countries. However, prevalence of AMD alone has not been assessed. We hypothesized that AMD is an important cause of visual impairment among elderly people in Nakuru, Kenya, and therefore sought to assess the prevalence and predictors of AMD in a diverse adult Kenyan population.In a population-based cross-sectional survey in the Nakuru District of Kenya, 100 clusters of 50 people 50 y of age or older were selected by probability-proportional-to-size sampling between 26 January 2007 and 11 November 2008. Households within clusters were selected through compact segment sampling. All participants underwent a standardised interview and comprehensive eye examination, including dilated slit lamp examination by an ophthalmologist and digital retinal photography. Images were graded for the presence and severity of AMD lesions following a modified version of the International Classification and Grading System for Age-Related Maculopathy. Comparison was made between slit lamp biomicroscopy (SLB and photographic grading. Of 4,381 participants, fundus photographs were gradable for 3,304 persons (75.4%, and SLB was completed for 4,312 (98%. Early and late AMD prevalence were 11.2% and 1.2%, respectively, among participants graded on images. Prevalence of AMD by SLB was 6.7% and 0.7% for early and late AMD, respectively. SLB underdiagnosed AMD relative to photographic grading by a factor of 1.7. After controlling for age, women had a higher prevalence of early AMD than men (odds ratio 1.5; 95% CI, 1.2-1.9. Overall prevalence rose significantly with each decade of age. We estimate that, in Kenya, 283,900 to 362,800 people 50 y and older have early AMD and 25,200 to 50,500 have late AMD, based on population estimates in 2007.AMD is an important cause of visual

Attitudes towards suicide in urban and rural China: a population based, cross-sectional study.

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Zou, Yaming; Leung, Ricky; Lin, Shao; Yang, Mingan; Lu, Tao; Li, Xianyun; Gu, Jing; Hao, Chun; Dong, Guanghui; Hao, Yuantao

2016-05-26

Suicide intervention programs have been guided by findings that attitude towards suicide and suicidal behavior may be causally linked. These findings also make it imperative to identify the factors that influence attitudes towards suicide. However, there has been little research on attitudes towards suicide among the general population, especially in low-income and middle-income countries. This population-based, cross-sectional study investigated the associated factors of attitudes towards suicide among a representative sample of urban and rural adult residents in China. A multi-stage, stratified random sampling approach was implemented to select participants. Data were collected by a survey using the Scale of Public Attitudes about Suicide (SPAS). The survey also collected some socio-demographic factors and suicidal history of participants. Statistical tests were conducted to identify associated factors that account for variations in attitudes towards suicide. The residents in China generally hold a neutral attitude towards suicide. Attitudes towards suicide among Chinese residents were associated with age, duration of formal education, marital status, job and suicidal ideation. Different attitudinal subscales seemed not to share the same risk factors. However, gender, ethnicity, religious belief, housing style and economic status might not influence residents' attitudes towards suicide. Attitudes towards suicide among Chinese urban and rural residents generally had no statistical difference with one notable exception: opinions on whether or not suicides and suicide attempts are different phenomena. Age, duration of formal education, marital status, job and suicidal ideation seem to have an impact on attitudes towards suicide among residents. Urban and rural residents have similar attitudes towards suicide with the only statistically significance difference being their opinions on whether or not suicides and suicide attempts are different phenomena.

Understanding differences in the body burden-age relationships of bioaccumulating contaminants based on population cross sections versus individuals.

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Quinn, Cristina L; Wania, Frank

2012-04-01

Body burdens of persistent bioaccumulative contaminants estimated from the cross-sectional biomonitoring of human populations are often plotted against age. Such relationships have previously been assumed to reflect the role of age in bioaccumulation. We used a mechanistic modeling approach to reproduce concentration-versus-age relationships and investigate factors that influence them. CoZMoMAN is an environmental fate and human food chain bioaccumulation model that estimates time trends in human body burdens in response to time-variant environmental emissions. Trends of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener 153 concentrations versus age for population cross sections were estimated using simulated longitudinal data for individual women born at different times. The model was also used to probe the influence of partitioning and degradation properties, length of emissions, and model assumptions regarding lipid content and liver metabolism on concentration-age trends of bioaccumulative and persistent contaminants. Body burden-age relationships for population cross sections and individuals over time are not equivalent. The time lapse between the peak in emissions and sample collection for biomonitoring is the most influential factor controlling the shape of concentration-age trends for chemicals with human metabolic half-lives longer than 1 year. Differences in observed concentration-age trends for PCBs and polybrominated diphenyl ethers are consistent with differences in emission time trends and human metabolic half-lives. Bioaccumulation does not monotonically increase with age. Our model suggests that the main predictors of cross-sectional body burden trends with age are the amount of time elapsed after peak emissions and the human metabolic and environmental degradation rates.

Evaluation of sexual attitude and sexual function in menopausal age; a population based cross-sectional study

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Somayeh Hashemi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Menopause and its physical, hormonal and psychosocial changes could affect women’s sexual function. There are controversial results regarding relationship between sexual attitudes and function. Objective: We aimed to evaluate sexual attitudes and sexual function among Iranian menopausal age women. Materials and Methods: This population based cross-sectional study was carried out on 225 menopausal women, aged 45-65 years. Based on a self-made questionnaire data were collected about women’s socio-demographic characteristics, attitudes regarding sexuality and sexual function. Data were analyzed using SPSS and sexual function was compared between three groups of women who had positive, medium and negative attitudes regarding sexuality. Results: The mean age of women was 53.11±4.56 years. Seventy percent of them had at least one sexual problem. Feeling of dyspareunia was significantly different between three categories of attitudes regarding sexuality (p=0.03. Comparing data obtained on their attitudes, sexual desire, orgasm and dyspareunia demonstrated significant differences (p=0.03, 0.04, and 0.04 respectively. Conclusion: Attitude regarding sexual function has a great impact on sexual activity of postmenopausal women that need to be considered in their health care programming.

Are higher blood mercury levels associated with dry eye symptoms in adult Koreans? A population-based cross-sectional study

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Chung, So-Hyang

2016-01-01

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate whether blood mercury concentrations associated with the presence of dry eye symptoms in a nationally representative Korean population. Methods Population-based prospective cross-sectional study using the heavy metal data set of the 2010–2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). A total of 4761 adult Koreans were the eligible population in this study. Of the 7162 survey participants, 2401 were excluded because they were mercury levels were measured on the day the participants completed a questionnaire regarding the presence of dry eye symptoms (persistent dryness or eye irritation). The population was divided into low and high groups by median level (4.26 and 2.89 µg/L for males and females, respectively). Results Self-reported dry eye symptoms were present in 13.0% of the cohort. Participants with dry eye symptoms were significantly more likely to have blood mercury levels exceeding the median than those without dry eye symptoms (45.7% vs 51.7%, p=0.021). Logistic regression analysis showed that, after adjusting for age, gender, education, total household income, smoking status, heavy alcohol use, sleep time, perceived stress status, total cholesterol levels and atopy history, dry eye symptoms were significantly associated with blood mercury levels that exceeded the median (reference: lower mercury group; OR, 1.324; 95% CI 1.059 to 1.655; pmercury levels were associated with dry eye symptoms in a nationally representative Korean population. PMID:27121705

Metabolic profile at first-time schizophrenia diagnosis: a population-based cross-sectional study

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Horsdal HT

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Henriette Thisted Horsdal,1,2 Michael Eriksen Benros,2,3 Ole Köhler-Forsberg,2–4 Jesper Krogh,3 Christiane Gasse1,2,5 1National Centre for Register-based Research, Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus BSS, Aarhus University, Aarhus, 2The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, 3Faculty of Health Sciences, Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 4Psychosis Research Unit, Aarhus University Hospital, Risskov, 5Centre for Integrated Register-Based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark Objective: Schizophrenia and/or antipsychotic drug use are associated with metabolic abnormalities; however, knowledge regarding metabolic status and physician’s monitoring of metabolic status at first schizophrenia diagnosis is sparse. We assessed the prevalence of monitoring for metabolic blood abnormalities and characterized the metabolic profiles in people with a first-time schizophrenia diagnosis. Methods: This is a population-based cross-sectional study including all adults born in Denmark after January 1, 1955, with their first schizophrenia diagnosis between 2000 and 2012 in the Central Denmark Region. Information on metabolic parameters was obtained from a clinical laboratory information system. Associations were calculated using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, chi-square tests, logistic regression, and Spearman’s correlation coefficients. Results: A total of 2,452 people with a first-time schizophrenia diagnosis were identified, of whom 1,040 (42.4% were monitored for metabolic abnormalities. Among those monitored, 58.4% had an abnormal lipid profile and 13.8% had an abnormal glucose profile. People who had previously filled prescription(s for antipsychotic drugs were more likely to present an abnormal lipid measure (65.7% vs 46.8%, P<0.001 and abnormal glucose profile (16.4% vs 10.1%, P=0.01. Conclusion: Metabolic abnormalities are common at first

Differences in rates and odds for emergency caesarean section in six Palestinian hospitals: a population-based birth cohort study

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Laine, Katariina; Hassan, Sahar; Fosse, Erik; Lieng, Marit; Zimmo, Kaled; Anti, Marit; Sørum Falk, Ragnhild; Vikanes, Åse

2018-01-01

Objective To assess the differences in rates and odds for emergency caesarean section among singleton pregnancies in six governmental Palestinian hospitals. Design A prospective population-based birth cohort study. Setting Obstetric departments in six governmental Palestinian hospitals. Participants 32 321 women scheduled to deliver vaginally from 1 March 2015 until 29 February 2016. Methods To assess differences in sociodemographic and antenatal obstetric characteristics by hospital, χ2 test, analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis test were applied. Logistic regression was used to estimate differences in odds for emergency caesarean section, and ORs with 95% CIs were assessed. Main outcome measures The primary outcome was the adjusted ORs of emergency caesarean section among singleton pregnancies for five Palestinian hospitals as compared with the reference (Hospital 1). Results The prevalence of emergency caesarean section varied across hospitals, ranging from 5.8% to 22.6% among primiparous women and between 4.8% and 13.1% among parous women. Compared with the reference hospital, the ORs for emergency caesarean section were increased in all other hospitals, crude ORs ranging from 1.95 (95% CI 1.42 to 2.67) to 4.75 (95% CI 3.49 to 6.46) among primiparous women. For parous women, these differences were less pronounced, crude ORs ranging from 1.37 (95% CI 1.13 to 1.67) to 2.99 (95% CI 2.44 to 3.65). After adjustment for potential confounders, the ORs were reduced but still statistically significant, except for one hospital among parous women. Conclusion Substantial differences in odds for emergency caesarean section between the six Palestinian governmental hospitals were observed. These could not be explained by the studied sociodemographic or antenatal obstetric characteristics. PMID:29500211

Are higher blood mercury levels associated with dry eye symptoms in adult Koreans? A population-based cross-sectional study.

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Chung, So-Hyang; Myong, Jun-Pyo

2016-04-27

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether blood mercury concentrations associated with the presence of dry eye symptoms in a nationally representative Korean population. Population-based prospective cross-sectional study using the heavy metal data set of the 2010-2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). A total of 4761 adult Koreans were the eligible population in this study. Of the 7162 survey participants, 2401 were excluded because they were eye surgery. Blood mercury levels were measured on the day the participants completed a questionnaire regarding the presence of dry eye symptoms (persistent dryness or eye irritation). The population was divided into low and high groups by median level (4.26 and 2.89 µg/L for males and females, respectively). Self-reported dry eye symptoms were present in 13.0% of the cohort. Participants with dry eye symptoms were significantly more likely to have blood mercury levels exceeding the median than those without dry eye symptoms (45.7% vs 51.7%, p=0.021). Logistic regression analysis showed that, after adjusting for age, gender, education, total household income, smoking status, heavy alcohol use, sleep time, perceived stress status, total cholesterol levels and atopy history, dry eye symptoms were significantly associated with blood mercury levels that exceeded the median (reference: lower mercury group; OR, 1.324; 95% CI 1.059 to 1.655; pdry eye symptoms in a nationally representative Korean population. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Association between rates of caesarean section and maternal and neonatal mortality in the 21st century: a worldwide population-based ecological study with longitudinal data.

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Ye, J; Zhang, J; Mikolajczyk, R; Torloni, M R; Gülmezoglu, A M; Betran, A P

2016-04-01

Caesarean section was initially performed to save the lives of the mother and/or her baby. Caesarean section rates have risen substantially worldwide over the past decades. In this study, we set out to compile all available caesarean section rates worldwide at the country level, and to identify the appropriate caesarean section rate at the population level associated with the minimal maternal and neonatal mortality. Ecological study using longitudinal data. Worldwide country-level data. A total of 159 countries were included in the analyses, representing 98.0% of global live births (2005). Nationally representative caesarean section rates from 2000 to 2012 were compiled. We assessed the relationship between caesarean section rates and mortality outcomes, adjusting for socio-economic development by means of human development index (HDI) using fractional polynomial regression models. Maternal mortality ratio and neonatal mortality rate. Most countries have experienced increases in caesarean section rate during the study period. In the unadjusted analysis, there was a negative association between caesarean section rates and mortality outcomes for low caesarean section rates, especially among the least developed countries. After adjusting for HDI, this effect was much smaller and was only observed below a caesarean section rate of 5-10%. No important association between the caesarean section rate and maternal and neonatal mortality was observed when the caesarean section rate exceeded 10%. Although caesarean section is an effective intervention to save maternal and infant lives, based on the available ecological evidence, caesarean section rates higher than around 10% at the population level are not associated with decreases in maternal and neonatal mortality rates, and thus may not be necessary to achieve the lowest maternal and neonatal mortality. The caesarean section rate of around 10% may be the optimal rate to achieve the lowest mortality. © 2015 The Authors

Factors Associated with Physical Inactivity among Adult Urban Population of Puducherry, India: A Population Based Cross-sectional Study.

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Newtonraj, Ariarathinam; Murugan, Natesan; Singh, Zile; Chauhan, Ramesh Chand; Velavan, Anandan; Mani, Manikandan

2017-05-01

Physical inactivity is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. Increase in physical activity decreases the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, Type 2 diabetes, stroke, and improves psychological wellbeing. To study the level of physical inactivity among the adult population in an urban area of Puducherry in India and its associated risk factors. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 569 adult participants from an urban area of Pondicherry. The level of physical inactivity was measured by using WHO standard Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). Overall prevalence of physical inactivity in our study was 49.7% (CI: 45.6-53.8). Among the physically active people, contribution of physical activity by work was 77.4%, leisure time activities were 11.6% and transport time was 11%. Both men and women were equally inactive {Physically inactive among women was 50% (CI:44.1-55.9)} and {Physically inactive among men was 49.5% (CI:43.8-55.2)}. Prevalence of physical inactivity was increasing with increasing age. Non tobacco users were two times more active than tobacco users {Adjusted Odds Ratio: 2.183 (1.175- 4.057)}. Employed were more active as compared to retired {Adjusted Odds Ratio: 0.412 (0.171-0.991)}, students {Adjusted Odds Ratio: 0.456 (0.196-1.060)}, house wives {Adjusted Odds Ratio: 0.757 (0.509-1.127)} and unemployed {Adjusted Odds Ratio: 0.538 (0.271-1.068)}. Non alcoholics were only 0.34 times as active as alcoholics. Level of physical activity was found to be insufficient among adult urban population of Puducherry. Working adult population found to be active, that too due to their work pattern. There is a need to promote leisure time and travelling time physical activity.

GIS-Based Population Model Applied to Nevada Transportation Routes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mills, G.S.; Neuhauser, K.S.

1999-01-01

Recently, a model based on geographic information system (GIS) processing of US Census Block data has made high-resolution population analysis for transportation risk analysis technically and economically feasible. Population density bordering each kilometer of a route may be tabulated with specific route sections falling into each of three categories (Rural, Suburban or Urban) identified for separate risk analysis. In addition to the improvement in resolution of Urban areas along a route, the model provides a statistically-based correction to population densities in Rural and Suburban areas where Census Block dimensions may greatly exceed the 800-meter scale of interest. A semi-automated application of the GIS model to a subset of routes in Nevada (related to the Yucca Mountain project) are presented, and the results compared to previous models including a model based on published Census and other data. These comparisons demonstrate that meaningful improvement in accuracy and specificity of transportation risk analyses is dependent on correspondingly accurate and geographically-specific population density data

Level of colorectal cancer awareness: a cross sectional exploratory study among multi-ethnic rural population in Malaysia

OpenAIRE

Su, Tin Tin; Goh, Jun Yan; Tan, Jackson; Muhaimah, Abdul Rahim; Pigeneswaren, Yoganathan; Khairun, Nasirin Sallamun; Normazidah, Abdul Wahab; Tharisini, Devi Kunasekaran; Majid, Hazreen Abd

2013-01-01

Background This paper presents the level of colorectal cancer awareness among multi-ethnic rural population in Malaysia. Methods A rural-based cross sectional survey was carried out in Perak state in Peninsular Malaysia in March 2011. The survey recruited a population-representative sample using multistage sampling. Altogether 2379 participants were included in this study. Validated bowel/colorectal cancer awareness measure questionnaire was used to assess the level of colorectal cancer aware...

Frequency of colorectal cancer in healthy individual's relatives: A cross-sectional population-based study

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Mohammad Reza Zali

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Family history of colorectal cancer has been shown to be related to the risk of developing colorectal cancer. This risk depends on the number of affected relatives and the age at diagnosis. In this study we aimed to estimate the frequency of a positive family history of colorectal cancer in a random sample from Tehran population. Materials and Methods: This study was a community-based cross-sectional survey conducted from May 2006 to December 2007 in Tehran province, Iran. A total of 5,500 peoples (age≥20 years drawn up randomly by random sampling according to postal codes and invited to participate in the study. All participants completed a detailed health data registry form on family history status of colorectal cancer. Results: The mean age of men with a positive family history was significantly different from men with negative family history. There was no significant difference between mean age of women responders with or without positive family history. Among all participants (n=5,500, 162 responders (2.9% had a history of colorectal cancer. Of 162, 67 responders (1.22% had one and 4(0.07% had two or more first-degree relative with colorectal cancer. Of 5,500 participants, 18 subjects (0.33% reported having two or more first-degree relative with colorectal cancer or one first-degree relative with colorectal cancer diagnosed at age <50 years. Four subjects (0.07% had three or more first-degree relative with colorectal cancer. Conclusion: Based on the findings, we estimate that more than 570,000 subjects in the Iran in the age group≥20 years have at least two to three times increased risk of developing colorectal cancer which should be identified and encourage to participate in screening and surveillance protocols of colorectal cancer.

Epidemiologic Association of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Urinary Calculi: a Population-based Cross-sectional Study in Southern China.

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Wei, Yan-Ping; Lin, Xing-Gu; He, Rong-Quan; Shen, Juan; Sun, Si-Long; Chen, Gang; Wang, Qiu-Yan; Xu, Jian-Feng; Mo, Zeng-Nan

2018-03-01

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been reported to have effects on kidney diseases; however, a link between NAFLD and urinary calculi remains to be confirmed. This study was conducted on a male population based on our previous Fangchenggang Area Male Health and Examination Survey in Guangxi, China in order to estimate the frequency of urinary calculi and assess the association between NAFLD and urinary calculi while controlling for possible confounders. This was a population-based cross-sectional study conducted in the Fangchenggang region in Guangxi, China. The diagnoses of NAFLD and urinary calculi were made by ultrasonography. Clinical and laboratory findings were analyzed to investigate whether NAFLD was a risk factor for urinary calculi. A total of 3719 men were enrolled (age range, 17 to 88 years). Slightly more than a quarter (26.5%) of the participants were diagnosed with NAFLD. The percentage of urinary calculi in all participants was 6.9%, and the percentage of NAFLD patients with urinary calculi (8.4%) was significantly higher than that among patients without NAFLD (6.4%, P < .05). Advanced age; high body mass index; elevated levels of blood glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; low education; lower or higher physical activity; and NAFLD were independent risk factors for urinary calculi (P < .05). Our results showed that NAFLD was associated with a higher incidence of urinary calculi in this cohort and NAFLD might represent a risk factor for urinary calculi.

Rural versus nonrural differences in BMC, volumetric BMD, and bone size: a population-based cross-sectional study.

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Specker, Bonny; Binkley, Teresa; Fahrenwald, Nancy

2004-12-01

Despite reports of lower fracture risk among rural versus urban populations, few studies have investigated rural versus urban differences in bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD). Population differences in cross-sectional bone geometry and understanding lifestyle factors responsible for these differences may reveal insights into the reason for differences in fracture risk. We hypothesized that if lifestyle differences in bone mass, size, and geometry are a result of muscle strength, activity, or dietary differences, Hutterite and rural populations should have greater bone mass compared to nonrural populations. The study population consisted of 1189 individuals: 504 rural Hutterites (188 men), 349 rural individuals (>75% life farming, 184 men), and 336 nonrural individuals (never lived on farm, 134 men) aged 20 to 66 years. BMC, bone area, and areal BMD (aBMD) of the total body (TB), hip, femoral neck (FN), and spine by DXA; volumetric BMD (vBMD) and bone geometry at the 4% and 20% radius; polar stress strain index (pSSI), a measure of bone strength, at the 20% pQCT site; and strength, 7-day activity recall, and 24-h diet recall were collected and compared among groups. Hutterite women and men had greater grip strength compared to rural and nonrural populations (both, P BMC and areal size than the nonrural population, while Hutterites had greater BMC and areal size than rural population at some (TB, FN for females only), but not all (proximal hip), sites. Cortical vBMD was inversely associated with periosteal circumference at the 20% radius in women (r=-0.25, P BMC, aBMD, vBMD, or bone size.

Dental erosion among 12-year-old schoolchildren: a population-based cross-sectional study in South Brazil.

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Alves, Luana Severo; Brusius, Carolina Doege; Damé-Teixeira, Nailê; Maltz, Marisa; Susin, Cristiano

2015-12-01

To assess the epidemiology and risk indicators for dental erosion among 12-year-old schoolchildren in South Brazil. A population-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in Porto Alegre, Brazil, using a representative sample of 12-year-old schoolchildren (n = 1,528). Dental erosion was recorded according to the Basic Erosive Wear Examination (BEWE) index. Parents answered questions on socio-economic status, brushing frequency and general health. Schoolchildren answered questions on dietary habits. Anthropometric data were collected. Statistical analysis included logistic and Poisson regression models. The prevalence of dental erosion was 15% [95% confidence interval (95% CI): 13.6-16.5], being mainly mild erosion. Boys [odds ratio (OR) = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.17-2.10], private school attendees (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.01-2.06) and schoolchildren reporting the daily consumption of soft drinks (OR = 5.04, 95% CI: 1.17-21.71) were more likely to have at least one tooth with dental erosion. Gender [boys, rate ratio (RR) = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.28-2.17], type of school (private, RR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.53-2.35), the consumption of soft drinks (sometimes: RR = 5.27, 95% CI: 1.46-19.05; daily: RR = 6.82, 95% CI: 1.39-33.50) and the daily consumption of lemon (RR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.11-2.00) were significantly associated with the number of affected surfaces. The present study found a moderate prevalence of dental erosion among young schoolchildren, with mild erosion being the most prevalent condition. Socio demographic variables and dietary habits were associated with dental erosion in this population. © 2015 FDI World Dental Federation.

Vitamin D as a possible independent predictor of bone mineral density in Estonian adults: a cross-sectional population-based study.

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Kull, M; Kallikorm, R; Lember, M

2012-06-01

Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency are prevalent worldwide, with the highest prevalence in the northern countries due to the lack of ultraviolet exposure. The individual effect of vitamin D on bone mineral density (BMD) has been studied but the results are inconclusive. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of vitamin D on BMD in a random population-based cohort of Estonian adults. A cross-sectional population-based study. A total of 273 individuals free of diseases or states known to affect bone or vitamin D metabolism participated in the study. We measured BMD, vitamin D and parathyroid hormone concentrations (in winter and in summer). Several co-variables were included in the regression analysis, including age, smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass index, physical activity, fresh milk consumption, caffeinated beverage consumption, lean tissue mass and total body fat percentage, and in women the number of children and breastfeeding history. We show that summer vitamin D independently correlates with BMD in lumbar spine, trochanter and total body regions (P vitamin D predicts independently lumbar spine (P body BMD (P mass and fat mass were additional contributors of the BMD (P body composition indices, vitamin D could be an independent contributor of BMD in several skeletal regions in men and women. © 2010 The Authors. Internal Medicine Journal © 2010 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

Food insecurity, social networks and symptoms of depression among men and women in rural Uganda: a cross-sectional, population-based study.

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Perkins, Jessica M; Nyakato, Viola N; Kakuhikire, Bernard; Tsai, Alexander C; Subramanian, S V; Bangsberg, David R; Christakis, Nicholas A

2018-04-01

To assess the association between food insecurity and depression symptom severity stratified by sex, and test for evidence of effect modification by social network characteristics. A population-based cross-sectional study. The nine-item Household Food Insecurity Access Scale captured food insecurity. Five name generator questions elicited network ties. A sixteen-item version of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist for Depression captured depression symptom severity. Linear regression was used to estimate the association between food insecurity and depression symptom severity while adjusting for potential confounders and to test for potential network moderators. In-home survey interviews in south-western Uganda. All adult residents across eight rural villages; 96 % response rate (n 1669). Severe food insecurity was associated with greater depression symptom severity (b=0·4, 95 % CI 0·3, 0·5, Pinsecurity and depression symptoms was stronger than for men on the periphery of their village social network, and for men with many poor personal network contacts, respectively. In this population-based study from rural Uganda, food insecurity was associated with mental health for both men and women. Future research is needed on networks and food insecurity-related shame in relation to depression symptoms among food-insecure men.

Caesarean Section Rates in South Africa: evidence of bias among different ‘population groups’

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MATSHIDZE, K. PATRICK; RICHTER, LINDA M.; ELLISON, GEORGE T. H.; LEVIN, JONATHAN B.; McINTYRE, JAMES A.

2007-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to assess the effect of ‘population group’ classification, as a specific instance of ‘racial’ categorization, on caesarean section rates in South Africa. Design Information on ‘population group’ classification (‘Black’, ‘Coloured’, ‘Indian’ or ‘White’, as defined under apartheid legislation) and place of delivery, together with basic obstetric, sociodemographic and perinatal data, were extracted from the birth notification forms of 5456 children who made up the birth cohort of the Birth to Ten longitudinal study. This cohort included all births that occurred to mothers resident in Soweto-Johannesburg during a 7-week period in 1990. Results After accounting for differences in maternal age, gravidity, birth weight and gestational age at delivery, the rate of caesarean sections at private facilities was more than twice that at public facilities. Although there were significant differences in the utilisation of private facilities by women from different ‘population groups’, there was an independent effect of ‘population group’ classification on caesarean section rates: caesarean section rates among women classified as ‘White’ and ‘Coloured’ were significantly higher (95% confidence intervals for odds ratios: 1.40-2.42 and 1.05-1.81, respectively) than among women classified as ‘Black’. Conclusion ‘Population group’ differences in caesarean section rates among South African women are not explained by differences in demographic risk factors for assisted delivery, nor by differences in access to private health care. Instead, the differences in section rates may reflect the effect of bias in clinical decision-making, and/or differences among women from different ‘population groups’ in their attitude towards assisted delivery, and their capacity to negotiate with clinicians. PMID:9673465

The relationship between gambling expenditure, socio-demographics, health-related correlates and gambling behaviour-a cross-sectional population-based survey in Finland.

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Castrén, Sari; Kontto, Jukka; Alho, Hannu; Salonen, Anne H

2018-01-01

To investigate gambling expenditure and its relationship with socio-demographics, health-related correlates and past-year gambling behaviour. Cross-sectional population survey. Population-based survey in Finland. Finnish people aged 15-74 years drawn randomly from the Population Information System. The participants in this study were past-year gamblers with gambling expenditure data available (n = 3251, 1418 women and 1833 men). Expenditure shares, means of weekly gambling expenditure (WGE, €) and monthly gambling expenditure as a percentage of net income (MGE/NI, %) were calculated. The correlates used were perceived health, smoking, mental health [Mental Health Inventory (MHI)-5], alcohol use [Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)-C], game types, gambling frequency, gambling mode and gambling severity [South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS)]. Gender (men versus women) was found to be associated significantly with gambling expenditure, with exp(β) = 1.40, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.29, 1.52 and P gambling behaviour correlates were associated significantly with WGE and MGE/NI: gambling frequency (several times a week versus once a month/less than monthly, exp(β) = 30.75, 95% CI = 26.89, 35.17 and P gambling severity (probable pathological gamblers versus non-problem gamblers, exp(β) = 2.83, 95% CI = 2.12, 3.77 and P gambling (on-line and land-based versus land-based only, exp(β) = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.24, 1.47 and P gambling expenditure and monthly gambling expenditure related to net income. People in Finland with lower incomes contribute proportionally more of their income to gambling compared with middle- and high-income groups. © 2017 The Authors. Addiction published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for the Study of Addiction.

Characteristics of service users and provider organisations associated with experience of out of hours general practitioner care in England: population based cross sectional postal questionnaire survey

OpenAIRE

Warren, Fiona C; Abel, Gary; Lyratzopoulos, Georgios; Elliott, Marc N; Richards, Suzanne; Barry, Heather E; Roland, Martin; Campbell, John L

2015-01-01

Objective: To investigate the experience of users of out of hours general practitioner services in England, UK. Design: Population based cross sectional postal questionnaire survey. Setting: General Practice Patient Survey 2012-13. Main outcome measures: Potential associations between sociodemographic factors (including ethnicity and ability to take time away from work during working hours to attend a healthcare consultation) and provider organisation type (not for profit, NHS, or commercial)...

Attitudes towards Electronic Cigarettes Regulation in Indoor Workplaces and Selected Public and Private Places: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study

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Martínez-Sánchez, Jose M.; Ballbè, Montse; Fu, Marcela; Martín-Sánchez, Juan C.; Gottlieb, Mark; Saltó, Esteve; Vardavas, Constantine I.; Daynard, Richard; Connolly, Gregory N.; Fernández, Esteve

2014-01-01

Background Currently, there is an intensive debate about the regulation of the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) in indoor places. The aim of this study was to assess the attitudes toward e-cigarette use in indoor workplaces and selected public and private venues among the general population in Barcelona (Spain) in 2013–2014. Methods This is a cross-sectional study of a representative sample of the population of Barcelona (n = 736). The field work was conducted between May 2013 and February 2014. We computed the prevalence and the adjusted odds ratios (OR) derived from multivariable logistic regression models. Results The awareness of e-cigarettes was 82.3%. Forty five percent of respondents did not agree with the use of e-cigarettes in public places and 52.3% in workplaces. The proportion of disapproval of the use of e-cigarettes in indoor places was higher at 71.5% for schools and 65.8% for hospitals and health care centers; while the prevalence of disapproval of e-cigarette use in homes and cars was lower (18.0% and 32.5%, respectively). Respondents who disagreed on the use of e-cigarettes in indoor workplaces were more likely to be older (OR = 1.64 and 1.97 for groups 45–64 and ≧65 years old, respectively), those with a high educational level (OR = 1.60), and never and former smokers (OR = 2.34 and 2.16, respectively). Increased scores in the Fagerström test for cigarette dependence were also related to increased support for their use. Conclusions Based on this population based study, half of the general population of Barcelona does not support the use of e-cigarettes in indoor workplaces and public places, with the percentage reaching 65% for use in schools, hospitals and health care centers. Consequently, there is good societal support in Spain for the politicians and legislators to promote policies restricting e-cigarettes use in workplaces and public places, including hospitality venues. PMID:25469996

Marginalisation and cardiovascular disease among rural Sami in Northern Norway: a population-based cross-sectional study.

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Eliassen, Bent-Martin; Melhus, Marita; Hansen, Ketil Lenert; Broderstad, Ann Ragnhild

2013-05-29

Like other indigenous peoples, the Sami have been exposed to the huge pressures of colonisation, rapid modernisation and subsequent marginalisation. Previous studies among indigenous peoples show that colonialism, rapid modernisation and marginalisation is accompanied by increased stress, an unhealthy cardiovascular risk factor profile and disease burden. Updated data on the general burden of cardiovascular disease among the Sami is lacking. The primary objective of this study was to assess the relationship between marginalisation and self-reported lifetime cardiovascular disease (CVD) by minority/majority status in the rural Sami population of Norway. A cross-sectional population-based study (the SAMINOR study) was carried out in 2003-2004. The overall participation rate was 60.9% and a total of 4027 Sami individuals aged 36-79 years were included in the analyses. Data was collected by self-administrated questionnaires and a clinical examination. The logistic regression showed that marginalised Sami living in Norwegian dominated areas were more than twice as likely to report CVD as non-marginalised Sami living in Sami majority areas (OR 2.10, 95% CI: 1.40-3.14). No sex difference was found in the effects of marginalisation on self-reported life-time cardiovascular disease. Moderate to no intermediate effects were seen after including established CVD risk factors. This study showed that marginalised Sami living in Norwegian dominated areas were more than twice as likely as non-marginalised Sami from Sami majority areas to report lifetime cardiovascular disease (CVD). Moderate to no intermediate effects were seen after including established CVD risk factors, which suggest little difference in lifestyle related factors. Chronic stress exposure following marginalisation may however be a plausible explanation for some of the observed excess of CVD.

Lifestyle factors among proton pump inhibitor users and nonusers: a cross-sectional study in a population-based setting.

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Hvid-Jensen, Frederik; Nielsen, Rikke B; Pedersen, Lars; Funch-Jensen, Peter; Drewes, Asbjørn Mohr; Larsen, Finn B; Thomsen, Reimar W

2013-01-01

Lifestyle factors may influence observed associations between proton pump inhibitor (PPI) usage and health outcomes. The aim of the study reported here was to examine characteristics and differences in lifestyle among PPI users and nonusers. This cross-sectional study utilized data from a 2006 population-based health survey of 21,637 persons in the Central Danish Region. All persons using prescribed PPIs were identified through linkage to a population-based prescription database. Biometric measures and prevalence of smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, diet, and physical exercise were analyzed, comparing PPI users with nonusers. Among 10,129 (46.8%) male and 11,508 (53.2%) female survey respondents, 1,356 (13.4%) males and 1,691 (14.7%) females reported ever use of PPIs. PPI users were more obese (16.7%) than nonusers (13.1%), with an age- and sex-standardized prevalence ratio (PR) of 1.3 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-1.4). The prevalence of smokers was also higher in the PPI group (26.2% vs 22.3% [PR =1.2, 95% CI: 1.1-1.3]), as was the prevalence of ex-smokers (41.0% vs 32.0% [PR =1.2, 95% CI: 1.1-1.2]). Unhealthy diet was slightly more common among PPI users than among nonusers (15.4% vs 13.0%), with a PR of 1.2 (95% CI: 1.1-1.3). Physical exercise level and alcohol consumption were similar in the two groups. Hospital-diagnosed comorbidity was observed in 35% of PPI users (a Charlson Comorbidity Index score of 1 or more) compared with only 15% among nonusers. PPI users are more obese, smoke more, and have significantly more comorbidities than PPI nonusers. These data are important when evaluating unmeasured confounding in observational studies of PPI effects.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Central America: a cross-sectional population-based study

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Roy A. Wong-McClure

2015-09-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To report the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS as found by the Central American Diabetes Initiative (CAMDI study for five major Central American populations: Belize (national; Costa Rica (San José; Guatemala (Guatemala City; Honduras (Tegucigalpa; and Nicaragua (Managua. METHODS: Study data on 6 185 adults aged 20 years or older with anthropometric and laboratory determination of MetS from population-based surveys were analyzed. Overall, the survey response rate was 82.0%. MetS prevalence was determined according to criteria from the Adult Treatment Panel III of the National Cholesterol Education Program. The study's protocol was reviewed and approved by the bioethical committee of each country studied. RESULTS: The overall standardized prevalence of MetS in the Central American region was 30.3% (95% confidence interval (CI: 27.1-33.4. There was wide variability by gender and work conditions, with higher prevalence among females and unpaid workers. The standardized percentage of the population free of any component of MetS was lowest in Costa Rica (9.0%; CI: 6.5-11.4 and highest in Honduras (21.1%; CI: 16.4-25.9. CONCLUSIONS: Overall prevalence of MetS in Central America is high. Strengthening surveillance of chronic diseases and establishing effective programs for preventing cardiovascular diseases might reduce the risk of MetS in Central America.

Human semen quality in the new millennium: a prospective cross-sectional population-based study of 4867 men

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, N; Joensen, Ulla Nordström; Jensen, TK

2012-01-01

Objectives Considerable interest and controversy over a possible decline in semen quality during the 20th century raised concern that semen quality could have reached a critically low level where it might affect human reproduction. The authors therefore initiated a study to assess reproductive...... health in men from the general population and to monitor changes in semen quality over time. Design Cross-sectional study of men from the general Danish population. Inclusion criteria were place of residence in the Copenhagen area, and both the man and his mother being born and raised in Denmark. Men...... with severe or chronic diseases were not included. Setting Danish one-centre study. Participants 4867 men, median age 19 years, included from 1996 to 2010. Outcome measures Semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count, sperm motility and sperm morphology. Results Only 23% of participants had optimal...

[Rural work-related accidents in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil: a population-based cross-sectional study].

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Fernanda Fehlberg, M; dos Santos, I S; Tomasi, E

2001-01-01

Epidemiological literature on occupational accidents among rural workers is scarce in Brazil. This population-based cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the characteristics of farming accidents occurring in the rural area of Pelotas, Southern Brazil. A multi-stage sampling scheme was used to select a representative sample of farms. From January to April 1996, a total of 258 rural families were visited, and all 580 rural workers identified in these families answered a standardized questionnaire. Sixty-three rural workers (11%) reported at least one work-related accident in the previous twelve months. There were 82 accidents during the study period, mainly related to the use of hand farm tools (29%) and handling farm animals (27%). The main types of injuries were cuts (50%), bruises (13%), and burns (9%). The body areas most frequently involved were hands (34%), feet (29%), and legs (18%). Among the injured rural workers, only 32% used health services to treat the resulting lesions (46% went to primary health care facilities and 36% to emergency services).

Education and WHO recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake are associated with better cognitive function in a disadvantaged Brazilian elderly population: a population-based cross-sectional study.

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Maria Pastor-Valero

Full Text Available Brazil has one of the fastest aging populations in the world and the incidence of cognitive impairment in the elderly is expected to increase exponentially. We examined the association between cognitive impairment and fruit and vegetable intake and associated factors in a low-income elderly population. A cross-sectional population-based study was carried out with 1849 individuals aged 65 or over living in São Paulo, Brazil. Cognitive function was assessed using the Community Screening Instrument for Dementia (CSI-D. Fruit and vegetable intake was assessed with a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ and categorized into quartiles of intake and into total daily fruit and vegetable intake using the cut-off points for the WHO recommendations (<400 grams/day or ≥ 400 grams/day. The association between cognitive impairment and each quartile of intake, and WHO recommendation levels, was evaluated in two separate multivariate logistic models. The WHO recommendations for daily intakes ≥ 400 grams/day were significantly associated with 47% decreased prevalence of cognitive impairment. An effect modification was found in both models between cognitive impairment and "years of education and physical activity" and "years of education and blood levels of HDL" So that, having 1 or more years of education and being physically active or having 1 or more years of education and levels higher than 50 mg/dl of HDL-cholesterol strongly decreased the prevalence of cognitive impairment. In this socially deprived population with very low levels of education and physical activity and fruit and vegetable intake, those who attained WHO recommendations, had 1 year or more of education and were physically active had a significantly lower prevalence of cognitive impairment. A more comprehensive understanding of the social determinants of mental health is needed to develop effective public policies in developing countries.

Chronic myeloid leukaemia in Spain: Its presentation characteristics have changed. Spanish section of the EUTOS population-based registry.

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Osorio, S; Casado, L F; Giraldo, P; Maestro, B; Andrade, M; Redondo, S; García-Gutiérrez, V; Ayala, R; Garcia, N; Steegmann, J L

2016-01-01

To provide more reliable data on the epidemiology of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) in Spain than are currently available. The EUTOS population-based project of European LeukemiaNet is a population registry of new CML cases in patients 18 years of age or older from 22 European areas. The Spanish section included the autonomous communities of Madrid, Castilla-La Mancha and Aragon, from 1-2-2010 to 31-12-2012. A total of 250 cases were recorded in 35 months. The overall incidence was 1.08 cases/10(5) inhabitants-year, with a predominance of men (58%) and clear differences among the communities. The incidence standardised by age was similar (overall, 1.04; men, 1.31; women, 0.81). The median age was 54 years. The incidence increased with age, reaching a peak at>65 years, although 31.7% of cases appeared between the ages of 20 and 44 years. Four percent of cases were diagnosed in advanced stages (2.4% in accelerated phase, 1.6% in blast crisis), 56% were asymptomatic, 38% had splenomegaly, and the Sokal score was high in 11% (lower than what was previously reflected in the literature). The current incidence of CML in Spain is higher than previously reported and similar to that of the European studies. Unlike the classical descriptions, CML presented mostly in asymptomatic form, with no splenomegaly, less leucocytosis and in stages with better prognosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna (SEMI). All rights reserved.

Chronic periodontitis and oral health-related quality of life in Chinese adults: A population-based, cross-sectional study.

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He, Songlin; Wei, Shicheng; Wang, Jinhua; Ji, Ping

2018-03-01

This population-based, cross-sectional study explored the association between chronic periodontitis and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in Chinese adults, independently of sociodemographic factors and other common oral conditions. The present study was carried out in a sample population of 480 adults aged 35 to 74 years from Chongqing municipality. A multi-stage stratified random sampling approach was adopted to select participants. The Chinese version of the short-form oral health impact profile (OHIP-14) was used to assess OHRQoL. Chronic periodontitis was trichotomized into mild, moderate, and severe periodontitis. Logistic regression models were adopted to explore the association between the severity of chronic periodontitis and OHIP-14 scores. After adjustment for sociodemographic factors and other common clinical conditions, participants with severe and moderate chronic periodontitis, respectively, had 1.63- (95% CI: 1.41 to 1.98) and 1.42-fold (95% CI: 1.29 to 1.63) higher odds for the OHIP-14 scores being above the median compared with participants without chronic periodontitis. However, participants with mild periodontitis did not have significantly higher odds for the OHIP-14 scores being above the median than participants without chronic periodontitis. Certain sociodemographic variables, including higher age, lower education level, number of missing teeth, and current smoker, had negative associations with OHRQoL. Chronic periodontitis was associated with poorer OHRQoL in Chinese adults. In addition, the impairment in OHRQoL showed a significant correlation with the severity of chronic periodontitis. © 2018 American Academy of Periodontology.

Hookworm infection and environmental factors in mbeya region, Tanzania: a cross-sectional, population-based study.

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Helene Riess

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Hookworm disease is one of the most common infections and cause of a high disease burden in the tropics and subtropics. Remotely sensed ecological data and model-based geostatistics have been used recently to identify areas in need for hookworm control. METHODOLOGY: Cross-sectional interview data and stool samples from 6,375 participants from nine different sites in Mbeya region, south-western Tanzania, were collected as part of a cohort study. Hookworm infection was assessed by microscopy of duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears from one stool sample from each participant. A geographic information system was used to obtain remotely sensed environmental data such as land surface temperature (LST, vegetation cover, rainfall, and elevation, and combine them with hookworm infection data and with socio-demographic and behavioral data. Uni- and multivariable logistic regression was performed on sites separately and on the pooled dataset. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Univariable analyses yielded significant associations for all ecological variables. Five ecological variables stayed significant in the final multivariable model: population density (odds ratio (OR = 0.68; 95% confidence interval (CI = 0.63-0.73, mean annual vegetation density (OR = 0.11; 95% CI = 0.06-0.18, mean annual LST during the day (OR = 0.81; 95% CI = 0.75-0.88, mean annual LST during the night (OR = 1.54; 95% CI = 1.44-1.64, and latrine coverage in household surroundings (OR = 1.02; 95% CI = 1.01-1.04. Interaction terms revealed substantial differences in associations of hookworm infection with population density, mean annual enhanced vegetation index, and latrine coverage between the two sites with the highest prevalence of infection. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: This study supports previous findings that remotely sensed data such as vegetation indices, LST, and elevation are strongly associated with hookworm prevalence. However, the results

Underlying factors associated with anemia in Amazonian children: a population-based, cross-sectional study.

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Marly A Cardoso

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Although iron deficiency is considered to be the main cause of anemia in children worldwide, other contributors to childhood anemia remain little studied in developing countries. We estimated the relative contributions of different factors to anemia in a population-based, cross-sectional survey. METHODOLOGY: We obtained venous blood samples from 1111 children aged 6 months to 10 years living in the frontier town of Acrelândia, northwest Brazil, to estimate the prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency by measuring hemoglobin, erythrocyte indices, ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor, and C-reactive protein concentrations. Children were simultaneously screened for vitamin A, vitamin B(12, and folate deficiencies; intestinal parasite infections; glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency; and sickle cell trait carriage. Multiple Poisson regression and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR were used to describe associations between anemia and the independent variables. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency, and iron-deficiency anemia were 13.6%, 45.4%, and 10.3%, respectively. Children whose families were in the highest income quartile, compared with the lowest, had a lower risk of anemia (aPR, 0.60; 95%CI, 0.37-0.98. Child age (2 pregnancies, 2.01; 1.40-2.87 were positively associated with anemia. Other associated correlates were iron deficiency (2.1; 1.4-3.0, vitamin B(12 (1.4; 1.0-2.2, and folate (2.0; 1.3-3.1 deficiencies, and C-reactive protein concentrations (>5 mg/L, 1.5; 1.1-2.2. CONCLUSIONS: Addressing morbidities and multiple nutritional deficiencies in children and mothers and improving the purchasing power of poorer families are potentially important interventions to reduce the burden of anemia.

Trends in standardized mortality among individuals with schizophrenia, 1993-2012: a population-based, repeated cross-sectional study.

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Gatov, Evgenia; Rosella, Laura; Chiu, Maria; Kurdyak, Paul A

2017-09-18

We examined mortality time trends and premature mortality among individuals with and without schizophrenia over a 20-year period. In this population-based, repeated cross-sectional study, we identified all individual deaths that occurred in Ontario between 1993 and 2012 in persons aged 15 and over. We plotted overall and cause-specific age- and sex-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs), stratified all-cause ASMR trends by sociodemographic characteristics, and analyzed premature mortality using years of potential life lost. Additionally, we calculated mortality rate ratios (MRRs) using negative binomial regression with adjustment for age, sex, income, rurality and year of death. We identified 31 349 deaths among persons with schizophrenia, and 1 589 902 deaths among those without schizophrenia. Mortality rates among people with schizophrenia were 3 times higher than among those without schizophrenia (adjusted MRR 3.12, 95% confidence interval 3.06-3.17). All-cause ASMRs in both groups declined in parallel over the study period, by about 35%, and were higher for men, for those with low income and for rural dwellers. The absolute ASMR difference also declined throughout the study period (from 16.15 to 10.49 deaths per 1000 persons). Cause-specific ASMRs were greater among those with schizophrenia, with circulatory conditions accounting for most deaths between 1993 and 2012, whereas neoplasms became the leading cause of death for those without schizophrenia after 2005. Individuals with schizophrenia also died, on average, 8 years younger than those without schizophrenia, losing more potential years of life. Although mortality rates among people with schizophrenia have declined over the past 2 decades, specialized approaches may be required to close the persistent 3-fold relative mortality gap with the general population. © 2017 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors.

Relation between fasting glucose and retinopathy for diagnosis of diabetes: three population-based cross-sectional studies.

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Wong, Tien Y; Liew, Gerald; Tapp, Robyn J; Schmidt, Maria Inês; Wang, Jie Jin; Mitchell, Paul; Klein, Ronald; Klein, Barbara E K; Zimmet, Paul; Shaw, Jonathan

2008-03-01

The WHO and American Diabetes Association criteria for diagnosing diabetes mellitus assume the presence of a glycaemic threshold with high sensitivity for identifying retinopathy. However, this assumption is based on data from three previous studies that had important limitations in detecting retinopathy. We aimed to provide updated data for the relation between fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and retinopathy, and to assess the diagnostic accuracy of current FPG thresholds in identifying both prevalent and incident retinopathy. We examined the data from three cross-sectional adult populations: those in the Blue Mountains Eye Study (BMES, Australia, n=3162), the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study (AusDiab, Australia, n=2182), and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA, USA, n=6079). Retinopathy was diagnosed from multiple retinal photographs of each eye, and graded according to the modified Airlie House Classification system. Plasma glucose concentrations were measured from fasting venous blood samples. The overall prevalence of retinopathy was 11.5% in BMES (95% CI 10.4-12.6%), 9.6% in AusDiab (8.4-10.9), and 15.8% in MESA (14.9-16.7). However, we found inconsistent evidence of a uniform glycaemic threshold for prevalent and incident retinopathy, with analyses suggesting a continuous relation. The widely used diabetes FPG cutoff of 7.0 mmol/L or higher had sensitivity less than 40% (range 14.8-39.1) for detecting retinopathy, with specificity between 80.8% and 95.8%. The area under receiver operating characteristic curves for FPG and retinopathy was low and ranged from 0.56 to 0.61. We saw no evidence of a clear and consistent glycaemic threshold for the presence or incidence of retinopathy across different populations. The current FPG cutoff of 7.0 mmol/L used to diagnose diabetes did not accurately identify people with and without retinopathy. These findings suggest that the criteria for diagnosing diabetes could need reassessment.

Prevalence and correlates of dizziness in community-dwelling older people: a cross sectional population based study

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de Moraes Suzana Albuquerque

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Dizziness is a common complaint among older adults and has been linked to a wide range of health conditions, psychological and social characteristics in this population. However a profile of dizziness is still uncertain which hampers clinical decision-making. We therefore sought to explore the relationship between dizziness and a comprehensive range of demographic data, diseases, health and geriatric conditions, and geriatric syndromes in a representative sample of community-dwelling older people. Methods This is a cross-sectional, population-based study derived from FIBRA (Network for the Study of Frailty in Brazilian Elderly Adults, with 391 elderly adults, both men and women, aged 65 years and older. Elderly participants living at home in an urban area were enrolled through a process of random cluster sampling of census regions. The outcome variable was the self-report of dizziness in the last year. Several feelings of dizziness were investigated including vertigo, spinning, light or heavy headedness, floating, fuzziness, giddiness and instability. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to estimate the adjusted odds ratios and build the probability model for dizziness. Results The complaint of dizziness was reported by 45% of elderly adults, from which 71.6% were women (p=0.004. The multivariate regression analysis revealed that dizziness is associated with depressive symptoms (OR = 2.08; 95% CI 1.29–3.35, perceived fatigue (OR = 1.93; 95% CI 1.21-3.10, recurring falls (OR = 2.01; 95% CI 1.11-3.62 and excessive drowsiness (OR = 1.91; 95% CI 1.11–3.29. The discrimination of the final model was AUC = 0.673 (95% CI 0.619-0.727 (p Conclusions The prevalence of dizziness in community-dwelling elderly adults is substantial. It is associated with other common geriatric conditions usually neglected in elderly adults, such as fatigue and drowsiness, supporting its possible multifactorial manifestation. Our

Bone Microarchitecture and Estimated Strength in 499 Adult Danish Women and Men: A Cross-Sectional, Population-Based High-Resolution Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomographic Study on Peak Bone Structure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Stinus; Shanbhogue, V.; Folkestad, L.

2014-01-01

High-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) allows in vivo assessment of cortical and trabecular bone mineral density (BMD), geometry, and microarchitecture at the distal radius and tibia in unprecedented detail. In this cross-sectional study, we provide normative and de...... and descriptive HR-pQCT data from a large population-based sample of Danish Caucasian women and men (n = 499) aged 20-80 years. In young adults (...

Epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and associations for symptom-based Rome IV functional dyspepsia in adults in the USA, Canada, and the UK: a cross-sectional population-based study.

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Aziz, Imran; Palsson, Olafur S; Törnblom, Hans; Sperber, Ami D; Whitehead, William E; Simrén, Magnus

2018-04-01

The population prevalence, clinical characteristics, and associations for Rome IV functional dyspepsia are not known. Following the publication of the Rome IV criteria for functional gastrointestinal disorders, we aimed to assess the prevalence, characteristics, and associations for symptom-based Rome IV functional dyspepsia in adults across the USA, Canada, and the UK. We sent an internet-based cross-sectional health survey to adults in the general population of three English-speaking countries: the USA, Canada, and the UK. We used quota-based sampling to generate demographically balanced and population-representative samples. Individuals were invited to complete an online questionnaire on general health, without mention that the purpose of this survey was to examine gastrointestinal symptoms. We excluded participants who failed two attention-test questions or were excessively inconsistent on the three gastrointestinal questions that were presented twice in the survey for this particular purpose. The survey enquired about demographics, health-care visits, medications, somatisation, quality of life, and symptom-based criteria for Rome IV functional dyspepsia as well as for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional heartburn. We made subsequent comparisons between participants with Rome IV functional dyspepsia and controls without dyspepsia. The primary objective was to identify participants who fulfilled symptom-based criteria for Rome IV functional dyspepsia and categorise them into postprandial distress syndrome, epigastric pain syndrome, or overlapping subtypes. 6300 general population adults completed the health survey; 2100 each from the USA, Canada, and the UK. 369 responses were deemed inconsistent, leaving data for 5931 adults. Rome IV functional dyspepsia was significantly more prevalent in the USA (232 [12%] of 1949) than in Canada (167 [8%] of 1988) and the UK (152 [8%] of 1994; p<0·0001). The subtype distribution was 61% postprandial distress

Association Between Bereaved Families' Sense of Security and Their Experience of Death in Cancer Patients: Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study.

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Igarashi, Ayumi; Miyashita, Mitsunori; Morita, Tatsuya; Akizuki, Nobuya; Akiyama, Miki; Shirahige, Yutaka; Sato, Kazuki; Yamamoto-Mitani, Noriko; Eguchi, Kenji

2016-05-01

The sense of security scale was developed to indicate care quality within the community. Bereaved families have perspective to evaluate the quality of the care system. The aim was to examine associations between end-of-life care and sense of security regarding regional cancer care among bereaved families. A cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted with families of cancer patients who died in regional areas of Japan. A total of 1046 family caregivers of patients responded to surveys (effective response rate of 65%). In multiple regression analyses, the families' higher age (P patients' end of life (P = 0.016), lower caregiving burden (P patient death, including being free from physical distress (P security. Quality of death and lower burden on family caregivers were associated with families' sense of security. This suggests strategies for improving care quality for each patient to improve the sense of security. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Determinants of fracture risk in a UK-population-based cohort of older women: a cross-sectional analysis of the Cohort for Skeletal Health in Bristol and Avon (COSHIBA)

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Clark, Emma M.; Gould, Virginia C.; Morrison, Leigh; Masud, Tahir; Tobias, Jon

2011-01-01

Background: identification of individuals with high fracture risk from within primary care is complex. It is likely that the true contribution of falls to fracture risk is underestimated. Methods: cross-sectional analysis of a population-based cohort of 3,200 post-menopausal women aged 73???4 years. Self-reported data were collected on fracture, osteoporosis clinical risk factors and falls/mobility risk factors. Self-reported falls were compared with recorded falls on GP computerised records....

Diabetes mellitus, hypertension and frailty: A population-based, cross-sectional study of Mexican older adults.

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Castrejón-Pérez, Roberto Carlos; Gutiérrez-Robledo, Luis Miguel; Cesari, Matteo; Pérez-Zepeda, Mario Ulises

2017-06-01

Chronic diseases are frequent in older adults, particularly hypertension and diabetes. The relationship between frailty and these two conditions is still unclear. The aim of the present analyses was to explore the association between frailty with diabetes and hypertension in Mexican older adults. Analyses of the Mexican Health and Nutrition Survey, a cross-sectional survey, are presented. Data on diabetes and hypertension were acquired along with associated conditions (time since diagnosis, pharmacological treatment, among others). A 36-item frailty index was constructed and rescaled to z-values (individual scores minus population mean divided by one standard deviation). Multiple linear regression models were carried out, adjusted for age and sex. From 7164 older adults, 54.8% were women, and their mean age was 70.6 years with a mean frailty index score of 0.175. The prevalence of diabetes was of 22.2%, and 37.3% for hypertension. An independent association between diabetes, hypertension or both conditions (coefficients 0.28, 0.4 and 0.63, respectively, P diabetic complication was significantly associated with frailty with a coefficient of 0.55 (95% CI 0.45-0.65, P Diabetes and hypertension are associated with frailty. In addition, an incremental association was found when both conditions were present or with worse associated features (any complication, more time since diagnosis). Frailty should be of particular concern in populations with a high prevalence of these conditions. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 925-930. © 2016 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Frailty syndrome in an independent urban population in Brazil (FIBRA study: a cross-sectional populational study

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Larissa Barradas Calado

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Frailty is a multifactorial syndrome. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of frailty syndrome in an elderly urban population. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study carried out at the homes of a randomized sample representing the independent elderly individuals of Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. METHODS: Sociodemographic characteristics, clinical data and criteria of the frailty phenotype were obtained at the subjects' homes; 385 individuals were evaluated. Frailty was defined based on detection of weight loss, exhaustion, weakness, slowness and low physical activity level. Individuals with three or more of these characteristics were classified as frail and those with one or two as pre-frail. Specific cutoff points for weakness, slowness and low physical activity level were calculated. RESULTS: The participants' mean age was 73.9 ± 6.5 years, and 64.7% were women. 12.5% had lost weight over the last year; 20.5% showed exhaustion, 17.1% slowness, 24.4% low physical activity level and 20.5% weakness. 9.1% were considered frail and 49.6% pre-frail. Frail subjects were older, attended more medical visits, had a higher chance of hospitalization within the last 12 months and had more cerebrovascular events, diabetes, neoplasms, osteoporosis and urinary and fecal incontinence. CONCLUSION: In this independent elderly population, there were numerous frail and pre-frail individuals. Frailty syndrome was associated with high morbidity. Cutoff points for weakness, slowness and low physical activity level should be adjusted for the population under study. It is essential to identify frail and pre-frail older individuals for appropriate interventions.

Knowledge of cervical cancer and HPV vaccine in Bangladeshi women: a population based, cross-sectional study.

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Islam, Jessica Yasmine; Khatun, Fatema; Alam, Anadil; Sultana, Farhana; Bhuiyan, Afsana; Alam, Nazmul; Reichenbach, Laura; Marions, Lena; Rahman, Mustafizur; Nahar, Quamrun

2018-01-11

The objective of this study was to assess the level of knowledge of cervical cancer among Bangladeshi women and to assess their willingness to receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. A population-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted from July to December 2011 in one urban and one rural area of Bangladesh. A total of 2037 ever-married women, aged 14 to 64 years, were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Data on socio-demographic characteristics and knowledge of cervical cancer were collected. Willingness to receive the HPV vaccine was assessed. Univariate analyses were completed using quantitative data collected. Multivariable logistic regression models were developed to identify factors associated with having heard of cervical cancer and the HPV vaccine. The majority of study participants reported to have heard of cervical cancer (urban: 89.7%, rural 93.4%; P = 0.003). The odds of having heard of cervical cancer were significantly higher in urban women aged 35-44 years (aOR: 2.92 (1.34-6.33) and rural women aged 25-34 years (aOR: 2.90 (1.24-6.73) compared to those aged less than 24 years. Very few women reported to have detailed knowledge on risk factors (urban:9.1%, rural: 8.8%) and prevention (urban: 6.4%, rural: 4.4%) of cervical cancer. In our sample, one in five urban women and one in twenty rural women heard about a vaccine that can prevent cervical cancer. Among urban women, secondary education or higher (aOR: 3.48, 95% CI: 1.67-7.25), age of 20 years and above at marriage (aOR: 2.83, 95% CI: 1.61-5.00), and high socioeconomic status (aOR: 2.25, 95% CI: 1.28-3.95) were factors associated with having heard of the HPV vaccine. Willingness to receive the HPV vaccine among study participants either for themselves (urban: 93.9%, rural: 99.4%) or for their daughters (urban: 91.8%, rural: 99.2%) was high. Detailed knowledge of cervical cancer among Bangladeshi women was found to be poor. Education on cervical cancer must include

Trends in standardized mortality among individuals with schizophrenia, 1993–2012: a population-based, repeated cross-sectional study

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Gatov, Evgenia; Rosella, Laura; Chiu, Maria; Kurdyak, Paul A.

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: We examined mortality time trends and premature mortality among individuals with and without schizophrenia over a 20-year period. METHODS: In this population-based, repeated cross-sectional study, we identified all individual deaths that occurred in Ontario between 1993 and 2012 in persons aged 15 and over. We plotted overall and cause-specific age- and sex-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs), stratified all-cause ASMR trends by sociodemographic characteristics, and analyzed premature mortality using years of potential life lost. Additionally, we calculated mortality rate ratios (MRRs) using negative binomial regression with adjustment for age, sex, income, rurality and year of death. RESULTS: We identified 31 349 deaths among persons with schizophrenia, and 1 589 902 deaths among those without schizophrenia. Mortality rates among people with schizophrenia were 3 times higher than among those without schizophrenia (adjusted MRR 3.12, 95% confidence interval 3.06–3.17). All-cause ASMRs in both groups declined in parallel over the study period, by about 35%, and were higher for men, for those with low income and for rural dwellers. The absolute ASMR difference also declined throughout the study period (from 16.15 to 10.49 deaths per 1000 persons). Cause-specific ASMRs were greater among those with schizophrenia, with circulatory conditions accounting for most deaths between 1993 and 2012, whereas neoplasms became the leading cause of death for those without schizophrenia after 2005. Individuals with schizophrenia also died, on average, 8 years younger than those without schizophrenia, losing more potential years of life. INTERPRETATION: Although mortality rates among people with schizophrenia have declined over the past 2 decades, specialized approaches may be required to close the persistent 3-fold relative mortality gap with the general population. PMID:28923795

A UK population-based study of the relationship between mental disorder and victimisation

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Hart, C.; Vet, R. de; Moran, P.; Hatch, S.L.; Dean, K.

2012-01-01

PURPOSE: To establish the prevalence of victimisation in a UK population-based sample and to investigate the association between mental disorder and victimisation in both cross-sectional and prospective manner, whilst adjusting for potential confounds. METHODS: Data from the National Child

Frequencies and ethnic distribution of ABO and RhD blood groups in China: a population-based cross-sectional study.

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Liu, Jue; Zhang, Shikun; Wang, Qiaomei; Shen, Haiping; Zhang, Yiping; Liu, Min

2017-12-03

ABO and RhD blood groups are key factors affecting blood transfusion safety. The distribution of ABO and RhD blood groups varies globally, but limited data exist for ethnic distributions of these blood groups in Asian populations. We aimed to evaluate the distribution of ABO and RhD blood groups among Chinese ethnic groups. A population-based cross-sectional study. Data on ABO groups and ethnicities were obtained from the National Free Preconception Health Examination Project (NFPHEP) with participants from 220 counties of 31 provinces in China PARTICIPANTS: There were 3 832 034 participants aged 21-49 years who took part in the NFPHEP from January 2010 to December 2012 and were included in this study. The proportion of ABO and RhD blood groups among different ethnic groups was calculated. ABO and RhD blood distribution was significantly different among nine ethnic groups (Pgroups, the Yi group had more A phenotypes (34.0%), and the Manchu (33.7%) and Mongolian (33.3%) ethnic groups had more B phenotypes. The Zhuang group had the greatest proportion of O phenotypes (41.8%), followed by the Miao group (37.7%). AB phenotypes were more frequent in the Uygur ethnic group (10.6%) but lower in the Zhuang group (5.5%). Meanwhile, RhD negativity (RhD-) was greater in the Uygur group (3.3%) than in the Mongolian (0.3%) and Manchu ethnic groups (0.4%). O RhD- blood groups were more frequent in the Uygur group (0.8%) than in the other ethnic groups (0.1%-0.4%, Pblood phenotypes vary across different ethnic groups in China. The diversity in the distribution of the ABO and RhD blood groups in different ethnic groups should be considered when developing rational and evidence-based strategies for blood collection and management. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Dairy consumption and inflammatory profile: A cross-sectional population-based study, São Paulo, Brazil.

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Gadotti, Tábata Natal; Norde, Marina Maintinguer; Rogero, Marcelo Macedo; Fisberg, Mauro; Fisberg, Regina Mara; Oki, Erica; Martini, Lígia Araújo

2018-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between dairy product consumption and plasma inflammatory biomarkers levels among a representative sample of Brazilian adults from São Paulo City. Data were acquired from the Health Survey for São Paulo, a cross-sectional population-based study. All individuals 20 to 59 y of age with complete food consumption information (24-h dietary recall and food frequency questionnaire) and blood sample analysis were included (N = 259). The sample was separated into two groups according to systemic inflammatory pattern considering plasma levels of C-reactive protein; tumor necrosis factor-α; soluble intracellular adhesion molecule; soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule, monocyte chemoattractant protein; interleukin-1β, -6, -8, -10, and -12; adiponectin; leptin; and homocysteine. Multiple logistic regression tests were conducted to estimate the odds ratio for the inflammatory cluster across tertiles of dairy consumption. When adjusted by age, smoking status, and energy intake the odds ratio for the inflammatory cluster group in the highest tertile of yogurt consumption was 0.34 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.14-0.81) relative to the reference tertile, demonstrating also a linear effect (P trend  = 0.015). Cheese consumption exhibited an odds ratio of 2.49 (95% CI, 1.09-5.75) relative to the reference. Increasing yogurt consumption might have a protective effect on inflammation, whereas cheese consumption appears to be associated with a proinflammatory status. The results of the present study aggregate a new perspective on existing evidence demonstrating the importance of assessing the contribution of dairy products on diet and their effect on the development of non-communicable diseases and associated risk factors. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Associations between dietary patterns and self-reported hypertension among Brazilian adults: a cross-sectional population-based study.

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Selem, Soraya Sant'Ana de Castro; Castro, Michelle Alessandra de; César, Chester Luiz Galvão; Marchioni, Dirce Maria Lobo; Fisberg, Regina Mara

2014-08-01

Hypertension is a prevalent cardiovascular disease, the important modifiable risk factor of which is diet. The aim of this study was to derive dietary patterns and to test associations with self-reported hypertension and other characteristics, namely demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors. Data were obtained from the population-based cross-sectional study titled Health Survey of the City of São Paulo, with a random sample of residents of the city of São Paulo, Brazil, aged older than 20 years of both sexes (n=1,102). In 2008, a structured questionnaire with information about socioeconomic, anthropometric, lifestyle, and dietary factors was applied. Dietary intake was estimated by two 24-hour dietary recalls, adjusted by Multiple Source Method. Dietary patterns were obtained through exploratory principal component factor analysis. Poisson regression was used to assess relationships. Three dietary patterns were identified: prudent (fruits, vegetables, whole-grain bread, white cheeses, juices, reduced-fat milk/nonfat milk), traditional (rice, beans, bread/toast/crackers, butter/margarine, whole milk, coffee/teas, sugar), and modern (sodas, pastries/sandwiches/pizzas, yellow cheeses, pastas, sauces, alcoholic beverages, sweets, processed meats). Hypertension and demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors, as well as the presence of health insurance, were associated with adherence to one or more identified dietary patterns. These results suggest the existence of a target audience for planning and executing public policies of food and nutrition to prevent and control hypertension. Copyright © 2014 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dietary determinants of serum total cholesterol among middle-aged and older adults: a population-based cross-sectional study in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

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Kakarmath, Sujay S; Zack, Rachel M; Leyna, Germana H; Fahimi, Saman; Liu, Enju; Fawzi, Wafaie W; Lukmanji, Zohra; Killewo, Japhet; Sacks, Frank; Danaei, Goodarz

2017-06-06

To assess the dietary determinants of serum total cholesterol. Cross-sectional population-based study. Peri-urban region of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 347 adults aged 40 years and older from the Dar es Salaam Urban Cohort Hypertension Study. Serum total cholesterol measured using a point-of-care device. Mean serum total cholesterol level was 204 mg/dL (IQR 169-236 mg/dL) in women and 185 mg/dL (IQR 152-216 mg/dL) in men. After adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle and dietary factors, participants who reported using palm oil as the major cooking oil had serum total cholesterol higher by 15 mg/dL (95% CI 1 to 29 mg/dL) compared with those who reported using sunflower oil. Consumption of one or more servings of meat per day (p for trend=0.017) and less than five servings of fruits and vegetables per day (p for trend=0.024) were also associated with higher serum total cholesterol. A combination of using palm oil for cooking, eating more than one serving of meat per day and fewer than five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, was associated with 46 mg/dL (95% CI 16 to 76 mg/dL) higher serum total cholesterol. Using palm oil for cooking was associated with higher serum total cholesterol levels in this peri-urban population in Dar es Salaam. Reduction of saturated fat content of edible oil may be considered as a population-based strategy for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Major depression, fibromyalgia and labour force participation: A population-based cross-sectional study

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Patten Scott B

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Previous studies have documented an elevated frequency of depressive symptoms and disorders in fibromyalgia, but have not examined the association between this comorbidity and occupational status. The purpose of this study was to describe these epidemiological associations using a national probability sample. Methods Data from iteration 1.1 of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS were used. The CCHS 1.1 was a large-scale national general health survey. The prevalence of major depression in subjects reporting that they had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia by a health professional was estimated, and then stratified by demographic variables. Logistic regression models predicting labour force participation were also examined. Results The annual prevalence of major depression was three times higher in subjects with fibromyalgia: 22.2% (95% CI 19.4 – 24.9, than in those without this condition: 7.2% (95% CI 7.0 – 7.4. The association persisted despite stratification for demographic variables. Logistic regression models predicting labour force participation indicated that both conditions had an independent (negative effect on labour force participation. Conclusion Fibromyalgia and major depression commonly co-occur and may be related to each other at a pathophysiological level. However, each syndrome is independently and negatively associated with labour force participation. A strength of this study is that it was conducted in a large probability sample from the general population. The main limitations are its cross-sectional nature, and its reliance on self-reported diagnoses of fibromyalgia.

Acculturation and self-rated health among Arctic indigenous peoples: a population-based cross-sectional study

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Eliassen Bent-Martin

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Acculturation is for indigenous peoples related to the process of colonisation over centuries as well as the on-going social transition experienced in the Arctic today. Changing living conditions and lifestyle affect health in numerous ways in Arctic indigenous populations. Self-rated health (SRH is a relevant variable in primary health care and in general public health assessments and monitoring. Exploring the relationship between acculturation and SRH in indigenous populations having experienced great societal and cultural change is thus of great importance. Methods The principal method in the Survey of Living Conditions in the Arctic (SLiCA was standardised face-to-face interviews using a questionnaire. Very high overall participation rates of 83% were obtained in Greenland and Alaska, whilst a more conventional rate of 57% was achieved in Norway. Acculturation was conceptualised as certain traditional subsistence activities being of lesser importance for people’s ethnic identity, and poorer spoken indigenous language ability (SILA. Acculturation was included in six separate gender- and country-specific ordinal logistic regressions to assess qualitative effects on SRH. Results Multivariable analyses showed that acculturation significantly predicted poorer SRH in Greenland. An increased subsistence score gave an OR of 2.32 (P Conclusions This study shows that aggregate acculturation is a strong risk factor for poorer SRH among the Kalaallit of Greenland and female Iñupiat of Alaska, but our cross-sectional study design does not allow any conclusion with regard to causality. Limitations with regard to wording, categorisations, assumed cultural differences in the conceptualisation of SRH, and confounding effects of health care use, SES and discrimination, make it difficult to appropriately assess how strong this effect is though.

Effect of a culture-based screening algorithm on tuberculosis incidence in immigrants and refugees bound for the United States: a population-based cross-sectional study.

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Liu, Yecai; Posey, Drew L; Cetron, Martin S; Painter, John A

2015-03-17

Before 2007, immigrants and refugees bound for the United States were screened for tuberculosis (TB) by a smear-based algorithm that could not diagnose smear-negative/culture-positive TB. In 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention implemented a culture-based algorithm. To evaluate the effect of the culture-based algorithm on preventing the importation of TB to the United States by immigrants and refugees from foreign countries. Population-based, cross-sectional study. Panel physician sites for overseas medical examination. Immigrants and refugees with TB. Comparison of the increase of smear-negative/culture-positive TB cases diagnosed overseas among immigrants and refugees by the culture-based algorithm with the decline of reported cases among foreign-born persons within 1 year after arrival in the United States from 2007 to 2012. Of the 3 212 421 arrivals of immigrants and refugees from 2007 to 2012, a total of 1 650 961 (51.4%) were screened by the smear-based algorithm and 1 561 460 (48.6%) were screened by the culture-based algorithm. Among the 4032 TB cases diagnosed by the culture-based algorithm, 2195 (54.4%) were smear-negative/culture-positive. Before implementation (2002 to 2006), the annual number of reported cases among foreign-born persons within 1 year after arrival was relatively constant (range, 1424 to 1626 cases; mean, 1504 cases) but decreased from 1511 to 940 cases during implementation (2007 to 2012). During the same period, the annual number of smear-negative/culture-positive TB cases diagnosed overseas among immigrants and refugees bound for the United States by the culture-based algorithm increased from 4 to 629. This analysis did not control for the decline in new arrivals of nonimmigrant visitors to the United States and the decrease of incidence of TB in their countries of origin. Implementation of the culture-based algorithm may have substantially reduced the incidence of TB among newly arrived, foreign-born persons in

A Population-based Survey of the Prevalence and Types of Glaucoma in Nepal: The Bhaktapur Glaucoma Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thapa, S.S.; Paudyal, I.; Khanal, S.; Twyana, S.N.; Paudyal, G.; Gurung, R.; Ruit, S.; van Rens, G.H.M.B.

2012-01-01

Objective: To determine the prevalence and types of glaucoma in a Nepalese population. Design: Cross-sectional, population-based survey. Participants: A total of 4800 subjects aged 40 years or older from the Bhaktapur district of Kathmandu valley. Methods: Subjects aged 40 years or older were

Population-based contracting (population health): part II.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacofsky, D J

2017-11-01

Modern healthcare contracting is shifting the responsibility for improving quality, enhancing community health and controlling the total cost of care for patient populations from payers to providers. Population-based contracting involves capitated risk taken across an entire population, such that any included services within the contract are paid for by the risk-bearing entity throughout the term of the agreement. Under such contracts, a risk-bearing entity, which may be a provider group, a hospital or another payer, administers the contract and assumes risk for contractually defined services. These contracts can be structured in various ways, from professional fee capitation to full global per member per month diagnosis-based risk. The entity contracting with the payer must have downstream network contracts to provide the care and facilities that it has agreed to provide. Population health is a very powerful model to reduce waste and costs. It requires a deep understanding of the nuances of such contracting and the appropriate infrastructure to manage both networks and risk. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:1431-4. ©2017 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Asthma and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Nationwide Population-Based Prospective Cohort Study

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Chen, Mu-Hong; Su, Tung-Ping; Chen, Ying-Sheue; Hsu, Ju-Wei; Huang, Kai-Lin; Chang, Wen-Han; Chen, Tzeng-Ji; Bai, Ya-Mei

2013-01-01

Background: Previous cross-sectional studies have suggested an association between asthma and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but the temporal relationship was not determined. Using a nationwide population-based prospective case-control cohort study (1:4, age-/gender-matched), we hypothesized that asthma in infanthood or early…

Trial of labour and vaginal birth after previous caesarean section: A population based study of Eastern African immigrants in Victoria, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Belihu, Fetene B; Small, Rhonda; Davey, Mary-Ann

2017-03-01

Variations in caesarean section (CS) between some immigrant groups and receiving country populations have been widely reported. Often, African immigrant women are at higher risk of CS than the receiving population in developed countries. However, evidence about subsequent mode of birth following CS for African women post-migration is lacking. The objective of this study was to examine differences in attempted and successful vaginal birth after previous caesarean (VBAC) for Eastern African immigrants (Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan) compared with Australian-born women. A population-based observational study was conducted using the Victorian Perinatal Data Collection. Pearson's chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were performed to generate adjusted odds ratios for attempted and successful VBAC. Victoria, Australia. 554 Eastern African immigrants and 24,587 Australian-born eligible women with previous CS having singleton births in public care. 41.5% of Eastern African immigrant women and 26.1% Australian-born women attempted a VBAC with 50.9% of Eastern African immigrants and 60.5% of Australian-born women being successful. After adjusting for maternal demographic characteristics and available clinical confounding factors, Eastern African immigrants were more likely to attempt (OR adj 1.94, 95% CI 1.57-2.47) but less likely to succeed (OR adj 0.54 95% CI 0.41-0.71) in having a VBAC. There are disparities in attempted and successful VBAC between Eastern African origin and Australian-born women. Unsuccessful VBAC attempt is more common among Eastern African immigrants, suggesting the need for improved strategies to select and support potential candidates for vaginal birth among these immigrants to enhance success and reduce potential complications associated with failed VBAC attempt. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Usage of purchased self-tests for HIV and sexually transmitted infections in Amsterdam, the Netherlands: results of population-based and serial cross-sectional studies among the general population and sexual risk groups.

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Bil, Janneke P; Prins, Maria; Stolte, Ineke G; Dijkshoorn, Henriëtte; Heijman, Titia; Snijder, Marieke B; Davidovich, Udi; Zuure, Freke R

2017-09-21

There are limited data on the usage of commercially bought self-tests for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Therefore, we studied HIV/STI self-test usage and its determinants among the general population and sexual risk groups between 2007 and 2015 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Data were collected in four different studies among the general population (S1 - 2) and sexual risk groups (S3 - 4). S1 - Amsterdam residents participating in representative population-based surveys (2008 and 2012; n=6044) drawn from the municipality register; S2 - Participants of a population-based study stratified by ethnicity drawn from the municipality register of Amsterdam (2011-2015; n=17 603); S3 - Men having sex with men (MSM) participating in an HIV observational cohort study (2008 and 2013; n=597) and S4 - STI clinic clients participating in a cross-sectional survey (2007-2012; n=5655). Prevalence of HIV/STI self-test usage and its determinants. The prevalence of HIV/STI self-test usage in the preceding 6-12 months varied between 1% and 2% across studies. Chlamydia self-tests were most commonly used, except among MSM in S3. Chlamydia and syphilis self-test usage increased over time among the representative sample of Amsterdam residents (S1) and chlamydia self-test usage increased over time among STI clinic clients (S4). Self-test usage was associated with African Surinamese or Ghanaian ethnic origin (S2), being woman or MSM (S1 and 4) and having had a higher number of sexual partners (S1-2). Among those in the general population who tested for HIV/STI in the preceding 12 months, 5-9% used a self-test. Despite low HIV/STI self-test usage, we observed increases over time in chlamydia and syphilis self-test usage. Furthermore, self-test usage was higher among high-risk individuals in the general population. It is important to continue monitoring self-test usage and informing the public about the unknown quality of available self-tests in the Netherlands and

A Cross-sectional population-based investigation into behavioral change in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: subphenotypes, staging, cognitive predictors, and survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Tom; Pinto-Grau, Marta; Lonergan, Katie; Bede, Peter; O'Sullivan, Meabhdh; Heverin, Mark; Vajda, Alice; McLaughlin, Russell L; Pender, Niall; Hardiman, Orla

2017-05-01

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a clinically heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorder associated with cognitive and behavioral impairment. The primary aim of this study was to identify behavioral subphenotypes in ALS using a custom designed behavioral assessment tool (Beaumont Behavioural Inventory, BBI). Secondary aims were to (1) investigate the predictive nature of cognitive assessment on behavioral change, (2) report the behavioral profile associated with the C9 orf 72 expansion, (3) categorize behavioral change through disease staging, and (4) to investigate the relationship between cross-sectional behavioral classification and survival. A cross-sectional population-based research design was applied to examine behavioral data from ALS patients ( n  = 317) and healthy controls ( n  = 66). Patients were screened for the C9orf72 repeat expansion. A subcohort of ALS patients completed an extensive cognitive assessment battery ( n  = 65), to investigate predictors of behavior change. Principal component analysis (PCA) determined factors associated with altered behavior. Survival data were extracted from the Irish ALS register. No behavioral changes were reported in 180 patients (57%); 95 patients had mild-moderate behavioral change (30%); 42 patients met the cut-off for Clinically Severe Behavioral Change (13%), suggestive of a bvFTD diagnosis. The most frequently endorsed behaviors in ALS were reduced concern for hygiene (36.8%), irritability (36.2%), new unusual habits (33.4%), and increased apathy (31.1%). Five independent factors were identified through factor analysis. Social cognitive performance was predictive of behavior change ( P  = 0.031), yielding an R 2  = 0.188. Behavioral categorization (mild/moderate/severe) at the time of assessment was not associated with survival ( P  = 0.198). These data imply the presence of distinct subphenotypes of behavioral change in ALS, which most likely reflect subcategories of extramotor network

Living conditions, including life style, in primary-care patients with nonacute, nonspecific spinal pain compared with a population-based sample: a cross-sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Odd Lindell

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Odd Lindell, Sven-Erik Johansson, Lars-Erik Strender1Center for Family and Community Medicine, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, SwedenBackground: Nonspecific spinal pain (NSP, comprising back and/or neck pain, is one of the leading disorders behind long-term sick-listing, including disability pensions. Early interventions to prevent long-term sick-listing require the identification of patients at risk. The aim of this study was to compare living conditions associated with long-term sick-listing for NSP in patients with nonacute NSP, with a nonpatient population-based sample. Nonacute NSP is pain that leads to full-time sick-listing>3 weeks.Methods: One hundred and twenty-five patients with nonacute NSP, 2000–2004, were included in a randomized controlled trial in Stockholm County with the objective of comparing cognitive–behavioral rehabilitation with traditional primary care. For these patients, a cross-sectional study was carried out with baseline data. Living conditions were compared between the patients and 338 nonpatients by logistic regression. The conditions from univariate analyses were included in a multivariate analysis. The nonsignificant variables were excluded sequentially to yield a model comprising only the significant factors (P <0.05. The results are shown as odds ratios (OR with 95% confidence intervals.Results: In the univariate analyses, 13 of the 18 living conditions had higher odds for the patients with a dominance of physical work strains and Indication of alcohol over-consumption, odds ratio (OR 14.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.2–67.6. Five conditions qualified for the multivariate model: High physical workload, OR 13.7 (CI 5.9–32.2; Hectic work tempo, OR 8.4 (CI 2.5–28.3; Blue-collar job, OR 4.5 (CI 1.8–11.4; Obesity, OR 3.5 (CI 1.2–10.2; and Low education, OR 2.7 (CI 1.1–6.8.Conclusions: As most of the living conditions have previously been

Population-based screening versus case detection.

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Thomas Ravi

2002-01-01

Full Text Available India has a large burden of blindness and population-based screening is a strategy commonly employed to detect disease and prevent morbidity. However, not all diseases are amenable to screening. This communication examines the issue of "population-based screening" versus "case detection" in the Indian scenario. Using the example of glaucoma, it demonstrates that given the poor infrastructure, for a "rare" disease, case detection is more effective than population-based screening.

Frequency of eating home cooked meals and potential benefits for diet and health: cross-sectional analysis of a population-based cohort study.

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Mills, Susanna; Brown, Heather; Wrieden, Wendy; White, Martin; Adams, Jean

2017-08-17

Reported associations between preparing and eating home cooked food, and both diet and health, are inconsistent. Most previous research has focused on preparing, rather than eating, home cooked food; used small, non-population based samples; and studied markers of nutrient intake, rather than overall diet quality or health. We aimed to assess whether frequency of consuming home cooked meals was cross-sectionally associated with diet quality and cardio-metabolic health. We used baseline data from a United Kingdom population-based cohort study of adults aged 29 to 64 years (n = 11,396). Participants self-reported frequency of consuming home cooked main meals. Diet quality was assessed using the Mediterranean Diet Score, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) score, fruit and vegetable intake calculated from a 130-item food frequency questionnaire, and plasma vitamin C. Markers of cardio-metabolic health were researcher-measured body mass index (BMI), percentage body fat, haemoglobin A 1c (HbA 1c ), cholesterol and hypertension. Differences across the three exposure categories were assessed using linear regression (diet variables) and logistic regression (health variables). Eating home cooked meals more frequently was associated with greater adherence to DASH and Mediterranean diets, greater fruit and vegetable intakes and higher plasma vitamin C, in adjusted models. Those eating home cooked meals more than five times, compared with less than three times per week, consumed 62.3 g more fruit (99% CI 43.2 to 81.5) and 97.8 g more vegetables (99% CI 84.4 to 111.2) daily. More frequent consumption of home cooked meals was associated with greater likelihood of having normal range BMI and normal percentage body fat. Associations with HbA 1c , cholesterol and hypertension were not significant in adjusted models. Those consuming home cooked meals more than five times, compared with less than three times per week, were 28% less likely to have overweight BMI (99

Sex differences in subjective and actigraphic sleep measures: A population-based study of elderly persons

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berg, J.F. van den; Miedema, H.M.E.; Tulen, J.H.M.; Hofman, A.; Neven, A.K.; Tiemeier, H.

2009-01-01

Study Objectives: To investigate and explain sex differences in subjective and actigraphic sleep parameters in community-dwelling elderly persons. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: The study was embedded in the Rotterdam Study, a population-based study. Participants: Nine hundred fifty-six

Self-rated health and mental health of lone fathers compared with lone mothers and partnered fathers: a population-based cross-sectional study.

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Chiu, Maria; Rahman, Farah; Kurdyak, Paul; Cairney, John; Jembere, Nathaniel; Vigod, Simone

2017-05-01

Lone parenthood is associated with poorer health; however, the vast majority of previous studies have examined lone mothers and only a few have focused on lone fathers. We aimed to examine the self-rated health and mental health status among a large population-based cross-sectional sample of Canadian lone fathers compared with both partnered fathers and lone mothers. We investigated differences in self-rated health and mental health among 1058 lone fathers compared with 20 692 partnered fathers and 5725 lone mothers using the Ontario component of the Canadian Community Health Survey (2001-2013). Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare the odds of poor/fair self-rated health and mental health between the study groups while adjusting for a comprehensive list of sociodemographic factors, stressors and lifestyle factors. Lone fathers and lone mothers showed similar prevalence of poor/fair self-rated health (11.6% and 12.5%, respectively) and mental health (6.2% and 8.4%, respectively); the odds were similar even after multivariable adjustment. Lone fathers showed higher odds of poor/fair self-rated health (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.07 to 2.17) and mental health (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.26 to 3.46) than partnered fathers after adjustment for sociodemographic factors; however, these differences were no longer significant after accounting for stressors, including low income and unemployment. In this large population-based study, lone fathers had worse self-rated health and mental health than partnered fathers and similarly poor self-rated health and mental health as lone mothers. Interventions, supports and social policies designed for single parents should also recognise the needs of lone fathers. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Health literacy among Saudi population: a cross-sectional study.

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Abdel-Latif, Mohamed M M; Saad, Sherif Y

2017-09-12

Health literacy is a major problem worldwide and adversely affects an individual's health. The aim of the present study was to assess health literacy level among Saudi population. A cross-sectional study was conducted among a randomly selected population (n = 500) in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire comprised of questions pertaining to demographic characteristics, health literacy and health information. Health literacy was measured by REALM-R test. Internal reliability was determined using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The majority of the respondents had intermediate (43.8%) and basic (34.4%) health literacy levels. A higher percentage among men had intermediate (59.8%) and basic (70.93%) health literacy levels compared with women. About 30% of respondents had difficulty in understanding health screening tests and disease treatment. More than half of participants (52.4%) had difficulty in finding health information. The REALM-R test revealed that about 42.6% of individuals with score of >6 had adequate health literacy compared with 57.4% with score of ≤6 had inadequate health literacy. The present study demonstrated that a majority of Saudi individuals had inadequate health literacy that associated with poor knowledge of health information. Our findings highlighted the importance of understanding the status of health literacy among Saudis and the need for educational programs to raise the health literacy awareness among Saudi population. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Relationship between Tasks Performed, Personality Traits, and Sleep Bruxism in Brazilian School Children - A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study

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Serra-Negra, Junia Maria; Paiva, Saul Martins; Abreu, Mauro Henrique; Flores-Mendoza, Carmen Elvira; Pordeus, Isabela Almeida

2013-01-01

Background Tasks can be instruments of stress and may affect the health of children. Sleep bruxism is a multifactorial sleep-related movement disorder that affects children and adults. The aim of the present study was to analyze the association between children’s tasks, personality traits and sleep bruxism. Methods And Findings A cross-sectional, population-based study of 652 randomly selected Brazilian schoolchildren (52% of whom were female), aged from 7 to 10 years was conducted in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. A questionnaire based on criteria proposed by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) was completed by parents. In addition, the Neuroticism and Responsibility sub-scales of the Big Five Questionnaire for Children (BFQ-C) were administered to the children. Psychological tests were administered and evaluated by psychologists. The Social Vulnerability Index from the city council database was used to determine the social classification of the families. Chi-square and Poisson regression statistical tests were used with a 95% confidence interval. The majority of families were classified as having low social vulnerability (61.3%), whereas, 38.7% were classified as having high social vulnerability. Regarding extracurricular activities, the majority of girls performed household work (56.4%) and some artistic activity (51.3%) while sporting activities were most common among boys (61%). The results of the Poisson regression model indicated that sleep bruxism was most prevalent in children who scored highly in the Neuroticism sub-scale, and who frequently performed household tasks. Conclusion Children whose personality domain has a high level of Neuroticism and who perform household chores imposed by the family are more vulnerable to sleep bruxism. PMID:24244614

Relationship between tasks performed, personality traits, and sleep bruxism in Brazilian school children--a population-based cross-sectional study.

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Junia Maria Serra-Negra

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Tasks can be instruments of stress and may affect the health of children. Sleep bruxism is a multifactorial sleep-related movement disorder that affects children and adults. The aim of the present study was to analyze the association between children's tasks, personality traits and sleep bruxism. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A cross-sectional, population-based study of 652 randomly selected Brazilian schoolchildren (52% of whom were female, aged from 7 to 10 years was conducted in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. A questionnaire based on criteria proposed by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM was completed by parents. In addition, the Neuroticism and Responsibility sub-scales of the Big Five Questionnaire for Children (BFQ-C were administered to the children. Psychological tests were administered and evaluated by psychologists. The Social Vulnerability Index from the city council database was used to determine the social classification of the families. Chi-square and Poisson regression statistical tests were used with a 95% confidence interval. The majority of families were classified as having low social vulnerability (61.3%, whereas, 38.7% were classified as having high social vulnerability. Regarding extracurricular activities, the majority of girls performed household work (56.4% and some artistic activity (51.3% while sporting activities were most common among boys (61%. The results of the Poisson regression model indicated that sleep bruxism was most prevalent in children who scored highly in the Neuroticism sub-scale, and who frequently performed household tasks. CONCLUSION: Children whose personality domain has a high level of Neuroticism and who perform household chores imposed by the family are more vulnerable to sleep bruxism.

Epidemiology and symptomatology of depression in Sri Lanka: a cross-sectional population-based survey in Colombo District.

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Ball, Harriet A; Siribaddana, Sisira H; Kovas, Yulia; Glozier, Nick; McGuffin, Peter; Sumathipala, Athula; Hotopf, Matthew

2010-06-01

It is important to understand the nature of depression in non-Western and lower-income countries, but little such research exists. This study aimed to examine the characteristic features of depression in Sri Lanka, and to identify environmental risk factors. Depression diagnoses, symptoms and impairment were measured using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, in a population-based sample of 6014 twins and non-twins in the Colombo region of Sri Lanka (the CoTASS sample). Socio-demographic factors and environments were assessed via questionnaires. Lifetime-ever depression was reported in 6.6% of participants, rising to 11.2% if the functional impairment criterion was excluded. The symptom profile of depression and its socio-demographic associations were very comparable to those in Western and more economically developed countries, whether functional impairment was included in the definition or not. Standard of living was independently associated with depression, especially among men at the more deprived end of the distribution. Specific associations were found with both financial wellbeing and material characteristics of the home environment. The observational associations identified are cross-sectional, so do not necessarily imply causal links. Aside from a lower prevalence, depression is very similar in this predominantly urban Sri Lankan sample to higher-income, Western countries, and may be under-identified due to a relatively low cultural appropriateness of the assessment of impairment. Under Sri Lanka's cultural and environmental context, certain aspects of the material environment are associated with depression among certain segments of society, perhaps because of their particular link to social status and social networks. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Forgoing dental care for economic reasons in Switzerland: a six-year cross-sectional population-based study.

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Guessous, Idris; Theler, Jean-Marc; Durosier Izart, Claire; Stringhini, Silvia; Bodenmann, Patrick; Gaspoz, Jean-Michel; Wolff, Hans

2014-09-30

While oral health is part of general health and well-being, oral health disparities nevertheless persist. Potential mechanisms include socioeconomic factors that may influence access to dental care in the absence of universal dental care insurance coverage. We investigated the evolution, prevalence and determinants (including socioeconomic) of forgoing of dental care for economic reasons in a Swiss region, over the course of six years. Repeated population-based surveys (2007-2012) of a representative sample of the adult population of the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland. Forgone dental care, socioeconomic and insurance status, marital status, and presence of dependent children were assessed using standardized methods. A total of 4313 subjects were included, 10.6% (457/4313) of whom reported having forgone dental care for economic reasons in the previous 12 months. The crude percentage varied from 2.4% in the wealthiest group (monthly income ≥ 13,000 CHF, 1 CHF ≈ 1$) to 23.5% among participants with the lowest income (reasons was independently associated with lower income, younger age, female gender, current smoking, having dependent children, divorced status and not living with a partner, not having a supplementary health insurance, and receipt of a health insurance premium cost-subsidy. In a Swiss region without universal dental care insurance coverage, prevalence of forgoing dental care for economic reasons was high and highly dependent on income. Efforts should be made to prevent high-risk populations from forgoing dental care.

Trends and risk factors of stillbirths and neonatal deaths in Eastern Uganda (1982-2011): a cross-sectional, population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kujala, Sanni; Waiswa, Peter; Kadobera, Daniel; Akuze, Joseph; Pariyo, George; Hanson, Claudia

2017-01-01

To identify mortality trends and risk factors associated with stillbirths and neonatal deaths 1982-2011. Population-based cross-sectional study based on reported pregnancy history in Iganga-Mayuge Health and Demographic Surveillance Site (HDSS) in Uganda. A pregnancy history survey was conducted among women aged 15-49 years living in the HDSS during May-July 2011 (n = 10 540). Time trends were analysed with cubic splines and linear regression. Potential risk factors were examined with multilevel logistic regression with adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). 34 073 births from 1982 to 2011 were analysed. The annual rate of decrease was 0.9% for stillbirths and 1.8% for neonatal mortality. Stillbirths were associated with several risk factors: multiple births (AOR 2.57, CI 1.66-3.99), previous adverse outcome (AOR 6.16, CI 4.26-8.88) and grand multiparity among 35- to 49-year-olds (AOR 1.97, CI 1.32-2.89). Neonatal deaths were associated with multiple births (AOR 6.16, CI 4.80-7.92) and advanced maternal age linked with parity of 1-4 (AOR 2.34, CI 1.28-4.25) and grand multiparity (AOR 1.44, CI 1.09-1.90). Education, marital status and household wealth were not associated with the outcomes. The slow decline in mortality rates and easily identifiable risk factors calls for improving quality of care at birth and a rethinking of how to address obstetric risks, potentially a revival of the risk approach in antenatal care. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Furthering the understanding of olfaction, prevalence of loss of smell and risk factors: a population-based survey (OLFACAT study)

OpenAIRE

Mullol, Joaquim; Alobid, Isam; Mari?o-S?nchez, Franklin; Quint?, Lloren?; de Haro, Josep; Bernal-Sprekelsen, Manuel; Valero, Antonio; Picado, C?sar; Marin, Concepci?

2012-01-01

Objectives: To investigate olfaction in general population, prevalence of olfactory dysfunction and related risk factors. Design: Cross-sectional population-based survey, distributing four microencapsulated odorants (rose, banana, musk and gas) and two self-administered questionnaires (odour description; epidemiology/health status). Setting: The survey was distributed to general population through a bilingual (Catalan, Spanish) newspaper in Catalonia (Spain), on December 2003. Participants: N...

Prospectively measured 10-year changes in health-related quality of life and comparison with cross-sectional estimates in a population-based cohort of adult women and men.

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Hopman, Wilma M; Berger, Claudie; Joseph, Lawrence; Zhou, Wei; Prior, Jerilynn C; Towheed, Tanveer; Anastassiades, Tassos; Adachi, Jonathan D; Hanley, David A; Papadimitropoulos, Emmanuel A; Kirkland, Susan; Kaiser, Stephanie M; Josse, Robert G; Goltzman, David

2014-12-01

To prospectively assess changes in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) over 10 years, by age and sex, and to compare measured within-person change to estimates of change based on cross-sectional data. Participants in the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study completed the 36-item short form (SF-36) in 1995/1997 and 2005/2007. Mean within-person changes for domain and summary components were calculated for men and women separately, stratified by 10-year age groups. Projected changes based on published age- and sex-stratified cross-sectional data were also calculated. Mean differences between the two methods were then estimated, along with the 95 % credible intervals of the differences. Data were available for 5,569/9,423 (59.1 %) of the original cohort. Prospectively collected 10-year changes suggested that the four physically oriented domains declined in all but the youngest group of men and women, with declines in the elderly men exceeding 25 points. The four mentally oriented domains tended to improve over time, only showing substantial declines in vitality and role emotional in older women, and all four domains in older men. Cross-sectional estimates identified a similar pattern of change but with a smaller magnitude, particularly in men. Correspondence between the two methods was generally high. Changes in HRQOL may be minimal over much of the life span, but physically oriented HRQOL can decline substantially after middle age. Although clinically relevant declines were more evident in prospectively collected data, differences in 10-year age increments of cross-sectional data may be a reasonable proxy for longitudinal changes, at least in those under 65 years of age. Results provide additional insight into the natural progression of HRQOL in the general population.

Epidemiology and trends for Caesarean section births in New South Wales, Australia: A population-based study

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Morris Jonathan M

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Caesarean section (CS rates around the world have been increasing and in Australia have reached 30% of all births. Robson's Ten-Group Classification System (10-group classification provides a clinically relevant classification of CS rates that provides a useful basis for international comparisons and trend analyses. This study aimed to investigate trends in CS rates in New South Wales (NSW, including trends in the components of the 10-group classification. Methods We undertook a cross-sectional study using data from the Midwives Data Collection, a state-wide surveillance system that monitors patterns of pregnancy care, services and pregnancy outcomes in New South Wales, Australia. The study population included all women giving birth between 1st January 1998 and 31st December 2008. Descriptive statistics are presented including age-standardised CS rates, annual percentage change as well as regression analyses. Results From 1998 to 2008 the CS rate in NSW increased from 19.1 to 29.5 per 100 births. There was a significant average annual increase in primary 4.3% (95%CI 3.0-5.7% and repeat 4.8% (95% CI 3.9-5.7% CS rates from 1998 to 2008. After adjusting for maternal and pregnancy factors, the increase in CS delivery over time was maintained. When examining CS rates classified according to the 10-group classification, the greatest contributors to the overall CS rate and the largest annual increases occurred among nulliparae at term having elective CS and multipara having elective repeat CS. Conclusions Given that the increased CS rate cannot be explained by known and collected maternal or pregnancy characteristics, the increase may be related to differences in clinical decision making or maternal request. Future efforts to reduce the overall CS rate should be focussed on reducing the primary CS rate.

A population-based cohort study of the effect of Caesarean section on subsequent fertility.

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Gurol-Urganci, I; Cromwell, D A; Mahmood, T A; van der Meulen, J H; Templeton, A

2014-06-01

Is there an association between Caesarean section and subsequent fertility? There is no or only a slight effect of Caesarean section on future fertility. Previous studies have reported that delivery by a Caesarean section is associated with fewer subsequent pregnancies and longer inter-pregnancy intervals. The interpretation of these findings is difficult because of significant weaknesses in study designs and analytical methods, notably the potential effect of the indication for Caesarean section on subsequent delivery. Retrospective cohort study of 1 047 644 first births to low-risk women using routinely collected, national administrative data of deliveries in English maternity units between 1 April 2000 and 31 March 2012. Primiparous women aged 15-40 years who had a singleton, term, live birth in the English National Health Service were included. Women with high-risk pregnancies involving placenta praevia, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia (gestational or pre-existing), hypertension or diabetes were excluded from the main analysis. Kaplan-Meier analyses and Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the effect of mode of delivery on time to subsequent birth, adjusted for age, ethnicity, socio-economic deprivation and year of index delivery. Among low-risk primiparous women, 224 024 (21.4%) were delivered by Caesarean section. The Kaplan-Meier estimate of the subsequent birth rate at 10 years for the cohort was 74.7%. Compared with vaginal delivery, subsequent birth rates were marginally lower after elective Caesarean for breech (adjusted hazard ratio, HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.94-0.98). Larger effects were observed after elective Caesarean for other indications (adjusted HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.78-0.83), and emergency Caesarean (adjusted HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.90-0.93). The effect was smallest for elective Caesarean for breech, and this was not statistically significant in women younger than 30 years of age (adjusted HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96-1.01). We used birth cohorts from maternity

A population-based nationwide cross-sectional study on preventive health services utilization in Portugal--what services (and frequencies are deemed necessary by patients?

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Carlos Martins

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Most of the strategies to induce a more rational use of preventive health services are oriented to the medical side of the doctor-patient relationship. However, the consultation model has changed, and patients now have a more important role in medical consultation. The aim of this study was to assess which healthcare services are deemed necessary, and with what frequency, by adults from the general Portuguese population. METHODS: DESIGN: Population-based nationwide cross-sectional study Setting: Portuguese population Participants: One thousand Portuguese adults, surveyed by computer-assisted telephone interviewing and selected by a stratified cluster sampling design. MEASUREMENTS: Proportions and population prevalence estimates were determined for each healthcare service, taking into account whether respondents considered them necessary, and with what frequency. RESULTS: Respondent ages ranged between 18 and 97 years, and 520 of 1000 (52% respondents were women. Among Portuguese adults, 99.2% (95% confidence interval (CI: 98.5 to 99.6 believe that they should undergo general routine blood and urine tests, to be repeated every 12.0 months on average (95% CI: 11.4 to 12.6; 87.4% (95% CI: 85.3 to 89.3 of the respondents reported having actually performed these tests. Of the 15 services surveyed, 14 were considered periodically necessary by more than 60% of respondents. Among the respondents, 37.7% (95% CI: 34.5 to 41.1 reported using healthcare services by their own initiative. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of Portuguese adults believe that they should utilize a great number of healthcare services, on a nearly annual basis; most actually follow this schedule. Our findings indicate a tendency towards the overuse of resources. Adequate patient-oriented strategies regarding the use of medical tests and preventive interventions--with appropriate information and discussion of risks and harms--are urgently needed, and crucial for achieving a more

A Population-Based Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study on Preventive Health Services Utilization in Portugal—What Services (and Frequencies) Are Deemed Necessary by Patients?

Science.gov (United States)

Martins, Carlos; Azevedo, Luís F.; Ribeiro, Orquídea; Sá, Luísa; Santos, Paulo; Couto, Luciana; Costa-Pereira, Altamiro; Hespanhol, Alberto P.

2013-01-01

Background Most of the strategies to induce a more rational use of preventive health services are oriented to the medical side of the doctor-patient relationship. However, the consultation model has changed, and patients now have a more important role in medical consultation. The aim of this study was to assess which healthcare services are deemed necessary, and with what frequency, by adults from the general Portuguese population. Methods Design: Population-based nationwide cross-sectional study Setting: Portuguese population Participants: One thousand Portuguese adults, surveyed by computer-assisted telephone interviewing and selected by a stratified cluster sampling design. Measurements: Proportions and population prevalence estimates were determined for each healthcare service, taking into account whether respondents considered them necessary, and with what frequency. Results Respondent ages ranged between 18 and 97 years, and 520 of 1000 (52%) respondents were women. Among Portuguese adults, 99.2% (95% confidence interval (CI): 98.5 to 99.6) believe that they should undergo general routine blood and urine tests, to be repeated every 12.0 months on average (95% CI: 11.4 to 12.6); 87.4% (95% CI: 85.3 to 89.3) of the respondents reported having actually performed these tests. Of the 15 services surveyed, 14 were considered periodically necessary by more than 60% of respondents. Among the respondents, 37.7% (95% CI: 34.5 to 41.1) reported using healthcare services by their own initiative. Conclusions The majority of Portuguese adults believe that they should utilize a great number of healthcare services, on a nearly annual basis; most actually follow this schedule. Our findings indicate a tendency towards the overuse of resources. Adequate patient-oriented strategies regarding the use of medical tests and preventive interventions—with appropriate information and discussion of risks and harms—are urgently needed, and crucial for achieving a more rational use of

Representativeness in population-based studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Drivsholm, Thomas Bo; Eplov, Lene Falgaard; Davidsen, Michael

2006-01-01

Decreasing rates of participation in population-based studies increasingly challenge the interpretation of study results, in both analytic and descriptive epidemiology. Consequently, estimates of possible differences between participants and non-participants are increasingly important...... for the interpretation of study results and generalization to the background population....

Prevalence of Latent Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI) in Saudi Arabia; Population based survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Balkhy, Hanan H; El Beltagy, Kamel; El-Saed, Aiman; Aljasir, Badr; Althaqafi, Abdulhakeem; Alothman, Adel F; Alshalaan, Mohammad; Al-Jahdali, Hamdan

2017-07-01

The annual risk of tuberculosis infection (ARTI) data in Saudi Arabia has not been updated since 1993. To estimate the prevalence of latent TB infection (LTBI) and ARTI in a population-based sample in Saudi Arabia using Tuberculin skin test (TST) and QuantiFERON TB Gold in tube (QFT-GIT) test. A population-based cross sectional study was conducted between July 2010 and March 2013. Participants were randomly selected from the population served by the primary healthcare centers of the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs in Riyadh, Jeddah, Alhassa and Dammam, Saudi Arabia. A total of 1369 participants were included. The overall prevalence of LTBI was similar using TST and QFT-GIT (9.3% and 9.1% respectively, p=0.872) but stratified prevalence rates were variable in all sociodemographic groups except marital status. Additionally, the prevalence rates of LTBI using either test alone showed significant differences by several sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. The overall ARTI was 0.36% using TST and 0.35% using QFT-GIT. We are reporting much lower estimates for the prevalence of LTBI and the ARTI in a population-based sample in Saudi Arabia relative to the data that have been used for more than two decades. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Calibrated prevalence of infertility in 30- to 49-year-old women according to different approaches: a cross-sectional population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cabrera-León, A; Lopez-Villaverde, V; Rueda, M; Moya-Garrido, M N

2015-11-01

How does the estimated prevalence of infertility among 30- to 49-year-old women vary when using different approaches to its measurement? The prevalence of women with difficulties in conceiving differed widely according to the measurement approach adopted. Establishing the true magnitude of infertility as a public health problem is challenging, given that it is not categorized as a disability or chronic condition and may be largely unreported. The time required to conceive is an increasingly frequent concern among couples of reproductive age. Population-based studies do not consider multiple approaches to infertility measurement in the same sample. A face-to-face cross-sectional population-based survey of 443 women aged between 30 and 49 years residing in Huelva, southern Spain, was carried out. The sample size estimation was based on an assumed prevalence of infertility of 19%, a sampling error of ±4.84 percentage points, a design effect of 1.8 and a 95% confidence level. The information was collected in 2011. Self-reported information was gathered on socio-demographic data, pregnancy history, time required to become pregnant and perception of difficulties in becoming pregnant. Eight approaches to the estimation of infertility prevalence were considered: diagnosed infertility, subjective infertility, 1-year infertility, primary infertility, secondary infertility and subfertility based on the time taken to conceive (6, 12 or 24 months). Calibration estimators (indirect estimation techniques) were used to extrapolate the infertility prevalences to the whole of Spain. The response rate was 61.05%. Among 30- to 49-year-old Spanish women, 1.26% had a clinical diagnosis of infertility, 17.58% did not achieve pregnancy in 1 year (1-year infertility), 8.22% perceived difficulties in procreation (subjective infertility), 6.12% had not succeeded in having biological children (primary infertility) and 11.33% had not been able to have another biological child (secondary

Socioeconomic Disparities in the Prevalence of Blepharoptosis in the South Korean Adult Population Based on a Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

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Eun Young Rha

Full Text Available We investigated the association between socioeconomic status (SES and the prevalence of blepharoptosis in a representative South Korean population.This cross-sectional study was based on data obtained in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2010 to 2012. In total, 17,178 Korean adults (7,261 men and 9,917 women aged 19 years or older were enrolled. Blepharoptosis was defined as a marginal reflex distance 1 (MDR 1 lower than 2 mm. Household income and education level were used as indicators of SES. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to analyze the relationship between SES and the prevalence of blepharoptosis.Household income was inversely associated with the prevalence of blepharoptosis in women [adjusted odds ratio (aOR and corresponding 95% confidence interval (95% CI was 1.894 (1.336, 2.685], and educational level was inversely associated with blepharoptosis in both men and women [aORs and 95% CIs were 1.572 (1.113, 2.219 and 1.973 (1.153, 3.376, respectively]. After adjusting for household income and educational level, low SES was associated with a high prevalence of blepharoptosis in women only.Socioeconomic disparities in the prevalence of blepharoptosis were found among women. Indeed, future research using a prospective design to determine the causal relationship between SES and blepharoptosis may identify SES as a risk factor for this condition.

Recognition and Evaluation of Clinical Section Headings in Clinical Documents Using Token-Based Formulation with Conditional Random Fields

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Hong-Jie Dai

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Electronic health record (EHR is a digital data format that collects electronic health information about an individual patient or population. To enhance the meaningful use of EHRs, information extraction techniques have been developed to recognize clinical concepts mentioned in EHRs. Nevertheless, the clinical judgment of an EHR cannot be known solely based on the recognized concepts without considering its contextual information. In order to improve the readability and accessibility of EHRs, this work developed a section heading recognition system for clinical documents. In contrast to formulating the section heading recognition task as a sentence classification problem, this work proposed a token-based formulation with the conditional random field (CRF model. A standard section heading recognition corpus was compiled by annotators with clinical experience to evaluate the performance and compare it with sentence classification and dictionary-based approaches. The results of the experiments showed that the proposed method achieved a satisfactory F-score of 0.942, which outperformed the sentence-based approach and the best dictionary-based system by 0.087 and 0.096, respectively. One important advantage of our formulation over the sentence-based approach is that it presented an integrated solution without the need to develop additional heuristics rules for isolating the headings from the surrounding section contents.

Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and associated factors among adults in Southern Brazil: a population-based cross-sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Halal Camila S

2005-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Helicobacter pylori (Hp infection is associated with several upper gastrointestinal disorders. Local data on the epidemiology of the infection are scarce in Brazil. The purpose of this study is to measure the prevalence rate and to explore the associated factors among the adult population living in Pelotas, a southern Brazilin city. Methods This was a population-based cross-sectional study. Through a multi-stage sampling method all individuals 20 years and over living at the selected households at the urban area of the city were interviewed regarding past and current socio-economic indicators; demographic characteristics; nutritional and behavioural habits; and history of upper gastrointestinal symptoms.Hp infection was ascertained through the 13C-UBT. Due to the high prevalence, data were analysed through robust Poisson regression. All analyses took into account the family clustering of the data. Results Among 563 eligible individuals, 363 agreed to perform the 13C-UBT (refusal rate of 35.5%. Refusals were associated with female sex, consumption of mate drinking, and presence of upper gastrointestinal symptoms. The prevalence rate of H. pylori infection was 63.4% (95%CI 59.3%–69.3%. In crude analyses, prevalence was associated with increasing age, non-white skin colour, lower current family income, lower education level, higher size of the family, low socio-economic conditions in childhood, higher number of siblings and attendance to day-care centres in childhood, and presence of dyspeptic symptoms. In adjusted analysis the level of education of the father was inversely associated with the infection, whereas number of siblings and attendance to day-care centre in childhood were directly associated with it. Non-white skin colour remained significantly associated with increased prevalence even after allowing for past and current socio-economic characteristics, age and sex. Compared to non-symptomatic individuals, those

Unmet needs in immigrant cancer survivors: a cross-sectional population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Butow, P N; Bell, M L; Aldridge, L J; Sze, M; Eisenbruch, M; Jefford, M; Schofield, P; Girgis, A; King, M; Duggal, P S; McGrane, J; Goldstein, D

2013-09-01

Social suffering, language difficulties, and cultural factors may all make the cancer experience more difficult for immigrants. This study aimed to document unmet needs, and variables associated with these, in a population-based sample of first-generation immigrants and Anglo-Australians who had survived cancer. Participants were recruited via Australian cancer registries. Eligible cancer survivors had a new diagnosis 1-6 years earlier and were aged between 18 and 80 years at diagnosis. Eligible immigrant participants and parents were born in a country where Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese, and other dialects), or Greek is spoken, and they spoke one of these languages. A random sample of English-speaking Anglo-Australian-born controls was recruited. Five hundred ninety-six patients (277 immigrants) were recruited to the study (response rate, 26%). Compared to Anglo-Australians, the adjusted odds ratio of Chinese immigrants for at least one unmet information/support need was 5.1 (95% CI 3.1, 8.3) and for any unmet physical need was 3.1 (95% CI 1.9, 5.1). For Greek, these were 2.0 (95% CI 1.1, 4.0) and 2.7 (95% CI 1.4, 5.2). Arabic patients had elevated, but not statistically significant, odds ratios compared to Anglo-Australians. Written information and having a specialist, support services, and other health professionals who spoke their language were in the top ten unmet needs amongst immigrants. Immigrant cancer survivors, several years after initial diagnosis, are more likely to have an unmet need for information or for help with a physical problem than Anglo-Australians. They strongly desire information and support in their own language.

Maternal and Child Health in Mongolia at 3 Years After Childbirth: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Takehara, Kenji; Dagvadorj, Amarjargal; Hikita, Naoko; Sumya, Narantuya; Ganhuyag, Solongo; Bavuusuren, Bayasgalantai; Ota, Erika; Haruna, Megumi; Yoshida, Mikako; Kita, Sachiko; Noma, Hisashi; Mori, Rintaro

2016-05-01

In recent years Mongolia has made great advances towards Millennium Development Goals to reduce maternal and child mortality, however few studies have investigated maternal and child health status several years after childbirth. Our study aims to describe priority health issues in maternal and child health in Mongolia 3 years after childbirth, and key areas requiring further health policy development. We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study in Bulgan province, Mongolia. Participants were women who gave birth in 2010 and lived in Bulgan in 2013, and their children who were almost 3 years of age. Data was collected using structured interviews, self-administered questionnaires, transcribed records from the Maternal and Child Health Handbook, anthropometric measurements, and a developmental assessment tool. Data was obtained from 1,019 women and 1,013 children (recovery rate: 94.1 %). Among women, 171 (17.2 %) were obese and had an average body mass index (BMI) of 25.7, 40 (4.4 %) experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) and 356 (36.2 %) reported urinary incontinence in the past month. Among children, 110 (10.8 %) were assessed as at risk of developmental delay, 131 (13.1 %) were overweight or obese, burns accounted for the highest number of serious accidents at 173 (17.0 %) while lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) were the most frequent cause of pediatric hospitalization. for Practice Further development in health policy is required in Mongolia to target the significant health challenges of obesity, IPV, and urinary incontinence in women, and obesity, development delay, burns, and LRTIs in children.

Malocclusion and the need for orthodontic treatment in 8-year-old children with Down syndrome: a cross-sectional population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, Els-Marie; Axelsson, Stefan; Katsaris, Kristoffer P

2016-07-01

To describe the arch morphology and the prevalence and severity of malocclusions in 8-year-old children with DS, and to evaluate their need for treatment using the Norwegian Need for Orthodontic Treatment Index (NOTI), and comparing the findings with a control group. This population-based cross-sectional study was part of a national prospective study evaluating upper airway function, hearing, dental, and craniofacial characteristics in a cohort of children with DS in Norway. The cohort consisted of 32 children with DS and represented 57% of all children born with DS in Norway in 2002. Dental arch morphology and malocclusion were assessed on dental casts. Data were collected prospectively at the TAKO-centre, National Resource Center for Oral Health in Rare Medical Conditions. All the children with DS (100%) had objectively assessed needs for orthodontic treatment, compared with 30% of the normative comparison group. Among the children with DS, 68% were objectively categorized as being in "great need" (Category B) for treatment and the 75% were categorized as having "obvious need" (Category C). In comparison, only 20% of children without DS were in Category B, and 44% were in Category C. This study indicates significantly higher prevalence and severity of malocclusions in 8-year-old children with DS compared with control group. © 2016 Special Care Dentistry Association and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Is the relationship between cigarette smoking and male erectile dysfunction independent of cardiovascular disease? Findings from a population-based cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chew, Kew-Kim; Bremner, Alexandra; Stuckey, Bronwyn; Earle, Carolyn; Jamrozik, Konrad

2009-01-01

Cigarette smoking has been implicated in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and as a risk factor for erectile dysfunction (ED). However, various aspects of the associations between cigarette smoking, ED, and CVD need further elucidation. We explored the relationship between cigarette smoking, ED, and CVD using data from a population-based cross-sectional study of 1,580 participants. Postal questionnaires were sent to randomly selected age-stratified male population samples obtained from the Western Australia Electoral Roll. In addition to items covering sociodemographic and self-reported clinical information and smoking habits, the 5-item International Index of Erectile Function was used to assess erectile function. Compared with never smokers, the odds of ED, adjusted for age, square of age, and CVD, were significantly higher among current smokers (odds ratio [OR] = 1.40; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02, 1.92) and ever smokers (OR = 1.57; 95% CI 1.02, 2.42). Similarly, the adjusted odds of severe ED were significantly higher among former smokers. Albeit not statistically significant, the age-adjusted odds of ED among current smokers increased with the number of cigarettes smoked. Among former smokers, the age-adjusted odds of ED were significantly higher 6-10 years following cessation of smoking than 10 years. Compared with never smokers without CVD, the age-adjusted odds of ED among former smokers and ever smokers without CVD were about 1.6. Regardless of smoking, these odds were significantly higher among participants with CVD. Compared with never smokers, former smokers and ever smokers have significantly higher odds of ED. The relationship between smoking and ED is independent of that between smoking and CVD, and not because of confounding by CVD. Patterns of ED in former smokers suggest that there may be a latent interval between active smoking and symptomatic ED, involving a process initially triggered by smoking.

Infertility experience and health differentials - a population-based comparative study on infertile and non-infertile women (the HUNT Study)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rostad, Berit; Schmidt, Lone; Sundby, Johanne

2014-01-01

between infertility and health and life satisfaction. DESIGN: Cross-sectional population-based health study, conducted between 2006 and 2008. SETTING: All women in a county in Norway were invited. The current material is restricted to women aged 20-49 years. POPULATION: A total of 9200 women participated......OBJECTIVE: Studies suggest that health complaints, distress and poor life satisfaction are associated with infertility experience. Research on health consequences of infertility experience in women has relied heavily on clinic-based samples. This population-based study investigates the association....... METHODS: Health measures were compared between women with infertility experience (infertile women) and women without infertility experience (non-infertile women). Disparities in health and life satisfaction among the infertile women were assessed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported health, functional...

DYNAMICS OF Cercospora zeina POPULATIONS IN MAIZE-BASED ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ACSS

DYNAMICS OFCercospora zeina POPULATIONS IN MAIZE-BASED AGRO- ..... Population differentiation of Cercospora zeina in three districts of Uganda based on analysis of molecular variance ..... interactions: The example of the Erysiphe.

Consequences of hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, healthcare-seeking behaviors of patients, and responses of the health system: a population-based cross-sectional study in Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Uddin, Md Jasim; Alam, Nurul; Koehlmoos, Tracey P; Sarma, Haribondhu; Chowdhury, Muhammad Ashique Haider; Alam, Dewan S; Niessen, Louis

2014-06-03

Non-communicable diseases are a threat to human health and economic development of low-income countries. Hypertension (HT) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are two major causes of deaths, worldwide. This study assesses the health status, health-care seeking, and health provider responses among patients with these conditions. The study carried out population-based cross-sectional survey in a rural and an urban surveillance area in Bangladesh. It interviewed all patients identified with HT and COPD at home using a structured questionnaire on the health consequences, healthcare-seeking behaviours, and coping strategies. Qualitative techniques identified key factors relating to the behaviours of patients and providers. COPD and HT correlate with lower activities of daily living (ADL) scores. The odds ratio (OR) for ADL scores in the combied conditions are high (OR: 3.04, p conditions with the aim to reduce household poverty.

Level of colorectal cancer awareness: a cross sectional exploratory study among multi-ethnic rural population in Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Tin Tin; Goh, Jun Yan; Tan, Jackson; Muhaimah, Abdul Rahim; Pigeneswaren, Yoganathan; Khairun, Nasirin Sallamun; Normazidah, Abdul Wahab; Tharisini, Devi Kunasekaran; Majid, Hazreen Abd

2013-08-07

This paper presents the level of colorectal cancer awareness among multi-ethnic rural population in Malaysia. A rural-based cross sectional survey was carried out in Perak state in Peninsular Malaysia in March 2011. The survey recruited a population-representative sample using multistage sampling. Altogether 2379 participants were included in this study. Validated bowel/colorectal cancer awareness measure questionnaire was used to assess the level of colorectal cancer awareness among study population. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was done to identify socio-demographic variance of knowledge score on warning signs and risk factors of colorectal cancer. Among respondents, 38% and 32% had zero knowledge score for warning signs and risk factors respectively. Mean knowledge score for warning signs and risk factors were 2.89 (SD 2.96) and 3.49 (SD 3.17) respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between the knowledge score of warning signs and level of confidence in detecting a warning sign. Socio-demographic characteristics and having cancer in family and friends play important role in level of awareness. Level of awareness on colorectal cancer warning signs and risk factors in the rural population of Malaysia is very low. Therefore, it warrants an extensive health education campaign on colorectal cancer awareness as it is one of the commonest cancer in Malaysia. Health education campaign is urgently needed because respondents would seek medical attention sooner if they are aware of this problem.

Level of colorectal cancer awareness: a cross sectional exploratory study among multi-ethnic rural population in Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Su, Tin Tin; Goh, Jun Yan; Tan, Jackson; Muhaimah, Abdul Rahim; Pigeneswaren, Yoganathan; Khairun, Nasirin Sallamun; Normazidah, Abdul Wahab; Tharisini, Devi Kunasekaran; Majid, Hazreen Abd

2013-01-01

This paper presents the level of colorectal cancer awareness among multi-ethnic rural population in Malaysia. A rural-based cross sectional survey was carried out in Perak state in Peninsular Malaysia in March 2011. The survey recruited a population-representative sample using multistage sampling. Altogether 2379 participants were included in this study. Validated bowel/colorectal cancer awareness measure questionnaire was used to assess the level of colorectal cancer awareness among study population. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was done to identify socio-demographic variance of knowledge score on warning signs and risk factors of colorectal cancer. Among respondents, 38% and 32% had zero knowledge score for warning signs and risk factors respectively. Mean knowledge score for warning signs and risk factors were 2.89 (SD 2.96) and 3.49 (SD 3.17) respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between the knowledge score of warning signs and level of confidence in detecting a warning sign. Socio-demographic characteristics and having cancer in family and friends play important role in level of awareness. Level of awareness on colorectal cancer warning signs and risk factors in the rural population of Malaysia is very low. Therefore, it warrants an extensive health education campaign on colorectal cancer awareness as it is one of the commonest cancer in Malaysia. Health education campaign is urgently needed because respondents would seek medical attention sooner if they are aware of this problem

100 group displacement cross sections from RECOIL data base

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gopalakrishnan, V.

1995-01-01

Displacement cross sections in 100 neutron energy groups were calculated from the RECOIL data base using the RECOIL program, for use in DPA (Displacement Per Atom) calculations for FBTR and PFBR materials. 100 group displacement cross sections were calculated using RECOIL-Data Base and RECOIL Program. Modifications were made in the data base to reduce space requirement, and in the program for easy handling on a PC. 2 refs

QTL mapping for combining ability in different population-based ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2013-12-13

Dec 13, 2013 ... ability and for geneticists to research the genetic basis of combining ability. [Li L., Sun C., ... population-based NCII designs by a simulation study. J. Genet. ... combining ability could also be applied to other population- based NCII ... was to estimate how different base populations, sample sizes, heritability ...

Managing incidental findings in population based biobank research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Berge Solberg

2012-04-01

Full Text Available With the introduction of whole genome sequencing in medical research, the debate on how to handle incidental findings is becoming omnipresent. Much of the literature on the topic so far, seems to defend the researcher’s duty to inform, the participant’s right to know combined with a thorough informed consent in order to protect and secure high ethical standards in research. In this paper, we argue that this ethical response to incidental findings and whole genome sequencing is appropriate in a clinical context, in what we call therapeutic research. However, we further argue, that it is rather inappropriate in basic research, like the research going on in public health oriented population based biobanks. Our argument is based on two premises: First, in population based biobank research the duties and rights involved are radically different from a clinical based setting. Second, to introduce the ethical framework from the clinical setting into population based basic research, is not only wrong, but it may lead to unethical consequences. A Norwegian population based biobank and the research-ethical debate in Norway on the regulation of whole genome sequencing is used as an illustrative case to demonstrate the pitfalls when approaching the debate on incidental findings in population based biobank research.

Associations of smoking with cardiometabolic profile and renal function in a Romanian population-based sample from the PREDATORR cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Popa, Simona Georgiana; Moţa, Maria; Mihălţan, Florin Dumitru; Popa, Adina; Munteanu, Ioana; Moţa, Eugen; Serafinceanu, Cristian; Guja, Cristian; Hâncu, Nicolae; Catrinoiu, Doina; Lichiardopol, Radu; Bala, Cornelia; Mihai, Bogdan; Radulian, Gabriela; Roman, Gabriela; Timar, Romulus

2017-12-01

The impact of smoking on morbidity is well known, but in Romania, limited data are available regarding the smoking prevalence and relationship with cardiometabolic profile and kidney function. To assess the association of smoking with cardiometabolic traits and kidney function, in a Romanian population-based sample from the PREDATORR study. PREDATORR was an epidemiological cross-sectional study. Between 2012 and 2014, participants were randomly selected from the lists of general practitioners and enrolled if they were aged 20 to 79 years, born and living in the past 10 years in Romania. Sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics were collected through interviewer-administered questionnaires. Overall, 2704 participants were included in the analysis, 18% of them being current smokers and 30.8% former smokers. Current smokers compared to non-smokers had higher total cholesterol (220.6 ± 50.4 versus 213.9 ± 86.8 mg/dl, P = 0.017), LDL-cholesterol (137.8 ± 45.2 versus 130.7 ± 83.7 mg/dl, P = 0.004) and glomerular filtration rate (96.9 ± 16.8 versus 90.7 ± 19.1 ml/min/1.73 m 2 , P smoking was associated with hypercholesterolaemia [OR: 1.40 (95% CI: 1.01-1.96), P = 0.04] and low HDL-cholesterolaemia [OR: 1.39 (95% CI: 1.01-1.91), P = 0.04] and negatively associated with overweight/obesity [OR: 0.67 (95% CI: 0.48-0.94), P = 0.02]. Male former smokers had higher prevalence of abdominal obesity (82.4% versus 76.4%, P = 0.02), hypertriglyceridaemia (43.6% versus 35.6%, P = 0.01), hypertension (64% versus 56.4%, P = 0.01) and ischaemic vascular disease (40.5% versus 30.9%, P = 0.003) than male non-smokers. The PREDATORR study showed a high prevalence of smoking in the adult Romanian population providing data on the association of smoking with cardiometabolic traits.

Hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control in northeast China: a population-based cross-sectional survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Fu-Liang; Guo, Zhen-Ni; Xing, Ying-Qi; Wu, Yan-Hua; Liu, Hao-Yuan; Yang, Yi

2017-12-01

Hypertension has been recognized as a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We aimed to analyze the current prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in northeast China. This cross-sectional survey adopted the multistage stratified random cluster sampling method to obtain a representative sample of adults aged 40 years or older in the general population of northeast China. Hypertension was defined as a systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥ 140 mm Hg, or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ 90 mm Hg, or self-reported use of antihypertensive medications in the last 2 weeks irrespective of BP. Altogether 4052 participants were included with weighted prevalence of hypertension of 57.3%. Among them, 47.4% were aware of their condition; 78.8% took antihypertensive medication, but only 10.2% had their blood pressure controlled. Individuals who were overweight/obesity, with dyslipidemia, or diabetes were at a higher risk of hypertension; these people also more likely to be aware of their condition. Subjects with a personal history of stroke were more inclined to receive antihypertensive medication, but that did not necessarily translate to well-controlled hypertension. Moreover, dyslipidemia (OR = 0.600; 95% CI: 0.375, 0.960) were associated with poor hypertension control. Subjects using combination of antihypertensive medications (OR = 2.924; 95% CI: 1.606, 5.325) or with a family history of coronary heart disease were more likely to have their blood pressure controlled. Our study identified a high prevalence of hypertension in northeast China. Although awareness and treatment rates improved over the last decade, the control rate remained disproportionately and unacceptably low.

Weak association between subjective symptoms of and objective testing for dry eyes and dry mouth: results from a population based study

OpenAIRE

Hay, E.; Thomas, E; Pal, B; Hajeer, A.; Chambers, H; Silman, A

1998-01-01

OBJECTIVES—To determine associations between symptoms of dry eyes and dry mouth and objective evidence of lacrimal and salivary gland dysfunction in a population based sample. To determine associations between these elements and the presence of autoantibodies.
METHODS—A cross sectional population based survey. Subjects were interviewed and examined (Schirmer-1 test and unstimulated salivary flow) for the presence of dry eyes and mouth. Antibodies (anti-Ro [SS-A], anti-La [SS-B], rheumatoid fa...

EpiReumaPt: how to perform a national population based study - a practical guide

OpenAIRE

Gouveia, Nélia; Rodrigues, Ana M.; Ramiro, Sofia; Machado, Pedro; Da Costa, Leonor Pereira; Mourão, Ana Filipa; Silva, Inês; Rego, Tânia; Laires, Pedro; André, Rui; Mauricio, Luís; Romeu, José Carlos; Tavares, Viviana; Cerol, Jorge; Canhão, Helena

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: The aim of this article was to describe and discuss several strategies and standard operating procedures undertaken in the EpiReumaPt study - which was the first Portuguese, national, cross-sectional population-based study of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases (RMD). METHODS: The technical procedures, legal issues, management and practical questions were studied, analyzed and discussed with relevant stakeholders. During the 1st phase of EpiReumaPt the coordination team and Cen...

The Prevalence of Amblyopia and Its Determinants in a Population-based Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Faghihi, Mohammad; Hashemi, Hassan; Nabovati, Payam; Saatchi, Mohammad; Yekta, Abbasali; Rafati, Shokoofeh; Ostadimoghaddam, Hadi; Khabazkhoob, Mehdi

2017-12-01

To determine the prevalence of amblyopia and its determinants in a population-based study in Mashhad County, Iran. This cross-sectional, population-based study was conducted on the population of Mashhad County aged >1 year using randomized stratified cluster sampling. Examinations were performed after selection of the participants and their free transportation to the sampling site. The examinations included the measurement of uncorrected and corrected visual acuity, cycloplegic and non-cycloplegic refraction, cover testing, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and ophthalmoscopy. In this study, amblyopia was defined as best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 20/30 or less or 2-line interocular optotype acuity differences with no pathology. After considering the exclusion criteria, the data of 2739 individuals, 65.6% of whom were women, were analyzed. The mean age of the participants was 29.5±17.5 years. The prevalence of amblyopia was 4.6% (95% CI: 3.77%-5.43%) in the total population. The lowest prevalence was 2.24% in the age group 5-15 years (95% CI: 0.99%-3.48%) and the highest prevalence was 7.14% in the age group 55-65 years (95% CI: 2.64%-11.56%). Anisometropic amblyopia was observed in 45.24% of the amblyopic participants. Isometropic, mixed (strabismic/anisometropic), and strabismic amblyopia were other common causes of amblyopia, with a prevalence of 24.6%, 16.67%, and 13.49% in amblyopic patients, respectively. The odds ratio (OR) of having amblyopia for each 1-year increase in age was 1.02 (95% CI: 1.01-1.03). Amblyopia was less common in people with better socioeconomic status. This study showed the prevalence of amblyopia in all age groups in a population-based study for the first time. The findings of this study regarding the relatively high prevalence of amblyopia in the older population and its lower prevalence in young people indicate attention to amblyopia in recent years.

Physical exercise and cognitive function across the life span: Results of a nationwide population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaertner, Beate; Buttery, Amanda K; Finger, Jonas D; Wolfsgruber, Steffen; Wagner, Michael; Busch, Markus A

2018-05-01

To examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between physical exercise and cognitive function across different age groups in a nationwide population-based sample of adults aged 18-79 years in Germany. Cross-sectional/prospective. Cognitive function was assessed in the mental health module of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS1-MH, 2009-2012, n=3535), using a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery. Cognitive domain scores for executive function and memory were derived from confirmatory factor analysis. Regular physical exercise in the last three months was assessed by self-report and defined as no exercise, function in cross-sectional (function and memory in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses with no evidence for differential effects by age. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Customized versus population-based birth weight charts for the detection of neonatal growth and perinatal morbidity in a cross-sectional study of term neonates.

Science.gov (United States)

Carberry, Angela E; Raynes-Greenow, Camille H; Turner, Robin M; Jeffery, Heather E

2013-10-15

Customized birth weight charts that incorporate maternal characteristics are now being adopted into clinical practice. However, there is controversy surrounding the value of these charts in the prediction of growth and perinatal outcomes. The objective of this study was to assess the use of customized charts in predicting growth, defined by body fat percentage, and perinatal morbidity. A total of 581 term (≥37 weeks' gestation) neonates born in Sydney, Australia, in 2010 were included. Body fat percentage measurements were taken by using air displacement plethysmography. Objective composite measurements of perinatal morbidity were used to identify neonates who had poor outcomes; these data were extracted from medical records. The value of customized charts was assessed by calculating positive predictive values, negative predictive values, and odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Customized versus population-based charts did not improve the prediction of either low body fat percentage (59% vs. 66% positive predictive value and 87% vs. 89% negative predictive value, respectively) or high body fat percentage (48% vs. 53% positive predictive value and 90% vs. 89% negative predictive value, respectively). Customized charts were not better than population-based charts at predicting perinatal morbidity (for customized charts, odds ratio = 1.02, 95% confidence interval: 1.01, 1.04; for population-based charts, odds ratio = 1.03, 95% confidence interval: 1.01, 1.05) per percentile decrease in birth weight. Customized birth weight charts do not provide significant improvements over population-based charts in predicting neonatal growth and morbidity.

Registration for deceased organ and tissue donation among Ontario immigrants: a population-based cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Alvin Ho-Ting; Lam, Ngan N; Dhanani, Sonny; Weir, Matthew; Prakash, Versha; Kim, Joseph; Knoll, Greg; Garg, Amit X

2016-01-01

Canada has low rates of deceased organ and tissue donation. Immigrants to Canada may differ in their registered support for deceased organ donation based on their country of origin. We used linked administrative databases in Ontario (about 11 million residents aged ≥ 16 yr) to study the proportion of immigrants and long-term residents registered for deceased organ and tissue donation as of October 2013. We used modified Poisson regression to identify and quantify predictors of donor registration. Compared with long-term residents ( n = 9 244 570), immigrants ( n = 1 947 646) were much less likely to register for deceased organ and tissue donation (11.9% v. 26.5%). Immigrants from the United States, Australia and New Zealand had the highest registration rate (40.0%), whereas immigrants with the lowest registration rates were from Eastern Europe and Central Asia (9.4%), East Asia and Pacific (8.4%) and sub-Saharan Africa (7.9%). The largest numbers of unregistered immigrants were from India ( n = 202 548), China ( n = 186 678) and the Philippines ( n = 125 686). Characteristics among the immigrant population associated with a higher likelihood of registration included economic immigrant status, living in a rural area (population speak English and French, and more years residing in Canada. Immigrants in Ontario were less likely to register for deceased organ and tissue donation than long-term residents. There is a need to better understand reasons for lower registration rates among Canadian immigrants and to create culture-sensitive materials to build support for deceased organ and tissue donation.

Predictive risk modelling in the Spanish population: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Orueta, Juan F; Nuño-Solinis, Roberto; Mateos, Maider; Vergara, Itziar; Grandes, Gonzalo; Esnaola, Santiago

2013-07-09

An increase in chronic conditions is currently the greatest threat to human health and to the sustainability of health systems. Risk adjustment systems may enable population stratification programmes to be developed and become instrumental in implementing new models of care.The objectives of this study are to evaluate the capability of ACG-PM, DCG-HCC and CRG-based models to predict healthcare costs and identify patients that will be high consumers and to analyse changes to predictive capacity when socio-economic variables are added. This cross-sectional study used data of all Basque Country citizens over 14 years of age (n = 1,964,337) collected in a period of 2 years. Data from the first 12 months (age, sex, area deprivation index, diagnoses, procedures, prescriptions and previous cost) were used to construct the explanatory variables. The ability of models to predict healthcare costs in the following 12 months was assessed using the coefficient of determination and to identify the patients with highest costs by means of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The coefficients of determination ranged from 0.18 to 0.21 for diagnosis-based models, 0.17-0.18 for prescription-based and 0.21-0.24 for the combination of both. The observed area under the ROC curve was 0.78-0.86 (identifying patients with a cost higher than P-95) and 0.83-0.90 (P-99). The values of the DCG-HCC models are slightly higher and those of the CRG models are lower, although prescription information could not be used in the latter. On adding previous cost data, differences between the three systems decrease appreciably. Inclusion of the deprivation index led to only marginal improvements in explanatory power. The case-mix systems developed in the USA can be useful in a publicly financed healthcare system with universal coverage to identify people at risk of high health resource consumption and whose situation is potentially preventable through proactive interventions.

Hippocampal atrophy in people with memory deficits: results from the population-based IPREA study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrarini, Luca; van Lew, Baldur; Reiber, Johan H C; Gandin, Claudia; Galluzzo, Lucia; Scafato, Emanuele; Frisoni, Giovanni B; Milles, Julien; Pievani, Michela

2014-07-01

Clinical studies have shown that hippocampal atrophy is present before dementia in people with memory deficits and can predict dementia development. The question remains whether this association holds in the general population. This is of interest for the possible use of hippocampal atrophy to screen population for preventive interventions. The aim of this study was to assess hippocampal volume and shape abnormalities in elderly adults with memory deficits in a cross-sectional population-based study. We included individuals participating in the Italian Project on the Epidemiology of Alzheimer Disease (IPREA) study: 75 cognitively normal individuals (HC), 31 individuals with memory deficits (MEM), and 31 individuals with memory deficits not otherwise specified (MEMnos). Hippocampal volumes and shape were extracted through manual tracing and the growing and adaptive meshes (GAMEs) shape-modeling algorithm. We investigated between-group differences in hippocampal volume and shape, and correlations with memory deficits. In MEM participants, hippocampal volumes were significantly smaller than in HC and were mildly associated with worse memory scores. Memory-associated shape changes mapped to the anterior hippocampus. Shape-based analysis detected no significant difference between MEM and HC, while MEMnos showed shape changes in the posterior hippocampus compared with HC and MEM groups. These findings support the discriminant validity of hippocampal volumetry as a biomarker of memory impairment in the general population. The detection of shape changes in MEMnos but not in MEM participants suggests that shape-based biomarkers might lack sensitivity to detect Alzheimer's-like pathology in the general population.

Psychiatric morbidity in the community: A population based-study from Kerala.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaji, K S; Raju, D; Sathesh, V; Krishnakumar, P; Punnoose, Varghese P; Kiran, P S; Mini, B S; Kumar, Shibu; Anish, P K; Kaimal, Ganga G; Gupthan, Lekshmy; Sumesh, T P; Nikhil, U G; Cyriac, Nisha; Vinod, M D; Kumar, R Prasad; Chandran, Ramesh; Rejani, P P; Amrutha, R; Mahesh; Anand, T N

2017-01-01

Estimates of psychiatric morbidity in the community will help service development. Participation of trained nonspecialist health-care providers will facilitate scaling up of services in resource-limited settings. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of priority mental health problems in populations served by the District Mental Health Program (DMHP). This is a population-based cross-sectional survey. We did stratified cluster sampling of households in five districts of Kerala. Trained Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) identified people who had symptoms suggestive of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Clinicians evaluated the information collected by the ASHAs and designated individuals as probable cases of psychosis or noncases. Screening instruments such as General Health Questionnaire-12, CAGE questionnaire, and Everyday Abilities Scale for India were used for identifying common mental disorders (CMDs), clinically significant alcohol-related problems, and functional impairment. We found 12.43% of the adult population affected by mental health conditions. We found CMD as most common with a prevalence of 9%. The prevalence of psychosis was 0.71%, clinically significant alcohol-related problems was 1.46%, and dementia and other cognitive impairments was 1.26%. We found informant-based case finding to be useful in the identification of psychosis. Mental health problems are common. Nonspecialist health-care providers can be trained to identify psychiatric morbidity in the community. Their participation will help in narrowing the treatment gap. Embedding operational research to DMHP will make scaling up more efficient.

Factors Associated with Remission of Eczema in Children: a Population-based Follow-up Study.

OpenAIRE

von Kobyletzki, Laura; Bornehag, Carl-Gustaf; Breeze, Elizabeth; Larsson, Malin; Boman Lindström, Cecilia; Svensson, Åke

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyse factors associated with remission of atopic dermatitis (AD) in childhood. A population-based AD cohort of 894 children aged 1-3 years from a cross-sectional baseline study in 2000 was followed up in 2005. The association between remission, background, health, lifestyle, and environmental variables was estimated with crude and multivariable logistic regression. At follow-up, 52% of the children had remission. Independent factors at baseline predicting remis...

ULTRASOUND SCREENING OF THYROID GLAND AMONG A SECTION OF POPULATION IN CENTRAL KERALA

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Ashok Chirathalattu Babu

2017-06-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Thyroid diseases are commonest endocrine disorders in India. Studies have shown that one in ten adults in India suffer from hypothyroidism. But it is often underdiagnosed and goes undetected for years. The present study was intended to perform thyroid ultrasound screening among a section of Thrissur population for evaluating the prevalence, various patterns of thyroid pathologies, its age and sex relation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ultrasound screening for thyroid gland was done for 100 individuals selected from a skewed population of St. Joseph’s Church, Kuriachira, Thrissur, Kerala between Nov. 16– Nov. 30 of 2016. RESULTS Among 100 individuals, 51 were found to have thyroid diseases. Among these 51, various patterns of thyroid diseases were noted; thyroiditis (17, multinodular goitre (12, benign nodules (17 and atypical nodules (7. 47 out of 73 females and 4 out of 27 males had thyroid abnormalities. The study also demonstrated that prevalence of thyroid disease was more in the age group of 60-70 years (78.5%. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrated high prevalence of thyroid diseases (5 in 10 in the study population. Association with increasing age and female predisposition for thyroid diseases also noted.

Cross-sectional prospective survey to study indication-based usage of antimicrobials in animals: Results of use in cattle

OpenAIRE

Thomson, Katariina; Rantala, Merja; Hautala, Maria; Pyörälä, Satu; Kaartinen, Liisa

2008-01-01

Abstract Background Indication-based data on the use of antimicrobials in animals were collected using a prospective cross-sectional survey, similarly as for surveys carried out in human medicine, but adapting the questionnaire to include veterinary-specific issues. The participating veterinarians were randomly selected from a sample population of practising veterinarians. The sampling was stratified to take into account the proportions of different types of veterinary practice in the country...

Risk and protective factors for chronic diseases in adults: a population-based study

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Danielle Cristina Guimarães da Silva

Full Text Available Abstract The article describes the relative frequency ok of risk and protective behaviors for chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs in adults residing in Viçosa, Brazil. A cross-section-al population-based study including 1,226 adults living in the municipality. We used a structured questionnaire containing questions sociodemographic and behavioral The risk and protection factors evaluated were: smoking, physical activity, excessive consumption of alcohol and food consumption. The proportion of risk and protection factors was calculated in the total population, according to gender, education and socioeconomic status. The studied population has a high frequency of risk factors for NCDs, such as excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, habit of consuming whole milk, habit of eating meat with visible fat, regular consumption of soft drinks and 78.5% did not achieve the minimum recommendation for physical activity in leisure time. With regard to protective factors, 86.2% of the population reported regular consumption of fruits and vegetables, and 73%, of beans. It was found the highest frequency of risk factors in among males, in younger people and middle socioeconomic status. This population has an urgent need for public policy of municipal planning to change this current scenario.

Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori in Hispanics living in Puerto Rico: A population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

González-Pons, María; Soto-Salgado, Marievelisse; Sevilla, Javier; Márquez-Lespier, Juan M; Morgan, Douglas; Pérez, Cynthia M; Cruz-Correa, Marcia

2018-02-01

Helicobacter pylori is an important etiologic factor for peptic ulcers and gastric cancer, one of the top ten leading causes of cancer death in Puerto Rico. However, the prevalence of H. pylori infections in this population was previously unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the seroprevalence of H. pylori and its associated risk factors in Puerto Rico. A cross-sectional study was designed using an existing population-based biorepository. Seropositivity was determined using the Premier ™ H. pylori immunoassay. Helicobacter pylori seroprevalence was estimated with 95% confidence using marginal standardization following logistic regression. To assess the risk factors associated with H. pylori seropositivity, a multivariable log-binomial model was fitted to estimate the prevalence ratio (PR) and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI). A total of 528 population-based serum samples were analyzed. The mean age of the study population was 41 ± 12 years, of whom 55.3% were females. The overall seroprevalence of H. pylori was 33.0% (95% CI = 28.3%-38.1%). Increasing age and having Puerto Rico. The H. pylori seroprevalence observed in Puerto Rico is similar to the seroprevalence reported in the overall population of the United States. The association between H. pylori seroprevalence and the risk factors analyzed offers insight into the epidemiology of gastric cancer in Puerto Rico and warrants further investigation. © 2017 The Authors. Helicobacter Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Epidemiology of leisure-time physical activity: a population-based study in southern Brazil

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Juvenal Soares Dias-da-Costa

Full Text Available We aimed to measure the prevalence of physical inactivity (PI during leisure time and to identify variables associated with it in a southern Brazilian adult population. A population-based cross-sectional study was carried out, covering a multiple-stage sample of 1,968 subjects aged 20-69 years. Weekly participation in leisure-time physical activity was addressed. For each activity, energy expenditure was calculated using data on duration, metabolic equivalent, and body weight. Energy expenditures of individual activities were summed to give a weekly total. PI was defined as fewer than 1,000 kilocalories per week. The prevalence of PI was 80.7% (95%CI: 78.9-82.4. After adjusted analyses, the following variables were positively associated with the outcome: female gender, age, living with a partner, and smoking. Schooling and economic status were inversely associated with PI. Chronically undernourished individuals were significantly more likely to be inactive. We found no differences according to skin color or alcohol consumption. In conclusion, the prevalence of PI in this adult population was higher than in populations from developed countries, but the associated variables were similar.

Facility-Based Delivery during the Ebola Virus Disease Epidemic in Rural Liberia: Analysis from a Cross-Sectional, Population-Based Household Survey.

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John Ly

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The Ebola virus disease (EVD epidemic has threatened access to basic health services through facility closures, resource diversion, and decreased demand due to community fear and distrust. While modeling studies have attempted to estimate the impact of these disruptions, no studies have yet utilized population-based survey data.We conducted a two-stage, cluster-sample household survey in Rivercess County, Liberia, in March-April 2015, which included a maternal and reproductive health module. We constructed a retrospective cohort of births beginning 4 y before the first day of survey administration (beginning March 24, 2011. We then fit logistic regression models to estimate associations between our primary outcome, facility-based delivery (FBD, and time period, defined as the pre-EVD period (March 24, 2011-June 14, 2014 or EVD period (June 15, 2014-April 13, 2015. We fit both univariable and multivariable models, adjusted for known predictors of facility delivery, accounting for clustering using linearized standard errors. To strengthen causal inference, we also conducted stratified analyses to assess changes in FBD by whether respondents believed that health facility attendance was an EVD risk factor. A total of 1,298 women from 941 households completed the survey. Median age at the time of survey was 29 y, and over 80% had a primary education or less. There were 686 births reported in the pre-EVD period and 212 in the EVD period. The unadjusted odds ratio of facility-based delivery in the EVD period was 0.66 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.48-0.90, p-value = 0.010. Adjustment for potential confounders did not change the observed association, either in the principal model (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.70, 95%CI 0.50-0.98, p = 0.037 or a fully adjusted model (AOR = 0.69, 95%CI 0.50-0.97, p = 0.033. The association was robust in sensitivity analyses. The reduction in FBD during the EVD period was observed among those reporting a belief that

A nationwide population-based study of low vision and blindness in South Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Shin Hae; Lee, Ji Sung; Heo, Hwan; Suh, Young-Woo; Kim, Seung-Hyun; Lim, Key Hwan; Moon, Nam Ju; Lee, Sung Jin; Park, Song Hee; Baek, Seung-Hee

2014-12-18

To investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors of low vision and blindness in the Korean population. This cross-sectional, population-based study examined the ophthalmologic data of 22,135 Koreans aged ≥5 years from the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES V, 2010-2012). According to the World Health Organization criteria, blindness was defined as visual acuity (VA) less than 20/400 in the better-seeing eye, and low vision as VA of 20/60 or worse but 20/400 or better in the better-seeing eye. The prevalence rates were calculated from either presenting VA (PVA) or best-corrected VA (BCVA). Multivariate regression analysis was conducted for adults aged ≥20 years. The overall prevalence rates of PVA-defined low vision and blindness were 4.98% and 0.26%, respectively, and those of BCVA-defined low vision and blindness were 0.46% and 0.05%, respectively. Prevalence increased rapidly above the age of 70 years. For subjects aged ≥70 years, the population-weighted prevalence rates of low vision, based on PVA and BCVA, were 12.85% and 3.87%, respectively, and the corresponding rates of blindness were 0.49% and 0.42%, respectively. The presenting vision problems were significantly associated with age (younger adults or elderly subjects), female sex, low educational level, and lowest household income, whereas the best-corrected vision problems were associated with age ≥ 70 years, a low educational level, and rural residence. This population-based study provides useful information for planning optimal public eye health care services in South Korea. Copyright 2015 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

A nationwide population-based cross-sectional survey of health-related quality of life in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms in Denmark (MPNhealthSurvey: survey design and characteristics of respondents and nonrespondents

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Brochmann N

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Nana Brochmann,1 Esben Meulengracht Flachs,2 Anne Illemann Christensen,3 Christen Lykkegaard Andersen,1 Knud Juel,3 Hans Carl Hasselbalch,1 Ann-Dorthe Zwisler4 1Department of Hematology, Zealand University Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Roskilde, 2Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Bispebjerg University Hospital, Copenhagen, 3National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, 4Danish Knowledge Centre for Rehabilitation and Palliative Care, University of Southern Denmark and Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark Objective: The Department of Hematology, Zealand University Hospital, Denmark, and the National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, created the first nationwide, population-based, and the most comprehensive cross-sectional health-related quality of life (HRQoL survey of patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs. In Denmark, all MPN patients are treated in public hospitals and treatments received are free of charge for these patients. Therefore, MPN patients receive the best available treatment to the extent of its suitability for them and if they wish to receive the treatment. The aims of this article are to describe the survey design and the characteristics of respondents and nonrespondents. Material and methods: Individuals with MPN diagnoses registered in the Danish National Patient Register (NPR were invited to participate. The registers of the Danish Civil Registration System and Statistics Denmark provided information regarding demographics. The survey contained 120 questions: validated patient-reported outcome (PRO questionnaires and additional questions addressing lifestyle. Results: A total of 4,704 individuals were registered with MPN diagnoses in the NPR of whom 4,236 were eligible for participation and 2,613 (62% responded. Overall, the respondents covered the broad spectrum of MPN patients, but patients 70–79 years old, living with

Biodiversity of Aspergillus section Nigri populations in Argentinian vineyards and ochratoxin A contamination.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiotta, María L; Ponsone, María L; Sosa, Débora M; Combina, Mariana; Chulze, Sofía N

2013-12-01

Aspergillus section Nigri are described as the main source of ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination in grapes and wine worldwide. The knowledge of the factors affecting grape contamination by species included in this section and OTA production is essential to be able to reduce their presence, not only to improve wine quality, but also to maintain their safety. Therefore, the aims of this study were to determine the incidence of Aspergillus section Nigri species harvested in different grape-growing regions from Argentina, their ability to produce OTA, to correlate with meteorological conditions and geographical coordinates with their prevalence and to evaluate the OTA natural occurrence in grapes and wines. The morphological identification showed that Aspergillus niger aggregate species were the most prevalent ones, followed by Aspergillus carbonarius and Aspergillus uniseriate. These populations were confirmed through using AFLP markers and sequencing and, Aspergillus tubingensis was separated from A. niger aggregate. Climatic factors, altitude, longitude and latitude have influenced on the distribution of species included in the section. A. carbonarius and A. niger were OTA producers but differed in their OTA producing ability. Temperature was the factor which influenced the most over the highest incidence of A. carbonarius in La Rioja and San Juan regions. The trellis system in vineyards and drip irrigation also influenced the species isolation. The OTA levels detected in grapes and wines were low, but grape variety was more important in susceptibility to fungal infection and OTA levels. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Population based reference intervals for common blood haematological and biochemical parameters in the akuapem north district.

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Koram, Ka; Addae, Mm; Ocran, Jc; Adu-Amankwah, S; Rogers, Wo; Nkrumah, Fk

2007-12-01

To estimate the reference intervals for commonly used blood haematology and biochemical parameters in an adult (18-55yrs) population of residents of Mampong Akuapem. This was a population based cross sectional study of a randomly selected sample of the adult population of Mampong. The sample was selected from an updated census list of the Mampong area. Median values (95% range) for measured parameters were established as follows: Haemoglobin, (males) 14.2 g/dl (females) 12.0 g/dl Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), (female) 19.6 U/L (males) 26.1 U/L and Creatinine, (males) 108 mmol/L (females) 93 mmol/L. In comparison to reference values that are commonly used in Ghana, the haemoglobulin levels from this study were lower, and liver function parameters higher. This could be a result of genetic or environmental differences and calls for the need to establish site specific reference values applicable to our population.

Psychiatric morbidity in the community: A population based-study from Kerala

Science.gov (United States)

Shaji, K. S.; Raju, D.; Sathesh, V; Krishnakumar, P.; Punnoose, Varghese P.; Kiran, P. S; Mini, B. S.; Kumar, Shibu; Anish, P. K; Kaimal, Ganga G.; Gupthan, Lekshmy; Sumesh, T. P.; Nikhil, U. G; Cyriac, Nisha; Vinod, M. D.; Kumar, R. Prasad; Chandran, Ramesh; Rejani, P. P; Amrutha, R; Mahesh; Anand, TN

2017-01-01

Background: Estimates of psychiatric morbidity in the community will help service development. Participation of trained nonspecialist health-care providers will facilitate scaling up of services in resource-limited settings. Aims: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of priority mental health problems in populations served by the District Mental Health Program (DMHP). Settings and Design: This is a population-based cross-sectional survey. Materials and Methods: We did stratified cluster sampling of households in five districts of Kerala. Trained Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) identified people who had symptoms suggestive of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Clinicians evaluated the information collected by the ASHAs and designated individuals as probable cases of psychosis or noncases. Screening instruments such as General Health Questionnaire-12, CAGE questionnaire, and Everyday Abilities Scale for India were used for identifying common mental disorders (CMDs), clinically significant alcohol-related problems, and functional impairment. Results: We found 12.43% of the adult population affected by mental health conditions. We found CMD as most common with a prevalence of 9%. The prevalence of psychosis was 0.71%, clinically significant alcohol-related problems was 1.46%, and dementia and other cognitive impairments was 1.26%. We found informant-based case finding to be useful in the identification of psychosis. Conclusions: Mental health problems are common. Nonspecialist health-care providers can be trained to identify psychiatric morbidity in the community. Their participation will help in narrowing the treatment gap. Embedding operational research to DMHP will make scaling up more efficient. PMID:28827860

Population-based study on the seroprevalence of parvovirus B19 in Amsterdam

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Rijckevorsel, G. G. C.; Sonder, G. J. B.; Schim van der Loeff, M. F.; van den Hoek, J. A. R.

2009-01-01

A study was undertaken to estimate the seroprevalence of parvovirus B19 infection in the general adult population of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. To our knowledge this is the first study testing parvovirus B19 in a random sample of the Dutch adult population. The study was a cross-sectional survey,

Psychosocial risk factors associated with cyberbullying among adolescents: a population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sourander, Andre; Brunstein Klomek, Anat; Ikonen, Maria; Lindroos, Jarna; Luntamo, Terhi; Koskelainen, Merja; Ristkari, Terja; Helenius, Hans

2010-07-01

To our knowledge, no population study examining psychosocial and psychiatric risk factors associated with cyberbullying among adolescents exists. To study cross-sectional associations between cyberbullying and psychiatric and psychosomatic problems among adolescents. Population-based cross-sectional study. Finland. The sample consists of 2215 Finnish adolescents aged 13 to 16 years with complete information about cyberbullying and cybervictimization. Self-reports of cyberbullying and cybervictimization during the past 6 months. In the total sample, 4.8% were cybervictims only, 7.4% were cyberbullies only, and 5.4% were cyberbully-victims. Cybervictim-only status was associated with living in a family with other than 2 biological parents, perceived difficulties, emotional and peer problems, headache, recurrent abdominal pain, sleeping difficulties, and not feeling safe at school. Cyberbully-only status was associated with perceived difficulties, hyperactivity, conduct problems, low prosocial behavior, frequent smoking and drunkenness, headache, and not feeling safe at school. Cyberbully-victim status was associated with all of these risk factors. Among cybervictims, being cyberbullied by a same-sex or opposite-sex adult, by an unknown person, and by a group of people were associated with fear for safety, indicating possible trauma. Both cyberbullying and cybervictimization are associated with psychiatric and psychosomatic problems. The most troubled are those who are both cyberbullies and cybervictims. This indicates the need for new strategies for cyberbullying prevention and intervention.

Georeferenced Population Datasets of Mexico (GEO-MEX): Raster Based GIS Coverage of Mexican Population

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Raster Based GIS Coverage of Mexican Population is a gridded coverage (1 x 1 km) of Mexican population. The data were converted from vector into raster. The...

SECTIONAL ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL CONSUMERS OF RETAIL TRADING SERVICES OF POPULATION OF IZHEVSK

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N.G. Sokolova

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Social trends and preferences of potential consumer of retail services when selling food products in Izhevsk, based on the data of marketing research are being studied. Sectional analysis for the given market is held. The trend of selected market section is described. The article contains the calculation of total market demand for retail trading services in Izhevsk for a moment in 2008.

Disordered eating behavior, health and motives to exercise in young men: cross-sectional population-based MOPO study

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Marjukka Nurkkala

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Being overweight is an increasing problem among young people, among whom disordered eating behavior is linked with weight problems as well as unhealthy weight control. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether health factors and motives to exercise differ in young men by the type of disordered eating behavior. Methods The population-based, cross-sectional MOPO study consisted of 2,096 young Finnish men (mean age 17.9, SD 0.7 attending compulsory call-ups for military service in the Oulu area in 2010, 2011, and 2013. They responded to a questionnaire that included two subscales of the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 indicating drive for thinness and bulimic behavior and questions on health, physical activity, and motives to exercise. The association between disordered eating behavior and related factors was analyzed by binary logistic regression. Results Altogether, 6.9 % (n = 145 of the men had symptoms of disordered eating, i.e., 5.4 % had a drive for thinness (n = 114 and 3.7 % had bulimic behavior (n = 77. Drive for thinness was associated with a perception of being overweight (OR 3.7; 95 % CI 2.2–6.1, poor self-rated health (2.3; 1.2–4.4, more leisure sitting time (1.1; 1.0–1.2, and body-related exercise motives (body acceptance: 3.0; 1.7–5.2; weight loss: 2.5; 1.4–4.4. Bulimic behavior was positively associated with poor self-rated health (2.6; 1.1–5.8 and several motives to exercise, i.e., due to another person’s suggestion (2.8; 1.6–4.8, competitive sports (2.1; 1.2–3.7, body acceptance (2.1; 1.1–3.9, and weight loss (1.9; 1.1–3.3, but inversely associated with health/fitness-related exercise motives (health promotion: 0.3; 0.1–0.5; muscular strength or physical performance: 0.5; 0.2–0.9. Conclusions In young men, disordered eating behavior was associated with being overweight, having poor self-rated health, and having a greater amount of leisure sitting time as well

The prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of dyslipidemia in northeast China: a population-based cross-sectional survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Fu-Liang; Xing, Ying-Qi; Wu, Yan-Hua; Liu, Hao-Yuan; Luo, Yun; Sun, Ming-Shuo; Guo, Zhen-Ni; Yang, Yi

2017-03-23

Dyslipidemia is an important independent modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to explore the current prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of dyslipidemia and its associated influence factors in northeast China. In this population-based cross-sectional study, we adopted a multi-stage, stratified sampling method to obtain a representative sample of 4052 permanent residents aged 40 years and over from different urban and rural regions in Dehui City of Jilin Province. All subjects completed a questionnaire and were examined for risk factors. Continuous data were presented as means ± standard deviations (SD) and compared using the Student's t-test. Categorical variables were presented as proportions and compared using the Rao-Scott-χ 2 test in different subgroups. The associated influence factors for the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of dyslipidemia were evaluated through multivariate logistic regression. The prevalence of dyslipidemia was 62.1% overall, with 33.5, 43.9, 0.6, and 8.8% for high total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, respectively. Among those with dyslipidemia, the proportion of subjects who were aware, treated, and controlled was 14.4, 33.9, and 19.9%, respectively. Overweight or obesity (OR = 2.156; 95% CI: 1.863, 2.533), hypertension (OR = 1.643; 95% CI: 1.425, 1.893), or diabetes mellitus (OR = 2.173; 95% CI: 1.661, 2.844) increased the prevalence of dyslipidemia, also these participants were more likely to be aware of their condition, however, this did not increase the likelihood of treatment and control. Living in urban areas and higher education level also increased the awareness of dyslipidemia. Personal history of coronary heart disease was the strongest influence factors associated with better awareness, treatment and control of dyslipidemia. Overweight or obesity (OR = 0.404; 95% CI

Nationwide and population-based prescription patterns in bipolar disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kessing, Lars Vedel; Vradi, Eleni; Andersen, Per Kragh

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to describe prescription patterns and changes in these patterns over the last decade for patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder in mental healthcare, using population-based and nationwide data, and to relate the findings to recommendations from...... international guidelines. METHODS: A population-based, nationwide study was carried out. It included register-based longitudinal data on all patients with a first-ever contact with mental healthcare with a diagnosis of mania/bipolar disorder from the entire Danish population, and all prescription data...

Burden of leprosy in Malawi: community camp-based cross-sectional study

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Msyamboza Kelias P

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although leprosy was eliminated globally in 2000, the disease continues to be the significant cause of peripheral neuropathy, disability and disfigurement in some developing countries. However, recent population-based prevalence data are lacking to inform evidence-based renewed commitment for the final push for leprosy elimination at national and sub-national levels. Methods Community camp-based cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in four selected districts. World Health Organisation guidelines and tools for leprosy elimination monitoring were used to evaluate the Malawi National Leprosy Programme. Results A total of 6,338 people (60% females, 35% children aged less than 15 years were examined for leprosy and other skin diseases. Prevalence of skin diseases was 18%, the commonest being fungal (9%, eczema/dermatitis (3% and leprosy (1%. Of the fungal skin conditions, pityriasis versicolor and Tinea capatis were the commonest (22% and 21% respectively then Tinea corporis (9%, Tinea cruris (6% and Tinea pedis (2%. A total of 66 leprosy cases were detected out of 6,338 people screened giving a prevalence of 104.1 per 10,000 population (range by district 67.1 to 194.1. Of the leprosy cases, 37 were new, 6 were defaulters and 23 were on treatment, 30 were females and 9 were children aged less than 15 years old. Of the 37 new leprosy cases, 9 (24.3% were children, 25 (67.6% had 1–5 leprosy lesions and 8 (21.6% had grade 2 disability. The most frequent location of leprosy lesions was the head and neck (24.1%, arms (24.1%, chest (17.2%, legs (13.8%, back (13.8% and abdomen (7.0%. Between 2006 and 2011, trends of leprosy prevalence and detection increased, prevalence/detection ratios were over 1 and cure rates by cohort analysis of 2009 multibacillary and 2010 paucibacillary cases were 33% and 63% respectively far below the expected 80% although the national prevalence remained at less than 1 case per 10

Associations between the intake of miso soup and Japanese pickles and the estimated 24-hour urinary sodium excretion: a population-based cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wakasugi, Minako; James Kazama, Junichiro; Narita, Ichiei

2015-01-01

In Japan, reducing the consumption of miso soup and Japanese pickles, both traditional Japanese dishes, is recommended in order to decrease dietary salt intake. With the Westernization of dietary habits, however, these dishes are now consumed less frequently, and thus a reduction in their effect on sodium intake is suspected. This study examined cross-sectional associations between the frequency of intake of miso soup and Japanese pickles and the estimated 24-hour urine sodium excretion using data obtained from health examination surveys conducted in 2013 in Sado City, Japan. The level of daily salt intake was estimated based on spot urine sodium and creatinine measurements. The frequency of intake of miso soup and Japanese pickles was determined using a self-reported questionnaire. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess associations. Among a total of 8,821 participants (3,956 men; age range, 19-97 years), the mean daily salt intake was 9.4 g/day. The frequency of intake of miso soup and Japanese pickles increased with age and was associated with the level of daily salt intake (p for trend soup (psoup and Japanese pickles may be an effective approach for decreasing the level of dietary salt intake in the general Japanese population, although not in octogenarians or nonagenarians.

The protocols for the 10/66 dementia research group population-based research programme

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Salas Aquiles

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Latin America, China and India are experiencing unprecedentedly rapid demographic ageing with an increasing number of people with dementia. The 10/66 Dementia Research Group's title refers to the 66% of people with dementia that live in developing countries and the less than one tenth of population-based research carried out in those settings. This paper describes the protocols for the 10/66 population-based and intervention studies that aim to redress this imbalance. Methods/design Cross-sectional comprehensive one phase surveys have been conducted of all residents aged 65 and over of geographically defined catchment areas in ten low and middle income countries (India, China, Nigeria, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, Peru and Argentina, with a sample size of between 1000 and 3000 (generally 2000. Each of the studies uses the same core minimum data set with cross-culturally validated assessments (dementia diagnosis and subtypes, mental disorders, physical health, anthropometry, demographics, extensive non communicable disease risk factor questionnaires, disability/functioning, health service utilisation, care arrangements and caregiver strain. Nested within the population based studies is a randomised controlled trial of a caregiver intervention for people with dementia and their families (ISRCTN41039907; ISRCTN41062011; ISRCTN95135433; ISRCTN66355402; ISRCTN93378627; ISRCTN94921815. A follow up of 2.5 to 3.5 years will be conducted in 7 countries (China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, Peru and Argentina to assess risk factors for incident dementia, stroke and all cause and cause-specific mortality; verbal autopsy will be used to identify causes of death. Discussion The 10/66 DRG baseline population-based studies are nearly complete. The incidence phase will be completed in 2009. All investigators are committed to establish an anonymised file sharing archive with monitored public access. Our

The protocols for the 10/66 dementia research group population-based research programme.

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Prince, Martin; Ferri, Cleusa P; Acosta, Daisy; Albanese, Emiliano; Arizaga, Raul; Dewey, Michael; Gavrilova, Svetlana I; Guerra, Mariella; Huang, Yueqin; Jacob, K S; Krishnamoorthy, E S; McKeigue, Paul; Rodriguez, Juan Llibre; Salas, Aquiles; Sosa, Ana Luisa; Sousa, Renata M M; Stewart, Robert; Uwakwe, Richard

2007-07-20

Latin America, China and India are experiencing unprecedentedly rapid demographic ageing with an increasing number of people with dementia. The 10/66 Dementia Research Group's title refers to the 66% of people with dementia that live in developing countries and the less than one tenth of population-based research carried out in those settings. This paper describes the protocols for the 10/66 population-based and intervention studies that aim to redress this imbalance. Cross-sectional comprehensive one phase surveys have been conducted of all residents aged 65 and over of geographically defined catchment areas in ten low and middle income countries (India, China, Nigeria, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, Peru and Argentina), with a sample size of between 1000 and 3000 (generally 2000). Each of the studies uses the same core minimum data set with cross-culturally validated assessments (dementia diagnosis and subtypes, mental disorders, physical health, anthropometry, demographics, extensive non communicable disease risk factor questionnaires, disability/functioning, health service utilisation, care arrangements and caregiver strain). Nested within the population based studies is a randomised controlled trial of a caregiver intervention for people with dementia and their families (ISRCTN41039907; ISRCTN41062011; ISRCTN95135433; ISRCTN66355402; ISRCTN93378627; ISRCTN94921815). A follow up of 2.5 to 3.5 years will be conducted in 7 countries (China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, Peru and Argentina) to assess risk factors for incident dementia, stroke and all cause and cause-specific mortality; verbal autopsy will be used to identify causes of death. The 10/66 DRG baseline population-based studies are nearly complete. The incidence phase will be completed in 2009. All investigators are committed to establish an anonymised file sharing archive with monitored public access. Our aim is to create an evidence base to empower advocacy, raise

Using a Caesarean Section Classification System based on characteristics of the population as a way of monitoring obstetric practice

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Milanez Helaine M

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective to compare the distribution of caesarean rates in the Robson's 10 groups classification in order to see if any change occurred after the implementation of an audit and feedback intervention. Design: cross sectional, before and after an audit and feedback study. Setting: a university hospital in Brazil. Methods clinical records of all births during two three months-periods were evaluated. Each case of CS was classified into one of ten mutually exclusive categories according to obstetric characteristics. The proportion of CS in each group was compared in both periods. Results total number of deliveries and the high rate of CS were similar in both periods. Group 3 (multiparous excluding previous CS, single, cephalic, ≥ 37 weeks, spontaneous labour accounted for the largest proportion of deliveries, 28.5 and 26.8% in both periods. Group 1 (nulliparous, single, cephalic, ≥ 37 weeks, spontaneous labour was the second largest one, while Group 5 (previous caesarean section, single, cephalic, and ≥ 37 weeks was the third but the largest contributor to CS, accounting for 16.6 and 14.9% among all deliveries in both periods. Groups 2 (nulliparous, single, cephalic, ≥ 37 weeks, induction or CS before labour and 4 (multiparous excluding previous CS, single, cephalic, ≥ 37 weeks, induction or CS before labour were less prevalent, however had higher rates of CS. Only in Group 10 (All single, cephalic, ≤ 36 weeks, including previous CS, there was a significant decrease of CS rate from 70.5 to 42.6% between periods. Conclusion Robson's classification did not identify any significant change in the pattern of CS rates with the audit and feedback process, but showed to be useful for comparing trends among similar obstetric populations.

Psychiatric disorders in long-term sickness absence -- a population-based cross-sectional study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søgaard, Hans Jørgen; Bech, Per

2009-01-01

AIMS: The study estimates the incidence of psychiatric disorders in long-term sickness absence (LSA; more than eight weeks of continuous sickness absence) over one year. The study is the first accounting for everybody on LSA by linking a psychiatric assessment for all persons on LSA to public...... registers. METHODS: In a Danish population of 120,000 inhabitants all 2,414 incident persons on LSA within one year were posted a questionnaire, of whom 1,121 (46.4%) responded. In a two phase design the 1,121 sick-listed persons were screened for psychiatric disorders. Phase 2 consisted of 844 people...

Public Support for Electronic Cigarette Regulation in Hong Kong: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

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Cheung, Yee Tak Derek; Wang, Man Ping; Ho, Sai Yin; Jiang, Nan; Kwong, Antonio; Lai, Vienna; Lam, Tai Hing

2017-06-30

This study aimed to gauge the Hong Kong's public support towards new e-cigarette regulation, and examine the associated factors of the support. We conducted a two-stage, randomized cross-sectional telephone-based survey to assess the public support towards the banning of e-cigarette promotion and advertisement, its use in smoke-free venues, the sale to people aged under 18, and regulating the sale of nicotine-free e-cigarettes. Adults (aged 15 years or above) who were never smoking ( n = 1706), ex-smoking ( n = 1712) or currently smoking ( n = 1834) were included. Over half (57.8%) supported all the four regulations. Banning of e-cigarette promotion and advertisement (71.7%) received slightly less support than the other three regulations (banning of e-cigarette use in smoke-free venues (81.5%); banning of e-cigarette sale to minors (93.9%); sale restriction of nicotine-free e-cigarettes (80.9%)). Current smokers, and perceiving e-cigarettes as less harmful than traditional cigarettes or not knowing the harmfulness, were associated with a lower level of support. Our findings showed a strong public support for further regulation of e-cigarettes in Hong Kong. Current stringent measures on tobacco and e-cigarettes, and media reports on the harmfulness of e-cigarettes may underpin the strong support for the regulation.

Tobacco usage among tribal population of Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu - a cross sectional study

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Vikneshan Murugaboopathy

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background Tobacco use is attributed for deaths of 3.5 to 4 million people globally, which is expected to increase to about 10 million during 2020 and around more than two-third will be occurring in developing countries as they are showing an increasing trends of tobacco use. Anti-tobacco messages or campaigns do not reach the Tribal regions. Tobacco use is ingrained in many of the cultural practices of tribal people. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of tobacco usage among tribal populations of Nilgiris region, Tamil Nadu. Methods A cross sectional study was conducted among 4 villages of Conoor and Kothagiri districts of nilgiris region. A total of 363 people were screened and their tobacco usage status was assessed using Interview method. A trained interviewer along with help of community leader collected information about the usage of tobacco among the populations. Oral health status and presence of oral mucosal lesions were also recorded. Results Smokeless tobacco usage was high among the subjects. Majority of the males between 21-40 years were having both smoking and smokeless tobacco. Bidis was the most common form of smoking tobacco and gutka was the commonest smokeless tobacco used. More than 32% females in the age group of 30-45 years were tobacco users. Conclusions Tobacco usage was high among the tribal populations. Interestingly, the number of tobacco users among females was more prevalent. Customized tobacco cessation education programs has to be carried out for effective control of tobacco usage among the tribal population of Nilgiris region.

Marginal bone level in two Danish cross-sectional population samples in 1997-1998 and 2007-2008.

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Bahrami, Golnosh; Vaeth, Michael; Wenzel, Ann; Isidor, Flemming

2018-04-12

The aim of this study was to compare the marginal bone level of two randomly selected population samples from 1997/1998 and 2007/2008, with special emphasis on the role of smoking habits and gender. Two cross-sectional randomly selected population samples [1997/1998 (N = 616) and 2007/2008 (N = 396)] were analysed with respect to the marginal bone level. The marginal bone level was measured in full-mouth intraoral radiographs. Information on smoking was gathered using questionnaires. Multiple regression analysis was used in order to adjust for correlating factors (gender, age, smoking habits and number of teeth). After adjusting for confounding factors, the population sample from 2007/2008 had on average a slightly, but statistically significantly, more reduced average marginal bone level (0.15 mm) than the population sample from 1997/1998. Men had more reduced marginal bone level than women (0.12 mm). Smokers in both population samples had more reduced marginal bone level than non-smokers (0.39 mm and 0.12 mm for 1997/1998; 0.65 mm and 0.16 mm for 2007/2008). In these populations, sampled 10 years apart, the 2007/2008 population sample had a slightly more reduced marginal bone level than the 1997/1998 population sample. Men had more reduced marginal bone level than women, and smoking is considered a major risk factor for a reduced marginal bone level.

Anxiety disorders in young people: a population-based study

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Thaíse Campos Mondin

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: To assess the prevalence of anxiety disorders and associated factors in young adults. Methods: Cross-sectional population-based study of individuals between the ages of 18 and 24 years randomly selected from 89 census-based sectors to ensure an adequate sample size. Household selection within the sectors was performed according to a systematic sampling process. Anxiety disorders were assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI. The final sample comprised 1,560 young adults. Results: Of the participants who were diagnosed with anxiety disorders, 12.3% had agoraphobia, 9.7% had generalised anxiety disorder, 4.0% had social phobia, 3.3% had obsessive-compulsive disorder, 2.5% had panic disorder, and 2.1% had post-traumatic stress disorder; only 23.8% had received any previous treatment. Anxiety disorders were associated with sex, socioeconomic status, psychiatric problems in parents, alcohol abuse, and tobacco use. Conclusions: The identification of factors associated with anxiety disorders in young people enables us to develop intervention strategies. Anxiety disorders are not only highly prevalent but are also associated with significant functional impairment, significant reductions in quality of life, lower productivity, and higher rates of comorbidities.

[Association of processed meat intake and obesity in a population-based study of Japanese-Brazilians].

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Cristofoletti, Maria F; Gimeno, Suely G A; Ferreira, Sandra R G; Cardoso, Marly A

2013-08-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the consumption of processed meat with overall, abdominal, and overall with abdominal obesity in a Japanese-Brazilian population, which is known to be at cardiometabolic risk. A total of 329 men and 443 women aged ≥ 30 years were evaluated in a cross-sectional population-based survey. Diagnosis of overall obesity and abdominal obesity were based on the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for Asians. Food intake was assessed by a validated food frequency questionaire. In men, processed meat intake was positively associated with overall with abdominal obesity (OR 2.97; 95%CI 1.13-7.78) after adjustment. In women, only the red meat group was associated with overall with abdominal obesity after adjustment (OR 0.47, 95%CI 0.23-0.96). Our results showed that high intakes of processed meats were associated with overall with abdominal obesity in male Japanese-Brazilians, but not in females.

Biodiversity and ochratoxin A profile of Aspergillus section Nigri populations isolated from wine grapes in Cyprus vineyards.

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Pantelides, Iakovos S; Aristeidou, Efi; Lazari, Maria; Tsolakidou, Maria-Dimitra; Tsaltas, Dimitris; Christofidou, Maria; Kafouris, Demetris; Christou, Eftychia; Ioannou, Nicolas

2017-10-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the biodiversity of Aspergillus section Nigri populations from Cyprus vineyards by morphological, toxigenic and phylogenetic analysis. Aspergillus section Nigri populations were isolated from grapes of the varieties 'Maratheftiko' and 'Cabernet Sauvignon' originating from six growing regions of Cyprus during 2010 and 2011 years. The isolation frequency of Aspergillus section Nigri from grape samples was 43.3% and a total of 284 isolates were selected for further analyses based on the macroscopic characteristics of black aspergilli. The isolates were characterized by sequencing analysis of the calmodulin gene in order to identify species responsible for ochratoxin A (OTA) production. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the isolates were grouped in three major clusters. The A. tubingensis cluster included 262 isolates (92.25%), the A. niger cluster included 15 isolates identified as A. niger (5.3%) and 6 isolates identified as A. welwitschiae (2.1%). One isolate was classified as A. carbonarius (0.35%) and was grouped in a cluster together with the reference isolates of A. carbonarius, A. sclerotioniger, A. sclerotiocarbonarius and A. ibericus. All the isolates were evaluated for their ochratoxigenic ability by HPLC coupled with a fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD) and the positive isolates were re-examined using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The Aspergillus carbonarius isolate produced an average quantity of 1436.1 ng OTA/g Czapek Yeast Agar (CYA); From the A. niger strains three isolates (20%) produced OTA and only one isolate from A. welwitschiae (16.7%) was proved ochratoxigenic with toxin production average at 23.9 ng/g and 9.1 ng/g CYA respectively. Grape must samples derived from the collected berries were also analyzed for OTA and none of the samples were found contaminated with the mycotoxin. The results showed that the geographic area and the

Group cross-section processing method and common nuclear group cross-section library based on JENDL-3 nuclear data file

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, Akira

1991-01-01

A common group cross-section library has been developed in JAERI. This system is called 'JSSTDL-295n-104γ (neutron:295 gamma:104) group constants library system', which is composed of a common 295n-104γ group cross-section library based on JENDL-3 nuclear data file and its utility codes. This system is applicable to fast and fusion reactors. In this paper, firstly outline of group cross-section processing adopted in Prof. GROUCH-G/B system is described in detail which is a common step for all group cross-section library generation. Next available group cross-section libraries developed in Japan based on JENDL-3 are briefly reviewed. Lastly newly developed JSSTDL library system is presented with some special attention to the JENDL-3 data. (author)

[A cross-sectional study on iodine nutrition in general population from Zhejiang province, China].

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Mo, Zhe; Lou, Xiao-ming; Zhu, Wen-ming; Wang, Xiao-feng; Mao, Guang-ming; Zhou, Jin-shui; Ding, Gang-qiang

2013-05-01

To understand the current status of iodine nutrition among the community residents to compare the level of iodine nutrition in different areas and groups of populations in Zhejiang province. Stratified cluster sampling method was adopted and residents from twenty-two communities in Zhejiang province were selected. A cross-sectional survey was conducted, using questionnaires, laboratory tests, on urinary iodine, water iodine and the concentration of the iodine in salt, which had played positive roles in the calculation of the level of iodine nutrition. of the iodine nutrition in this cross-sectional survey were as follows: the median water iodine and salt iodine of Zhejiang were 2.42 µg/L and 28.8 mg/kg, respectively. The coverage of iodized salts was 79.54%, with the ingesting rate of qualified iodized-salt as 76.65% and the median content of urinary iodine in the population of Zhejiang was 161 µg/L. The average iodine content among pregnant women was 138 µg/L, with the percentage of samples less than 100 µg/L as 25.92%, more than 300 µg/L as 15.30%. The proportions of iodine intake through water, salt and other foods were 1.70%, 76.41% and 21.89%, respectively. The status of iodine nutrition in Zhejiang province in general seemed to be appropriate, but the level of iodine nutrition in pregnant women was less than the requirement, which should call for attention.

Lifestyle behaviors, obesity, and perceived health among men with and without a diagnosis of prostate cancer: A population-based, cross-sectional study

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Markwell Stephen J

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A better understanding of how prostate cancer survivors differ from men without prostate cancer and whether these potential differences vary across demographic subgroups will help to focus and prioritize future public health interventions for improving the health and well-being of prostate cancer survivors. Therefore, our study aims were to compare lifestyle behaviors, body mass index (BMI, and perceived health in men with and without a diagnosis of prostate cancer in a national, population-based sample and to explore whether these comparisons differ for demographic subgroups. Methods In a cross-sectional study, men aged ≥ 40 were identified from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS 2002 data (n = 63,662. Respondents reporting history of prostate cancer (n = 2,524 were compared with non prostate cancer controls (n = 61,138 with regard to daily fruit and vegetable servings (FVPD, smoking, alcohol, sedentary behavior, BMI, and perceived health. Multivariable logistic regression calculated adjusted odds ratios (OR and 95% confidence intervals (CI for the entire sample and for age, race, education, and urbanicity subgroups. Results Men with prostate cancer did not differ from men without prostate cancer with regard to smoking, alcohol, sedentary behavior, and obesity but were more likely to consume ≥ 5 FVPD (OR, 95% CI: 1.30, 1.09–1.56 and report poor or fair health (OR, 95% CI: 1.62, 1.33–1.97. Subgroup analyses demonstrated attenuation of the higher likelihood of ≥ 5 FVPD among prostate cancer survivors in rural respondents (OR, 95% CI: 0.98, 0.72–1.33. Poorer perceived health was greatest if ≤ 65 years of age (OR, 95% CI: 2.54, 1.79–3.60 and nonsignificant if black (OR, 95% CI: 1.41, 0.70–2.82. Smoking and alcohol which were not significant for the sample as a whole, demonstrated significant associations in certain subgroups. Conclusion Although efforts to enhance perceived health and healthy

Profiles of children's social–emotional health at school entry and associated income, gender and language inequalities: a cross-sectional population-based study in British Columbia, Canada

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Guhn, Martin; Richardson, Chris G; Ark, Tavinder K; Shoveller, Jean

2017-01-01

Objectives Early identification of distinct patterns of child social–emotional strengths and vulnerabilities has the potential to improve our understanding of child mental health and well-being; however, few studies have explored natural groupings of indicators of child vulnerability and strengths at a population level. The purpose of this study was to examine heterogeneity in the patterns of young children's social and emotional health and investigate the extent to which sociodemographic characteristics were associated. Design Cross-sectional study based on a population-level cohort. Setting All kindergarten children attending public schools between 2004 and 2007 in British Columbia (BC), Canada. Participants 35 818 kindergarten children (age of 5 years) with available linked data from the Early Development Instrument (EDI), BC Ministry of Health and BC Ministry of Education. Outcome measure We used latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify distinct profiles of social–emotional health according to children's mean scores across eight social–emotional subscales on the EDI, a teacher-rated measure of children's early development. Subscales measured children's overall social competence, responsibility and respect, approaches to learning, readiness to explore, prosocial behaviour, anxiety, aggression and hyperactivity. Results Six social–emotional profiles were identified: (1) overall high social–emotional functioning, (2) inhibited-adaptive (3) uninhibited-adaptive, (4) inhibited-disengaged, (5) uninhibited-aggressive/hyperactive and (6) overall low social–emotional functioning. Boys, children with English as a second language (ESL) status and children with lower household income had higher odds of membership to the lower social–emotional functioning groups; however, this association was less negative among boys with ESL status. Conclusions Over 40% of children exhibited some vulnerability in early social–emotional health, and profiles were

Profiles of children's social-emotional health at school entry and associated income, gender and language inequalities: a cross-sectional population-based study in British Columbia, Canada.

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Thomson, Kimberly C; Guhn, Martin; Richardson, Chris G; Ark, Tavinder K; Shoveller, Jean

2017-07-26

Early identification of distinct patterns of child social-emotional strengths and vulnerabilities has the potential to improve our understanding of child mental health and well-being; however, few studies have explored natural groupings of indicators of child vulnerability and strengths at a population level. The purpose of this study was to examine heterogeneity in the patterns of young children's social and emotional health and investigate the extent to which sociodemographic characteristics were associated. Cross-sectional study based on a population-level cohort. All kindergarten children attending public schools between 2004 and 2007 in British Columbia (BC), Canada. 35 818 kindergarten children (age of 5 years) with available linked data from the Early Development Instrument (EDI), BC Ministry of Health and BC Ministry of Education. We used latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify distinct profiles of social-emotional health according to children's mean scores across eight social-emotional subscales on the EDI, a teacher-rated measure of children's early development. Subscales measured children's overall social competence, responsibility and respect, approaches to learning, readiness to explore, prosocial behaviour, anxiety, aggression and hyperactivity. Six social-emotional profiles were identified: (1) overall high social-emotional functioning, (2) inhibited-adaptive (3) uninhibited-adaptive, (4) inhibited-disengaged, (5) uninhibited-aggressive/hyperactive and (6) overall low social-emotional functioning. Boys, children with English as a second language (ESL) status and children with lower household income had higher odds of membership to the lower social-emotional functioning groups; however, this association was less negative among boys with ESL status. Over 40% of children exhibited some vulnerability in early social-emotional health, and profiles were associated with sociodemographic factors. Approximately 9% of children exhibited multiple co

Knowledge, attitudes and intention regarding mHealth in generation Y: evidence from a population based cross sectional study in Chakaria, Bangladesh.

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Rahman, M Shafiqur; Hanifi, Syed; Khatun, Fatema; Iqbal, Mohammad; Rasheed, Sabrina; Ahmed, Tanvir; Hoque, Shahidul; Sharmin, Tamanna; Khan, Nazib-Uz Zaman; Mahmood, Shehrin Shaila; Bhuiya, Abbas

2017-11-15

mHealth offers a new opportunity to ensure access to qualified healthcare providers. Therefore, to better understand its potential in Bangladesh, it is important to understand how young people use mobile phones for healthcare. Here we examine the knowledge, attitudes and intentions to use mHealth services among young population. Population based cross sectional household survey. A total of 4909 respondents, aged 18 years and above, under the Chakaria Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) area, were interviewed during the period November 2012 to April 2013. Participants younger than 30 years of age were defined as young (or generation Y). To examine the level of knowledge about and intention towards mHealth services in generation Y compared with their older counterparts, the percentage of the respective outcome measure from a 2×2 contingency table and adjusted odds ratio (aOR), which controls for potential confounders such as mobile ownership, sex, education, occupation and socioeconomic status, were estimated. The aOR was estimated using both the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel approach and multivariable logistic regression models controlling for confounders. Generation Y had significantly greater access to mobile phones (50%vs40%) and better knowledge about its use for healthcare (37.8%vs27.5%;aOR 1.6 (95% CI1.3 to 2.0)). Furthermore, the level of knowledge about two existing mHealth services in generation Y was significantly higher compared with their older counterparts, with aOR values of 3.2 (95% CI 2.6 to 5.5) and 1.5 (95% CI 1.1 to 1.8), respectively. Similarly, generation Y showed significantly greater intention towards future use of mHealth services compared with their older counterparts (aOR 1.3 (95% CI 1.1 to 1.4)). The observed associations were not modified by sociodemographic factors. There is a greater potential for mHealth services in the future among young people compared with older age groups. However, given the low overall use of m

Population-based initiatives in college mental health: students helping students to overcome obstacles.

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Kirsch, Daniel J; Pinder-Amaker, Stephanie L; Morse, Charles; Ellison, Marsha L; Doerfler, Leonard A; Riba, Michelle B

2014-12-01

College students' need for mental health care has increased dramatically, leaving campus counseling and mental health centers struggling to meet the demand. This has led to the investigation and development of extra-center, population-based interventions. Student-to-student support programs are but one example. Students themselves are a plentiful, often-untapped resource that extends the reach of mental health services on campus. Student-to-student programs capitalize on students' natural inclination to assist their peers. A brief review of the prevalence and effects of mental disorders in the college population is provided, followed by a broad overview of the range of peer-to-peer programs that can be available on college campuses. Two innovative programs are highlighted: (1) a hospital- and community-based program, the College Mental Health Program (CMHP) at McLean Hospital, and 2) the Student Support Network (SSN) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The subsequent section reviews the literature on peer-to-peer programs for students with serious and persistent mental illness for which there is a small but generally positive body of research. This lack of an empirical basis in college mental health leads the authors to argue for development of broad practice-research networks.

Public Support for Electronic Cigarette Regulation in Hong Kong: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study

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Yee Tak Derek Cheung

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to gauge the Hong Kong’s public support towards new e-cigarette regulation, and examine the associated factors of the support. We conducted a two-stage, randomized cross-sectional telephone-based survey to assess the public support towards the banning of e-cigarette promotion and advertisement, its use in smoke-free venues, the sale to people aged under 18, and regulating the sale of nicotine-free e-cigarettes. Adults (aged 15 years or above who were never smoking (n = 1706, ex-smoking (n = 1712 or currently smoking (n = 1834 were included. Over half (57.8% supported all the four regulations. Banning of e-cigarette promotion and advertisement (71.7% received slightly less support than the other three regulations (banning of e-cigarette use in smoke-free venues (81.5%; banning of e-cigarette sale to minors (93.9%; sale restriction of nicotine-free e-cigarettes (80.9%. Current smokers, and perceiving e-cigarettes as less harmful than traditional cigarettes or not knowing the harmfulness, were associated with a lower level of support. Our findings showed a strong public support for further regulation of e-cigarettes in Hong Kong. Current stringent measures on tobacco and e-cigarettes, and media reports on the harmfulness of e-cigarettes may underpin the strong support for the regulation.

Methodology series module 3: Cross-sectional studies

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Maninder Singh Setia

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Cross-sectional study design is a type of observational study design. In a cross-sectional study, the investigator measures the outcome and the exposures in the study participants at the same time. Unlike in case–control studies (participants selected based on the outcome status or cohort studies (participants selected based on the exposure status, the participants in a cross-sectional study are just selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria set for the study. Once the participants have been selected for the study, the investigator follows the study to assess the exposure and the outcomes. Cross-sectional designs are used for population-based surveys and to assess the prevalence of diseases in clinic-based samples. These studies can usually be conducted relatively faster and are inexpensive. They may be conducted either before planning a cohort study or a baseline in a cohort study. These types of designs will give us information about the prevalence of outcomes or exposures; this information will be useful for designing the cohort study. However, since this is a 1-time measurement of exposure and outcome, it is difficult to derive causal relationships from cross-sectional analysis. We can estimate the prevalence of disease in cross-sectional studies. Furthermore, we will also be able to estimate the odds ratios to study the association between exposure and the outcomes in this design.

Methodology Series Module 3: Cross-sectional Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Setia, Maninder Singh

2016-01-01

Cross-sectional study design is a type of observational study design. In a cross-sectional study, the investigator measures the outcome and the exposures in the study participants at the same time. Unlike in case-control studies (participants selected based on the outcome status) or cohort studies (participants selected based on the exposure status), the participants in a cross-sectional study are just selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria set for the study. Once the participants have been selected for the study, the investigator follows the study to assess the exposure and the outcomes. Cross-sectional designs are used for population-based surveys and to assess the prevalence of diseases in clinic-based samples. These studies can usually be conducted relatively faster and are inexpensive. They may be conducted either before planning a cohort study or a baseline in a cohort study. These types of designs will give us information about the prevalence of outcomes or exposures; this information will be useful for designing the cohort study. However, since this is a 1-time measurement of exposure and outcome, it is difficult to derive causal relationships from cross-sectional analysis. We can estimate the prevalence of disease in cross-sectional studies. Furthermore, we will also be able to estimate the odds ratios to study the association between exposure and the outcomes in this design.

Lifestyle Characteristics and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Population-Based Study in Albania

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Lulzim Çela

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. We aimed to assess the prevalence and lifestyle correlates of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD in the adult population of Albania, a Mediterranean country in Southeast Europe which has experienced major behavioral changes in the past two decades. Methods. A cross-sectional study, conducted in 2012, included a population-representative sample of 845 individuals (≥18 years residing in Tirana (345 men, mean age: ; 500 women, mean age: ; response rate: 84.5%. Assessment of GERD was based on Montreal definition. Covariates included socioeconomic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and body mass index. Logistic regression was used to assess the association of socioeconomic characteristics and lifestyle factors with GERD. Results. The overall prevalence of GERD was 11.9%. There were no significant sex differences, but a higher prevalence among the older participants. In fully adjusted models, there was a positive relationship of GERD with smoking, physical inactivity, fried food consumption, and obesity, but not so for alcohol intake and meat consumption. Conclusion. We obtained important evidence on the prevalence and lifestyle correlates of GERD in a Western Balkans' country. Smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity were strong “predictors” of GERD in this population. Findings from this study should be replicated in prospective studies in Albania and other transitional settings.

Population-based estimate of urinary stones from Ballabgarh, northern India.

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Lohiya, Ayush; Kant, Shashi; Kapil, Arti; Gupta, Sanjeev Kumar; Misra, Puneet; Rai, Sanjay K

2017-01-01

Stones in the urinary tract are a common condition but there is paucity of data on their population-based estimates in India. We describe our findings of the burden of urinary stones during a cross-sectional study with another primary goal. We conducted the study at Ballabgarh Health and Demographic Surveillance System, Haryana, among residents aged 18 years or above. We used simple random sampling to enrol participants. Self-reported history of urinary stones was elicited through an interview schedule. Results of the descriptive analysis were described as proportions with 95% confidence intervals (CI) or as mean wherever applicable. Bivariate analysis was done using t-test and chi-square test as applicable. The response rate for our study was 86.6%; lifetime prevalence (95% CI) of urinary stones was 7.9% (5.7, 10.8). In a majority of participants, urinary stones were diagnosed at an age of 20-40 years (55.9%), mostly by an ultrasonography examination (94.1%). A high burden of urinary stones is indicated in the working-age population in northern India at the community level. Untreated urinary stones can lead to an acute emergency (colic) or may have long-term adverse consequences, e.g. hydronephrosis, which have implications for the healthcare delivery system.

Prevalência e fatores associados a sintomas depressivos em adultos do sul do Brasil: estudo transversal de base populacional Prevalence of depressive symptons and associated factors among southern Brazilian adults: cross-sectional population-based study

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Airton José Rombaldi

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Com o objetivo de identificar a prevalência de sintomas depressivos e examinar fatores associados em uma população adulta do sul do Brasil, foi realizado um estudo transversal de base populacional, incluindo 972 indivíduos, de ambos os sexos, idade entre 20 e 69 anos, moradores na zona urbana da cidade de Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul. A seleção amostral teve os setores censitários do município como unidades amostrais primárias e os domicílios como unidades secundárias. O questionário incluiu variáveis socioeconômicas, comportamentais e nutricionais. As prevalências dos sintomas depressivos tristeza, ansiedade, falta de energia, falta de disposição, pensar no passado e preferir ficar em casa, na população de Pelotas, foram, respectivamente, de 29,4%, 57,6%, 37,4%, 40,4%, 33,8% e 54,3%. Concluiu-se que as prevalências de sintomas depressivos foram elevadas e os indivíduos do sexo feminino, idade avançada, fumantes e obesos mostraram-se associadas à maioria dos desfechos. A depressão é um importante problema de saúde publica e o conhecimento de como a sintomatologia depressiva se distribui na população e os fatores associados à sua presença podem ajudar no melhor entendimento da fenomenologia dos transtornos depressivos e a traçar estratégias de prevenção e intervenção.To identify the prevalence of depressive symptoms and examine associated factors in a Southern Brazilian adult population, a cross-sectional population-based study was carried out, including 972 subjects, men and women, aged 20 to 69 years, living in the urban area of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul. The sampling strategy relied on the census tracts of the city as primary sampling units and households as the secondary units. The questionnaire included socio-demographic, behavioral and nutritional variables. The prevalence of sadness, anxiety, loss of energy, lack of will to do things, thinking about the past, and wishing to stay at home were 29.4%, 57

Falls among the elderly: risk factors in a population-based study.

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Rodrigues, Iara Guimarães; Fraga, Gustavo Pereira; Barros, Marilisa Berti de Azevedo

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study was to identify factors associated with the occurrence of falls among elderly adults in a population-based study (ISACamp 2008). A population-based cross-sectional study was carried out with two-stage cluster sampling. The sample was composed of 1,520 elderly adults living in the urban area of the city of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. The occurrence of falls was analyzed based on reports of the main accident occurred in the previous 12 months. Data on socioeconomic/demographic factors and adverse health conditions were tested for possible associations with the outcome. Prevalence ratios (PR) were estimated and adjusted for gender and age using the Poisson multiple regression analysis. Falls were more frequent, after adjustment for gender and age, among female elderly participants (PR = 2.39; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.47 - 3.87), elderly adults (80 years old and older) (PR = 2.50; 95% CI 1.61 - 3.88), widowed (PR = 1.74; 95% CI 1.04 - 2.89) and among elderly adults who had rheumatism/arthritis/arthrosis (PR = 1.58; 95% CI 1.00 - 2.48), osteoporosis (PR = 1.71; 95% CI 1.18 - 2.49), asthma/bronchitis/emphysema (PR = 1,73; 95% CI 1.09 - 2.74), headache (PR = 1.59; 95% CI 1.07 - 2.38), mental common disorder (PR = 1.72; 95% CI 1.12 - 2.64), dizziness (PR = 2.82; 95% CI 1.98 - 4.02), insomnia (PR = 1.75; 95% CI 1.16 - 2.65), use of multiple medications (five or more) (PR = 2.50; 95% CI 1.12 - 5.56) and use of cane/walker (PR = 2.16; 95% CI 1.19 - 3,93). The present study shows segments of the elderly population who are more prone to falls through the identification of factors associated with this outcome. The findings can contribute to the planning of public health policies and programs addressed to the prevention of falls.

Falls among the elderly: risk factors in a population-based study

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Iara Guimarães Rodrigues

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The aim of the present study was to identify factors associated with the occurrence of falls among elderly adults in a population-based study (ISACamp 2008. Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study was carried out with two-stage cluster sampling. The sample was composed of 1,520 elderly adults living in the urban area of the city of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. The occurrence of falls was analyzed based on reports of the main accident occurred in the previous 12 months. Data on socioeconomic/demographic factors and adverse health conditions were tested for possible associations with the outcome. Prevalence ratios (PR were estimated and adjusted for gender and age using the Poisson multiple regression analysis. Results: Falls were more frequent, after adjustment for gender and age, among female elderly participants (PR = 2.39; 95% confidence interval (95%CI 1.47 - 3.87, elderly adults (80 years old and older (PR = 2.50; 95%CI 1.61 - 3.88, widowed (PR = 1.74; 95%CI 1.04 - 2.89 and among elderly adults who had rheumatism/arthritis/arthrosis (PR = 1.58; 95%CI 1.00 - 2.48, osteoporosis (PR = 1.71; 95%CI 1.18 - 2.49, asthma/bronchitis/emphysema (PR = 1,73; 95%CI 1.09 - 2.74, headache (PR = 1.59; 95%CI 1.07 - 2.38, mental common disorder (PR = 1.72; 95%CI 1.12 - 2.64, dizziness (PR = 2.82; 95%CI 1.98 - 4.02, insomnia (PR = 1.75; 95%CI 1.16 - 2.65, use of multiple medications (five or more (PR = 2.50; 95%CI 1.12 - 5.56 and use of cane/walker (PR = 2.16; 95%CI 1.19 - 3,93. Conclusion: The present study shows segments of the elderly population who are more prone to falls through the identification of factors associated with this outcome. The findings can contribute to the planning of public health policies and programs addressed to the prevention of falls.

Population and antenatal-based HIV prevalence estimates in a high contracepting female population in rural South Africa

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Barnighausen Till

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To present and compare population-based and antenatal-care (ANC sentinel surveillance HIV prevalence estimates among women in a rural South African population where both provision of ANC services and family planning is prevalent and fertility is declining. With a need, in such settings, to understand how to appropriately adjust ANC sentinel surveillance estimates to represent HIV prevalence in general populations, and with evidence of possible biases inherent to both surveillance systems, we explore differences between the two systems. There is particular emphasis on unrepresentative selection of ANC clinics and unrepresentative testing in the population. Methods HIV sero-prevalence amongst blood samples collected from women consenting to test during the 2005 annual longitudinal population-based serological survey was compared to anonymous unlinked HIV sero-prevalence amongst women attending antenatal care (ANC first visits in six clinics (January to May 2005. Both surveillance systems were conducted as part of the Africa Centre Demographic Information System. Results Population-based HIV prevalence estimates for all women (25.2% and pregnant women (23.7% were significantly lower than that for ANC attendees (37.7%. A large proportion of women attending urban or peri-urban clinics would be predicted to be resident within rural areas. Although overall estimates remained significantly different, presenting and standardising estimates by age and location (clinic for ANC-based estimates and individual-residence for population-based estimates made some group-specific estimates from the two surveillance systems more predictive of one another. Conclusion It is likely that where ANC coverage and contraceptive use is widespread and fertility is low, population-based surveillance under-estimates HIV prevalence due to unrepresentative testing by age, residence and also probably by HIV status, and that ANC sentinel surveillance over

[Impact of disabling chronic pain: results of a cross-sectional population study with face-to-face interview].

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Cabrera-Leon, Andrés; Cantero-Braojos, Miguel Ángel

2017-11-16

To assess the impact of disabling chronic pain (DCP) on quality of life, work, consumption of medication and usage of health services. Cross-sectional population study with face-to-face interview. Andalusian Health Survey (2011 edition). 6,507 people over the age of 16 (p=q=0.5; confidence level=95%; sampling error=1.49, design effect=1.52). Not applicable. Dependent variable: DCP: population limited in their activity by any of the CP specified in the survey. quality of life, absence from work, consumption of medication and utilization of health services. Compared to a population without CP, DCP impact is 6 points less on the mental quality of life and 12 points on the physical one, medication consumption is triple, health services utilization is almost double, and long absence from work is triple. On the other hand, a population with nondisabling chronic pain (nDCP) presents similar results to a population without CP. We have considered DCP as another CP category because of its huge impact, as is shown in our study, on the study variables. On the contrary, the population with nDCP does not obtain significant impact differences when compared to the population without CP. Therefore, we believe that Primary Care and Public Health should lead different prevention strategies for DCP as well as for the identification of the nDCP population to decrease its possible deterioration towards DCP. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of Chronic Disabling Noncancer Pain and Associated Demographic and Medical Variables: A Cross-Sectional Survey in the General German Population.

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Häuser, Winfried; Schmutzer, Gabriele; Hilbert, Anja; Brähler, Elmar; Henningsen, Peter

2015-10-01

In population surveys, up to 30% of participants reported chronic pain. Reports of chronic pain do not necessarily imply disability associated with pain. We assessed the prevalence of chronic disabling noncancer pain and associated demographic and medical variables in a sample of the general German population. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 4360 people aged 14 years and above, who were representative of the German population. Measures were obtained for demographic variables, presence of chronic pain (based on the definition of the International Association for the Study of Pain), chronic pain stages (based on a chronic pain grade questionnaire), and disease load (based on the self-reported comorbidity questionnaire). Responses were received from 2508 people. The prevalence of chronic pain was 28.3% (95% [confidence interval] CI, 26.5%-30.1%). In all, 7.3% (95% CI, 5.9%-8.7%) of participants met the criteria of chronic disabling noncancer pain. Chronic disabling noncancer pain was associated with age above 65 years (odds ratios [OR]=4.81 [95% CI, 1.57-14.79]), low family income (OR=2.54 [95% CI, 1.36-4.74]), obesity (OR=3.58 [95% CI, 2.21-5.79]), heart disease (OR=2.23 [95% CI, 3.69-11.40]), stomach disease (OR=4.24 [95% CI, 2.12-8.49]), and rheumatic disease (OR=3.67 [95% CI, 2.16-6.23]) when compared with no chronic pain. Chronic disabling noncancer pain was associated with low family income (OR=2.29 [95% CI, 1.23-4.27]), obesity (OR=2.14 [95% CI, 1.30-3.52]), and depression (OR=3.26 [95% CI, 1.90-5.66]) when compared with chronic nondisabling noncancer pain. Prevalence rates of chronic disabling pain in the general population rather than prevalence rates of chronic pain might provide evidence in support of pain specialist care. The association of chronic disabling noncancer pain with mental disorders highlights the need for psychosocial services in chronic pain management.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Population Based Study

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Nwokediuko, Sylvester

2009-01-01

Background The prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease varies in different parts of the world. There are no population based studies in Nigeria. The main objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence and risk factors for gastroesophageal reflux disease in a population of Nigerian medical students. Methods The Carlsson-Dent questionnaire was administered to medical students in the clinical phase of their training at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. Some putative risk ...

Gender differences of cannabis smoking on serum leptin levels: population-based study

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Fernanda P. Moreira

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the serum leptin levels in cannabis smokers. Methods: This was a cross-sectional population-based study of participants between the ages of 18 and 35 years. The data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire covering sociodemographic data and the use of psychoactive substances. Leptin levels were measured using a commercial ELISA kit. Results: Of the 911 participants, 6.7% were identified as cannabis smokers and had significantly lower leptin levels (p = 0.008. When stratified by gender, there was a significant decrease in leptin levels among male smokers (p = 0.039. Conclusion: Cannabis smoking was linked to leptin levels in men, suggesting that the response to biological signals may be different between men and women.

Oncogenic human papillomavirus genital infection in southern Iranian women: population-based study versus clinic-based data

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Eghbali Seyed

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Epidemiological studies on genital human papilloma viruses infection (HPVs in general population are crucial for the implementation of health policy guidelines for developing the strategies to prevent the primary and secondary cervical cancer. In different parts of Iran, there is a lack of population-based studies to determine the prevalence of HPV in the general population. The aim of this population-based study is to compare the prevalence rate of genital HPV infection among reproductive women with our previous clinic-based data, which showed a prevalence rate of 5% in women in southern Iran. Results Using general primers for all genotypes of HPV, of 799 randomly selected women, five (0.63%, 95% CI 0.23-1.55% tested positive for HPV DNA. Overall, seven different HPV genotypes were detected: six types (16, 18, 31, 33, 51 and 56 were carcinogenic, or “high risk genotypes” and one genotype (HPV-66 was “probably carcinogenic.” Conclusions In a population-based study, the prevalence of HPV infection among southern Iranian women was lower than that observed worldwide. However, our gynaecological clinic-based study on the prevalence of HPV infection showed results comparable with other studies in the Middle East and Persian Gulf countries. Since gynaecological clinic-based data may generally overestimate HPV prevalence, estimates of prevalence according to clinic-based data should be adjusted downward by the population-based survey estimates.

Seroepidemiology of pertussis in a cross-sectional study of an adult general population in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rønn, P F; Dalby, T; Simonsen, J

2014-01-01

SUMMARY An increase in pertussis has been observed in several countries over the last decades, especially in adult populations. The seroprevalence of pertussis was determined in a cross-sectional study of the adult population in the Copenhagen area, Denmark, conducted between 2006 and 2008....... Specific IgG antibodies against pertussis toxin (PT) were measured in 3440 persons resulting in an age-standardized seroprevalence of 3·0% (95% confidence interval 1·9-4·7) using an IgG anti-PT cut-off of 75 IU/ml. By using antibody decay profiles from longitudinal data the estimated seroincidence was 143....../1000 person-years. In contrast, an incidence of 0·03/1000 person-years was estimated from the official data of notified cases during the same period. Of the investigated risk factors, only age and education were significantly associated with pertussis infection. This study indicates that pertussis is highly...

Mental Health Disorders and Publicly Funded Service Use by HIV Positive Individuals: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study in Ontario, Canada.

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Durbin, Anna; Brown, Hilary K; Antoniou, Tony; Sirotich, Frank; Bansal, Symron; Heifetz, Marina; Roesslein, Kay; Lunsky, Yona

2017-12-01

We compared use of community and hospital-based mental health and addiction (MH&A) services by adults with and without HIV. This population-based study examined the probability and intensity of MH&A service use by individuals with (n = 5095) and without HIV (n = 2,753,091) in Ontario, Canada between 2013 and 2014. Adults with HIV were more likely than HIV-negative adults to use MH&A primary and psychiatric care, and to have MH&A emergency department visits and hospital admissions; they also used more of each service. Use of MH&A hospital services was particularly high for persons in the HIV group compared to the no HIV group.

Sampling Key Populations for HIV Surveillance: Results From Eight Cross-Sectional Studies Using Respondent-Driven Sampling and Venue-Based Snowball Sampling.

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Rao, Amrita; Stahlman, Shauna; Hargreaves, James; Weir, Sharon; Edwards, Jessie; Rice, Brian; Kochelani, Duncan; Mavimbela, Mpumelelo; Baral, Stefan

2017-10-20

In using regularly collected or existing surveillance data to characterize engagement in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) services among marginalized populations, differences in sampling methods may produce different pictures of the target population and may therefore result in different priorities for response. The objective of this study was to use existing data to evaluate the sample distribution of eight studies of female sex workers (FSW) and men who have sex with men (MSM), who were recruited using different sampling approaches in two locations within Sub-Saharan Africa: Manzini, Swaziland and Yaoundé, Cameroon. MSM and FSW participants were recruited using either respondent-driven sampling (RDS) or venue-based snowball sampling. Recruitment took place between 2011 and 2016. Participants at each study site were administered a face-to-face survey to assess sociodemographics, along with the prevalence of self-reported HIV status, frequency of HIV testing, stigma, and other HIV-related characteristics. Crude and RDS-adjusted prevalence estimates were calculated. Crude prevalence estimates from the venue-based snowball samples were compared with the overlap of the RDS-adjusted prevalence estimates, between both FSW and MSM in Cameroon and Swaziland. RDS samples tended to be younger (MSM aged 18-21 years in Swaziland: 47.6% [139/310] in RDS vs 24.3% [42/173] in Snowball, in Cameroon: 47.9% [99/306] in RDS vs 20.1% [52/259] in Snowball; FSW aged 18-21 years in Swaziland 42.5% [82/325] in RDS vs 8.0% [20/249] in Snowball; in Cameroon 15.6% [75/576] in RDS vs 8.1% [25/306] in Snowball). They were less educated (MSM: primary school completed or less in Swaziland 42.6% [109/310] in RDS vs 4.0% [7/173] in Snowball, in Cameroon 46.2% [138/306] in RDS vs 14.3% [37/259] in Snowball; FSW: primary school completed or less in Swaziland 86.6% [281/325] in RDS vs 23.9% [59/247] in Snowball, in Cameroon 87.4% [520/576] in RDS vs 77.5% [238/307] in Snowball) than the snowball

Model-based estimation of finite population total in stratified sampling

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The work presented in this paper concerns the estimation of finite population total under model – based framework. Nonparametric regression approach as a method of estimating finite population total is explored. The asymptotic properties of the estimators based on nonparametric regression are also developed under ...

Association of socioeconomic status with diagnosis, treatment and control of hypertension in diabetic hypertensive individuals in Bangladesh: a population-based cross-sectional study.

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Rahman, Mosiur; H, Syed Emdadul; Islam, Md Jahirul; Mostofa, Md Golam; Saadat, Khandakar Asm

2015-10-01

This study aimed to examine if socioeconomic status could affect the likelihood of diagnosis, treatment and control of hypertension in diabetic hypertensive individuals. Cross-sectional nationally representative study. Bangladesh. This paper used data from the 2011 Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey. The analyses were based on the responses of 339 diabetes hypertensive individuals. Diagnosis, treatment and control of hypertension. The age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension in diabetes individuals was 38.4% in the study population. Among diabetic hypertensive subjects only 65.7% had been diagnosed, 58.4% were receiving treatment and 42% controlled their hypertension. Individuals from high socioeconomic status (AOR 2.60; 95% CI 1.16-5.83) had an increased likelihood of reporting diagnosis of hypertension. Individuals from medium (AOR 2.22; 95% CI 1.11-4.46) and high socioeconomic status (AOR 3.47; 95% CI 1.59-7.58) had increased chance of receiving treatment. In addition, individuals belonging to high socioeconomic status (AOR 2.53; 95% CI 1.14-5.63) were more likely to report of controlling hypertension. This study indicated that hypertension is more prevalent among diabetic patients. Furthermore, diabetic hypertensive patients from the low socioeconomic status group are also less likely to be diagnosed and also less likely to receive treatment for hypertension. In addition, diabetic hypertensive patients from the low socioeconomic status were less likely to control hypertension compared with an individual belonging to the high socioeconomic status group. This reduced likelihood of receiving proper treatment will lead to a rapid increase in the prevalence of macrovascular and microvascular diseases among diabetic hypertensive patients.

[Psycho-oncology care in rural areas : Results from a cross-sectional survey on the utilisation of community-based psychosocial support services].

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Haun, Markus W; Sklenarova, Halina; Zimmermann-Schlegel, Verena; Herzog, Wolfgang; Hartmann, Mechthild

2018-01-01

Clinically relevant distress and unmet psychosocial needs frequently occur in the course of cancer diseases. Particularly for thinly populated rural areas in Germany rates of distressed patients and uptake of community-based psycho-oncology services are unknown. Determination of a) the proportion of cancer patients with psychosocial distress and unmet needs and b) the utilisation of community-based psycho-oncology services in thinly populated rural areas. Prospective cross-sectional study of 229 cancer patients (colon, breast, prostate cancer) living in thinly populated rural areas. Indicators for clinically relevant distress and utilisation of psychosocial services were assessed by applying screening instruments. We conducted descriptive and multivariate analyses. More than one third of all cancer patients (39.3%) in thinly populated areas exhibited clinically relevant distress. However, only 15.6% of distressed patients consulted community-based psycho-oncology services. Most frequently, medical or psychological psychotherapists were contacted. Information deficits of patients and attending physicians alongside dispositional factors emerged as the main reasons for non-utilisation. This study presents first data on psycho-oncology care in rural areas in Germany stratifying the degree of urbanisation in line with the standards of the European Commission. Concerning limitations, we only accounted for structural service coverage, leaving aside other indicators for socio-spatial deprivation.

Mood disorder, anxiety, and suicide risk among subjects with alcohol abuse and/or dependence: a population-based study

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Carolina D. Wiener

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of alcohol abuse and/or dependence in a population-based sample of young adults and assess the prevalence of comorbid mood disorders, anxiety, and suicide risk in this population. Methods: This cross-sectional, population-based study enrolled 1,953 young adults aged 18-35 years. The CAGE questionnaire was used to screen for alcohol abuse and/or dependence, with CAGE scores ≥ 2 considered positive. Psychiatric disorders were investigated through the structured Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI. Results: Alcohol abuse and/or dependence was identified in 187 (9.60% individuals (5.10% among women and 15.20% among men. Alcohol abuse and/or dependence were more prevalent among men than women, as well as among those who used tobacco, illicit drugs or presented with anxiety disorder, mood disorder, and suicide risk. Conclusion: These findings suggest that alcohol abuse and/or dependence are consistently associated with a higher prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities, could be considered important predictors of other psychiatric disorders, and deserve greater public heath attention, pointing to the need for alcohol abuse prevention programs.

Mood disorder, anxiety, and suicide risk among subjects with alcohol abuse and/or dependence: a population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiener, Carolina D; Moreira, Fernanda P; Zago, Alethea; Souza, Luciano M; Branco, Jeronimo C; Oliveira, Jacqueline F de; Silva, Ricardo A da; Portela, Luis V; Lara, Diogo R; Jansen, Karen; Oses, Jean P

2018-01-01

To evaluate the prevalence of alcohol abuse and/or dependence in a population-based sample of young adults and assess the prevalence of comorbid mood disorders, anxiety, and suicide risk in this population. This cross-sectional, population-based study enrolled 1,953 young adults aged 18-35 years. The CAGE questionnaire was used to screen for alcohol abuse and/or dependence, with CAGE scores ≥ 2 considered positive. Psychiatric disorders were investigated through the structured Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Alcohol abuse and/or dependence was identified in 187 (9.60%) individuals (5.10% among women and 15.20% among men). Alcohol abuse and/or dependence were more prevalent among men than women, as well as among those who used tobacco, illicit drugs or presented with anxiety disorder, mood disorder, and suicide risk. These findings suggest that alcohol abuse and/or dependence are consistently associated with a higher prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities, could be considered important predictors of other psychiatric disorders, and deserve greater public heath attention, pointing to the need for alcohol abuse prevention programs.

Costs of detection bias in index-based population monitoring

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Moore, C.T.; Kendall, W.L.

2004-01-01

Managers of wildlife populations commonly rely on indirect, count-based measures of the population in making decisions regarding conservation, harvest, or control. The main appeal in the use of such counts is their low material expense compared to methods that directly measure the population. However, their correct use rests on the rarely-tested but often-assumed premise that they proportionately reflect population size, i.e., that they constitute a population index. This study investigates forest management for the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis) and the Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) at the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge in central Georgia, U.S.A. Optimal decision policies for a joint species objective were derived for two alternative models of Wood Thrush population dynamics. Policies were simulated under scenarios of unbiasedness, consistent negative bias, and habitat-dependent negative bias in observed Wood Thrush densities. Differences in simulation outcomes between biased and unbiased detection scenarios indicated the expected loss in resource objectives (here, forest habitat and birds) through decision-making based on biased population counts. Given the models and objective function used in our analysis, expected losses were as great as 11%, a degree of loss perhaps not trivial for applications such as endangered species management. Our analysis demonstrates that costs of uncertainty about the relationship between the population and its observation can be measured in units of the resource, costs which may offset apparent savings achieved by collecting uncorrected population counts.

Users’ dissatisfaction with dental care: a population-based household study

Science.gov (United States)

Martins, Andréa Maria Eleutério de Barros Lima; Ferreira, Raquel Conceição; dos Santos, Pedro Eleutério; Carreiro, Danilo Lima; Souza, João Gabriel Silva; Ferreira e Ferreira, Efigênia

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE To examine whether demographic, socioeconomic conditions, oral health subjectivity and characterization of dental care are associated with users’ dissatisfaction with such are. METHODS Cross-sectional study of 781 people who required dental care in Montes Claros, MG, Southeastern Brazil, in 2012, a city with of medium-sized population situated in the North of Minas Gerais. Household interviews were conducted to assess the users’ dissatisfaction with dental care (dependent variable), demographic, socioeconomic conditions, oral health subjectivity and characterization of dental care (independent variables). Sample calculation was used for the finite population, with estimates made for proportions of dissatisfaction in 50.0% of the population, a 5.0% error margin, a non-response rate of 5.0% and a 2.0% design effect. Logistic regression was used, and the odds ratio was calculated with a 5% significance level and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS Of the interviewed individuals, 9.0% (7.9%, with correction for design effect) were dissatisfied with the care provided. These were associated with lower educational level; negative self-assessment of oral health; perception that the care provider was unable to give dental care; negative evaluation of the way the patient was treated, the cleanliness of the rooms, based on the examination rooms and the toilets, and the size of the waiting and examination rooms. CONCLUSIONS The rate of dissatisfaction with dental care was low. This dissatisfaction was associated with socioeconomic conditions, subjectivity of oral health, skill of the health professionals relating to the professional-patient relationship and facility infrastructure. Educational interventions are suggested that aim at improving the quality of care among professionals by responsible agencies as is improving the infrastructure of the care units. PMID:26270017

Febrile seizures: a population-based study

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Juliane S. Dalbem

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To determine the prevalence of benign febrile seizures of childhood and describe the clinical and epidemiological profile of this population. Methods: This was a population-based, cross-sectional study, carried out in the city of Barra do Bugres, MT, Brazil, from August 2012 to August 2013. Data were collected in two phases. In the first phase, a questionnaire that was previously validated in another Brazilian study was used to identify suspected cases of seizures. In the second phase, a neurological evaluation was performed to confirm diagnosis. Results: The prevalence was 6.4/1000 inhabitants (95% CI: 3.8–10.1. There was no difference between genders. Simple febrile seizures were found in 88.8% of cases. A family history of febrile seizures in first-degree relatives and history of epilepsy was present in 33.3% and 11.1% of patients, respectively. Conclusions: The prevalence of febrile seizures in Midwestern Brazil was lower than that found in other Brazilian regions, probably due to the inclusion only of febrile seizures with motor manifestations and differences in socioeconomic factors among the evaluated areas. Resumo: Objetivos: Estabelecer a prevalência das crises febris e descrever o perfil clínico e epidemiológico dessa população. Métodos: Estudo transversal de base populacional realizado na cidade de Barra do Bugres (MT, no período de agosto de 2012 a agosto de 2013. Os dados foram coletados em duas etapas. Na primeira fase utilizamos um questionário validado previamente em outro estudo brasileiro, para identificação de casos suspeitos de crises epilépticas. Na segunda etapa realizamos a avaliação neuroclínica para confirmação diagnóstica. Resultados: A prevalência de crise febril foi de 6,4/1000 habitantes (IC95% 3,8; 10,1. Não houve diferença entre os sexos. As crises febris simples foram encontradas em 88,8% dos casos. A história familiar de crise febril e epilepsia em parentes de 1° grau esteve

Lower bone turnover markers in metabolic syndrome and diabetes: the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania.

Science.gov (United States)

Lerchbaum, E; Schwetz, V; Nauck, M; Völzke, H; Wallaschofski, H; Hannemann, A

2015-05-01

Accumulating evidence demonstrates an important interaction between bone and energy metabolism. We aimed to study the associations of three bone turnover markers (BTM: osteocalcin, beta-crosslaps, procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide) as well as of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and parathyroid hormone with metabolic syndrome (MetS) or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a large population-based cohort. This cross-sectional study comprised 2671 adult men and women participating in the first follow-up of the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-1). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess sex-specific associations between the BTMs, 25-hydroxyvitamin D or parathyroid hormone and metabolic disease. All models were adjusted for age, body mass index, smoking status, physical activity, estimated glomerular filtration rate and month of blood sampling. The models for women were further adjusted for menopausal status. Higher BTM or 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were associated with significantly lower odds for metabolic disease, while there was no association between parathyroid hormone and MetS or T2DM. Our results contribute to the accumulating evidence of a cross-sectional association between high BTM or 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and a lower prevalence of MetS or T2DM. Further research is necessary to evaluate the mechanisms underlying these results. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quality is the key for emerging issues of population-based colonoscopy screening

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Jin Young Yoon

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Colonoscopy is currently regarded as the gold standard and preferred method of screening for colorectal cancer (CRC. However, the benefit of colonoscopy screening may be blunted by low participation rates in population-based screening programs. Harmful effects of population-based colonoscopy screening may include complications induced by colonoscopy itself and by sedation, psychosocial distress, potential over-diagnosis, and socioeconomic burden. In addition, harmful effects of colonoscopy may increase with age and comorbidities. As the risk of adverse events in population-based colonoscopy screening may offset the benefit, the adverse events should be managed and monitored. To adopt population-based colonoscopy screening, consensus on the risks and benefits should be developed, focusing on potential harm, patient preference, socioeconomic considerations, and quality improvement of colonoscopy, as well as efficacy for CRC prevention. As suboptimal colonoscopy quality is a major pitfall of population-based screening, adequate training and regulation of screening colonoscopists should be the first step in minimizing variations in quality. Gastroenterologists should promote quality improvement, auditing, and training for colonoscopy in a population-based screening program.

Traumatic experiences, alexithymia, and posttraumatic symptomatology: a cross-sectional population-based study in Germany

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Svenja Eichhorn

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Objective: Previous studies have established an association between number of traumatic experiences and alexithymia. The present study examines this relationship in a large-scale representative sample of the German general population (N=2,507 and explores the potential mediating effects of posttraumatic symptomatology, particularly avoidance/numbing. Methods: Alexithymia was assessed with the German version of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20. Posttraumatic symptomatology was operationalized by the symptom score of the modified German version of the Posttraumatic Symptom Scale, and traumatic experiences were assessed with the trauma list of the Munich Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Two mediation analyses were conducted. Results: Of the total sample, 24.2% (n=606 reported at least one traumatic experience, 10.6% (n=258 were classified as alexithymic, and 2.4% (n=59 fulfilled the criteria of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD. Participants who had survived five or more traumatic experiences had significantly higher alexithymia sum scores. The PTSD symptom cluster avoidance/numbing mediated the association between the number of traumatic experiences and alexithymia. Conclusions: Our findings illustrate an association between number of traumatic experiences and alexithymia and the influence of emotional avoidance and numbing within this relationship. The significant relationship between alexithymia and number of traumatic experiences in a general population sample further supports the concept of multiple and complex traumatization as associated with alexithymia. The results suggest the importance of further investigations determining the causal impact of alexithymia both as a potential premorbid trait and as consequence of traumatization. Lastly, future investigations are needed to clarify alexithymia as a distinct trauma-relevant characteristic for better diagnostics and specialized trauma-integrative therapy.

Endothelial dysfunction is associated with carotid plaque: a cross-sectional study from the population based Northern Manhattan Study

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Boden-Albala Bernadette

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Impaired vascular function occurs early in atherogenesis. Brachial flow mediated dilatation (FMD is a non-invasive measure of vascular function and may be an important marker of preclinical atherosclerosis. Data on the association between FMD and carotid plaque in multi-ethnic populations are limited. The objective of this study was to determine whether endothelial dysfunction is independently associated with carotid plaque in a community of northern Manhattan. Methods In the population-based Northern Manhattan Study (NOMAS, high-resolution B-mode ultrasound images of the brachial and carotid arteries were obtained in 643 stroke-free subjects (mean age 66 years; 55% women; 65% Caribbean-Hispanic, 17% African-American, 16% Caucasian. Brachial FMD was measured during reactive hyperemia. Maximum carotid plaque thickness (MCPT was measured at the peak plaque prominence. Results The mean brachial FMD was 5.78 ± 3.83 %. Carotid plaque was present in 339 (53% subjects. The mean MCPT was 1.68 ± 0.82 mm, and the 75th percentile was 2.0 mm. Reduced FMD was significantly associated with increased MCPT. After adjusting for demographics, vascular risk factors, and education, each percent of FMD decrease was associated with a significant 0.02 mm increase in MCPT (p = 0.028. In a dichotomous adjusted model, blunted FMD was associated with an increased risk of MCPT ≥ 2.0 mm (OR, 1.11 for every 1% decrease in FMD; 95% CI, 1.03–1.19. Conclusion Decreased brachial FMD is independently associated with carotid plaque. Non-invasive evaluation of endothelial dysfunction may be a useful marker of preclinical atherosclerosis and help to individualize cardiovascular risk assessment beyond traditional risk factors.

Divorce, divorce rates, and professional care seeking for mental health problems in Europe: a cross-sectional population-based study.

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Bracke, Piet F; Colman, Elien; Symoens, Sara A A; Van Praag, Lore

2010-04-29

Little is known about differences in professional care seeking based on marital status. The few existing studies show more professional care seeking among the divorced or separated compared to the married or cohabiting. The aim of this study is to determine whether, in a sample of the European general population, the divorced or separated seek more professional mental health care than the married or cohabiting, regardless of self-reported mental health problems. Furthermore, we examine whether two country-level features--the supply of mental health professionals and the country-level divorce rates--contribute to marital status differences in professional care-seeking behavior. We use data from the Eurobarometer 248 on mental well-being that was collected via telephone interviews. The unweighted sample includes 27,146 respondents (11,728 men and 15,418 women). Poisson hierarchical regression models were estimated to examine whether the divorced or separated have higher professional health care use for emotional or psychological problems, after controlling for mental and somatic health, sociodemographic characteristics, support from family and friends, and degree of urbanization. We also considered country-level divorce rates and indicators of the supply of mental health professionals, and applied design and population weights. We find that professional care seeking is strongly need based. Moreover, the divorced or separated consult health professionals for mental health problems more often than people who are married or who cohabit do. In addition, we find that the gap between the divorced or separated and the married or cohabiting is highest in countries with low divorce rates. The higher rates of professional care seeking for mental health problems among the divorced or separated only partially correlates with their more severe mental health problems. In countries where marital dissolution is more common, the marital status gap in professional care seeking is

Divorce, divorce rates, and professional care seeking for mental health problems in Europe: a cross-sectional population-based study

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Symoens Sara AA

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Little is known about differences in professional care seeking based on marital status. The few existing studies show more professional care seeking among the divorced or separated compared to the married or cohabiting. The aim of this study is to determine whether, in a sample of the European general population, the divorced or separated seek more professional mental health care than the married or cohabiting, regardless of self-reported mental health problems. Furthermore, we examine whether two country-level features--the supply of mental health professionals and the country-level divorce rates--contribute to marital status differences in professional care-seeking behavior. Methods We use data from the Eurobarometer 248 on mental well-being that was collected via telephone interviews. The unweighted sample includes 27,146 respondents (11,728 men and 15,418 women. Poisson hierarchical regression models were estimated to examine whether the divorced or separated have higher professional health care use for emotional or psychological problems, after controlling for mental and somatic health, sociodemographic characteristics, support from family and friends, and degree of urbanization. We also considered country-level divorce rates and indicators of the supply of mental health professionals, and applied design and population weights. Results We find that professional care seeking is strongly need based. Moreover, the divorced or separated consult health professionals for mental health problems more often than people who are married or who cohabit do. In addition, we find that the gap between the divorced or separated and the married or cohabiting is highest in countries with low divorce rates. Conclusions The higher rates of professional care seeking for mental health problems among the divorced or separated only partially correlates with their more severe mental health problems. In countries where marital dissolution is more

Systematic review of the prevalence of bipolar disorder and bipolar spectrum disorders in population-based studies

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José Caetano Dell'Aglio Jr.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the findings of a systematic literature review aimed at providing an overview of the lifetime prevalence of bipolar disorder and bipolar spectrum disorders in population-based studies. Databases MEDLINE, ProQuest, Psychnet, and Web of Science were browsed for papers published in English between 1999 and May 2012 using the following search string: bipolar disorders OR bipolar spectrum disorders AND prevalence OR cross-sectional OR epidemiology AND population-based OR non-clinical OR community based. The search yielded a total of 434 papers, but only those published in peer-reviewed journals and with samples aged ≥ 18 years were included, resulting in a final sample of 18 papers. Results revealed rather heterogeneous findings concerning the prevalence of bipolar disorders and bipolar spectrum disorders. Lifetime prevalence of bipolar disorder ranged from 0.1 to 7.5%, whereas lifetime prevalence of bipolar spectrum disorders ranged from 2.4 to 15.1%. Differences in the rates of bipolar disorder and bipolar spectrum disorders may be related to the consideration of subthreshold criteria upon diagnosis. Differences in the prevalence of different subtypes of the disorder are discussed in light of diagnostic criteria and instruments applied.

Population based reference intervals for common blood ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Population based reference intervals for common blood haematological and biochemical parameters in the Akuapem north district. K.A Koram, M.M Addae, J.C Ocran, S Adu-amankwah, W.O Rogers, F.K Nkrumah ...

Seroprevalence and correlates of herpes simplex virus type 2 infection among young adults in Arkhangelsk, Northwest Russia: a population-based cross-sectional study

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Tatiana Balaeva

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2 infection is the most common cause of genital ulcer disease (GUD worldwide. Mother to child transmission causes high morbidity and mortality among infants. Russia is on the brink of a generalized HIV-epidemic, but Arkhangelsk is still a low-prevalence area. HSV-2 infection is associated with a three-fold increased risk of HIV-infection. The evidence on the seroprevalence of HSV-2 in Russia is limited. The aim of this study was to assess HSV-2 seroprevalence and correlates among young adults in the city of Arkhangelsk. Methods 1243 adults aged 18-39 years participated in a cross-sectional population-based study, recruited by a public opinion agency applying a quota sampling method to achieve a data set with similar age- and sex-distribution as the population in Arkhangelsk. All participants completed a standardized, self-administrated questionnaire and were tested for HSV-2. Associations between HSV-2 seropositivity and selected sociodemographic and behavioral factors, and self-reported history of sexually transmitted infections (STIs were studied by multivariable logistic regression. Results HSV-2 seroprevalence was 18.8 %: 12.2 % (95 % confidence interval, CI 9.7-15.2 among men and 24.0 % (95 % CI 20.1-27.3 among women. Among men, HSV-2 positivity was associated with being divorced/widowed (OR = 2.85, 95 % CI 1.06-7.70, cohabitation (OR = 2.45, 95 % CI 1.07-5.62, and a history of STIs (OR = 2.11, 95 % CI 1.14-3.91. In women, HSV-2 positivity was associated with high income (OR = 3.11, 95 % CI 1.45-6.71 and having a lifetime number of sexual partners between 2 and 5 (OR = 2.72, 95 % CI 1.14-6.51, whereas sexual debut at age 18 years or older was inversely associated with the outcome (OR = 0.47, 95 % CI 0.31-0.72. In both sexes, increasing age was the strongest correlate of HSV-2 seropositivity in multivariable analyses. Conclusion The HSV-2 seroprevalence

The impact of targeted subsidies for facility-based delivery on access to care and equity - evidence from a population-based study in rural Burkina Faso.

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De Allegri, Manuela; Ridde, Valéry; Louis, Valérie R; Sarker, Malabika; Tiendrebéogo, Justin; Yé, Maurice; Müller, Olaf; Jahn, Albrecht

2012-11-01

We conducted the first population-based impact assessment of a financing policy introduced in Burkina Faso in 2007 on women's access to delivery services. The policy offers an 80 per cent subsidy for facility-based delivery. We collected information on delivery in five repeated cross-sectional surveys carried out from 2006 to 2010 on a representative sample of 1050 households in rural Nouna Health District. Over the 5 years, the proportion of facility-based deliveries increased from 49 to 84 per cent (Ptariff of 900 CFA. Our findings indicate the operational effectiveness of the policy in increasing the use of facility-based delivery services for women. The potential to reduce maternal mortality substantially has not yet been assessed by health outcome measures of neonatal and maternal mortality.

Development of and recovery from long-term pain. A 6-year follow-up study of a cross-section of the adult Danish population

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eriksen, Jørgen; Ekholm, Ola; Sjøgren, Per

2004-01-01

A 6-year follow-up study of a cross-section of the adult Danish population, based on data from the Danish Health and Morbidity Surveys in 1994 and 2000 is presented. The pain populations were identified through the pain intensity verbal rating scale (VRS) included in the Short Form 36. The 2000...... survey also included a question on duration of pain (>6 months). Using this as the 'gold standard', a validation study was performed, which identified the highest accuracy (85%) at the VRS cut-off level: no pain, very mild, or mild pain (control group) versus moderate, severe, or very severe pain (pain.......2-2.0], short education (OR 1.5, CI 1.0-2.2), poor self-rated health (OR 3.3, CI 2.4-4.7), and having at least one long-standing disease (OR 2.6, CI 2.0-3.4). Significant predictors for pain recovery were male gender, younger age, cohabitation status, good self-rated health, good mental health, having no long...

Interaction of diabetes and smoking on stroke: a population-based cross-sectional survey in China.

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Lou, Heqing; Dong, Zongmei; Zhang, Pan; Shao, Xiaoping; Li, Ting; Zhao, Chunyan; Zhang, Xunbao; Lou, Peian

2018-04-04

Diabetes and smoking are known independent risk factors for stroke; however, their interaction concerning stroke is less clear. We aimed to explore such interaction and its influence on stroke in Chinese adults. Cross-sectional study. Community-based investigation in Xuzhou, China. A total of 39 887 Chinese adults who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included. Participants were selected using a multistage stratified cluster method, and completed self-reported questionnaires on stroke and smoking. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) was assessed by fasting blood glucose or use of antidiabetic medication. Interaction, relative excess risk owing to interaction (RERI), attributable proportion (AP) and synergy index (S) were evaluated using a logistic regression model. After adjustment for age, sex, marital status, educational level, occupation, physical activity, body mass index, hypertension, family history of stroke, alcohol use and blood lipids, the relationships between DM2 and stroke, and between smoking and stroke, were still significant: ORs were 2.75 (95% CI 2.03 to 3.73) and 1.70 (95% CI 1.38 to 2.10), respectively. In subjects with DM2 who smoked, the RERI, AP and S values (and 95% CIs) were 1.80 (1.24 to 3.83), 0.52 (0.37 to 0.73) and 1.50 (1.18 to 1.84), respectively. The results suggest there are additive interactions between DM2 and smoking and that these affect stroke in Chinese adults. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Early sexual behaviour and Chlamydia trachomatis infection – a population based cross-sectional study on gender differences among adolescents in Norway

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Gravningen Kirsten

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Early sexual behaviour has been shown to differ significantly between genders, but few studies have addressed this topic to explain the commonly observed differences in chlamydia rates between adolescent girls and boys. Our study aimed to determine chlamydia prevalence in adolescents aged 15–20 years in a high-incidence area in Norway, and to identify gender-specific early sexual behaviours associated with infection. Methods A population based cross-sectional study was conducted among all high school students in five towns in Finnmark county in 2009, using a web-based questionnaire and real-time Chlamydia trachomatis PCR in first-void urine samples (participation rate 85%, 800 girls/818 boys, mean age 17.2 years. Crude and multivariable logistic regression models were applied with chlamydia test result as dependent variable. Results Prevalence of chlamydia infection was 5.7% (95% confidence interval, CI, 4.4–7.3%. Girls were twice as likely to be infected as boys (7.3%, 5.3–9.7 vs 3.9%, 2.3–6.0. Girls reported earlier sexual debut, older partners, higher lifetime number of partners, and were poorer condom users. In girls, higher maternal education (odds ratio, OR, 2.2, 95% CI 1.1–4.4, ≥2 sexual partners past 6 months (OR 3.6, 1.8–7.3, and partner meeting venue at a private party, bar or disco (OR 5.0, 1.1–22.7 increased the odds of infection in the multivariable model. In boys, condom use at first intercourse (OR 0.06, 0.01–0.42 decreased the odds of infection, while having an older last sexual partner (OR 3.7, 1.3–11.0 increased the odds. In all participants, the risk of infection increased if residence outside the family home during school year (OR 2.0, 1.2–3.6, and decreased if condom was used at last intercourse (OR 0.2, 0.1–0.8. Conclusions We detected significant gender differences in chlamydia prevalence and sexual behaviours, and accordingly differing independent risk factors for chlamydia

Prioritization of pavement maintenance sections using objective based Analytic Hierarchy Process

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Sarfaraz Ahmed

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The application of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP method for the prioritization of pavement maintenance sections is widespread now-a-days. Although the evaluation of pavement maintenance section through AHP method is simple, where the relative importance (on Saaty’s scale assigned to each parameter in the hierarchy varies between the experts (transportation professionals consulted, which leads to discrepancies in the final rankings of the sections’, due to the subjectivity in the process. Further, experts base their decisions solely on their experience while consideration is not given to the actual quantitative physical condition of the roads. To overcome these difficulties an objective based AHP method is proposed in this study, where pairwise comparison values are assigned based on the collected field data from a road network in Mumbai city, consisting of 28 road sections. The final ranking list of candidate sections takes into consideration the priority weight of alternatives, which reflect the road conditions. The solution of priority ratings of AHP method is compared with the corresponding solution of road condition index method, a traditional pavement maintenance procedure. The findings of the present study suggest that objective based AHP method is more suitable for the prioritization of pavement maintenance of roads. Keywords: Prioritization, Analytic Hierarchy Process, Road condition index, Objective method, Rating and ranking

Disentangling the determinants of interest and willingness-to-pay for breast cancer susceptibility testing in the general population: a cross-sectional Web-based survey among women of Québec (Canada)

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Blouin-Bougie, Jolyane; Amara, Nabil; Bouchard, Karine; Simard, Jacques; Dorval, Michel

2018-01-01

Objectives To identify common and specific individual factors that favour or impede women’s interest in and willingness-to-pay (WTP) for breast cancer susceptibility testing (BCST) and to identify the most impactful factors on both outcome measures. Design and methods This study used a self-administered cross-sectional Web-based questionnaire that included hypothetical scenarios about the availability of a new genetic test for breast cancer. Participants French-speaking women of the general population of Québec (Canada), aged between 35 and 69 years, were identified from a Web-based panel (2410 met the selection criteria, 1160 were reached and 1031 completed the survey). Measures The outcomes are the level of interest in and the range of WTP for BCST. Three categories of individual factors identified in the literature were used as potential explanatory factors, that is, demographic, clinical and psychosocial. Results Descriptive statistics indicated that the vast majority of sampled women are interested in BCST (90%). Among those, more than half of them are willing-to-pay for such a test (57%). The regression models pointed out several factors associated with both outcomes (eg, age, income, family history, locus of control-powerful others) and marginal effects were used to highlight the most impactful factors for each outcome. Conclusion The results of this study provide a proxy of the readiness of women of the general population to use and to pay for BCST. They also offer insights for developing inclusive and specific strategies to foster informed decision-making and guide the services offered by health organisations corresponding to women’s preferences and needs. PMID:29487071

Molecular Epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori Infection in a Minor Ethnic Group of Vietnam: A Multiethnic, Population-Based Study.

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Binh, Tran Thanh; Tuan, Vo Phuoc; Dung, Ho Dang Quy; Tung, Pham Huu; Tri, Tran Dinh; Thuan, Ngo Phuong Minh; Tam, Le Quang; Nam, Bui Chi; Giang, Do Anh; Hoan, Phan Quoc; Uchida, Tomohisa; Trang, Tran Thi Huyen; Khien, Vu Van; Yamaoka, Yoshio

2018-03-01

The Helicobacter pylori -induced burden of gastric cancer varies based on geographical regions and ethnic grouping. Vietnam is a multiethnic country with the highest incidence of gastric cancer in Southeast Asia, but previous studies focused only on the Kinh ethnic group. A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted using 494 volunteers (18-78 years old), from 13 ethnic groups in Daklak and Lao Cai provinces, Vietnam. H. pylori status was determined by multiple tests (rapid urease test, culture, histology, and serology). cagA and vacA genotypes were determined by PCR-based sequencing. The overall H. pylori infection rate was 38.1%. Multivariate analysis showed that variations in geographical region, age, and ethnicity were independent factors associated with the risk of H. pylori acquisition. Therefore, multicenter, multiethnic, population based study is essential to assess the H. pylori prevalence and its burden in the general population. Only the E De ethnicity carried strains with Western-type CagA (82%) and exhibited significantly lower gastric mucosal inflammation compared to other ethnic groups. However, the histological scores of Western-type CagA and East-Asian-type CagA within the E De group showed no significant differences. Thus, in addition to bacterial virulence factors, host factors are likely to be important determinants for gastric mucosal inflammation and contribute to the Asian enigma.

Family Aggregation and Heritability of ESRD in Taiwan: A Population-Based Study.

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Wu, Hsin Hsu; Kuo, Chang Fu; Li, I Jung; Weng, Cheng Hao; Lee, Cheng Chia; Tu, Kun Hua; Liu, Shou Hsuan; Chen, Yung Chang; Yang, Chih Wei; Luo, Shue Fen; See, Lai Chu; Yu, Kuang Hui; Huang, Lu Hsiang; Zhang, Weiya; Doherty, Michael; Tian, Ya Chung

2017-11-01

Aggregation of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) has been observed in families of European origin, as well as those of African origin. However, it is not well documented if this disease aggregates in Asian families. Furthermore, the contribution of genetic factors and shared environmental factors to family aggregation remains unclear. Population-based cross-sectional cohort study. All 23,422,955 individuals registered in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database in 2013. Among these, 47.45%, 57.45%, 47.29%, and 1.51% had a known parent, child, sibling, or twin, respectively. We identified 87,849 patients who had a diagnosis of ESRD. Family history of ESRD. ESRD and heritability defined as the proportion of phenotypic variance attributable to genetic factors. Having an affected first-degree relative with ESRD was associated with an adjusted relative risk of 2.46 (95% CI, 2.32-2.62). Relative risks were 96.38 (95% CI, 48.3-192.34) for twins of patients with ESRD, 2.15 (95% CI, 2.02-2.29) for parents, 2.78 (95% CI, 2.53-3.05) for offspring, 4.96 (95% CI, 4.19-5.88) for siblings, and 1.66 (95% CI, 1.54-1.78) for spouses without genetic similarities. Heritability in this study was 31.1% to 11.4% for shared environmental factors and 57.5% for nonshared environmental factors. This was a registry database study and we did not have detailed information about clinical findings or the definite causes of ESRD. This whole population-based family study in Asia confirmed, in a Taiwanese population, that a family history of ESRD is a strong risk factor for this disease. Moderate heritability was noted and environmental factors were related to disease. Family history of ESRD is an important piece of clinical information. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Primary care emergency services utilization in German-speaking Switzerland: a population-based cross-sectional study.

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Güntensperger, Urs; Pinzello-Hürlimann, Rosmarie; Martina, Benedict; Ciurea, Annette; Muff, Brigitte; Gutzwiller, Jean-Pierre

2010-11-01

Traditionally, emergency consultations have been done by a general practitioner (GP) in Switzerland. Over the last years, there seems to have been a shift between general practice to hospital emergency ward utilisation. There are several local initiatives of general practitioners and hospitals to change the organisation of emergency care. To plan a new organisation form of emergency care, delivery should be based on population based data. The aim of the study was to investigate the epidemiology and distribution of emergency consultations of primary care in a hospital and in a practice of general practitioners. In addition, factors of clinical performance in emergency consultations are of great public health interest. For this survey, all emergency patient contacts of general practitioners from the catchment area of Bülach, serving 27 088 inhabitants, were assessed by a questionnaire during the fourth quarter of 2006. Sex, age, time, duration of the contact and triage diagnosis were assessed. In addition, all patients seen by the emergency ward at the local hospital were assessed. Contact rates and hospitalisation rates per 100 000 inhabitants were determined. In addition, a multiple linear regression model was performed to determine factors associated with consultation time as a marker for clinical performance. Between October 1th and December 31th 2006, 1001 patient contacts were registered at the same time period in the hospital and general practice. The patient contact rate was 94.8 contacts per 100 000 inhabitants per day, and the hospitalisation rate was 9.1 patient per 100 000 inhabitants. Patients seen at the hospital were older than in general practice (41.2 ± 22.8 vs. 32.6 ± 26.3 years) and consultation and waiting time was longer in the hospital than consultation time with the GP (144.8 ± 106.5 vs. 19.6 ± 17.6 minutes). Nearly 1 out of 1000 inhabitants were looking for emergency primary care help, and 10% of the patients were seen urgently by general

IQ and obesity in adolescence: a population-based, cross-sectional study.

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Goldberg, S; Werbeloff, N; Fruchter, E; Portuguese, S; Davidson, M; Weiser, M

2014-12-01

Low IQ is associated with high BMI in childhood. There are inconsistent findings on the association between low SES and high BMI. Youth with low IQ have been reported to have poorer health behaviors, such as poor nutrition and less physical activity. Low IQ is significantly associated with obesity for both male and female adolescents, though more strongly for female adolescents. Physical activity has a mediating effect on the association between low IQ and obesity among both male and female adolescents, though more strongly for male adolescents. The association between low IQ and obesity is strongest among adolescents from high SES backgrounds. Previous studies have shown an association between low intelligence quotient (IQ), high body mass index and low socioeconomic status (SES). This study examined the cross-sectional association between IQ and obesity, exploring the roles of gender, SES and physical activity in this association. Subjects were 235,663 male and 169,259 female adolescents assessed by the Israeli military draft board. Low IQ was significantly associated with increased odds of obesity among male (odds ratio [OR] = 1.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.36-1.52) and female adolescents (OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.51-1.73); this association was significantly stronger among female adolescents. Sobel tests indicated that physical activity had a significant mediating effect on this association for male and female adolescents, although more strongly for male adolescents. Dividing the sample according to SES, the association between low IQ and obesity was strongest in the high SES group (male adolescents: OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.10-1.43, female adolescents: OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.38-1.89), even when controlling for physical activity. The findings suggest that low IQ is associated with increased odds of obesity, particularly in female adolescents and in adolescents with high SES. Physical activity has a mediating effect on this

OA18 Population based end of life care - meeting the challenge of the ageing population.

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Thomas, Keri

2015-04-01

The key challenge for most developed countries is meeting the needs of our ageing population, in particular, those nearing the end of their lives - population-based end-of-life care. Building on a public health approach to meet needs of an area-wide population, and a practical approach of enabling generalist frontline staff care for all people in a variety of settings using the GSF Quality Improvement Programmes, we describe progress in a few GSF Cross-Boundary Care Foundation Sites taking a population-based view to meet the challenges of the ageing population. Taking a whole-system view, we explore ways to ensure all people receive quality care towards the final stages of life in line with their needs and wishes in a way that is cost-effective, responsive and compassionate. Expanding concepts of palliative/end-of-life care to include care for people with long-term conditions, dementia, and frailty. We describe practical progress in a number of GSF XBC Sites, enabling generalist frontline staff including: Identifying and prioritising people earlier Reducing 'diagnostic apartheid' Enabling more to live well and die well in the place and manner of their choosing Encouraging integrated person-centred care, reducing inappropriate over-Hospitalisation and prevention of over - medicalising. Use of GSF in various settings to enable generalist frontline staff is described, with key outcome measures and evaluations in the UK, and internationally. As the population ages, population-based end of life care will be one of the most significant developments to meet the challenges for a fit-for-purpose health service of the future. © 2015, Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Validating the InterVA model to estimate the burden of mortality from verbal autopsy data: a population-based cross-sectional study.

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Sebsibe Tadesse

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: In countries with incomplete or no vital registration systems, verbal autopsy data are often reviewed by physicians in order to assign the probable cause of death. But in addition to being time and energy consuming, the method is liable to produce inconsistent results. The aim of this study is to validate the InterVA model for estimating the burden of mortality from verbal autopsy data by using physician review as a reference standard. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to April, 2012. All adults aged ≥ 14 years and died between 01 January, 2010 and 15 February, 2012 were included in the study. The verbal autopsy interviews were reviewed by the InterVA model and physicians to estimate cause-specific mortality fractions. Cohen's kappa statistic, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were applied to compare the agreement between the InterVA model and the physician review. A total of 408 adult deaths were studied. There was a general similarity and just slight differences between the InterVA model and the physicians in assigning cause-specific mortality. Both approaches showed an overall agreement in 298 (73% cases [kappa = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.37-0.60]. The observed sensitivities and specificities across causes of death categories varied from 13.3% to 81.9% and 77.7% to 99.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In understanding the burden of disease and setting health intervention priorities in areas that lack reliable vital registration systems, an accurate analysis of verbal autopsies is essential. Therefore, users should be aware of the suboptimal performance of the InterVA model. Similar validation studies need to be undertaken considering the limitation of the physician review as gold standard since physicians may misinterpret some of the verbal autopsy data and finally reach a wrong conclusion of the cause of death.

Women are considerably more exposed to intimate partner violence than men in Rwanda: results from a population-based, cross-sectional study.

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Umubyeyi, Aline; Mogren, Ingrid; Ntaganira, Joseph; Krantz, Gunilla

2014-08-26

Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is an important, yet often neglected public health issue. The existence of gender norms imbalance expressed by men's and women's attitudes in relation to power and decision-making in intimate relationships may influence the magnitude of IPV. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and potential risk factors of physical, sexual and psychological IPV in young men and women in Rwanda. This population-based, cross-sectional study included a representative sample of men and women from the Southern Province of Rwanda. Face-to-face interviews were performed using the World Health Organization (WHO) questionnaire for violence exposure to estimate past year and earlier in life IPV occurrence. Risk factor patterns were analyzed by use of bi- and multivariate logistic regression. Women were, to a considerably higher extent, exposed to physical, sexual and psychological IPV than men. Of the women, 18.8% (n = 78) reported physical abuse in the past year, compared to 4.3% (n = 18) of men. The corresponding figures for women and men for sexual abuse were 17.4% (n = 71) and 1.5% (n = 6), respectively, and for psychological abuse, the corresponding figures were 21.4% (n = 92) and 7.3% (n = 32). Findings illustrate that violence against women was recurrent, as the highest frequency (>3 times) dominated in women for the various acts of all forms of violence. Identified risk factors for women's exposure to physical violence were being low educated, having poor social support, being poor and having many children. For men exposed to physical violence, no statistically significant risk factor was identified. In this setting, IPV exposure was more common in women than men in the Southern Province of Rwanda. Promotion of gender equality at the individual level is needed to make a positive difference in a relatively short term perspective. Men's lower reporting of IPV confirms women's subordinate position

Use of a Web-based physical activity record system to analyze behavior in a large population: cross-sectional study.

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Namba, Hideyuki; Yamada, Yosuke; Ishida, Mika; Takase, Hideto; Kimura, Misaka

2015-03-19

The use of Web-based physical activity systems has been proposed as an easy method for collecting physical activity data. We have developed a system that has exhibited high accuracy as assessed by the doubly labeled water method. The purpose of this study was to collect behavioral data from a large population using our Web-based physical activity record system and assess the physical activity of the population based on these data. In this paper, we address the difference in physical activity for each urban scale. In total, 2046 participants (aged 30-59 years; 1105 men and 941 women) participated in the study. They were asked to complete data entry before bedtime using their personal computer on 1 weekday and 1 weekend day. Their residential information was categorized as urban, urban-rural, or rural. Participant responses expressed the intensity of each activity at 15-minute increments and were recorded on a Web server. Residential areas were compared and multiple regression analysis was performed. Most participants had a metabolic equivalent (MET) ranging from 1.4 to 1.8, and the mean MET was 1.60 (SD 0.28). The median value of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA, ≥3 MET) was 7.92 MET-hours/day. A 1-way ANCOVA showed that total physical activity differed depending on the type of residential area (F2,2027=5.19, P=.006). The urban areas (n=950) had the lowest MET-hours/day (mean 37.8, SD, 6.0), followed by urban-rural areas (n=432; mean 38.6, SD 6.5; P=.04), and rural areas (n=664; mean 38.8, SD 7.4; P=.002). Two-way ANCOVA showed a significant interaction between sex and area of residence on the urban scale (F2,2036=4.53, P=.01). Men in urban areas had the lowest MET-hours/day (MVPA, ≥3 MET) at mean 7.9 (SD 8.7); men in rural areas had a MET-hours/day (MVPA, ≥3 MET) of mean 10.8 (SD 12.1, P=.002). No significant difference was noted in women among the 3 residential areas. Multiple regression analysis showed that physical activity consisting of

Prediction of fission mass-yield distributions based on cross section calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hambsch, F.-J.; G.Vladuca; Tudora, Anabella; Oberstedt, S.; Ruskov, I.

2005-01-01

For the first time, fission mass-yield distributions have been predicted based on an extended statistical model for fission cross section calculations. In this model, the concept of the multi-modality of the fission process has been incorporated. The three most dominant fission modes, the two asymmetric standard I (S1) and standard II (S2) modes and the symmetric superlong (SL) mode are taken into account. De-convoluted fission cross sections for S1, S2 and SL modes for 235,238 U(n, f) and 237 Np(n, f), based on experimental branching ratios, were calculated for the first time in the incident neutron energy range from 0.01 to 5.5 MeV providing good agreement with the experimental fission cross section data. The branching ratios obtained from the modal fission cross section calculations have been used to deduce the corresponding fission yield distributions, including mean values also for incident neutron energies hitherto not accessible to experiment

Effectiveness of tobacco control television advertising in changing tobacco use in England: a population-based cross-sectional study.

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Sims, Michelle; Salway, Ruth; Langley, Tessa; Lewis, Sarah; McNeill, Ann; Szatkowski, Lisa; Gilmore, Anna B

2014-06-01

To examine whether government-funded tobacco control television advertising shown in England between 2002 and 2010 reduced adult smoking prevalence and cigarette consumption. Analysis of monthly cross-sectional surveys using generalised additive models. England. More than 80 000 adults aged 18 years or over living in England and interviewed in the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey. Current smoking status, smokers' daily cigarette consumption, tobacco control gross rating points (GRPs-a measure of per capita advertising exposure combining reach and frequency), cigarette costliness, tobacco control activity, socio-demographic variables. After adjusting for other tobacco control policies, cigarette costliness and individual characteristics, we found that a 400-point increase in tobacco control GRPs per month, equivalent to all adults in the population seeing four advertisements per month (although actual individual-level exposure varies according to TV exposure), was associated with 3% lower odds of smoking 2 months later [odds ratio (OR) = 0.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.95, 0.999] and accounted for 13.5% of the decline in smoking prevalence seen over this period. In smokers, a 400-point increase in GRPs was associated with a 1.80% (95%CI = 0.47, 3.11) reduction in average cigarette consumption in the following month and accounted for 11.2% of the total decline in consumption over the period 2002-09. Government-funded tobacco control television advertising shown in England between 2002 and 2010 was associated with reductions in smoking prevalence and smokers' cigarette consumption. © 2014 The Authors. Addiction published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for the Study of Addiction.

Pu239 Cross-Section Variations Based on Experimental Uncertainties and Covariances

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sigeti, David Edward [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Williams, Brian J. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Parsons, D. Kent [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2016-10-18

Algorithms and software have been developed for producing variations in plutonium-239 neutron cross sections based on experimental uncertainties and covariances. The varied cross-section sets may be produced as random samples from the multi-variate normal distribution defined by an experimental mean vector and covariance matrix, or they may be produced as Latin-Hypercube/Orthogonal-Array samples (based on the same means and covariances) for use in parametrized studies. The variations obey two classes of constraints that are obligatory for cross-section sets and which put related constraints on the mean vector and covariance matrix that detemine the sampling. Because the experimental means and covariances do not obey some of these constraints to sufficient precision, imposing the constraints requires modifying the experimental mean vector and covariance matrix. Modification is done with an algorithm based on linear algebra that minimizes changes to the means and covariances while insuring that the operations that impose the different constraints do not conflict with each other.

Acculturation and self-rated health among Arctic indigenous peoples: a population-based cross-sectional study.

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Eliassen, Bent-Martin; Braaten, Tonje; Melhus, Marita; Hansen, Ketil Lenert; Broderstad, Ann Ragnhild

2012-11-05

Acculturation is for indigenous peoples related to the process of colonisation over centuries as well as the on-going social transition experienced in the Arctic today. Changing living conditions and lifestyle affect health in numerous ways in Arctic indigenous populations. Self-rated health (SRH) is a relevant variable in primary health care and in general public health assessments and monitoring. Exploring the relationship between acculturation and SRH in indigenous populations having experienced great societal and cultural change is thus of great importance. The principal method in the Survey of Living Conditions in the Arctic (SLiCA) was standardised face-to-face interviews using a questionnaire. Very high overall participation rates of 83% were obtained in Greenland and Alaska, whilst a more conventional rate of 57% was achieved in Norway. Acculturation was conceptualised as certain traditional subsistence activities being of lesser importance for people's ethnic identity, and poorer spoken indigenous language ability (SILA). Acculturation was included in six separate gender- and country-specific ordinal logistic regressions to assess qualitative effects on SRH. Multivariable analyses showed that acculturation significantly predicted poorer SRH in Greenland. An increased subsistence score gave an OR of 2.32 (Pcultural differences in the conceptualisation of SRH, and confounding effects of health care use, SES and discrimination, make it difficult to appropriately assess how strong this effect is though.

Section-Based Tree Species Identification Using Airborne LIDAR Point Cloud

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Yao, C.; Zhang, X.; Liu, H.

2017-09-01

The application of LiDAR data in forestry initially focused on mapping forest community, particularly and primarily intended for largescale forest management and planning. Then with the smaller footprint and higher sampling density LiDAR data available, detecting individual tree overstory, estimating crowns parameters and identifying tree species are demonstrated practicable. This paper proposes a section-based protocol of tree species identification taking palm tree as an example. Section-based method is to detect objects through certain profile among different direction, basically along X-axis or Y-axis. And this method improve the utilization of spatial information to generate accurate results. Firstly, separate the tree points from manmade-object points by decision-tree-based rules, and create Crown Height Mode (CHM) by subtracting the Digital Terrain Model (DTM) from the digital surface model (DSM). Then calculate and extract key points to locate individual trees, thus estimate specific tree parameters related to species information, such as crown height, crown radius, and cross point etc. Finally, with parameters we are able to identify certain tree species. Comparing to species information measured on ground, the portion correctly identified trees on all plots could reach up to 90.65 %. The identification result in this research demonstrate the ability to distinguish palm tree using LiDAR point cloud. Furthermore, with more prior knowledge, section-based method enable the process to classify trees into different classes.

Lack of association of MRI determined subclinical cardiovascular disease with dizziness and vertigo in a cross-sectional population-based study.

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Lorbeer, Roberto; Hetterich, Holger; Strobl, Ralf; Schafnitzel, Anina; Patscheider, Hannah; Schindler, Andreas; Müller-Peltzer, Katharina; Sommer, Wieland; Peters, Annette; Meisinger, Christa; Heier, Margit; Rathmann, Wolfgang; Bamberg, Fabian; Grill, Eva

2017-01-01

We investigated the association between subclinical cardiovascular diseases assessed by MRI examination and symptoms of dizziness and vertigo in participants of a population-based sample. Data from 400 participants (169 women) aged from 39 to 73 of a cross-sectional MRI sub-study of the "Kooperative Gesundheitsforschung in der Region Augsburg" (KORA) FF4 study from the south of Germany was used. MRI determined subclinical cardiovascular diseases include left and right ventricular structure and function as well as the presence of carotid plaque and carotid wall thickness. Cerebrum diseases include white matter lesions (WML) and cerebral microbleeds (CMB). The main outcomes of dizziness and vertigo were assessed by standardized interview. Logistic regression models were applied and adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were provided. Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of dizziness and vertigo were 30% (95%CI 26% to 35%) and 21% (95%CI 17% to 26%) respectively in this sample. On multivariable analysis, cardiac and carotid measurements were not associated with dizziness and vertigo excluding orthostatic vertigo (20%, 95CI 16% to 24%). Only in male participants, there was a significant association between WML and the presence of dizziness and vertigo (OR = 2.95, 95%CI 1.08 to 8.07). There was no significant association of CMB with dizziness and vertigo. However, CMB and WML were tending to associate with a higher risk of dizziness and vertigo in the whole sample (CMB: OR = 1.48, 95%CI 0.70; 3.15; WML: OR = 1.71, 95%CI 0.80 to 3.67;), in persons with prediabetes and diabetes (WML: OR = 2.71, 95%CI 0.89 to 8.23) and in men with normal glucose metabolism (CMB: OR = 2.60, 95%CI 0.56 to 12.0; WML: OR = 3.08, 95%CI 0.58 to 16.5). In this sample of participants without manifest cardiovascular diseases, subclinical left and right ventricular function and carotid structure were consistently not associated with dizziness and vertigo. Subclinical cerebrum

Lack of association of MRI determined subclinical cardiovascular disease with dizziness and vertigo in a cross-sectional population-based study.

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Roberto Lorbeer

Full Text Available We investigated the association between subclinical cardiovascular diseases assessed by MRI examination and symptoms of dizziness and vertigo in participants of a population-based sample.Data from 400 participants (169 women aged from 39 to 73 of a cross-sectional MRI sub-study of the "Kooperative Gesundheitsforschung in der Region Augsburg" (KORA FF4 study from the south of Germany was used. MRI determined subclinical cardiovascular diseases include left and right ventricular structure and function as well as the presence of carotid plaque and carotid wall thickness. Cerebrum diseases include white matter lesions (WML and cerebral microbleeds (CMB. The main outcomes of dizziness and vertigo were assessed by standardized interview. Logistic regression models were applied and adjusted odds ratios (OR with 95% confidence intervals (CI were provided.Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of dizziness and vertigo were 30% (95%CI 26% to 35% and 21% (95%CI 17% to 26% respectively in this sample. On multivariable analysis, cardiac and carotid measurements were not associated with dizziness and vertigo excluding orthostatic vertigo (20%, 95CI 16% to 24%. Only in male participants, there was a significant association between WML and the presence of dizziness and vertigo (OR = 2.95, 95%CI 1.08 to 8.07. There was no significant association of CMB with dizziness and vertigo. However, CMB and WML were tending to associate with a higher risk of dizziness and vertigo in the whole sample (CMB: OR = 1.48, 95%CI 0.70; 3.15; WML: OR = 1.71, 95%CI 0.80 to 3.67;, in persons with prediabetes and diabetes (WML: OR = 2.71, 95%CI 0.89 to 8.23 and in men with normal glucose metabolism (CMB: OR = 2.60, 95%CI 0.56 to 12.0; WML: OR = 3.08, 95%CI 0.58 to 16.5.In this sample of participants without manifest cardiovascular diseases, subclinical left and right ventricular function and carotid structure were consistently not associated with dizziness and vertigo. Subclinical cerebrum

Lack of association of MRI determined subclinical cardiovascular disease with dizziness and vertigo in a cross-sectional population-based study

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Hetterich, Holger; Strobl, Ralf; Schafnitzel, Anina; Patscheider, Hannah; Schindler, Andreas; Müller-Peltzer, Katharina; Sommer, Wieland; Peters, Annette; Meisinger, Christa; Heier, Margit; Rathmann, Wolfgang; Bamberg, Fabian; Grill, Eva

2017-01-01

Objective We investigated the association between subclinical cardiovascular diseases assessed by MRI examination and symptoms of dizziness and vertigo in participants of a population-based sample. Methods Data from 400 participants (169 women) aged from 39 to 73 of a cross-sectional MRI sub-study of the “Kooperative Gesundheitsforschung in der Region Augsburg” (KORA) FF4 study from the south of Germany was used. MRI determined subclinical cardiovascular diseases include left and right ventricular structure and function as well as the presence of carotid plaque and carotid wall thickness. Cerebrum diseases include white matter lesions (WML) and cerebral microbleeds (CMB). The main outcomes of dizziness and vertigo were assessed by standardized interview. Logistic regression models were applied and adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were provided. Results Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of dizziness and vertigo were 30% (95%CI 26% to 35%) and 21% (95%CI 17% to 26%) respectively in this sample. On multivariable analysis, cardiac and carotid measurements were not associated with dizziness and vertigo excluding orthostatic vertigo (20%, 95CI 16% to 24%). Only in male participants, there was a significant association between WML and the presence of dizziness and vertigo (OR = 2.95, 95%CI 1.08 to 8.07). There was no significant association of CMB with dizziness and vertigo. However, CMB and WML were tending to associate with a higher risk of dizziness and vertigo in the whole sample (CMB: OR = 1.48, 95%CI 0.70; 3.15; WML: OR = 1.71, 95%CI 0.80 to 3.67;), in persons with prediabetes and diabetes (WML: OR = 2.71, 95%CI 0.89 to 8.23) and in men with normal glucose metabolism (CMB: OR = 2.60, 95%CI 0.56 to 12.0; WML: OR = 3.08, 95%CI 0.58 to 16.5). Conclusions In this sample of participants without manifest cardiovascular diseases, subclinical left and right ventricular function and carotid structure were consistently not associated with

Predictors of medication use in the Roma population in Spain: a population-based national study.

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Martín-Pérez, M; Hernández Barrera, V; López de Andrés, A; Jiménez-Trujillo, I; Jiménez-García, R; Carrasco-Garrido, P

2015-05-01

To describe the prevalence of prescribed and self-medicated use of medication in the Spanish Roma population, and identify the associated factors. Descriptive cross-sectional study. Data from the first National Health Survey conducted on the Roma population in Spain were used. The sample comprised 1000 Spanish Roma adults of both sexes aged ≥16 years. Answers (yes/no) to the question, 'In the last two weeks have you taken the following medicines [in reference to a list of medicines that might be used by the population] and were they prescribed for you by a doctor?' were used to ascertain 'medication use'. 'Self-medication' referred to use of these medicines without medical prescription. Using multivariate logistic regression models, odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to identify associated factors. The overall prevalence of medication use in the Roma population for both sexes was 69.1%, and 38.7% was self-medicated. Females reported higher use of medication than males (75.1% vs 62.3%); however, self-medication was higher among males. Analgesics and antipyretics were used most often (35.8%). Among males, the variables that were independently and significantly associated with a higher probability of medication use were: age; negative perception of health; presence of chronic disease (OR 2.81; 95% CI 1.67-4.73); and medical visits (OR 4.51; 95% CI 2.54-8.01). The variables were the same among females, except for age. A high percentage of the Spanish Roma population use medication, and a significant proportion of them self-medicate. The presence of chronic diseases, a negative perception of health and medical consultations were associated with increased use of medication in the study population. Copyright © 2015 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alcohol consumption, physical activity, and chronic disease risk factors: a population-based cross-sectional survey

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Djoussé Luc

2006-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Whether the association of alcohol consumption and cardiovascular disease is the product of confounding and the degree to which this concern applies to other behaviors are unclear. Methods Using the 2003 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a population-based telephone survey of adults in the US, we compared chronic disease risk factors between 123,359 abstainers and 126,674 moderate drinkers, defined as intake of ≤ 2 drinks per day among men and ≤ 1 drink per day among women, using age- and sex- and multivariable-adjusted models. We also compared sedentary and active individuals, defined as moderate physical activity ≥ 30 minutes per day for ≥ 5 days per week, or vigorous activity for ≥ 20 minutes per day on ≥ 3 days. Results Chronic disease risk factors and features of unhealthy lifestyle were generally more prevalent among abstainers than drinkers in age- and sex-adjusted analyses, but these differences were generally attenuated or eliminated by additional adjustment for race and education. For low fruit and vegetable intake, divorced marital status, and absence of a personal physician, adjustment for race and education reversed initially positive age- and sex-adjusted associations with abstention. Comparison of sedentary and active individuals produced similar findings, with generally lower levels of risk factors among more physical active individuals. Conclusion The differences between abstainers and drinkers are attenuated after adjustment for limited sociodemographic features, and sedentary and active individuals share a similar pattern. Although observational studies of both factors may be susceptible to uncontrolled confounding, our results provide no evidence that moderate drinking is unique in this regard. Ultimately, randomized trials of all such lifestyle factors will be needed to answer these questions definitively.

Users’ dissatisfaction with dental care: a population-based household study

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Andréa Maria Eleutério de Barros Lima Martins

2015-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE To examine whether demographic, socioeconomic conditions, oral health subjectivity and characterization of dental care are associated with users’ dissatisfaction with such are.METHODS Cross-sectional study of 781 people who required dental care in Montes Claros, MG, Southeastern Brazil, in 2012, a city with of medium-sized population situated in the North of Minas Gerais. Household interviews were conducted to assess the users’ dissatisfaction with dental care (dependent variable, demographic, socioeconomic conditions, oral health subjectivity and characterization of dental care (independent variables. Sample calculation was used for the finite population, with estimates made for proportions of dissatisfaction in 50.0% of the population, a 5.0% error margin, a non-response rate of 5.0% and a 2.0% design effect. Logistic regression was used, and the odds ratio was calculated with a 5% significance level and 95% confidence intervals.RESULTS Of the interviewed individuals, 9.0% (7.9%, with correction for design effect were dissatisfied with the care provided. These were associated with lower educational level; negative self-assessment of oral health; perception that the care provider was unable to give dental care; negative evaluation of the way the patient was treated, the cleanliness of the rooms, based on the examination rooms and the toilets, and the size of the waiting and examination rooms.CONCLUSIONS The rate of dissatisfaction with dental care was low. This dissatisfaction was associated with socioeconomic conditions, subjectivity of oral health, skill of the health professionals relating to the professional-patient relationship and facility infrastructure. Educational interventions are suggested that aim at improving the quality of care among professionals by responsible agencies as is improving the infrastructure of the care units.

Medication Responsiveness of Motor Symptoms in a Population-Based Study of Parkinson Disease

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Yvette M. Bordelon

2011-01-01

Full Text Available We assessed degree of Parkinson disease motor symptom improvement with medication among subjects enrolled in an ongoing, population-based study in Central California. The motor section of the unified Parkinson disease rating scale (UPDRS was performed on subjects in both OFF and ON medication states, and difference between these scores was used as an indicator of symptomatic benefit. Higher OFF minus ON scores correlated with more severe baseline symptoms. There was equivalent improvement on the motor UPDRS scale for subjects divided according to medication classes used: levodopa alone 7.3 points, levodopa plus other medications 8.5 points, and dopamine agonists but not levodopa 6.1 points. In addition, there was no difference in the magnitude of improvement when subjects were divided according to Parkinson disease subtype, defined as tremor dominant, akinetic-rigid, or mixed. In this community-based sample, these values are within the range of a clinically important difference as defined by previous studies.

Variables associated with olfactory disorders in adults: A U.S. population-based analysis

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Julia Noel

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: Olfactory dysfunction is known to have significant social, psychological, and safety implications. Despite increasingly recognized prevalence, potential risk factors for olfactory loss have been arbitrarily documented and knowledge is limited in scale. The aim of this study is to identify potential demographic and exposure variables correlating with olfactory dysfunction. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of the 2011–2012 and 2013–2014 editions of the National Health Examination and Nutrition Survey was performed. The utilized survey reports from a nationally representative sample of about 5000 persons each year located in counties across the United States. There is an interview and physical examination component which includes demographic, socioeconomic, dietary, and health-related questions as well as medical, dental, physiologic measurements, and laboratory tests. 3594 adult respondents from 2011 to 2012 and 3708 respondents from 2013 to 2014 were identified from the above population-based database. The frequency of self-reported disorders as well as performance on odor identification testing was determined in relation to demographic factors, occupational or environmental exposures, and urinary levels of environmental and industrial compounds. Results: In both subjective and objective analysis, smell disorders were significantly more common with increasing age. While the non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic Asian populations were less likely to report subjective olfactory loss, they, along with Hispanics, performed more poorly on odor identification than Caucasians. Those with limited education had a decreased prevalence of hyposmia. Women outperformed men on smell testing. Those reporting exposure to vapors were more likely to experience olfactory dysfunction, and urinary levels of manganese, 2-Thioxothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid, and 2-Aminothiazoline-4-carboxylic acid were lower among respondents with subjective smell

Comorbidities in adults with asthma: Population-based cross-sectional analysis of 1.4 million adults in Scotland.

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Weatherburn, C J; Guthrie, B; Mercer, S W; Morales, D R

2017-10-01

Comorbidity in people with asthma can significantly increase asthma morbidity and lower adherence to asthma guidelines. The objective of this study was to comprehensively measure the prevalence of physical and mental health comorbidities in adults with asthma using a large nationally representative population. Cross-sectional analysis of routine primary care electronic medical records for 1 424 378 adults in the UK, examining the prevalence of 39 comorbidities in people with and without asthma, before and after adjustment for age, sex, social deprivation and smoking status using logistic regression. Of 39 comorbidities measured, 36 (92%) were significantly more common in adults with asthma; 62.6% of adults with asthma had ≥1 comorbidity vs 46.2% of those without, and 16.3% had ≥4 comorbidities vs 8.7% of those without. Comorbidities with the largest absolute increase in prevalence in adults with asthma were as follows: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (13.4% vs 3.1%), depression (17.3% vs 9.1%), painful conditions (15.4% vs 8.4%) and dyspepsia (10.9% vs 5.2%). Comorbidities with the largest relative difference in adults with asthma compared to those without were as follows: COPD (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 5.65, 95% CI 5.52-5.79), bronchiectasis (aOR 4.65, 95% CI 4.26-5.08), eczema/psoriasis (aOR 3.30, 95% CI 3.14-3.48), dyspepsia (aOR 2.20, 95% CI 2.15-2.25) and chronic sinusitis (aOR 2.12, 95% CI 1.99-2.26). Depression and anxiety were more common in adults with asthma (aOR 1.60, 95% CI 1.57-1.63, and aOR 1.53, 95% CI 1.48-1.57, respectively). Physical and mental health comorbidities are the norm in adults with asthma. Appropriate recognition and management should form part of routine asthma care. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Prevalence and correlates of coronary heart disease: first population-based study in Lebanon.

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Zeidan, Rouba Karen; Farah, Rita; Chahine, Mirna N; Asmar, Roland; Hosseini, Hassan; Salameh, Pascale; Pathak, Atul

2016-01-01

Lebanon is experiencing a growing epidemic of coronary heart diseases (CHDs), as most low- and middle-income countries currently are. However, this growth can be attenuated if effective preventive strategies are adopted. To provide the first national population-based prevalence of CHD and to describe the profile of Lebanese adults with prevalent CHD. We carried out a cross-sectional study using a multistage cluster sample across Lebanon. We interviewed residents aged 40 years and older using a questionnaire that captured the presence of CHDs and their risk factors (RFs). Our study showed that 13.4% of the Lebanese population aged ≥40 years suffer from a prevalent CHD. CHD seemed to appear more prematurely than in developed countries, and males seemed to be more subject to CHD than females until a certain age. CHD was associated with older age, male sex, a lower economic situation, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, having a family history of premature cardiovascular diseases, and suffering from diabetes. However, smoking and waist circumference did not seem to have an independent effect on CHD, but rather an effect mediated by biological RFs. This is the first nationwide endeavor conducted in Lebanon to assess the prevalence of CHD. This study also confirms the relevance of the classic RFs of CHD and their applicability to the Lebanese population, thus allowing for prevention strategies.

Population-based strategies to control manufacturing epidemics.

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Gorini, Giuseppe

2017-01-01

"The multinational corporations producing tobacco, alcohol, soft drinks, and processed foods have a role of vectors in the increase of chronic diseases, so that one can speak of manufacturing epidemics. The main aim of this paper is to conduct a literature review on different approaches in population-based interventions to stem the rise in consumption of unhealthy products. Different approaches were found: • command-and-control regulations: the route is definitely more advanced for tobacco with the implementation of an international treaty, which requires 180 ratifying states to implement a series of tobacco control policies. Similar regulations have been partially adopted to reduce alcohol use and to increase taxes of sugar-sweetened beverages; • multinational corporations in few Countries can voluntarily adopt recommendations on media campaigns and on labelling of soft drinks and processed foods; • in order to reduce salt in foods, many Countries developed voluntary agreements with industries with monitoring systems to assess compliance. Population-based interventions to try to align the interests of multinational corporations with those of public health are described in literature: • the "Health Footprint" programme; • the performance-based regulation which could oblige industry to take responsibility to reduce the harmful consequences of the use of their unhealthy commodities; • the price-cap regulation, usually applied to the utilities sector, would set a cap on the price of the tobacco industry, raising the tobacco taxes by 500 million euros per year. In order to reduce the burden of chronic disease, one of the objectives of the Italian National Prevention Plan, a working group including non-governmental organizations and experts in communication, social marketing, and lifestyles should be organized by the Ministry of Health in order to identify which population-based interventions could be implemented in Italy in next years to stem the rise of

Subclinical cardiovascular disease assessment and its relationship with cardiovascular risk SCORE in a healthy adult population: A cross-sectional community-based study.

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Mitu, Ovidiu; Roca, Mihai; Floria, Mariana; Petris, Antoniu Octavian; Graur, Mariana; Mitu, Florin

The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship and the accuracy of SCORE (Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation Project) risk correlated to multiple methods for determining subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a healthy population. This cross-sectional study included 120 completely asymptomatic subjects, with an age range 35-75 years, and randomly selected from the general population. The individuals were evaluated clinically and biochemical, and the SCORE risk was computed. Subclinical atherosclerosis was assessed by various methods: carotid ultrasound for intima-media thickness (cIMT) and plaque detection; aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV); echocardiography - left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and aortic atheromatosis (AA); ankle-brachial index (ABI). SCORE mean value was 2.95±2.71, with 76% of subjects having SCORE <5. Sixty-four percent of all subjects have had increased subclinical CVD changes, and SCORE risk score was correlated positively with all markers, except for ABI. In the multivariate analysis, increased cIMT and aPWV were significantly associated with high value of SCORE risk (OR 4.14, 95% CI: 1.42-12.15, p=0.009; respectively OR 1.41, 95% CI: 1.01-1.96, p=0.039). A positive linear relationship was observed between 3 territories of subclinical CVD (cIMT, LVMI, aPWV) and SCORE risk (p<0.0001). There was evidence of subclinical CVD in 60% of subjects with a SCORE value <5. As most subjects with a SCORE value <5 have subclinical CVD abnormalities, a more tailored subclinical CVD primary prevention program should be encouraged. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Arteriosclerosis. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Popullution: A Position Paper on Population.

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Durner, Mary Beth

This position paper presents an interdisciplinary approach to the study of population. Six main sections are included in the paper: Introduction, The Growth of the Human Population, The Psychological Effects of Population Growth, Overpopulated America, Myths Concerning Population Growth and Control, and Population Education. Section 1, an…

Plasma-based radar cross section reduction

CERN Document Server

Singh, Hema; Jha, Rakesh Mohan

2016-01-01

This book presents a comprehensive review of plasma-based stealth, covering the basics, methods, parametric analysis, and challenges towards the realization of the idea. The concealment of aircraft from radar sources, or stealth, is achieved through shaping, radar absorbing coatings, engineered materials, or plasma, etc. Plasma-based stealth is a radar cross section (RCS) reduction technique associated with the reflection and absorption of incident electromagnetic (EM) waves by the plasma layer surrounding the structure. A plasma cloud covering the aircraft may give rise to other signatures such as thermal, acoustic, infrared, or visual. Thus it is a matter of concern that the RCS reduction by plasma enhances its detectability due to other signatures. This needs a careful approach towards the plasma generation and its EM wave interaction. The book starts with the basics of EM wave interactions with plasma, briefly discuss the methods used to analyze the propagation characteristics of plasma, and its generatio...

Present Food Shopping Habits in the Spanish Adult Population: A Cross-Sectional Study

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María Achón

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Information on grocery shopping patterns is one key to understanding dietary changes in recent years in Spain. This report presents an overview of Spanish food shopping patterns in the adult population. A cross-sectional, nationally representative telephone survey was conducted in Spain. Individuals were asked about food shopping responsibility roles, types of visited food stores, time spent, additional behaviors while shopping, the influence of marketing/advertising and, in particular, fresh produce shopping profile. Binary logistic regression models were developed. The final random sample included 2026 respondents aged ≥18 years, of which 1223 were women and 803 were men. Women reported being in charge of most of the food shopping activities. Looking for best prices, more than looking for healthy or sustainable foods, seemed to be a general behavior. Supermarkets were the preferred retail spaces for food price consideration, convenience, variety and availability. Fresh produce shopping was associated with traditional markets and neighborhood stores in terms of reliance and personalized service. It is essential to highlight the importance of the role played by women. They are the main supporters concerned in preserving adequate dietary habits. Economic factors, more than health or food sustainability, are commonly considered by the population. Traditional markets may play an important role in preserving some healthy dietary habits of the Mediterranean food culture in Spain.

Present Food Shopping Habits in the Spanish Adult Population: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Achón, María; Serrano, María; García-González, Ángela; Alonso-Aperte, Elena; Varela-Moreiras, Gregorio

2017-05-18

Information on grocery shopping patterns is one key to understanding dietary changes in recent years in Spain. This report presents an overview of Spanish food shopping patterns in the adult population. A cross-sectional, nationally representative telephone survey was conducted in Spain. Individuals were asked about food shopping responsibility roles, types of visited food stores, time spent, additional behaviors while shopping, the influence of marketing/advertising and, in particular, fresh produce shopping profile. Binary logistic regression models were developed. The final random sample included 2026 respondents aged ≥18 years, of which 1223 were women and 803 were men. Women reported being in charge of most of the food shopping activities. Looking for best prices, more than looking for healthy or sustainable foods, seemed to be a general behavior. Supermarkets were the preferred retail spaces for food price consideration, convenience, variety and availability. Fresh produce shopping was associated with traditional markets and neighborhood stores in terms of reliance and personalized service. It is essential to highlight the importance of the role played by women. They are the main supporters concerned in preserving adequate dietary habits. Economic factors, more than health or food sustainability, are commonly considered by the population. Traditional markets may play an important role in preserving some healthy dietary habits of the Mediterranean food culture in Spain.

Productivity losses in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a population-based survey.

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Erdal, Marta; Johannessen, Ane; Askildsen, Jan Erik; Eagan, Tomas; Gulsvik, Amund; Grønseth, Rune

2014-01-01

We aimed to estimate incremental productivity losses (sick leave and disability) of spirometry-defined chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a population-based sample and in hospital-recruited patients with COPD. Furthermore, we examined predictors of productivity losses by multivariate analyses. We performed four quarterly telephone interviews of 53 and 107 population-based patients with COPD and controls, as well as 102 hospital-recruited patients with COPD below retirement age. Information was gathered regarding annual productivity loss, exacerbations of respiratory symptoms and comorbidities. Incremental productivity losses were estimated by multivariate quantile median regression according to the human capital approach, adjusting for sex, age, smoking habits, education and lung function. Main effect variables were COPD/control status, number of comorbidities and exacerbations of respiratory symptoms. Altogether 55%, 87% and 31% of population-based COPD cases, controls and hospital patients, respectively, had a paid job at baseline. The annual incremental productivity losses were 5.8 (95% CI 1.4 to 10.1) and 330.6 (95% CI 327.8 to 333.3) days, comparing population-recruited and hospital-recruited patients with COPD to controls, respectively. There were significantly higher productivity losses associated with female sex and less education. Additional adjustments for comorbidities, exacerbations and FEV1% predicted explained all productivity losses in the population-based sample, as well as nearly 40% of the productivity losses in hospital-recruited patients. Annual incremental productivity losses were more than 50 times higher in hospital-recruited patients with COPD than that of population-recruited patients with COPD. To ensure a precise estimation of societal burden, studies on patients with COPD should be population-based.

Mapping population-based structural connectomes.

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Zhang, Zhengwu; Descoteaux, Maxime; Zhang, Jingwen; Girard, Gabriel; Chamberland, Maxime; Dunson, David; Srivastava, Anuj; Zhu, Hongtu

2018-05-15

Advances in understanding the structural connectomes of human brain require improved approaches for the construction, comparison and integration of high-dimensional whole-brain tractography data from a large number of individuals. This article develops a population-based structural connectome (PSC) mapping framework to address these challenges. PSC simultaneously characterizes a large number of white matter bundles within and across different subjects by registering different subjects' brains based on coarse cortical parcellations, compressing the bundles of each connection, and extracting novel connection weights. A robust tractography algorithm and streamline post-processing techniques, including dilation of gray matter regions, streamline cutting, and outlier streamline removal are applied to improve the robustness of the extracted structural connectomes. The developed PSC framework can be used to reproducibly extract binary networks, weighted networks and streamline-based brain connectomes. We apply the PSC to Human Connectome Project data to illustrate its application in characterizing normal variations and heritability of structural connectomes in healthy subjects. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Query Health: standards-based, cross-platform population health surveillance.

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Klann, Jeffrey G; Buck, Michael D; Brown, Jeffrey; Hadley, Marc; Elmore, Richard; Weber, Griffin M; Murphy, Shawn N

2014-01-01

Understanding population-level health trends is essential to effectively monitor and improve public health. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) Query Health initiative is a collaboration to develop a national architecture for distributed, population-level health queries across diverse clinical systems with disparate data models. Here we review Query Health activities, including a standards-based methodology, an open-source reference implementation, and three pilot projects. Query Health defined a standards-based approach for distributed population health queries, using an ontology based on the Quality Data Model and Consolidated Clinical Document Architecture, Health Quality Measures Format (HQMF) as the query language, the Query Envelope as the secure transport layer, and the Quality Reporting Document Architecture as the result language. We implemented this approach using Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2) and hQuery for data analytics and PopMedNet for access control, secure query distribution, and response. We deployed the reference implementation at three pilot sites: two public health departments (New York City and Massachusetts) and one pilot designed to support Food and Drug Administration post-market safety surveillance activities. The pilots were successful, although improved cross-platform data normalization is needed. This initiative resulted in a standards-based methodology for population health queries, a reference implementation, and revision of the HQMF standard. It also informed future directions regarding interoperability and data access for ONC's Data Access Framework initiative. Query Health was a test of the learning health system that supplied a functional methodology and reference implementation for distributed population health queries that has been validated at three sites. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under

Uncertainty Analysis of Few Group Cross Sections Based on Generalized Perturbation Theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Tae Young; Lee, Hyun Chul; Noh, Jae Man

2014-01-01

In this paper, the methodology of the sensitivity and uncertainty analysis code based on GPT was described and the preliminary verification calculations on the PMR200 pin cell problem were carried out. As a result, they are in a good agreement when compared with the results by TSUNAMI. From this study, it is expected that MUSAD code based on GPT can produce the uncertainty of the homogenized few group microscopic cross sections for a core simulator. For sensitivity and uncertainty analyses for general core responses, a two-step method is available and it utilizes the generalized perturbation theory (GPT) for homogenized few group cross sections in the first step and stochastic sampling method for general core responses in the second step. The uncertainty analysis procedure based on GPT in the first step needs the generalized adjoint solution from a cell or lattice code. For this, the generalized adjoint solver has been integrated into DeCART in our previous work. In this paper, MUSAD (Modues of Uncertainty and Sensitivity Analysis for DeCART) code based on the classical perturbation theory was expanded to the function of the sensitivity and uncertainty analysis for few group cross sections based on GPT. First, the uncertainty analysis method based on GPT was described and, in the next section, the preliminary results of the verification calculation on a VHTR pin cell problem were compared with the results by TSUNAMI of SCALE 6.1

Calcium intake by adolescents: a population-based health survey

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Daniela de Assumpção

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective To analyze calcium intake in adolescents according to sociodemographic variables, health-related behaviors, morbidities, and body mass index. Methods This was a cross-sectional population-based study, with a two-stage cluster sampling that used data from a survey conducted in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil, between 2008 and 2009. Food intake was assessed using a 24-hour dietary recall. The study included 913 adolescents aged 10-19 years. Results Average nutrient intake was significantly lower in the segment with lower education of the head of the family and lower per capita family income, in individuals from other cities or states, those who consumed fruit less than four times a week, those who did not drink milk daily, those who were smokers, and those who reported the occurrence of headaches and dizziness. Higher mean calcium intake was found in individuals that slept less than seven hours a day. The prevalence of calcium intake below the recommendation was 88.6% (95% CI: 85.4-91.2. Conclusion The results alert to an insufficient calcium intake and suggest that certain subgroups of adolescents need specific strategies to increase the intake of this nutrient.

Population-based treatment and outcomes of Stage I uterine serous carcinoma

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Putten, L.J.M. van der; Hoskins, P.; Tinker, A.; Lim, P.; Aquino-Parsons, C.; Kwon, J.S.

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Uterine serous carcinoma (USC) is a rare type of endometrial cancer that often recurs in patients with Stage I disease. Our objective was to evaluate treatment and outcomes in Stage I USC in the context of a population-based study. METHODS: This was a population-based retrospective cohort

Comparing population and incident data for optimal air ambulance base locations in Norway.

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Røislien, Jo; van den Berg, Pieter L; Lindner, Thomas; Zakariassen, Erik; Uleberg, Oddvar; Aardal, Karen; van Essen, J Theresia

2018-05-24

Helicopter emergency medical services are important in many health care systems. Norway has a nationwide physician manned air ambulance service servicing a country with large geographical variations in population density and incident frequencies. The aim of the study was to compare optimal air ambulance base locations using both population and incident data. We used municipality population and incident data for Norway from 2015. The 428 municipalities had a median (5-95 percentile) of 4675 (940-36,264) inhabitants and 10 (2-38) incidents. Optimal helicopter base locations were estimated using the Maximal Covering Location Problem (MCLP) optimization model, exploring the number and location of bases needed to cover various fractions of the population for time thresholds 30 and 45 min, in green field scenarios and conditioned on the existing base structure. The existing bases covered 96.90% of the population and 91.86% of the incidents for time threshold 45 min. Correlation between municipality population and incident frequencies was -0.0027, and optimal base locations varied markedly between the two data types, particularly when lowering the target time. The optimal solution using population density data put focus on the greater Oslo area, where one third of Norwegians live, while using incident data put focus on low population high incident areas, such as northern Norway and winter sport resorts. Using population density data as a proxy for incident frequency is not recommended, as the two data types lead to different optimal base locations. Lowering the target time increases the sensitivity to choice of data.

Community-based population-level interventions for promoting child oral health.

OpenAIRE

de Silva, AM; Hegde, S; Akudo Nwagbara, B; Calache, H; Gussy, MG; Nasser, M; Morrice, HR; Riggs, E; Leong, PM; Meyenn, LK; Yousefi-Nooraie, R

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Dental caries and gingival and periodontal disease are commonly occurring, preventable chronic conditions. Even though much is known about how to treat oral disease, currently we do not know which community-based population-level interventions are most effective and equitable in preventing poor oral health. OBJECTIVES: Primary • To determine the effectiveness of community-based population-level oral health promotion interventions in preventing dental caries and gingival and period...

Seroepidemiology of hepatitis B virus infection in 2 million men aged 21-49 years in rural China: a population-based, cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jue; Zhang, Shikun; Wang, Qiaomei; Shen, Haiping; Zhang, Man; Zhang, Yiping; Yan, Donghai; Liu, Min

2016-01-01

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is highly endemic (7-8% prevalence) in rural China, causing high mortality and societal burden. Data from men of reproductive age is scarce and last reported in 2006. We assessed the seroepidemiology of men in rural China, aiming to provide updated baseline data for the prevalence of HBV infection. We established prevalence of HBV infection from data gathered through a nationwide population-based study of Chinese rural men aged 21-49 years. Data were obtained from a physical check-up programme for couples of reproductive age, the National Free Preconception Health Examination Project, that covered 31 provinces from 2010-12. We tested serological samples with ELISA and categorised participants' HBV status based on presence of HBsAg, anti-HBV core antibody (anti-HBc), and anti-HBV surface antibody (anti-HBs). 2 030 083 men were recruited into the database from Jan 1, 2010, to Dec 31, 2012, and 1 966 013 men provided serum samples for analysis. 124 274 men (6%) tested positive for HBsAg, 178 559 (9%) tested positive for anti-HBc, and 583 923 (30%) tested positive for anti-HBs. Isolated anti-HBs (an indicator of vaccine-mediated immunity) were present in 527 566 men (27%). And 1 234 127 men (63%) were negative for all HBV makers (susceptible population). HBsAg prevalence was higher in men aged 25-39 years (6·35-6·47%) than in other age groups (5·54-5·78%; pChina than in the central or western regions (all pChina has changed from highly endemic into intermediate endemic in the past two decades. However, the absolute number of HBV-infected men and the susceptible population is still very large. Chinese Association of Maternal and Child Health Studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Common mental disorders in adolescents: a population based cross-sectional study Transtornos mentais comuns em adolescentes: estudo transversal de base populacional

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Karen Amaral Tavares Pinheiro

2007-09-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence and the factors associated with common mental disorders among adolescents in Pelotas, a southern Brazilian city. METHOD: A population based cross-sectional study was carried out in the urban area of Pelotas. Multi-stage sampling was used to obtain a sample of adolescents aged between 15 and 18 years. Adolescents were interviewed using a self-report confidential questionnaire. The presence of common mental disorders was assessed using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire 20 (SRQ-20. Multivariate analysis was carried out using the Poisson regression with a robust adjustment of variance and control for design effect. RESULTS: Nine hundred and sixty adolescents were interviewed. The prevalence of common mental disorders was 28.8%. Adolescents aged 17 years showed prevalence of 1.37 (95% CI 1.06-1.78 times greater than the 15 year olds. Adolescents whose mothers had between 5 and 8 years of schooling had a prevalence 1.42 (95% CI 1.01-1.51 times greater than those whose mothers had more than 8 years of schooling. Smoking and sedentary behavior were also associated with an increased prevalence of common mental disorders. Those who were dissatisfied with their body image showed a prevalence of 1.47 (95% CI 1.07-2.02. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal schooling, tobacco smoking, sedentary behavior and body image dissatisfaction were factors associated with the presence of common mental disorders.OBJETIVO: Avaliar a prevalência e os fatores associados à presença de transtornos mentais comuns entre adolescentes em Pelotas, uma cidade do sul do Brasil. MÉTODO: Foi realizado um estudo transversal populacional na área urbana de Pelotas. Foi utilizada uma amostragem multi-etapas para obter uma amostra de adolescentes com idades entre 15 e 18 anos. Os adolescentes foram entrevistados utilizando um questionário confidencial auto-aplicável. A presença de transtornos mentais comuns foi avaliada utilizando o Self-Reporting Questionnaire

Disentangling the determinants of interest and willingness-to-pay for breast cancer susceptibility testing in the general population: a cross-sectional Web-based survey among women of Québec (Canada).

Science.gov (United States)

Blouin-Bougie, Jolyane; Amara, Nabil; Bouchard, Karine; Simard, Jacques; Dorval, Michel

2018-02-27

To identify common and specific individual factors that favour or impede women's interest in and willingness-to-pay (WTP) for breast cancer susceptibility testing (BCST) and to identify the most impactful factors on both outcome measures. This study used a self-administered cross-sectional Web-based questionnaire that included hypothetical scenarios about the availability of a new genetic test for breast cancer. French-speaking women of the general population of Québec (Canada), aged between 35 and 69 years, were identified from a Web-based panel (2410 met the selection criteria, 1160 were reached and 1031 completed the survey). The outcomes are the level of interest in and the range of WTP for BCST. Three categories of individual factors identified in the literature were used as potential explanatory factors, that is, demographic, clinical and psychosocial. Descriptive statistics indicated that the vast majority of sampled women are interested in BCST (90%). Among those, more than half of them are willing-to-pay for such a test (57%). The regression models pointed out several factors associated with both outcomes (eg, age, income, family history, locus of control-powerful others) and marginal effects were used to highlight the most impactful factors for each outcome. The results of this study provide a proxy of the readiness of women of the general population to use and to pay for BCST. They also offer insights for developing inclusive and specific strategies to foster informed decision-making and guide the services offered by health organisations corresponding to women's preferences and needs. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Cross-sectional relationship between haemoglobin concentration and measures of physical and cognitive function in an older rural South African population.

Science.gov (United States)

Payne, Collin F; Davies, Justine I; Gomez-Olive, F Xavier; Hands, Katherine J; Kahn, Kathleen; Kobayashi, Lindsay C; Tipping, Brent; Tollman, Stephen M; Wade, Alisha; Witham, Miles D

2018-04-21

Age cohort differences in haemoglobin concentrations and associations with physical and cognitive performance among populations of lower income and middle-income countries have not previously been described. We examined the association between these factors among older men and women in rural South Africa. We analysed cross-sectional data from a population-based study of rural South African men and women aged 40 and over (n=4499), with data drawn from questionnaire responses, a cognitive battery, objective physical function tests and blood tests. Anaemia was defined as a haemoglobin concentration age, grip strength, walk speed and a latent cognitive function z-score for men and women separately. We used unadjusted correlations and linear models to adjust for comorbidities and inflammation. In total, 1042 (43.0%) women and 833 (40.1%) men were anaemic. Haemoglobin concentrations were inversely correlated with age for men but not for women; in adjusted analyses, haemoglobin was 0.3 g/dL lower per decade older for men (95% CI 0.2 to 0.4 g/dL). In adjusted analyses, haemoglobin concentration was independently associated with grip strength in women (B=0.391, 95% CI 0.177 to 0.605), but this did not reach significance in men (B=0.266, 95% CI -0.019 to 0.552); no associations were observed between haemoglobin levels and walk speed or cognitive score. Anaemia was prevalent in this study population of middle-aged and older, rural South African adults, but in contrast to high-income countries, it was not associated with poor physical or cognitive function. Our findings need to be replicated in other populations. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Symptoms and biomarkers associated with celiac disease: evaluation of a population-based screening program in adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Kårhus, Line L; Thuesen, Betina H; Rumessen, Jüri J; Linneberg, Allan

2016-11-01

To identify possible early predictors (symptoms and biomarkers) of celiac disease, compare symptoms before and after screening, and evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of serologic screening for celiac disease in an adult Danish population. This cross-sectional population-based study was based on the 5-year follow-up of the Health2006 cohort, where 2297 individuals were screened for celiac disease; 56 were antibody positive and thus invited to clinical evaluation. Eight were diagnosed with biopsy-verified celiac disease. A follow-up questionnaire was sent to antibody-positive individuals 19 months after the clinical evaluation to obtain information on their symptoms and their experience with participation in the screening. Before screening, participants subsequently diagnosed with celiac disease did not differ from the rest of the population with respect to symptoms, but had significantly lower total cholesterol. Tissue transglutaminase IgA antibodies with a cut-off of 10 U/ml had a positive predictive value of 88%. The majority of participants were satisfied with their participation in the screening program. Individuals with celiac disease were generally satisfied with having been diagnosed and 71% felt better on a gluten-free diet. There were no differences in the prevalence of symptoms between participants with and without screening-detected celiac disease, confirming that risk stratification in a general population by symptoms is difficult. The majority of participants diagnosed with celiac disease felt better on a gluten-free diet despite not reporting abdominal symptoms before diagnosis and participants in the clinical evaluation were generally satisfied with participation in the screening program.

Hyperhomocysteinemia is independently associated with albuminuria in the population-based CoLaus study

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Paccaud Fred

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Increased serum levels of homocysteine and uric acid have each been associated with cardiovascular risk. We analyzed whether homocysteine and uric acid were associated with glomerular filtration rate (GFR and albuminuria independently of each other. We also investigated the association of MTHFR polymorphisms related to homocysteine with albuminuria to get further insight into causality. Methods This was a cross-sectional population-based study in Caucasians (n = 5913. Hyperhomocysteinemia was defined as total serum homocysteine ≥ 15 μmol/L. Albuminuria was defined as urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio > 30 mg/g. Results Uric acid was associated positively with homocysteine (r = 0.246 in men and r = 0.287 in women, P P for trend P P = 0.004 were significantly associated with albuminuria, independently of hypertension and type 2 diabetes. The 2-fold higher risk of albuminuria associated with hyperhomocysteinemia was similar to the risk associated with hypertension or diabetes. MTHFR alleles related to higher homocysteine were associated with increased risk of albuminuria. Conclusions In the general adult population, elevated serum homocysteine and uric acid were associated with albuminuria independently of each other and of renal function.

Development of a cross-section based stream package for MODFLOW

Science.gov (United States)

Ou, G.; Chen, X.; Irmak, A.

2012-12-01

Accurate simulation of stream-aquifer interactions for wide rivers using the streamflow routing package in MODFLOW is very challenging. To better represent a wide river spanning over multiple model grid cells, a Cross-Section based streamflow Routing (CSR) package is developed and incorporated into MODFLOW to simulate the interaction between streams and aquifers. In the CSR package, a stream segment is represented as a four-point polygon instead of a polyline which is traditionally used in streamflow routing simulation. Each stream segment is composed of upstream and downstream cross-sections. A cross-section consists of a number of streambed points possessing coordinates, streambed thicknesses and streambed hydraulic conductivities to describe the streambed geometry and hydraulic properties. The left and right end points are used to determine the locations of the stream segments. According to the cross-section geometry and hydraulic properties, CSR calculates the new stream stage at the cross-section using the Brent's method to solve the Manning's Equation. A module is developed to automatically compute the area of the stream segment polygon on each intersected MODFLOW grid cell as the upstream and downstream stages change. The stream stage and streambed hydraulic properties of model grids are interpolated based on the streambed points. Streambed leakage is computed as a function of streambed conductance and difference between the groundwater level and stream stage. The Muskingum-Cunge flow routing scheme with variable parameters is used to simulate the streamflow as the groundwater (discharge or recharge) contributes as lateral flows. An example is used to illustrate the capabilities of the CSR package. The result shows that the CSR is applicable to describing the spatial and temporal variation in the interaction between streams and aquifers. The input data become simple due to that the internal program automatically interpolates the cross-section data to each

Relationships of Dietary Histidine and Obesity in Northern Chinese Adults, an Internet-Based Cross-Sectional Study

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Yan-Chuan Li

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Our previous studies have demonstrated that histidine supplementation significantly ameliorates inflammation and oxidative stress in obese women and high-fat diet-induced obese rats. However, the effects of dietary histidine on general population are not known. The objective of this Internet-based cross-sectional study was to evaluate the associations between dietary histidine and prevalence of overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity in northern Chinese population. A total of 2376 participants were randomly recruited and asked to finish our Internet-based dietary questionnaire for the Chinese (IDQC. Afterwards, 88 overweight/obese participants were randomly selected to explore the possible mechanism. Compared with healthy controls, dietary histidine was significantly lower in overweight (p < 0.05 and obese (p < 0.01 participants of both sexes. Dietary histidine was inversely associated with body mass index (BMI, waist circumference (WC and blood pressure in overall population and stronger associations were observed in women and overweight/obese participants. Higher dietary histidine was associated with lower prevalence of overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity, especially in women. Further studies indicated that higher dietary histidine was associated with lower fasting blood glucose (FBG, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR, 2-h postprandial glucose (2 h-PG, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α, interleukin-1β (IL-1β, interleukin-6 (IL-6, C-reactive protein (CRP, malonaldehyde (MDA and vaspin and higher glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px, superoxide dismutase (SOD and adiponectin of overweight/obese individuals of both sexes. In conclusion, higher dietary histidine is inversely associated with energy intake, status of insulin resistance, inflammation and oxidative stress in overweight/obese participants and lower prevalence of overweight/obesity in northern Chinese adults.

Relationships of Dietary Histidine and Obesity in Northern Chinese Adults, an Internet-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan-Chuan; Li, Chun-Long; Qi, Jia-Yue; Huang, Li-Na; Shi, Dan; Du, Shan-Shan; Liu, Li-Yan; Feng, Ren-Nan; Sun, Chang-Hao

2016-07-11

Our previous studies have demonstrated that histidine supplementation significantly ameliorates inflammation and oxidative stress in obese women and high-fat diet-induced obese rats. However, the effects of dietary histidine on general population are not known. The objective of this Internet-based cross-sectional study was to evaluate the associations between dietary histidine and prevalence of overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity in northern Chinese population. A total of 2376 participants were randomly recruited and asked to finish our Internet-based dietary questionnaire for the Chinese (IDQC). Afterwards, 88 overweight/obese participants were randomly selected to explore the possible mechanism. Compared with healthy controls, dietary histidine was significantly lower in overweight (p obese (p Dietary histidine was inversely associated with body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and blood pressure in overall population and stronger associations were observed in women and overweight/obese participants. Higher dietary histidine was associated with lower prevalence of overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity, especially in women. Further studies indicated that higher dietary histidine was associated with lower fasting blood glucose (FBG), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), 2-h postprandial glucose (2 h-PG), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), malonaldehyde (MDA) and vaspin and higher glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and adiponectin of overweight/obese individuals of both sexes. In conclusion, higher dietary histidine is inversely associated with energy intake, status of insulin resistance, inflammation and oxidative stress in overweight/obese participants and lower prevalence of overweight/obesity in northern Chinese adults.

Occipito-atlanto-axial osteoarthritis: a cross sectional clinico-radiological prevalence study in high risk and general population.

Science.gov (United States)

Badve, Siddharth A; Bhojraj, Shekhar; Nene, Abhay; Raut, Abhijit; Ramakanthan, Ravi

2010-02-15

A cross-sectional clinico-radiologic evaluation of occipito-atlantoaxial (OC1C2) region of 2 population groups. Determine the prevalence of OC1C2 osteoarthritis in porters involved in carrying loads on the head and general male population. Describe its clinico-radiologic manifestations. In addition to age, head loading is a known cause of degeneration affecting the occipito-cervical region. The impact of head loading in the population aged between third and sixth decade is unknown. Head loading is a common custom in the developing countries. Study group (n = 107) included randomly selected male porters from railway stations who underwent computed tomography (CT) study of the OC1C2 region, plain radiographs of the cervical spine and detailed clinical examination. Control group (n = 107) included randomly selected male patients undergoing CT scan study for diseases of paranasal sinuses with coincidental screening of OC1C2 region along with clinical assessment. The data were analyzed using SPSS 15 software. Mean age for study group was 32.6 years and controls was 34.6 years (P = 0.156). In the study group, duration of occupational exposure was 10.9 (+/-8.7) years; 81.3% porters being symptomatic with an age of 33.4 (+/-9.6) years. Radiologic prevalence of OC1C2 osteoarthritis in study group was 91.6% and in control group was 6.8%; age of affected individuals was 33.4 (+/-9.3) and 47.9 (+/-8.0) years, respectively. Most common complaint was suboccipital neck pain (69.7%); while the CT finding was decreased joint space with sclerosis and irregularity of the margins (81.3%). No statistically significant association was found between presence of radiologic changes and symptoms. Age, duration of occupational exposure and its relationship with various clinico-radiologic manifestations was studied. This condition has significant prevalence in porters, beginning at an early age. Diagnosis is based on the clinico-radiologic presentation. CT is the investigation of choice

Tuberculosis burden in an urban population: a cross sectional tuberculosis survey from Guinea Bissau

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjerregaard-Andersen, Morten; da Silva, Zacarias J; Ravn, Pernille

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in low income countries. We conducted a cross sectional survey for pulmonary TB and TB symptoms in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau, in an urban cohort with known HIV prevalence. TB surveillance in the area is routinely based...

Associations between bone mineral density and subclinical atherosclerosis: a cross-sectional study of a Chinese population.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Dong-Ke; Bai, Xiao-Juan; Wu, Bing; Han, Lu-Lu; Wang, Xiao-Nan; Yang, Jun; Chen, Xiang-Mei

2014-02-01

The significance of associations between bone mineral density (BMD) and atherosclerosis in the Asian population is less clear. The aim of this study was to explore the population-level associations between BMD and subclinical atherosclerosis. This was a community-based cross-sectional study conducted in Shenyang, China. A total of 385 Chinese women and men aged 37-87 years were studied. The BMD was measured at the total hip and lumbar spine using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. The ankle-brachial index (ABI), pulse wave velocity (PWV), and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) were measured to assess atherosclerosis. Multiple regression analysis was applied to study the associations. Multicolinearity was examined using the variance inflation factor, condition index, and variance proportions. Factor analysis and principal component regression were used to remove the problem of multicolinearity. The differences of ABI, PWV, and CIMT among the normal BMD, osteopenia, and osteoporosis groups were not found. Total hip BMD was correlated with ABI in women after adjustment for age (r = 0.156). Sex-specific regression models included adjustment for age, body mass index, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, menopausal status (women), systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, serum uric acid, estimated glomerular filtration rate, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and fibrinogen. Total hip BMD was associated with ABI in women after adjustment for age (per SD decrease in ABI: -0.130 g/cm(2), P = .022), but the association was borderline significant after full adjustment (P = .045). Total hip BMD and lumbar spine BMD were not associated with ABI, PWV, and CIMT after full adjustment in participants without a fracture history. The risk of osteoporosis was not associated with ABI, PWV, and CIMT. Low BMD is not associated with

Approaching application of risk-based inspection to ASME code section XI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hedden, Owen F.

1995-01-01

This paper will describe current efforts within the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Committee's Subcommittee on Nuclear Inservice Inspection to introduce risk-based technology to optimize inservice inspection of nuclear power plants. The subcommittee is responsible for the content of ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section XI, Rules for Inservice Inspection of Nuclear Power Plant Components. The paper will first provide the historical background for the inspection program currently in Section XI. It will then describe the development of new technology through the ASME Center for Research and Technology Development program. Next, the work now going on in two of the groups under the Section XI committee will be described in detail. Each of these two efforts is directed toward the application of new risk-based inspection technology to nuclear piping systems. Finally, the directions of additional research and applications of the technology will be discussed. (author)

Sleep quality and health service utilization in Chinese general population: a cross-sectional study in Dongguan, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hui-Shan; Mai, Yan-Bing; Li, Wei-Da; Xi, Wen-Tao; Wang, Jin-Ming; Lei, Yi-Xiong; Wang, Pei-Xi

The aims of this study were to explore the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and health service utilization in Chinese general population, to investigate the association between PSQI and health service utilization and to identify the independent contributions of social demographic variables, health related factors and PSQI to health service utilization. In a cross-sectional community-based health survey using a multi-instrument questionnaire, 4067 subjects (≥15 years old) were studied. The Chinese version of the PSQI was used to assess sleep quality. Health service utilization was measured by recent two-week physician visit and annual hospitalization rates. Higher PSQI scores were associated with more frequent health service utilization. Higher scores in subjective sleep quality were associated with higher rate of recent two-week physician visit (adjusted OR = 1.24 per SD increase, P = 0.015). Higher scores in habitual sleep efficiency (adjusted OR = 1.24 per SD increase, P = 0.038) and sleep disturbances (adjusted OR = 2.09 per SD increase, P quality predicted more frequent health service utilization. The independent contribution of PSQI on health service utilization was smaller than social demographic variables. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis: prevalence and association with low back pain in the adult community-based population

Science.gov (United States)

Kalichman, Leonid; Kim, David H.; Li, Ling; Guermazi, Ali; Berkin, Valery; Hunter, David J.

2013-01-01

Study Design Cross-sectional study. Objectives 1) to determine prevalence rates of spondylolysis, isthmic and degenerative spondylolisthesis in an unselected adult community-based population; 2) to evaluate the association of spondylolysis, isthmic and degenerative spondylolisthesis with low back pain (LBP). Summary of Background Data Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis are prevalent in the general population; however the relationship between these conditions and LBP is controversial. Methods This study was an ancillary project to the Framingham Heart Study. A sample of 3529 participants of the Framingham Heart Study aged 40–80 years underwent multi-detector CT imaging to assess aortic calcification. 188 individuals were consecutively enrolled in this study to assess radiographic features potentially associated with LBP. The occurrence of LBP in the preceding 12 months was evaluated using a self-report questionnaire. The presence of spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis was characterized by CT imaging. We used multiple logistic regression models to examine the association between spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis and LBP, while adjusting for gender, age and BMI. Results 21 study subjects demonstrated spondylolysis on CT imaging. The male-to-female ratio was approximately 3:1. 21% of subjects with bilateral spondylolytic defects demonstrated no measurable spondylolisthesis. The male-to-female ratio of degenerative spondylolisthesis was 1:3, and the prevalence of degenerative spondylolisthesis increased from the fifth through eight decades of life. 38 subjects (20.4%) reported significant LBP. No significant association was identified between spondylolysis, isthmic spondylolisthesis, or degenerative spondylolisthesis, and the occurrence of LBP. Conclusions Based on CT imaging of an unselected community-based population, the prevalence of lumbar spondylolysis is 11.5%, nearly twice the prevalence of previous plain radiograph-based studies. This study did not reveal a

Application of a dynamic population-based model for evaluation of exposure reduction strategies in the baking industry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijster, T.; Warren, N.; Heederik, D.; Tielemans, E.

2009-01-01

Recently a dynamic population model was developed that simulates a population of bakery workers longitudinally through time and tracks the development of work-related sensitisation and respiratory symptoms in each worker. Input for this model comes from cross-sectional and longitudinal

Sociodemographic characteristics and frequency of consuming home-cooked meals and meals from out-of-home sources: cross-sectional analysis of a population-based cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mills, Susanna; Adams, Jean; Wrieden, Wendy; White, Martin; Brown, Heather

2018-04-11

To identify sociodemographic characteristics associated with frequency of consuming home-cooked meals and meals from out-of-home sources. Cross-sectional analysis of a population-based cohort study. Frequency of consuming home-cooked meals, ready meals, takeaways and meals out were derived from a participant questionnaire. Sociodemographic characteristics regarding sex, age, ethnicity, working overtime and socio-economic status (SES; measured by household income, educational attainment, occupational status and employment status) were self-reported. Sociodemographic differences in higher v. lower meal consumption frequency were explored using logistic regression, adjusted for other key sociodemographic variables. Cambridgeshire, UK. Fenland Study participants (n 11 326), aged 29-64 years at baseline. Eating home-cooked meals more frequently was associated with being female, older, of higher SES (measured by greater educational attainment and household income) and not working overtime. Being male was associated with a higher frequency of consumption for all out-of-home meal types. Consuming takeaways more frequently was associated with lower SES (measured by lower educational attainment and household income), whereas eating out more frequently was associated with higher SES (measured by greater educational attainment and household income) and working overtime. Sociodemographic characteristics associated with frequency of eating meals from different out-of-home sources varied according to meal source. Findings may be used to target public health policies and interventions for promoting healthier diets and dietary-related health towards people consuming home-cooked meals less frequently, such as men, those with lower educational attainment and household income, and overtime workers.

Concerned significant others of people with gambling problems in Finland: a cross-sectional population study.

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Salonen, Anne H; Castrén, Sari; Alho, Hannu; Lahti, Tuuli

2014-04-24

Problem gambling not only impacts those directly involved, but also the concerned significant others (CSOs) of problem gamblers. The aims of this study were to investigate the proportion of male and female CSOs at the population level; to investigate who the CSOs were concerned about; and to investigate sociodemographic factors, gender differences, gambling behaviour, and health and well-being among CSOs and non-CSOs. The data (n = 4484) were based on a cross-sectional population study. Structured telephone interviews were conducted in 2011-2012. The data were weighted based on age, gender and residency. The respondents were defined as CSOs if they reported that at least one of their significant others (father, mother, sister/brother, grandparent, spouse, own child/children, close friend) had had gambling problems. Statistical significance was determined by chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests, and logistic regression analysis. Altogether, 19.3% of the respondents were identified as CSOs. Most commonly, the problem gambler was a close friend (12.4%) of the CSO. The percentage of close friends having a gambling problem was larger among male CSOs (14.4%) compared with female CSOs (10.3%; p ≤ 0.001), while the percentage of partners with gambling problem was larger among females (2.6%) than among males (0.8%; p ≤ 0.001). In the best fitting model, the odds ratio (95% CI) of being a male CSO was 2.03 (1.24-3.31) for past-year gambling problems, 1.46 (1.08-1.97) for loneliness and 1.78 (1.38-2.29) for risky alcohol consumption. The odds ratio (95% CI) of being a female CSO was 1.51 (1.09-2.08) for past-year gambling involvement, 3.05 (1.18-7.90) for past-year gambling problems, 2.21 (1.24-3.93) for mental health problems, 1.39 (1.03-1.89) for loneliness and 1.97 (1.43-2.71) for daily smoking. CSOs of problem gamblers often experience cumulating problems such as their own risky gambling behaviour, health problems and other addictive disorders. The

The international performance of healthcare systems in population health: capabilities of pooled cross-sectional time series methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Reibling, Nadine

2013-09-01

This paper outlines the capabilities of pooled cross-sectional time series methodology for the international comparison of health system performance in population health. It shows how common model specifications can be improved so that they not only better address the specific nature of time series data on population health but are also more closely aligned with our theoretical expectations of the effect of healthcare systems. Three methodological innovations for this field of applied research are discussed: (1) how dynamic models help us understand the timing of effects, (2) how parameter heterogeneity can be used to compare performance across countries, and (3) how multiple imputation can be used to deal with incomplete data. We illustrate these methodological strategies with an analysis of infant mortality rates in 21 OECD countries between 1960 and 2008 using OECD Health Data. Copyright © 2013 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The Potential Impact of Internet and Mobile Use on Headache and Other Somatic Symptoms in Adolescence. A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

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Cerutti, Rita; Presaghi, Fabio; Spensieri, Valentina; Valastro, Carmela; Guidetti, Vincenzo

2016-07-01

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine whether migraine or tension-type headaches are associated with abuse of the internet and/or mobile phones and to explore whether headache and the abuse of the two technologies are associated with sleep disturbances and other self-reported somatic symptoms. In the last several years, estimates indicate the increasing pervasiveness of the internet and other technologies in the lives of young people, highlighting the impact on well-being. A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted between February 2013 and June 2014. The initial sample was composed of 1004 Italian students (aged 10-16 years) recruited within public middle schools not randomly selected in central Italy. The final convenience sample consisted of 841 students (Males = 51.1%; Females = 48.9%) who were included in the analysis. Data were collected using self-reported measures. Headache was reported by 28.0% of the total sample. A significant relationship was determined with gender (χ(2) (1) = 7.78, P phone categories (headache was, respectively, the 26% in no abusers, the 30% in internet abusers, the 29% in mobile abusers, and the 29% in internet and mobile abusers, P = .86). Additionally, also by excluding the no headache group, the relationship between the two groups of headache (migraine and tension type headache) and the abuse of media (tension type headache was the 31% in no abusers, the 43% in internet abusers, the 49% in mobile abusers, and the 29% in internet and mobile abusers) is not statistically significant (P = .06). No significant relationship emerged between headache and the internet and mobile phone addiction groups (headache was the 28% in no addiction group, the 35% in mobile addiction group, the 25% of internet addiction group, and the 28% in mobile and internet addiction group, P = .57) as well as no significant relationship was found when only the different headache types were considered

Prevalence and factors associated with neck pain: a population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Genebra, Caio Vitor Dos Santos; Maciel, Nicoly Machado; Bento, Thiago Paulo Frascareli; Simeão, Sandra Fiorelli Almeida Penteado; Vitta, Alberto De

Neck pain is a musculoskeletal condition with high prevalence that may affect the physical, social, and psychological aspects of the individual, contributing to the increase in costs in society and business. To determine the prevalence of neck pain and associated factors in a population-based sample of adults aged 20 and more. Cross-sectional study based on a population survey. A total number of 600 individuals were interviewed in their homes, and the following data were collected: (1) participant characteristics (demographic, socioeconomic, and work-related aspects) using a pre-coded questionnaire; (2) physical activity level using the IPAQ; and (3) musculoskeletal symptoms using the Nordic questionnaire. Descriptive, bivariate, and Poisson regression analyses were performed. The prevalence of neck pain was 20.3% (95% CI 17.3-23.7). The adjusted analyses showed that individuals who were widowers or separated (PR=2.26; 1.42-5.88), had a low income (PR=1.32; 1.22-6.27) or low educational level (PR=1.83; 1.02-5.26), worked while sitting and leaning (PR=1.55; 1.08-2.40), and who reported having two or more diseases (PR=1.71; 1.55-6.31) remained associated with neck pain. This study reveals the high prevalence of neck pain and remarkable association with widowed/separated people who have low income and low educational level, who perform their occupational activities in sitting and leaning positions, and who reported having two or more diseases. Knowledge of these risk factors will contribute to the development of forms of assistance in which neck pain can be prevented and better managed. Copyright © 2017 Associação Brasileira de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação em Fisioterapia. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Migraine and Mental Health in a Population-Based Sample of Adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Orr, Serena L; Potter, Beth K; Ma, Jinhui; Colman, Ian

2017-01-01

To explore the relationship between migraine and anxiety disorders, mood disorders and perceived mental health in a population-based sample of adolescents. The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) is a cross-sectional health survey sampling a nationally representative group of Canadians. In this observational study, data on all 61,375 participants aged 12-19 years from six survey cycles were analyzed. The relationships between self-reported migraine, perceived mental health, and mood/anxiety disorders were modeled using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. The migraine-depression association was also explored in a subset of participants using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview-Short Form (CIDI-SF) depression scale. The odds of migraine were higher among those with mood disorders, with the strongest association in 2011-2 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=4.59; 95% confidence interval [CI 95%]=3.44-6.12), and the weakest in 2009-10 (aOR=3.06, CI 95%=2.06-4.55). The migraine-mood disorders association was also significant throughout all cycles, other than 2011-2, when the CIDI-SF depression scale was employed. The odds of migraine were higher among those with anxiety disorders, with the strongest association in 2011-2 (aOR=4.21, CI 95%=3.31-5.35) and the weakest in 2010 (aOR=1.87, CI 95%=1.10-3.37). The inverse association between high perceived mental health and the odds of migraine was observed in all CCHS cycles, with the strongest association in 2011-2 (aOR=0.58, CI 95%=0.48-0.69) and the weakest in 2003-4 (aOR=0.75, CI 95%=0.62-0.91). This study provides evidence, derived from a large population-based sample of adolescents, for a link between migraine and mood/anxiety disorders.

The contribution of travel-related urban zones, cycling and pedestrian networks and green space to commuting physical activity among adults - a cross-sectional population-based study using geographical information systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Mäki-Opas, Tomi E; Borodulin, Katja; Valkeinen, Heli; Stenholm, Sari; Kunst, Anton E; Abel, Thomas; Härkänen, Tommi; Kopperoinen, Leena; Itkonen, Pekka; Prättälä, Ritva; Karvonen, Sakari; Koskinen, Seppo

2016-08-11

The current political agenda aims to promote active environments and physical activity while commuting to work, but research on it has provided mixed results. This study examines whether the proximity of green space and people's residence in different travel-related urban zones contributes to commuting physical activity. Population-based cross-sectional health examination survey, Health 2011 study, and geographical information system (GIS) data were utilized. The GIS data on green space and travel-related urban zones were linked to the individuals of the Health 2011 study, based on their home geocoordinates. Commuting physical activity was self-reported. Logistic regression models were applied, and age, gender, education, leisure-time and occupational physical activity were adjusted. Analyses were limited to those of working age, living in the core-urban areas of Finland and having completed information on commuting physical activity (n = 2 098). Home location in a pedestrian zone of a main centre (odds ratio = 1.63; 95 % confidence interval = 1.06-2.51) or a pedestrian zone of a sub-centre (2.03; 1.09-3.80) and higher proportion of cycling and pedestrian networks (3.28; 1.71-6.31) contributed to higher levels of commuting physical activity. The contribution remained after adjusting for all the environmental attributes and individuals. Based on interaction analyses, women living in a public transport zone were almost two times more likely to be physically active while commuting compared to men. A high proportion of recreational green space contributed negatively to the levels of commuting physical activity (0.73; 0.57-0.94) after adjusting for several background factors. Based on interaction analyses, individuals aged from 44 to 54 years and living in sub-centres, men living in pedestrian zones of sub-centres, and those individuals who are physically inactive during leisure-time were less likely to be physically active while commuting. Good pedestrian

Burden of chronic kidney disease in resource-limited settings from Peru: a population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Francis, Elizabeth R; Kuo, Chin-Chi; Bernabe-Ortiz, Antonio; Nessel, Lisa; Gilman, Robert H; Checkley, William; Miranda, J Jaime; Feldman, Harold I

2015-07-24

The silent progression of chronic kidney diseases (CKD) and its association with other chronic diseases, and high treatment costs make it a great public health concern worldwide. The population burden of CKD in Peru has yet to be fully described. We completed a cross sectional study of CKD prevalence among 404 participants (total study population median age 54.8 years, 50.2 % male) from two sites, highly-urbanized Lima and less urbanized Tumbes, who were enrolled in the population-based CRONICAS Cohort Study of cardiopulmonary health in Peru. Factors potentially associated with the presence of CKD were explored using Poisson regression, a statistical methodology used to determine prevalence ratios. In total, 68 participants (16.8 %, 95 % CI 13.5-20.9 %) met criteria for CKD: 60 (14.9%) with proteinuria, four (1%) with eGFR diabetes and hypertension was 19.1 % and 42.7 %, respectively. After multivariable adjustment, CKD was associated with older age, female sex, greater wealth tertile (although all wealth strata were below the poverty line), residence in Lima, and presence of diabetes and hypertension. The high prevalence rates of CKD identified in Lima and Tumbes are similar to estimates from high-income settings. These findings highlight the need to identify occult CKD and implement strategies to prevent disease progression and secondary morbidity.

An agent-based computational model for tuberculosis spreading on age-structured populations

Science.gov (United States)

Graciani Rodrigues, C. C.; Espíndola, Aquino L.; Penna, T. J. P.

2015-06-01

In this work we present an agent-based computational model to study the spreading of the tuberculosis (TB) disease on age-structured populations. The model proposed is a merge of two previous models: an agent-based computational model for the spreading of tuberculosis and a bit-string model for biological aging. The combination of TB with the population aging, reproduces the coexistence of health states, as seen in real populations. In addition, the universal exponential behavior of mortalities curves is still preserved. Finally, the population distribution as function of age shows the prevalence of TB mostly in elders, for high efficacy treatments.

Prevalence and pattern of radiographic intervertebral disc degeneration in Vietnamese: a population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho-Pham, Lan T; Lai, Thai Q; Mai, Linh D; Doan, Minh C; Pham, Hoa N; Nguyen, Tuan V

2015-06-01

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is one of the most common skeletal disorders, yet few data are available in Asian populations. We sought to assess the prevalence and pattern of radiographic IDD in a Vietnamese population. This population-based cross-sectional investigation involved 170 men and 488 women aged ≥40 years, who were randomly sampled from the Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam). Anthropometric data, clinical history and self-reported back and neck pain were ascertained by a questionnaire. Plain radiographs (from the cervical spine, thoracic spine to the lumbar spine) were examined for the presence of disc space narrowing and/or osteophytosis using the Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grading system. The presence of radiographic IDD was defined if the KL grade was 2 or greater in at least one disc. The prevalence of radiographic IDD was 62.4% (n = 106) in men and 54.7% (n = 267) in women. The most frequently affected site was the lumbar spine with prevalence being 50.6 and 43.2% in men and women, respectively. The prevalence of IDD increased with advancing age: 18.8% among those aged 40-49 years, and increased to 83.4% in those aged ≥60 years. Self-reported neck pain and lower back pain were found in 30 and 44% of individuals, respectively. There was no statistically significant association between self-reported neck pain and cervical spine OA. These data suggest that radiographic IDD is highly prevalent in the Vietnamese population, and that self-reported back pain is not a sensitive indicator of IDD.

Psychiatric morbidity, quality of life, and perceived social support among elderly population: a community-based study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pallavi Kwan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The growth in the elderly population means an inevitable increase in general physical health, psychobiological and mental health-related problems. Aim of the study: The present study aims to examine psychiatric morbidity, quality of life, and perceived social support among elderly population. Research design: A cross-sectional community-based study was conducted. People in age group of 60 years and above, who were permanent members of their respective households of Ranga Pukri Para and Dekargaon village in Tezpur, Sonitpur district of Assam, were the sample for the present study. One thousand four hundred and ninety adult populations had been identified as sample frame from the electorate list. One hundred and four people of age 60 years and above had been identified from the list for the study purpose. Random sampling method was used for selection of the sample. Semi-structured socio-demographic datasheet, General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12, CAGE questionnaire, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF scale were administered to the respondents. Results: Based on the GHQ-12 score, it was found that 24% of the respondents showed an indication of mental health problems and from the CAGE score, it indicated that 13% of the respondents were found to be misusing or was in dependence in alcohol. The result from the present study indicated that elderly population was getting more family social support, followed by friends and from significant others. The result indicated that the mean score was low in the domain of social relationships. Environment domain was high followed by physical health and psychological domains of WHOQOL-BREF. Conclusion: In the elderly population, overall health can be influenced by multiple factors, including a person’s physical, psychological, behavioural, and social factors. The mental health professionals can provide resources, services

Rheumatic Disease among Oklahoma Tribal Populations: A Cross-Sectional Study

Science.gov (United States)

Gaddy, Jasmine R.; Vista, Evan S.; Robertson, Julie M.; Dedeke, Amy B.; Roberts, Virginia C.; Klein, Wendy S.; Levin, Jeremy H.; Mota, Fabio H.; Cooper, Tina M.; Grim, Gloria A.; Khan, Sohail; James, Judith A.

2012-01-01

Objectives Rheumatic diseases cause significant morbidity within American Indian populations. Clinical disease presentations, as well as historically associated autoantibodies, are not always useful in making a rapid diagnosis or assessing prognosis. The purpose of this study is to identify autoantibody associations among Oklahoma tribal populations with rheumatic disease. Methods Oklahoma tribal members (110 rheumatic disease patients and 110 controls) were enrolled at tribal-based clinics. Rheumatic disease patients (suspected or confirmed diagnosis) were assessed by a rheumatologist for clinical features, disease criteria, and activity measures. Blood samples were collected and tested for common rheumatic disease autoantibodies (ANA, anti-CCP, anti-RF, anti-Ro, anti-La, anti-Sm, anti-nRNP, anti-Ribosomal P, anti-dsDNA, and anti-cardiolipins). Results In patients with suspected systemic rheumatic diseases, 72% satisfied ACR classification: 40 (36%) rheumatoid arthritis, 16 (15%) systemic lupus erythematosus, 8 (7%) scleroderma, 8 (7%) osteoarthritis, 4 (4%) fibromyalgia, 2 (2%) seronegative spondyloarthropathy, 1 Sjogrens syndrome, and 1 sarcoidosis. When compared to controls, RA patient sera were more likely to contain anti-CCP (55% vs 2%, pdisease activity scores (DAS28 5.6 vs 4.45, p=0.021) while anti-RF positivity did not (DAS28 5.36 vs 4.64, p=0.15). Anticardiolipin antibodies (25% or rheumatic disease paitents vs 10% of contros,; p=0.0022) and ANA (63% vs 21%, prheumatic disease patients. Conclusion Anti-CCP may serve as a better RA biomarker in AI patients, while the clinical significance of increased frequency of aCLs needs further evaluation. PMID:22896022

Calcium intake by adolescents: a population-based health survey.

Science.gov (United States)

de Assumpção, Daniela; Dias, Marcia Regina Messaggi Gomes; de Azevedo Barros, Marilisa Berti; Fisberg, Regina Mara; de Azevedo Barros Filho, Antonio

2016-01-01

To analyze calcium intake in adolescents according to sociodemographic variables, health-related behaviors, morbidities, and body mass index. This was a cross-sectional population-based study, with a two-stage cluster sampling that used data from a survey conducted in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil, between 2008 and 2009. Food intake was assessed using a 24-hour dietary recall. The study included 913 adolescents aged 10-19 years. Average nutrient intake was significantly lower in the segment with lower education of the head of the family and lower per capita family income, in individuals from other cities or states, those who consumed fruit less than four times a week, those who did not drink milk daily, those who were smokers, and those who reported the occurrence of headaches and dizziness. Higher mean calcium intake was found in individuals that slept less than seven hours a day. The prevalence of calcium intake below the recommendation was 88.6% (95% CI: 85.4-91.2). The results alert to an insufficient calcium intake and suggest that certain subgroups of adolescents need specific strategies to increase the intake of this nutrient. Copyright © 2015 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Morphing Wing Structural Optimization Using Opposite-Based Population-Based Incremental Learning and Multigrid Ground Elements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Sleesongsom

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper has twin aims. Firstly, a multigrid design approach for optimization of an unconventional morphing wing is proposed. The structural design problem is assigned to optimize wing mass, lift effectiveness, and buckling factor subject to structural safety requirements. Design variables consist of partial topology, nodal positions, and component sizes of a wing internal structure. Such a design process can be accomplished by using multiple resolutions of ground elements, which is called a multigrid approach. Secondly, an opposite-based multiobjective population-based incremental learning (OMPBIL is proposed for comparison with the original multiobjective population-based incremental learning (MPBIL. Multiobjective design problems with single-grid and multigrid design variables are then posed and tackled by OMPBIL and MPBIL. The results show that using OMPBIL in combination with a multigrid design approach is the best design strategy. OMPBIL is superior to MPBIL since the former provides better population diversity. Aeroelastic trim for an elastic morphing wing is also presented.

The Population Activist's Handbook.

Science.gov (United States)

Population Inst., Washington, DC.

This handbook is a guide to effective action strategies on dealing with overpopulation. Divided into five sections, the book outlines programs, suggests references, and lists resources that are helpful for thinking and for planning action on population issues. Section one focuses on strategies to change the current population policy choices made…

Population Profile of the United States: 1976. Current Population Reports, Population Characteristics, Series P-20, No. 307.

Science.gov (United States)

Bureau of the Census (DOC), Suitland, MD. Population Div.

This booklet summarizes population characteristics of the United States for 1976. A preliminary section of highlights reviews trends in five areas: population growth, social characteristics, population distribution, employment and income, and ethnic groups. The birth rate has declined, and the rate of childlessness has risen. This probably is due…

Transgender Population Size in the United States: a Meta-Regression of Population-Based Probability Samples

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Sevelius, Jae M.

2017-01-01

Background. Transgender individuals have a gender identity that differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. The population size of transgender individuals in the United States is not well-known, in part because official records, including the US Census, do not include data on gender identity. Population surveys today more often collect transgender-inclusive gender-identity data, and secular trends in culture and the media have created a somewhat more favorable environment for transgender people. Objectives. To estimate the current population size of transgender individuals in the United States and evaluate any trend over time. Search methods. In June and July 2016, we searched PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Web of Science for national surveys, as well as “gray” literature, through an Internet search. We limited the search to 2006 through 2016. Selection criteria. We selected population-based surveys that used probability sampling and included self-reported transgender-identity data. Data collection and analysis. We used random-effects meta-analysis to pool eligible surveys and used meta-regression to address our hypothesis that the transgender population size estimate would increase over time. We used subsample and leave-one-out analysis to assess for bias. Main results. Our meta-regression model, based on 12 surveys covering 2007 to 2015, explained 62.5% of model heterogeneity, with a significant effect for each unit increase in survey year (F = 17.122; df = 1,10; b = 0.026%; P = .002). Extrapolating these results to 2016 suggested a current US population size of 390 adults per 100 000, or almost 1 million adults nationally. This estimate may be more indicative for younger adults, who represented more than 50% of the respondents in our analysis. Authors’ conclusions. Future national surveys are likely to observe higher numbers of transgender people. The large variety in questions used to ask

The national burden of cerebrovascular diseases in Spain: a population-based study using disability-adjusted life years.

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Catalá-López, Ferrán; Fernández de Larrea-Baz, Nerea; Morant-Ginestar, Consuelo; Álvarez-Martín, Elena; Díaz-Guzmán, Jaime; Gènova-Maleras, Ricard

2015-04-20

The aim of the present study was to determine the national burden of cerebrovascular diseases in the adult population of Spain. Cross-sectional, descriptive population-based study. We calculated the disability-adjusted life years (DALY) metric using country-specific data from national statistics and epidemiological studies to obtain representative outcomes for the Spanish population. DALYs were divided into years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLLs) and years of life lived with disability (YLDs). DALYs were estimated for the year 2008 by applying demographic structure by sex and age-groups, cause-specific mortality, morbidity data and new disability weights proposed in the recent Global Burden of Disease study. In the base case, neither YLLs nor YLDs were discounted or age-weighted. Uncertainty around DALYs was tested using sensitivity analyses. In Spain, cerebrovascular diseases generated 418,052 DALYs, comprising 337,000 (80.6%) YLLs and 81,052 (19.4%) YLDs. This accounts for 1,113 DALYs per 100,000 population (men: 1,197 and women: 1,033) and 3,912 per 100,000 in those over the age of 65 years (men: 4,427 and women: 2,033). Depending on the standard life table and choice of social values used for calculation, total DALYs varied by 15.3% and 59.9% below the main estimate. Estimates provided here represent a comprehensive analysis of the burden of cerebrovascular diseases at a national level. Prevention and control programmes aimed at reducing the disease burden merit further priority in Spain. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The Link of Self-Reported Insomnia Symptoms and Sleep Duration with Metabolic Syndrome: A Chinese Population-Based Study.

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Lin, Shih-Chieh; Sun, Chien-An; You, San-Lin; Hwang, Lee-Ching; Liang, Chun-Yu; Yang, Tsan; Bai, Chyi-Huey; Chen, Chien-Hua; Wei, Cheng-Yu; Chou, Yu-Ching

2016-06-01

The aims of this study are to investigate the relationships of metabolic syndrome (MetS) with insomnia symptoms and sleep duration in a Chinese adult population. Data from a nationwide epidemiological survey conducted on residents from randomly selected districts in Taiwan in 2007 were used for this cross-sectional population-based study. A total of 4,197 participants were included in this study. Insomnia symptoms, including difficulty initiating sleep (DIS), difficulty maintaining sleep (DMS), early morning awakening (EMA), were assessed using the Insomnia Self-Assessment Inventory questionnaire. Subjects were divided into 3 groups based upon their reported sleep duration (insomnia symptoms (OR [95% CI] was 1.54 [1.05-2.47]). However, there was no significant combined effect of insomnia symptoms and sleep duration on the prevalence of MetS. The current investigation shows that short sleep duration and insomnia symptoms, specifically DIS and DMS, were significant correlates of MetS. These findings should be replicated in prospective studies using both sleep duration and sleep quality measures. © 2016 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Accelerated load testing of geosynthetic base reinforced pavement test sections.

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2011-02-01

The main objective of this research is to evaluate the benefits of geosynthetic stabilization and reinforcement of subgrade/base aggregate layers in flexible pavements built on weak subgrades and the effect of pre-rut pavement sections, prior to the ...

Number of siblings, birth order, and childhood overweight: a population-based cross-sectional study in Japan

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Ochiai Hirotaka

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although several studies have investigated the relationship between the number of siblings or birth order and childhood overweight, the results are inconsistent. In addition, little is known about the impact of having older or younger siblings on overweight among elementary schoolchildren. The present population-based study investigated the relationship of the number of siblings and birth order with childhood overweight and evaluated the impact of having younger or older siblings on childhood overweight among elementary schoolchildren in Japan. Methods Subjects comprised fourth-grade schoolchildren (age, 9–10 years in Ina Town during 1999–2009. Information about subjects’ sex, age, birth weight, birth order, number of siblings, lifestyle, and parents’ age, height, and weight was collected by a self-administered questionnaire, while measurements of subjects’ height and weight were done at school. Childhood overweight was defined according to age- and sex-specific cut-off points proposed by the International Obesity Task Force. A logistic regression model was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI of "number of siblings" or "birth order" for overweight. Results Data from 4026 children were analyzed. Only children (OR: 2.13, 95% CI: 1.45-3.14 and youngest children (1.56, 1.13-2.16 significantly increased ORs for overweight compared with middle children. A larger number of siblings decreased the OR for overweight (P for trend P for trend  Conclusions Being an only or youngest child was associated with childhood overweight, and having a larger number of younger siblings was negatively associated with overweight. The present study suggests that public health interventions to prevent childhood overweight need to focus on children from these family backgrounds.

Number of siblings, birth order, and childhood overweight: a population-based cross-sectional study in Japan.

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Ochiai, Hirotaka; Shirasawa, Takako; Ohtsu, Tadahiro; Nishimura, Rimei; Morimoto, Aya; Obuchi, Ritsuko; Hoshino, Hiromi; Tajima, Naoko; Kokaze, Akatsuki

2012-09-11

Although several studies have investigated the relationship between the number of siblings or birth order and childhood overweight, the results are inconsistent. In addition, little is known about the impact of having older or younger siblings on overweight among elementary schoolchildren. The present population-based study investigated the relationship of the number of siblings and birth order with childhood overweight and evaluated the impact of having younger or older siblings on childhood overweight among elementary schoolchildren in Japan. Subjects comprised fourth-grade schoolchildren (age, 9-10 years) in Ina Town during 1999-2009. Information about subjects' sex, age, birth weight, birth order, number of siblings, lifestyle, and parents' age, height, and weight was collected by a self-administered questionnaire, while measurements of subjects' height and weight were done at school. Childhood overweight was defined according to age- and sex-specific cut-off points proposed by the International Obesity Task Force. A logistic regression model was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of "number of siblings" or "birth order" for overweight. Data from 4026 children were analyzed. Only children (OR: 2.13, 95% CI: 1.45-3.14) and youngest children (1.56, 1.13-2.16) significantly increased ORs for overweight compared with middle children. A larger number of siblings decreased the OR for overweight (P for trend < 0.001). Although there was no statistically significant relationship between a larger number of older siblings and overweight, a larger number of younger siblings resulted in a lower OR for overweight (P for trend < 0.001). Being an only or youngest child was associated with childhood overweight, and having a larger number of younger siblings was negatively associated with overweight. The present study suggests that public health interventions to prevent childhood overweight need to focus on children from these

Dimensions of the South Oaks Gambling Screen in Finland: A cross-sectional population study.

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Salonen, Anne H; Rosenström, Tom; Edgren, Robert; Volberg, Rachel; Alho, Hannu; Castrén, Sari

2017-06-01

The underlying structure of problematic gambling behaviors, such as those assessed by the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS), remain unknown: Can problem gambling be assessed unidimensionally or should multiple qualitatively different dimensions be taken into account, and if so, what do these qualitative dimensions indicate? How significant are the deviations from unidimensionality in practice? A cross-sectional random sample of Finns aged 15-74 (n = 4,484) was drawn from the Population Information Registry and surveyed in 2011-2012. Analyses were conducted using descriptive statistics, Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) models. Altogether, 14.9% of the population endorsed at least one of the 20 SOGS items, but nine items had low endorsement rates (≤ 0.2%). CFA and MIRT techniques suggested that individuals differed from each other in two positively correlated (r = 0.70) underlying dimensions: "impact on self primarily" and "impact on others also". This two-factor correlated-factors model can be reinterpreted as a bifactor model with one general gambling-problem factor and two specific factors with similar interpretation as in the correlated-factors model but with non-overlapping items. The two specific factors may provide clinically useful information without extra costs of assessment. © 2017 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Impact of Dry Eye Syndrome on Vision-Related Quality of Life in a Non-Clinic-Based General Population

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Le Qihua

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Dry eye syndrome (DES is a common ocular disorder occurring in general population. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of DES on vision-related quality of life (QoL in a non-clinic-based general population. Methods This population-based cross-sectional study enrolled subjects older than 40 years, who took part in an epidemiological study on dry eye in Sanle Community, Shanghai. Apart from the collection of sociodemographics, dry eye symptoms, and other clinical data, a Chinese version of the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25 was administered to all subjects. Comparisons of the NEI VFQ-25 subscale item scores and composite score were made among subgroups divided according to the presence of dry eye symptoms or signs. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between the clinical variables and the VFQ-25 composite score. Results A total of 229 participants were enrolled in the study, with an average age of (60.7 ±10.1 years old. Majority of these participants were female (59.8 %, 137/229. The total DES symptom scores (TDSS in subjects either with definite DES or only with dry eye symptoms were significantly higher (F = 60.331, P  Conclusions The symptoms of dry eye are associated with an adverse impact on vision-related QoL in non-clinic-based general population, which is mainly represented as more ocular pain and discomfort, and impaired mental health as well. Apart from clinical examination, it is also important to refer to subjective symptoms and QoL scores when assessing the severity of DES.

Gender differences in the use of psychiatric outpatient specialist services in Tromsø, Norway are dependent on age: a population-based cross-sectional survey.

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Hansen, Anne Helen; Høye, Anne

2015-10-22

Overall, men are less likely than women to seek health care services for mental health problems, but differences between genders in higher age groups are equivocal. The aim of the current study was to investigate the association between gender and the use of psychiatric outpatient specialist services in Norway, both in a general population and in a subpopulation with self-reported anxiety and/or depression. Using questionnaires from 12,982 participants (30-87 years) in the cross-sectional sixth Tromsø Study (2007-8) we estimated proportions reporting anxiety/depression, and proportions using psychiatric outpatient specialist services in a year. By logistic regressions we studied the association between gender and the use of psychiatric outpatient specialist services. Analyses were adjusted for age, marital status, income, education, self-reported degree of anxiety/depression, and GP visits last year. Analyses were also performed for genders separately. Anxiety/depression was reported by 21.5 % of women and 12.3 % of men in the general population. Visits to psychiatric outpatient services during one year were reported by 4.6 % of women and 3.3 % of men. The general population's probability of a visit was significantly lower among men compared to women in ages 30-49 years (odds ratio [OR] 0.58, confidence interval [CI] 0.39-0.84, p-value [p] = 0.004), whereas men used services slightly more than women in ages 50 years and over (OR 1.36, CI 1.00-1.83, p = 0.047). Among those with anxiety/depression 13.5 % of women and 10.5 % of men visited psychiatric outpatient services in a year. We found no statistically significant gender differences in the use of services in this subgroup. Other factors associated with services use in women with anxiety/depression were higher education, more severe anxiety/depression, and GP visits the last year, whereas in men only a more severe anxiety/depression was associated with psychiatric outpatient visits. Overall, the use of

Association of physical examination knee effusion with bone marrow lesions: cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of a population-based cohort.

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Cibere, Jolanda; Guermazi, Ali; Nicolaou, Savvas; Esdaile, John M; Thorne, Anona; Singer, Joel; Wong, Hubert; Kopec, Jacek A; Sayre, Eric C

2018-04-12

To determine the association of physical examination (PE) effusion with prevalence of bone marrow lesions (BML) on MRI, and incidence/progression of BML over 3 years in knee osteoarthritis (OA). A population-based cohort with knee pain (N=255) was assessed for PE effusion. On MRI, BML was graded 0-3 (none, mild, moderate, severe), incidence/progression defined as a worsening in the sum of BML scores over six surfaces by ≥1 grade. We analyzed the full cohort and mild disease subsample with Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grade value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for PE effusion vs. BML (prevalence and incidence/progression). Weighted mean age was 56.7 years, mean BMI 26.5, 56.3% were female, 20.1% had PE effusion and 80.7% had KLrecruitment into clinical trials. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Cost effectiveness of population based BRCA1 founder mutation testing in Sephardi Jewish women.

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Patel, Shreeya; Legood, Rosa; Evans, D Gareth; Turnbull, Clare; Antoniou, Antonis C; Menon, Usha; Jacobs, Ian; Manchanda, Ranjit

2018-04-01

Population-based BRCA1/BRCA2 founder-mutation testing has been demonstrated as cost effective compared with family history based testing in Ashkenazi Jewish women. However, only 1 of the 3 Ashkenazi Jewish BRCA1/BRCA2 founder mutations (185delAG[c.68_69delAG]), 5382insC[c.5266dupC]), and 6174delT[c.5946delT]) is found in the Sephardi Jewish population (185delAG[c.68_69delAG]), and the overall prevalence of BRCA mutations in the Sephardi Jewish population is accordingly lower (0.7% compared with 2.5% in the Ashkenazi Jewish population). Cost-effectiveness analyses of BRCA testing have not previously been performed at these lower BRCA prevalence levels seen in the Sephardi Jewish population. Here we present a cost-effectiveness analysis for UK and US populations comparing population testing with clinical criteria/family history-based testing in Sephardi Jewish women. A Markov model was built comparing the lifetime costs and effects of population-based BRCA1 testing, with testing using family history-based clinical criteria in Sephardi Jewish women aged ≥30 years. BRCA1 carriers identified were offered magnetic resonance imaging/mammograms and risk-reducing surgery. Costs are reported at 2015 prices. Outcomes include breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and excess deaths from heart disease. All costs and outcomes are discounted at 3.5%. The time horizon is lifetime, and perspective is payer. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio per quality-adjusted life-year was calculated. Parameter uncertainty was evaluated through 1-way and probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Population testing resulted in gain in life expectancy of 12 months (quality-adjusted life-year = 1.00). The baseline discounted incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for UK population-based testing was £67.04/quality-adjusted life-year and for US population was $308.42/quality-adjusted life-year. Results were robust in the 1-way sensitivity analysis. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed 100% of

[Health Information Behavior of the South Tyrolean Population: An Epidemiological Cross-Sectional Study].

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Vögele, Anna; Becker, Ulrich; Gögele, Anna; Schneider, Antonius; Engl, Adolf

2018-06-04

Investigation of the health information behavior, self-rated health, confidence in health issues and specific attitudes to health among the South Tyrolean population. Our study is an epidemiological cross-sectional study; data were collected via telephone interviews, using a questionnaire developed for this purpose that covered various aspects of information and health-related behavior. For the elaboration of the typology of the most distinctive stereotypes in terms of health information and health-related behavior, a hierarchical cluster analysis was performed. We assessed 504 correct telephone interviews. The majority of the respondents considered themselves health-conscious and preferred heterogeneous information media. The most used information media for health issues were mass media, i. e. newspapers or magazines and television or radio. The internet was used less as a source of information. Younger individuals assessed themselves to be healthier than older people, and older women aged 65 years or more were the most health-impaired group. Respondents had greatest confidence in their general practitioner, their own feeling or experience. Thus, in terms of health information and health behavior, the following four classes of people could be distinguished, namely "internet information elite", "robust fatalists", "stricken" and "health-conscious mainstreamers". Our results show that the South Tyrolean population has a high level of health consciousness and gathers health information from various media. The characterization of different patient typologies of information processing in combination with health-related behavior indicates that information about health and illness should be appropriately addressed to the respective stereotype. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Personality Profiles Identify Depressive Symptoms over Ten Years? A Population-Based Study

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Kim Josefsson

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Little is known about the relationship between temperament and character inventory (TCI profiles and depressive symptoms. Personality profiles are useful, because personality traits may have different effects on depressive symptoms when combined with different combinations of other traits. Participants were from the population-based Young Finns study with repeated measurements in 1997, 2001, and 2007 (=1402 to 1902. TCI was administered in 1997 and mild depressive symptoms (modified Beck’s depression inventory, BDI were reported in 1997, 2001, and 2007. BDI-II was also administered in 2007. We found that high harm avoidance and low self-directedness related strongly to depressive symptoms. In addition, sensitive (NHR and fanatical people (ScT were especially vulnerable to depressive symptoms. high novelty seeking and reward dependence increased depressive symptoms when harm avoidance was high. These associations were very similar in cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis. Personality profiles help in understanding the complex associations between depressive symptoms and personality.

Association Between Awareness of Hypertension and Health-Related Quality of Life in a Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study in Rural Area of Northwest China.

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Mi, Baibing; Dang, Shaonong; Li, Qiang; Zhao, Yaling; Yang, Ruihai; Wang, Duolao; Yan, Hong

2015-07-01

Hypertensive patients have more complex health care needs and are more likely to have poorer health-related quality of life than normotensive people. The awareness of hypertension could be related to reduce health-related quality of life. We propose the use of quantile regression to explore more detailed relationships between awareness of hypertension and health-related quality of life. In a cross-sectional, population-based study, 2737 participants (including 1035 hypertensive patients and 1702 normotensive participants) completed the Short-Form Health Survey. A quantile regression model was employed to investigate the association of physical component summary scores and mental component summary scores with awareness of hypertension and to evaluate the associated factors. Patients who were aware of hypertension (N = 554) had lower scores than patients who were unaware of hypertension (N = 481). The median (IQR) of physical component summary scores: 48.20 (13.88) versus 53.27 (10.79), P mental component summary scores: 50.68 (15.09) versus 51.70 (10.65), P = 0.03. adjusting for covariates, the quantile regression results suggest awareness of hypertension was associated with most physical component summary scores quantiles (P mental component summary scores quantiles in which the β-estimates from -3.47 (95% CI: -6.65 to -0.39) to -2.18 (95% CI: -4.30 to -0.06). The awareness of hypertension has a greater effect on those with intermediate physical component summary status: the β-estimates were equal to -2.04 (95% CI: -3.51 to -0.57, P Awareness of hypertension was negatively related to health-related quality of life in hypertensive patients in rural western China, which has a greater effect on mental component summary scores with the poorer status and on physical component summary scores with the intermediate status.

Comparison of Estrogen Receptor Assay Results from Pathology Reports with Results from Central Laboratory Testing: Implications for Population-Based Studies of Breast Cancer

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Collins, LC; Marotti, J; Baer, HJ; Deitz, AC; Colditz, GA; Tamimi, RM

2014-01-01

Population-based studies of women with breast cancer commonly utilize information culled from pathology reports rather than central pathology review. The reliability of this information, particularly with regard to tumor biomarker results, is of concern. To address this, we evaluated the concordance between estrogen receptor (ER) results as determined from the original pathology reports and ER results obtained on the same specimens following testing in a single laboratory. Tissue microarrays (TMAs) were constructed from paraffin blocks of 3,167 breast cancers that developed in women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study. ER immunostains were performed on all TMA sections in single run. Results of ER immunostains performed on the TMA sections were compared with ER assay results abstracted from pathology reports. Among 1,851 cases of invasive breast cancer in which both ER results from pathology reports and central ER test results were available, the reported ER status and the ER status as determined from immunostains on TMAs were in agreement in 1,651 cases (87.3 %; kappa value 0.64, ppathology reports is a reasonable, albeit imperfect, alternative to central laboratory ER testing for large, population-based studies of patients with breast cancer. PMID:18230800

AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) to Estimate the Pattern and Correlates of Alcohol Consumption among the Adult Population of West Bengal, India: A Community Based Cross-sectional Study.

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Sau, Arkaprabha

2017-04-01

Pattern of alcohol consumption substantially changed in India with in last 20 to 25 years. Excessive alcohol consumption is a major risk factor for various morbidity and mortality. So, scientific study to identify alcohol consumption patterns and its correlates will be helpful to formulate preventive strategies. To estimate the pattern of alcohol consumption and to determine its correlates, among the adult population of the state of West Bengal in India. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among the adult population of the state of West Bengal at Gram Panchayat (GP) level. Ninety-nine (n=99) adult (≥ 18 years) men and women of Guchati GP at Paschim Medinipur district, was selected using Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) technique. The study participants were interviewed using a pre-designed and pre-tested schedule. It was estimated that the prevalence of low risk drinking or abstinence (Zone I) was 65.5% (95% CI 55.5% to 75.5%) and the prevalence of alcohol use in excess of low-risk (Zone II) was 17.6% (95% CI 7.6% to 27.6%), and the prevalence of harmful and hazardous drinking (Zone III) was 8.5% (95% CI 0% to 18.5%) and the prevalence alcohol dependence (Zone-IV) was 8.4% (0% to 18.4%). Logistic regression model shows that "gender" (p = 0.00) and "employment status" (p = 0.01) added significantly to the model with adjusted odds ratio of 82.27 (95% CI 18.17-372.58) and 0.13 (0.03-0.66). There is a need for comprehensive screening and treatment programme to deal with the problems of Alcohol Use Disorders among adults to achieve good health and well being for sustainable development.

Optometry-based general population survey of pupil ruff atrophy and ocular hypertension.

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Ang, Ghee S; Stevenson, Peter J; Sargent, Geoff; Grimmer, Peter; Corbett, Patricia; Jourdain, Erin; Wells, Anthony P

2013-01-01

To evaluate and describe the pupil ruff changes and relationship to intraocular pressure, pseudoexfoliation syndrome and glaucoma status in an optometric population in New Zealand. Prospective cross-sectional survey of an optometric population. Six hundred and twenty subjects over 50 years old routinely attending the participating optometry practices. Exclusion criteria included previous intraocular surgery, ophthalmic laser, uveitis, angle closure and secondary glaucoma. Multicentre study involving 11 optometry practices in the Wellington region, New Zealand. The pupillary ruff and associated gonioscopy findings of study participants were graded based on the previously published Pupil Ruff Atrophy grading system. Parameters evaluated include pupillary ruff absence and abnormality, pseudoexfoliation material and trabecular meshwork pigmentation. Correlations between intereye Pupil Ruff Atrophy grading differences and inter-eye intraocular pressure and cup:disc ratio differences. Six hundred and twenty subjects were included, with a mean age of 62.2 ± 9.1 years and mean intraocular pressure of 14.8 ± 3.4 mmHg. Four hundred and fourteen (66.8%) had bilateral pupil ruff changes and 12 (1.5%) had pseudoexfoliation. Inter-eye intraocular pressure asymmetry was significantly correlated with amount of missing pupillary ruff (r = 0.111; P = 0.022) and trabecular meshwork pigmentation (r = 0.147; P = 0.002). Inter-eye cup:disc ratio asymmetry was not correlated with any of the Pupil Ruff Atrophy grading parameters. Asymmetry of pupillary ruff absence and trabecular meshwork pigmentation was correlated with intraocular pressure asymmetry (but not with cup:disc ratio asymmetry) in a general optometric population setting in New Zealand. © 2012 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology © 2012 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

Cesarean section in twin pregnancies in two Danish counties with different cesarean section rates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henriksen, T B; Sperling, Lene; Hedegaard, M

1994-01-01

for CS in twin pregnancies was made between two Danish counties, one with a high and one with a low overall CS rate in twin deliveries, taking into account the distribution of parity, mother's age, gestational age at birth, and birth weight. DESIGN: A population based, historic follow-up study based...... presentation. SECONDARY MEASURES: Perinatal and maternal outcome. RESULTS: The difference in CS rates between the two counties could not be explained by different distributions of background characteristics. Different attitudes were found towards CS in cases with previous CS, with twin A in breech presentation......OBJECTIVE: Based on a comparison of the clinical indications for cesarean section (CS) in two Danish counties and a review of the literature regarding this issue the aim of this study was to discuss possible explanations for variations in CS rates in twin pregnancies. The comparison of indications...

Assessment of military population-based psychological resilience programs.

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Morgan, Brenda J; Bibb, Sandra C Garmon

2011-09-01

Active duty service members' (ADSMs) seemingly poor adaptability to traumatic stressors is a risk to force health. Enhancing the psychological resilience of ADSMs has become a key focus of Department of Defense (DoD) leaders and the numbers of military programs for enhancing psychological resilience have increased. The purpose of this article is to describe the results of an assessment conducted to determine comprehensiveness of current psychological resilience building programs that target ADSMs. A modified six-step, population-based needs assessment was used to evaluate resilience programs designed to meet the psychological needs of the ADSM population. The assessment results revealed a gap in published literature regarding program outcomes. DoD leaders may benefit from targeted predictive research that assesses program effectiveness outcomes. The necessity of including preventive, evidence-based interventions in new programs, such as positive emotion interventions shown to enhance psychological resilience in civilian samples, is also recommended.

Associations of Weight Concerns With Self-Efficacy and Motivation to Quit Smoking: A Population-Based Study Among Finnish Daily Smokers.

Science.gov (United States)

Tuovinen, Eeva-Liisa; Saarni, Suoma E; Kinnunen, Taru H; Haukkala, Ari; Jousilahti, Pekka; Patja, Kristiina; Kaprio, Jaakko; Korhonen, Tellervo

2015-09-01

Concerns about weight gain occurring after smoking cessation may affect motivation and self-efficacy towards quitting smoking. We examined associations of smoking-specific weight concerns with smoking cessation motivation and self-efficacy in a population-based cross-sectional sample of daily smokers. Six-hundred biochemically verified (blood cotinine) current daily smokers comprising 318 men and 282 women aged 25-74 years, were studied as part of the National FINRISK (Finnish Population Survey on Risk Factors on Chronic, Noncommunicable Diseases) study and its DIetary, Lifestyle and Genetic factors in the development of Obesity and Metabolic syndrome (DILGOM) sub-study that was conducted in Finland in 2007. Self-reported scales were used to assess weight concerns, motivation and self-efficacy regarding the cessation of smoking. Multiple regression analyses of concerns about weight in relation to motivation and self-efficacy were conducted with adjustments for sex, age (years), body mass index (BMI, [kg/m(2)]), physical activity (times per week), and further controlled for nicotine dependence (Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence). Higher levels of weight concerns were associated with lower self-efficacy (β = -0.07, p motivation for smoking cessation (β = 0.02, p = 0.16). These cross-sectional population-based data do not support earlier findings that suggest that smokers with high levels of weight concerns are less motivated to quit smoking. Our data suggest that daily smokers who are highly concerned about weight may have lower self-efficacy for cessation of smoking. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Prevalence of Contact Allergy to p-Phenylenediamine in the European General Population

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Diepgen, Thomas L.; Naldi, Luigi; Bruze, Magnus; Cazzaniga, Simone; Schuttelaar, Marie-Louise; Elsner, Peter; Goncalo, Margarida; Ofenloch, Robert; Svensson, Ake

Population-based studies on contact allergy to p-phenylenediamine (PPD) are scarce. A cross-sectional study was performed to assess the prevalence of contact allergy to PPD and its risk factors in the general population of 5 European countries. A total of 10,425 subjects were interviewed, and a

Hypothyroidism and Risk of Mild Cognitive Impairment in Elderly Persons - A Population Based Study

Science.gov (United States)

Parsaik, Ajay K; Singh, Balwinder; Roberts, Rosebud O; Pankratz, Shane; Edwards, Kelly K.; Geda, Yonas E; Gharib, H; Boeve, Bradley F; Knopman, David S; Petersen, Ronald C

2014-01-01

IMPORTANCE Association of clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is not established. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association of clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism with MCI in a large population based cohort. DESIGN A cross-sectional, population-based study. SETTING Olmsted County, Minnesota. PARTICIPANTS Randomly selected participants were aged 70 to 89 years on October 1, 2004, and were without documented prevalent dementia. A total of 2,050 participants were evaluated and underwent in-person interview, neurological evaluation and neuropsychological testing to assess performance in memory, attention/executive function, visuospatial, and language domains. Subjects were diagnosed by consensus as cognitively normal, MCI or dementia according to published criteria. Clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism was ascertained from a medical records-linkage system. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Association of clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism with MCI. Results Among 1904 eligible participants, the frequency of MCI was 16% in 1450 subjects with normal thyroid function, 17% in 313 subjects with clinical hypothyroidism, and 18% in 141 subjects with subclinical hypothyroidism. After adjusting for covariates (age, gender, education, education years, sex, ApoE ε 4, depression, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, BMI and coronary artery disease) we found no significant association between clinical or subclinial hypothyroidism and MCI [OR 0.99 (95% CI 0.66–1.48) and OR 0.88 (95% CI 0.38–2.03) respectively]. No effect of gender interaction was seen on these effects. In stratified analysis, the odds of MCI with clinical and subclinical hypothyroidisn among males was 1.02 (95%CI, 0.57–1.82) and 1.29 (95%CI 0.68–2.44), among females was 1.04 (95% 0.66–1.66) and 0.86 (95% CI 0.37–2.02) respectively. Conclusion In this population based cohort of eldery, neither clinical nor subclinical hypothyrpodism was associated with MCI. Our findings

[Sunburn in young people: population-based study in Southern Brazil].

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Haack, Ricardo Lanzetta; Horta, Bernardo Lessa; Cesar, Juraci Almeida

2008-02-01

To assess the prevalence and risk factors for sunburn in young people. Population-based cross-sectional study using a multiple-stage sampling carried out with people living in the urban area of Pelotas, Southern Brazil, between October and December 2005. Data was collected from interviews with 1.604 subjects using a standardized pre-coded questionnaire about their family and another questionnaire applied to those aged between ten and 29 years for assessing the occurrence of sunburn episodes. Sunburn was defined as skin burning after sun exposure. Chi-square test with Yates' correction was used to compare proportions and Poisson regression with design effect control and robust adjustment of variance was applied in the multivariate analysis. Of those aged between 10 and 29 years, 1,412 reported sun exposure in the last summer. Losses and refusals were 5.5%. A total of 48.7% of the interviewees reported sunburn in the last year. The following variables were associated with sunburn in the multivariate analysis: white skin (PR=1.41; 95% CI: 1.12;1.79); higher skin sensitivity to sun exposure (PR=1.84; 95% CI: 1.64;2.06); age between 15 and 19 years (PR=1.30; 95% CI: 1.12;1.50); belonging to the higher quartile of income (PR=1.20; 95% CI: 1.01;1.42); and irregular use of sunscreens (PR=1.23; 95% CI: 1.08;1.42). The prevalence of sunburn in the population studied was high mainly among white young people with higher skin sensitivity, higher income and who used sunscreens irregularly. Sun exposure during safe times and with adequate protection should be promoted.

Heavy Ion SEU Cross Section Calculation Based on Proton Experimental Data, and Vice Versa

CERN Document Server

Wrobel, F; Pouget, V; Dilillo, L; Ecoffet, R; Lorfèvre, E; Bezerra, F; Brugger, M; Saigné, F

2014-01-01

The aim of this work is to provide a method to calculate single event upset (SEU) cross sections by using experimental data. Valuable tools such as PROFIT and SIMPA already focus on the calculation of the proton cross section by using heavy ions cross-section experiments. However, there is no available tool that calculates heavy ion cross sections based on measured proton cross sections with no knowledge of the technology. We based our approach on the diffusion-collection model with the aim of analyzing the characteristics of transient currents that trigger SEUs. We show that experimental cross sections could be used to characterize the pulses that trigger an SEU. Experimental results allow yet defining an empirical rule to identify the transient current that are responsible for an SEU. Then, the SEU cross section can be calculated for any kind of particle and any energy with no need to know the Spice model of the cell. We applied our method to some technologies (250 nm, 90 nm and 65 nm bulk SRAMs) and we sho...

Consequences of population topology for studying gene flow using link-based landscape genetic methods.

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van Strien, Maarten J

2017-07-01

Many landscape genetic studies aim to determine the effect of landscape on gene flow between populations. These studies frequently employ link-based methods that relate pairwise measures of historical gene flow to measures of the landscape and the geographical distance between populations. However, apart from landscape and distance, there is a third important factor that can influence historical gene flow, that is, population topology (i.e., the arrangement of populations throughout a landscape). As the population topology is determined in part by the landscape configuration, I argue that it should play a more prominent role in landscape genetics. Making use of existing literature and theoretical examples, I discuss how population topology can influence results in landscape genetic studies and how it can be taken into account to improve the accuracy of these results. In support of my arguments, I have performed a literature review of landscape genetic studies published during the first half of 2015 as well as several computer simulations of gene flow between populations. First, I argue why one should carefully consider which population pairs should be included in link-based analyses. Second, I discuss several ways in which the population topology can be incorporated in response and explanatory variables. Third, I outline why it is important to sample populations in such a way that a good representation of the population topology is obtained. Fourth, I discuss how statistical testing for link-based approaches could be influenced by the population topology. I conclude the article with six recommendations geared toward better incorporating population topology in link-based landscape genetic studies.

Metabolically healthy obesity and risk of leukoaraiosis; a population based cross-sectional study.

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Okamura, Takuro; Hashimoto, Yoshitaka; Hamaguchi, Masahide; Ohbora, Akihiro; Kojima, Takao; Fukui, Michiaki

2018-04-10

Metabolically healthy obese (MHO) individual is known to be defended from the metabolic complications of obesity. Leukoaraiosis, which is commonly detected on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), is now recognized as a risk of stroke, dementia and death. However, the association between MHO and the prevalence of leukoaraiosis is unclear. In this cross-sectional study of 796 participants who received a medical examination program, we investigated the association between MHO and the prevalence of leukoaraiosis. We used common clinical markers for definition of metabolic healthy status: blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. Obesity was defined by body mass index ≥25.0 kg/m 2 . We diagnosed leukoaraiosis by fluid-attenuated inversion recovery without hypointensity on T1-weighted images or the presence of a hyperintensity on T2-weighted images. The crude prevalence proportion of leukoaraiosis was 44.5% (case/n = 171/384) in metabolically healthy nonobese (MHNO) individual, 46.3% (44/95) in MHO individual, 62.3% (114/183) in metabolically unhealthy nonobese (MUNO) individual or 56.6% (77/136) in MUO individual. The odds ratios of prevalence of leukoaraiosis were 1.19 (95% CI 0.74-1.90, p = 0.471) for MHO, 1.79 (1.22-2.62, p = 0.003) for MUNO and 1.56 (1.03-2.37, p = 0.037) for MUO individuals after adjusting for sex, age, smoking statues, habit of exercise and alcohol, compared with MHNO individual. We revealed that MHO individuals were not related with the higher risk of leukoaraiosis, whereas MUNO and MUO individuals were.

Epidemiology of Haemophilus influenzae bacteremia: A multi-national population-based assessment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laupland, Kevin B; Schønheyder, Henrik C; Østergaard, Christian

2011-01-01

OBJECTIVES: Haemophilus influenzae is an important cause of invasive infection but contemporary data in non-selected populations is limited. METHODS: Population-based surveillance for Haemophilus influenzae bacteremia was conducted in seven regions in Australia, Canada, and Denmark during 2000-20...

Association between social capital and health in women of reproductive age: a population-based study.

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Baheiraei, Azam; Bakouei, Fatemeh; Mohammadi, Eesa; Majdzadeh, Reza; Hosseni, Mostafa

2016-12-01

Women's health is a public health priority. The origins of health inequalities are very complex. The present study was conducted to determine the association between social capital and health status in reproductive-age women in Tehran, Iran. In this population-based, cross-sectional study, the Social Capital Integrated Questionnaire, the SF-36 and socio-demographic questionnaires were used. Analysis of data by one-way ANOVA test and stepwise multiple linear regression showed that the manifestation dimensions of social capital (groups and networks, trust and solidarity, collective action and cooperation) can potentially lead to the outcome dimensions of social capital (social cohesion and inclusion, and empowerment and political action), which in turn affect health inequities after controlling for socio-demographic differences. © The Author(s) 2015.

ASSOCIATON BETWEEN INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE AND IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME: A POPULATION-BASED STUDY IN NICARAGUA

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Becker-Dreps, Sylvia; Morgan, Douglas; Peña, Rodolfo; Cortes, Loreto; Martin, Christopher F.; Valladares, Eliette

2010-01-01

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disabling functional gastrointestinal disorder, which serves as a model for abdominal pain syndromes. An association between intimate partner violence and IBS has been shown among Caucasian women in the industrialized world. To determine whether this relationship transcends cultural boundaries, we conducted a population-based, cross-sectional survey in Nicaragua, using the innovative Health and Demographic Surveillance System in the León province. Women who had experienced physical intimate partner violence had significantly increased risk of IBS (OR 2.08, 95% CI, 1.35, 3.21), as did those who had experienced sexual intimate partner violence (OR 2.85, 95% CI 1.45, 5.59). These findings argue for intimate partner violence screening among Latina women with IBS. PMID:20558772

The association between unemployment and depression-Results from the population-based LIFE-adult-study.

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Zuelke, Andrea E; Luck, Tobias; Schroeter, Matthias L; Witte, A Veronica; Hinz, Andreas; Engel, Christoph; Enzenbach, Cornelia; Zachariae, Silke; Loeffler, Markus; Thiery, Joachim; Villringer, Arno; Riedel-Heller, Steffi G

2018-08-01

Unemployment is a risk factor for impaired mental health. Based on a large population-based sample, in this study we therefore sought to provide detailed information on the association between unemployment and depression including information on (i) differences between men and women, (ii) differences between different types of unemployment, and (iii) on the impact of material and social resources on the association. We studied 4,842 participants (18-65 years) of the population-based LIFE-Adult-Study. Depression was assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Employment status was divided into three groups: being employed, being unemployed receiving entitlement-based benefits, being unemployed receiving means-tested benefits. Multivariate logistic regression models were applied to assess the association between employment status and depression. Statistically significantly increased depression risk was solely found for unemployed persons receiving means-tested benefits. Adjusting for differences in sociodemographic factors, net personal income and risk of social isolation, comparable associations of being unemployed and receiving means-tested benefits with elevated depression risk were found for men (Odds Ratio/OR = 2.17, 95%-CI = 1.03-4.55) and women (OR = 1.98, 95%-CI:1.22-3.20). No conclusions regarding causality can be drawn due to the cross-sectional study design. It was not possible to assess length of unemployment spells. Unemployed persons receiving means-tested benefits in Germany constitute a risk group for depression that needs specific attention in the health care and social security system. The negative impact of unemployment on depression risk cannot be explained solely by differences in material and social resources. Contrasting earlier results, women are equally affected as men. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Use of traditional eye medicine and self-medication in rural India: A population-based study.

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Gupta, Noopur; Vashist, Praveen; Tandon, Radhika; Gupta, Sanjeev K; Kalaivani, Mani; Dwivedi, S N

2017-01-01

To determine the type and nature of traditional eye medicine (TEM), their sources and use and practices related to self-medication for ophthalmic diseases in a rural Indian population. A population-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in 25 randomly selected clusters of Rural Gurgaon, Haryana, India as part of CORE (Cornea Opacity Rural Epidemiological) study. In addition to comprehensive ophthalmic examination, health-seeking behavior and use of self-medication and TEM was assessed in the adult population using a semi-structured questionnaire. Physical verification of available ophthalmic medications in the enumerated households was conducted by the study team. Descriptive statistics were computed along with multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine associated factors for use of self-medication and TEM. Of the 2160 participants interviewed, 396 (18.2%) reported using ophthalmic medications without consulting an ophthalmologist, mainly for symptoms like watering (37.1%), redness (27.7%), itching (19.2%) and infection (13.6%). On physical verification of available eye drops that were being used without prescription, 26.4% participants were practicing self-medication. Steroid, expired/unlabeled and indigenous eye drops were being used by 151(26.5%), 120(21.1%) and 75 (13.2%) participants respectively. Additionally, 25.7% (529) participants resorted to home remedies like 'kajal'(61.4%), honey (31.4%), ghee (11.7%) and rose water (9.1%). Use of TEM is prevalent in this population. The rampant use of steroid eye drops without prescription along with use of expired or unlabelled eye drops warrants greater emphasis on safe eye care practices in this population. Public awareness and regulatory legislations must be implemented to decrease harmful effects arising due to such practices.

Prevalence of Smokeless Tobacco among Low Socioeconomic Populations: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

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Mohammad Nurul Azam

Full Text Available Cost, social acceptability and non-stringent regulations pertaining to smokeless tobacco (SLT product sales have made people choose and continue using SLT. If disaggregated data on smokeless forms and smoked practices of tobacco are reviewed, the incidence of SLT remains static. There is a strong positive correlation of SLT intake with the occurrence of adverse cardiovascular disease, particularly in the low socioeconomic populations.To investigate the prevalence of smokeless tobacco, its initiation influence and risk factors associated with the practice among lower socioeconomic populations of Bangladesh. In this study, we explore the utilization of SLT among lower socioeconomic populations in industrialized zone of Bangladesh.A cross-sectional analysis using both quantitative and categorical approaches was employed. Using systematic random sampling method, four focus group discussions (FGDs were conducted and 459 participants were interviewed. Multiple logistic regression model was applied to distinguish the significant factors among the SLT users.Almost fifty percent of the respondents initiated SLT usage at the age of 15-24 years and another 22 percent respondents were smoking and using SLT concurrently. The bulk of the women respondents used SLT during their pregnancy. Nearly twenty five percent of the respondents tried to quit the practice of SLT and one-quarter had a plan to quit SLT in the future. More than twenty percent respondents were suffering from dental decay. A noteworthy correlation was found by gender (p<0.01, sufferings from SLT related disease (p<0.05. The multiple logistic regression analysis suggested that, males were 2.7 times more knowledgeable than that of females (p<0.01 about the adversative health condition of SLT usage. The respondents suffering from SLT related diseases were 3.7 times as more knowledgeable about the effect of the practice of SLT than the respondents without diseases (p<0.01. Regarding the knowledge

The contribution of travel-related urban zones, cycling and pedestrian networks and green space to commuting physical activity among adults – a cross-sectional population-based study using geographical information systems

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Tomi E. Mäki-Opas

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The current political agenda aims to promote active environments and physical activity while commuting to work, but research on it has provided mixed results. This study examines whether the proximity of green space and people’s residence in different travel-related urban zones contributes to commuting physical activity. Methods Population-based cross-sectional health examination survey, Health 2011 study, and geographical information system (GIS data were utilized. The GIS data on green space and travel-related urban zones were linked to the individuals of the Health 2011 study, based on their home geocoordinates. Commuting physical activity was self-reported. Logistic regression models were applied, and age, gender, education, leisure-time and occupational physical activity were adjusted. Analyses were limited to those of working age, living in the core-urban areas of Finland and having completed information on commuting physical activity (n = 2 098. Results Home location in a pedestrian zone of a main centre (odds ratio = 1.63; 95 % confidence interval = 1.06–2.51 or a pedestrian zone of a sub-centre (2.03; 1.09–3.80 and higher proportion of cycling and pedestrian networks (3.28; 1.71–6.31 contributed to higher levels of commuting physical activity. The contribution remained after adjusting for all the environmental attributes and individuals. Based on interaction analyses, women living in a public transport zone were almost two times more likely to be physically active while commuting compared to men. A high proportion of recreational green space contributed negatively to the levels of commuting physical activity (0.73; 0.57–0.94 after adjusting for several background factors. Based on interaction analyses, individuals aged from 44 to 54 years and living in sub-centres, men living in pedestrian zones of sub-centres, and those individuals who are physically inactive during leisure-time were less

A population-based national estimate of the prevalence and risk factors associated with hypertension in Rwanda: implications for prevention and control.

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Nahimana, Marie-Rosette; Nyandwi, Alypio; Muhimpundu, Marie Aimee; Olu, Olushayo; Condo, Jeanine Umutesi; Rusanganwa, Andre; Koama, Jean Baptiste; Ngoc, Candide Tran; Gasherebuka, Jean Bosco; Ota, Martin O; Okeibunor, Joseph C

2017-07-10

Hypertension is a leading cause of cardiovascular diseases and a growing public health problem in many developed and developing countries. However, population-based data to inform policy development are scarce in Rwanda. This nationally representative study aimed to determine population-based estimates of the prevalence and risk factors associated with hypertension in Rwanda. We conducted secondary epidemiological analysis of data collected from a cross-sectional population-based study to assess the risk factors for NCDs using the WHO STEPwise approach to Surveillance of non-communicable diseases (STEPS). Adjusted odds ratios at 95% confidence interval were used to establish association between hypertension, socio-demographic characteristics and health risk behaviors. Of the 7116 study participants, 62.8% were females and 38.2% were males. The mean age of study participants was 35.3 years (SD 12.5). The overall prevalence of hypertension was 15.3% (16.4% for males and 14.4% for females). Twenty two percent of hypertensive participants were previously diagnosed. A logistic regression model revealed that age (AOR: 8.02, 95% CI: 5.63-11.42, p Rwanda, suggesting the need for prevention and control interventions aimed at decreasing the incidence taking into consideration the risk factors documented in this and other similar studies.

Metabolic syndrome and physical activity in southern Brazilian community-dwelling elders: a population-based, cross-sectional study

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Reichert César L

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background - The association between a sedentary lifestyle and obesity is well documented, and is linked to an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS. There is some evidence that information regarding the health benefits of physical activity is beginning to impact on the elderly people and is beginning to change their behavior. We aimed to investigate the level of physical activity undertaken by elderly people with MS and those without this condition. Methods - We evaluated 362 community-dwelling elders of Novo Hamburgo, southern Brazil. Diagnosis of MS was based on the International Diabetes Federation criteria and the physical activity (PA level was estimated by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Analysis of covariance was carried out to verify associations between MS risk factors and the level of PA. Logistic regression was used to estimate the MS odds ratio for each level of PA. Results - No significant association was found between MS and the level of physical activity, irrespective of sex. The odds ratio for the presence of MS adjusted for sex and age and using insufficiently active elderly people as reference was 1.04 (95% CI, 0.6 to 1.7 in sufficiently active elderly people and 1.15 (95% CI, 0.7 to 2.0 in very active elderly people. Conclusion - The elderly citizens of a southern Brazilian community who were diagnosed with MS presented the same levels of PA as the individuals who did not have this diagnosis. This may imply that information on the importance of physical activity has already reached this higher risk population.

Design of PREVENCION: a population-based study of cardiovascular disease in Peru.

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Medina-Lezama, Josefina; Chirinos, Julio A; Zea Díaz, Humberto; Morey, Oscar; Bolanos, Juan F; Munoz-Atahualpa, Edgar; Chirinos-Pacheco, Julio

2005-11-02

Latin America is undergoing the epidemiologic transition that occurred earlier in developed countries, and is likely to face a gigantic epidemic of heart disease in the next few years unless urgent action is taken. The first essential component of any effective cardiovascular disease (CVD) control program is to establish reliable estimates of cardiovascular disease-related morbidity and mortality. However, such data from population-based studies in Latin America are still lacking. In this paper, we present the design and operation of PREVENCION (Estudio Peruano de Prevalencia de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, for Peruvian Study of the Prevalence of Cardiovascular diseases). PREVENCION is an ongoing population-based study on a representative sample of the civilian non-institutionalized population of the second largest city in Peru. Its population is comparable to the rest of the Peruvian urban population and closely resembles other Latin American populations in countries such as Bolivia and Ecuador. Our study will contribute to the enormous task of understanding and preventing CVD in Latin America.

Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Associations between Serum Bilirubin and Prediabetes in a Health Screening Population.

Science.gov (United States)

Oda, Eiji

2016-06-01

Longitudinal associations between total bilirubin (TB) and prediabetes have not been reported. This study investigated cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between TB and prediabetes. Cross-sectional associations between TB and prediabetes were investigated in 3681 nondiabetic subjects. Longitudinal associations between TB and prediabetes over 6 years were investigated in 2149 subjects who were normoglycemic at baseline. Prediabetes was defined as fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels of ≥5.6 mmol/L or glycated hemoglobin levels of ≥5.7% excluding diabetes. The prevalence of prediabetes was 25.4%, and the cumulative incidence of prediabetes during 6 years was 25.5% in a Japanese health screening population. Prevalent prediabetes was significantly associated with the quintiles of TB in nonsmoking men (trend, pprediabetes was not significantly associated with the quintiles of TB, while it was positively associated with 1 standard deviation increase in TB in nonsmoking men (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]; 1.21 [1.07 to 1.37], p=0.002). TB levels were significantly inversely associated with prevalent prediabetes in nonsmokers, but not in smokers, whereas an inverse association between TB levels and incident prediabetes seemed to be unlikely. Copyright © 2016 Canadian Diabetes Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Physics-Based Engineering Approach to Predict the Cross Section for Advanced SRAMs

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lei; Zhou, Wanting; Liu, Huihua

2012-12-01

This paper presents a physics-based engineering approach to estimate the heavy ion induced upset cross section for 6T SRAM cells from layout and technology parameters. The new approach calculates the effects of radiation with junction photocurrent, which is derived based on device physics. The new and simple approach handles the problem by using simple SPICE simulations. At first, the approach uses a standard SPICE program on a typical PC to predict the SPICE-simulated curve of the collected charge vs. its affected distance from the drain-body junction with the derived junction photocurrent. And then, the SPICE-simulated curve is used to calculate the heavy ion induced upset cross section with a simple model, which considers that the SEU cross section of a SRAM cell is more related to a “radius of influence” around a heavy ion strike than to the physical size of a diffusion node in the layout for advanced SRAMs in nano-scale process technologies. The calculated upset cross section based on this method is in good agreement with the test results for 6T SRAM cells processed using 90 nm process technology.

Asthma and atopy in children born by caesarean section: effect modification by family history of allergies - a population based cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolokotroni, Ourania; Middleton, Nicos; Gavatha, Marina; Lamnisos, Demetris; Priftis, Kostas N; Yiallouros, Panayiotis K

2012-11-16

Studies on the association of birth by caesarean section (C/S) and allergies have produced conflicting findings. Furthermore, evidence on whether this association may differ in those at risk of atopy is limited. This study aims to investigate the association of mode of delivery with asthma and atopic sensitization and the extent to which any effect is modified by family history of allergies. Asthma outcomes were assessed cross-sectionally in 2216 children at age 8 on the basis of parents' responses to the ISAAC questionnaire whilst skin prick tests to eleven aeroallergens were also performed in a subgroup of 746 children. Adjusted odds ratios of asthma and atopy by mode of delivery were estimated in multivariable logistic models while evidence of effect modification was examined by introducing interaction terms in the models. After adjusting for potential confounders, children born by C/S appeared significantly more likely than those born vaginally to report ever wheezing (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.07-1.71), asthma diagnosis (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.09-1.83) and be atopic (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.08-2.60). There was modest evidence that family history of allergies may modify the effect of C/S delivery on atopy (p for effect modification=0.06) but this was not the case for the asthma outcomes. Specifically, while more than a two-fold increase in the odds of being a topic was observed in children with a family history of allergies if born by C/S (OR 2.62, 95% CI 1.38-5.00), no association was observed in children without a family history of allergies (OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.64-2.11). Birth by C/S is associated with asthma and atopic sensitization in childhood. The association of C/S and atopy appears more pronounced in children with family history of allergies.

A proposed GSSP for the base of the Middle Ordovician Series： the Huanghuachang section,Yichang, China

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

XiaofengWang; SvendStouge; Bernd-D.Erdtmann; XiaohongChen; ZhihongLi; ChuanshangWang; QingluanZeng; ZhiqiangZhou; HuimingChen

2005-01-01

The Huanghuachang section near Yichang, southern China meets the requirements of Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for the base of the Middle Ordovician Series and the yet-to-be-named third stage of the Ordovician System (or lower stage of Middle Ordovician Series). The conodont succession at the section is complete across the Lower to Middle Ordovician series boundary and several excellent phylogenetic lineages of Baltoniodus, Trapezognathus, Periodon, and Microzarkodina are represented. The definition of the base of the Middle Ordovician is proposed to be the first appearance datum (FAD) of Baltoniodus? triangularis in the section. It is followed closely by the FAD of Microzarkodina flabellum, which is taken as a reasonable proxy for the boundary. This level approximates the boundary between the lower and upper intervals of the Azygograptus suecicus graptolite Biozone, and nearly coincides with the base of the Belonechitina henryi chitinozoan Biozone.The proposed GSSP for the base of the international Middle Ordovician Series is located in a roadside exposure at the base of Bed (SHod) 16, 10.57 m above the base of the Dawan Formation in the measured Huanghuachang section near Yichang City, southern China. The same faunal succession is also recorded from the Chenjiahe (formerly Daping) section, 5 km to the north of the Huanghuachang section. The proposed boundary horizon can be recognized and correlated globally with high precision in both relatively shallow-water carbonate facies as well as in deep-water graptolite facies.

A spatial analysis of patterns of growth and concentration of population based on homogeneous population censuses: Spain (1877-2001

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Xavier Franch Auladell

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This work constitutes a contribution to the analysis of long term patterns of population concentration applied to the case of Spain. The proposed methodology is based on the homogenisation of both data and administrative units which takes the municipal structure of the 2001 census as its base reference. This work seeks to show how applying spatial analysis techniques to this type of homogeneous data series allows us to make more detailed studies of population patterns within a given territory. The most important conclusions that we reached was that, in Spain, sustained population growth has followed a spatial pattern that has become increasingly consolidated over time. The tendencies observed have produced an uneven distribution of population within the national territory marked by the existence of a series of well-defined, and often very localised, areas that spread beyond the limits of the official administrative boundaries.

A population-based study of asthma, quality of life, and occupation among elderly Hispanic and non-Hispanic whites: a cross-sectional investigation

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Delclos George L

2005-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The U.S. population is aging and is expected to double by the year 2030. The current study evaluated the prevalence of asthma and its correlates in the elderly Hispanic and non-Hispanic white population. Methods Data from a sample of 3021 Hispanics and non-Hispanic White subjects, 65 years and older, interviewed as part of an ongoing cross-sectional study of the elderly in west Texas, were analyzed. The outcome variable was categorized into: no asthma (reference category, current asthma, and probable asthma. Polytomous logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between the outcome variable and various socio-demographic measures, self-rated health, asthma symptoms, quality of life measures (SF-12, and various occupations. Results The estimated prevalence of current asthma and probable asthma were 6.3% (95%CI: 5.3–7.2 and 9.0% (95%CI: 7.8–10.1 respectively. The majority of subjects with current asthma (Mean SF-12 score 35.8, 95%CI: 34.2–37.4 or probable asthma (35.3, 34.0–36.6 had significantly worse physical health-related quality of life as compared to subjects without asthma (42.6, 42.1–43.1. In multiple logistic regression analyses, women had a 1.64 times greater odds of current asthma (95%CI: 1.12–2.38 as compared to men. Hay fever was a strong predictor of both current and probable asthma. The odds of current asthma were 1.78 times (95%CI: 1.24–2.55 greater among past smokers; whereas the odds of probable asthma were 2.73 times (95%CI: 1.77–4.21 greater among current smokers as compared to non-smokers. Similarly fair/poor self rated health and complaints of severe pain were independently associated with current and probable asthma. The odds of current and probable asthma were almost two fold greater for obesity. When stratified by gender, the odds were significantly greater among females (p-value for interaction term = 0.038. The odds of current asthma were significantly greater for

A community based study of NCD risk factors among adult population in Dehradun, India

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Himanshu Agarwal

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Background: A Non-Communicable disease (NCD is one which is non-infectious and non-transmissible among people. NCDs account for leading causes of death and disease burden worldwide. To decrease the burden of NCDs experts stress on the importance of prevention and control with respect to modifiable risk factors. The World Health Organization's World Health Report 2002 identified tobacco use, alcohol consumption, overweight, physical inactivity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol as the most important risk factors for NCDs.(1  Aims & Objectives: 1. To know the prevalence of risk factors leading to NCDs in the study population. 2. To know the socio-demographic correlates associated with risk factors of NCDs. 3. To suggest appropriate recommendations regarding modifiable risk factors of NCDs in study population. Material & Methods: A Cross-sectional study, Community-based study among 18+ population in field practice areas of Community Medicine Department, SGRRIM&HS, Dehradun. Sample Size: 300 each in urban and rural, total 60. Results: The prevalence of Smoking was 11.3%, Smokeless tobacco use 10.5%, Alcohol use 13.2%, Unhealthy diet 99.5%, Low physical activity 0.8%, High BMI (≥ 25 kg/m2 51.2%, above normal waist-hip ratio 57.0%, Raised blood pressure 58.5% and raised blood sugar 25.2%. Conclusion: Smoking is significantly associated with age, sex and occupation. Raised blood pressure is significantly associated with age, sex and social class.

Optimal cross-sectional sampling for river modelling with bridges: An information theory-based method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ridolfi, E.; Napolitano, F., E-mail: francesco.napolitano@uniroma1.it [Sapienza Università di Roma, Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Edile e Ambientale (Italy); Alfonso, L. [Hydroinformatics Chair Group, UNESCO-IHE, Delft (Netherlands); Di Baldassarre, G. [Department of Earth Sciences, Program for Air, Water and Landscape Sciences, Uppsala University (Sweden)

2016-06-08

The description of river topography has a crucial role in accurate one-dimensional (1D) hydraulic modelling. Specifically, cross-sectional data define the riverbed elevation, the flood-prone area, and thus, the hydraulic behavior of the river. Here, the problem of the optimal cross-sectional spacing is solved through an information theory-based concept. The optimal subset of locations is the one with the maximum information content and the minimum amount of redundancy. The original contribution is the introduction of a methodology to sample river cross sections in the presence of bridges. The approach is tested on the Grosseto River (IT) and is compared to existing guidelines. The results show that the information theory-based approach can support traditional methods to estimate rivers’ cross-sectional spacing.

Optimal cross-sectional sampling for river modelling with bridges: An information theory-based method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ridolfi, E.; Napolitano, F.; Alfonso, L.; Di Baldassarre, G.

2016-01-01

The description of river topography has a crucial role in accurate one-dimensional (1D) hydraulic modelling. Specifically, cross-sectional data define the riverbed elevation, the flood-prone area, and thus, the hydraulic behavior of the river. Here, the problem of the optimal cross-sectional spacing is solved through an information theory-based concept. The optimal subset of locations is the one with the maximum information content and the minimum amount of redundancy. The original contribution is the introduction of a methodology to sample river cross sections in the presence of bridges. The approach is tested on the Grosseto River (IT) and is compared to existing guidelines. The results show that the information theory-based approach can support traditional methods to estimate rivers’ cross-sectional spacing.

Magnitude of depression and its correlates among elderly population in a rural area of Maharashtra: A cross-sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sourav Goswami

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Depression is the most common psychiatric disorder among elderly population in India, yet, it is commonly misdiagnosed and undertreated. The exact burden of depression among the elderly population in rural India was not known. Objectives: To study the magnitude of depression among the elderly masses in rural Maharashtra and to find its correlates. Material and Methods: This is a cross sectional study, carried out among the elderly (≥60 years population of both sexes residing in the field practice area of the department of community medicine. Geriatric depression scale was used for screening depression among the study population. Data collection was completed within 2 months using convenience sampling. Ethical approval was taken before beginning the study. Magnitude was expressed in percentage along with its 95% confidence interval (CI. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was carried out to study associated correlates. Odds ratio and 95% CI was used to express association. Results: The magnitude of depression among the elderly population was found to be 41.7% (95% CI 36.1–47.4. We got the significant positive association of female sex, living without spouse, lacking in decision making capability, a victim of abuse or neglect, or suffering from chronic illnesses with depression among elderly population in univariate analysis that did not hold good in the multivariate logistic regression. Our study showed the prevalence of mild depression among elderly to be 26.72% and that of severe depression to be 15.17%. Conclusion: To deal with this huge social problem of depression among the elderly population, more enthusiastic steps should be undertaken.

Adherence to a predominantly Mediterranean diet decreases the risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease: a cross-sectional study in a South Eastern European population.

Science.gov (United States)

Mone, I; Kraja, B; Bregu, A; Duraj, V; Sadiku, E; Hyska, J; Burazeri, G

2016-10-01

Our aim was to assess the association of a Mediterranean diet and gastroesophageal reflux disease among adult men and women in Albania, a former communist country in South Eastern Europe with a predominantly Muslim population. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2012, which included a population-based sample of 817 individuals (≥18 years) residing in Tirana, the Albanian capital (333 men; overall mean age: 50.2 ± 18.7 years; overall response rate: 82%). Assessment of gastroesophageal reflux disease was based on Montreal definition. Participants were interviewed about their dietary patterns, which in the analysis was dichotomized into: predominantly Mediterranean (frequent consumption of composite/traditional dishes, fresh fruit and vegetables, olive oil, and fish) versus largely non-Mediterranean (frequent consumption of red meat, fried food, sweets, and junk/fast food). Logistic regression was used to assess the association of gastroesophageal reflux disease with the dietary patterns. Irrespective of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and lifestyle factors including eating habits (meal regularity, eating rate, and meal-to-sleep interval), employment of a non-Mediterranean diet was positively related to gastroesophageal reflux disease risk (fully adjusted odds ratio = 2.3, 95% confidence interval = 1.2-4.5). Our findings point to a beneficial effect of a Mediterranean diet in the occurrence of gastroesophageal reflux disease in transitional Albania. Findings from this study should be confirmed and expanded further in prospective studies in Albania and in other Mediterranean countries. © 2015 International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus.

Interim Feed The Future Population Based Assessment of Cambodia

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US Agency for International Development — This is the interim population based survey of Feed the Future in Cambodia for 2015. The data is split into survey modules. Modules A through C includes location...

Use of Mobile Device Data To Better Estimate Dynamic Population Size for Wastewater-Based Epidemiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Kevin V; Amador, Arturo; Baz-Lomba, Jose Antonio; Reid, Malcolm

2017-10-03

Wastewater-based epidemiology is an established approach for quantifying community drug use and has recently been applied to estimate population exposure to contaminants such as pesticides and phthalate plasticizers. A major source of uncertainty in the population weighted biomarker loads generated is related to estimating the number of people present in a sewer catchment at the time of sample collection. Here, the population quantified from mobile device-based population activity patterns was used to provide dynamic population normalized loads of illicit drugs and pharmaceuticals during a known period of high net fluctuation in the catchment population. Mobile device-based population activity patterns have for the first time quantified the high degree of intraday, week, and month variability within a specific sewer catchment. Dynamic population normalization showed that per capita pharmaceutical use remained unchanged during the period when static normalization would have indicated an average reduction of up to 31%. Per capita illicit drug use increased significantly during the monitoring period, an observation that was only possible to measure using dynamic population normalization. The study quantitatively confirms previous assessments that population estimates can account for uncertainties of up to 55% in static normalized data. Mobile device-based population activity patterns allow for dynamic normalization that yields much improved temporal and spatial trend analysis.

Geometry-based populated chessboard recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Youye; Tang, Gongguo; Hoff, William

2018-04-01

Chessboards are commonly used to calibrate cameras, and many robust methods have been developed to recognize the unoccupied boards. However, when the chessboard is populated with chess pieces, such as during an actual game, the problem of recognizing the board is much harder. Challenges include occlusion caused by the chess pieces, the presence of outlier lines and low viewing angles of the chessboard. In this paper, we present a novel approach to address the above challenges and recognize the chessboard. The Canny edge detector and Hough transform are used to capture all possible lines in the scene. The k-means clustering and a k-nearest-neighbors inspired algorithm are applied to cluster and reject the outlier lines based on their Euclidean distances to the nearest neighbors in a scaled Hough transform space. Finally, based on prior knowledge of the chessboard structure, a geometric constraint is used to find the correspondences between image lines and the lines on the chessboard through the homography transformation. The proposed algorithm works for a wide range of the operating angles and achieves high accuracy in experiments.

Nutritional status of an elderly population in Southwest China: a cross-sectional study based on comprehensive geriatric assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, R; Duan, J; Deng, Y; Tu, Q; Cao, Y; Zhang, M; Zhu, Q; Lü, Y

2015-01-01

Few data is available on the nutritional status of old Chinese. The present study aimed to describe the nutritional status and clinical correlates for malnutrition risk in the older people. Cross-sectional study. Hospital- and community-based older people were recruited in the region of Chongqing, China. 558 individuals aged 60 years old or over between April 2011 and October 2012. Comprehensive geriatric assessment was performed and nutritional status was assessed by the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF). Nutrition-associated factors were analyzed, including health status (chronic diseases, depression, cognition, function impaired), social factors (education status, marital status, the type of work before 60 years old) and life style factors (smoking, drinking, diet). The mean age was 73.1±8.0 years and 43.9% were men. Prevalence of malnutrition and risk for malnutrition were 3.2% and 19.3 %, respectively. Several factors increased poor nutrition independently including self-rated health, comorbidity, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, gastrointestinal disease and cognitive impairment. Fish decreased the risk of poor nutrition. The prevalence was relatively low in older people of Chongqing, Southwest China. Poor nutrition was found to be increased due to the common health problems. Thus the patients with these problems should pay more attention on nutritional status. The older people should often have fish because of their nutritional benefit.

Assessment of knowledge about healthy heart habits in urban and rural population of Punjab after SMS campaign-A cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohan, Bishav; Sharma, Sarit; Sharma, Shruti; Kaushal, Dinesh; Singh, Bhupinder; Takkar, Shibba; Aslam, Naved; Goyal, Abhishek; Wander, Gurpreet S

The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is increasing in developing countries but the awareness regarding prevention and treatment of these diseases is still low. Therefore the present study was conducted with the aim of imparting health education regarding certain changes in lifestyle and dietary habits among general population through the use of short message service (SMS) that may lead to improved knowledge about prevention of cardiovascular diseases. This cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of seven months. In the first phase, health education messages were sent through SMS to about 40,000 individuals from urban and rural population in Punjab. Twenty eight messages were sent to each individual and hence more than eleven lakh messages were sent over a period of six months. A questionnaire containing 11 questions based on these health education SMS was generated. Every 40th individual enrolled in the study was contacted on phone, and their responses noted. The data so collected was analyzed for correct responses. Complete responses could be obtained from 800 participants (males: 561 and females: 239). The participants giving correct responses to different questions ranged from 43% to 94%. Majority of participants could retain knowledge about many aspects of healthy heart habits provided by SMS except for topics concerning foods to be avoided, target for normal BP and precautions to be taken before BP measurement. Health related information imparted through SMS can act as a very effective tool for disseminating knowledge about prevention of heart diseases in general population. Copyright © 2017 Cardiological Society of India. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Continuous Extraction of Subway Tunnel Cross Sections Based on Terrestrial Point Clouds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhizhong Kang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available An efficient method for the continuous extraction of subway tunnel cross sections using terrestrial point clouds is proposed. First, the continuous central axis of the tunnel is extracted using a 2D projection of the point cloud and curve fitting using the RANSAC (RANdom SAmple Consensus algorithm, and the axis is optimized using a global extraction strategy based on segment-wise fitting. The cross-sectional planes, which are orthogonal to the central axis, are then determined for every interval. The cross-sectional points are extracted by intersecting straight lines that rotate orthogonally around the central axis within the cross-sectional plane with the tunnel point cloud. An interpolation algorithm based on quadric parametric surface fitting, using the BaySAC (Bayesian SAmpling Consensus algorithm, is proposed to compute the cross-sectional point when it cannot be acquired directly from the tunnel points along the extraction direction of interest. Because the standard shape of the tunnel cross section is a circle, circle fitting is implemented using RANSAC to reduce the noise. The proposed approach is tested on terrestrial point clouds that cover a 150-m-long segment of a Shanghai subway tunnel, which were acquired using a LMS VZ-400 laser scanner. The results indicate that the proposed quadric parametric surface fitting using the optimized BaySAC achieves a higher overall fitting accuracy (0.9 mm than the accuracy (1.6 mm obtained by the plain RANSAC. The results also show that the proposed cross section extraction algorithm can achieve high accuracy (millimeter level, which was assessed by comparing the fitted radii with the designed radius of the cross section and comparing corresponding chord lengths in different cross sections and high efficiency (less than 3 s/section on average.

Population-based cross-sectional study on insulin resistance and insulin-secretory capacity in Japanese school children.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishimura, Rimei; Sano, Hironari; Onda, Yoshiko; Tsujino, Daisuke; Ando, Kiyotaka; Ebara, Futoshi; Matsudaira, Toru; Ishikawa, Shinichiro; Sakamoto, Takuya; Tajima, Naoko; Utsunomiya, Kazunori

2017-09-01

Little information is available regarding the status of insulin resistance (IR) and insulin deficiency (ID), as well as their relationship with obesity in children using the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) in a population-based setting. The study included a total of 445 ninth-grade children participating in health check-up programs implemented in Tsunan Town, Niigata, Japan (boys/girls, 252/193 [participation rates: 98.1/95.5%]). HOMA of insulin resistance ≥2.5 was defined as IR, and HOMA of β-cell function insulin resistance, HOMA of β-cell function, Disposition Index and body mass index in boys were 1.2 (0.8-1.7), 64 (44-93), 52 (43-64) and 19.2 (18.0-20.7) kg/m 2 , respectively, vs 1.5 (1.0-2.0), 86 (63-120), 60 (50-74) and 20.4 (18.9-22.0) kg/m 2 , respectively, in girls. The HOMA of insulin resistance, HOMA of β-cell function and Disposition Index values were significantly higher in the girls (P = 0.002, P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). Those with IR accounted for a significantly higher proportion of girls than boys (15.5/8.7%; P = 0.027); those with obesity accounted for 9.9/10.7% (boys/girls); and those with IR and obesity accounted for 2.4/4.7%. Those with ID accounted for a significantly higher proportion of boys than girls (20.6/8.8%; P = 0.001), whereas those with ID and obesity accounted for a very small proportion of either group (0.4/0.5%). The presence of IR was higher among the girls. In contrast, ID was more frequent among the boys. The infrequent presence of ID among children might support the presence of non-obese type 2 diabetes adults in Japan. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Diabetes Investigation published by Asian Association for the Study of Diabetes (AASD) and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Neighborhood Influences on Emergency Medical Services Use for Acute Stroke: A Population-Based Cross-sectional Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Meurer, William J; Levine, Deborah A; Kerber, Kevin A; Zahuranec, Darin B; Burke, James; Baek, Jonggyu; Sánchez, Brisa; Smith, Melinda A; Morgenstern, Lewis B; Lisabeth, Lynda D

2016-03-01

Delay to hospital arrival limits acute stroke treatment. Use of emergency medical services (EMS) is key in ensuring timely stroke care. We aim to identify neighborhoods with low EMS use and to evaluate whether neighborhood-level factors are associated with EMS use. We conducted a secondary analysis of data from the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi project, a population-based stroke surveillance study of ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage cases presenting to emergency departments in Nueces County, TX. The primary outcome was arrival by EMS. The primary exposures were neighborhood resident age, poverty, and violent crime. We estimated the association of neighborhood-level factors with EMS use, using hierarchic logistic regression, controlling for individual factors (stroke severity, ethnicity, and age). During 2000 to 2009 there were 4,004 identified strokes, with EMS use data available for 3,474. Nearly half (49%) of stroke cases arrived by EMS. Adjusted stroke EMS use was lower in neighborhoods with higher family income (odds ratio [OR] 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.75 to 0.97) and a larger percentage of older adults (OR 0.70; 95% CI 0.56 to 0.89). Individual factors associated with stroke EMS use included white race (OR 1.41; 95% CI 1.13 to 1.76) and older age (OR 1.36 per 10-year age increment; 95% CI 1.27 to 1.46). The proportion of neighborhood stroke cases arriving by EMS ranged from 17% to 71%. The fully adjusted model explained only 0.3% (95% CI 0% to 1.1%) of neighborhood EMS stroke use variance, indicating that individual factors are more strongly associated with stroke EMS use than neighborhood factors. Although some neighborhood-level factors were associated with EMS use, patient-level factors explained nearly all variability in stroke EMS use. In this community, strategies to increase EMS use should target individuals rather than specific neighborhoods. Copyright © 2015 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by

Incidence of hand eczema in a population-based twin cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lerbaek, A; Kyvik, Kirsten Ohm; Ravn, H

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND: Population-based studies on the incidence of hand eczema are sparse. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this prospective follow-up study was to determine the incidence rate of hand eczema in a population-based twin cohort. Secondly, the role of genetic factors and other potential risk factors...... for hand eczema was investigated. METHODS: A questionnaire on self-reported hand eczema was answered by 5610 and 4128 twin individuals in 1996 and 2005, respectively. Data were analysed in a Poisson regression analysis. RESULTS: The crude incidence rate was 8.8 cases per 1000 person-years (95% confidence...... with an increased risk, whereas no association with age, sex, smoking or alcohol was found...

Exploration of the association between chronic periodontal disease and erectile dysfunction from a population-based view point.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsao, C-W; Liu, C-Y; Cha, T-L; Wu, S-T; Chen, S-C; Hsu, C-Y

2015-06-01

Several cross-sectional studies have indicated an association between chronic periodontal disease (CPD) and cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. Erectile dysfunction (ED) also shares pathological mechanisms with these diseases. Using a nationwide population-based data set, we examined the association between ED and CPD and assessed the effect of dental extraction (DE) on ED prevalence in different aged CPD populations in Taiwan. We identified 5105 patients with ED and randomly selected 10 210 patients as controls. Of these patients, 2617 (17.09%) were diagnosed with CPD according to the index data: 1196 (23.43%) in the ED group and 1421 (13.92%) in the control group. After adjusting for comorbid factors, patients with ED were more likely to have been diagnosed with prior CPD than controls (OR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.64-1.96, P < 0.001). Moreover, the association was much stronger in the populations aged less than 30 years (OR = 2.13, 95% CI = 1.23-3.70, P < 0.001) and more than 59 years (OR = 2.27, 95% CI = 1.99-2.59, P < 0.001). Dental extraction seems to attenuate damage to the penile endothelial beds caused by CPD-related inflammation and overcame the process of ED in the middle-aged and older populations. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Mortality due to traumatic spinal cord injuries in Europe: a cross-sectional and pooled analysis of population-wide data from 22 countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Majdan, Marek; Plancikova, Dominika; Nemcovska, Eva; Krajcovicova, Lenka; Brazinova, Alexandra; Rusnak, Martin

2017-07-03

Traumatic spinal cord injuries (TSCI) pose a significant burden globally, while existing epidemiological data-especially on population mortality-are limited. The aim of this study was to calculate the age-standardized population mortality rates attributable to TSCI in 22 European countries, along with the pooled age-standardized mortality rate attributable to TSCI in Europe. A descriptive cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted. Crude and age-standardized mortality rates attributable to TSCI for the year 2012 for 22 European countries were compared using data from death certificates provided by Eurostat. Pooled age-standardized mortality rates were calculated using the random effects model, and overall number of cases were estimated by extrapolating our findings to the populations of EU and Europe (48 countries), in 2012. A total of 1840 TSCI-related deaths were identified, of which 1084 (59%) were males. The pooled age-standardized TSCI-related mortality rate of 6.7 per million (95% CI: 5.2 to 8.2) overall, 9.4 (95% CI: 7.3 to 11.5) for males, and 4.5 (95% CI: 3.4 to 5.6) for females. Extrapolating our results, 3152 (95% CI: 2441 to 3915) deaths would occur in 2012 in the EU-28 and 4570 (95% CI: 3538 to 5675) deaths in the whole Europe. TSCI-related deaths contributed by 2% (95% CI: 1.8% to 2.2%) to the overall injury related mortality. 61% of fatal TSCI were located in the cervical spine area. To our knowledge, this is the largest study that reports TSCI-related population-based mortalities to date which brings valuable information that can inform further research or prevention strategies. Our study presents a comprehensive and large-scale overview of TSCI-related population mortality in Europe. With an estimated toll of nearly five thousand lives that could be potentially saved by prevention, our findings confirm TSCI as an important cause of injury related deaths in Europe. Further action towards harmonization of case ascertainment and towards

Computer-Based Learning: Interleaving Whole and Sectional Representation of Neuroanatomy

Science.gov (United States)

Pani, John R.; Chariker, Julia H.; Naaz, Farah

2013-01-01

The large volume of material to be learned in biomedical disciplines requires optimizing the efficiency of instruction. In prior work with computer-based instruction of neuroanatomy, it was relatively efficient for learners to master whole anatomy and then transfer to learning sectional anatomy. It may, however, be more efficient to continuously…

Prediction of residential radon exposure of the whole Swiss population: comparison of model-based predictions with measurement-based predictions.

Science.gov (United States)

Hauri, D D; Huss, A; Zimmermann, F; Kuehni, C E; Röösli, M

2013-10-01

Radon plays an important role for human exposure to natural sources of ionizing radiation. The aim of this article is to compare two approaches to estimate mean radon exposure in the Swiss population: model-based predictions at individual level and measurement-based predictions based on measurements aggregated at municipality level. A nationwide model was used to predict radon levels in each household and for each individual based on the corresponding tectonic unit, building age, building type, soil texture, degree of urbanization, and floor. Measurement-based predictions were carried out within a health impact assessment on residential radon and lung cancer. Mean measured radon levels were corrected for the average floor distribution and weighted with population size of each municipality. Model-based predictions yielded a mean radon exposure of the Swiss population of 84.1 Bq/m(3) . Measurement-based predictions yielded an average exposure of 78 Bq/m(3) . This study demonstrates that the model- and the measurement-based predictions provided similar results. The advantage of the measurement-based approach is its simplicity, which is sufficient for assessing exposure distribution in a population. The model-based approach allows predicting radon levels at specific sites, which is needed in an epidemiological study, and the results do not depend on how the measurement sites have been selected. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Population-based reference values for bone mineral density in young men

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høiberg, M; Nielsen, Torben Leo; Wraae, K

2007-01-01

-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) equipment. METHODS: The aim of the present study was 1) to establish population-based reference values for BMD in young men and 2) to study subgroups based on variables with suspected impact on bone metabolism. We included 783 young Caucasian men aged 20 to 30 years...... in the Odense Androgen Study (OAS). RESULTS: Peak BMD was attained within the third decade. Obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m2) was associated with higher BMD. Abuse of anabolic steroids as well as chronic illness was associated with lower BMD. Our population-based reference values for BMD of the total hip (1.078 +/- 0...

Cardiovascular Disease Risk in a Large, Population-Based Cohort of Breast Cancer Survivors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boekel, Naomi B.; Schaapveld, Michael; Gietema, Jourik A.; Russell, Nicola S.; Poortmans, Philip; Theuws, Jacqueline C. M.; Schinagl, Dominic A. X.; Rietveld, Derek H. F.; Versteegh, Michel I. M.; Visser, Otto; Rutgers, Emiel J. T.; Aleman, Berthe M. P.; van Leeuwen, Flora E.

2016-01-01

Purpose: To conduct a large, population-based study on cardiovascular disease (CVD) in breast cancer (BC) survivors treated in 1989 or later. Methods and Materials: A large, population-based cohort comprising 70,230 surgically treated stage I to III BC patients diagnosed before age 75 years between

Internet Use for Health-Related Information via Personal Computers and Cell Phones in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Population-Based Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Yoshimitsu; Ohura, Tomoko; Ishizaki, Tatsuro; Okamoto, Shigeru; Miki, Kenji; Naito, Mariko; Akamatsu, Rie; Sugimori, Hiroki; Yoshiike, Nobuo; Miyaki, Koichi; Shimbo, Takuro

2011-01-01

Background The Internet is known to be used for health purposes by the general public all over the world. However, little is known about the use of, attitudes toward, and activities regarding eHealth among the Japanese population. Objectives This study aimed to measure the prevalence of Internet use for health-related information compared with other sources, and to examine the effects on user knowledge, attitudes, and activities with regard to Internet use for health-related information in Japan. We examined the extent of use via personal computers and cell phones. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey of a quasi-representative sample (N = 1200) of the Japanese general population aged 15–79 years in September 2007. The main outcome measures were (1) self-reported rates of Internet use in the past year to acquire health-related information and to contact health professionals, family, friends, and peers specifically for health-related purposes, and (2) perceived effects of Internet use on health care. Results The prevalence of Internet use via personal computer for acquiring health-related information was 23.8% (286/1200) among those surveyed, whereas the prevalence via cell phone was 6% (77). Internet use via both personal computer and cell phone for communicating with health professionals, family, friends, or peers was not common. The Internet was used via personal computer for acquiring health-related information primarily by younger people, people with higher education levels, and people with higher household incomes. The majority of those who used the Internet for health care purposes responded that the Internet improved their knowledge or affected their lifestyle attitude, and that they felt confident in the health-related information they obtained from the Internet. However, less than one-quarter thought it improved their ability to manage their health or affected their health-related activities. Conclusions Japanese moderately used the Internet via

Internet use for health-related information via personal computers and cell phones in Japan: a cross-sectional population-based survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Yoshimitsu; Ohura, Tomoko; Ishizaki, Tatsuro; Okamoto, Shigeru; Miki, Kenji; Naito, Mariko; Akamatsu, Rie; Sugimori, Hiroki; Yoshiike, Nobuo; Miyaki, Koichi; Shimbo, Takuro; Nakayama, Takeo

2011-12-14

The Internet is known to be used for health purposes by the general public all over the world. However, little is known about the use of, attitudes toward, and activities regarding eHealth among the Japanese population. This study aimed to measure the prevalence of Internet use for health-related information compared with other sources, and to examine the effects on user knowledge, attitudes, and activities with regard to Internet use for health-related information in Japan. We examined the extent of use via personal computers and cell phones. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of a quasi-representative sample (N = 1200) of the Japanese general population aged 15-79 years in September 2007. The main outcome measures were (1) self-reported rates of Internet use in the past year to acquire health-related information and to contact health professionals, family, friends, and peers specifically for health-related purposes, and (2) perceived effects of Internet use on health care. The prevalence of Internet use via personal computer for acquiring health-related information was 23.8% (286/1200) among those surveyed, whereas the prevalence via cell phone was 6% (77). Internet use via both personal computer and cell phone for communicating with health professionals, family, friends, or peers was not common. The Internet was used via personal computer for acquiring health-related information primarily by younger people, people with higher education levels, and people with higher household incomes. The majority of those who used the Internet for health care purposes responded that the Internet improved their knowledge or affected their lifestyle attitude, and that they felt confident in the health-related information they obtained from the Internet. However, less than one-quarter thought it improved their ability to manage their health or affected their health-related activities. Japanese moderately used the Internet via personal computers for health purposes, and rarely

Prevalence of chronic kidney disease in Nigeria: systematic review of population-based studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chukwuonye II

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Innocent Ijezie Chukwuonye,1 Okechukwu Samuel Ogah,2 Ernest Ndukaife Anyabolu,3 Kenneth Arinze Ohagwu,1 Ogbonna Collins Nwabuko,4 Uwa Onwuchekwa,5 Miracle Erinma Chukwuonye,6 Emmanuel Chukwuebuka Obi,1 Efosa Oviasu7 1Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Abia State, 2Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University College Hospital Ibadan, Oyo State 3Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital Awka, Anambra State, 4Department of Haematology, Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, 5Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, 6Department of Family Medicine, Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, 7Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria Background: The aim of this study was to identify and discuss published population-based studies carried out in Nigeria that have information on the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD and have also used the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI practice guidelines in defining CKD, with emphasis on the performance of three estimating equations for glomerular filtration rate (GFR – Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD, Cockcroft–Gault, and CKD epidemiology collaboration (CKD-EPI creatinine equation. Materials and methods: A systematic literature search was carried out in Google, MEDLINE, PubMed, and AJOL database, with the aim of identifying relevant population-based studies with information on the prevalence of CKD in a location in Nigeria. Results: Seven cross-sectional population-based studies were identified. Two of the studies used the Cockcroft–Gault and observed a prevalence of 24.4% and 26%. Four of the studies used the MDRD and the prevalences observed were 12.3%, 14.2%, 2.5%, and 13.4%. One of the studies used the CKD

The synergistic effect of breastfeeding discontinuation and cesarean section delivery on postpartum depression: A nationwide population-based cohort study in Korea.

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Nam, Jin Young; Choi, Young; Kim, Juyeong; Cho, Kyoung Hee; Park, Eun-Cheol

2017-08-15

The relationships between breastfeeding discontinuation and cesarean section delivery, and the occurrence of postpartum depression (PPD) remain unclear. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association of breastfeeding discontinuation and cesarean section delivery with PPD during the first 6 months after delivery. Data were extracted from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort for 81,447 women who delivered during 2004-2013. PPD status was determined using the diagnosis code at outpatient or inpatient visit during the 6-month postpartum period. Breastfeeding discontinuation and cesarean section delivery were identified from prescription of lactation suppression drugs and diagnosis, respectively. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate adjusted hazard ratios. Of the 81,447 women, 666 (0.82%) had PPD. PPD risk was higher in women who discontinued breastfeeding than in those who continued breastfeeding (hazard ratio=3.23, Pwomen with cesarean section delivery than in those with vaginal delivery (hazard ratio=1.26, P=0.0040), and in women with cesarean section delivery who discontinued breastfeeding than in those with vaginal delivery who continued breastfeeding (hazard ratio=4.92, Pworking status, which could introduce selection bias and errors due to miscoding; and potential lack of adjustment for important confounders. Breastfeeding discontinuation and cesarean section delivery were associated with PPD during the 6-month postpartum period. Our results support the implementation of breastfeeding promoting policies, and PPD screening and treatment programs during the early postpartum period. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Building the Evidence Base for Population-Level Interventions: Barriers and Opportunities

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Lifsey, Sarah; Cash, Amanda; Anthony, Jodi; Mathis, Sheryl; Silva, Sandra

2015-01-01

Population-level interventions focused on policy, systems, and environmental change strategies are increasingly being used to affect and improve the health of populations. At the same time, emphasis on implementing evidence-based public health practices and programming is increasing, particularly at the federal level. Valuing strategies in the…

Employment status and psychological distress in a population-based cross-sectional study in Sweden: the impact of migration.

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Sidorchuk, Anna; Engström, Karin; Johnson, Charisse M; Kayser Leeoza, Naima; Möller, Jette

2017-04-07

Unemployment and temporary employment are known to impact psychological health. However, the extent to which the effect is altered by migration-related and sociodemographic determinants is less clear. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the association between employment status and psychological distress differs between immigrants and Swedish-born and to what extent, the association is modified by gender and reason for immigration. Cross-sectional survey study. Data from public health surveys undertaken in 2002, 2006 and 2010 from random samples of Stockholm County residents, Sweden, were used to analyse a weighted sample of 51 118 individuals aged 18-64 (43 444 Swedish-born, 4055 non-refugees, 3619 refugees). According to their activity in the labour market, the participants were categorised into permanently/self-employed, temporarily employed and unemployed. Associations between self-reported employment and psychological distress measured by a 12-item version of the General Health Questionnaire were explored across individuals with different migration status and reasons for immigration using logistic regression and pairwise comparisons. The analyses were stratified by gender and adjusted for age, socioeconomic characteristics and survey year. Unemployment was associated with elevated likelihood of psychological distress across the study population, regardless of migration status and gender. Fully adjusted models revealed nearly a 3-fold higher odds of distress in unemployed Swedish-born (OR 3.05, 95% CI 2.66 to 3.51), non-refugees (OR 3.51, 95% CI 2.44 to 5.05) and refugees (OR 2.91, 95% CI 2.20 to 3.85) when compared with permanently/self-employed. Temporary employment also increased the likelihood of distress, particularly among refugees and Swedish-born. The effect of unemployment on increased likelihood of poor psychological well-being overcomes gender-specific and migration-specific differences and is equally pronounced for Swedish

DMD-based LED-illumination super-resolution and optical sectioning microscopy.

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Dan, Dan; Lei, Ming; Yao, Baoli; Wang, Wen; Winterhalder, Martin; Zumbusch, Andreas; Qi, Yujiao; Xia, Liang; Yan, Shaohui; Yang, Yanlong; Gao, Peng; Ye, Tong; Zhao, Wei

2013-01-01

Super-resolution three-dimensional (3D) optical microscopy has incomparable advantages over other high-resolution microscopic technologies, such as electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, in the study of biological molecules, pathways and events in live cells and tissues. We present a novel approach of structured illumination microscopy (SIM) by using a digital micromirror device (DMD) for fringe projection and a low-coherence LED light for illumination. The lateral resolution of 90 nm and the optical sectioning depth of 120 μm were achieved. The maximum acquisition speed for 3D imaging in the optical sectioning mode was 1.6×10(7) pixels/second, which was mainly limited by the sensitivity and speed of the CCD camera. In contrast to other SIM techniques, the DMD-based LED-illumination SIM is cost-effective, ease of multi-wavelength switchable and speckle-noise-free. The 2D super-resolution and 3D optical sectioning modalities can be easily switched and applied to either fluorescent or non-fluorescent specimens.

Augmented Cross-Sectional Studies with Abbreviated Follow-up for Estimating HIV Incidence

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Claggett, B.; Lagakos, S.W.; Wang, R.

2011-01-01

Cross-sectional HIV incidence estimation based on a sensitive and less-sensitive test offers great advantages over the traditional cohort study. However, its use has been limited due to concerns about the false negative rate of the less-sensitive test, reflecting the phenomenon that some subjects may remain negative permanently on the less-sensitive test. Wang and Lagakos (2010) propose an augmented cross-sectional design which provides one way to estimate the size of the infected population ...

Association between obesity and suicide in woman, but not in man: a population-based study of young adults.

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Branco, Jerônimo Costa; Motta, Janaína; Wiener, Carolina; Oses, Jean Pierre; Pedrotti Moreira, Fernanda; Spessato, Barbara; Dias, Luciano; da Silva, Ricardo

2017-03-01

The relationship between obesity and suicide risk is still unclear with controversial research results. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between obesity and suicide risk for men and women in a population-based study of young adults. This is a cross-sectional population-based study that identified young adults between 18 and 35 years of age. Suicide risk was investigated through the structured clinical interview Mini. Weight and height were assessed, and participants were classified as normal-weight body mass index (BMI obese (BMI > 30). The prevalence of obesity was of 19.9% of the total sample (n = 1953). Obesity was more prevalent among women and participants between 27 and 35 years of age. Suicide risk was present in 13.0% of the sample and more prevalent among women. In our study we found an association between obesity and suicide risk for women, but not for men. Obesity was associated with a higher prevalence of suicide risk in women. Given the strength of the relationship between BMI and suicide, identifying the mechanisms associated with obesity, especially for women, can lead to new insights into the prevention of suicide risk.

Risk factors for chronic periodontitis in Sri Lankan adults: a population based case-control study.

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Wellapuli, Nimali; Ekanayake, Lilani

2017-09-07

To determine risk factors for chronic periodontitis in 30-60 year olds in Sri Lanka. Cases and controls for this population based unmatched case-control study were identified from a broader cross-sectional study which was conducted to determine the prevalence of chronic periodontitis in 30-60 year old adults in Colombo district Sri Lanka. The study included 694 cases and 706 controls. Data were collected by means of a pre-tested interviewer administered questionnaire to obtain information about socio-demographic and behavioural factors, a physical examination to record anthropometric measurements and an oral examination. Being a male, a Muslim, belonging to the 45-60 year old age group, having less than 12 years of education, using the finger to clean teeth, current smoking, current betel quid chewing, self-reported diabetes and hypertension emerged as risk factors for chronic periodontitis. Several socio-demographic and behavioural factors as well as co-morbid conditions emerged as independent risk factors for chronic periodontits in this population. The findings could be used for planning programmes to reduce the burden of chronic periodontits in Colombo district Sri Lanka.

Prevalence of cerebral palsy in Uganda: a population-based study.

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Kakooza-Mwesige, Angelina; Andrews, Carin; Peterson, Stefan; Wabwire Mangen, Fred; Eliasson, Ann Christin; Forssberg, Hans

2017-12-01

Few population-based studies of cerebral palsy have been done in low-income and middle-income countries. We aimed to examine cerebral palsy prevalence and subtypes, functional impairments, and presumed time of injury in children in Uganda. In this population-based study, we used a nested, three-stage, cross-sectional method (Iganga-Mayuge Health and Demographic Surveillance System [HDSS]) to screen for cerebral palsy in children aged 2-17 years in a rural eastern Uganda district. A specialist team confirmed the diagnosis and determined the subtype, motor function (according to the Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS]), and possible time of brain injury for each child. Triangulation and interviews with key village informants were used to identify additional cases of suspected cerebral palsy. We estimated crude and adjusted cerebral palsy prevalence. We did χ 2 analyses to examine differences between the group screened at stage 1 and the entire population and regression analyses to investigate associations between the number of cases and age, GMFCS level, subtype, and time of injury. We used data from the March 1, 2015, to June 30, 2015, surveillance round of the Iganga-Mayuge HDSS. 31 756 children were screened for cerebral palsy, which was confirmed in 86 (19%) of 442 children who screened positive in the first screening stage. The crude cerebral palsy prevalence was 2·7 (95% CI 2·2-3·3) per 1000 children, and prevalence increased to 2·9 (2·4-3·6) per 1000 children after adjustment for attrition. The prevalence was lower in older (8-17 years) than in younger (cerebral palsy was the most common subtype (45 [46%] of 97 children) followed by bilateral cerebral palsy (39 [40%] of 97 children). 14 (27%) of 51 children aged 2-7 years had severe cerebral palsy (GMFCS levels 4-5) compared with only five (12%) of 42 children aged 8-17 years. Few children (two [2%] of 97) diagnosed with cerebral palsy were born preterm. Post-neonatal events were the

Association between intimate partner violence and irritable bowel syndrome: a population-based study in Nicaragua.

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Becker-Dreps, Sylvia; Morgan, Douglas; Peña, Rodolfo; Cortes, Loreto; Martin, Christopher F; Valladares, Eliette

2010-07-01

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disabling functional gastrointestinal disorder, which serves as a model for abdominal pain syndromes. An association between intimate partner violence and IBS has been shown among White women in the industrialized world. To determine whether this relationship transcends cultural boundaries, we conducted a population-based, cross-sectional survey in Nicaragua using the innovative Health and Demographic Surveillance System in the León province. Women who had experienced physical intimate partner violence had significantly increased risk of IBS (odds ratio [OR] = 2.08; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.35, 3.21), as did those who had experienced sexual intimate partner violence (OR = 2.85; 95% CI = 1.45, 5.59). These findings argue for intimate partner violence screening among Latina women with IBS.

Alcohol use in a military population deployed in combat areas: a cross sectional study

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Hanwella Raveen

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Alcohol misuse is more prevalent among military populations. Association between PTSD and heavy drinking have been reported in many studies. Most of the studies on alcohol use among military personnel are from US and UK. Aim of this study is to describe alcohol consumption patterns among military personnel in Sri Lanka, a country where the alcohol consumption among the general population are very different to that in US and UK. Methods Cross sectional study consisting of representative samples of Sri Lanka Navy Special Forces and regular forces deployed in combat areas continuously during a one year period was carried out. Data was collected using a self report questionnaire. Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT was used to assess alcohol consumption. Results Sample consisted of 259 Special Forces and 412 regular navy personnel. The median AUDIT score was 2.0 (interquartile range 6.0. Prevalence of current drinking was 71.2 %. Of the current users 54.81 % were infrequent users (frequency ≤ once a month while 37.87 % of users consumed 2–4 times a month. Prevalence of hazardous drinking (AUDIT ≥ 8 was 16.69 % and binge drinking 14.01 %. Five (0.75 % had AUDIT total ≥20. There was no significant difference between Special Forces and regular forces in hazardous drinking or binge drinking. Total AUDIT score ≥16 were associated with difficulty performing work. Conclusions High rates of hazardous drinking and binge drinking described among military personnel in US and UK were not seen among SLN personnel deployed in combat areas. This finding contrasts with previously reported association between combat exposure and hazardous alcohol use among military personnel. Alcohol use among military personnel may be significantly influenced by alcohol consumption patterns among the general population, access to alcohol and attitudes about alcohol use. Similar to findings from other countries, heavy

[Public sector participation in the supply of dyslipidemia medication in a population-based study].

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Petris, Airton José; Souza, Regina Kazue Tanno de; Bortoletto, Maira Sayuri Sakay

2016-12-01

The use of medications for the treatment of dyslipidemia is relevant in the control of cardiovascular disease. This article aims to analyze the prevalence, the use and the participation of the public sector in the supply of medication for adults aged 40 years and above using pharmacotherapy for dyslipidemia control living in a city in the southern region of Brazil. A cross-sectional, population-based study was conducted. Household interviews were staged with 1180 individuals aged over 40 living in Cambé, State of Paraná, of which 967 took laboratory examinations. The prevalence of dyslipidemia was 69.2%, of which 16.1% were taking medication. Among individuals undergoing treatment for dyslipidemia, 22.2% had adequate test results. Lipid-lowering medication used were simvastatin (81.5%) and bezafibrate (6.5%), mainly obtained by direct payment to private pharmacies and drug stores (52.2%) and NHS services (33.6%). A high prevalence of dyslipidemias was observed in population terms, together with a low level of dyslipidemia control and low participation of the public sector regarding the supply of medication compared to acquisition through direct payment for medication in private pharmacies. These results suggest a limited range of public policy for control of dyslipidemia.

An Improved Real-Coded Population-Based Extremal Optimization Method for Continuous Unconstrained Optimization Problems

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Guo-Qiang Zeng

2014-01-01

Full Text Available As a novel evolutionary optimization method, extremal optimization (EO has been successfully applied to a variety of combinatorial optimization problems. However, the applications of EO in continuous optimization problems are relatively rare. This paper proposes an improved real-coded population-based EO method (IRPEO for continuous unconstrained optimization problems. The key operations of IRPEO include generation of real-coded random initial population, evaluation of individual and population fitness, selection of bad elements according to power-law probability distribution, generation of new population based on uniform random mutation, and updating the population by accepting the new population unconditionally. The experimental results on 10 benchmark test functions with the dimension N=30 have shown that IRPEO is competitive or even better than the recently reported various genetic algorithm (GA versions with different mutation operations in terms of simplicity, effectiveness, and efficiency. Furthermore, the superiority of IRPEO to other evolutionary algorithms such as original population-based EO, particle swarm optimization (PSO, and the hybrid PSO-EO is also demonstrated by the experimental results on some benchmark functions.

Breast feeding mediators among iranian women at premarital stage a population based study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hosseinzadeh, K.

2017-01-01

Objectives: To describe breastfeeding mediators among women at pre-marital stage in Iran. Methods: Using the simple randomized sampling method, 450 participants were enrolled in this population-based cross-sectional study. A structured questionnaire was used in order to collect data. Results: Eighty eight percent of the participants reported that had not met breastfeeding education previously. The available sources of information for 65% of respondents were radio and television. Seventy nine percent did not know any breastfeeding consultant. Mean score of participants' knowledge was lower than 50 score. Nearly 50% participants claimed the breastfeeding to be as a common barrier for their job and learning. Only 14% had intended to initiate breastfeeding immediately after childbearing. Mean score of perceived self efficacy about breastfeeding was less than 50 percent. Conclusion: Breastfeeding mediators among Iranian women at premarital stage are not in favorable situation. Findings of this study suggest a need for more breastfeeding education programs for Iranian women at premarital stage. (author)

Extension of landscape-based population viability models to ecoregional scales for conservation planning

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Thomas W. Bonnot; Frank R. III Thompson; Joshua Millspaugh

2011-01-01

Landscape-based population models are potentially valuable tools in facilitating conservation planning and actions at large scales. However, such models have rarely been applied at ecoregional scales. We extended landscape-based population models to ecoregional scales for three species of concern in the Central Hardwoods Bird Conservation Region and compared model...

Population-based absolute risk estimation with survey data

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Kovalchik, Stephanie A.; Pfeiffer, Ruth M.

2013-01-01

Absolute risk is the probability that a cause-specific event occurs in a given time interval in the presence of competing events. We present methods to estimate population-based absolute risk from a complex survey cohort that can accommodate multiple exposure-specific competing risks. The hazard function for each event type consists of an individualized relative risk multiplied by a baseline hazard function, which is modeled nonparametrically or parametrically with a piecewise exponential model. An influence method is used to derive a Taylor-linearized variance estimate for the absolute risk estimates. We introduce novel measures of the cause-specific influences that can guide modeling choices for the competing event components of the model. To illustrate our methodology, we build and validate cause-specific absolute risk models for cardiovascular and cancer deaths using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Our applications demonstrate the usefulness of survey-based risk prediction models for predicting health outcomes and quantifying the potential impact of disease prevention programs at the population level. PMID:23686614

Population Estimation in Singapore Based on Remote Sensing and Open Data

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Guo, H.; Cao, K.; Wang, P.

2017-09-01

Population estimation statistics are widely used in government, commercial and educational sectors for a variety of purposes. With growing emphases on real-time and detailed population information, data users nowadays have switched from traditional census data to more technology-based data source such as LiDAR point cloud and High-Resolution Satellite Imagery. Nevertheless, such data are costly and periodically unavailable. In this paper, the authors use West Coast District, Singapore as a case study to investigate the applicability and effectiveness of using satellite image from Google Earth for extraction of building footprint and population estimation. At the same time, volunteered geographic information (VGI) is also utilized as ancillary data for building footprint extraction. Open data such as Open Street Map OSM could be employed to enhance the extraction process. In view of challenges in building shadow extraction, this paper discusses several methods including buffer, mask and shape index to improve accuracy. It also illustrates population estimation methods based on building height and number of floor estimates. The results show that the accuracy level of housing unit method on population estimation can reach 92.5 %, which is remarkably accurate. This paper thus provides insights into techniques for building extraction and fine-scale population estimation, which will benefit users such as urban planners in terms of policymaking and urban planning of Singapore.

POPULATION ESTIMATION IN SINGAPORE BASED ON REMOTE SENSING AND OPEN DATA

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H. Guo

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Population estimation statistics are widely used in government, commercial and educational sectors for a variety of purposes. With growing emphases on real-time and detailed population information, data users nowadays have switched from traditional census data to more technology-based data source such as LiDAR point cloud and High-Resolution Satellite Imagery. Nevertheless, such data are costly and periodically unavailable. In this paper, the authors use West Coast District, Singapore as a case study to investigate the applicability and effectiveness of using satellite image from Google Earth for extraction of building footprint and population estimation. At the same time, volunteered geographic information (VGI is also utilized as ancillary data for building footprint extraction. Open data such as Open Street Map（OSM）could be employed to enhance the extraction process. In view of challenges in building shadow extraction, this paper discusses several methods including buffer, mask and shape index to improve accuracy. It also illustrates population estimation methods based on building height and number of floor estimates. The results show that the accuracy level of housing unit method on population estimation can reach 92.5 %, which is remarkably accurate. This paper thus provides insights into techniques for building extraction and fine-scale population estimation, which will benefit users such as urban planners in terms of policymaking and urban planning of Singapore.

Comparing methods of targeting obesity interventions in populations: An agent-based simulation.

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Beheshti, Rahmatollah; Jalalpour, Mehdi; Glass, Thomas A

2017-12-01

Social networks as well as neighborhood environments have been shown to effect obesity-related behaviors including energy intake and physical activity. Accordingly, harnessing social networks to improve targeting of obesity interventions may be promising to the extent this leads to social multiplier effects and wider diffusion of intervention impact on populations. However, the literature evaluating network-based interventions has been inconsistent. Computational methods like agent-based models (ABM) provide researchers with tools to experiment in a simulated environment. We develop an ABM to compare conventional targeting methods (random selection, based on individual obesity risk, and vulnerable areas) with network-based targeting methods. We adapt a previously published and validated model of network diffusion of obesity-related behavior. We then build social networks among agents using a more realistic approach. We calibrate our model first against national-level data. Our results show that network-based targeting may lead to greater population impact. We also present a new targeting method that outperforms other methods in terms of intervention effectiveness at the population level.

An obesity/cardiometabolic risk reduction disease management program: a population-based approach.

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Villagra, Victor G

2009-04-01

Obesity is a critical health concern that has captured the attention of public and private healthcare payers who are interested in controlling costs and mitigating the long-term economic consequences of the obesity epidemic. Population-based approaches to obesity management have been proposed that take advantage of a chronic care model (CCM), including patient self-care, the use of community-based resources, and the realization of care continuity through ongoing communications with patients, information technology, and public policy changes. Payer-sponsored disease management programs represent an important conduit to delivering population-based care founded on similar CCM concepts. Disease management is founded on population-based disease identification, evidence-based care protocols, and collaborative practices between clinicians. While substantial clinician training, technology infrastructure commitments, and financial support at the payer level will be needed for the success of disease management programs in obesity and cardiometabolic risk reduction, these barriers can be overcome with the proper commitment. Disease management programs represent an important tool to combat the growing societal risks of overweight and obesity.

Prevalence of Untreated Surgical Conditions in Rural Rwanda: A Population-Based Cross-sectional Study in Burera District.

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Maine, Rebecca G; Linden, Allison F; Riviello, Robert; Kamanzi, Emmanuel; Mody, Gita N; Ntakiyiruta, Georges; Kansayisa, Grace; Ntaganda, Edmond; Niyonkuru, Francine; Mubiligi, Joel M; Mpunga, Tharcisse; Meara, John G; Hedt-Gauthier, Bethany L

2017-12-20

In low- and middle-income countries, community-level surgical epidemiology is largely undefined. Accurate community-level surgical epidemiology is necessary for surgical health systems planning. To determine the prevalence of surgical conditions in Burera District, Northern Province, Rwanda. A cross-sectional study with a 2-stage cluster sample design (at village and household level) was carried out in Burera District in March and May 2012. A team of surgeons randomly sampled 30 villages with probability proportionate to village population size, then sampled 23 households within each village. All available household members were examined. The presence of 10 index surgical conditions (injuries/wounds, hernias/hydroceles, breast masses, neck masses, obstetric fistulas, undescended testes, hypospadias, hydrocephalus, cleft lip/palate, and clubfoot) was determined by physical examination. Prevalence was estimated overall and for each condition. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with surgical conditions, accounting for the complex survey design. Of the 2165 examined individuals, 1215 (56.2%) were female. The prevalence of any surgical condition among all examined individuals was 12% (95% CI, 9.2-14.9%). Half of conditions were hernias/hydroceles (49.6%), and 44% were injuries/wounds. In multivariable analysis, children 5 years or younger had twice the odds of having a surgical condition compared with married individuals 21 to 35 years of age (reference group) (odds ratio [OR], 2.2; 95% CI, 1.26-4.04; P = .01). The oldest group, people older than 50 years, also had twice the odds of having a surgical condition compared with the reference group (married, aged >50 years: OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.28-4.23; P = .01; unmarried, aged >50 years: OR, 2.38; 95% CI, 1.02-5.52; P = .06). Unmarried individuals 21 to 35 years of age and unmarried individuals aged 36 to 50 years had higher odds of a surgical condition compared with the

Determinants of fracture risk in a UK-population-based cohort of older women: a cross-sectional analysis of the Cohort for Skeletal Health in Bristol and Avon (COSHIBA).

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Clark, Emma M; Gould, Virginia C; Morrison, Leigh; Masud, Tahir; Tobias, Jon

2012-01-01

Identification of individuals with high fracture risk from within primary care is complex. It is likely that the true contribution of falls to fracture risk is underestimated. Cross-sectional analysis of a population-based cohort of 3,200 post-menopausal women aged 73 ± 4 years. Self-reported data were collected on fracture, osteoporosis clinical risk factors and falls/mobility risk factors. Self-reported falls were compared with recorded falls on GP computerised records. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent risk factors for fracture. A total of 838 (26.2%) reported a fracture after aged 50; 441 reported falling more than once per year, but 69% of these had no mention of falls on their computerised GP records. Only age [odds ratios (OR): 1.37 per 5 year increase, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.23-1.53], height (1.02 per cm increase, 95% CI: 1.01-1.04), weight (OR: 0.99 per kg increase, 95% CI: 0.98-0.99) and falls (OR: 1.49 for more than once per year compared with less, 95% CI: 1.13-1.94) were independent risk factors for fracture. Falls had the strongest association. When identifying individuals with high fracture risk we estimate that more than one fall per year is at least twice as important as height and weight. Furthermore, using self-reported falls data is essential as computerised GP records underestimate falls prevalence.

Detecting population recovery using gametic disequilibrium-based effective population size estimates

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David A. Tallmon; Robin S. Waples; Dave Gregovich; Michael K. Schwartz

2012-01-01

Recovering populations often must meet specific growth rate or abundance targets before their legal status can be changed from endangered or threatened. While the efficacy, power, and performance of population metrics to infer trends in declining populations has received considerable attention, how these same metrics perform when populations are increasing is less...

Sexual violence, mood disorders and suicide risk: a population-based study

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Thaíse Campos Mondin

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract This article seeks to analyze the association between sexual violence, manic and depressive episodes, and suicide risk among young adults. This is a cross-sectional population-based study carried out with young people between 18 and 24 years of age in a town in southern Brazil. The sample was selected through clusters. The prevalence of sexual violence, manic, depressive and mixed episodes and suicide risk were evaluated, as well as the association between them. The chi-square test and Poisson regression were used for statistical analysis. The study sample comprised 1,560 subjects. Among these, 3.1% had suffered sexual violence at some point in their life. The prevalence of depressive, mixed episodes, and (hypomanic episodes were 10%, 2.4% and 2.3%, respectively. Suicide risk had a prevalence of 8.6% in the total sample. Young people who have suffered sexual violence are more likely to be subject to mood changes or suicide risk than those who have not (p < 0.05, except for the occurrence of (hypomanic episodes. These results revealed a strong association between sexual violence and depressive and mixed episodes and suicide risk.

Neighborhood deprivation is strongly associated with participation in a population-based health check

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bender, Anne Mette; Kawachi, Ichiro; Jørgensen, Torben

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: We sought to examine whether neighborhood deprivation is associated with participation in a large population-based health check. Such analyses will help answer the question whether health checks, which are designed to meet the needs of residents in deprived neighborhoods, may increase...... participation and prove to be more effective in preventing disease. In Europe, no study has previously looked at the association between neighborhood deprivation and participation in a population-based health check. METHODS: The study population comprised 12,768 persons invited for a health check including...... screening for ischemic heart disease and lifestyle counseling. The study population was randomly drawn from a population of 179,097 persons living in 73 neighborhoods in Denmark. Data on neighborhood deprivation (percentage with basic education, with low income and not in work) and individual socioeconomic...

Beam-Based Alignment of Magnetic Field in the Fermilab Electron Cooler Cooling Section

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seletskiy, S. M.; Tupikov, V.

2006-01-01

The Fermilab Electron Cooling Project requires low effective anglular spread of electrons in the cooling section. One of the main components of the effective electron angles is an angle of electron beam centroid with respect to antiproton beam. This angle is caused by the poor quality of magnetic field in the 20 m long cooling section solenoid and by the mismatch of the beam centroid to the entrance of the cooling section. This paper focuses on the beam-based procedure of the alignment of the cooling section field and beam centroid matching. The discussed procedure allows to suppress the beam centroid angles below the critical value of 0.1 mrad

A vegetarian diet does not protect against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): A cross-sectional study between Buddhist priests and the general population.

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Choi, Sung Hun; Oh, Dong Jun; Kwon, Ki Hwan; Lee, Jun Kyu; Koh, Moon Soo; Lee, Jin Ho; Kang, Hyoun Woo

2015-07-01

There is limited data that supports a role for a vegetarian diet in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between vegetarian diets and NAFLD, considering metabolic syndrome and obesity. This is a cross-sectional, retrospective study comparing the prevalence of NAFLD of 615 Buddhist priests and age-, sex-, Body mass index (BMI)-and presence/absence of metabolic syndrome-matched controls who underwent routine health checkups in a health promotion center. Diagnosis and severity of NAFLD was determined based on ultrasonographic findings. The prevalence of NAFLD was not statistically significantly different between the Buddhist priests and the general population (29.9% vs. 25.05%, p=0.055). The Buddhist priest group had higher serum albumin, serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and serum triglyceride levels and lower serum total bilirubin, serum fasting glucose, and serum high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels than the general population group. In univariate analysis and multivariate analysis, NAFLD was associated with old age, male gender, increased BMI, increased waist circumference, metabolic syndrome, high albumin, high glucose, high AST, high ALT, high gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), high triglycerides, low HDL, high low density lipoprotein (LDL), and high total cholesterol. The vegetarian diet does not protect against NAFLD.

Population-based dietary approaches for the prevention of noncommunicable diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Somasundaram, Noel P; Kalupahana, Nishan Sudheera

2016-04-01

As the incidence of noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes continues to rise at an alarming rate in South-East Asia, it is imperative that urgent and population-wide strategies are adopted. The most important contributors to the rise in noncommunicable disease are a rise in mean caloric intake and a decrease in physical activity. The evidence for population-based dietary approaches to counter these factors is reviewed. Several structural and cohesive interdepartmental coordination efforts are required for effective implementation of prevention strategies. Since low- and middle-income countries may lack the frameworks for effective and integrated multi-stakeholder intervention, implementation of population-based dietary and physical-activity approaches may be delayed and may be too late for effective prevention in current at-risk cohorts. Evidence-based strategies to decrease energy intake and increase physical activity are now well established and their urgent adoption by Member States of the World Health Organization South-East Asia Region is essential. In the context of Sri Lanka, for example, it is recommended that the most effective and easy-to-implement interventions would be media campaigns, restrictions on advertisement of unhealthy foods, taxation of unhealthy foods, subsidies for production of healthy foods, and laws on nutrition labelling that introduce colour coding of packaged foods.

Partially populated catalogue of measured properties of field sections.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-10-01

This catalogue documents the construction, monitoring, and mixture information of 11 test sections: four in SH 15 in the north Amarillo, three in US 62 in Childress, and four in Loop 820 in Fort Worth.

Strong γ-ray emission from neutron unbound states populated in β-decay: Impact on (n,γ) cross-section estimates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tain, J. L.; Guadilla, V.; Valencia, E.; Algora, A.

2017-01-01

Total absorption gamma-ray spectroscopy is used to measure accurately the intensity of γ emission from neutron-unbound states populated in the β-decay of delayed-neutron emitters. From the comparison of this intensity with the intensity of neutron emission one can deduce information on the (n,γ) cross section for unstable neutron-rich nuclei of interest in r process abundance calculations. A surprisingly large γ branching was observed for a number of isotopes. Here, the results are compared with Hauser-Feshbach calculations and discussed.

Quantum dash based single section mode locked lasers for photonic integrated circuits.

Science.gov (United States)

Joshi, Siddharth; Calò, Cosimo; Chimot, Nicolas; Radziunas, Mindaugas; Arkhipov, Rostislav; Barbet, Sophie; Accard, Alain; Ramdane, Abderrahim; Lelarge, Francois

2014-05-05

We present the first demonstration of an InAs/InP Quantum Dash based single-section frequency comb generator designed for use in photonic integrated circuits (PICs). The laser cavity is closed using a specifically designed Bragg reflector without compromising the mode-locking performance of the self pulsating laser. This enables the integration of single-section mode-locked laser in photonic integrated circuits as on-chip frequency comb generators. We also investigate the relations between cavity modes in such a device and demonstrate how the dispersion of the complex mode frequencies induced by the Bragg grating implies a violation of the equi-distance between the adjacent mode frequencies and, therefore, forbids the locking of the modes in a classical Bragg Device. Finally we integrate such a Bragg Mirror based laser with Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA) to demonstrate the monolithic integration of QDash based low phase noise sources in PICs.

Mastication and risk for diabetes in a Japanese population: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamazaki, Toru; Yamori, Masashi; Asai, Keita; Nakano-Araki, Ikuko; Yamaguchi, Akihiko; Takahashi, Katsu; Sekine, Akihiro; Matsuda, Fumihiko; Kosugi, Shinji; Nakayama, Takeo; Inagaki, Nobuya; Bessho, Kazuhisa

2013-01-01

Associations between mastication and insufficient nutrient intake, obesity, and glucose metabolism have been shown in previous studies. However, the association between mastication and diabetes has not been clarified. Our objective was to examine the association between mastication, namely masticatory performance or rate of eating, and diabetes in a population-based cohort. We conducted a cross-sectional study of the association between mastication and diabetes in the Nagahama Prospective Cohort Study, an ongoing study which recruits citizens of Nagahama City in Shiga Prefecture, central Japan. 2,283 male and 4,544 female residents aged 40-74 years were enrolled from July 2009 to November 2010. Masticatory performance was evaluated by spectrophotometric measurement of color changes after masticating color-changeable chewing gum. Categorical rate of eating (fast, intermediate or slow) was self-assessed using a questionnaire. 177 males (7.7%) and 112 (2.4%) females were diagnosed with diabetes. We divided participants into four groups by quartile of masticatory performance, namely Q1 (lowest), 2, and 3 and 4 (highest). Compared to the lowest performance group, the multivariable adjusted odds ratio (OR) of diabetes was 0.91 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.58-1.4) in Q2, 0.77 (95% CI, 0.48-1.2) in Q3, and 0.53 (95% CI, 0.31-0.90) in the highest group in males, and 1.2 (95% CI, 0.73-2.0), 0.95 (95% CI, 0.54-1.6) and 0.56 (95% CI, 0.30-1.0) in females. We also estimated ORs of diabetes by rate of eating. Compared to the fast eating group, ORs in males were 0.87 (95% CI, 0.61-1.2) in the intermediate group and 0.38 (95% CI, 0.16-0.91) in the slow group, and ORs in females were 0.92 (95% CI, 0.59-1.4) and 1.5 (95% CI, 0.73-3.0). These findings support the hypothesis that higher masticatory performance and slow eating prevent the occurrence of diabetes.

Mode of delivery and the probability of subsequent childbearing: a population-based register study.

Science.gov (United States)

Elvander, C; Dahlberg, J; Andersson, G; Cnattingius, S

2015-11-01

To investigate the relationship between mode of first delivery and probability of subsequent childbearing. Population-based study. Nationwide study in Sweden. A cohort of 771 690 women who delivered their first singleton infant in Sweden between 1992 and 2010. Using Cox's proportional-hazards regression models, risks of subsequent childbearing were compared across four modes of delivery. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated, using 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Probability of having a second and third child; interpregnancy interval. Compared with women who had a spontaneous vaginal first delivery, women who delivered by vacuum extraction were less likely to have a second pregnancy (HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.95-0.97), and the probabilities of a second childbirth were substantially lower among women with a previous emergency caesarean section (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.84-0.86) or an elective caesarean section (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.80-0.83). There were no clinically important differences in the median time between first and second pregnancy by mode of first delivery. Compared with women younger than 30 years of age, older women were more negatively affected by a vacuum extraction with respect to the probability of having a second child. A primary vacuum extraction decreased the probability of having a third child by 4%, but having two consecutive vacuum extraction deliveries did not further alter the probability. A first delivery by vacuum extraction does not reduce the probability of subsequent childbearing to the same extent as a first delivery by emergency or elective caesarean section. © 2014 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Performance-based Physical Functioning and Peripheral Neuropathy in a Population-based Cohort of Women at Midlife

Science.gov (United States)

Ylitalo, Kelly R.; Herman, William H.; Harlow, Siobán D.

2013-01-01

Peripheral neuropathy is underappreciated as a potential cause of functional limitations. In the present article, we assessed the cross-sectional association between peripheral neuropathy and physical functioning and how the longitudinal association between age and functioning differed by neuropathy status. Physical functioning was measured in 1996–2008 using timed performances on stair-climb, walking, sit-to-stand, and balance tests at the Michigan site of the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, a population-based cohort study of women at midlife (n = 396). Peripheral neuropathy was measured in 2008 and defined as having an abnormal monofilament test result or 4 or more symptoms. We used linear mixed models to determine whether trajectories of physical functioning differed by prevalent neuropathy status. Overall, 27.8% of the women had neuropathy. Stair-climb time differed by neuropathy status (P = 0.04), and for every 1-year increase in age, women with neuropathy had a 1.82% (95% confidence interval: 1.42, 2.21) increase compared with a 0.95% (95% confidence interval: 0.71, 1.20) increase for women without neuropathy. Sit-to-stand time differed by neuropathy status (P = 0.01), but the rate of change did not differ. No differences between neuropathy groups were observed for the walk test. For some performance-based tasks, poor functioning was maintained or exacerbated for women who had prevalent neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy may play a role in physical functioning limitations and future disability. PMID:23524038

Electronic transport in graphene-based structures: An effective cross-section approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Uppstu, Andreas; Saloriutta, Karri; Harju, Ari

2012-01-01

We show that transport in low-dimensional carbon structures with finite concentrations of scatterers can be modeled by utilizing scaling theory and effective cross sections. Our results are based on large-scale numerical simulations of carbon nanotubes and graphene nanoribbons, using a tight...

Population-based prevention of influenza in Dutch general practice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hak, E; Hermens, R P; van Essen, G A; Kuyvenhoven, M M; de Melker, R A

BACKGROUND: Although the effectiveness of influenza vaccination in high-risk groups has been proven, vaccine coverage continues to be less than 50% in The Netherlands. To improve vaccination rates, data on the organizational factors, which should be targeted in population-based prevention of

[Population and development].

Science.gov (United States)

Castanon Romo, R; Sandoval Navarrete, J

1996-01-01

This broad survey of the debate concerning the relationship between population growth and economic development discusses the history and current status of world population growth, summarizes several influential theoretical positions on the topic, and proposes that redefinition of women's social role is indispensable if worldwide control of population growth is to be achieved. The introductory section discusses the acceleration of population growth in the second half of the 20th century and the increasing concentration of growth in the poor and developing countries. The positions of those who see in population control a means of promoting economic development and political stability are contrasted to the positions of those who believe that a large and growing population is the key to achieving economic and political progress. The international community, facing great uncertainty about the size, distribution, and well-being of the future world population, is increasingly concerned about the effect of growing numbers on the environment and natural resources. The second section summarizes the works of Malthus, Julian Simon, and the Club of Rome, and analyzes the propositions of demographic transition theory. The conclusion notes that despite uncertainty about the future of world population, development, and health, most of the poorest countries have become aware of the desirability of slowing population growth. A broad redefinition of the social role of women will inevitably accompany the worldwide demographic transition.

Modeling Exponential Population Growth

Science.gov (United States)

McCormick, Bonnie

2009-01-01

The concept of population growth patterns is a key component of understanding evolution by natural selection and population dynamics in ecosystems. The National Science Education Standards (NSES) include standards related to population growth in sections on biological evolution, interdependence of organisms, and science in personal and social…

Prevalence and correlates of diabetes mellitus in Malawi: population-based national NCD STEPS survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Msyamboza, Kelias Phiri; Mvula, Chimwemwe J; Kathyola, Damson

2014-05-12

Previously considered as a disease of the affluent, west or urban people and not of public health importance, diabetes mellitus is increasingly becoming a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. However, population-based data to inform prevention, treatment and control are lacking. Using the WHO STEPwise approach to chronic disease risk factor surveillance, a population-based, nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted between July and September 2009 on participants aged 25-64 years. A multi-stage cluster sample design and weighting were used to produce a national representative data for that age range. Detailed findings on the magnitude of diabetes mellitus and impaired fasting blood glucose are presented in this paper. Fasting blood glucose measurement was conducted on 3056 participants (70.2% females, 87.9% from rural areas). The age- sex standardised population-based mean fasting blood glucose was 4.3 mmol/L (95% CI 4.1-4.4 mmol/L) with no significant differences by age, sex and location (urban/rural). The overall prevalence of impaired fasting blood glucose was 4.2% (95% CI 3.0%-5.4%). Prevalence of impaired blood glucose was higher in men than in women, 5.7% (95% CI 3.9%-7.5%) vs 2.7% (95% CI 1.6%- 3.8%), p prevalence of raised fasting blood glucose or currently on medication for diabetes was 5.6% (95% CI 2.6%- 8.5%). Although the prevalence of diabetes was higher in men than women, 6.5% (95% CI 2.6%-10.3%) vs 4.7% (95% CI 2.4%-7.0%), in rural than urban, 5.4% (95% CI 2.4%-8.4%) vs 4.4% (95% CI 2.8%-5.9%) and in males in rural than males in urban, 6.9% (95% CI 2.8%-11.0%) vs 3.2% (95% CI 0.1%-6.3%), the differences were not statistically significant, p > 0.05. Compared to previous estimates, prevalence of diabetes increased from prevalence of impaired fasting blood glucose and diabetes mellitus call for the implementation of primary healthcare approaches such as the WHO package for essential non-communicable diseases

Primary mucinous carcinoma of the skin: a population-based study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Breiting, L.; Dahlstrom, K.; Breiting, V.

2008-01-01

Background Primary mucinous carcinoma of the skin (PMCS) is a rare malignant tumor deriving from the sweat glands. It is typically located on the head and is often mistaken for a metastasis from a more common primary tumor of the breast or gastrointestinal tract. We present the first population......-based study of PMCS. Materials and methods Data on PMCS was obtained from the Danish Cancer Registry, which has recorded incident cases of cancer on a nationwide basis since 1943. We extracted all patients diagnosed 1978-2003 with PMCS. Results Fifteen cases of PMCS have been registered during the study...... or PMCS related deaths were reported. Conclusion PMCS is a rare, slow-growing tumor which rarely metastasizes and is associated with low mortality. The age-standardized incidence rate, based on data from a population-based cancer registry of high quality and validity, is less than 0.1 per million. However...

Donor-specific cell-based assays in studying sensitivity to low-dose radiation: a population-based perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dora eIl'yasova

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Currently, a linear no-threshold model is used to estimate health risks associated with exposure to low-dose radiation, a prevalent exposure in the general population, because the direct estimation from epidemiological studies suffers from uncertainty. This model has been criticized based on unique biology of low-dose radiation. Whether the departure from linearity is toward increased or decreased risk is intensely debated. We present an approach based on individual radiosensitivity testing and discuss how individual radiosensitivity can be assessed with the goal to develop a quantifiable measure of cellular response that can be conducted via high-throughput population testing.

Atherogenic Index of Plasma Predicts Hyperuricemia in Rural Population: A Cross-Sectional Study from Northeast China.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Ye; Li, Yuan; Guo, Xiaofan; Guo, Liang; Sun, Yingxian

2016-09-02

We aimed to determine the association of atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) with hyperuricemia (HUA) in the rural population of northeast China. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the rural areas of northeast China from January 2012 to August 2013, and the final analysis included data obtained form 5253 men and 6092 women. 1104 participants (9.7%) suffered from HUA. Spearman rank test showed that AIP was positively correlated with uric acid in both sexes (r = 0.310 for men and r = 0.347 for women, both p 0.21) risk. The prevalence of HUA increased with AIP. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that, compared to the low AIP group, participants in increased AIP group had a 2.536-fold risk for HUA (2.164-fold in male and 2.960-fold in female) after adjustment for covariates. Results of receiver operating characteristic curves showed that the area under the curve (95% confidence intervals) was 0.686 (0.665-0.707) for male and 0.730 (0.706-0.755) for female. We indicated that increased AIP was associated with higher serum uric acid levels and could be identified as an independent risk factor of HUA in the rural population of northeast China.

Equity in access to health care in a rural population in Malaysia: A cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Ka Keat; Sivasampu, Sheamini; Mahmud, Fatihah

2017-04-01

To examine the extent of equity in access to health care, their determinants and reasons of unmet need of a rural population in Malaysia. Exploratory cross-sectional survey administered by trained interviewers among participants of a health screening program. A rural plantation estate in the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. One hundred and thirty out of 142 adults above 18 years old who attended the program. Percentages of respondents reporting realised access and unmet need to health care, determinants of both access indicators and reasons for unmet need. Realised access associated with need but not predisposing or enabling factors and unmet need not associated with any variables were considered equitable. A total of 88 (67.7%) respondents had visited a doctor (realised access) in the past 6 months and 24.8% (n = 31) experienced unmet need in the past 12 months. Using logistic regression, realised access was associated with presence of chronic disease (OR 6.97, P  RM 2000 per month) (OR 51.27, P population, the latter associated with education level, subjective health status and income. Despite not being generalisable, the findings highlight the need for a national level study on equity in access before the country reforms its health system. © 2016 National Rural Health Alliance Inc.

The mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between Big five personality and depressive symptoms among Chinese unemployed population: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yang; Yao, Lutian; Liu, Li; Yang, Xiaoshi; Wu, Hui; Wang, Jiana; Wang, Lie

2014-03-03

Besides the rapid growth of economy, unemployment becomes a severe socio-economic problem in China. The huge population base in China makes the unemployed population a tremendously huge number. However, health status of unemployed population was ignored and few studies were conducted to describe the depressive symptoms of unemployed individuals in China. This study aims to examine the relationship between Big five personality and depressive symptoms and the mediating role of self-efficacy in this relationship. This cross-sectional study was performed during the period of July to September 2011. Questionnaires consisting of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the Big Five Inventory (BFI) and the General Self-efficacy Scale (GSE), as well as demographic factors, were used to collect information of unemployed population. A total of 1,832 individuals (effective response rate: 73.28%) became our subjects. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were performed to explore the mediating role of self-efficacy. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 67.7% among Chinese unemployed individuals. After adjusting for demographic characteristics, extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness were all negatively associated with depressive symptoms whereas neuroticism was positively associated with depressive symptoms. The proportion of mediating effect of self-efficacy in the relationship between extraversion/agreeableness/conscientiousness/neuroticism and depressive symptoms was 25.42%, 10.91%, 32.21% and 36.44%, respectively. Self-efficacy is a mediator in the relationship between extraversion/agreeableness/conscientiousness/neuroticism and depressive symptoms. Self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between Big five personality and depressive symptoms among Chinese unemployed individuals. Interventions that focus on both individuals' personality and self-efficacy may be most successful to reduce depressive symptoms of unemployed

Are PCI Service Volumes Associated with 30-Day Mortality? A Population-Based Study from Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Tsung-Hsien; Chou, Ying-Yi; Wei, Chung-Jen; Tung, Yu-Chi

2017-11-09

The volume-outcome relationship has been discussed for over 30 years; however, the findings are inconsistent. This might be due to the heterogeneity of service volume definitions and categorization methods. This study takes percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) as an example to examine whether the service volume was associated with PCI 30-day mortality, given different service volume definitions and categorization methods. A population-based, cross-sectional multilevel study was conducted. Two definitions of physician and hospital volume were used: (1) the cumulative PCI volume in a previous year before each PCI; (2) the cumulative PCI volume within the study period. The volume was further treated in three ways: (1) a categorical variable based on the American Heart Association's recommendation; (2) a semi-data-driven categorical variable based on k-means clustering algorithm; and (3) a data-driven categorical variable based on the Generalized Additive Model. The results showed that, after adjusting the patient-, physician-, and hospital-level covariates, physician volume was associated inversely with PCI 30-day mortality, but hospital volume was not, no matter which definitions and categorization methods of service volume were applied. Physician volume is negatively associated with PCI 30-day mortality, but the results might vary because of definition and categorization method.

An example of population-level risk assessments for small mammals using individual-based population models.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmitt, Walter; Auteri, Domenica; Bastiansen, Finn; Ebeling, Markus; Liu, Chun; Luttik, Robert; Mastitsky, Sergey; Nacci, Diane; Topping, Chris; Wang, Magnus

2016-01-01

This article presents a case study demonstrating the application of 3 individual-based, spatially explicit population models (IBMs, also known as agent-based models) in ecological risk assessments to predict long-term effects of a pesticide to populations of small mammals. The 3 IBMs each used a hypothetical fungicide (FungicideX) in different scenarios: spraying in cereals (common vole, Microtus arvalis), spraying in orchards (field vole, Microtus agrestis), and cereal seed treatment (wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus). Each scenario used existing model landscapes, which differed greatly in size and structural complexity. The toxicological profile of FungicideX was defined so that the deterministic long-term first tier risk assessment would result in high risk to small mammals, thus providing the opportunity to use the IBMs for risk assessment refinement (i.e., higher tier risk assessment). Despite differing internal model design and scenarios, results indicated in all 3 cases low population sensitivity unless FungicideX was applied at very high (×10) rates. Recovery from local population impacts was generally fast. Only when patch extinctions occured in simulations of intentionally high acute toxic effects, recovery periods, then determined by recolonization, were of any concern. Conclusions include recommendations for the most important input considerations, including the selection of exposure levels, duration of simulations, statistically robust number of replicates, and endpoints to report. However, further investigation and agreement are needed to develop recommendations for landscape attributes such as size, structure, and crop rotation to define appropriate regulatory risk assessment scenarios. Overall, the application of IBMs provides multiple advantages to higher tier ecological risk assessments for small mammals, including consistent and transparent direct links to specific protection goals, and the consideration of more realistic scenarios. © 2015 SETAC.

Landscape-based population viability models demonstrate importance of strategic conservation planning for birds

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas W. Bonnot; Frank R. Thompson; Joshua J. Millspaugh; D. Todd. Jones-Farland

2013-01-01

Efforts to conserve regional biodiversity in the face of global climate change, habitat loss and fragmentation will depend on approaches that consider population processes at multiple scales. By combining habitat and demographic modeling, landscape-based population viability models effectively relate small-scale habitat and landscape patterns to regional population...

Nursing Care Model Based on Knowledge Management in Preventing Nosocomial Infection After Caesarean Section in Hospital

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahsan Ahsan

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Nosocomial infection is one indicator of the quality of health services in the community, which also determines the image of health care institutions becauseit was a major cause of morbidityand death rate (mortality in hospital. Nursing care based on knowledge management is established from identification knowledge which is required, prevention performance of nosocomial infections post section caesarea. Nosocomial infections component consists of wound culture result. Method: This study was an observational study with a quasi experimental design. The population was all of nursing staff who working in obstetrics installation in hospitals A and B as much as 46 people. Sample was the total population. Data was collected through questionnaire, observation sheets and examination of the wound culture. Data was analyzed using t test B 1.274 dan p=0.028 Result: The result showed that 1 there was difference in knowledge management implementation before and after training; 2 there was difference in nurse’s performance in preventing nosocomial infection before and after training; 3 there is significant relationship between nurse’s performance in preventing nosocomial infection and infection incidence; 4 there is no significant difference of nursing care impementation on nosocomial incidence. Discussion: In conclusion, the development of nursing care based on knowledge management as a synthesis or induction of findings directed at 1 nurses’ knowledge does not affect the performance of the prevention of nosocomial infections; 2 knowledge management has a positive effect on the performance of the prevention of nosocomial infections; 3 implementation of infection prevention is integrated capabilities between knowledge, skills and attitudes of nurses in implementing performance in care. Keywords: model prevention, nosocomial infections, nursing care, knowledge management, sectio Caesarea

On reconciling ground-based with spaceborne normalized radar cross section measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baumgartner, Francois; Munk, Jens; Jezek, K C

2002-01-01

This study examines differences in the normalized radar cross section, derived from ground-based versus spaceborne radar data. A simple homogeneous half-space model, indicates that agreement between the two improves as 1) the distance from the scatterer is increased; and/or 2) the extinction...

Economic costs of social phobia: a population-based study.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Acarturk, C.; Smit, H.F.E.; de Graaf, R.; van Straten, A.; ten Have, M.; Cuijpers, P.

2009-01-01

Background: Information about the economic costs of social phobia is scant. In this study, we examine the economic costs of social phobia and subthreshold social phobia. Methods: Data were derived from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS) which is a population-based

Workplace bullying and sleep disturbances: findings from a large scale cross-sectional survey in the French working population.

Science.gov (United States)

Niedhammer, Isabelle; David, Simone; Degioanni, Stephanie; Drummond, Anne; Philip, Pierre; Acquarone, D; Aicardi, F; André-Mazeaud, P; Arsento, M; Astier, R; Baille, H; Bajon-Thery, F; Barre, E; Basire, C; Battu, J L; Baudry, S; Beatini, C; Beaud'huin, N; Becker, C; Bellezza, D; Beque, C; Bernstein, O; Beyssier, C; Blanc-Cascio, F; Blanchet, N; Blondel, C; Boisselot, R; Bordes-Dupuy, G; Borrelly, N; Bouhnik, D; Boulanger, M F; Boulard, J; Borreau, P; Bourret, D; Boustière, A M; Breton, C; Bugeon, G; Buono-Michel, M; Canonne, J F; Capella, D; Cavin-Rey, M; Cervoni, C; Charreton, D; Charrier, D; Chauvin, M A; Chazal, B; Cougnot, C; Cuvelier, G; Dalivoust, G; Daumas, R; Debaille, A; De Bretteville, L; Delaforge, G; Delchambre, A; Domeny, L; Donati, Y; Ducord-Chapelet, J; Duran, C; Durand-Bruguerolle, D; Fabre, D; Faivre, A; Falleri, R; Ferrando, G; Ferrari-Galano, J; Flutet, M; Fouché, J P; Fournier, F; Freyder, E; Galy, M; Garcia, A; Gazazian, G; Gérard, C; Girard, F; Giuge, M; Goyer, C; Gravier, C; Guyomard, A; Hacquin, M C; Halimi, E; Ibagnes, T; Icart, P; Jacquin, M C; Jaubert, B; Joret, J P; Julien, J P; Kacel, M; Kesmedjian, E; Lacroix, P; Lafon-Borelli, M; Lallai, S; Laudicina, J; Leclercq, X; Ledieu, S; Leroy, J; Leroyer, L; Loesche, F; Londi, D; Longueville, J M; Lotte, M C; Louvain, S; Lozé, M; Maculet-Simon, M; Magallon, G; Marcelot, V; Mareel, M C; Martin, P; Masse, A M; Méric, M; Milliet, C; Mokhtari, R; Monville, A M; Muller, B; Obadia, G; Pelser, M; Peres, L; Perez, E; Peyron, M; Peyronnin, F; Postel, S; Presseq, P; Pyronnet, E; Quinsat, C; Raulot-Lapointe, H; Rigaud, P; Robert, F; Robert, O; Roger, K; Roussel, A; Roux, J P; Rubini-Remigy, D; Sabate, N; Saccomano-Pertus, C; Salengro, B; Salengro-Trouillez, P; Samson, E; Sendra-Gille, L; Seyrig, C; Stoll, G; Tarpinian, N; Tavernier, M; Tempesta, S; Terracol, H; Torresani, F; Triglia, M F; Vandomme, V; Vieillard, F; Vilmot, K; Vital, N

2009-09-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the associations between workplace bullying, the characteristics of workplace bullying, and sleep disturbances in a large sample of employees of the French working population. Workplace bullying, evaluated using the validated instrument developed by Leymann, and sleep disturbances, as well as covariates, were measured using a self-administered questionnaire. Covariates included age, marital status, presence of children, education, occupation, working hours, night work, physical and chemical exposures at work, self-reported health, and depressive symptoms. Statistical analysis was performed using logistic regression analysis and was carried out separately for men and women. General working population. The study population consisted of a random sample of 3132 men and 4562 women of the working population in the southeast of France. Workplace bullying was strongly associated with sleep disturbances. Past exposure to bullying also increased the risk for this outcome. The more frequent the exposure to bullying, the higher the risk of experiencing sleep disturbances. Observing someone else being bullied in the workplace was also associated with the outcome. Adjustment for covariates did not modify the results. Additional adjustment for self-reported health and depressive symptoms diminished the magnitude of the associations that remained significant. The prevalence of workplace bullying (around 10%) was found to be high in this study as well was the impact of this major job-related stressor on sleep disturbances. Although no conclusion about causality could be drawn from this cross-sectional study, the findings suggest that the contribution of workplace bullying to the burden of sleep disturbances may be substantial.

Epidemiology of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: a population based study.

Science.gov (United States)

von Brevern, M; Radtke, A; Lezius, F; Feldmann, M; Ziese, T; Lempert, T; Neuhauser, H

2007-07-01

To examine the prevalence and incidence, clinical presentation, societal impact and comorbid conditions of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) in the general population. Cross-sectional, nationally representative neurotological survey of the general adult population in Germany with a two stage sampling design: screening of 4869 participants from the German National Telephone Health Interview Survey 2003 (response rate 52%) for moderate or severe dizziness or vertigo, followed by validated neurotological interviews (n = 1003; response rate 87%). Diagnostic criteria for BPPV were at least five attacks of vestibular vertigo lasting vertigo. The lifetime prevalence of BPPV was 2.4%, the 1 year prevalence was 1.6% and the 1 year incidence was 0.6%. The median duration of an episode was 2 weeks. In 86% of affected individuals, BPPV led to medical consultation, interruption of daily activities or sick leave. In total, only 8% of affected participants received effective treatment. On multivariate analysis, age, migraine, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and stroke were independently associated with BPPV. BPPV is a common vestibular disorder leading to significant morbidity, psychosocial impact and medical costs.

A global reference for caesarean section rates (C-Model): a multicountry cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Souza, J P; Betran, A P; Dumont, A; de Mucio, B; Gibbs Pickens, C M; Deneux-Tharaux, C; Ortiz-Panozo, E; Sullivan, E; Ota, E; Togoobaatar, G; Carroli, G; Knight, H; Zhang, J; Cecatti, J G; Vogel, J P; Jayaratne, K; Leal, M C; Gissler, M; Morisaki, N; Lack, N; Oladapo, O T; Tunçalp, Ö; Lumbiganon, P; Mori, R; Quintana, S; Costa Passos, A D; Marcolin, A C; Zongo, A; Blondel, B; Hernández, B; Hogue, C J; Prunet, C; Landman, C; Ochir, C; Cuesta, C; Pileggi-Castro, C; Walker, D; Alves, D; Abalos, E; Moises, Ecd; Vieira, E M; Duarte, G; Perdona, G; Gurol-Urganci, I; Takahiko, K; Moscovici, L; Campodonico, L; Oliveira-Ciabati, L; Laopaiboon, M; Danansuriya, M; Nakamura-Pereira, M; Costa, M L; Torloni, M R; Kramer, M R; Borges, P; Olkhanud, P B; Pérez-Cuevas, R; Agampodi, S B; Mittal, S; Serruya, S; Bataglia, V; Li, Z; Temmerman, M; Gülmezoglu, A M

2016-02-01

To generate a global reference for caesarean section (CS) rates at health facilities. Cross-sectional study. Health facilities from 43 countries. Thirty eight thousand three hundred and twenty-four women giving birth from 22 countries for model building and 10,045,875 women giving birth from 43 countries for model testing. We hypothesised that mathematical models could determine the relationship between clinical-obstetric characteristics and CS. These models generated probabilities of CS that could be compared with the observed CS rates. We devised a three-step approach to generate the global benchmark of CS rates at health facilities: creation of a multi-country reference population, building mathematical models, and testing these models. Area under the ROC curves, diagnostic odds ratio, expected CS rate, observed CS rate. According to the different versions of the model, areas under the ROC curves suggested a good discriminatory capacity of C-Model, with summary estimates ranging from 0.832 to 0.844. The C-Model was able to generate expected CS rates adjusted for the case-mix of the obstetric population. We have also prepared an e-calculator to facilitate use of C-Model (www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/maternal_perinatal_health/c-model/en/). This article describes the development of a global reference for CS rates. Based on maternal characteristics, this tool was able to generate an individualised expected CS rate for health facilities or groups of health facilities. With C-Model, obstetric teams, health system managers, health facilities, health insurance companies, and governments can produce a customised reference CS rate for assessing use (and overuse) of CS. The C-Model provides a customized benchmark for caesarean section rates in health facilities and systems. © 2015 World Health Organization; licensed by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

The dynamic influence of human resources on evidence-based intervention sustainability and population outcomes: an agent-based modeling approach.

Science.gov (United States)

McKay, Virginia R; Hoffer, Lee D; Combs, Todd B; Margaret Dolcini, M

2018-06-05

Sustaining evidence-based interventions (EBIs) is an ongoing challenge for dissemination and implementation science in public health and social services. Characterizing the relationship among human resource capacity within an agency and subsequent population outcomes is an important step to improving our understanding of how EBIs are sustained. Although human resource capacity and population outcomes are theoretically related, examining them over time within real-world experiments is difficult. Simulation approaches, especially agent-based models, offer advantages that complement existing methods. We used an agent-based model to examine the relationships among human resources, EBI delivery, and population outcomes by simulating provision of an EBI through a hypothetical agency and its staff. We used data from existing studies examining a widely implemented HIV prevention intervention to inform simulation design, calibration, and validity. Once we developed a baseline model, we used the model as a simulated laboratory by systematically varying three human resource variables: the number of staff positions, the staff turnover rate, and timing in training. We tracked the subsequent influence on EBI delivery and the level of population risk over time to describe the overall and dynamic relationships among these variables. Higher overall levels of human resource capacity at an agency (more positions) led to more extensive EBI delivery over time and lowered population risk earlier in time. In simulations representing the typical human resource investments, substantial influences on population risk were visible after approximately 2 years and peaked around 4 years. Human resources, especially staff positions, have an important impact on EBI sustainability and ultimately population health. A minimum level of human resources based on the context (e.g., size of the initial population and characteristics of the EBI) is likely needed for an EBI to have a meaningful impact on

Fetal size monitoring and birth-weight prediction: a new population-based approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Gjessing, H K; Grøttum, P; Økland, I; Eik-Nes, S H

2017-04-01

To develop a complete, population-based system for ultrasound-based fetal size monitoring and birth-weight prediction for use in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Using 31 516 ultrasound examinations from a population-based Norwegian clinical database, we constructed fetal size charts for biparietal diameter, femur length and abdominal circumference from 24 to 42 weeks' gestation. A reference curve of median birth weight for gestational age was estimated using 45 037 birth weights. We determined how individual deviations from the expected ultrasound measures predicted individual percentage deviations from expected birth weight. The predictive quality was assessed by explained variance of birth weight and receiver-operating characteristics curves for prediction of small-for-gestational age. A curve for intrauterine estimated fetal weight was constructed. Charts were smoothed using the gamlss non-linear regression method. The population-based approach, using bias-free ultrasound gestational age, produces stable estimates of size-for-age and weight-for-age curves in the range 24-42 weeks' gestation. There is a close correspondence between percentage deviations and percentiles of birth weight by gestational age, making it easy to convert between the two. The variance of birth weight that can be 'explained' by ultrasound increases from 8% at 20 weeks up to 67% around term. Intrauterine estimated fetal weight is 0-106 g higher than median birth weight in the preterm period. The new population-based birth-weight prediction model provides a simple summary measure, the 'percentage birth-weight deviation', to be used for fetal size monitoring throughout the third trimester. Predictive quality of the model can be measured directly from the population data. The model computes both median observed birth weight and intrauterine estimated fetal weight. Copyright © 2016 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Copyright © 2016 ISUOG. Published by John

Prevalence of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, and cascade of care in sub-Saharan Africa: a cross-sectional, population-based study in rural and urban Malawi.

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Price, Alison J; Crampin, Amelia C; Amberbir, Alemayehu; Kayuni-Chihana, Ndoliwe; Musicha, Crispin; Tafatatha, Terence; Branson, Keith; Lawlor, Debbie A; Mwaiyeghele, Elenaus; Nkhwazi, Lawrence; Smeeth, Liam; Pearce, Neil; Munthali, Elizabeth; Mwagomba, Beatrice M; Mwansambo, Charles; Glynn, Judith R; Jaffar, Shabbar; Nyirenda, Moffat

2018-03-01

Sub-Saharan Africa is in rapid demographic transition, and non-communicable diseases are increasingly important causes of morbidity and mortality. We investigated the burden of diabetes, overweight and obesity, hypertension, and multimorbidity, their treatment, and their associations with lifestyle and other factors in Malawi, a very poor country with a predominantly rural-but rapidly growing urban-population, to identify high-risk populations and inform appropriate interventions. In this cross-sectional, population-based study, we enrolled all adults (≥18 years) residing in two defined geographical areas within Karonga District and Lilongwe city. All adults self-defining as usually resident in the study areas were eligible, and recruited at household level. Participants were interviewed, had anthropometry and blood pressure measured, and had fasting blood samples collected. The study outcomes were prevalence estimates and risk ratios for diabetes (defined as fasting blood glucose of at least 7·0 mmol/L or self-report of a previous diagnosis of diabetes), hypertension (systolic blood pressure of at least 140 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure of at least 90 mm Hg, or self-report of current antihypertensive medication), overweight (BMI of 25·0-29·9 kg/m 2 ) and obesity (BMI of 30·0 kg/m 2 or more), and multimorbidity (two or more of the above conditions) by location-specific (urban vs rural), age-specific, and sex-specific groups, calculated using negative binomial regression. We used χ 2 likelihood ratio tests to assess heterogeneity by age, location, and sex. Between May 16, 2013, and Feb 8, 2016, we enrolled 15 013 (62%) of 24 367 eligible urban adults in Lilongwe and 13 878 (88%) of 15 806 eligible rural adults in Karonga District. Overweight and obesity, hypertension, and diabetes were highly prevalent, more so in urban residents, the less poor, and better educated than in rural, the poorest, and least educated participants. 18% of urban men (961 of

Feasible Initial Population with Genetic Diversity for a Population-Based Algorithm Applied to the Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Antonio Cruz-Chávez

2016-01-01

Full Text Available A stochastic algorithm for obtaining feasible initial populations to the Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows is presented. The theoretical formulation for the Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows is explained. The proposed method is primarily divided into a clustering algorithm and a two-phase algorithm. The first step is the application of a modified k-means clustering algorithm which is proposed in this paper. The two-phase algorithm evaluates a partial solution to transform it into a feasible individual. The two-phase algorithm consists of a hybridization of four kinds of insertions which interact randomly to obtain feasible individuals. It has been proven that different kinds of insertions impact the diversity among individuals in initial populations, which is crucial for population-based algorithm behavior. A modification to the Hamming distance method is applied to the populations generated for the Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows to evaluate their diversity. Experimental tests were performed based on the Solomon benchmarking. Experimental results show that the proposed method facilitates generation of highly diverse populations, which vary according to the type and distribution of the instances.

Superior performance of liquid-based versus conventional cytology in a population-based cervical cancer screening program

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beerman, H.; van Dorst, E. B. L.; Kuenen-Boumeester, V.; Hogendoorn, P. C. W.

Objective. Liquid-based cytology may offer improvements over conventional cytology for cervical cancer screening. The two cytology techniques were compared in a group of 86,469 women who participated in a population-based screening program. Using a nation-wide pathology database containing both

Dry eye disease and allergic conditions: A Korean nationwide population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Minkyeong; Oh, Jong-Hyun; Park, Choul Yong; Lee, Sang Wha

2016-11-01

Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial disease of the tears and ocular surface. No epidemiologic reports have yet been published about the relationship between DED and allergic rhinitis or sensitization to allergens. To investigate the association between DED and allergic conditions in the general adult Korean population. This population-based cross-sectional study included 17,542 individuals (ages ≥ 19 years) who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) from 2010 to 2012. Data for total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) and allergen-specific IgE levels were available for 1857 subjects. Data were analyzed by using logistic regression to determine the association of DED with allergy or allergic conditions, including allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, asthma, increased total serum IgE, and sensitization to house-dust mite (Dermatophagoides farinae), dog, and cockroach allergens. The prevalence of DED, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and asthma was 10.4, 13.1, 2.2, and 3.3%, respectively. The prevalence of the increased total serum IgE level and sensitization to D. farinae, dog, and cockroach allergens was 34.6, 15.7, 1.0, and 2.8%, respectively. After adjusting for general characteristics, DED was significantly associated with allergic rhinitis (odds ratio 1.58 [95% confidence interval, 1.38-1.81]) and D. farinae sensitization (odds ratio 1.80 [95% confidence interval, 1.17-2.79]). This study demonstrated a close association between DED and both allergic rhinitis and D. farinae sensitization in Korean adults. Further studies are warranted to establish temporal relationships between DED and allergic rhinitis.

Activation cross section and isomeric cross section ratios for the (n ,2 n ) reaction on 153Eu

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Junhua; Jiang, Li; Li, Suyuan

2017-10-01

The 153Eu(n ,2 n ) m1,m2,g152Eu cross section was measured by means of the activation technique at three neutron energies in the range 13-15 MeV. The quasimonoenergetic neutron beam was formed via the 3H(d ,n ) 4He reaction, in the Pd-300 Neutron Generator at the Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics (CAEP). The activities induced in the reaction products were measured using high-resolution γ-ray spectroscopy. The cross section of the population of the second high-spin (8-) isomeric state was measured along with the reaction cross section populating both the ground (3-) and the first isomeric state (0-). Cross sections were also evaluated theoretically using the numerical code TALYS-1.8, with different level density options at neutron energies varying from the reaction threshold to 20 MeV. Results are discussed and compared with the corresponding literature.

Economic costs of minor depression: a population-based study.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cuijpers, P.; Smit, H.F.E.; Oostenbrink, J.; de Graaf, R.; ten Have, M.; Beekman, A.T.F.

2007-01-01

Objective: Although the clinical relevance of minor depression has been demonstrated in many studies, the economic costs are not well explored. In this study, we examine the economic costs of minor depression. Method: In a large-scale, population-based study in the Netherlands (n = 5504) the costs

Economic costs of minor depression: a population-based study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cuijpers, P.; Smit, H.F.E.; Oostenbrink, J.; de Graaf, R.; ten Have, M.; Beekman, A.T.F.

2006-01-01

Objective: Although the clinical relevance of minor depression has been demonstrated in many studies, the economic costs are not well explored. In this study, we examine the economic costs of minor depression. Method: In a large-scale, population-based study in the Netherlands (n = 5504) the costs

Glaucoma in Asian Populations

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... Involved News About Us Donate In This Section Glaucoma In Asian Populations email Send this article to ... lower than in their Asian counterparts. Normal Tension Glaucoma affects Japanese Japanese populations, however, have a substantially ...

Cost-effectiveness of population based BRCA testing with varying Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry.

Science.gov (United States)

Manchanda, Ranjit; Patel, Shreeya; Antoniou, Antonis C; Levy-Lahad, Ephrat; Turnbull, Clare; Evans, D Gareth; Hopper, John L; Macinnis, Robert J; Menon, Usha; Jacobs, Ian; Legood, Rosa

2017-11-01

Population-based BRCA1/BRCA2 testing has been found to be cost-effective compared with family history-based testing in Ashkenazi-Jewish women were >30 years old with 4 Ashkenazi-Jewish grandparents. However, individuals may have 1, 2, or 3 Ashkenazi-Jewish grandparents, and cost-effectiveness data are lacking at these lower BRCA prevalence estimates. We present an updated cost-effectiveness analysis of population BRCA1/BRCA2 testing for women with 1, 2, and 3 Ashkenazi-Jewish grandparents. Decision analysis model. Lifetime costs and effects of population and family history-based testing were compared with the use of a decision analysis model. 56% BRCA carriers are missed by family history criteria alone. Analyses were conducted for United Kingdom and United States populations. Model parameters were obtained from the Genetic Cancer Prediction through Population Screening trial and published literature. Model parameters and BRCA population prevalence for individuals with 3, 2, or 1 Ashkenazi-Jewish grandparent were adjusted for the relative frequency of BRCA mutations in the Ashkenazi-Jewish and general populations. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were calculated for all Ashkenazi-Jewish grandparent scenarios. Costs, along with outcomes, were discounted at 3.5%. The time horizon of the analysis is "life-time," and perspective is "payer." Probabilistic sensitivity analysis evaluated model uncertainty. Population testing for BRCA mutations is cost-saving in Ashkenazi-Jewish women with 2, 3, or 4 grandparents (22-33 days life-gained) in the United Kingdom and 1, 2, 3, or 4 grandparents (12-26 days life-gained) in the United States populations, respectively. It is also extremely cost-effective in women in the United Kingdom with just 1 Ashkenazi-Jewish grandparent with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of £863 per quality-adjusted life-years and 15 days life gained. Results show that population-testing remains cost-effective at the £20,000-30000 per quality

Socioeconomic status and geographical factors associated with active listing in primary care: a cross-sectional population study accounting for multimorbidity, age, sex and primary care.

Science.gov (United States)

Ranstad, Karin; Midlöv, Patrik; Halling, Anders

2017-06-09

Socioeconomic status and geographical factors are associated with health and use of healthcare. Well-performing primary care contributes to better health and more adequate healthcare. In a primary care system based on patient's choice of practice, this choice (listing) is a key to understand the system. To explore the relationship between population and practices in a primary care system based on listing. Cross-sectional population-based study. Logistic regressions of the associations between active listing in primary care, income, education, distances to healthcare and geographical location, adjusting for multimorbidity, age, sex and type of primary care practice. Population over 15 years (n=123 168) in a Swedish county, Blekinge (151 731 inhabitants), in year 2007, actively or passively listed in primary care. The proportion of actively listed was 68%. Actively listed in primary care on 31 December 2007. Highest ORs for active listing in the model including all factors according to income had quartile two and three with OR 0.70 (95% CI 0.69 to 0.70), and those according to education less than 9 years of education had OR 0.70 (95% CI 0.68 to 0.70). Best odds for geographical factors in the same model had municipality C with OR 0.85 (95% CI 0.85 to 0.86) for active listing. Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC) was 124 801 for a model including municipality, multimorbidity, age, sex and type of practice and including all factors gave AIC 123 934. Higher income, shorter education, shorter distance to primary care or longer distance to hospital is associated with active listing in primary care.Multimorbidity, age, geographical location and type of primary care practice are more important to active listing in primary care than socioeconomic status and distance to healthcare. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Harmonising measures of knee and hip osteoarthritis in population-based cohort studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leyland, K M; Gates, L S; Nevitt, M

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Population-based osteoarthritis (OA) cohorts provide vital data on risk factors and outcomes of OA, however the methods to define OA vary between cohorts. We aimed to provide recommendations for combining knee and hip OA data in extant and future population cohort studies, in order to ...

Natural carcinogenic fiber and pleural plaques assessment in a general population: A cross-sectional study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ledda, Caterina, E-mail: cledda@unict.it [Occupational Medicine, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania (Italy); Hygiene and Public Health, Department Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University of Catania, Catania (Italy); Pomara, Cristoforo [Legal Medicine, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia (Italy); Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Malta, Msida (Malta); Bracci, Massimo [Occupational Medicine, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona (Italy); Mangano, Dario [Occupational Medicine, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania (Italy); Ricceri, Vincenzo [Division of Radiology - Hospital of Biancavilla “Maria SS. Addolorata”, ASP Catania, Biancavilla (Italy); Musumeci, Andrea [Division of Radiology – University Hospital “Policlinico – Vittorio Emanuele”, University of Catania, Catania (Italy); Ferrante, Margherita [Hygiene and Public Health, Department Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University of Catania, Catania (Italy); Musumeci, Giuseppe; Loreto, Carla [Human Anatomy and Histology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnology Sciences, University of Catania, Catania (Italy); Fenga, Concettina [Occupational Medicine, Department of the Environment, Safety, Territory, Food and Health Sciences, University of Messina, Messina (Italy); Santarelli, Lory [Occupational Medicine, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona (Italy); Rapisarda, Venerando [Occupational Medicine, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania (Italy)

2016-10-15

Natural carcinogenic fibers are asbestos and asbestiform fibers present as a natural component of soils or rocks. These fibers are released into the environment resulting in exposure of the general population. Environmental contamination by fibers are those cases occurred in: rural regions of Turkey, in Mediterranean countries and in other sites of the world, including northern Europe, USA and China. Fluoro-edenite(FE) is a natural mineral species first isolated in Biancavilla, Sicily. The fibers are similar in size and morphology to some amphibolic asbestos fibers, whose inhalation can cause chronic inflammation and cancer. The aim of the current study is to assess the presence and features of pleural plaques (PPs) in Biancavilla's general population exposed to FE through a retrospective cross-sectional study. All High-Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) chest scans carried out between June 2009 and June 2015 in Biancavilla municipality hospital site (exposed subjects) were reviewed. The exposed groups were 1:1 subjects, matched according to age and sex distributions, with unexposed subjects (n.1.240) randomly selected among HRCT chest scans carried out in a Hospital 30 km away from Biancavilla. Subjects from Biancavilla with PPs were significantly more numerous than the control group ones (218 vs 38). Average age of either group was >60 years; the age of exposed subjects was significantly (p=0.0312) lesser than the unexposed group. In exposed subjects, in most PPs thickness ranged between 2 and 4.9 cm(38%, n=83); while in unexposed ones PPs thickness was less than 2 cm (55%, n=21). As to the size of PPs in exposed subjects, in most cases it ranged between 1 cm and 24% of chest wall (53%, n=116); while in unexposed ones the size of PPs was lesser than 1 cm (23%, n=58). Among exposed subjects, 36 cases (17%) PPs were detected with calcification, whereas in unexposed ones only three (8%) presented calcification. 137 lung parenchymal abnormalities were

Wealth Inequality and Mental Disability Among the Chinese Population: A Population Based Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhenjie; Du, Wei; Pang, Lihua; Zhang, Lei; Chen, Gong; Zheng, Xiaoying

2015-10-19

In the study described herein, we investigated and explored the association between wealth inequality and the risk of mental disability in the Chinese population. We used nationally represented, population-based data from the second China National Sample Survey on Disability, conducted in 2006. A total of 1,724,398 study subjects between the ages of 15 and 64, including 10,095 subjects with mental disability only, were used for the analysis. Wealth status was estimated by a wealth index that was derived from a principal component analysis of 10 household assets and four other variables related to wealth. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for mental disability for each category, with the lowest quintile category as the referent. Confounding variables under consideration were age, gender, residence area, marital status, ethnicity, education, current employment status, household size, house type, homeownership and living arrangement. The distribution of various types and severities of mental disability differed significantly by wealth index category in the present population. Wealth index category had a positive association with mild mental disability (p for trend disability (p for trend disability when all severities of mental disability were taken into consideration. This study's results suggest that wealth is a significant factor in the distribution of mental disability and it might have different influences on various types and severities of mental disability.

Breast cancer screening among shift workers: a nationwide population-based survey in Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Son, Heesook; Kang, Youngmi

2017-04-01

We aimed to examine the association between shift work types and participation in breast cancer screening (BCS) programs by comparing rates of participation for BCS among regular daytime workers and alternative shift workers using data from a nationally representative, population-based survey conducted in Korea. In addition, the results were analyzed according to sociodemographic factors, including occupation, education, income, private health insurance, age, and number of working hours a week. This secondary cross-sectional analysis used data from the 2012 Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey. The target population included women aged ≥ 40 years who responded as to whether they had undergone BCS in the previous year. Accordingly, we analyzed survey data for a total of 1,193 women and used a multivariate logistic regression analysis to evaluate the differences in factors affecting BCS between regular daytime and alternative shift workers. A logistic regression analysis was performed considering private health insurance as a significant sociodemographic factor for BCS among regular daytime shift workers. In contrast, none of the tested variables could significantly predict adherence to BCS among alternative shift workers. The results of this study suggest the need for the development of comprehensive workplace breast cancer prevention programs by considering shift work types. More attention should be given to female workers with low education levels, those who are uninsured, and young workers to improve the participation rate for BCS at the workplace.

Economic costs of minor depression: a population-based study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cuijpers, P.; Smit, H.F.E.; Oostenbrink, J.; Graaf, de R.; Have, M. ten; Beekman, A.T.F.

2006-01-01

Objective: Although the clinical relevance of minor depression has been demonstrated in many studies, the economic costs are not well explored. In this study, we examine the economic costs of minor depression. Method: In a large-scale, population-based study in the Netherlands (n ¼ 5504) the costs

Association of maternal and child nutritional status in Brazil: a population based cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Felisbino-Mendes, Mariana Santos; Villamor, Eduardo; Velasquez-Melendez, Gustavo

2014-01-01

Although child undernutrition and stunting has been decreasing worldwide while obesity rates increase, these extreme conditions might coexist in families from low- and middle-income countries. We examined the association between maternal and child anthropometric indicators using a population representative sample. 4,258 non-pregnant women and their children maternal height, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference (WC). Adjusted mean differences and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated from linear regression, taking into account the complex survey design. We also examined the associations of maternal anthropometry with the prevalence of child stunting (HAZobesity (BAZ>2). HAZ was positively associated with maternal height and WC in a linear fashion. After adjustment, for sociodemographic characteristics, children whose mothers' height wasmaternal height and maternal BMI, children of mothers with a waist circumference ≥88 cm had 0.3 higher HAZ than those of mothers with WCmaternal height (maternal BMI and WC. We observed a strong, positive association of maternal and child nutritional status. Mothers of low stature had children with lower stature, mothers with central obesity had taller children, and mothers with overall or abdominal obesity had children with higher BAZ.

10 CFR 100.11 - Determination of exclusion area, low population zone, and population center distance.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Determination of exclusion area, low population zone, and population center distance. 100.11 Section 100.11 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) REACTOR... and for Testing Reactors § 100.11 Determination of exclusion area, low population zone, and population...

Prevalence of consensual male-male sex and sexual violence, and associations with HIV in South Africa: a population-based cross-sectional study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristin L Dunkle

Full Text Available In sub-Saharan Africa the population prevalence of men who have sex with men (MSM is unknown, as is the population prevalence of male-on-male sexual violence, and whether male-on-male sexual violence may relate to HIV risk. This paper describes lifetime prevalence of consensual male-male sexual behavior and male-on-male sexual violence (victimization and perpetration in two South African provinces, socio-demographic factors associated with these experiences, and associations with HIV serostatus.In a cross-sectional study conducted in 2008, men aged 18-49 y from randomly selected households in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces provided anonymous survey data and dried blood spots for HIV serostatus assessment. Interviews were completed in 1,737 of 2,298 (75.6% of enumerated and eligible households. From these households, 1,705 men (97.1% provided data on lifetime history of same-sex experiences, and 1,220 (70.2% also provided dried blood spots for HIV testing. 5.4% (n = 92 of participants reported a lifetime history of any consensual sexual activity with another man; 9.6% (n = 164 reported any sexual victimization by a man, and 3.0% (n = 51 reported perpetrating sexual violence against another man. 85.0% (n = 79 of men with a history of consensual sex with men reported having a current female partner, and 27.7% (n = 26 reported having a current male partner. Of the latter, 80.6% (n = 21/26 also reported having a female partner. Men reporting a history of consensual male-male sexual behavior are more likely to have been a victim of male-on-male sexual violence (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 7.24; 95% CI 4.26-12.3, and to have perpetrated sexual violence against another man (aOR = 3.10; 95% CI 1.22-7.90. Men reporting consensual oral/anal sex with a man were more likely to be HIV+ than men with no such history (aOR = 3.11; 95% CI 1.24-7.80. Men who had raped a man were more likely to be HIV+ than non

The implementation of DRG-based hospital reimbursement in Switzerland: A population-based perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Busato, André; von Below, Georg

2010-10-16

Switzerland introduces a DRG (Diagnosis Related Groups) based system for hospital financing in 2012 in order to increase efficiency and transparency of Swiss health care. DRG-based hospital reimbursement is not simultaneously realized in all Swiss cantons and several cantons already implemented DRG-based financing irrespective of the national agenda, a setting that provides an opportunity to compare the situation in different cantons. Effects of introducing DRGs anticipated for providers and insurers are relatively well known but it remains less clear what effects DRGs will have on served populations. The objective of the study is therefore to analyze differences of volume and major quality indicators of care between areas with or without DRG-based hospital reimbursement from a population based perspective. Small area analysis of all hospitalizations in acute care hospitals and of all consultations reimbursed by mandatory basic health insurance for physicians in own practice during 2003-2007. The results show fewer hospitalizations and a relocation of resources to outpatient care in areas with DRG reimbursement. Overall burden of disease expressed as per capita DRG cost weights was almost identical between the two types of hospital reimbursement and no distinct temporal differences were detected in this respect. But the results show considerably higher 90-day rehospitalization rates in DRG areas. The study provides evidence of both desired and harmful effects related to the implementation of DRGs. Systematic monitoring of outcomes and quality of care are therefore essential elements to maintain in the Swiss health system after DRG's are implemented on a nationwide basis in 2012.

A Population-Based Clinical Trial of Irinotecan and Carboplatin

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Derick Lau

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. Phase I trials of anticancer drugs are commonly conducted using the method of modified Fibonacci. We have developed a population-based design for phase I trials of combining anticancer drugs such as irinotecan and carboplatin. Patients and Methods. Intrapatient dose escalation of irinotecan and carboplatin was performed according to a predetermined schema to reach individual dose-limiting toxicity (DLT in 50 patients with solid tumors refractory to previous chemotherapy. The individual toxicity-limiting dose levels were analyzed for normal distribution using the method of Ryan-Joiner and subsequently used to determine a population-based maximum tolerated dose (pMTD. For comparison, a simulation study was performed using the method of modified Fibonacci. Results. The most common dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs included neutropenia (58%, thrombocytopenia (16%, and diarrhea (8%. The frequency of individual toxicity-limiting dose levels of 50 patients approximated a normal distribution. The dose levels associated with individual limiting toxicities ranged from level 1 (irinotecan 100 mg/m2 and carboplatin AUC = 4 mg/mL x min to level 8 (irinotecan 350 mg/m2 and carboplatin AUC = 6. The pMTD was determined to be dose level 3 (150 mg/m2 for irinotecan and AUC = 5 for carboplatin. In contrast, the MTD was determined to be dose level 4 (200 mg/m2 for irinotecan and AUC 5 for carboplatin by modified-Fibonacci simulation. Conclusions. The population-based design of phase I trial allows optimization of dose intensity and derivation of a pMTD. The pMTD has been applied in phase II trial of irinotecan and carboplatin in patients with small-cell lung cancer.

Augmented cross-sectional studies with abbreviated follow-up for estimating HIV incidence.

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Claggett, B; Lagakos, S W; Wang, R

2012-03-01

Cross-sectional HIV incidence estimation based on a sensitive and less-sensitive test offers great advantages over the traditional cohort study. However, its use has been limited due to concerns about the false negative rate of the less-sensitive test, reflecting the phenomenon that some subjects may remain negative permanently on the less-sensitive test. Wang and Lagakos (2010, Biometrics 66, 864-874) propose an augmented cross-sectional design that provides one way to estimate the size of the infected population who remain negative permanently and subsequently incorporate this information in the cross-sectional incidence estimator. In an augmented cross-sectional study, subjects who test negative on the less-sensitive test in the cross-sectional survey are followed forward for transition into the nonrecent state, at which time they would test positive on the less-sensitive test. However, considerable uncertainty exists regarding the appropriate length of follow-up and the size of the infected population who remain nonreactive permanently to the less-sensitive test. In this article, we assess the impact of varying follow-up time on the resulting incidence estimators from an augmented cross-sectional study, evaluate the robustness of cross-sectional estimators to assumptions about the existence and the size of the subpopulation who will remain negative permanently, and propose a new estimator based on abbreviated follow-up time (AF). Compared to the original estimator from an augmented cross-sectional study, the AF estimator allows shorter follow-up time and does not require estimation of the mean window period, defined as the average time between detectability of HIV infection with the sensitive and less-sensitive tests. It is shown to perform well in a wide range of settings. We discuss when the AF estimator would be expected to perform well and offer design considerations for an augmented cross-sectional study with abbreviated follow-up. © 2011, The

Functional low vision in adults from Latin America: findings from population-based surveys in 15 countries

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Hans Limburg

2015-06-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To review data on functional low vision (FLV (low vision-visual acuity (VA perception of light (PL+ in the better eye-that is untreatable and uncorrectable in adults aged 50 years or older from published population-based surveys from 15 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. METHODS: Data from 15 cross-sectional, population-based surveys on blindness and visual impairment (10 national and five subnational covering 55 643 people > 50 years old in 15 countries from 2003 to 2013 were reanalyzed to extract statistics on FLV. Eleven of the studies used the rapid assessment of avoidable blindness (RAAB method and four used the rapid assessment of cataract surgical services (RACSS method. For the 10 national surveys, age-and sex-specific prevalence of FLV was extrapolated against the corresponding population to estimate the total number of people > 50 years old with FLV. RESULTS: Age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of FLV in people > 50 years old ranged from 0.9% (Guatemala, Mexico, and Uruguay to 2.2% (Brazil and Cuba and increased by age. The weighted average prevalence for the 10 national surveys was 1.6%: 1.4% in men and 1.8% in women. For all 10 national studies, a total of 509 164 people > 50 years old were estimated to have FLV. Based on the 910 individuals affected, the main causes of FLV were age-related macular degeneration (weighted average prevalence of 26%, glaucoma (23%, diabetic retinopathy (19%, other posterior segment disease (15%, non-trachomatous corneal opacities (7%, and complications after cataract surgery (4%. CONCLUSIONS: FLV is expected to rise because of 1 the exponential increase of this condition by age, 2 increased life expectancy, and 3 the increase in people > 50 years old. These data can be helpful in planning and developing low vision services for the region; large countries such as Brazil and Mexico would need more studies. Prevention is a major strategy to reduce FLV, as more than 50% of it is

Functional low vision in adults from Latin America: findings from population-based surveys in 15 countries.

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Limburg, Hans; Espinoza, Rosario; Lansingh, Van C; Silva, Juan Carlos

2015-06-01

To review data on functional low vision (FLV) (low vision-visual acuity (VA) perception of light (PL+) in the better eye-that is untreatable and uncorrectable) in adults aged 50 years or older from published population-based surveys from 15 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Data from 15 cross-sectional, population-based surveys on blindness and visual impairment (10 national and five subnational) covering 55 643 people > 50 years old in 15 countries from 2003 to 2013 were reanalyzed to extract statistics on FLV. Eleven of the studies used the rapid assessment of avoidable blindness (RAAB) method and four used the rapid assessment of cataract surgical services (RACSS) method. For the 10 national surveys, age-and sex-specific prevalence of FLV was extrapolated against the corresponding population to estimate the total number of people > 50 years old with FLV. Age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of FLV in people > 50 years old ranged from 0.9% (Guatemala, Mexico, and Uruguay) to 2.2% (Brazil and Cuba) and increased by age. The weighted average prevalence for the 10 national surveys was 1.6%: 1.4% in men and 1.8% in women. For all 10 national studies, a total of 509 164 people > 50 years old were estimated to have FLV. Based on the 910 individuals affected, the main causes of FLV were age-related macular degeneration (weighted average prevalence of 26%), glaucoma (23%), diabetic retinopathy (19%), other posterior segment disease (15%), non-trachomatous corneal opacities (7%), and complications after cataract surgery (4%). FLV is expected to rise because of 1) the exponential increase of this condition by age, 2) increased life expectancy, and 3) the increase in people > 50 years old. These data can be helpful in planning and developing low vision services for the region; large countries such as Brazil and Mexico would need more studies. Prevention is a major strategy to reduce FLV, as more than 50% of it is preventable.

[Breast cancer incidence related with a population-based screening program].

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Natal, Carmen; Caicoya, Martín; Prieto, Miguel; Tardón, Adonina

2015-02-20

To compare breast cancer cumulative incidence, time evolution and stage at diagnosis between participants and non-participant women in a population-based screening program. Cohort study of breast cancer incidence in relation to participation in a population screening program. The study population included women from the target population of the screening program. The source of information for diagnostics and stages was the population-based cancer registry. The analysis period was 1999-2010. The Relative Risk for invasive, in situ, and total cancers diagnosed in participant women compared with non-participants were respectively 1.16 (0.94-1.43), 2.98 (1.16-7.62) and 1.22 (0.99-1.49). The Relative Risk for participants versus non-participants was 2.47 (1.55-3.96) for diagnosis at stagei, 2.58 (1.67-3.99) for T1 and 2.11 (1.38-3.23) for negative lymph node involvement. The cumulative incidence trend had two joint points in both arms, with an Annual Percent of Change of 92.3 (81.6-103.5) between 1999-2001, 18.2 (16.1-20.3) between 2001-2005 and 5.9 (4.0-7.8) for the last period in participants arm, and 72.6 (58.5-87.9) between 1999-2001, 12.6 (7.9-17.4) between 2001-2005, and 8.6 (6.5-10.6) in the last period in the non-participant arm. Participating in the breast cancer screening program analyzed increased the in situ cumulative cancer incidence, but not the invasive and total incidence. Diagnoses were earlier in the participant arm. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Polypharmacy and falls in the middle age and elderly population

NARCIS (Netherlands)

G. Ziere; J.P. Dieleman (Jeanne); A. Hofman (Albert); H.A.P. Pols (Huib); T.J.M. van der Cammen (Tischa); B.H.Ch. Stricker (Bruno)

2006-01-01

textabstractAim: Falls in the elderly are common and often serious. We studied the association between multiple drug use (polypharmacy) and falls in the elderly. Methods: This was a population-based cross-sectional study, part of the Rotterdam Study. The participants were 6928 individuals aged ≥55

Advanced Neutron Source Cross Section Libraries (ANSL-V): ENDF/B-V based multigroup cross-section libraries for advanced neutron source (ANS) reactor studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ford, W.E. III; Arwood, J.W.; Greene, N.M.; Moses, D.L.; Petrie, L.M.; Primm, R.T. III; Slater, C.O.; Westfall, R.M.; Wright, R.Q.

1990-09-01

Pseudo-problem-independent, multigroup cross-section libraries were generated to support Advanced Neutron Source (ANS) Reactor design studies. The ANS is a proposed reactor which would be fueled with highly enriched uranium and cooled with heavy water. The libraries, designated ANSL-V (Advanced Neutron Source Cross Section Libraries based on ENDF/B-V), are data bases in AMPX master format for subsequent generation of problem-dependent cross-sections for use with codes such as KENO, ANISN, XSDRNPM, VENTURE, DOT, DORT, TORT, and MORSE. Included in ANSL-V are 99-group and 39-group neutron, 39-neutron-group 44-gamma-ray-group secondary gamma-ray production (SGRP), 44-group gamma-ray interaction (GRI), and coupled, 39-neutron group 44-gamma-ray group (CNG) cross-section libraries. The neutron and SGRP libraries were generated primarily from ENDF/B-V data; the GRI library was generated from DLC-99/HUGO data, which is recognized as the ENDF/B-V photon interaction data. Modules from the AMPX and NJOY systems were used to process the multigroup data. Validity of selected data from the fine- and broad-group neutron libraries was satisfactorily tested in performance parameter calculations

Asthma and atopy in children born by caesarean section: effect modification by family history of allergies – a population based cross-sectional study

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Kolokotroni Ourania

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Studies on the association of birth by caesarean section (C/S and allergies have produced conflicting findings. Furthermore, evidence on whether this association may differ in those at risk of atopy is limited. This study aims to investigate the association of mode of delivery with asthma and atopic sensitization and the extent to which any effect is modified by family history of allergies. Methods Asthma outcomes were assessed cross-sectionally in 2216 children at age 8 on the basis of parents’ responses to the ISAAC questionnaire whilst skin prick tests to eleven aeroallergens were also performed in a subgroup of 746 children. Adjusted odds ratios of asthma and atopy by mode of delivery were estimated in multivariable logistic models while evidence of effect modification was examined by introducing interaction terms in the models. Results After adjusting for potential confounders, children born by C/S appeared significantly more likely than those born vaginally to report ever wheezing (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.07-1.71, asthma diagnosis (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.09-1.83 and be atopic (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.08-2.60. There was modest evidence that family history of allergies may modify the effect of C/S delivery on atopy (p for effect modification=0.06 but this was not the case for the asthma outcomes. Specifically, while more than a two-fold increase in the odds of being a topic was observed in children with a family history of allergies if born by C/S (OR 2.62, 95% CI 1.38-5.00, no association was observed in children without a family history of allergies (OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.64-2.11. Conclusions Birth by C/S is associated with asthma and atopic sensitization in childhood. The association of C/S and atopy appears more pronounced in children with family history of allergies.

Spike-based population coding and working memory.

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Martin Boerlin

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Compelling behavioral evidence suggests that humans can make optimal decisions despite the uncertainty inherent in perceptual or motor tasks. A key question in neuroscience is how populations of spiking neurons can implement such probabilistic computations. In this article, we develop a comprehensive framework for optimal, spike-based sensory integration and working memory in a dynamic environment. We propose that probability distributions are inferred spike-per-spike in recurrently connected networks of integrate-and-fire neurons. As a result, these networks can combine sensory cues optimally, track the state of a time-varying stimulus and memorize accumulated evidence over periods much longer than the time constant of single neurons. Importantly, we propose that population responses and persistent working memory states represent entire probability distributions and not only single stimulus values. These memories are reflected by sustained, asynchronous patterns of activity which make relevant information available to downstream neurons within their short time window of integration. Model neurons act as predictive encoders, only firing spikes which account for new information that has not yet been signaled. Thus, spike times signal deterministically a prediction error, contrary to rate codes in which spike times are considered to be random samples of an underlying firing rate. As a consequence of this coding scheme, a multitude of spike patterns can reliably encode the same information. This results in weakly correlated, Poisson-like spike trains that are sensitive to initial conditions but robust to even high levels of external neural noise. This spike train variability reproduces the one observed in cortical sensory spike trains, but cannot be equated to noise. On the contrary, it is a consequence of optimal spike-based inference. In contrast, we show that rate-based models perform poorly when implemented with stochastically spiking neurons.

A cross-sectional study of home-based management of malaria in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A community-based cross-sectional study was designed to assess knowledge on signs, symptoms and treatment options for malaria in Bakaano, a suburb of Cape Coast, to determine the extent to which malaria is managed at homes. Our observations showed that the community had good knowledge of signs and ...

Preventable trauma deaths: from panel review to population based-studies

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Vesconi Sergio

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Preventable trauma deaths are defined as deaths which could be avoided if optimal care has been delivered. Studies on preventable trauma deaths have been accomplished initially with panel reviews of pre-hospital and hospital charts. However, several investigators questioned the reliability and validity of this method because of low reproducibility of implicit judgments when they are made by different experts. Nevertheless, number of studies were published all around the world and ultimately gained some credibility, particularly in regions where comparisons were made before and after trauma system implementation with a resultant fall in mortality. During the last decade of century the method of comparing observed survival with probability of survival calculated from large trauma registries has obtained popularity. Preventable trauma deaths were identified as deaths occurred notwithstanding a high calculated probability of survival. In recent years, preventable trauma deaths studies have been replaced by population-based studies, which use databases representative of overall population, therefore with high epidemiologic value. These databases contain readily available information which carry out the advantage of objectivity and large numbers. Nowadays, population-based researches provide the strongest evidence regarding the effectiveness of trauma systems and trauma centers on patient outcomes.

Individual based model of slug population and spatial dynamics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Choi, Y.H.; Bohan, D.A.; Potting, R.P.J.; Semenov, M.A.; Glen, D.M.

2006-01-01

The slug, Deroceras reticulatum, is one of the most important pests of agricultural and horticultural crops in UK and Europe. In this paper, a spatially explicit individual based model (IbM) is developed to study the dynamics of a population of D. reticulatum. The IbM establishes a virtual field

IDENTIFYING HIGH-RISK POPULATIONS OF TUBERCULOSIS USING ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AND GIS BASED MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION MAKING METHOD

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A. R. Abdul Rasam

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Development of an innovative method to enhance the detection of tuberculosis (TB in Malaysia is the latest agenda of the Ministry of Health. Therefore, a geographical information system (GIS based index model is proposed as an alternative method for defining potential high-risk areas of local TB cases at Section U19, Shah Alam. It is adopted a spatial multi-criteria decision making (MCDM method for ranking environmental risk factors of the disease in a standardised five-score scale. Scale 1 and 5 illustrate the lowest and the highest risk of the TB spread respectively, while scale from 3 to 5 is included as a potential risk level. These standardised scale values are then combined with expert normalised weights (0 to 1 to calculate the overall index values and produce a TB ranked map using a GIS overlay analysis and weighted linear combination. It is discovered that 71.43% of the Section is potential as TB high risk areas particularly at urban and densely populated settings. This predictive result is also reliable with the current real cases in 2015 by 76.00% accuracy. A GIS based MCDM method has demonstrated analytical capabilities in targeting high-risk spots and TB surveillance monitoring system of the country, but the result could be strengthened by applying other uncertainty assessment method.

Large Signal Circuit Model of Two-Section Gain Lever Quantum Dot Laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horri Ashkan; Mirmoeini Seyedeh Zahra; Faez Rahim

2012-01-01

An equivalent circuit model for the design and analysis of two-section gain lever quantum dot (QD) laser is presented. This model is based on the three level rate equations with two independent carrier populations and a single longitudinal optical mode. By using the presented model, the effect of gain lever on QD laser performances is investigated. The results of simulation show that the main characteristics of laser such as threshold current, transient response, output power and modulation response are affected by differential gain ratios between the two-sections

Cigarette smoking, nicotine dependence and anxiety disorders: a systematic review of population-based, epidemiological studies

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Moylan Steven

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Multiple studies have demonstrated that rates of smoking and nicotine dependence are increased in individuals with anxiety disorders. However, significant variability exists in the epidemiological literature exploring this relationship, including study design (cross-sectional versus prospective, the population assessed (random sample versus clinical population and diagnostic instrument utilized. Methods We undertook a systematic review of population-based observational studies that utilized recognized structured clinical diagnostic criteria (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM or International Classification of Diseases (ICD for anxiety disorder diagnosis to investigate the relationship between cigarette smoking, nicotine dependence and anxiety disorders. Results In total, 47 studies met the predefined inclusion criteria, with 12 studies providing prospective information and 5 studies providing quasiprospective information. The available evidence suggests that some baseline anxiety disorders are a risk factor for initiation of smoking and nicotine dependence, although the evidence is heterogeneous and many studies did not control for the effect of comorbid substance use disorders. The identified evidence however appeared to more consistently support cigarette smoking and nicotine dependence as being a risk factor for development of some anxiety disorders (for example, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, although these findings were not replicated in all studies. A number of inconsistencies in the literature were identified. Conclusions Although many studies have demonstrated increased rates of smoking and nicotine dependence in individuals with anxiety disorders, there is a limited and heterogeneous literature that has prospectively examined this relationship in population studies using validated diagnostic criteria. The most consistent evidence supports smoking and nicotine dependence as

Association of general psychological factors with frequent attendance in primary care: a population-based cross-sectional observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hajek, André; Bock, Jens-Oliver; König, Hans-Helmut

2017-03-24

Whereas several studies have examined the association between frequent attendance in primary care and illness-specific psychological factors, little is known about the relation between frequent attendance and general psychological factors. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the association between being a frequent attender in primary care and general psychological factors. Data were used from a large, population-based sample of community-dwelling individuals aged 40 and above in Germany in 2014 (n = 7,446). Positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, optimism, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and self-regulation were included as general psychological factors. The number of self-reported GP visits in the past twelve months was used to quantify frequency of attendance; individuals with more than 9 visits (highest decile) were defined as frequent attenders. Multiple logistic regressions showed that being a frequent attender was positively associated with less life satisfaction [OR: 0.79 (0.70-0.89)], higher negative affect [OR: 1.38 (1.17-1.62)], less self-efficacy [OR: 0.74 (0.63-0.86)], less self-esteem [OR: 0.65 (0.54-0.79)], less self-regulation [OR: 0.74 (0.60-0.91)], and higher perceived stress [OR: 1.46 (1.28-1.66)], after adjusting for sociodemographic factors, morbidity and lifestyle factors. However, frequent attendance was not significantly associated with positive affect and self-regulation. The present study highlights the association between general psychological factors and frequent attendance. As frequent GP visits produce high health care costs and are potentially associated with increased referrals and use of secondary health care services, this knowledge might help to address these individuals with high needs.

Atherogenic Index of Plasma Predicts Hyperuricemia in Rural Population: A Cross-Sectional Study from Northeast China

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Ye Chang

2016-09-01

Full Text Available We aimed to determine the association of atherogenic index of plasma (AIP with hyperuricemia (HUA in the rural population of northeast China. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the rural areas of northeast China from January 2012 to August 2013, and the final analysis included data obtained form 5253 men and 6092 women. 1104 participants (9.7% suffered from HUA. Spearman rank test showed that AIP was positively correlated with uric acid in both sexes (r = 0.310 for men and r = 0.347 for women, both p < 0.001. AIP was classified into three groups: the low (<0.11, the intermediate (0.11–0.21 and the increased (>0.21 risk. The prevalence of HUA increased with AIP. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that, compared to the low AIP group, participants in increased AIP group had a 2.536-fold risk for HUA (2.164-fold in male and 2.960-fold in female after adjustment for covariates. Results of receiver operating characteristic curves showed that the area under the curve (95% confidence intervals was 0.686 (0.665–0.707 for male and 0.730 (0.706–0.755 for female. We indicated that increased AIP was associated with higher serum uric acid levels and could be identified as an independent risk factor of HUA in the rural population of northeast China.

Population-wide weight loss and regain in relation to diabetes burden and cardiovascular mortality in Cuba 1980-2010: repeated cross sectional surveys and ecological comparison of secular trends.

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Franco, Manuel; Bilal, Usama; Orduñez, Pedro; Benet, Mikhail; Morejón, Alain; Caballero, Benjamín; Kennelly, Joan F; Cooper, Richard S

2013-04-09

To evaluate the associations between population-wide loss and gain in weight with diabetes prevalence, incidence, and mortality, as well as cardiovascular and cancer mortality trends, in Cuba over a 30 year interval. Repeated cross sectional surveys and ecological comparison of secular trends. Cuba and the province of Cienfuegos, from 1980 to 2010. Measurements in Cienfuegos included a representative sample of 1657, 1351, 1667, and 1492 adults in 1991, 1995, 2001, and 2010, respectively. National surveys included a representative sample of 14 304, 22 851, and 8031 participants in 1995, 2001, and 2010, respectively. Changes in smoking, daily energy intake, physical activity, and body weight were tracked from 1980 to 2010 using national and regional surveys. Data for diabetes prevalence and incidence were obtained from national population based registries. Mortality trends were modelled using national vital statistics. Rapid declines in diabetes and heart disease accompanied an average population-wide loss of 5.5 kg in weight, driven by an economic crisis in the mid-1990s. A rebound in population weight followed in 1995 (33.5% prevalence of overweight and obesity) and exceeded pre-crisis levels by 2010 (52.9% prevalence). The population-wide increase in weight was immediately followed by a 116% increase in diabetes prevalence and 140% increase in diabetes incidence. Six years into the weight rebound phase, diabetes mortality increased by 49% (from 9.3 deaths per 10 000 people in 2002 to 13.9 deaths per 10 000 people in 2010). A deceleration in the rate of decline in mortality from coronary heart disease was also observed. In relation to the Cuban experience in 1980-2010, there is an association at the population level between weight reduction and death from diabetes and cardiovascular disease; the opposite effect on the diabetes and cardiovascular burden was seen on population-wide weight gain.

Optimal cutoff for the evaluation of insulin resistance through triglyceride-glucose index: A cross-sectional study in a Venezuelan population.

Science.gov (United States)

Salazar, Juan; Bermúdez, Valmore; Calvo, María; Olivar, Luis Carlos; Luzardo, Eliana; Navarro, Carla; Mencia, Heysa; Martínez, María; Rivas-Ríos, José; Wilches-Durán, Sandra; Cerda, Marcos; Graterol, Modesto; Graterol, Rosemily; Garicano, Carlos; Hernández, Juan; Rojas, Joselyn

2017-01-01

Background: Insulin resistance (IR) evaluation is a fundamental goal in clinical and epidemiological research. However, the most widely used methods are difficult to apply to populations with low incomes. The triglyceride-glucose index (TGI) emerges as an alternative to use in daily clinical practice. Therefore the objective of this study was to determine an optimal cutoff point for the TGI in an adult population from Maracaibo, Venezuela. Methods: This is a sub-study of Maracaibo City Metabolic Syndrome Prevalence Study, a descriptive, cross-sectional study with random and multi-stage sampling. For this analysis, 2004 individuals of both genders ≥18 years old with basal insulin determination and triglycerides triglyceride (mg / dl) x Fasting glucose (mg / dl)] / 2. Results: The TGI in the general population was 4.6±0.3 (male: 4.66±0.34 vs. female: 4.56±0.33, p=8.93x10 -10 ). The optimal cutoff point was 4.49, with a sensitivity of 82.6% and specificity of 82.1% (AUC=0.889, 95% CI: 0.854-0.924). There were no significant differences in the predictive capacity of the index when evaluated according to gender and age groups. Those individuals with TGI≥4.5 had higher HOMA2-IR averages than those with TGI index to determine atypical metabolic phenotypes, type 2 diabetes mellitus and even cardiovascular risk in our population.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus differs in Dutch and first generation migrant populations in Amsterdam, the Netherlands: a cross-sectional study.

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Sadik, S; van Rijckevorsel, G G C; van Rooijen, M S; Sonder, G J B; Bruisten, S M

2016-11-08

In the last decade hepatitis E virus (HEV) is increasingly recognized as a cause of acute viral hepatitis in developed countries. HEV is transmitted via the fecal-oral route. In countries like the Netherlands, HEV infection is suspected to be a zoonosis but HEV may also be introduced by migrants. We studied the seroprevalence of HEV among different migrants, mainly Moroccans and Turks, and compared this to that of the native Dutch population in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey of the adult Amsterdam population performed in 2004; the Amsterdam Health Monitor. A total of 1199 plasma samples were tested for IgG-and IgM antibodies to HEV using the Wantai kit according to instructions of the manufacturer. Basic demographic data (gender, age, country of birth, and age at immigration) were used in the analyses. Hepatitis A virus (HAV) serology data were available from a previous study. The total weighted anti-HEV IgG seroprevalence in the overall Amsterdam population was 26.7 %, based on 1199 samples. In the study population (not-weighted) this HEV seroprevalence was 157/426 (36.9 %) for the Dutch participants and it was 161/257 (62.6 %) for Moroccans, 99/296 (33.4 %) for Turks and 42/220 (19.1 %) for other ethnicities. HEV seroprevalence increased significantly with age. First-generation Moroccan migrants (44.0 %) had a significantly higher weighted HEV seroprevalence than the Dutch participants (29.7 %). In the first generation Turks (20.3 %) and first generation migrants from other countries (16.7 %) this weighted seroprevalence was lower, but this was only significant for the 'other ethnicities'. The median age of migration was significantly higher in the Moroccan and Turkish migrants who were HEV IgG positive versus HEV IgG negative. However, when stratifying for age at time of study, median migration age was only significantly different for HEV sero-status for younger Turks and younger 'other ethnicities'. HEV Ig

Sectional microprocessor based microcomputer and its application to express analysis using interactive language

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lang, I.; Leveleki, L.; Salai, M.; Turani, D.

1984-01-01

Sectional microprocessor TPA-L/128H based mini-computer being a part of the TPA-8 computer family is developed. A substantial increase of the computer operation rate is attained at the expense of microprogram monitoring. The central processor is constructed on the base of the AM2900 sectional microprocessor elements. The TPA-L/128H computer is program compatible with TPA-8 computer, perfectly equipped with software: high level languages as well as OS/L, COS/H, RTS/H, PAL/128, WPS, TEASYS-8 and IL 128 ensuring statistical data processing, physical experiments automation and interactive experimental data processing. The real time basis problems and CAMAC devices monitoring are efficiently solved

Influenza Vaccination: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Knowledge, Attitude and Practices among the Lebanese Adult Population

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Ghada El Khoury

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Influenza is a common preventable infectious disease associated with high mortality and morbidity. Vaccination is the most cost-effective measure to prevent influenza, yet the vaccine uptake is known to be low. No previous studies have assessed the rate of seasonal influenza vaccination use among the Lebanese population, nor examined the knowledge and attitudes towards the influenza vaccine. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was performed in 30 pharmacies randomly selected across Lebanon. A 19-item questionnaire was used to record influenza vaccination status, knowledge and attitudes towards the influenza vaccine among the Lebanese general population. Results: The survey response rate was 93%. Among the 640 study participants, the overall 2014-2015 seasonal influenza vaccination rate was 27.6%. The majority of participants (72.4% reported irregular uptake of the vaccine. Results of the multivariate analysis revealed that elderly people (OR = 2.25, CI = 1.08–4.71, with higher education (OR = 1.42, CI = 1.09–1.84, higher physical activity (OR significantly higher than 1 for all categories, and chronic respiratory disease (OR = 3.24, CI = 1.58–6.62 were more regularly vaccinated, while those who visit the doctor “only when needed” (OR = 0.55, CI = 0.34–0.88 and those who consume more than seven drinks/week (OR = 0.24, CI = 0.09–0.65 were less regularly vaccinated. When introducing knowledge and attitude variables to the model, “thinking that the vaccine was not needed” was the only correlate that demonstrated a significant inverse association with regular influenza vaccination (OR = 0.15; p = 0.017. Conclusions: Suboptimal vaccination rates exist among the Lebanese ambulatory adult population. Clear misinformation on the importance of regular influenza immunization is also highlighted. This evidence underscores a compelling need to raise public awareness regarding the efficacy of the influenza vaccine.

Prevalence and characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization among a community-based diabetes population in Foshan, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Jialing; Xu, Ping; Peng, Yang; Lin, Dongxin; Ou, Qianting; Zhang, Ting; Bai, Chan; Ye, Xiaohua; Zhou, Junli; Yao, Zhenjiang

2017-05-01

Evidence suggests that diabetes might cause an increase in colonization of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in community settings. We carried out a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence and influencing factors of S. aureus and MRSA nasal colonization among a community-based diabetes population, and to identify the characteristics of the isolated strains. A total of 956 participants from 11 community settings were included in the study. Of the 529 diabetes participants, 46 were colonized with S. aureus and 22 were colonized with MRSA. Of the 427 non-diabetes participants, 25 were colonized with S. aureus and 12 were colonized with MRSA. Men (odds ratio 0.45, 95% confidence interval 0.20-0.99, P = 0.047) were less likely to have S. aureus nasal colonization, and those with well-controlled blood glucose (odds ratio 2.04, 95% confidence interval 1.01-4.13, P = 0.047) among the diabetes population were more likely to have S. aureus nasal colonization. The proportion of multidrug-resistant S. aureus strains in the diabetes population (52.17%) was higher than that in the non-diabetes population (28.00%; χ 2 = 3.848, P = 0.050). The most common clonal complex type and Staphylococcal chromosome cassette mec type of MRSA in diabetes population was clonal complex 5 (40.91%) and type IV (27.27%), respectively. The proportion of Panton-Valentine leukocidin gene in MRSA strains was 17.65%. There was great sequence type diversity in MRSA strains. The prevalence of MRSA in the community-based diabetes population was moderate, and the high proportions of multidrug-resistant S. aureus strains and diverse molecular characteristics in the diabetes population should be noticed. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Diabetes Investigation published by Asian Association for the Study of Diabetes (AASD) and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Prevalence of Dementia and Cognitive Complaints in the Context of High Cognitive Reserve: A Population-Based Study

Science.gov (United States)

Perquin, Magali; Diederich, Nico; Pastore, Jessica; Lair, Marie-Lise; Stranges, Saverio; Vaillant, Michel

2015-01-01

Objectives This study aimed to assess the prevalence of dementia and cognitive complaints in a cross-sectional sample of Luxembourg seniors, and to discuss the results in the societal context of high cognitive reserve resulting from multilingualism. Methods A population sample of 1,377 people representative of Luxembourg residents aged over 64 years was initially identified via the national social insurance register. There were three different levels of contribution: full participation in the study, partial participation, and non-participation. We examined the profiles of these three different samples so that we could infer the prevalence estimates in the Luxembourgish senior population as a whole using the prevalence estimates obtained in this study. Results After careful attention to the potential bias and of the possibility of underestimation, we considered the obtained prevalence estimates of 3.8% for dementia (with corresponding 95% confidence limits (CL) of 2.8% and 4.8%) and 26.1% for cognitive complaints (CL = [17.8–34.3]) as trustworthy. Conclusion Based on these findings, we postulate that high cognitive reserve may result in surprisingly low prevalence estimates of cognitive complaints and dementia in adults over the age of 64 years, which thereby corroborates the longer disability-free life expectancy observed in the Luxembourg population. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to report such Luxembourgish public health data. PMID:26390288

Automation of GIS-Based Population Data-Collection for Transportation Risk Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MILLS, G. SCOTT; NEUHAUSER, SIEGLINDE

1999-01-01

Estimation of the potential radiological risks associated with highway transport of radioactive materials (RAM) requires input data describing population densities adjacent to all portions of the route to be traveled. Previously, aggregated risks for entire multi-state routes were adequately estimated from population data with low geographic resolution. Current demands for geographically-specific risk estimates require similar increases in resolution of population density adjacent to route segments. With the advent of commercial geographic information systems (GISs) and databases describing highways, U.S. Census Blocks, and other information that is geographically distributed, it became feasible to determine and tabulate population characteristics along transportation routes with 1-kilometer resolution. This report describes an automated method of collecting population data adjacent to route segments (for calculation of incident-free doses) based on a commercial GIS. It also describes a statistical method of resolving remaining resolution issues, and an adaptation of the automation method to collection of data on population under a hypothetical plume of contamination resulting from a potential transportation accident

Intimate partner violence among women with mental health-related activity limitations: a Canadian population based study.

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Du Mont, Janice; Forte, Tonia

2014-01-18

There is strong evidence that women with serious or chronic mental illness experience higher rates of violence than women in the general population. Our objective was to examine the risk of intimate partner violence (IPV), a form of violence that is often recurrent and linked to negative physical and psychological consequences, among a representative sample of non-institutionalized women with activity limitations (ALs) due to a mental health condition. Data from the 2009 General Social Survey were used, a national, population-based, cross-sectional survey. The sample included 6851 women reporting contact with a current or former partner in the previous five years, of whom 322 (4.7%) reported a mental health-related AL always/often or sometimes. The prevalence of any type of IPV was highest among women with mental health-related ALs always/often (54.4%), followed by women reporting ALs sometimes (49.9%), and those reporting no ALs (18.3%, p mental health-related ALs always/often and sometimes, but were lower among those reporting no ALs (20.2%, 20.9%, 5.9%, p social capital variables, including perceptions of having experienced discrimination, a weak sense of belonging in their local community, and low trust toward family members and strangers were also significantly associated with having experienced IPV. Findings suggest that women with mental health-related ALs may be at increased risk of IPV. Health and social service providers may need, therefore, to better target prevention and intervention initiatives to this population.

Evaluation of two population-based input functions for quantitative neurological FDG PET studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eberl, S.; Anayat, A.R.; Fulton, R.R.; Hooper, P.K.; Fulham, M.J.

1997-01-01

The conventional measurement of the regional cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (rCMRGlc) with fluorodexoyglucose (FDG) and positron emission tomography (PET) requires arterial or arterialised-venous (a-v) blood sampling at frequent intervals to obtain the plasma input function (IF). We evaluated the accuracy of rCMRGlc measurements using population-based IFs that were calibrated with two a-v blood samples. Population-based IFs were derived from: (1) the average of a-v IFs from 26 patients (Standard IF) and (2) a published model of FDG plasma concentration (Feng IF). Values for rCMRGlc calculated from the population-based IFs were compared with values obtained with IFs derived from frequent a-v blood sampling in 20 non-diabetic and six diabetic patients. Values for rCMRGlc calculated with the different IFs were highly correlated for both patient groups (r≥0.992) and root mean square residuals about the regression line were less than 0.24 mg/min/100 g. The Feng IF tended to underestimate high rCMRGlc. Both population-based IFs simplify the measurement of rCMRGlc with minimal loss in accuracy and require only two a-v blood samples for calibration. The reduced blood sampling requirements markedly reduce radiation exposure to the blood sampler. (orig.)

Children and adolescents' health-related quality of life in relation to eczema, asthma and hay fever: results from a population-based cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Matterne, Uwe; Schmitt, Jochen; Diepgen, Thomas L; Apfelbacher, Christian

2011-10-01

Several studies have looked at the relationship between childhood atopic disease and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), but existing research is limited by selected populations, small samples or lack to consider each of the three atopic conditions simultaneously. Impact of 4-week and 12-month occurrences of the three conditions on HRQoL were analysed by the use of complex sample general linear models alone and adjusted for the other atopic conditions, sociodemographics and mental health in a population-based sample (n = 6,518) of children and adolescents aged 11-17. In univariate analyses, total HRQoL was significantly impacted by eczema and hay fever but not asthma with stronger effects for 4-week occurrence. In multivariate analyses, 12-month occurrence of hay fever and 4-week occurrence of eczema and hay fever significantly impacted on total HRQoL. Although most of the variance in HRQoL was explained by mental health, independent effects of the atopic conditions remained. Atopic conditions impact HRQoL over and above mental health. When analysing the relationship between atopic conditions and HRQoL, it is important to consider more immediate versus less immediate effects of the conditions. Extent of impairment and the domains affected appear to vary when different time intervals are used.

Validity and predictive ability of the juvenile arthritis disease activity score based on CRP versus ESR in a Nordic population-based setting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nordal, E B; Zak, M; Aalto, K

2012-01-01

To compare the juvenile arthritis disease activity score (JADAS) based on C reactive protein (CRP) (JADAS-CRP) with JADAS based on erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (JADAS-ESR) and to validate JADAS in a population-based setting.......To compare the juvenile arthritis disease activity score (JADAS) based on C reactive protein (CRP) (JADAS-CRP) with JADAS based on erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (JADAS-ESR) and to validate JADAS in a population-based setting....

Dry eye disease: prevalence, distribution and determinants in a hospital-based population.

Science.gov (United States)

Onwubiko, Stella N; Eze, Boniface I; Udeh, Nnemma N; Arinze, Obinna C; Onwasigwe, Ernest N; Umeh, Rich E

2014-06-01

To determine the prevalence, distribution and risk factors for dry eye disease (DED) in a tertiary ophthalmic outpatient population. The study was a cross-sectional descriptive hospital-based survey conducted at the Eye clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, between September and December, 2011. The participants comprised adult ophthalmic outpatients aged 18 years or older. Participants' sociodemographic data were obtained. Dry eye disease was assessed subjectively with the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire; and objectively with Schirmer's test and Tear-film Break-up Time (TBUT). An OSDI score of ≥ 50 with a TBUT of 40 years (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.06-3.35, p=0.0004), non-possession of formal education (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.21-0.74, p=0.001) but not gender (OR 1.48, 95% CI 0.89-2.46, p=0.158). The prevalence of DED among ophthalmic outpatients at UNTH, Enugu, is comparatively high. Older age and illiteracy are predictors of DED. There is need for high index of diagnostic suspicion to prevent sight-threatening complications of DED. Copyright © 2013 British Contact Lens Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gaussian process-based Bayesian nonparametric inference of population size trajectories from gene genealogies.

Science.gov (United States)

Palacios, Julia A; Minin, Vladimir N

2013-03-01

Changes in population size influence genetic diversity of the population and, as a result, leave a signature of these changes in individual genomes in the population. We are interested in the inverse problem of reconstructing past population dynamics from genomic data. We start with a standard framework based on the coalescent, a stochastic process that generates genealogies connecting randomly sampled individuals from the population of interest. These genealogies serve as a glue between the population demographic history and genomic sequences. It turns out that only the times of genealogical lineage coalescences contain information about population size dynamics. Viewing these coalescent times as a point process, estimating population size trajectories is equivalent to estimating a conditional intensity of this point process. Therefore, our inverse problem is similar to estimating an inhomogeneous Poisson process intensity function. We demonstrate how recent advances in Gaussian process-based nonparametric inference for Poisson processes can be extended to Bayesian nonparametric estimation of population size dynamics under the coalescent. We compare our Gaussian process (GP) approach to one of the state-of-the-art Gaussian Markov random field (GMRF) methods for estimating population trajectories. Using simulated data, we demonstrate that our method has better accuracy and precision. Next, we analyze two genealogies reconstructed from real sequences of hepatitis C and human Influenza A viruses. In both cases, we recover more believed aspects of the viral demographic histories than the GMRF approach. We also find that our GP method produces more reasonable uncertainty estimates than the GMRF method. Copyright © 2013, The International Biometric Society.

Assessing the functional disability of rural elderly population from North-West India using activity of daily living scale: A cross-sectional survey

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Parveen Singh

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Aging is associated with both physical impairment and functional disability. One of the areas of concerns is a derangement in the activities of daily living (ADL where the elderly people are unable to perform their basic personal care tasks. The present study was planned with the aim to evaluate functional impairment among rural elderly using ADL scale. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted as a cross-sectional population-based survey using multistage randomized sampling technique from August 2015 to October 2015 in Miran Sahib Health Zone of R S Pura health block in Jammu District in North-West India. The study involved 418 elderly individuals above 60 years of age. Results: A higher proportion of elderly (378/418; 90.43% were classified as functionally independent. Among the study participants 9.54% (40/418 were found to have some had some impairment. Among the elderly impaired individuals, 5.26% (22/418 were moderately impaired while 2.64% (11/418 were severely impaired. However, importantly only a small proportion (7/418; 1.67% of elderly individuals was completely dependent on others. Conclusion: The total impairment prevalence reported among the geriatrics in the current study was 9.5%. With the increase in the geriatric population expected in near future, this number will be significant. Policies with a clear focus on geriatric health-care need to be developed to reduce the dependency among elderly.

A community-based cross-sectional study of sleep quality in middle-aged and older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hui-Shan; Li, Yuan; Mo, Hai-Yun; Qiu, De-Xing; Zhao, Jing; Luo, Jia-Li; Lin, Wei-Quan; Wang, Jia-Ji; Wang, Pei-Xi

2017-04-01

Sleep quality has been widely studied among western countries. However, there is limited population-based evidence on insomnia in Chinese adult populations, especially in middle-aged and older adults. The aims of present study are to (1) examine the prevalence of poor sleep among Chinese middle-age and older adults, (2) compare the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) seven domain scores across different physical health statuses, (3) explore factors associated with insomnia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a multi-instrument questionnaire. In total, 1563 residents aged 45 or older in the community were interviewed. The Chinese version of the PSQI was used to assess sleep quality while poor sleep was defined as a total PSQI score >5. Socio-demographic, lifestyle and physical health data were also collected. The prevalence of poor sleep among adults aged over 45 years was 20.67 %. Clusters logistic regression analysis identified that migrant workers, single marital status, lower education level, no physical exercise, illness within 2 weeks, and a higher total number of chronic diseases contribute to increased risk of poor sleep (P quality. Our results indicated that poor sleep was common in middle-aged and older adults. It was associated with identity of migrant worker, education level, exercise, illness within 2 weeks and number of chronic disease. Being ill within 2 weeks and having more chronic diseases were the major physical health-related factors contributing to poor sleep in the middle-aged and older people. Physical health may be a major determinant in sleep quality.

Epidemiology of infertility in China: a population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Z; Zheng, D; Wu, H; Li, R; Xu, S; Kang, Y; Cao, Y; Chen, X; Zhu, Y; Xu, S; Chen, Z-J; Mol, B W; Qiao, J

2018-03-01

To assess the current prevalence of and risk factors for infertility among couples of reproductive age in China. Population-based cross-sectional study. We approached 25 270 couples in eight provinces/municipalities, of whom 18 571 (response rate 74%) were interviewed. Couples living together and married for more than 1 year, of whom the female spouse was 20-49 years old. Women were approached via telephone and face-to-face conversation to complete the standardised and structured questionnaire by trained interviewers. Prevalence of and risk factors for infertility. Among women 'at risk' of pregnancy, the prevalence of infertility was 15.5% (2680/17 275). Among 10 742 women attempting to become pregnant, the prevalence of infertility was 25.0% (2680/10 742), which increased with age in the second population. Among women who failed to achieve pregnancy in the last 12 months, 3470 finished our questionnaire about fertility care, and 55.2% (1915/3470) of them had sought medical help. Sociodemographic risk factors for infertility included lower educational level [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 3.4, 95% CI 2.0-5.5] and employment (aOR 2.3, 95% CI 1.9-2.9). Clinical risk factors were irregular menstrual cycle (aOR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2-2.5), light menstrual blood volume (aOR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2-2.0), history of cervicitis (aOR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2-2.0) and endometriosis (aOR 3.1, 95% CI 1.1-9.3), previous stillbirth (aOR 2.1, 95% CI 1.3-3.3) and miscarriage (aOR 2.7, 95% CI 2.1-3.5). In addition, history of operation was a significant risk factor of infertility. Among couples of reproductive age in China, the prevalence of infertility was 25%, and almost half of the couples experiencing infertility had not sought medical help. In China, 25% of couples actively attempting to become pregnant suffered infertility. © 2017 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Prevalence of sunburn and sun-related behaviour in the Danish population: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Køster, Brian; Thorgaard, Camilla; Philip, Anja; Clemmensen, Inge H

2010-07-01

In Denmark, the incidence of melanoma has been increasing since the 1960s. Intermittent exposure to ultraviolet radiation and a history of sunburn and sunbed use are known risk factors. We describe the association between use of protective measures, sun-related behaviour and experience of sunburn in the Danish population three months after the start of the campaign. A population-based sample of 3,499 persons aged 15-59 years completed a questionnaire that included items on exposure to ultraviolet radiation. We examined the relations between sunburn and sun-related behaviour by logistic regression analysis. Within the previous 12 months, 35% of the study population had experienced sunburn. Sunburn became less frequent with age (odds ratio (OR) 4.44; 15-19 vs. 50-59) and skin type (OR 2.57; I vs. III). Sunburn was negatively associated with shade and clothing and positively with use of sunscreens. We found no significant difference in sunscreen use between intentional tanners who experienced sunburn and those who did not. A larger fraction of unintentional tanners with sunburn than those who were not sunburnt had used sunscreen. Sunscreen was used to prolong the time spent in the sun by 66% of sunburnt people; however, we found no association between duration of sun exposure and sunscreen use. Future campaigns to reduce the prevalence of sunburn in the Danish population must especially target young persons and intentional tanning, and they should emphasize that sunscreen cannot be used to extend the time spent in the sun and that shade and clothing provide the best protection against sunburn.

Wealth Inequality and Mental Disability Among the Chinese Population: A Population Based Study

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhenjie; Du, Wei; Pang, Lihua; Zhang, Lei; Chen, Gong; Zheng, Xiaoying

2015-01-01

In the study described herein, we investigated and explored the association between wealth inequality and the risk of mental disability in the Chinese population. We used nationally represented, population-based data from the second China National Sample Survey on Disability, conducted in 2006. A total of 1,724,398 study subjects between the ages of 15 and 64, including 10,095 subjects with mental disability only, were used for the analysis. Wealth status was estimated by a wealth index that was derived from a principal component analysis of 10 household assets and four other variables related to wealth. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for mental disability for each category, with the lowest quintile category as the referent. Confounding variables under consideration were age, gender, residence area, marital status, ethnicity, education, current employment status, household size, house type, homeownership and living arrangement. The distribution of various types and severities of mental disability differed significantly by wealth index category in the present population. Wealth index category had a positive association with mild mental disability (p for trend wealth index category had a significant, inverse association with mental disability when all severities of mental disability were taken into consideration. This study’s results suggest that wealth is a significant factor in the distribution of mental disability and it might have different influences on various types and severities of mental disability. PMID:26492258

Dietary Patterns Associated with Alzheimer’s Disease: Population Based Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katarzyna Gustaw-Rothenberg

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Recently dietary pattern analysis has emerged as a way for examining diet-disease relations in Alzheimer’s disease. In contrast with the conventional approach, which focuses on a single nutrient or a few nutrients or foods, this method considers overall eating patterns. We examined the dietary patterns defined by factor analysis using data collected with a food-frequency questionnaire in people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD as compared to healthy controls. The diet data were obtained during population based study of the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease in a population in Poland. Stratified sampling and random selection strategies were combined to obtain a representative population for screening (age group > 55. From the population screened three times, 71 people were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s according to DSM-IV, and were recruited for further diet risk factors assessment. A group of people with Alzheimer disease (n = 71; F/M 42/29 and the same number of healthy, age and gender matched control were recruited for the study. Patients and their caregivers as well as controls were presented with a food frequency questionnaire based on the 12 food groups. Factor analysis (principal component was used to derive food patterns. The analysis was conducted using the factor procedure. The factors were rotated by an orthogonal transformation (Varimax rotation to achieve simpler structure with greater interpretability. Using factor analysis, we identified major eating patterns, one for Alzheimer’s patients and a different one for control group. The AD dietary pattern, FACTOR AD was characterized by a high intake of meat, butter, high-fat dairy products, eggs, and refined sugar, whereas the other pattern, (FACTOR C was characterized by a high intake of grains and vegetables. These data indicate the existence of dietary patterns defined by factor analysis with data from a food frequency questionnaire, characteristic for Alzheimer’s disease in a

Lack of Population Structure in Coriander Populations Based on SDS (Seed Storage Protein Page Analysis

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Gülsüm Yaldiz

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Genetic variation is prerequisite for plant breeding. Nothing information existed in the literature for available diversity of Coriander accession in Turkey. Plant breeding activities are negligible in Turkey. So in order to start effective plant breeding program in Turkey, information on the available genetic diversity is viable. Therefore we planned to study the genetic variation and population structure of 29 Coriander accessions by seed storage protein (SDS. SDS analysis elaborated the lack of population structure and genetic bottleneck in the Coriander accessions in Turkey. Based on the results of this study, it was clear that sampling strategy was not appropriate and plant introduction should be made from different sources and diverse genotypes should be used as parents to initialize the effective Turkish Coriander breeding program.

Diet in subjects with irritable bowel syndrome: A cross-sectional study in the general population

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ligaarden Solveig C

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS often relate symptoms to the intake of certain foods. This study assesses differences in diet in subjects with and without IBS. Methods The cross-sectional, population-based study was conducted in Norway in 2001. Out of 11078 invited subjects, 4621 completed a survey about abdominal complaints and intake of common food items. IBS and IBS subgroups were classified according to Rome II criteria. Results IBS was diagnosed in 388 subjects (8.4% and, of these, 26.5% had constipation-predominant IBS (C-IBS, 44.8% alternating IBS (A-IBS, and 28.6% diarrhoea-predominant IBS (D-IBS. Low intake of dairy products (portions/day (Odds Ratio 0.85 [CI 0.78 to 0.93], p = 0.001 and high intake of water (100 ml/day (1.08 [1.02 to 1.15], p = 0.002, tea (1.05 [1.01 to 1.10], p = 0.019 and carbonated beverages (1.07 [1.01 to 1.14], p = 0.023 were associated with IBS. A lower intake of dairy products and a higher intake of alcohol and carbonated beverages were associated with D-IBS and a higher intake of water and tea was associated with A-IBS. In subjects with IBS the severity of symptoms was associated with a higher intake of vegetables and potatoes in subjects with C-IBS, with a higher intake of vegetables in subjects with A-IBS, and with a higher intake of fruits and berries, carbonated beverages and alcohol in subjects with D-IBS. Conclusions In this study, the diet differed in subjects with and without IBS and between IBS subgroups and was associated with the severity of symptoms.

Immigration and leisure-time physical inactivity: a population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindström, M; Sundquist, J

2001-05-01

To investigate the relationship between migration status and sedentary leisure-time physical activity status in the city of Malmö, Sweden. The public health survey in 1994 is a cross-sectional study. A total of 5,600 individuals aged 20-80 completed a postal questionnaire. The response rate was 71%. The population was categorized according to country of birth. Multivariate analysis was performed using a logistic regression model to investigate the importance of possible confounders for the differences in sedentary leisure-time physical activity status. The prevalence of a sedentary leisure-time physical activity status was 18.1% among men and 26.7% among women. The odds ratio of a sedentary leisure-time physical activity status was significantly higher among men born in Arabic-speaking countries, in All other countries, and among women born in Yugoslavia, Poland, Arabic-speaking countries, and the category all other countries', compared to the reference group born in Sweden. The multivariate analysis including age, sex, and education did not alter these results. There were significant ethnic differences in leisure-time physical activity status. This is a CVD risk factor that could be affected by intervention programs aimed at specific ethnic subgroups of the population.

Associations between breakfast eating habits and health-promoting lifestyle, suboptimal health status in Southern China: a population based, cross sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jieyu; Cheng, Jingru; Liu, Yanyan; Tang, Yang; Sun, Xiaomin; Wang, Tian; Xiao, Ya; Li, Fei; Xiang, Lei; Jiang, Pingping; Wu, Shengwei; Wu, Liuguo; Luo, Ren; Zhao, Xiaoshan

2014-12-11

Suboptimal health status (SHS) is the intermediate health state between health and disease, refers to medically undiagnosed or functional somatic syndromes, and has been a major global public health challenge. However, both the etiology and mechanisms associated with SHS are still unclear. Breakfast eating behavior is a dietary pattern marker and previous studies have presented evidence of associations between failure to consume breakfast and increased diseases. Accordingly, in view of the significance of breakfast eating behaviors with respect to health status, the associations between breakfast eating habits and healthy lifestyle, SHS require further elucidation. A cross-sectional survey was conducted within a clustered sample of 24,159 individuals aged 12-80 years in 2012-13 within the population of Southern China. Breakfast eating habits were categorically defined by consumption frequency ('scarcely, sometimes or always'). Health-promoting lifestyle was assessed via the health-promoting lifestyle profile (HPLP-II). SHS was evaluated using the medical examination report and Sub-health Measurement Scale V1.0 (SHMS V1.0). Of the 24,159 participants, the prevalence rates for the 'health' , 'SHS' , and 'disease' were 18.8%, 46.0%, and 35.2%, respectively. Overall, 19.6% of participants reported 'scarce' breakfast eating habits, with frequent breakfast eaters scoring higher on both HPLP-II and SHMS V1.0. After demographic adjustment, regression analyses revealed a significant association between breakfast eating habits and healthy lifestyle (p eating habits are significantly associated with a healthy lifestyle, and appear to be a useful predictor of a healthy lifestyle. Irregular breakfast eating habits are related to an increased risk of SHS; increased breakfast eating frequency may contribute to lowering the prevalence of SHS in Southern China.

A review of population-based studies on hypertension in ghana

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Addo, J.; Agyemang, C.; Smeeth, L.; de-Graft Aikins, A.; Edusei, A. K.; Ogedegbe, O.

2012-01-01

Hypertension is becoming a common health problem worldwide with increasing life expectancy and increasing prevalence of risk factors. Epidemiological data on hypertension in Ghana is necessary to guide policy and develop effective interventions. A review of population-based studies on hypertension

Residual Motion and Duty Time in Respiratory Gating Radiotherapy Using Individualized or Population-Based Windows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuji, Hiroshi; Asada, Yoshihiro; Numano, Masumi; Yamashita, Haruo; Nishimura, Tetsuo; Hashimoto, Takayuki; Harada, Hideyuki; Asakura, Hirofumi; Murayama, Shigeyuki

2009-01-01

Purpose: The efficiency and precision of respiratory gated radiation therapy for tumors is affected by variations in respiration-induced tumor motion. We evaluated the use of individualized and population-based parameters for such treatment. Methods and Materials: External respiratory signal records and images of respiration-induced tumor motion were obtained from 42 patients undergoing respiratory gated radiation therapy for liver tumors. Gating window widths were calculated for each patient, with 2, 4, and 10 mm of residual motion, and the mean was defined as the population-based window width. Residual motions based on population-based and predefined window widths were compared. Duty times based on whole treatment sessions, at various window levels, were calculated. The window level giving the longest duty time was defined as the individualized most efficient level (MEL). MELs were also calculated based on the first 10 breathing cycles. The duty times for population-based MELs (defined as mean MELs) and individualized MELs were compared. Results: Tracks of respiration-induced tumor motion ranged from 3 to 50 mm. Half of the patients had larger actual residual motions than the assigned residual motions. Duty times were greater when based on individualized, rather than population-based, window widths. The MELs established during whole treatment sessions for 2 mm and 4 mm of residual motion gave significantly increased duty times, whereas those calculated using the first 10 breathing cycles showed only marginal increases. Conclusions: Using individualized window widths and levels provided more precise and efficient respiratory gated radiation therapy. However, methods for predicting individualized window levels before treatment remain to be explored.

The Effectiveness of Song Technique in Teaching Paper Based TOEFL (PBT)'s Listening Comprehension Section

Science.gov (United States)

Kuswoyo, Heri

2013-01-01

Among three sections that follow the Paper-Based TOEFL (PBT), many test takers find listening comprehension section is the most difficult. Thus, in this research the researcher aims to explore how students learn PBT's listening comprehension section effectively through song technique. This sounds like a more interesting and engaging way to learn…

Seroepidemiology of Syphilis Infection among 2 Million Reproductive-age Women in Rural China: A Population-based, Cross-sectional Study

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Kai-Ju Liao

2017-01-01

Conclusions: High SPS is seen among reproductive-age women in rural China that calls for targeted interventions on syphilis prevention and control in this target population, with emphasis on those who are 35 years of age and above, less educated, being minor ethnicity, workers, and living in the western regions of China.

Social correlates of cigarette smoking among Icelandic adolescents: A population-based cross-sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Allegrante John P

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Previous research has shown that between 80 and 90 percent of adult smokers report having started smoking before 18 years of age. Several studies have revealed that multiple social factors influence the likelihood of smoking during adolescence, the period during which the onset of smoking usually occurs. To better understand the social mechanisms that influence adolescent smoking, we analyzed the relationship and relative importance of a broad spectrum of social variables in adolescent smoking in Iceland, a Nordic country with high per-capita income. Methods We used cross-sectional data from 7,430 14- to 16 year-old students (approximately 81% of all Icelanders in these age cohorts in the 2006 Youth in Iceland study. The Youth in Iceland studies are designed to investigate the role of several cognitive, behavioral, and social factors in the lives of adolescents, and the data collected are used to inform the design, implementation, and evaluation of substance use prevention programs that are being developed by Icelandic social scientists, policy makers, and practitioners. Results Our analysis revealed that friends' smoking behavior and attitude toward smoking were strongly associated with adolescent smoking and other tobacco use, as well as alcohol consumption during the previous 30 days. Main protective factors were parent's perceived attitude toward smoking, the quantity of time spent with parents, absence of serious verbal conflict between parents and adolescents, and participation in physical activity. Family structure was related to adolescent smoking to a small extent, but other background factors were not. Conclusion We conclude that multiple social factors are related to adolescent smoking. Parents and other primary preventive agents need to be informed about the complicated nature of the adolescent social world in order to maximize their impact.

Mini-Mental State Examination in Elderly Chinese: A Population-Based Normative Study.

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Li, Hanzhi; Jia, Jianping; Yang, Zhiqiang

2016-05-07

Chinese nationwide norms of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) have not been established despite its wide use. To obtain norms for the MMSE based on age, gender, education, and rural or urban residences and to determine the optimal cut-off points of the MMSE in elderly Chinese. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Chinese community residents aged 65 years or over selected by cluster random sampling. The MMSE was administered to 9,629 subjects (7,110 cognitively normal, 2,024 with mild cognitive impairment, and 495 with dementia). The demographic influences on MMSE scores were investigated and the norms were established considering those factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to determine the optimal cut-off points. Years of education (standardized β= 0.399), rural residence (standardized β= -0.261), age (standardized β= -0.198), and being female (standardized β= -0.101) had significant effects on MMSE scores (p < 0.001). Accordingly, we presented the demographic-stratified normative data for the MMSE. The optimal cut-off points for dementia screening were 16/17 for illiterate (sensitivity 87.6% and specificity 80.8%), 19/20 for individuals with 1-6 years of education (sensitivity 93.6% and specificity 92.7%), and 23/24 for individuals with 7 or more years of education (sensitivity 94.3% and specificity 94.3%). We provide the age-, gender-, education-, and residence-specific reference norms for the MMSE derived from an investigation of a large-scale, multicenter, nationwide representative Chinese elderly population. It could be of great improvement for the use of the MMSE in dementia screening in Chinese elderly population.

Pollution gets personal! A first population-based human biomonitoring study in Austria.

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Hohenblum, Philipp; Steinbichl, Philipp; Raffesberg, Wolfgang; Weiss, Stefan; Moche, Wolfgang; Vallant, Birgit; Scharf, Sigrid; Haluza, Daniela; Moshammer, Hanns; Kundi, Michael; Piegler, Brigitte; Wallner, Peter; Hutter, Hans-Peter

2012-02-01

Humans are exposed to a broad variety of man-made chemicals. Human biomonitoring (HBM) data reveal the individual body burden irrespective of sources and routes of uptake. A first population-based study was started in Austria in 2008 and was finished at the end of May 2011. This cross sectional study aims at documenting the extent, the distribution and the determinants of human exposure to industrial chemicals as well as proving the feasibility of a representative HBM study. Overall, 150 volunteers (50 families) were selected by stratified random sampling. Exposure to phthalates, trisphosphates, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), bisphenol A (along with nonyl- and octyl phenol) and methyl mercury was assessed. Sixteen of 18 PBDE determined were detected above the limit of quantification (LOQ) in blood samples with #153 and #197 the most abundant species. Bisphenol A in urine was measured in a subsample of 25 with only 4 samples found above the LOQ. In 3 of 100 urine samples at least one of 8 trisphosphate compounds assessed was above the LOQ. These first analytical results of the human biomonitoring data show that the body burden of the Austrian population with respect to the assessed compounds is comparable to or even lower than in other European countries. Overall, the study revealed that in order to develop a feasible protocol for representative human biomonitoring studies procedures have to be optimized to allow for non-invasive sampling of body tissues in accordance with the main metabolic pathways. Procedures of participants' recruitment were, however, labor intensive and have to be improved. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Population based allele frequencies of disease associated polymorphisms in the Personalized Medicine Research Project.

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Cross, Deanna S; Ivacic, Lynn C; Stefanski, Elisha L; McCarty, Catherine A

2010-06-17

There is a lack of knowledge regarding the frequency of disease associated polymorphisms in populations and population attributable risk for many populations remains unknown. Factors that could affect the association of the allele with disease, either positively or negatively, such as race, ethnicity, and gender, may not be possible to determine without population based allele frequencies.Here we used a panel of 51 polymorphisms previously associated with at least one disease and determined the allele frequencies within the entire Personalized Medicine Research Project population based cohort. We compared these allele frequencies to those in dbSNP and other data sources stratified by race. Differences in allele frequencies between self reported race, region of origin, and sex were determined. There were 19544 individuals who self reported a single racial category, 19027 or (97.4%) self reported white Caucasian, and 11205 (57.3%) individuals were female. Of the 11,208 (57%) individuals with an identifiable region of origin 8337 or (74.4%) were German.41 polymorphisms were significantly different between self reported race at the 0.05 level. Stratification of our Caucasian population by self reported region of origin revealed 19 polymorphisms that were significantly different (p = 0.05) between individuals of different origins. Further stratification of the population by gender revealed few significant differences in allele frequencies between the genders. This represents one of the largest population based allele frequency studies to date. Stratification by self reported race and region of origin revealed wide differences in allele frequencies not only by race but also by region of origin within a single racial group. We report allele frequencies for our Asian/Hmong and American Indian populations; these two minority groups are not typically selected for population allele frequency detection. Population wide allele frequencies are important for the design and

Population-based study on use of chemotherapy in men with castration resistant prostate cancer

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Lissbrant, Ingela Franck; Garmo, Hans; Widmark, Anders; Stattin, P?r

2013-01-01

Background. Chemotherapy prolongs life and relieves symptoms in men with castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). There is limited information on a population level on the use of chemotherapy for CRPC. Material and methods. To assess the use of chemotherapy in men with CRPC we conducted a register-based nationwide population-based study in Prostate Cancer data Base Sweden (PCBaSe) and a nationwide in-patient drug register (SALT database) between May 2009 and December 2010. We assumed that...

Prevalence of Consensual Male–Male Sex and Sexual Violence, and Associations with HIV in South Africa: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study

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Dunkle, Kristin L.; Jewkes, Rachel K.; Murdock, Daniel W.; Sikweyiya, Yandisa; Morrell, Robert

2013-01-01

Background In sub-Saharan Africa the population prevalence of men who have sex with men (MSM) is unknown, as is the population prevalence of male-on-male sexual violence, and whether male-on-male sexual violence may relate to HIV risk. This paper describes lifetime prevalence of consensual male–male sexual behavior and male-on-male sexual violence (victimization and perpetration) in two South African provinces, socio-demographic factors associated with these experiences, and associations with HIV serostatus. Methods and Findings In a cross-sectional study conducted in 2008, men aged 18–49 y from randomly selected households in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces provided anonymous survey data and dried blood spots for HIV serostatus assessment. Interviews were completed in 1,737 of 2,298 (75.6%) of enumerated and eligible households. From these households, 1,705 men (97.1%) provided data on lifetime history of same-sex experiences, and 1,220 (70.2%) also provided dried blood spots for HIV testing. 5.4% (n = 92) of participants reported a lifetime history of any consensual sexual activity with another man; 9.6% (n = 164) reported any sexual victimization by a man, and 3.0% (n = 51) reported perpetrating sexual violence against another man. 85.0% (n = 79) of men with a history of consensual sex with men reported having a current female partner, and 27.7% (n = 26) reported having a current male partner. Of the latter, 80.6% (n = 21/26) also reported having a female partner. Men reporting a history of consensual male–male sexual behavior are more likely to have been a victim of male-on-male sexual violence (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 7.24; 95% CI 4.26–12.3), and to have perpetrated sexual violence against another man (aOR = 3.10; 95% CI 1.22–7.90). Men reporting consensual oral/anal sex with a man were more likely to be HIV+ than men with no such history (aOR = 3.11; 95% CI 1.24–7.80). Men who had raped a man

The use of customised versus population-based birthweight standards in predicting perinatal mortality.

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Zhang, X; Platt, R W; Cnattingius, S; Joseph, K S; Kramer, M S

2007-04-01

The objective of this study was to critically examine potential artifacts and biases underlying the use of 'customised' standards of birthweight for gestational age (GA). Population-based cohort study. Sweden. A total of 782,303 singletons > or =28 weeks of gestation born in 1992-2001 to Nordic mothers with complete data on birthweight; GA; and maternal age, parity, height, and pre-pregnancy weight. We compared perinatal mortality in four groups of infants based on the following classification of small for gestational age (SGA): non-SGA based on either population-based or customised standards (the reference group), SGA based on the population-based standard only, SGA based on the customised standard only, and SGA according to both standards. We used graphical methods to compare GA-specific birthweight cutoffs for SGA using the two standards and also used logistic regression to control for differences in GA and maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) in the four groups. Perinatal mortality, including stillbirth and neonatal death. Customisation led to a large artifactual increase in the proportion of SGA infants born preterm. Adjustment for differences in GA and maternal BMI markedly reduced the excess risk among infants classified as SGA by customised standards only. The large increase in perinatal mortality risk among infants classified as SGA based on customised standards is largely an artifact due to inclusion of more preterm births.

The protocols for the 10/66 dementia research group population-based research programme