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Biomedical subjects

A Rimpelä

Publications and source records attributed to A Rimpelä.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Bar coding--a functional tool in survey research.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to assess the value of bar coding, together with developed microcomputer programs, as a tool to speed up mailing and handling of return responses of a survey where over 4000 adolescents received a mailed questionnaire. DESIGN: Bar codes were used for displaying the identification number of a questionnaire, as well as each response alternative and number of the question. These bar codes were read by a wand, a handhold scanner, connected to a microcomputer and the data were automatically entered into a computer data file. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Compared with previous similar surveys, the use of bar codes did not seem to affect a manner of responding. Bar coding saved human steps in handling of return responses, reduced an error rate, and helped to control the process of work. Bar coding is recommended as a new technical tool for preparations of future large scale surveys.

Attitude to Computers↗
PubMed1989

Respiratory symptoms and low tar cigarette smoking--a longitudinal study on young people.

Longitudinal data on the effect of low tar cigarette smoking on respiratory symptoms was collected from a sample of Finnish young people born in 1966, by mailed questionnaires in 1979, 1983 and 1985. Cough was 3 to 6 times more common than expected after starting smoking low tar brands (1-10 mg tar). The increase in cough was the same as with those who started middle tar cigarette smoking (11-18 mg). Before starting smoking, the low tar cigarette smokers did not report more symptoms than the middle tar or nonsmokers. After a few years smoking cough and phlegm were 2 to 3 times more common in the low tar cigarette smokers than in the non-smokers but on the same level as in the middle tar cigarette smokers. Tar yield was not a significant predictor of symptoms in logistic regression analysis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Coffee drinking among Finnish youth.

The suggestion that coffee may have negative health effects has made coffee-drinking habits medically interesting. This paper reports upon coffee use among young people and describes how coffee-users differ from non-users. Data comes from questionnaires from representative nationwide samples of 12-18-year-old Finnish youth in 1977-1985. Their coffee use decreased from 1977 to 1985, and the decrease could be seen in all age and socio-demographic groups studied. In 1981, 35% of the girls and 45% of the 12-year-old boys drank coffee daily. For 18-year-olds the corresponding percentages were 67 and 75, and the mean number of cups consumed per day was 2.3 and 3.1. Compared to the non-users, the coffee-users were from lower social classes, lived more often in the countryside, and had poorer school achievement. Health-damaging habits such as smoking were more common among the coffee-users, their perceived health was somewhat poorer, and they seemed to mature earlier. The difference in regard to health disappeared after adjusting for differences in socio-demographic background and health habits. The heavy users (four cups or more a day) usually differed more from the non-users than did the moderate users (one to three cups daily).

Adolescent↗