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Biomedical subjects

A Stiggelbout

Publications and source records attributed to A Stiggelbout.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Smoking habits in French adolescents.

A survey on adolescent smoking habits was carried out among 2,587 girls and boys, mostly aged between 11 and 16 and belonging to 16 schools representative of the 'département' of Rhône in France, in order to evaluate present smoking behaviour as well as estimate the influence of parents, friends and sociodemographic factors in acquiring or maintaining the habit. Students were surveyed in schools using a self-administered, anonymous questionnaire. Analysis was carried out using both the univariate and logistic methods, aiming at a precise quantification and description of the smoking habit, as well as an identification of predictors of smoking, separately for girls and boys, and also for triers only, occasional and regular smokers. Smoking regularly increases with age and from the age of 14 becomes slightly more prevalent among girls than boys. The influence of peer smoking (group of friends and best friend) seems stronger than parental smoking, although determinants of smoking differ moderately for girls and boys.

Adolescent↗

Nutritional factors in colorectal cancer risk: a case-control study in Majorca.

The relationship between energy intake, selected nutrients and colorectal cancer was investigated in the population of Majorca, a Spanish island in the Mediterranean basin. A population-based case-control study using food frequency questionnaires was conducted during the period 1984-1988 and included 286 cases of colorectal cancer, 295 population controls and 203 hospital controls. Food composition tables and ad-hoc estimates of portion sizes were used to derive intake estimates of 29 nutrients and of total calories. Relative risks were calculated for quartiles of consumption of each specific nutrient after adjustment for total calorie intake. Colorectal cancer was found associated with dietary intake of total calories (RRs = 1.0, 1.6, 1.6, 2.6) and cholesterol (RRs = 1.0, 0.9, 1.7, 1.7) and a protective effect was associated with the intake of fibre from legumes (pulses) and folic acid. The associations and the trends were statistically significant. Among the main energy-supplying nutrients, after adjustment for calories from other sources, increased risks were found for protein (RRs = 1.0, 1.1, 1.7, 2.5), notably animal protein, and carbohydrates (RRs = 1.0, 1.5, 1.4, 2.2), whereas no effects were found for increased consumption of lipids or saturated fats.

Case-Control Studies↗

A population-based case-control study of colorectal cancer in Majorca. I. Dietary factors.

A population-based case-control study was conducted between July 1984 and February 1988 in the Spanish island of Majorca; 286 incident colorectal cancer cases, 295 population controls and 203 hospital controls were interviewed using a food frequency questionnaire. In a multivariate analysis, an increased risk of colon cancer was found for high consumption of fresh meats (RR = 2.87) while a high consumption of cruciferous vegetables afforded protection (RR = 0.48). For rectal cancer an increased risk was associated with dairy products (RR = 3.08) while a protection was afforded by consumption of cruciferae (RR = 0.50). For colorectal cancer, the cereal food group also showed an increase in risk (RR = 1.92). When cases were compared to hospital controls, the effects of cruciferae in colon and rectum and those of dairy products in rectal cancer remained. The magnitude of the RR estimates was decreased for most comparisons, although in general terms the direction of the associations was the same. In addition, univariate analyses of food groups also suggested significant increases in risk of colorectal cancer for increasing consumption of cereals, potatoes, pastry, eggs and number of meals per day. An indication was found of a reduction in risk for consumers of coffee. An analysis based on risk scores was also conducted and a 4-fold increase in the risk of colorectal cancer and a highly significant statistical trend was found for high consumption of fresh meat, dairy products and cereals combined with low consumption of cruciferae.

Age Factors↗

Explaining distortions in utility elicitation through the rank-dependent model for risky choices.

The standard-gamble (SG) method has been accepted as the "gold standard" for the elicitation of utility when risk or uncertainty is involved in decisions, and thus for the measurement of utility in medical decisions. It is based on the assumptions of expected-utility theory. Unfortunately, there is now abundant evidence that expected utility is not empirically valid, and that the SG method overestimates risk aversion and the utilities of impaired health states. This paper shows how rank-dependent utility theory, a newly developed theory in decision science, can explain the main violations of expected utility. Thus it provides a means for correcting the SG method and for improving the assessments of quality-adjusted life years for medical decisions in which there is uncertainty about outcomes.

Bias↗