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B Graubard

Publications and source records attributed to B Graubard.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

The American Stop Smoking Intervention Study. Conceptual framework and evaluation design.

Reducing tobacco use, especially cigarette smoking, is a public health priority. The American Stop Smoking Intervention Study (ASSIST) was initiated in 1991 to prevent and reduce tobacco use primarily through policy-based approaches to alter the social-political environment. This article describes the conceptual design, research framework, evaluation components, and analytic strategies that are guiding the evaluation of this demonstration research endeavor. The ASSIST evaluation is a unique analysis of the complex relationships between the social context, public health activity at the state level, tobacco use, and individual behavior. The measures of tobacco control activity developed for this evaluation may be useful in ongoing national cancer control surveillance efforts, and the lessons learned will enhance the development of tobacco control programs.

Humans↗

Recall of body weight and body size estimation in women enrolled in the breast cancer detection and demonstration project (BCDDP).

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and pictorial representations of body size in women from young adulthood to late mid-life. DESIGN: Retrospective, descriptive study of BMI and pictorial estimation of body size. SUBJECTS: 5,807 women age 33-77 years enrolled in the National Cancer Institute's and American Cancer Society Breast Cancer Detection and Demonstration Project (BCDDP). MEASUREMENTS: Body weight and height were measured in 1973. In 1977, a subset of the cohort recalled their usual height and weight at 10 y intervals starting at age 20. In 1987, subjects reported their usual and current weight and selected one of nine pictorials best representing their body size at ages 15, 25, 40, 50 and +60 y. RESULTS: For the cohort, and among White women, Pearson correlations between recalled BMI (Kg/M2) and pictorials for each decade ranged from 0.62-0.67 and was 0.80 for current BMI and current pictorial. The range of correlations between pictorials and recalled BMI for other race/ethnic groups were 0.72-0.87 (Black), 0.53-0.75 (Hispanic) and 0.28-0.87 (Asian). Among a subset of women with data on measured BMI, recalled BMI and pictorials at specific ages, the correlation between pictorials and measured BMI was 0.75, compared to the correlation between recalled BMI and measured BMI which was 0.89. CONCLUSION: Correlations are higher between recalled BMI and measured BMI compared to the correlation between pictorials and measured BMI. Therefore, estimates of body size by pictorials alone may not be appropriate for epidemiological investigations. Alternate uses of pictorials may include assessment body weight in low literate populations or in instances where body weight is not or has not been measured.

Adult↗

Access to home apnea monitoring and its impact on rehospitalization among very-low-birth-weight infants.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between home apnea monitoring and sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and medical factors and the risk for rehospitalization among very-low-birth-weight infants (birth weight < 1500 g). DESIGN AND SETTING: Analysis of live infants born weighing less than 1500 g; these data were obtained from the 1988 National Maternal and Infant Health Survey. Data from this survey were obtained by maternal questionnaires and from birth certificates and medical records. OUTCOME MEASURE: One or more hospitalizations after discharge from the hospital of delivery. RESULTS: Home apnea monitor use was strikingly lower among black infants (19.8%) compared with nonblack infants (43.7%) (P < .001). The rate of rehospitalization for blacks was 24.8%, which was lower than the rate of 34.3% for nonblacks (P = .001). Neither annual family income nor method of hospital payment was associated with rehospitalization. The use of an apnea monitor in the home was associated with an increased odds ratio for rehospitalization for both blacks (odds ratio, 2.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.56 to 4.21) and nonblacks (odds ratio, 2.28; 95% confidence interval, 1.51 to 3.45). With adjustment for the use of an apnea monitor, the odds ratio for rehospitalization of blacks vs nonblacks was no longer significant (odds ratio, 0.80; 95% confidence interval, 0.60 to 1.08). CONCLUSIONS: The use of an apnea monitor in the home was highly associated with an increased risk for rehospitalization. Whether this increased risk was attributable to a valid reason for rehospitalization or to closer scrutiny of the infant could not be determined. The lower prevalence of apnea monitor use among blacks is unexplained.

Adolescent↗

US dietary patterns associated with fat intake: the 1987 National Health Interview Survey.

OBJECTIVES: This research used food frequency data to investigate dietary patterns associated with fat intake. METHODS: Data from the 1987 National Health Interview Survey of 20,143 adults were used to determine correlations between fat (adjusted for kilocalories) and both nutrient and food group intakes. Median food and nutrient intakes were determined within quartiles of percentage of kilocalories from fat. RESULTS: Intakes of vegetables, fruits, cereals, fish/chicken, low-fat milk, alcoholic beverages, vitamin C, percentage of kilocalories from carbohydrates, carotenoids, folate, dietary fiber, carbohydrates, and vitamin A decreased as percentage of kilocalories from fat increased. Intakes of salty snacks, peanuts, processed and red meats, whole milk and cheese, desserts, eggs, fried potatoes, table fats, cholesterol, vitamin E, sodium, protein, and energy increased with percentage of kilocalories from fat. Results by demographic subgroups showed few differences from those found in the total population. CONCLUSIONS: Fat intake is consistently associated with specific dietary patterns. Such patterns need to be evaluated concurrently in studies of diet and chronic disease.

Adult↗

Hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis from ingestion of a chloride-deficient infant formula: outcome 9 and 10 years later.

In 1978 and 1979 two infant formulas, Neo-Mull-Soy and Cho-Free, were found to be deficient in chloride. The Centers for Disease Control received reports that hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis (HMA) had developed in 141 children as a result of exposure to these formulas. Thirty-five of these children were examined at 9 and 10 years of age and compared with a group of 32 children who were exposed to the chloride-deficient formulas but were not reported to experience HMA and a group of 61 children who received chloride-sufficient soy formulas in infancy. The control children were matched to the HMA children on sex, race, age, and maternal education. Growth characteristics, performance on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R), the Boston Naming Test, the Rey-Osterrieth Test, the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-Revised (CELF-R), and subtests from several other speech and language tests were compared across the groups. After adjustment for family income and the level of the father's education, significantly lower scores were observed in the HMA children on the WISC-R Arithmetic subtest (mean = 10.5) compared with the soy control children (mean = 12.0, P less than .05) and on the WISC-R Coding subtest (mean = 9.0) compared with the soy control children (mean = 10.8, P less than .01). All the WISC-R subtest scores were, however, within the normal range. Although no significant differences occurred on the CELF-R between groups, the risk of an HMA child falling below the range expected for a standard population was increased on the CELF-R Composite Total, Receptive, and Expressive Language scores: risk ratios = 2.14, 2.14, and 3.03 respectively. Significant differences were observed between the children exposed, both HMA and non-HMA children, and the soy control children for behavioral problems as determined by the Achenbach Childhood Behavioral Checklist. It is concluded that as a group, children with documented HMA appear to have recovered from their growth failure and have normal cognitive development. They may, however, be at risk for deficits in language skills that require expressive language abilities.

Alkalosis↗

The forty-day rest period and infant feeding practices among Negev Bedouin Arab women in Israel.

Four hundred and twelve Bedouin Arab women were interviewed within 48 hours of delivering a newborn in 1982 and two months later to examine the effect of social support during the forty-day postpartum rest period on the incidence of exclusive breast feeding at two months. Whereas the distribution of infant feeding practices at two months did not differ among women with and without support during the "forty days," the number of days of help during the "forty days" was significantly associated with type of feeding at two months. The longer the duration of help, the greater were the odds of maintaining exclusive breast feeding after adjustment for covariates by multinomial logistic regression analysis. The association between duration of help and infant feeding practices at two months was modified by the interview month and the feeding practices of the respondents' primary social supports. More respondents with infants who reached two months of age in May and June were exclusively breast feeding than respondents with infants who reached two months in the hot, dry months of July and August. Also, respondents with sisters-in-law who breast fed alone or in combination with the bottle were feeding their infants in the same way after adjustment for covariates. Given the beneficial effects of breast feeding on infant health and development, these findings identify potential avenues of intervention for programs promoting breast feeding.

Bottle Feeding↗

Exposure to a chloride-deficient formula during infancy: outcome at ages 9 and 10 years.

A school-based survey of the 1978 to 1979 birth cohort of two metropolitan Washington, DC, counties was conducted to find children who had been exposed to the chloride-deficient formulas Neo-Mull-Soy and Cho-Free during infancy. Children who had ingested other soy formulas that had an adequate chloride content were also found and matched to the exposed children by sex, race, birth weight, the age of the child, the mixed feeding status of the child, and maternal education. One hundred seventy-one of the exposed children and 261 soy control children were given a battery of psychologic tests in their homes to determine whether there had been any effect on intellectual development as a result of exposure to the chloride-deficient formulas. There were no differences in scores between the groups on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, the Boston Naming Test, the Rey-Osterrieth Test, or the FAS Verbal Fluency Test. There was no correlation between duration of exclusive exposure to the chloride-deficient formulas and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised Full-Scale IQ Score (Pearson product-moment r = -.0825, P = .28). These results cannot be extrapolated to exposed children with documented hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis. It is concluded that in children without documented evidence of hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis, exposure to the chloride-deficient formulas Neo-Mull-Soy or Cho-Free during infancy has not resulted in any long-term adverse effects on cognitive development.

Child↗

Caesarean section as a risk factor for malformations--a negative finding.

The question whether Caesarean section is a risk factor for malformations was examined among 35,865 children born in 1959-65 and included in the US Collaborative Perinatal Project; 1,407 children were subsequent children of mothers who had a Caesarean section for the previous birth (exposed). The rate of malformed children was about the same in the exposed and non-exposed groups, and the rate of children with major malformations was only slightly higher in the exposed group (risk ratio was 1.1, ie not statistically significant). Multiple variable adjustment for potentially confounding factors further reduced the risk ratios. Caesarean section did not appear to be a risk factor in this population, but further studies covering more recent times and including fetal deaths are needed.

Cesarean Section↗