Biomedical subjects

B J Skipper

Publications and source records attributed to B J Skipper.

75 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of the clock test and a questionnaire-based test for screening for cognitive impairment in Nigerians.

BACKGROUND: Since it is projected that by 2020 seventy percent of the elderly will reside in developing countries, a reliable screening method for dementia and cognitive impairment in general in populations with diverse languages, culture, education and literacy will be needed. We sought to determine if the Clock Test, a screening test for dementia, was suitable for use in a Nigerian population. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey of 54 men and 12 women from Northern Nigeria. Researchers administered two dementia screening tools: a questionnaire-based test adapted for use in a Nigerian population and the Clock Test. RESULTS: Overall, 53.0% of the subjects had an abnormal Clock Test whereas 10.6% of the subjects had an abnormal questionnaire score. Only 9.1% of the subjects had abnormal scores on both tests. Subjects with more schooling had a greater probability of having a positive clock concept (understanding that a circle represented a clock). Of those with more than 6 years of schooling, 91.0% had a positive clock concept. Subjects with a negative clock concept were more likely to have an abnormal Clock Test (93.3%) than a questionnaire (26.6%). CONCLUSIONS: The main finding of our study was the discrepancy between the results of the Clock Test and the questionnaire. Performance on the Clock Test appeared to have been heavily influenced by education level, indicating the test is not universally applicable across cultures. The questionnaire-based test appears to reduce the effects of illiteracy on assessing dementia in a Nigerian population. Larger studies should be done to control for how education affects the assessment of dementia.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Acculturation, education, and income as determinants of cigarette smoking in New Mexico Hispanics.

Surveys of cigarette smoking among Hispanics in the Southwest have shown a pattern of smoking distinct from that of non-Hispanic whites, but determinants of smoking by Hispanics remain inadequately characterized. We have assessed household income, education, and language preference as predictors of cigarette smoking in 1072 Hispanic adults residing in a community in New Mexico. Cigarette smoking status (never, former, or current smoker) varied strongly with educational attainment, showing the anticipated gradient of increasing smoking as level of education declined. In contrast, cigarette smoking status did not vary in a consistent pattern with reported language preference. A composite measure of socioeconomic status, combining education and household income, predicted continued smoking among ever smokers, whereas language preference had no effect. In males, the age at which subjects started to smoke increased significantly with increasing education; a similar trend in females did not reach statistical significance. Determinants of numbers of cigarettes smoked daily were not identified. The findings suggest that, as in other U.S. populations, Hispanics in the Southwest with lower education and less income should be targeted for smoking prevention and cessation.

Acculturation↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Health and lifestyle issues as risk factors for homelessness.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that there are health and lifestyle issues among homeless persons that differentiate them from other segments of the population and that can be described as risk factors for homelessness. METHODS: This case-control study investigated health and lifestyle issues in a panel of patients visiting a health care clinic for homeless persons. The same information was collected from a panel of county indigent patients and an equal number of privately insured patients enrolled in a nearby academic family practice center. RESULTS: We found significant differences among these three groups. Differences in health problems were evident, as significantly more homeless persons reported mental health, drug and alcohol abuse, and smoking problems. There were no differences in the prevalence of other general medical conditions as listed by the patients. Homeless persons were younger than the control group respondents and more likely to be male, a member of a minority group, and unmarried. The childhood experiences of homeless persons were distinctive; they were more likely to have lived in a group home or some other nonfamily situation, considered themselves to have been delinquent, run away from home, been expelled from school, or been placed in reform school. The same held true for having been in jail as an adult. They had significantly less education, their job experiences were in manual and unskilled arenas, and they were more likely to have a gambling problem. A continuum of risk also appeared in that for the most part the characteristics and experiences of the indigent group members ranked in frequency between those of the homeless and insurance groups. CONCLUSIONS: Causes of homelessness appear to be multifactorial. Issues related to mental health, alcohol, nicotine, and other drug and substance abuse could be responsible for their medical problems, whereas other lifestyle issues might be regarded as risk factors for homelessness.

Adolescent↗