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Biomedical subjects

B R Bewley

Publications and source records attributed to B R Bewley.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1979

Cigarette smoking and children's respiratory symptoms: validity of the questionnaire method.

Children who report that they smoke cigarettes, also report increased respiratory symptoms. Could this be an artefact of the questionnaire method? Reports of children's respiratory symptoms obtained from children and from their parents were compared. There was a significant association between these reports, although the relationship was not close. The relationship between symptoms and cigarette smoking was consistent, whichever report was used. It is concluded that the questionnaire technique is valid, and that children who smoke cigarettes are more likely than non-smokers to have respiratory symptoms.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Teachers' smoking.

Children take up smoking for many reasons and it is suggested that the example set by schoolteachers may have some influence. Smoking by male teachers appears to have some effect on boys' smoking, particularly in their first two years at secondary school. Thus, in any comprehensive study of what causes children to take up smoking and in any attempt to prevent this by means of health education, the influence of teachers as well as that of relatives and friends must be considered.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Long-term study of smoking by secondary schoolchildren.

We report the methodology and some first year results of a 5-year longitudinal study of smoking. In 6330 Derbyshire secondary schoolchildren aged 11-16 years, 6% of boys and 2.5% of girls were smoking one or more cigarettes per week. Higher rates of regular smoking and of children who had tried smoking were found in secondary modern schools, followed by middle, comprehensive and grammar schools. The results clarify the relationship between children's smoking habits and those of the parents and siblings. Boys were more likely to smoke if their fathers smoked and girls were more likely to smoke if their mothers smoked. Irrespective of parental smoking, whether or not siblings smoked had a great influence on whether the child would smoke. Having more money to spend, working at a part-time job, spending more evenings out with a mixed-sex peer group, at a youth club, or out dancing, and playing truant from school were all associated with an increased risk of smoking.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Effect of children's and parents' smoking on respiratory symptoms.

It has been suggested that the apparent relationship between children's cigarette smoking and their respiratory symptoms could be explained by the effect of parents' smoking upon both child's smoking and symptoms. This was investigated in a study of 6000 Derbyshire schoolchildren. Children who smoked regularly were more likely than nonsmokers to report cough first thing in the morning, cough at other times during the day or at night, and breathlessness. Children whose parents smoked were also more likely to report these symptoms than were the children of nonsmokers. Both the child's and parents' smoking were independently related to the child's respiratory symptoms. Morning cough was less prevalent than cough at other times during the day or at night, but the relationship between the child's smoking and morning cough was much closer than its relationship to cough at other times. The relationship between parents' smoking and the child's symptoms was similar for each symptom.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Smoking in childhood.

A longitudinal study of smoking in a cohort of 6000 children aged 11-12 years is being carried out in Derbyshire. One of the main objectives is to discover the factors which influence children to take up smoking. Once such factors are determined intervention methods can be developed to discourage children from smoking which, it is hoped, will result in a reduction in mortality and morbidity from cigarette smoking.

Child↗
PubMed1977

Academic performance and social factors related to cigarette smoking by schoolchildren.

Factors which may influence boys and girls aged between 10 and 121/2 years to start smoking were studied. Information was obtained from 491 schoolchildren, their parents, and headteachers. In their own view and that of their headteachers children who did not smoke were academically better than smokers. Children who smoked were more likely than non-smokers to have a parent and siblings of the same sex who smoked. No association was found between the child's own smoking and that of parents and siblings of the opposite sex. Smokers were more likely to have friends who smoked. Most children did not think smoking was enjoyable or desirable and many thought it bad for health, irrespective of their own smoking habits. The majority thought people of their own age smoked to show off.

Achievement↗
PubMed1975

Hospital doctors' career structure and misuse of medical womanpower.

Biological and culturel differences between men and women lead to severe discrimination against women doctors who bear the burdens of pregnancy, child-rearing, and housework. These lead, from equality within medical school and at qualification, to increasing failure to obtain posts commensurate with their innate abilities. Women doctors who temporarily and partially drop out of full-time practice have been studied frequently, but men (who are equally expensive to train) have not, despite their disappearing from National Health Service practice through emigration, death, alcoholism, suicide, or removal from the Medical Register. In a working lifetime of forty years, a woman doctor with an average family is likely to do seven-eighths of the work of a doctor who has not had to carry the primary responsibility of bearing and rearing children. Doctors with dependants are handicapped, and a separate career structure might be set up for them. Supernumerary consultant posts are proposed.

Adult↗