Biomedical subjects

C Poulin

Publications and source records attributed to C Poulin.

42 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

The validity of a province-wide student drug use survey: lessons in design.

This study assesses the validity and reliability of a province-wide survey on drug use by high school students in Nova Scotia in 1991. The Nova Scotia instrument was derived from the prototype provided in the Canadian guidelines for self-reported adolescent drug use surveys. To our knowledge, this is the first study on the validity and reliability of the Canadian instrument, as applied in a province, since 1978. Two new methods are proposed as validity and reliability checks: a statistical method to assess possible exaggeration by the group claiming to have used a fictitious drug, and a method to review the entire instrument based on responding error distributions. Overall, this study provides strong evidence of the validity and reliability of the items specifically about drug use. The major source of error uncovered using the responding error distributions, was related to instrument design and occurred in items considered to be explanatory variables for drug use.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Prevalence of chlamydial infection and frequency of risk behaviours for STDs and HIV infection among adolescents in public juvenile facilities in the province of Quebec.

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of chlamydial infection in adolescents entering public juvenile facilities in the province of Quebec and the frequency of their risk behaviours for STDs and HIV infection. Adolescents were asked to complete an anonymous self-administered questionnaire and to be screened for Chlamydia trachomatis. Of 731 sexually active adolescents, 62% agreed to be tested. The overall prevalence rate was 7.7% (95% confidence interval: 5.1%-10.3%). The prevalence was significantly higher in female than in male teenagers: 12% vs 3% (p < 0.001, Fisher's exact test). These results suggest that screening for chlamydial infection should be offered to all sexually active female teenagers admitted into juvenile facilities. For males, selective screening taking into account sexual history would be a more realistic approach. The frequency of high risk activities for STDs and HIV infection points to the importance of specific prevention programs for this population.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of the Quebec Public Information Campaign and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Antibody Screening Program directed to persons transfused between 1978 and 1985.

This study aimed to determine the number and characteristics of the blood recipients tested for HIV infection as a result of the provincial HIV antibody screening program (directed to persons transfused between 1978 and 1985 and their contacts) and to estimate the rate of HIV seroprevalence among them. All physicians in the province of Quebec were provided with a special prescription form for HIV testing of eligible patients. Over a six-month period, a total of 6,348 special prescription forms were used. The HIV seroprevalence was 0.13% (95% confidence interval: 0.04% to 0.2%). We estimated an increase of 16.5% (12,061 tests) in the number of HIV tests related to the program. These results were consistent with those found by similar programs elsewhere in Canada but less than expected. Multiple strategies, including direct notification of transfusion recipients, particularly pediatric patients, are probably necessary to reach infected blood recipients still unaware of their infection.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Evaluation and validation of a test of psychological distress in a general population in french Quebec].

Psychological distress scales used in epidemiologic surveys usually show high construct validity. The content validation however is less convincing since these scales rest on lists of psychiatric symptoms which are hypothesized as the very content of a psychological distress. This study presents the results of the construct and criterion validation of a new Psychological Distress Manifestations Measure Scale (PDMMS) founded on an initial list of manifestations derived from an original content validation in a general population. Twenty-three items are grouped in four oblique factors with Cronbach's alpha ranging between 0.81 and 0.89. High scores on the scale are correlated with psychoactive drugs consumption, visits to health professionals and self-evaluations of psychological health.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The epidemiology of cocaine and opiate abuse in urban Canada.

This study describes the epidemiology of cocaine and heroin abuse in urban Canada as part of an initial report on a national substance abuse surveillance system, the Canadian Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use. Data pertaining to prevalence of use, law enforcement, treatment, morbidity and mortality of cocaine and heroin were obtained from the appropriate health and law enforcement institutions in six sentinel cities: Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax. Cocaine and heroin appear to be more available in Vancouver than in the remaining cities. In all CCENDU cities, large proportions of persons in treatment programs for substance abuse identified cocaine as their major addiction; however, there is considerable variation in treatment utilization regarding heroin. Vancouver ranks first in terms of the per capita number of cocaine- and heroin-related hospital separations and mortality rate. Cocaine abuse appears to be an emerging problem in Calgary, Winnipeg and Halifax, and opiate abuse appears to be an emerging problem in Calgary.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Elaboration and validation of a tool to measure psychological well-being: WBMMS].

Psychological well-being scales used in epidemiologic surveys usually show high construct validity. The content validation, however, is less convincing since these scales rest on lists of items that reflect the theoretical model of the authors. In this study we present results of the construct and criterion validation of a new Well-Being Manifestations Measure Scale (WBMMS) founded on an initial list of manifestations derived from an original content validation in a general population. It is concluded that national and public health epidemiologic surveys should include both measures of positive and negative mental health.

Adolescent↗