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Biomedical subjects

E O Talbott

Publications and source records attributed to E O Talbott.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Race/ethnicity differences in the prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss in a group of metal fabricating workers.

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health rates noise-induced hearing loss as one of the top 10 work-related problems, involving at least 11 million workers. This retrospective study examines the differences between pure-tone hearing loss and race/ethnicity in 216 white and 70 non-white male metal fabricating workers. Significant variables upon univariate analysis found to be associated with race/ethnicity were mean years of employment and proportion of time worked without hearing protection. Among whites, the permanent threshold average for 1, 2, 3 and 5 kHz was 25.99 dB, compared with 17.71 dB in non-whites (P < 0.01). Backwards stepwise regression indicated that race/ethnicity, after being adjusted for years of employment, was the major-effect variable. The results of this study suggest that occupational noise exposure alone does not alone account for the racial hearing differences.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

A case-control study of hematopoietic and lymphoid neoplasms: the role of work in the chemical industry.

The present case-control study was conducted in an effort to determine if work in the chemical industry is related to excesses of certain hematopoietic and lymphoid neoplasms. Cases who died from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and leukemia were matched by race, gender, age, year of death, and county of residence to controls who died from cardiovascular disease. A total of 618 (309 matched pairs) white male residents of Kanawha County, WV, aged 23-96, who had died between 1965 and 1990 were identified. Conditional logistic regression was conducted and yielded an association between chemical industry work and death due to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and lymphoid leukemia among subjects who died at age < 65. These results are consistent with the findings of previous studies linking work in chemical manufacturing to hematopoietic and lymphoid neoplasms, and indicate that the excesses may be related to the occupational exposures in men who died at younger ages.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Carotid atherosclerosis in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: initial results from a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine whether women with polycystic ovary syndrome have greater subclinical atherosclerosis as measured by carotid artery ultrasonography. STUDY DESIGN: Sixteen premenopausal women > or = 40 years old with a history of clinical polycystic ovary syndrome and a current total testosterone concentration > or = 2.0 nmol/L and 16 age-matched (+/- 5 years) cycling women underwent carotid scanning. Intima-media thickness and plaque were compared between cases and controls, as were risk factors for atherosclerosis including body mass index and fasting insulin and lipid levels. Statistical analysis included t tests, Fisher's exact test, and multiple linear regression. RESULTS: Mean +/- SE intima-media thickness was found to be significantly greater for cases with polycystic ovary syndrome (0.680 +/- 0.019 mm) than for controls (0.630 +/- 0.012 mm) (t = 2.31, p = 0.035). Five cases (31.3%) and two controls (12.5%) had ultrasonographic evidence of plaque (not significant). Univariate regressions of intima-media thickness yielded significant coefficients for insulin, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and body mass index. When either total cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein were included in the model simultaneously with polycystic ovary syndrome, each retained significance. This was not true for insulin and body mass index, however, suggesting that these factors covaried with polycystic ovary syndrome in a dimension affecting intima-media thickness. CONCLUSIONS: In spite of a major limitation of small sample size, these data suggest that women with polycystic ovary syndrome have an increased risk of subclinical atherosclerosis in their 40s.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Evaluation issues in the Drake Chemical Workers Notification and Health Registry Study.

The Drake Chemical Workers' Health Registry combined notification of workers about bladder cancer risk with access to a free program for screening and diagnosis. Evaluation of the project has given rise to several findings and new research questions. Findings in this article illustrate the following evaluation issues: 1) studying the combination of strategies that are most effective and cost effective to notify workers of their disease risks, 2) determining the realistic yield from strategies to gain participation in health screening and other protective services for notified workers, 3) identifying the notification strategies that were most effective for different kinds of participants, 4) using process evaluation to identify key activities for ensuring continued participation of cohort members in screening, and 5) examining the extent to which participants are willing to quit smoking to protect their health.

2-Naphthylamine↗
PubMed1993

Selection of neighborhood controls for a study of factors related to the diagnosis of cervical cancer.

The level of effort required to generate neighborhood controls for a statewide matched case-control study of cervical cancer was investigated, with the aim of identifying hard-to-reach demographic subgroups. Cross reference telephone directories were used to identify households on the same street as the case. Letters were then sent to the households, followed by 'phone calls. A total of 2920 households were contacted to obtain 147 controls. Overall, 63.6% of age-eligible contacts participated in the study. In 49.3% of all households the major reason for not obtaining a control was "no age-eligible women". Level of effort required to obtain a matched control was greater for black women than for white women--on average 24 letters and 40 'phone calls for black women vs 12 letters and 20 calls for white women. Fewer eligible younger women refused to be interviewed than older. No marked differences were noted when the data were stratified by urban-rural area of residence.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Trends in cancer mortality in Kanawha County, West Virginia, 1950-1984.

There has been much concern recently about possible adverse health effects related to exposure to toxic chemicals among residents of Kanawha County in southern West Virginia. An epidemiological study of trends in cancer mortality from 1950-1984 among the general population of Kanawha County in southern West Virginia was mounted. Cabell County, West Virginia was chosen to be a comparison county for Kanawha in addition to West Virginia and the total United States. The cancer mortality rates for white males and females were calculated using NCHS mortality data and Census Bureau population data available on the Mortality and Population Data System (MPDS) at the University of Pittsburgh. Mortality rates for cancer in Kanawha and Cabell Counties were evaluated over the time period 1950-1984 with an age-period-cohort (APC) analysis. In this analysis, poisson regression models were fit using the statistical program GLIM (Generalized Linear Models) to determine the separate effects of age, period of death, and birth cohort on the specific cancers of interest (lung, liver, bladder, CNS, leukemia, lympho-reticulosarcoma, all cancers). There were no significant county differences for cancer death rates between Kanawha and Cabell Counties except for leukemia among white males [O.R. = 1.27, 95% (C.I. = 1.03-1.6)], and for lympho-reticulosarcoma [O.R. = 1.66(1.24-2.07)], suggesting a possible occupational exposure. For leukemia, aleukemia, the effect observed seems to have declined. In contrast, the elevation of lympho-reticulosarcoma rates has remained in recent years (1970-1984).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Is NIDDM a risk factor for noise-induced hearing loss in an occupationally noise exposed cohort?

Little is known about what factors, other than chronic exposure to noise, predispose individuals to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). The current retrospective study was designed to identify risk factors for NIHL in a population of 229 men [age 55-68 (mean = 63 years)] employed at a metal assembly plant. All men had been chronically occupationally noise-exposed for approximately 30 years (> or = 89 dBA) with an average Ea noise emission level) of 104.5. The clinical examination included a pure-tone threshold audiometric evaluation, discrimination of speech in background noise [W-22 Max (> 60% indicating better hearing)], blood pressure measurement, evaluation of lifestyle (alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, noisy hobbies) and occupational and military history. Severe NIHL was defined as > or = 65 db loss at 3, 4 or 6 kHz in at least one ear +/- 20 db threshold in the contralateral ear. History of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) was reported by 16.4% of the 146 men with severe NIHL compared to 4.8% of the 83 men without severe NIHL (odds ratio = 3.9, C.I. 1.2-11.9, P = 0.05). Simultaneous evaluation of several potential risk factors using a multiple logistic regression indicates that the significant predictors of severe NIHL were diabetes (P < 0.05), Ea (P < 0.05) and age (P < 0.05). These results suggest that a person with NIDDM who is also occupationally noise-exposed is more likely to develop severe NIHL than those without NIDDM. Longitudinal studies are necessary to confirm the temporal relationship between NIDDM and NIHL and to determine the exact mechanisms that are involved with this increased risk of hearing loss.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1992

A comparative ecological study of selected cancers in Kanawha County, West Virginia.

This study compares mortality rates for selected causes of death in Kanawha County, West Virginia, to rates reported in a number of geographically defined populations for 1950-1984. Specific conditions selected for study included cancers of the biliary passages and liver, the bladder and other urinary organs, and the central nervous system (CNS), as well as leukemia and aleukemia, lymphosarcoma and reticulosarcoma, Hodgkin's disease, and cancer of all other lymphopoietic tissue. The analysis made use of several techniques for the investigation of ecological data, including the modeling of rates using Poission regression. The primary findings of this study concern two subgroups of cancers of the lymphatic and hematopoietic tissue: (1) leukemia and aleukemia, and (2) lymphosarcoma and reticulosarcoma. For both subgroups of cancers, white male residents of Kanawha County show evidence of significantly elevated mortality rates over the 35-year period of this study.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Drake Chemical Workers' Health Registry Study: I. Notification and medical surveillance of a group of workers at high risk of developing bladder cancer.

A medical surveillance program and epidemiologic study of 408 former workers of the Drake Chemical Company (now a Superfund waste site) was established in 1986. The Drake Health Registry Study was initiated because these workers had probable past exposures to beta-naphthylamine (BNA), a potent bladder carcinogen. The registry is widely viewed as a model for notification of workers at high risk of disease due to past occupational exposures. By the 40th month, 90% of the 366 living workers had been notified of the existence of the registry; 262 had been enrolled in the annual or semi-annual screening for bladder cancer. Among these, 27 persons have had abnormal screening results indicating moderate to high risk of bladder cancer and have been made eligible for further diagnostic tests. While no invasive bladder tumors were found among 18 persons completing the extended diagnostic evaluation, two diagnoses of moderate to severe dysplasia have been made. The registry has also identified three living and three deceased cases of bladder cancer in the cohort; a mortality analysis showed a 20- to 30-fold excess of bladder cancer. An incidence projection, based on the six identified cases, reveals that between six and ten new bladder cancer cases are likely to occur among the Drake cohort over the next 20 year period.

2-Naphthylamine↗
PubMed1991

The relationship of Papanicolaou testing and contacts with the medical care system to stage at diagnosis of cervical cancer.

The relationship of Papanicolaou (Pap) testing and physician visits to stage at diagnosis of cervical cancer was assessed by interviews with 149 women with invasive cervical cancer and 214 women with in situ cervical cancer. A significantly smaller percent of study subjects with invasive disease than in situ disease had at least one Pap test in the 3 years prior to diagnosis (age- and race-adjusted odds ratio: 3.38). The two groups did not differ in visits to a physician for other reasons during this period. Pap testing decreased with increasing age for both groups, but not physician visits. While 65% percent of the subjects with invasive disease aged between 65 and 79 years had never had a Pap test until diagnosis, 88% had seen a physician in the preceding 3 years. Women with regional or distant invasive disease were least likely to have had Pap tests, and, within this group, those aged between 35 and 64 years were also least likely to have seen a physician. Strategies for early detection must reflect missed opportunities and the need to bring those not receiving care into the system.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

The relationship between occupational classification and low birth weight in a national sample of white married mothers.

The relationship between occupational classification and Low Birth Weight singletons (LBW; less than 2500 g) was studied in a sample of white married mothers employed in the National Natality Survey 1980 (N = 3300). Univariate analyses included relationship between birth weight and occupation, smoking, alcohol, parity, age, education, prenatal care, weight gain during pregnancy, gestation and sex of the singleton. Occupation was significantly associated with LBW (P less than 0.05). The LBW rate was higher among blue collar workers (162 per 1000) compared to white collar workers (132 per 1000). The mean birth weight of singletons among blue collar workers was also significantly lower compared to those among white collar workers (P less than 0.057). However, after adjusting simultaneously for the effect of the confounding variables in multiple regression analysis, occupation was no longer a significant predictor of LBW. The extent to which the validity problems may limit the interpretation of the study are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

A protocol for bladder cancer screening and medical surveillance among high-risk groups: the Drake Health Registry experience.

In 1986, the Drake Health Registry Study initiated bladder cancer screening for 366 persons at high risk because of occupational exposure to beta-naphthylamine. The Drake Health Registry Study screening protocol consists of urinalysis, Papanicolaou cytology, and quantitative fluorescence image analysis. A positive screening test qualifies participants for a full diagnostic evaluation. The screening protocol has been modified during the first 3 years of the program's existence to address unexpected patterns of test results and to incorporate advances in screening technology. The current protocol, which has a two-tiered screening schedule, has been utilized successfully for 15 months. Of the 26 positive results to date most have been based on abnormal Papanicolaou cytology and/or quantitative fluorescence image analysis. Bladder abnormalities were cited among most of the 18 study members who underwent diagnostic evaluation, including chronic cystitis, inflammation, hyperplasia, and dysplasia. We conclude that the screening program is detecting very early changes in a relatively young cohort and that these persons must be monitored over a number of years to ensure adequate medical surveillance.

2-Naphthylamine↗
PubMed1990

Noise-induced hearing loss: a possible marker for high blood pressure in older noise-exposed populations.

The present study assessed the relationships among occupational noise exposure, noise-induced hearing loss, and high blood pressure. The study population consisted of 245 retired metal assembly workers from Pittsburgh aged 56 to 68 with chronic noise exposure of 30 or more years at greater than or equal to 89 dBA. Results of the audiometric testing indicated 52% of the younger workers (ages 56 to 63) have severe noise-induced hearing loss (greater than or equal to 65 dBA loss at 3, 4, or 6 kHz) and 67% of older workers (ages 64 to 68). Body mass index and alcohol intake were significantly related to systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Among older men, there was a marginally significant increased prevalence of high blood pressure (greater than or equal to 90 mm diastolic or taking blood pressure medicine) among those with severe noise-induced hearing loss (P = .05). Moreover, another measure of hearing loss at high frequencies, speech discrimination score in noise (measured in the better ear), referred to as the W-22 MAX score, was also found to be related to the prevalence of high blood pressure in the older (64 to 68) age group (P less than .05). Multiple regression analysis revealed W-22 MAX and severe noise-induced hearing loss were independent predictors of hypertension in the older, but not in the younger group of retired workers.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1989

Reproductive history of women dying of sudden cardiac death: a case-control study.

Reproductive history events may be risk factors for sudden coronary death (SCD) among women. A retrospective case-control study of SCD among women aged 25-64 was conducted in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The present analysis focused on a description and analysis involving the childbearing and reproductive history of 67 ever-married female SCD cases and 73 ever-married neighbourhood controls with a mean age of 54.6 and 53.4 years respectively. Information included: age and number of years married, number of children, age at first birth, cardiovascular risk factors, obstetric and gynaecological history. Age and the risk factors, history of hypertension or diabetes, cigarette intake, death of significant other and psychiatric disease, were controlled for in the analysis. More cases than controls experienced their first birth before age 20 (14 of the SCD and 7 controls). However, after adjustment for cigarette smoking status, a strong predictor of sudden cardiac death, the effect of early childbearing did not remain significant for this population. In women less than or equal to 50 years of age, childlessness was not a risk factor for SCD (1 of 16 cases and 2 of 26 controls were childless). However in women greater than 50 years of age, childlessness was a significant predictor of SCD (OR = 6.7 (1.3-32] 12 of 51 cases were childless compared to 2 of 46 controls. After adjustment for aged and other coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors, the relationship of nulliparity with sudden cardiac death remained in this age group. There was no difference in hysterectomy or miscarriage history or in the total years married between cases and controls.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Antilung cancer activities of selenium.

Selenium is considered an essential trace element in most animal and plant species, although still reported in many texts as a highly toxic material. Epidemiological investigations have reported an inverse relationship between selenium and lung cancer. Explanations of reported observations have resulted in numerous mechanistic theories. Only recently have selenium metabolites involved in excretion been considered potential agents for antilung cancer activity. Anticancer properties have been shown in occupationally exposed copper smelter workers, dietary investigations and experimental studies. Supplementation with selenium of public water supplies, as is currently done with fluoride, is a potential method for increasing the blood concentration. This may permit development of a population prevention strategy against lung cancer and other diseases.

Humans↗
PubMed1987

Environmental and psychosocial determinants of sudden death.

The risk factors for sudden coronary heart disease (CHD) death have been well described. Sudden CHD deaths should be classified as those occurring in individuals with and those in individuals without a prior history of clinical heart disease. The extent of coronary artery disease, left ventricular dysfunction, and cardiac arrhythmias are the primary pathophysiologic determinants of ventricular fibrillation and sudden death. Psychosocial factors influence the threshold of response to the numerous physical and social environmental stimuli that can precipitate sudden death. The degree of pathology is probably inversely related to the intensity of the stimuli necessary to precipitate sudden CHD death. In the presence of extensive disease the precipitants of sudden deaths are probably ubiquitous in the environment and unlikely to be prevented. Thus, prevention of the basic cardiac disease is of higher priority.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1984

Whole body vibration--a critical review.

Whole body vibration is an environmental stressor to which a substantial portion of the American workforce has been exposed. Numerous experimental studies have examined the acute effects of exposure to WBV but only in the last decade have the chronic effects been addressed. However, to date, no comprehensive review has been conducted of this common occupational exposure. This paper critically reviews the existing literature and summarizes the known health effects. Experimental study results are generally inconsistent and dependent on the characteristics of the vibration exposure. NIOSH's epidemiological studies have shown that several disorders are more prevalent in some occupations; however, causal relationships have not been established. Health professionals should be aware of potential ill effects that may result from exposure to WBV in combination with other environmental stressors.

Automobile Driving↗