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Biomedical subjects

G R Najem

Publications and source records attributed to G R Najem.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Changing patterns of ischaemic heart disease mortality in New Jersey 1968-1982, and the relationship with urbanization.

Geographical variations in the declining rates of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) mortality may provide clues about various environmental risk factors responsible as a mass influence on the population IHD rate. The rate of IHD decline in 18 of 21 NJ counties was 2 to 45% less than the USA national rate of decline. The overall decline of IHD mortality in New Jersey (NJ) counties lagged significantly (p less than 0.05 to p less than 0.0003) behind the national trend. Age-adjusted mortality rate (AAMR) for IHD in NJ's 21 counties were 4% to 56% higher than the US rates. The IHD mortality rate of 14 of 21 NJ, counties and the entire state were significantly (p less than 0.005 to p less than 0.000001) above the US rate. Highly urbanized, industrialized, and densely populated NJ counties had the highest IHD rates. In these highly urbanized, industrialized and overcrowded NJ counties the AAMR for IHD was significantly higher and the IHD decline was significantly lower than that in the US. There was a significant (p less than 0.02 to p less than 0.00001) inverse association between annual per capita income and IHD rates. These data suggest that a high degree of urbanization, extensive industrialization, high population density and low socioeconomic status were acting as mass influences on the NJ population IHD rate.

Coronary Disease↗
PubMed1990

Health effects of a thorium waste disposal site.

A case-control study of 112 households residing in the vicinity of a thorium waste disposal site found a higher prevalence of birth defects (RR 2.1) and liver diseases (RR 2.3) among exposed than the unexposed group. The numbers were quite small and the confidence intervals wide, however, so that no definite conclusions can be drawn from these data.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Female reproductive organs and breast cancer mortality in New Jersey counties and the relationship with certain environmental variables.

Age-adjusted female reproductive organs and breast cancer mortality rates (all sites combined) were higher in 19 of 21 New Jersey counties than the U.S. national rates. Compared with national trends, New Jersey cervical cancer and corpus uteri rates have declined less than the national rate among all races. Ovarian and breast cancer rates have not changed over the years, a pattern similar to that of the nation. New Jersey cancer mortality rates during the period 1968-1977 that highly significantly (P less than 0.0005) exceeded national rates were cancers of the cervix in 2 counties among whites and in one county among nonwhites; of the corpus uteri and uterus not specified in 3 counties among whites; of the ovaries in 3 counties among whites; and of the breast in 10 counties among whites. The overall New Jersey cancer mortality significantly (P less than 0.0005) exceeded national rates for ovarian cancer among whites and nonwhites and for breast cancer among whites. Statistically significant and positive correlations were found between breast cancer mortality and chemical toxic waste disposal sites, annual per capita income, urbanization index, and population density among whites in 21 New Jersey counties. Ovarian cancer mortality was also significantly and positively correlated with annual per capita income, and negatively with birth defects. Cervical cancer mortality showed a significant negative correlation with annual per capita income and a significant positive correlation with birth defects and low birth weight among nonwhites in 21 New Jersey counties.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1985

Clusters of cancer mortality in New Jersey municipalities; with special reference to chemical toxic waste disposal sites and per capita income.

The state of New Jersey (NJ), USA, has been thought to have an unusually high cancer mortality rate; this assumption has been based on 1950-1969 mortality data for NJ counties. This study presents an analysis of mortality from major cancers for NJ municipalities during 1968-1977, and correlates cancer mortality rates with several potentially relevant variables. Age-adjusted mortality rates for 13 major cancer sites for 194 municipalities of 10 000 or more people in 21 NJ counties were compared with cancer mortality in the US. Municipality rates were correlated with: distribution of chemical toxic waste disposal sites (CTWDS); annual per capita income; the rates of low birth weight, birth defects and infant mortality of NJ municipalities. Clusters of cancer mortality were observed in 23 municipalities in 10 counties in which a total of 98 age-adjusted cancer death rates were at least 50% above the national rate, and each of these municipalities had at least two race-sex-specific cancers in which the observed number of cancer deaths was greater than the expected number of deaths at the p less than 0.0005 level. Of these 98 excessive cancer death rates, 72% involved the gastrointestinal tract. Most of the municipalities are located in the highly industrialized densely populated northeastern part of the State. Correlation analyses showed a consistent and significant (p less than 0.05) negative correlation between income and cancer mortality in 11 of 12 cancers studied. These analyses also showed a significant positive association between 8 of 12 cancers studied and CTWDS in one or more subgroup populations and lesser associations with birth defects, low birth weight and infant mortality.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1984

Bladder cancer mortality in New Jersey counties, and relationship with selected environmental variables.

Age-adjusted mortality rates for bladder cancer were calculated for the 21 New Jersey (NJ) counties (USA) during the period 1968-1977, and compared with the period 1950-1969, with the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) survey and with cancer mortality in the US 1973-1977. The county rates were also correlated with: the rates of low birth weight, birth defects, infant mortality; chemical waste disposal sites; annual per capital income; per cent of the population working in the chemical industries; density of population and urbanization indices of 21 NJ counties. Age-adjusted bladder cancer mortality rates in 95% of NJ counties were higher than national and SEER area rates. The overall NJ State rates for four subgroup populations were highly significantly (p less than 0.001) greater than the national rates. There was a statistically significant correlation between bladder and lung cancer mortality among females in 21 NJ counties which may suggest a common risk factor--namely cigarette smoking. There was no such correlation between bladder and lung cancer mortality among males. There was a statistically significant association between bladder cancer mortality in individual counties and the percentage of the adult population working in the chemical industries.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Gastrointestinal cancer mortality in New Jersey counties, and the relationship with environmental variables.

The State of New Jersey (NJ) USA has been thought to have an unusually high cancer mortality rate; this assumption has been based on 1950-1969 mortality data for its 21 counties. This paper presents an analysis of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer mortality rates in New Jersey counties during 1968-1977, a comparison with the 1950-1969 rates, and associations between current GI cancer mortality rates and selected environmental variables. Age-adjusted mortality rates for GI cancers were calculated for the 21 NJ counties during the period 1968-1977, and were compared with the period 1950-1969, with the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) survey and with cancer mortality in the US, 1973-1977. The county rates were also correlated with: the distribution of chemical toxic waste disposal sites; annual per capita income; the rates of low birth weight, birth defects, and infant mortality; chemical industry distribution; percentage of the population employed in chemical industries; the density of population; and the urbanization index for each of the counties. Some of the major findings are: Age-adjusted GI cancer mortality rates (all sites combined) were higher than national rates in 20 of 21 NJ counties. In comparison with national trends, NJ stomach cancer rates have declined less, oesophageal cancer rates have declined more, and pancreatic cancer mortality rates have followed similar patterns. Cancer mortality rates in NJ during the period 1968-1977 significantly (p less than 0.0001) exceeded national rates for cancer of the oesophagus (white male, non-white male), stomach (men and women), colon (white male, white female, non-white female), and rectum (whites only). In 18 of the 21 NJ counties, the observed number of cancer deaths for at least one GI cancer site was significantly greater than expected at the 0.0001 level for at least one population subgroup. Among white men, a significant (p less than 0.0001) excess of observed over expected cancer deaths was observed for three or more GI cancer sites in seven counties. The environmental variables that were most frequently associated with GI cancer mortality rates (except pancreatic cancer) were degree of urbanization, population density, and chemical toxic waste disposal sites. Some of the implications of the study findings are discussed and recommendations made for future investigations.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Discovery rate of dysplasia and carcinoma of the uterine cervix in an urban medical center serving patients at high risk.

File analysis based on 98,970 Pap tests on 58,053 patients from the Martland Medical Center of CMDNJ and its clinics was performed. Discovery rates, period prevalence and incidence rates were calculated for categories of mild to moderate dysplasia through invasive carcinoma. An incidence rate of 27/100,000 for invasive carcinoma was obtained, which is lower than the national average. Period prevalence and incidence rates of dysplasias are both high and similar. This indicates that epidemiologic parameters may need to be studied further. The mean age for the mild to moderate dysplasia was 25.7 years, for moderate to severe dysplasia, 29.29 years and for CIS, 33.25 years. These data may imply that younger women, especially in the urban areas, are at much higher risk than previously expected.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Gonorrhoea screening programme.

In a 12-month period, a gonorrhoea screening programme was carried out and 192,983 cultures were collected from various sources in Tennessee; 7% were positive for gonococci. The positivity rate varied from 31-7% in veneral disease clinics to 0-5% in military dependants. The low yield of positive results in certain population groups suggests that selective groups of persons at high risk of infection with gonorrhoea.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Transfusion-induced malaria from an asymptomatic carrier.

An asymptomatic malaria carrier who satisfied the currently recommended standards and criteria of the American Association of Blood Banks for blood donation was the source of the transfusion-induced malaria in this study. The risk of transfusion-induced malaria remains a very real threat in the United States. Any case of unexplained fever following transfusion should be considered as possibly caused by malaria. Delay of the proper diagnosis may be due to unfamiliarity of medical personnel with diagnostic criteria for malaria. Persons who give a history of having resided for long periods in malarious regions, even though they have remained asymptomatic for many years while residing in a malaria free area may still carry the more persistent malarial species and, therefore, should be rejected as donors of whole blood.

Adolescent↗