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Biomedical subjects

K E Powell

Publications and source records attributed to K E Powell.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Homicide surveillance--United States, 1979-1988.

From 1979 through 1988, 217,578 homicides occurred in the United States, an average of greater than 21,000 per year. Homicide rates during this 10-year period were about 1.5 times higher than the rates during the 1950s. The national homicide rate of 10.7/100,000 in 1980 was the highest ever recorded. Homicide occurs disproportionately among young adults. Among the 15- to 34-year age group, homicide is the fourth most common cause of death among white females, the third most common cause among white males, and the most common cause among both black females and black males. In 1988, nearly two-thirds (61%) of homicide victims were killed with a firearm, 75% of these with a handgun. More than half (52%) of homicide victims were killed by a family member or acquaintance, and about one-third (35%) of homicides stemmed from a conflict not associated with another felony. The homicide mortality rate among young black males 15-24 years of age has risen 54% since 1985. Ninety-nine percent of the increase was accounted for by homicides in which the victim was killed with a firearm. The surveillance data summarized in this report should assist public health practitioners, researchers, and policymakers in addressing this important public health problem.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Physiological, anthropometric, and training correlates of running economy.

Potential physiological, anthropometric, and training determinants of running economy (RE) were studied in a heterogeneous group of habitual distance runners (N = 188, 119 males, 69 females). RE was measured as VO2 (ml.kg-1.min-1) during level treadmill running at 161 m.min-1 (6 mph) (VO2-6). Examined as potential determinants of RE were heart rate and ventilation while running at 6 mph (HR6, VE6), VO2max (ml.kg-1 x min-1), % fat, age, gender, height, weight, estimated leg mass, typical training pace, training volume, and sit-and-reach test performance. RE was entered as the dependent variable and the potential determinants as independent variables in zero-order correlation and multiple regression analyses. Zero-order correlation analysis found VO2max, HR6, and VE6 to be significantly, positively correlated with VO2-6 (P < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis, in which the independent effect of each predictor variable was examined, revealed VO2-6 to be positively correlated with VO2max (P < 0.001), HR6 (P < 0.001), VE6 (P < 0.001), and age (P < 0.05) and negatively correlated with weight (P < 0.01). These findings indicate that, in a diverse group of runners, better RE (VO2-6) is associated with lower VO2max, lower submaximal exercise VE and HR, lower age, and greater weight.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Physical activity behaviors in lower and higher socioeconomic status populations.

Few data on physical activity habits among populations of low socioeconomic status have been published. The authors studied physical activity habits--leisure-time physical activity, job-related physical activity, household physical activity, and walking--among 172 lower socioeconomic status women and 84 lower socioeconomic status men and compared their habits with those of 208 higher socioeconomic status women and 95 higher socioeconomic status men. All subjects resided in the greater Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, area. Data collection occurred throughout 1986. Lower socioeconomic status women, the least active group, averaged 1,536 +/- 1,701 minutes/week (+/- standard deviation) of total physical activity, whereas higher socioeconomic status women, the most active group, averaged 2,079 +/- 1,807 minutes/week (p less than 0.0001). Higher socioeconomic status men averaged 1,952 +/- 1,799 minutes/week, and lower socioeconomic status men averaged 1,948 +/- 1,916 minutes/week. Higher socioeconomic status women spent significantly more time each week in leisure-time physical activity, job-related physical activity, and household physical activity than did lower socioeconomic status women. Lower socioeconomic status men spent significantly more time each week walking and doing household chores, whereas higher socioeconomic status men tended to be more active in leisure-time physical activity. These data suggest important quantitative and qualitative differences in physical activity among population subgroups. In view of the important role of physical activity in promoting physical and mental health, reasons for the differences among groups of varying socioeconomic status must be examined and elucidated.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

The dimensions of health promotion applied to physical activity.

Health promotion is a complementary array of educational and environmental strategies applied in various settings and targeted at selected populations. The few successful and well-described physical activity projects have applied multiple strategies in multiple settings to specific target groups. There is clear and persuasive evidence that regular physical activity improves health. Over the past 20-25 years participation in leisure-time physical activity has increased in Canada, Finland, the USA, and the German Democratic Republic. Unfortunately, more than half the population in each of these four countries remains inactive during leisure time, and total physical activity probably has decreased because of declining activity on the job and for transportation. National physical activity promotion programs need to include both educational and environmental strategies. Regular surveys of physical activity patterns and continued research into the most effective methods to promote regular physical activity are needed.

Exercise↗
PubMed1989

A multivariate study of determinants of vigorous exercise in a community sample.

The purpose of this study was to explore the associations between several social learning theory variables and self-reported vigorous exercise and to consider the implications for exercise promotion. A random sample of adults in San Diego, California, was surveyed by mail. The 2,053 respondents (response rate, 43.4%) overrepresented Caucasian, affluent, and well-educated groups. A model of 24 variables accounted for 0.27 of the variance in exercise, and results strongly supported social learning theory. The strongest correlates were self-efficacy (i.e., confidence in the ability to exercise in specific situations), perceived barriers to exercise, modeling, dietary habits, support from friends, and age. Smoking was inversely associated with exercise in men only. We encourage researchers to conduct intervention trials to test the hypotheses generated in this study.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Predicting lower-extremity injuries among habitual runners.

This prospective study of 583 habitual runners used baseline information to examine the relationship of several suspected risk factors to the occurrence of running-related injuries of the lower extremities that were severe enough to affect running habits, cause a visit to a health professional, or require use of medication. During the 12-month follow-up period, 252 men (52%) and 48 women (49%) reported at least one such injury. The multiple logistic regression results identified that running 64.0 km (40 miles) or more per week was the most important predictor of injury for men during the follow-up period (odds ratio = 2.9). Risk also was associated with having had a previous injury in the past year (odds ratio = 2.7) and with having been a runner for less than 3 years (odds ratio = 2.2). These results suggest that the incidence of lower-extremity injuries is high for habitual runners, and that for those new to running or those who have been previously injured, reducing weekly distance is a reasonable preventive behavior.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Patterns of physical activity among German adolescents: the Berlin-Bremen Study.

Patterns of leisure-time physical activity among 932 West German boys and girls from two distinct socioeconomic groups were examined longitudinally over a 2-year period beginning with seventh to eighth grade students. Activity indices reflect the weekly time spent in activities, the weekly frequency of participation, and the average duration per activity episode. The indices refer to all activities, to moderate or vigorous activities, or to each individual activity. The average seventh to eighth grade student spent 10.1 hr/week engaged in all of the activities measured. Overall, the time devoted to these activities declined by 10% during the 2-year study period, with the relative decrease being larger for vigorous than for moderate activities. The decline in time spent in vigorous activity was due to a decreased frequency of participation; whereas the decline in moderate activity was primarily attributable to the decreased average duration per episode. Boys spent about 3 hr/week more in all activities than girls, with the difference largely being due to the boys' greater participation in vigorous activities. Weekly activity time among girls did not vary substantially with socioeconomic status. However, compared with boys of higher socioeconomic status, boys in the lower socioeconomic grouping were 2-3 hr/wk more active because they devoted more time to moderate activities. The results indicate that the identified activity patterns in the population strongly depend on the activity dimensions on which the measure focuses.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Physical activity and the incidence of coronary heart disease.

Our review focuses on all articles in the English language that provide sufficient data to calculate a relative risk or odds ratio for CHD at different levels of physical activity. The inverse association between physical activity and incidence of CHD is consistently observed, especially in the better designed studies; this association is appropriately sequenced, biologically graded, plausible, and coherent with existing knowledge. Therefore, the observations reported in the literature support the inference that physical activity is inversely and causally related to the incidence of CHD. The two most important observations in this review are, first, better studies have been more likely than poorer studies to report an inverse association between physical activity and the incidence of CHD and, second, the relative risk of inactivity appears to be similar in magnitude to that of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and smoking. These observations suggest that in CHD prevention programs, regular physical activity should be promoted as vigorously as blood pressure control, dietary modification to lower serum cholesterol, and smoking cessation. Given the large proportion of sedentary persons in the United States (91), the incidence of CHD attributable to insufficient physical activity is likely to be surprisingly large. Therefore, public policy that encourages regular physical activity should be pursued.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Failure to use seat belts in the United States. The 1981-1983 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveys.

Although seat belt use could prevent thousands of highway deaths and save billions of dollars annually, most Americans do not routinely buckle up. To understand better this phenomenon and other health-related behaviors, 28 states, the District of Columbia, and the Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, surveyed over 22,000 US adults from 1981 through 1983. Overall, 76% of US adults reported not using seat belts. Blacks, 18- to 24-year-olds, persons with no more than a high school education, and persons with other risk behaviors (especially drunk driving) were least likely to use seat belts. Legislation by the states and education by physicians can increase seat belt use and reduce morbidity and mortality due to motor vehicle collisions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Sperm count depression in pesticide applicators exposed to dibromochloropropane.

Male pesticide applicators who worked with the nematocide dibromochloropropane (DBCP) were examined to determine the possible testicular toxicity from this exposure. Infertility and azoospermia which were first noted among factory workers exposed to DBCP were not observed among the applicators. Sperm count depression, however, was associated with the duration of exposure in the current year but not with exposure in past years. The extent of exposure to DBCP in the current year was also associated with an elevation of serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) but not of luteinizing hormone (LH). Sperm count depression was limited to applicators involved in irrigation setup work and in the calibration of equipment. These results suggest that the testicular toxicity of DBCP for men may occur in a shorter period than was previously reported, that the effect may be reversible in men with mild sperm count depression, and that public health measures might be directed at controlling specific application techniques.

Antinematodal Agents↗