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Biomedical subjects

R G Rawbone

Publications and source records attributed to R G Rawbone.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Dust related risks of clinically relevant lung functional deficits.

AIM: To quantify the risks of clinically important deficits of FEV1 in coal miners in relation to cumulative and average concentrations of respirable dust. METHODS: Data were studied from over 7000 men who had been surveyed in the late 1970s. Linear regression equations for the association between FEV1 and self-reported breathlessness on mild exertion were used to define clinically important levels of FEV1 deficit, and the probabilities that individuals with different dust exposures would experience these deficits were calculated. RESULTS: Levels of FEV1 were lower among breathless men than among others, with a large overlap of the distributions. The relations between standardised FEV1 and breathlessness were constant over all age and smoking groups. A decrease of 100 ml in FEV1 was associated with an increase of 1.12 in the odds of reporting breathlessness. FEV1 deficits of -0.367, -0.627, and -0.993 l (designated as "small", "medium", and "large" deficits) were, on average, associated with proportional increases of risks of breathlessness by factors of 1.5, 2.0, and 3.0 respectively. Cumulative respirable dust exposure ranged up to 726 gh/m3, mean 136 gh/m3 (British Medical Research Council measurement convention). An increase of 50 gh/m3 was associated with an increase of about 2% in the proportion of men with small deficits in FEV1. For medium deficits the increases ranged from 1.5% to 2%, depending on age. A similar pattern was seen for large deficits, but with smaller increases. CONCLUSIONS: In the unlikely event of continuous exposure at the proposed new maximum respirable dust limit for British mines of 3 mg/m3 (ISO-CEN measurement convention) for a working lifetime, the risk of a medium deficit of FEV1 for a non-smoker at age 60 would be estimated to be 34%, compared with 25% for zero dust exposure; for smokers, about 54% compared with 44%.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Quantifying the advantages and disadvantages of pre-placement genetic screening.

BACKGROUND: Tests of genotype may enable workers at unusual risk of future ill-health to be identified. Using them to select for employment, however, entails gains and losses to employers and employees. Ensuring a fair balance between the rights and obligations of each group requires a value judgement, but the advantages and disadvantages to interested parties must first be quantified in a meaningful way. METHOD AND RESULTS: The purposes of pre-employment screening are reviewed, and several simple measures relevant to the separate interests of employers and job applicants proposed-number screened to prevent a single adverse outcome; number excluded to prevent a case; expected incidence of the adverse outcome in those excluded; and preventable fraction. The derivation of these measures is illustrated, and the factors that influence them (the prevalence of the prognostic trait, the relative risk that it carries for an adverse outcome, and the overall incidence of disease) are related algebraically and graphically, to aid judgement on the utility of screening under different circumstances. CONCLUSIONS: In sensitive areas such as genetic testing the onus should be on the employer to justify plans for pre-placement screening. Several quantitative measures can be used to inform the ethical and economic debate about screening and to evaluate alternative strategies for prevention.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗
PubMed2000

Observations from six years' experience of a health and safety research ethics committee.

The work of the Health and Safety Executive Research Ethics Committee is presented in the light of 100 studies submitted for consideration over its first six years of operation. Ethical issues which have arisen in the context of this non-therapeutic research, and which are considered by the committee to be of particular importance are highlighted and exemplified by specific case studies.

Coercion↗
PubMed1999

Future impact of genetic screening in occupational and environmental medicine.

New genetic technologies open up the possibility of predictive screening, both for individual genetic risk factors for susceptibility to workplace hazards and for late onset (both single gene and multifactorial) hereditary disease. Although the initiative for testing may lie with employers and employees there are many potential stakeholders--from family members and workplace colleagues to insurers and society in general. The role of the occupational health professional will not only involve the contextual interpretation of genetic test results but also the myriad of associated ethical and moral questions. This paper considers a range of ethical issues with which the occupational health professional may be confronted as genetic technology advances.

Environmental Medicine↗
PubMed1987

The measurement of 'environmental tobacco smoke' particulates.

An analysis of sidestream smoke particulates in a wide range of study conditions, utilizing a variety of methods of measurement, was undertaken. The conclusion is that the term 'total particulate matter', as defined for mainstream smoke, has little or no meaning in the context of environmental tobacco smoke. Light-scattering instruments offer, in terms of portability and short sampling times, the best option for ambient particulate measurement. However, any quantitative interpretation of the results is dependent upon the initial calibration.

Aerosols↗
PubMed1984

Switching to low tar cigarettes: are the tar league tables relevant?

Representative samples of smokers of regular middle tar and regular low tar cigarettes responded to a questionnaire concerning their smoking habits and participated in a blind product test, returning 24 hour butt collections from the smoking of both middle tar and low tar cigarettes. An estimate of the mouth intake of tar derived from a measurement of filter nicotine confirmed partial compensation by the low tar smokers relative to the middle tar smokers, resulting in 32% lower tar delivery rather than the 46% expected from the standard machine values. Most middle tar smokers (98%) achieved an estimated tar delivery within or below that of the league table middle tar band when smoking middle tar cigarettes, while 70% of low tar smokers had a mouth intake of 10 X 49 mg or below within the low tar band when smoking low tar cigarettes. These results support the current tar league tables as a guide to the smoker in selecting a lower delivery cigarette.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Cigarette smoking among secondary schoolchildren 1975-79.

A questionnaire relating to smoking habits, respiratory symptoms, and health attitude was administered to schoolchildren aged between 11 and 17 throughout a defined geographical area in both 1975 and 1979, with a valid response from 10498 and 12002 young people respectively. Each cohort was almost entirely different. The results suggest that although the prevalence of regular smoking has decreased in boys from 16 to 13% it has increased in girls from 13 to 14% and that at all ages more girls smoke more than boys. However despite the fall in the prevalence of regular smoking in boys there has been an overall increase in cigarette consumption. Young people who are regular smokers predominantly smoke middle tar cigarettes while among experimental smokers there is a high incidence of low tar smoking, which might suggest that such cigarettes facilitate the taking up of the habit in children. The previously described relationships between smoking and respiratory symptoms was confirmed. During the 4-year study period young people's knowledge of the associated links between smoking and heart disease and stroke has increased appreciably. It is suggested that specific health education during the years 1975-79 has not been successful, and there is the need for research.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Cigarette smoking among secondary schoolchildren in 1975. Prevalence of respiratory symptoms, knowledge of health hazards, and attitudes to smoking and health.

A questionnaire relating to smoking habits, respirator symptoms, and health attitudes was administered to 10 498 secondary schoolchildren in 1975. The results reported in this paper indicate that children who smoke regularly have a higher prevalence of upper respiratory tract infections and a higher incidence of the respiratory symptoms, cough, phlegm production with a cold, and shortness of breath, compared with non-smokers. Children are aware of the risks of lung cancer when smoking, but less aware of the other more immediate health risks, and this is particularly so in the younger age groups. It is suggested that health education should be directed towards younger children and that more use should be made of the fact that smoking clearly makes them less healthy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Carbon monoxide in alveolar air as an index of exposure to cigarette smoke.

1. A rapid method for the analysis of CO in expired air has been developed, which is suitable for use in studies of smoking. 2. The Bohr equation has been used to calculate the mean alveolar CO partial pressure (PA,CO). 3. The values of PA,CO obtained are highly correlated with direct measurements of venous carboxyhaemoglobin (r = 0-96). 4. The method will distinguish between populations of smokers and non-smokers, and can allow the changes of CO in a smoker throughout a 12 h period to be followed. It provides a measure of the dose of cigarette smoke (vapour phase) that results from smoking a single cigarette.

Arteries↗