Indicators of social class. A comparative appraisal of measures for use in epidemiological studies.
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Aged↗
Biomedical subjects
R Gofin
Publications and source records attributed to R Gofin.
The health status of elderly men: a community study.
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Aged↗
Cigarette smoking, blood pressure and pulse rate in the Jerusalem Lipid Research Clinic Prevalence Study.
The relationship between cigarette smoking and blood pressure (BP) and pulse rate (PR) was studied in a sample of 1,242 Jerusalem youngsters and 1,703 adults. Confounding effects of age, body mass, ethnic origin and season were controlled in the analysis. Both mean systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were lower in smokers than in nonsmokers, with greater differences in both generations in females (women 4.5 mm Hg, P = 0.004 and girls 3.9 mm Hg, P less than 0.001 for SBP; women 2.3 mm Hg, P = 0.024 and girls 2.6 mm Hg, P = 0.002 for DBP) than among the males (men 1.5 mm Hg, P = 0.15 and boys 2.0 mm Hg, P = 0.022 for SBP; men 1.3 mm Hg, P = 0.05 and boys 1.8 mm Hg, P = 0.01 for DBP). The relative odds of being in the upper age, ethnic and body mass index-adjusted quintiles of SBP for nonsmokers were 1.3, 1.9, 2.1, and 3.5 for men, boys, women, and girls, respectively. For DBP they were 1.3, 1.7, 1.1, and 2.1, respectively. No significant trends for BP varying with number of cigarettes smoked were noted in either adults or youngsters. Only adult male smokers had slightly higher PRs. The relatively small differences in BP may be of pharmacologic or psychobehavioral interest, but do not counter the well-described deleterious effects of cigarette smoking.
Adolescent↗
A community program for the control of cardiovascular risk factors: a preliminary evaluation of the effectiveness of the CHAD program in Jerusalem.
A community program for the control of cardiovascular risk factors, the CHAD program, was instituted in a family practice in western Jerusalem in 1971. The effectiveness of the program was evaluated by comparing the findings of community surveys conducted in 1970 and 1975 and by comparing the changes with those observed in an adjacent control neighborhood. This paper reports the findings among men aged 35 years and above. In the community exposed to the program there was a decrease in mean systolic and disatolic pressures, in the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia, and in the prevalence of cigarette smoking. The changes in blood pressures and smoking habits were significantly greater than those observed in the control population. In the control population (only) there was a small increase in mean body weight and a decrease in reported physical activity. The findings suggest that it is possible for a program that operates and through primary health care to have an appreciable influence upon cardiovascular risk factors in the community.
Adult↗
Mortality and its causes among Moslems, Druze and Christians in Israel.
The mortality rates of Moslems, Druze and Christians in Israel have decreased strikingly since the early 1950s, mainly because of a decline in mortality among children and younger women. There has been an increase in mortality among middle-aged and elderly men. Mortality from infective diseases had declined, but these remain important causes of death, particularly among Moslems and Druze. Mortality from external causes has increased in recent years. The mortality rate from ischemic heart disease has risen sharply; it is especially high among Christian men. Mortality due to congenital anomalies is relatively high among Moslems and Druze.
Adolescent↗
Maternal anthropometry and pregnancy outcome among Jerusalem women.
Maternal anthropometry, expressed in terms of height, prepregnancy weight and weight gain during pregnancy was studied in 432 Israeli mothers who attended routinely the Hadassah Community Health Centre in Jerusalem, and delivered live births from 1990 to 1994. Among the variables studied, social class was positively associated to mother's height. From five curves fitted with gestational age and weight gain of each woman, a quadratic one was chosen to describe the weight gain pattern of the population. From the model, prepregnancy weight and the weekly rate of weight gain were calculated. Height was positively associated to the rate of weight gain. Gestational age at delivery and gender were the strongest predictors of birth weight, followed by height and rate of weight gain. Three patterns of weight gain were observed: concave, linear and convex. No one of the variables studied was related to the pattern of weight gain as determinant or consequence. Since not all the patterns follow the same shape, the interpretation of adequacy of weight gain at a certain gestational age by using available standards must be done carefully until further studies clarify the relationships between patterns of weight gain and pregnancy outcomes for this population. Prospective studies should be carried out in Israel to control for several factors influencing maternal anthropometry and pregnancy outcomes.
Adolescent↗
Head lice in Israeli children: parents' answers to an epidemiological questionnaire.
BACKGROUND: The aim was to determine the influence of the socioeconomic status of the family and the hygienic practices in the home on the prevalence of head lice infestation in children. METHODS: The study was carried out by analyzing the answers to a standardized epidemiological questionnaire given to parents of school children aged 4-17 in Bet Shemesh, a medium-sized urban town 25 km from Jerusalem. RESULTS: Of 3,000 questionnaires distributed, 958 (31.9%) were completed and returned. The majority of the children (72.4%) had been previously infested with lice. Half of them had other family members, mainly brothers and sisters, who had been infested in the past with lice. In 97.5% of the families the mother was responsible for examining the children for lice, and for carrying out treatment when infestation was present. An association was found between presence of lice infestation and mother's education, age of child, and frequency of shampooing, combing, and examination for lice. There was no association between infestation rates and mother's country of origin, crowding in the home, and the sharing of combs, brushes, hats, scarves, towels, and clothes. CONCLUSIONS: There is evidence that the incidence of lice infestation depends on the hygienic practices in the home rather than on the socioeconomic status of the family or sharing of personal articles among family members.
Adolescent↗
Evaluation of a community program for the control of cardiovascular risk factors: the CHAD program in Jerusalem.
A community-focused program for the control of cardiovascular risk factors, the CHAD program, was instituted in a family practice in western Jerusalem in 1971. Its effectiveness was evaluated by comparing the changes detected by surveys conducted in 1970 and 1975 with those observed in an adjacent control neighborhood. Hypertension decreased in prevalence by 33%, hypercholesterolemia by 31%, cigarette smoking by 23% (among men), and overweight by 13%. Allowing for the reductions observed in the control population, the net percent reductions in prevalence were 20% for hypertension, 15% for hypercholesterolemia, 11% for cigarette smoking (men) and 13% for overweight. The net reductions in hypertension, smoking and overweight were statistically significant. The net reductions in mean systolic and diastolic pressures and weight were also significant. The results suggest that intervention centered in primary health care can have an appreciable effect on cardiovascular risk factors in the population.
Adult↗