PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R R Frerichs

Publications and source records attributed to R R Frerichs.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Smoking and menstrual disorders.

An association between cigarette smoking and menstrual disorders was observed during 1981 in a sample of 1367 women between the ages of 18 and 44 years in selected communities of Los Angeles County. Relevant questions were asked as part of a survey conducted to investigate the general health status of women living in these communities. The five-year period prevalence of physician-attended menstrual disorders, as reported in the survey, was 20.3%; the prevalence of menstrual disorders was higher among smokers (25.1%) than among nonsmokers (18.6%). Women who smoked 1 1/2 packs of cigarettes or more per day were twice as likely to report past menstrual disorders as women who were nonsmokers. The results, though inconclusive, warrant further investigation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Analysis of non-response in a prospective study of depression in Los Angeles County.

The occurrence of depression in a probability sample of 1003 Los Angeles County adults was measured in a 1979-80 prospective cohort study. The primary measure of depression was the 20-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale. Of the original 1003 adults, 893 were successfully re-interviewed at a second time period (reasons for not being interviewed originally and at the second time period are given). Demographic data on those not re-interviewed are contrasted with data from those who did respond. The mean depression level and percentage classified as depressed at the first interview were higher in non-respondents than in respondents to the second interview. Techniques are given for assessing whether discontinued participation is due to exposure or disease factors. For this study, it was shown that dropping out of the study was mainly due to exposure (or demographic) factors and not to depression as such. Two methods for estimating the level of disease at the second time period for respondents and dropouts are illustrated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Estimation of potential carcinogenic effects related to waterborne environmental contaminants.

Described here is a computer program that provides estimates of theoretical cancer levels in a community following long-term exposure to contaminants found in domestic drinking water. The program employs one of three low-dose risk assessment models using dichotomous outcome data to derive a dose-response curve. Based on this curve, lifetime probabilities are determined, by dose, for acquiring selected types of cancer in a specified population. The program allows for sensitivity analyses of varying demographic, epidemiologic, and environmental factors, all of which could influence the occurrence of disease at the community level.

Carcinogens, Environmental↗
PubMed1982

Measuring depression in the community: a comparison of telephone and personal interviews.

Interview method effects in response to the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) are compared among a community sample (N = 546) of adults randomly assigned to either telephone or in-person interviews. The interviews were conducted in Los Angeles during 1980. No significant differences were observed between the two interview methods in nonresponse to symptom items, preference for specific response categories, reliability, mean level of depression, or proportion classified as depressed. Furthermore, no significant interactions were found between sociodemographic characteristics and the method of interview.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Telephone versus in-person surveys of community health status.

Reports of physical morbidity are compared among a community sample of Los Angeles County adults (N = 546) randomly assigned to either in-person or telephone interviews. No statistically significant differences were found between the two interview methods for overall assessment of health status, illnesses reported for the previous four months, or reports of hospitalization. A significantly greater proportion of in-person respondents, however, reported the presence of restricted-activity days during the previous two weeks. This difference could not be directly attributed to sociodemographic characteristics or reported physical health status of the two samples.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Analysis of effects of sex and age in response to items on the CES-D scale.

Analyses of differences in response to individual items in the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale based on sex and age breakdown are reported for a sample of 1,000 adults from Los Angeles County. Overall, results are comparable to those obtained in other population studies. Analyses performed separately for age and sex groups show response differences on individual items which affect the summated score. The interitem correlations are shown to be much higher for women that men, but overall the index assesses a comparable underlying dimension of depression for the two sexes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Prevalence of depression in Los Angeles County.

The occurrence of depression was determined during the summer of 1979 in a multi-ethnic probability sample of 1003 adults (66% participation) in Los Angeles County, as part of a community survey of the epidemiology of depression and help-seeking behavior. The primary measure of depression was the 20-item CES-D scale developed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies. The overall prevalence of depression based on a CES-D cutpoint definition of 16 or greater was 19.1%. The prevalence of depression was greatest among Hispanics (27.4%) and least among whites (15.6%), with blacks and others at an intermediate level (21.8% and 21.2%, respectively). Females (23.5%) were nearly twice as likely to be depressed as males (12.9%). By age, persons 18-24 years reported the highest rate of depression (27.4%), while those 45-64 years reported the lowest (16.3%). As expected, the prevalence of depression was strongly related to family income, with the highest level reported for those earning less than $8500 (29.3%); the lowest level for those earning more than $25,000 (9.0%). After controlling for effects of selected demographic and socioeconomic variables, neither race nor ethnicity were significantly related to the presence of depression. This suggests that the economic strain experienced by many minorities may be an important determinant of higher rates of depression among blacks and Hispanics.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Smoking and depression: a community survey.

Smoking status and symptoms of mental depression were determined as part of a community survey of adults in Los Angeles County. Nearly 42 per cent of the males and 31 per cent of the females wee current smokers. Smokers compared to nonsmokers reported significantly higher levels of depression as measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies--Depression (CES-D) index (10.02 vs 8.76, p < .05). The differences were not significant, however, when analyzed by sex. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in the CES-D score when comparing those who had never smoked, ex-smokers, current smokers who wanted to quit, and current smokers who did not want to quit. After controlling in a linear regression analysis for the effects of income, age, employment status, and sex, none of the smoking status variables contributed significantly to explaining the variance of the CES-D score. While both mental depression and smoking are individually major public health problems, the results of this investigation suggest that there is little relationship between the two in the general community.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Prevalence and cost of illness episodes in rural Bolivia.

As part of a demonstration project to improve the delivery of health services in rural Bolivia, a household survey of 3372 persons (98% participation) was conducted in the Montero region of eastern Bolivia during the last 3 months of 1977. The population surveyed was relatively young, 52% less than 15 years of age. Spells of illness occurring during the 14 days prior to the survey were reported by 42% of the population. Nearly half (46%) of these symptomatic illnesses, here defined as illness episodes, were respiratory or gastrointestinal problems, and medical assistance was sought for 21% of them. Physicians were consulted by 70% of the persons who sought medical assistance. Only 39% of persons disabled 3 or more days by a symptomatic illness obtained medical assistance. The average expenditure for illness episodes during the preceding 2 weeks was $2.13 per person, 76% for medication, 15% for fees, 5% for transportation, and 4% for other expenses. The results of this survey are intended to aid the Bolivian government in planning more effectively for improved rural health services.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Los Angeles airport noise and mortality--faulty analysis and public policy.

A well-publicized investigation in Los Angeles showed a higher mortality rate in 1970-1971 among residents in a high-noise area near Los Angeles International Airport than in a low-noise control area. The authors of this report attributed the difference to the effects of jet aircraft noise. A reanalysis of the data did not confirm the original results. Once the confounding effects of age, race, and sex were taken into account by direct and indirect methods of standardization, there was little difference in the mortality experience of the airport and control areas. Adjusted mortality rates due to all causes, cardiovascular diseases, or cerebrovascular disease did not differ appreciably between the two areas and were nearly identical to those of Los Angeles County during 1970.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Serum high density lipoprotein and its relationship to cardiovascular disease risk factor variables in children--the Bogalusa heart study.

Serum high density lipoprotein is increasingly recognized as a negative risk for cardiovascular disease. The distribution and interrelationship of serum lipids, lipoproteins, anthropometric measurements and blood pressures were determined in some 5,000 children. Children had mean +/- S.D. alpha-lipoprotein cholesterol levels (mg/100 ml) of 36 +/- 15 at birth, 51 +/- 22 at 6 mo, 53 +/- 18 at 1 yr, 60 +/- 19 at preschool age (2 1/2-5 1/2 yr) and 68 +/- 22 at school age (5-14 yr), reflecting a sharp increase in alpha-lipoprotein between birth and school-age years, when these levels remained relatively stable through age 14. Although white children tended to have higher levels of total cholesterol and alpha-lipoprotein at birth than black children, during childhood this trend was reversed and the differences were pronounced in school-age children (p less than 0.0001). Unlike in adulthood, boys had slightly higher levels of alpha-lipoprotein than girls. The alpha-lipoprotein was negatively correlated with pre-beta-lipoprotein and to a lesser extent with beta-lipoprotein classes. There was an inverse relationship between alpha-lipoprotein and obesity with a consistently significant relationship (p less than 0.01) in older children (10-14 yr). Children with higher levels of alpha-lipoprotein have lower levels of blood pressure, beta-lipoprotein and a lower obesity index.

Adolescent↗