Biomedical subjects

S O Samuelsen

Publications and source records attributed to S O Samuelsen.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1993

[Mortality and causes of death among intravenous drug addicts in Oslo].

In order to study mortality and causes of death among intravenous drug users in Oslo, 1,009 (829 HIV negative and 180 HIV positive) intravenous drug users were followed from their first HIV test for a mean period of 36 months (range 1-67 months). 87 (55 HIV negatives and 32 HIV positives) died during the follow-up period. Compared with the general population with the same age and sex distribution, the relative risk of death for the intravenous drug users was 31. 4% of the HIV negatives (38/829) and 11% of the HIV positives (20/180) died from drug overdose during the follow-up period. 2% of the HIV positives and 0.4% of the total cohort (4/1,009) died from AIDS. Drug overdose represented the major threat to life among intravenous drug users in this study. Due to the dynamic of the HIV epidemic, AIDS may gain an increasing impact on mortality. However, in order to forecast the number of AIDS cases among intravenous drug users, it is necessary to control for the high non-AIDS related mortality.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed1993

Differences in mortality rates and causes of death between HIV positive and HIV negative intravenous drug users.

In order to study differences in mortality and causes of death between HIV positive and HIV negative intravenous drug users (IVDU), 1009 (180 HIV positive and 829 HIV negative) IVDU in Oslo, Norway, were followed from their first HIV test for a mean period of 36 months (range 1-67 months). Eighty-seven (55 HIV negatives and 32 HIV positives) died during the follow-up period. The risk of death for IVDU was 31 times higher than for the general population. The estimated probability of survival after 3 years of follow-up was 0.92 for the whole cohort, 0.93 for the HIV negative group and 0.87 for the HIV positive group (P < 0.001, log rank test). In a Cox regression analysis, HIV positivity, > 30 years of age and > 5 years of IV drug use prior to study entry were all significantly associated with a fatal outcome. Eleven per cent (n = 20) of the HIV positives and 4% (n = 38) of the HIV negatives died from drug overdose, which accounted for 68% of all deaths; 2.2% of the HIV positives and 0.4% (n = 4) of the total cohort died from AIDS. Drug overdose represented the major threat to life among IVDU in this study. Because of the dynamics of the HIV epidemic, AIDS may have an increasing impact on mortality. However, in order to forecast the number of AIDS cases among IVDU the high non-AIDS mortality must be controlled for.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1993

Temporal and regional trends in fatal childhood injuries in Norway 1971-1989.

The paper focuses on how mortality due to injuries among Norwegian children has varied over time and throughout the country over the last two decades. The temporal trends are compared to those of the other Nordic countries. Individual data on date of birth and death, county of residence at death, sex and cause of death were obtained from the Norwegian Death Registry on all children aged 0-14 who died during the time-span 1971-1989. Denominators were the number of persons alive in the corresponding age, year, sex and county groups. There has been a decline in fatal injuries from 25 to 9 deaths per 100,000 person-years in, respectively, 1971 and 1989. The decline is less distinct in the late 1980's. The rate of fatal injuries have throughout the period been lowest in the county of Oslo and highest in Northern Norway with fatal injury rates in Finnmark 3 times that of Oslo. The declining time trend was present for all types of injuries except bicyclists and passengers, but with the sharpest decline for pedestrians and drowning injuries. The regional variation was strongest for drowning and showed a different profile from the overall pattern for bicyclists, passengers and falling injuries. The incidence of fatal injuries in Norway is comparable to those of Denmark, Finland and Iceland, but considerably higher than in Sweden. In all Nordic countries the rates have declined to about one third from 1971 to 1988.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Secular trends and sociodemographic regularities of coital debut age in Norway.

Gender and birth cohort differences and the influence of social background variables on the coital debut age were investigated in the general population of Norway. The data derive from a 1987 questionnaire on sexual behavior mailed to a random sample of 10,000 Norwegians of both sexes, ages 18 through 60; 63% responded to the questionnaire. 94.5% reported that they had experienced intercourse. The median coital debut age was 18.2 years. There were both cohort and gender differences. Younger cohorts have lower coital debut ages, and women younger than 35 years experienced their first intercourse at an earlier age than men in the same age group. When each independent variable was analyzed separately, there were substantial differences between educational levels and social classes with respect to age of coital debut. Multivariate analysis of six separate cohorts revealed independent effects of gender in the two youngest cohorts, whereas educational level had significant independent effects in all but the oldest cohort. Social class did not reveal any independent effect on coital debut age. Population density of the place of residence of the respondents was not substantially related to age of coital debut. Seen together, the independent variables explain about 13% of the variance in coital debut age (by multiple regression).

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

A longitudinal study of respiratory symptoms in aluminum potroom workers.

The influence of occupational work exposure and host factors on the incidence of dyspnea and wheezing as reported in questionnaires was examined in 1,301 new employees in aluminum electrolytic potrooms. The incidence appeared to decrease after 2 yr of exposure, and the estimated probability of development of symptoms was nearly 20% after 4 yr. A total of 105 subjects developed dyspnea and wheezing. Of 78 symptomatic subjects who were interviewed, 76% experienced improvement or absence of symptoms when off work. In 523 subjects who were assigned to specific levels of exposure at the end of follow-up, a dose-response gradient was found between the development of symptoms and fluoride exposure. Increased risk with increasing amounts of tobacco was also observed, but childhood allergy and a family history of asthma were not significantly related to the outcome variable. We conclude that both total fluoride exposure and smoking are related to asthmatic symptoms in potroom workers, and the suggestion of a dose-response gradient was found for both variables. However, a causal relationship between fluorides and symptoms should be investigated further by specific bronchial provocation testing and by research for specific antibodies and other immunologic markers.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Does spousal physical abuse affect the outcome of pregnancy?

The relationship between living in a physical abusive relationship and adverse outcome of pregnancy was examined using a structured interview including an obstetrical history. Sixty-six women living in a physically abusive relationship, and 114 women randomly selected and not presently living in such a relationship were interviewed. The women reported 312 completed pregnancies. Five of these were twin pregnancies and one was a stillbirth without information on birth weight. Of the 306 pregnancies included in the analysis, violence had occurred in 40. The mean birth weight of births reported by women exposed to violence during pregnancy was 229 g less than the equivalent figure in non-exposed pregnancies. Adjustment for education, primiparity, and history of addiction reduced the difference in mean birth weight to 175 g.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

No correlation in post-neonatal deaths for twins. A study of the early mortality of twins based on the Norwegian Medical Birth Registry.

The records of 10,204 pairs of twins born in Norway 1967-84 in the Norwegian Birth Registry were examined. The probabilities of stillbirth, neonatal death and post-neonatal death, conditional on the fate of the cotwin, were calculated. The neonatal death rate was four times increased when the cotwin was stillborn. When the cotwin died neonatally, the probability of postneonatal death was increased ninefold. The concordance rate for stillbirth and for neonatal death was above 0.4. In striking contrast, there was no correlation in postneonatal death for members of a twin pair. This finding suggests that genetic or common environmental factors play a minor role in the aetiology of post-neonatal death.

Female↗