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U John

Publications and source records attributed to U John.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

Dental nomograms for benchmarking based on the study of health in Pomerania data set.

AIM: Benchmarking is a means of setting goals or targets. On an oral health level, it denotes retaining more teeth and/or improving the quality of life. The goal of this pilot investigation was to assess whether the data generated by a population-based study (SHIP 0) can be used as a benchmark data set to characterize different practice profiles. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The data collected in the population-based study SHIP (n=4310) in eastern Germany were used to generate nomograms of tooth loss, attachment loss, and probing depth. The nomograms included twelve 5-year age strata (20-79 years) presented as quartiles, and additional percentiles of the dental parameters for each age group. Cross-sectional data from a conventional dental office (n=186) and from a periodontology unit (n=130, Greifswald) in the study region as well as longitudinal data set of a another periodontology unit (n=135, Kiel) were utilized in order to verify whether the given practice profile was accurately reflected by the nomogram. RESULTS: In terms of tooth loss, the data from the conventional dental office agree with the median from the nomogram. For attachment loss and probing depth, some age groups yielded slight but not uniform deviations from the median. Cross-sectional data from the periodontology unit Greifswald showed attachment loss higher than the median in younger but not in older age groups. The probing depth was uniformly less than the median and tended toward the 25th percentile with increasing age. The longitudinal data of the Unit of Periodontology in Kiel showed a pronounced trend towards higher percentiles of residual teeth, meaning that the patients retained more teeth. CONCLUSION: The profile of the Pomeranian dental office does not deviate noticeably from the population-based nomograms. The higher attachment loss of the Unit of Periodontology in Greifswald in younger age strata clearly reflects their selection because of periodontal disease; the combination of higher attachment loss and decreased probing depth may reflect the success of the treatment. The tendency of attachment loss towards the median with increasing age may indicate that the Unit of Periodontology in Greifswald does not fulfill its function as a special care unit in the older subjects. The longitudinal data set of the Unit of Periodontology in Kiel impressively reflects the potential of population-based data sets as a means for benchmarking. Thus, nomograms can help to determine the practice profile, potentially yielding benefits for the dentist, health insurance company, or--as in the case of the special care unit--public health research.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Dose-effect relation of smoking and the interleukin-1 gene polymorphism in periodontal disease.

BACKGROUND: Periodontitis is a bacterial inflammatory disease leading to attachment loss with the consequence of tooth loss. There exists a multifactorial risk pattern including bacterial challenge, smoking, age, gender, diabetes, and socioeconomic and genetic factors. Smoking has the highest impact on the course of the disease modulated by all the other factors. Here, we report the relationship between smoking and the genetic polymorphism of interleukin-1 (IL-1). METHODS: In a randomly selected population-based study, we genotyped 1,085 test persons for the IL-1 genotype, examined their periodontal status, and assessed their smoking behavior including present and past quality and quantity of smoking. RESULTS: There was a significant dose-effect relationship between the exposure to tobacco smoke and the extent of periodontal disease assessed as attachment loss and tooth loss. Moreover, there was a gene-environmental interaction. Subjects bearing at least one copy of the variant allele 2 at positions IL-1A -889 and IL-1B +3954 (genotype positive) had an enhanced smoking-associated periodontitis risk as compared to their IL-1 genotype-negative counterparts. With genotype-negative non-smokers as a reference, logistic regression resulted in odds ratios of 0.98 (95% confidence interval: 0.83 to 1.14), 2.37 (1.96 to 2.87), and 4.50 (2.30 to 8.82) for genotype-positive non-smokers, genotype-negative smokers, and genotype-positive smokers, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There is a gene-environmental interaction between smoking and the IL-1 genetic polymorphism. Smokers bearing the genotype-positive IL-1 allele combination have an increased risk of periodontitis. The IL-1 genotype has no influence in non-smokers.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

[Tobacco- or alcohol-attributable inpatient treatments].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine how many inpatient treatments are attributable to tobacco smoking or alcohol risk-drinking in a high tobacco smoking and alcohol per capital consumption country. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Relative mortality risks from international studies, inpatient diagnoses in the year 1997 (n = 12,803,729), rates of tobacco smokers and alcohol risk drinkers from Germany (microcensus 1995, n = 169,403; German National Health Survey 1990/1991, n = 7450) were the data base. RESULTS: Of all inpatient treatment cases in the year 1997, 9.9 % (n = 1,273,651) were tobacco- or alcohol-attributable. The inpatient stays took 1.5 days more than those who were not tobacco- or alcohol-attributable. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that early detection and early intervention are needed for the decrease of the number of inpatient treatments.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Gender differences in unipolar depression: a general population survey of adults between age 18 to 64 of German nationality.

BACKGROUND: Several studies from different epidemiological backgrounds have shown that unipolar depression is more prevalent in females than in males. This study examines gender differences in depression in a sample of 4075 probands recruited representatively from the general population in the northern German epidemiological catchment area of Lübeck. METHODS: Probands were interviewed with M-CIDI by lay interviewers. RESULTS: Being married only seems to increase the female depression risk when having children, while higher education reduced female excess; both male and female risk for depression raised sharply in separated, divorced and widowed probands. Not being employed was associated with an increased risk in male depression whereas in females risk was nearly unchanged. The gender ratio increased with the minimum number of depressive symptoms. Female excess was not reduced by a higher degree of subjective impairment or melancholic features. Females also predominated in longer episode durations. Female excess in the total group emerged beginning from adolescence with a tendency for a male excess in the prepubescent ages. No birth cohort effect was observed. LIMITATIONS: The cross-sectional design of this study precluded causal analysis of reported associations and some retrospective assessments are error-prone because of recall bias. CONCLUSIONS: We support previous findings of variations in gender differences in depression, however observed social parameter influences underline the need for a more detailed analysis of subgroups and underlying psychological mechanisms.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Tobacco-smoking prevalence among physicians and nurses in countries with different tobacco-control activities.

The aim of the study was to compare rates of smokers among physicians and nurses in the USA, a country with relatively high levels of activity in tobacco control, with those in a country with low levels of tobacco-control efforts. Analysis of interview data in three cross-sectional population studies was carried out. The tobacco-smoking rate of the physicians in the country with low prevention activity dropped to 18%, which is still much higher than the smoking rate in the US and other European countries. In conclusion, prevention activity on a national level might contribute to reducing the rate of current smokers among physicians to a large extent, less so in nurses.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Types of natural recovery from alcohol dependence: a cluster analytic approach.

BACKGROUND: Social capital and a low severity of alcohol-related problems have been focused upon to explain the processes of natural recovery from alcohol dependence. However, studies using control groups have not found significant differences in these variables. Subtypes of natural remission which might account for this inconsistency have only been described on grounds of qualitative data. AIMS: To identify subtypes of natural remitters using cluster analysis. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and seventy-eight media-recruited natural remitters were interviewed personally. Several triggering mechanisms and maintenance factors of remission were assessed using standardized questionnaires. Based on age of onset and severity of dependence, adverse consequences from drinking, social pressure and social support, cluster analyses were performed. RESULTS: Cluster analyses yielded three groups of natural remitters: one cluster with a high severity of dependence, low alcohol-related problems and low social support ('low problems-low support'; n = 65), one group characterized by high severity of dependence, high alcohol-related problems and medium social support ('high problems-medium support'; n = 37), and a third group which consisted of subjects with high social support, late age of onset, low severity of dependence, and low alcohol-related problems ('low problems-high support'; n = 76). Cluster solutions were confirmed using discriminant analyses. Analyses of variance (ANOVAs) revealed further group differences on other triggering and maintaining factors of remission. CONCLUSIONS: Failure to identify specific pointers to natural recovery in previous research might be due to heterogeneous subgroups of natural remitters. In order to build a conceptual framework for understanding the processes of natural recovery, interactions of different independent variables should be considered.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

A new measure of the alcohol dependence syndrome: the severity scale of alcohol dependence.

The purpose was to develop a diagnostic instrument of the Alcohol Dependence Syndrome defined by Edwards and Gross (1976) since comparable scales show some limitations. The methods include three studies carried out in order to develop the SEverity Scale of Alcohol dependence (SESA; total n = 774 alcohol-dependent patients), and three further studies served for validation (total n = 603 alcohol dependents). The findings reveal that the SESA, a 33-item questionnaire including 7 subscales which cover the criteria of the Alcohol Dependence Syndrome, proved to be internally consistent. The subscales are correlated with respective information from internationally validated interview instruments for the diagnosis of alcohol dependence according to DSM and ICD (CIDI, SCAN): six subscales are correlated with six of eight CIDI items and with eight of nine SCAN items selected for the purpose of validation. In addition, there are positive correlations with the Munich Alcoholism Test, the Michigan Alcoholism Test as well as single items of the WHO Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. It is concluded from the results that the SESA shows good validity.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

The interleukin-1 polymorphism, smoking, and the risk of periodontal disease in the population-based SHIP study.

Several studies have shown a role for interleukin-1 gene cluster polymorphisms in the risk assessment for periodontal diseases. In the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP), 3148 subjects were randomly selected from the population and assessed for a broad range of diseases and environmental/behavioral risk factors. From the complete study group in the age 40 to 60 years, N = 1085 subjects were genotyped for the interleukin-1 genotype composite polymorphism in relation to periodontal parameters. The study objective was to elucidate the gene-environment interaction between the risk factors smoking and IL-1 polymorphism. An increased risk of periodontal disease was found for IL-1 genotype-positive smokers: odds ratio adjusted for age, sex, education, and plaque OR = 2.50 (95% C.I. 1.21 to 5.13; p = 0.013). This was not the case with subjects who never smoked: OR = 1.09 (0.73-1.62; p = 0.676). These results support the hypothesis of gene-environmental interaction in periodontitis.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Caries prevalence in an adult population: results of the Study of Health in Pomerania, Germany (SHIP).

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the caries prevalence in the adult population of Pomerania, Germany in comparison to national and international data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study sample comprised 4,022 randomly selected subjects who were examined from October 1997 to May 2001 within the "Study of Health in Pomerania" (medical and dental, population-based cross-sectional study in Pomerania, Northeast Germany. Response rate: 69%. Age range of subjects: 25-79 yrs). Carious defects, fillings and missing teeth were diagnosed and the DMFT/S scores were calculated according to WHO guidelines (1997). These figures were compared to other German, Swedish and US data. RESULTS: Women exhibited higher mean DMFT and DMFS values in all age groups than men. The mean DMFT/S scores were slightly higher than the values for the only two available nationally representative age groups in Germany. The prevalence of primary carious lesions or secondary caries was very low, resulting in minor treatment needs (decayed surfaces: mean 0.95 +/- 3.3) and high care indices (FS/DFS) for all age groups (90-95%). In contrast to this, the mean numbers of fillings in adults and especially of missing teeth in seniors were much higher in Pomerania for all age groups than in the Swedish and US adult population, where a caries decline was demonstrated. CONCLUSION: In spite of a very low prevalence of primary carious lesions and secondary caries, the mean number DMFT/S and especially MT/S scores in the Pomeranian adult population are high in comparison with Swedish and US data, but differed only slightly from the limited available national data for Germany.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Gender and smoking-related risk reduction of periodontal disease with variant myeloperoxidase alleles.

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is an oxidative enzyme expressed in polymorphonuclear leukocytes. It is involved in the defence against periodontal bacteria, and is also able to mediate inflammatory tissue destruction in periodontal disease. A G/A polymorphism in the promoter region of the MPO gene at position -463 has been assumed to exert profound effects on the expression of the enzyme. It is the aim of this study to evaluate whether this polymorphism may influence the risk of periodontal diseases. A total of 3148 subjects were randomly selected from the general population in the SHIP study (Study of Health in Pomerania). Periodontal status, health-related and socio-economic items were assessed. All subjects aged 40-60 years (n = 1103) were included in this study, and 1083 genotyped for the MPO -463 G/A polymorphism by PCR and RFLP methods. The genotype frequencies determined were homozygous wild type G/G 65.9% (95% CI 63.5-68.6), heterozygous A/G 31.4% (28.8-34.4), and homozygous variant A/A 2.7% (2.0-3.8). Only female subjects have a significantly reduced risk of severe periodontal disease when bearing the variant genotypes A/G or A/A. In female subjects the reduction in periodontal risk was significant for non-smokers (OR = 0.48; 95% CI 0.23-0.96); the smoke-related increase in risk was also reduced (OR = 0.50; 95% CI 0.22-1.10). When adjusted for age, smoking, and education the odds ratios were calculated as 0.52 (P = 0.01) and 0.97 (P = 0.90) for female and male subjects, respectively. The results of this study confirm the assumption that the MPO -463A allele variants are protective in the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases. This holds true only with women but not with men. The results are discussed with respect to the known influences of sexual hormones on MPO activity.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

[Relationship between subjectively perceived working conditions and alcohol consumption: results of the TACOS study].

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relationship between subjectively perceived working conditions and alcohol consumption based on a stress coping model. The investigation is part of the study 'Transitions in Alcohol Consumption and Smoking' (TACOS), a representative general population survey in a Northern German region. The current evaluation includes 2,471 working individuals, aged 18-64 years. Data with regard to alcohol consumption were collected via the 'Munich Composite International Diagnostic Interview' (M-CIDI). The three scales of the 'Normative and Subjective Assessment of working analysis' (NUSA) Contents of work, Physical work conditions and Intensity of work gathered differentiated information on subjectively perceived working conditions. The ANOVA results show that alcohol consumption does not account for variance in the scales of subjective working conditions. Further correlation and regression analyses do not reveal a relationship between the scales of NUSA and the quantity of drinking.A substantial relationship between subjectively perceived working conditions and moderate alcohol consumption, alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence could not be established. The reported results appear to indicate complex and multifactorial associations between subjectively perceived working conditions and alcohol consumption. Implications for alcohol prevention in worksite environments are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2002

Tobacco smoking- and alcohol drinking-attributable cancer mortality in Germany.

The aim was to estimate the cancer mortality explained by tobacco smoking and alcohol risk drinking. The methods included (1) smoking rates from the largest population survey and alcohol drinking data from the German National Health Survey, and (2) vital statistics from Germany. The tobacco- and alcohol-related data were analysed using formulas for the estimation of attributable fractions. The results show that 19.7% of all malignant neoplasm deaths are explained by tobacco smoking alone, a further 0.2% by alcohol consumption alone and a further 5.6% by tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking. It is concluded that this overlap in the two substance use behaviours has to be taken into account when considering attributable mortality data.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

The approach of comprehensive tobacco control in cancer prevention: elements and evidence.

The aim of this overview is to present measures of comprehensive tobacco control (CTC) and recent evidence according to their efficacy. CTC includes eight measures: raising taxes, consumer regulations, information about tobacco products, advertisement and sponsoring, economic alternatives to the production of tobacco, programmes for the support of the motivation to stop smoking and maintain tobacco abstinence, including the change of attitudes and norms in the population to support non-smoking, financial and human resources of CTC, and quality assurance of CTC. These measures include single elements such as activities against smuggling, to be considered in conjunction with tax increases. Evidence, particularly from single US states, reveals the efficacy of CTC. As discussed, the literature shows that programmes have not yet included all single elements. This is due to individual, programme-related and external limiting factors. It is concluded that in spite of these, CTC programmes are effective in adults as well as minors. A dose-response relationship between CTC and reduction of smoker rates, the amount of tobacco consumption and tobacco-attributable mortality is probable.

Australia↗
PubMed2001

Screening for mental health: validity of the MHI-5 using DSM-IV Axis I psychiatric disorders as gold standard.

Short screening questionnaires for mental health are useful tools for research and clinical practice, e.g. they could play a major role in detecting patients with psychiatric disorders in primary care. The present study tests the validity of the five-item Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5) screening test using DSM-IV Axis I diagnoses as a gold standard and analyzes its performance in different diagnostic groups. A random sample was drawn from the resident registration office files in northern Germany. Personal interviews with a response rate of 70% were conducted. Of the sample, 4036 respondents filled in the MHI-5. DSM-IV diagnoses were assessed using the Munich Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI). The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) of 0.72 in identifying any DSM-IV Axis I disorder (except substance use) is not satisfying. The MHI-5 revealed best performance for mood (AUC: 0.88) followed by anxiety disorders (AUC: 0.71). Sensitivity and specificity were poor for somatoform and substance use disorders, especially in cases without comorbid mood or anxiety disorder. The power to detect mood and anxiety disorders of the MHI-5 was better for the 4-week compared with the 12-month diagnoses. The MHI-5 can be recommended to screen for mood disorders. Data have to be confirmed for primary care settings.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

A simple and highly efficient fixation method for Chrysochromulina polylepis (Prymnesiophytes) for analytical flow cytometry.

BACKGROUND: To study the fragile Prymnesiophyte species Chrysochromulina polylepis by flow cytometry (FC), we needed an effective fixation method. This method must guarantee a high yield of fixed cells to achieve acceptable measurement times by FC and to allow quick processing of many samples. Moreover, we wanted a method that allows for storage of fixed samples when FC analysis cannot be done immediately. METHODS: Different aldehydes and methanol were tested at different final concentrations. Gravity sedimentation and centrifugation were applied to achieve higher cell concentrations. Storage of fixed samples was tested under different conditions. RESULTS: 0.25% glutaraldehyde (GA) fixation yielded a recovery rate of about 90%. The signals obtained by FC analysis were excellent. It is possible to centrifuge GA-fixed cells and to store them for several weeks. CONCLUSIONS: GA is the fixative of choice for FC analysis of C. polylepis (and possibly other small delicate species) because it yielded highly significant recovery rates and high-quality FC signals. Cells can be centrifuged to increase the cell concentration, thereby achieving short measurement times with FC. The possibility of long-term storage of fixed cells presents an additional advantage if FC analysis cannot be done immediately.

Aldehydes↗
PubMed2001

Study of Health In Pomerania (SHIP): a health examination survey in an east German region: objectives and design.

OBJECTIVES: The reason for the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) is the lack of epidemiological studies with a broad range of health indicators. Furthermore, in Germany there is a need for studies that take into account the particular situation of life after the reunification. One objective of SHIP is to provide prevalence estimates on a broad range of diseases, risk and health factors for a defined region in the former GDR. METHODS: A sample of 7008 women and men aged 20 to 79 years in a north-east region of Germany, 4900 expected participants. The sample was drawn in two steps: First, 32 communities in the region were selected. Second, within the communities a simple random sample was drawn from residence registries, stratified by gender and age. The data collection and instruments include four parts: oral health examination, medical examination, health-related interview, and a health- and risk-factor-related questionnaire. The oral health examination includes the teeth, periodontium, oral mucosa, craniomandibular system, and prosthodontics. The medical examination includes blood pressure measurements, electrocardiography, echocardiography, carotid, thyroid and liver ultrasounds, neurological screening, blood and urine sampling. The computer-aided health-related interview includes cardiovascular symptoms, utilisation of medical services, health-related behaviours, and socioeconomic variables. The self-administered questionnaire comprises housing conditions, social network, work conditions, subjective well-being and individual consequences from the German reunification.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Lifetime-comorbidity of obsessive-compulsive disorder and subclinical obsessive-compulsive disorder in Northern Germany.

OBJECTIVE: Inspite of the worldwide relevance of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), there is a substantial lack of data on comorbidity in OCD and subclinical OCD in the general population. METHODS: German versions of the DSM-IV adapted Composite International Diagnostic Interview were administered to a representative sample of 4075 persons aged 18-64 years, living in a northern German region. RESULTS: In both genders, high rates of comorbid depressive disorders were found in OCD and subclinical OCD, whereas somatoform pain disorder was only associated with OCD. In female subjects, OCD was additionally associated with social and specific phobias, alcohol, nicotine and sedative dependence, PTSD and atypical eating disorder. CONCLUSION: Due to low comorbidity rates, subclinical OCD seems to represent an independent syndrome not restricted to the presence of other axis-I diagnoses. Comorbidity patterns show a disposition to anxiety and to depressive disorders in OCD and subclinical OCD. A broad association with obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders could not be confirmed in our general population sample.

Adult↗