Biomedical subjects

W J Stronegger

Publications and source records attributed to W J Stronegger.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1996

The relationship between body weight and patterns of smoking in women and men.

BACKGROUND: In the scientific literature, studies of the relationship between cigarette smoking and body weight yield conflicting results. Weight-lowering effects in women and men have been associated with smoking, however, no effects on weight have been proven. The purpose of this study was to examine the gender-related association between cigarette smoking and relative weight in a rural population in Styria, Austria. METHODS: A database from a health survey conducted between 1989 and 1993 in 79 selected rural communities of Styria was used for these analyses. The sample consisted of 27,344 participants, 16,185 women and 11,159 men, aged > or = 15 years. We controlled for possible confounding factors such as age, years of education, alcohol consumption, regular physical activity, and chronic diseases. RESULTS: For women and men, in comparison to non- and ex-smokers, smoking is significantly correlated with lower body mass index (BMI). In contrast, heavy smoking and smoking cessation are significantly associated with higher relative weight. CONCLUSIONS: We found significant results confirming an association between cigarette smoking and lower BMI in women and men, whereas heavy smoking as well as smoking cessation were significantly correlated with higher relative weight. Health intervention programmes to quit smoking should take into account the underlying perceived benefits of smoking with regard to weight, especially its gender specificity.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

[Risk of osteoporosis in women in 4 different occupational groups].

Primary osteoporosis is common, with significant sociomedical consequences. This paper studies the prevalence of risk factors and risk behavior for osteoporosis in women of four different occupational groups: housewives, blue collar workers, white collar workers/civil servants and farmers. We analyzed risk factors and risk behavior associated with osteoporosis in the scientific literature. The sample comprises 9,939 women. The data set is based on a health survey conducted in 79 selected rural communities of Styria (Austria) between 1989 and 1993. Sociodemographic data, lifestyle, health complaints, chronic conditions and utilization of preventive and treatment services were surveyed by means of standardized personal interviews. The results show that the women of the four occupational groups were subjected to very different stresses. White collar workers/civil servants had the lowest risk with regard to osteoporosis. Our results suggest that efficient intervention programs to prevent osteoporosis need to specifically focus on the different social life styles of women.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

[The "healthy community" project--morbidity, risk factors, health behavior and psychiatric symptoms in Steiermark].

27,344 persons in Styria participated in a study of the "Steirische Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsschutz" in Graz, within the framework of the project "Healthy communities" and were asked about diseases and health attitudes. All analyses were made separately for men and women and were adjusted for age and education. The goal of this study was a regional comparison of chronic diseases, risk factors, health consciousness and psychiatric complaints. Thus it should be possible to define the problematic regions with regard to health, in order to take the necessary political action to improve the situation. Men and women show a relative lack of health consciousness in the Weinbauregion and East Styria. Psychiatric complaints of women are more frequent in the Weinbauregion than the other areas. It appears that the healthier people live in the regions Mur/Mürztal and the Ennstal. Women have less risk factors than men, but have more psychiatric complaints. Men live less healthy lives in relation to their nutrition, risk avoidance and dental hygiene, except with respect to sports. Of the interviewed people from the surroundings of Graz 63% suffer from chronic disease, whilst in the Mur/Mürz- and Ennstal the respective figure is 56%. In the wine growing regions 54% of men drink alcohol daily, whereas in the Mur/Mürz- and Ennstal 42% of men drink alcohol daily. In the wine-growing regions 35% of the women and 50% of the men are overweight; in the Ennstal only 28% of the women are overweight but 45% of the men. Regular sports activities are undertaken by 35% of the women and 38% of the men in the Ennstal, as compared with 22% of the women and 27% of the men in East Styria. Insomnia was recorded in 29% of the women in East Styria, but in only 22% of the women in the Mur/Mürztal.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

[Work and life style of homeopathic physicians in Austria. A descriptive study].

This study is based on a survey involving 117 physicians in Austria, working in private practice and under the National Health Plan on a homeopathic basis. The questionnaire covered such topics as socio-demographic data, individual methods of working, office organization, application of alternative therapies, health awareness, and perception of the general acceptance of homeopathy. The results showed that considerably more time is taken for treating patients homeopathically than for patients treated traditionally under the National Health Plan. More than half the physicians use homeopathic remedies exclusively, whereas homeopathic combination remedies were rarely administered. Neural therapy, microbiological therapy (bacterial immunostimulation) and phytotherapy are those alternative therapies most frequently used in addition. A spiritual approach seems to be a significant component of the working methods of these doctors. Their working method is generally traditional: exact medical history and physical examination are ranked high, whereas biochemical data are regarded to be less important for diagnosis.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Factors influencing transcutaneous oxygen and carbon dioxide measurements in adult intensive care patients.

Transcutaneous PO2 (PtcO2) is suggested to reflect tissue oxygenation in intensive care patients, whereas transcutaneous PCO2 (PtcCO2) is advocated as a noninvasive method for assessing PaCO2. In 24 critically ill adult patients (mean Apache II score 14.2, SD 4.7) we investigated the impact of variables that are commonly thought to determine PtcO2 and PtcCO2 measurements. A linear correlation was found between PtcO2 and PaO2 (r = 0.6; p less than or equal to 0.0001) and between PtcO2 and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP; r = 0.42; p less than or equal to 0.003). Cardiac index (CI) correlated with tc-index (PtcO2/PaO2; r = 0.31; p less than or equal to 0.03). There was no relationship between PtcO2 and hemoglobin concentration (Hb) and the position of the oxygen dissociation curve (ODC). Stepwise multiple regression analysis demonstrated a significant influence of PaO2 and MAP on PtcO2. The contribution of CI, Hb and the ODC was not significant. Only 40% of the variability of a single PtcO2 measurement could be explained by PaO2 and MAP. A significant linear correlation was demonstrated between PtcCO2 and PaCO2 (r = 0.76; p less than or equal to 0.0001) but not between PtcCO2 and CI, MAP and arterial base excess (BEa). Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed an influence of PaCO2 and of CI on PtcCO2; 66% of the variability of a single PtcCO2-value could be explained by PaCO2 and CI. Our data demonstrate that transcutaneous derived gas tensions result from complex interaction between hemodynamic, respiratory and local factors, which can hardly be defined in ICU-patients.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Employment status and its health-related effects in rural Styria, Austria.

BACKGROUND: Unemployment has become a serious social problem in industrialized countries. Job loss produces health-related disorders. Health-related data of the unemployed are scarce and prompted us to survey this group. METHODS: A database of a health survey conducted between 1989 and 1993 in 79 selected rural communities of Styria (Austria) was used to analyze risk factors and employment status. The sample consisted of 8,747 individuals, 345 unemployed and 8,402 employed. RESULTS: Risk behavior is higher among unemployed individuals than among those employed, particularly for males. Unemployed males were significantly less motivated to reduce weight and to change dietary habits than their counterparts, and they had significantly more anxieties, sleeping disorders, and lack of appetite. A similar pattern was found with regard to gastrointestinal and chronic liver and respiratory diseases. In addition, the unemployed utilized medical services more often. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study on health-related indicators and unemployment status in Austria. Job loss implies health-related disorders. The effectiveness of reducing the morbidity of the population in general is also dependent on intervention programs focusing on the specific needs of this high-risk group, e.g., adapting primary health care to its needs and fostering social support networks.

Adult↗