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PubMedDate not supplied

CIN 2/3 and cervical cancer after an ASCUS pap smear. A 7-year, prospective study of the Norwegian population-based, coordinated screening program.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the risk of being diagnosed with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2/3 or invasive cervical cancer (ICC) based on diagnostic and screening procedures performed after a diagnosis of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) and to compare this risk to that in women with a normal Pap smears. STUDY DESIGN: A 7-year, prospective, cohort study was performed in the Norwegian population-based, coordinated screening program. After excluding women in the midst of follow-up of an abnormal Pap smear or with a history of CIN 2/3 or ICC, the study population consisted of women 25-69 years of age with a normal (n = 526,661) or ASCUS Pap smear (n = 10,037) in 1995-1996. Risk estimates were calculated by logistic and parametric survival regression. RESULTS: Within 7 years of an ASCUS smear, 1,017 women (10.1%) were diagnosed with CIN 2/3 and 62 (0.62%) with ICC. Women with an ASCUS index Pap smear had a relative risk of 15-30 of being diagnosed with histologically verified CIN 2/3 or ICC within the first 2 years of follow-up as compared to women with a normal index smear. In long-term follow-up, women with an ASCUS index smear followed by a normal smear, which cancelled further clinical follow-up, were at > 3.5 times higher risk of both CIN 2/3 and invasive cancer as compared to women with a normal index smear. CONCLUSION: Pap smear follow-up of women with an ASCUS smear does not identify all women at higher risk of CIN 2/3 and ICC. Other diagnostic procedures should be implemented to improve the screening program.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

The impact of a large-scale population-based asthma management program on pediatric asthma patients and their caregivers.

BACKGROUND: The consequences of pediatric asthma include missed school attendance, limitations in physical activity, and increased health care utilization and costs. Caregivers of asthmatic children are affected through missed work days and decreased job productivity. In response to these issues, a disease management program encompassing asthmatic children and their caregivers was developed as part of the core services offered to members of a large, national health care plan. OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of the asthma management program on pediatric asthma patients and their caregivers over a 12-month period. METHODS: In this longitudinal study, 401 randomly selected member households with asthmatic children from 17 regional markets completed surveys before and after 12 months of participation in the asthma management program. Program interventions, which were tailored according to risk and need status, included various staggered educational mailings, reminder aids, videos, a peak expiratory flow rate meter, and telephonic case management. The Asthma Quality Assessment System survey, a battery of self-reported quality indicators, was used to solicit information from parents or caregivers of asthmatic children on issues pertaining to quality of life, asthma management skills and knowledge, and lost work/school days related to asthma. RESULTS: Statistically significant postprogram outcomes were observed in various domains, including a reduction in adverse utilization, symptomatology, and restricted activity days for children and lost work days for adult caretakers. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that a large-scale population-based intervention program can produce measurable clinical and economic benefits, thereby lessening the burden of asthma on the family unit.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1986

Effect of population screening for cancer of the uterine cervix in Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Since the introduction of a population screening program for cervical cancer in 1976, more than 85% of the female population between the ages of 35 and 54 years in the region of the city of Nijmegen, The Netherlands, has been screened. At first screening, severe epithelial abnormalities were diagnosed in 4.4 per 1,000 women, at second screening, in 1.5 per 1,000; and at third screening, in 1.0 per 1,000. The population screening program led to a marked increase in the detected number of carcinomata in situ. The number of cases of squamous cell cancer diagnosed in the first screening period did not increase. Once the population was screened, the detection rate of invasive squamous cell cancer in the group of women ages 35 through 54 decreased from 18.6 per 10(5) during the period prior to the screening to 9.0 per 10(5) after the first screening and 3.3 per 10(5) after the second screening. For the women above age 54, the incidence of invasive cancer was reduced by 58% after the second screening. The number of invasive cancers diagnosed in women under age 35 remained relatively small in spite of the large number of cases of carcinoma in situ.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Effectiveness of rehabilitation programs on a remainder population: a retrospective analysis.

Retrospective analyses were conducted on a remainder population of 361 individuals with mental retardation at a rehabilitation institute. Program effectiveness was determined by means of aggregate and individual changes in performance on several instruments. Psychometric tests showed no significant increases in test scores whereas gains were found on all adaptive functioning instruments. Programs dealing with daily living and more conceptual material appeared to be more effective than vocational programs. One third of the remainder clients gained from the institute's programs.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1995

Cairo: repackaging population control.

Aid agencies, charities, and other nongovernmental organizations once denounced population control programs as racist interference in the third world. Yet, at the United Nations Conference on Population and Development in Cairo last September, these same organizations endorsed very similar ideas. The U.N. can now claim that even its fiercest critics not only have muted their criticism of population control programs but now positively endorse them. Over the last 30 years, population control has been consciously repackaged by the U.S. establishment. The image of population control has changed from being overtly anti-third world to being about giving the people of the third world--especially women--basic rights in family planning. Wrapped up in the language of women's empowerment and environmentalism, the establishment's old arguments about there being too many nonwhite babies in the world, have, unfortunately, won the day.

Developing Countries↗
PubMed1985

Effects of biofeedback-assisted attention training in a college population.

A program of stress management employing open-focus attention-training workshops was developed at Baruch College to bring the benefits of stress reduction to students. The purpose of the research reported here was to evaluate the results of the open-focus attention-training technique. Open-focus technique without biofeedback training was used for two semesters. Biofeedback training was incorporated in the third semester. In the first study, changes in grade point average (GPA), stress-related symptoms, and physiological measures were examined. The experimental subjects' stress data for this study was reported previously (Valdés, 1985). In the second study, changes in the same variables for experimental and control subjects were evaluated. Students in the control group showed decreased GPA, while those who participated in open-focus training showed a trend toward improved GPA. Stress-related symptoms associated with anxiety and management of emotional problems showed significant posttraining improvement, as did physiological measures in all of the biofeedback modalities in which the experimental subjects were specifically trained. The results support the hypothesis that the workshops were successful in reducing stress levels, and suggest that further controlled research be conducted to verify these findings, and to identify the most effective components of the training procedure.

Achievement↗
PubMed2006

The T393C polymorphism of the GNAS1 gene is associated with deficit schizophrenia in an Italian population sample.

Programmed cell death and alterations in intracellular G-protein signaling may be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The Galphas subunit of heterotrimeric G-proteins, encoded by the gene GNAS1, may play a role in both of these processes. Additionally, transgenic mice expressing a constitutively active form of Galphas provide a reliable model of certain endophenotypes of schizophrenia. To investigate whether the functional single nucleotide polymorphism T393C in GNAS1 gene could affect risk of schizophrenia, we examined its distribution in Italian subjects with (n=383) and without (n=400) schizophrenia. We also evaluated whether a specific association could exist between the deficit (n=108) and nondeficit (n=275) forms of the disorder. The alleles and genotypes frequency in the entire cohort of schizophrenic patients did not differ from that of controls. However, the frequency of the homozygous 393TT genotype was significantly higher in deficit schizophrenic patients (37.1%) compared to both nondeficit schizophrenic (22.5%, p=0.011) and controls (22.8%, p=0.015). This association with deficit schizophrenia persisted even after allowance for potential confounders [adjusted odds ratio (OR) for deficit schizophrenia: 2.06 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.21-3.47), p=0.007]. Altogether, our data suggest that the GNAS1 T393C status could influence susceptibility for deficit schizophrenia in Italian subjects.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

A comprehensive approach to dental health in a school population.

A program to provide school children with dental health education and preventive services was initiated by the Boston University School of Graduate Dentistry. This program utilized several generally untapped resources. The emphasis was on classroom education using teachers who were motivated by special workshops as well as students of dental auxiliary training programs. These dental auxiliary students under the supervision of a dental health educator were used to educate the classroom teachers as well as to teach children in the classroom. Direct dental services were also provided in the program in the form of preventive services utilizing an unused dental chair available at a school.

Boston↗
PubMed1992

[An increase in the knowledgeability of the population on the problem of arterial hypertension as a result of conducting a secondary prevention program in a nonorganized rural population].

The paper is concerned with evaluating the efficacy of sanitary and health measures carried out within the framework of the program of secondary prophylaxis of arterial hypertension (AH) in an open rural population in terms of changes in the information of the community about hypertension. The program included regular radio transmissions, talks and lectures pertaining to the problems of essential hypertension prevention and treatment. During 4 years, the information of the respondents about hypertensive action of table salt increased 4-fold (from 8 to 32.3%), especially among persons suffering from AH. The number of persons who referred to overweight as one of AH causes rose 6-fold (from 2.6 to 18.1%). The information did not depend on the sex, age, or the presence of hypertensive factors in the examinees. Alterations were recorded in the attitude of the examinees to AH and its treatment: the portion of those who took hypotensive drugs increased more than 2-fold (from 10.9 to 23.4%) whereas the percentage of subjects treated successfully from 6.8 to 10.1%. The data obtained attest to a high enough efficacy of sanitary and health measures in relation to AH in the rural population.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Nepal. Teacher educators trained.

As part of its teacher training program series on population education, the Population Education Unit of the Tribhuvan University organized a one-week training course on population education from 5-11 July 1994. Attended by 20 teacher educators who are involved in teaching population education in their respective campuses, the training provided opportunities for upgrading the participants' knowledge, and changing their attitudes and behavior with regard to population concepts. It also developed their skills in more effective methodologies for teaching population education in their campuses. The Faculty of Education, through its Population Education Unit, has been introducing population education in its teacher training program under the UNFPA-funded country program. This is done through incorporating population education contents into different subject areas such as health education, geography and economics in the curriculum of Proficiency Certificate Level, Bachelor Level and Master Degree. In addition, it has been offering population education as major subject at the Proficiency Certificate Level in Mahendra Ratna Campus. Thirteen resource persons from Tribhuvan University, Curriculum Development Center of the University and UNFPA Field Office and Country Support Team, Kathmandu, provided lectures on the following topics: population education in Asia and the Pacific, population situation in Nepal, demography and population dynamics, population theories, curriculum development in population education, teaching methods, human sexuality, STDs and AIDS, population education program, research, and population policy.

Asia↗
PubMed2002

Diabetes disease management program for an indigent population empowered by telemedicine technology.

Mercy Health Center in Laredo, Texas implemented a Telemedicine Diabetes Disease Management Program to determine the impact of a web-based patient interface technology as part of a diabetes disease management program. The program featured the use of the Health Hero iCare Desktop and the Health Buddy appliance. The Mercy Health Center outcomes study aimed to assess the effect of telemedicine technology on the health of indigent border residents with diabetes. The study was conducted in calendar year 2000-2001 using comparative cohort data from calendar year 1999. Using the technology, patients were monitored daily at home, and to ensure early intervention, nurses were alerted if patients reported abnormalities. The goals of the program were to decrease hospital-based resource utilization, improve patient compliance with treatment plans, improve the level of patient satisfaction with healthcare services, and improve patients' perceived quality of life. Objective outcomes, including inpatient admissions, emergency room visits, postdischarge care visits, and outpatient visits, as well as charges for healthcare services, were all measured on a per patient per year basis. Subjective outcomes, including quality of life and patient satisfaction, were estimated from surveys conducted before, quarterly for two quarters within the program, and at the end of the study period. For each measure except for quality of life, comparisons were made between the year just prior to and the year of Health Buddy utilization. Quality of life was compared for the year just prior to Health Buddy utilization and at the end of the second quarter. After 1 year, reductions in overall utilization and charges, as well as improvements in quality of life, were demonstrated. Patients in the program showed reduced overall charges of 747 dollars per patient per year. Inpatient admissions were reduced 32% (p < 0.07), emergency room encounters were reduced 34% (p < 0.06), postdischarge care visits were reduced 44% (p < 0.28), and outpatient visits were reduced 49% (p < 0.001). Quality of life was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study 12-item Short Form health survey. The mean improvement in the mental component after 6 months in the program was 2.8, from 45.1 preprogram to 47.9 within the program (p < 0.0264). The mean improvement in the physical component after 6 months in the program was 2.1, from 41.7 preprogram to 43.8 within the program (p < 0.0518). The reductions in utilization and improvement in quality of life can likely be attributed to the patient's enhanced self-management behaviors and the nurse's ability to intervene in a timely manner when warranted. Without technology and daily remote monitoring, standard patient care is based on episodic encounters between patients and their care providers, which does not allow for prevention, education, or early intervention. This program bridged the gap between office visits for the patients. The early intervention ultimately reduced the cost of care.

Diabetes Mellitus↗
PubMed1997

Probabilistic incremental program evolution

Probabilistic incremental program evolution (PIPE) is a novel technique for automatic program synthesis. We combine probability vector coding of program instructions, population-based incremental learning, and tree-coded programs like those used in some variants of genetic programming (GP). PIPE iteratively generates successive populations of functional programs according to an adaptive probability distribution over all possible programs. Each iteration, it uses the best program to refine the distribution. Thus, it stochastically generates better and better programs. Since distribution refinements depend only on the best program of the current population, PIPE can evaluate program populations efficiently when the goal is to discover a program with minimal runtime. We compare PIPE to GP on a function regression problem and the 6-bit parity problem. We also use PIPE to solve tasks in partially observable mazes, where the best programs have minimal runtime.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The contribution of social science research to population policy and family planning program effectiveness.

Social science research has made important contributions to population policy and to the effectiveness of family planning programs. Social science concepts, theories, and methods potentially are relevant to all aspects of reproductive behavior, including actual fertility, proximate variables, and desired family size. Social science research also contributes to the understanding of the social, economic, and political institutions that potentially affect, either directly or indirectly, the whole biosocial reproductive system and family planning programs. At least as important as its specific theories and findings is the role of social science in testing how to adapt such knowledge to distinctive national and local cultural circumstances of family planning programs. A central point is that carefully monitored pilot projects are desirable before launching full-scale national programs, as well as being continuing resources for program development. The research on early programs in Asia has been important, because those programs encountered and overcame some of the presumed obstacles to new programs.

Asia↗
PubMed1983

Antacid use in an ambulatory elderly population. A report from Dunedin Program.

Antacid use was studied in a population of 3192 elderly ambulatory subjects. Antacids were used by 18.6% of women and 12.9% of men. Three common antacid products accounted for 63.8% of all antacids used by these subjects. Serum phosphorus concentrations of participants using aluminum antacids were significantly lower than in a nonantacid user control group (P less than 0.02). Total protein and serum calcium concentrations of subjects using aluminum and magnesium combination antacid products were significantly lower than the control group (P less than 0.001 and P less than 0.04). Men using calcium carbonate antacids reported diarrhea significantly more frequently than control subjects.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1998

Influence of diagnostic and treatment factors in the population pharmacokinetics of gentamicin.

Using the NONMEM program, the population kinetics of gentamicin were retrospectively studied in a series of 51 patients with different pathologies undergoing treatment (single or three daily doses) with gentamicin whose serum gentamicin levels were being monitored. Renal function, the type of treatment and cancer proved to be the covariates which affected drug clearance, while patient weight was found to govern the distribution volume. The distribution coefficient of gentamicin in the patients was 0.37 litres/kg, justifying gentamicin doses higher than those used conventionally. The optimized population model allowed us to simulate drug serum levels at 8 and 12h, as well as the area under the curve of gentamicin and its variability in patients with high distribution volumes when dosage regimens based on a single daily dose administration are implemented.

Abscess↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Community demonstration project initiative: technical support for program development at the community level.

Select population groups are at greater than average risk for cancer incidence and mortality. Lack of experience reaching high-risk populations, particularly those characterized by high proportions of the socioeconomically disadvantaged, presented a challenge to the American Cancer Society (ACS). A partial solution was to integrate outreach to high-risk populations into ACS national priorities and to fund community demonstration projects consistent with these priorities. Technical assistance (TA), which includes expert advice and problem solving, was provided during the first phase to facilitate the development of these projects into "model" projects to learn what initiatives can best be disseminated, or diffused, into target populations. TA also was used to assess how it can enhance the potential for replication. Evaluation of this initiative resulted in a plan to disseminate model projects to selected ACS divisions with varied resources and capabilities (e.g., outreach to high-risk populations, planning, program development, and evaluation) for replication. During the next phase, projects will be evaluated to document the role of TA in facilitating local empowerment and nationwide diffusion of effective cancer prevention and control programs.

Community Health Services↗