Proceedings of a conference on media and youth. November 15-16, 1999.
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Adolescent↗
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Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.
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Psychometric testing of the depressive cognition scale in women with type 2 diabetes.
Depression is prevalent in young and middle-aged diabetic women. Although cognitive depressive symptoms precede the development of depression, there is no screening instrument to measure these symptoms in diabetic patients. This study tested the psychometric properties of the Depressive Cognition Scale (DCS) in a convenience sample of 83 women with Type 2 diabetes. Alpha coefficient for the 8-item scale was .85, and the average inter-item correlation coefficient was .42. Construct validity was supported by correlations in the expected directions between the DCS and measures of learned resourcefulness, depressive symptoms, and health practices. Factor analysis presented a single dimension of 8 items. These findings suggest that the DSC will be useful in identifying patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes who are at risk for the development of clinical depression.
Adult↗
Consumerism: its impact on the health of adolescents.
Marketplace practices are integral to the larger economic and social context of adolescent health risk behaviors. To corporations and marketers, adolescents represent a gold mine of current and future profits. Adolescent incomes increased by almost a third in the 1990s. The annual spending of the U.S. adolescent population is estimated now to have reached 155 billion US dollars. The sheer size of the adolescent population and its spending power are of keen interest to corporations and marketers. This chapter presents a brief history of youth-targeted marketing and examines the major avenues in the media and inside schools that marketers and corporations use today to reach adolescents with their messages and products. It outlines the impact of consumerism and marketing on adolescent health using five case examples: tobacco, alcohol, cosmetic surgery, laxatives, and diet pills. It then concludes with a discussion of resistance efforts, led by health advocates, policy makers, parents, and youth themselves to restrict sales of harmful products to youth and curtail advertisers' access to adolescents in schools. A critical role for adolescent health researchers and advocates is to contribute a public health perspective into ongoing debates over regulating business practices that negatively affect the health of young people.
Adolescent↗
Long-life physical property preservation and postendodontic rehabilitation with the Composipost.
Most coronal radicular reconstructions are made of cast inlay core metals or prefabricated posts covered in composite. The differences in the mechanical properties of these elements create a heterogeneous mass with inconsistent mechanical behavior. Studies using the Finite Element Method have shown the biomechanical disturbances caused by the inclusion of materials with a modulus of elasticity that is superior to that of dentine (i.e., nickel, chrome, zircon, etc). The use of materials with a modulus of elasticity close to that of dentine does not disturb the flow of stress inside the root. To our knowledge, only a composite material structured with programmable mechanical properties would be capable of producing both high mechanical performance and a modulus of elasticity adapted to dentine values. The C-POST, made of carbon epoxy, accommodates the demands of the dentine, as well as the in vitro stress linked to the prosthesis. The internal structure, consisting of long high-performance carbon fibers, unidirectionally and equally stretched, confers a totally original behavior that is adapted to clinical objectives. In addition, the C-POST has a fracture resistance superior to most metals.
Biomechanical Phenomena↗
Controversy erupts in Brazil over penis nicknames.
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Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
Hypertension among Hispanic elders of a Caribbean origin in Massachusetts.
OBJECTIVES: We determined the prevalence and associated risk factors of hypertension in Hispanic elders, ages 60-92 years, living in Massachusetts. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: State of Massachusetts. SUBJECTS: A representative sample of 597 Hispanics of Caribbean origin (77% Puerto Ricans and 23% Dominicans) and 243 non-Hispanic Whites from the same neighborhoods. MEASURES: Blood pressure, income, health behaviors, chronic conditions, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference. RESULTS: Hypertension was prevalent in all groups: 66% for Puerto Rican and 73% Dominican men, 69% for non-Hispanic White men; and 75%, 76%, and 74% for women in these groups, respectively. Twenty-one percent of Puerto Rican and 15% of Dominican women had systolic hypertension, compared to 9% for non-Hispanic White women (P < .01 anti P < .05, respectively). The prevalence of systolic hypertension was 14% and 21% for Puerto Rican and Dominican men, compared to 13% for non-Hispanic White men (not significant). Puerto Rican women with hypertension were less likely to have their blood pressure under control than were non-Hispanic While women. Puerto Rican and Dominican elders remained more than 2.6 times more likely to have systolic hypertension than non-Hispanic White elders after adjusting potential confounders. CONCLUSION: Hypertension is prevalent in this population and systolic hypertension is more prevalent among Hispanic vs non-Hispanic White elders. Investigation of genetic or other factors associated with this apparent excess risk of systolic hypertension among elderly Hispanics, particularly among women, is warranted.
Aged↗
Recruitment of African-American pre-adolescent girls into an obesity prevention trial: the GEMS pilot studies.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this report is to describe the methods used to recruit 8- to 10-year-old African-American girls into four 12-week randomized controlled pilot studies on obesity prevention. DESIGN: The Girls health Enrichment Multi-site Study (GEMS) involved 4 field centers which independently developed and tested interventions designed to prevent excess weight gain in African-American girls. Each field center developed its own recruitment plan, but used a standardized recruitment reporting form. The goal was to recruit 40-60 girls, depending on the center. MEASURES: Recruitment yields were computed at each site. Socio-demographic data and weight status were collected for 210 African-American girls who were randomized into the study, as well as for their parents/caregivers. Data were collected on the sources from which participants heard about the study, and the reasons for their interest in the project. RESULTS: The 4 field centers used multiple, but different, recruitment strategies. The most commonly used approaches were mailings, flyers, radio announcements, and group presentations. Caregivers were most likely to hear about the program from the radio (29%), a flyer from the school (23%), or from their child (18%). Among caregivers, the most common reasons for participating were: interest in health (56%), interest in diet/health (51%), and believing the program would be fun for their child (46%). The most frequent reason given by girls was that the program sounded like fun (70%). Three of the 4 field centers met their recruitment target goals. CONCLUSIONS: The GEMS experience demonstrates the feasibility of recruiting and enrolling African-American girls in short-term intervention studies of behavior change. The multiple recruitment strategies, which included developing trusting relationships in the respective communities, were considered critical to the success of recruitment.
Advertising↗
A comparison of self-reported colorectal cancer screening with medical records.
The purpose of this study was to compare self-reports of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening by fecal occult blood test (FOBT), sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy with medical records in a multiprovider health care setting. Relatives of CRC patients residing in Ontario, Canada completed a questionnaire indicating whether or not they had ever had any CRC screening tests. Medical records from physician's offices and hospitals were compared with the self reports, and where possible, reasons were obtained for nonmatching reports. Medical records for colonoscopies were readily available from various sources, and self-reports of this procedure were very accurate (kappa statistic for agreement beyond chance = 0.87). For sigmoidoscopy and FOBT, the agreement was poorer (kappa = 0.29 and 0.32, respectively); however, there were difficulties in obtaining records for these two procedures. Sigmoidoscopy procedures that took place many years ago were difficult to document, and physician's offices were unable to provide FOBT reports in many cases. Self-reports of colonoscopy were very accurate in this population, whereas self-reports of sigmoidoscopy and FOBT are somewhat less accurate, although this is likely due to challenges in obtaining a confirmatory record rather than an overreporting of tests. In a multiprovider publicly insured health care setting such as Canada, using self-reported information is likely to provide sufficiently accurate information for colonoscopy, but for other CRC screening tests, there may be difficulty in obtaining true estimates of the frequencies of these procedures.
Colonoscopy↗
In vitro identification of metabolites of verapamil in rat liver microsomes.
AIM: To investigate the metabolism of verapamil at low concentrations in rat liver microsomes. METHODS: Liver microsomes of Wistar rats were prepared using ultracentrifuge method. The in vitro metabolism of verapamil was studied with the rat liver microsomal incubation at concentration of 1.0 micromol/L and 5.0 micromol/L. The metabolites were separated and assayed by liquid chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry (LC/MSn), and further identified by comparison of their mass spectra and chromatographic behaviors with reference substances. RESULTS: Eight metabolites, including two novel metabolites (M4 and M8), were found in rat liver microsomal incubates. They were identified as O-demethyl-verapamil isomers (M1-M4), N-dealkylated derivatives of verapamil (M5-M7), and N,O-didemethyl-verapamil (M8). CONCLUSION: O-Demethylation and N-dealkylation were the main metabolic pathways of verapamil at low concentrations in rat liver microsomes, and the relative proportion of them in verapamil metabolism changed with different substrate concentrations.
Animals↗
Update: HIV prevention: a medical perspective for persons living with HIV.
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HIV Infections↗
Tobacco use amongst high school students in the Czech Republic.
OBJECTIVE: We were interested in the prevalence of smoking amongst teen-age students, its possible causes, and their understanding of its associated health risks. METHODS: We constructed a questionnaire that was responded to by a total of 419 students from 5 high schools in Prague, Czech Republic. Students were classified as non-smokers, mild (1-10 cigarettes daily), moderate (11-20 cigarettes daily), and severe smokers (>20 cigarettes daily). The survey also contained questions about passive smoking, motivation for smoking, the understanding of its associated health risks, alcohol consumption, and drugs. RESULTS: We found that amongst 16-20 years old high school students there are 37.5% smokers (38.0% men, and 37.0% women). The majority are mild smokers (82.3%), 15.8% moderate smokers and 1.9% heavy smokers. 29.0% of non-smokers reported passive smoking; i.e. that 65.7% of students are exposed to harmful effect of tobacco smoke. The average onset of smoking is at 14 years of age. The youngest smoker started smoking at the age of 5 years. Parents of 52.0% of students smoke (69.4% of smokers and 41.6% of non-smokers). Most of students know about the risk of lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases (86-99%). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of active and passive smoking among high school students is high. Parents smoking is significantly more frequent in teen-age smokers than in non-smokers. We consider the "teen-age" population together with their parents to be the key target for a successful antismoking campaign.
Adolescent↗
Protein kinases from Aspergillus nidulans that phosphorylate the carboxyl-terminal domain of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II.
Three serine kinases which phosphorylate the CTD of RNA polymerase II have been identified in Aspergillus nidulans. The kinases (KI, KII, KIII) were identified using a synthetic peptide containing four copies of the CTD consensus heptamer repeat, and differ in chromatographic behavior, and apparent molecular mass (KI approximately 60kDa; KII approximately 82kDa; KIII approximately 43 kDa). KIII utilized, in addition to peptide, histone H1 as substrate, whereas casein was not phosphorylated by any of the three kinases. The kinases appear to be unrelated to the p34cdc2 kinase, as judged by Western blot analysis and the position of serine phosphorylation of the synthetic CTD peptide. KI was highly purified and renaturation experiments have shown that it consists of a single polypeptide of 57 kDa. KI also phosphorylated RNA polymerase II associated in a preinitiation complex.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
[Prevention of osteoporosis in childhood and adolescence].
Osteoporosis prevention starts in childhood and adolescence. These periods are important to achieve adult peak bone mass and establish health behaviors. Health behaviors influence the development of osteoporosis later in life, so we should aim osteoporosis prevention efforts toward children and adolescents by encouraging habits that promote bone growth and development.
Adolescent↗
Advocating nursing. Interview by Fiona Armstrong.
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Australia↗
The epidemiology of self-reported fibromyalgia in Canada.
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a poorly understood condition characterized by chronic diffuse musculoskeletal pain. This study describes the self-reported epidemiology of FM in Canada using data collected from the Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 1.1 (2000). FM prevalence rates with corresponding 95 percent confidence intervals were calculated. The Canadian prevalence rate was 1.1 percent with a female-to-male ratio of six to one. In women, rates increased with age up to 65 years, declining thereafter. Data collected on-age-at- diagnosis is presented and demonstrates a surprising number of newly diagnosed FM cases among people in their 20s and 30s, signifying that FM is a problem for people of all ages. The association with FM and a number of sub-populations was also investigated. With respect to geography and environment, the FM prevalence rate in women was shown to be approximately two percent in all Canadian regions except Quebec, where it was 1.1 percent. Further analysis by language suggested that geographical and cultural differences might best explain this observation. Finally, an association with a number of behavioral and socioeconomic determinants of health, including weight, is presented.
Adult↗
[Knowledge and use of Pap-smear among HIV-positive women].
AIM: HIV-positive women are at increased risk for preneoplastic lesions and invasive cervical cancer (ICC). The occurrence of these lesions can be substantially reduced by appropriate cervico-vaginal screening protocols (i.e., Pap-test). The aim of study was to assess: 1) awareness of Pap-smear and 2) the association between awareness of Pap-smear and screening attitudes of HIV-positive women. METHODS: Three-hundred and ninety HIV-positive women who attended the HIV outpatient gynecological unit of the National Institute for Infectious Diseases, Rome, from January 2003 to April 2005 were included in this investigation. These 390 women were interviewed to assess whether they were aware that Pap-test was a preventive tool against cervical cancer. In addition, past history of Pap-test, socioeconomic condition, history of HIV infection, and sexual habits were investigated. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to assess the association between knowledge of Pap-test and covariates. RESULTS: Of these 390 HIV-positive women, 54.6% were not aware that Pap-test could prevent ICC. Women with a low educational level (OR = 6.6) or women who originated from Africa (OR = 6.5) were more likely to be unaware of Pap-test. Lack of Pap-test awareness was strongly associated with negative history for lifetime Pap-test (OR = 4.7). CONCLUSIONS: We showed that a large proportion of HIV-infected women are not aware that ICC could be prevented through Pap-test screening, and that lack of Pap-test screening is strongly associated with lack of awareness. The need for Pap-test counseling targeted to HIV-infected women clearly emerges from our findings.
Adult↗
Understanding the uptake of cervical cancer screening: the contribution of the health belief model.
The health belief model, explaining health and illness behaviour, is 25 years old. Criticisms of the model have included its abstract nature and its emphasis on the rationality of patients' behaviour. Its lack of predictive power means it provides a useful framework rather than a true model. The health belief model is used here to review the literature that has advanced our understanding of the factors affecting uptake of cervical screening. The influence of age and social class on perceptions of vulnerability, and the costs and benefits of screening are highlighted. The body of work reviewed has helped expose inherent limitations of screening programmes. The main obstacles to the success of cervical screening are organizational, for example, the inaccuracy of address registers. Numerous ways of encouraging uptake are identified. These include appropriately worded invitations and educational material, personalized approaches from members of the primary health care team and flexible surgery hours. The incentives introduced under the 1990 general practitioner contract are likely to help increase uptake.
Age Factors↗