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Results for “Social Class--statistics”

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At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

Information processing in very-low-birth-weight children with and without attention deficit disorder.

Very-low-birth-weight children (16 with and 45 without attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) were matched to term-born controls (27 with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and 30 without) according to age, intelligence, and social class of their parents. The children were screened for motor, visual, and mental disabilities. The general aim of the study was to evaluate information processing stages using the additive factor method of Sternberg. The tasks consisted of computerized visual-motor letter recognition and arrow detection tasks. The tasks elicited similar prolongations of response times, increases in standard deviation of the response times, and increased error rates in the four groups. We conclude that very-low-birth-weight and control children do not differ in their information processing stages.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1982

Prevalence of urinary stone disease in vegetarians.

A study was carried out to determine the effect of a low animal protein diet, such as taken by vegetarians, on the risk of urinary stone disease. A nation-wide survey of vegetarians in the UK showed that the prevalence of urinary stone formation is 40-60% of that predicted for a group of individuals taken from the general population and matched for age, sex and social class with the vegetarians. The findings support the hypothesis that a diet low in animal protein reduces the risk of urinary stone formation.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Oral function and diet quality in a community-based sample.

Overall diet quality indices, such as the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), are preferred for epidemiological studies, yet studies in dentistry have focused on isolated dietary components. This study investigated the influence of socio-demographic and masticatory variables (masticatory performance, bite force, number of posterior functional tooth units, TMJ disorder, and dentition status) on overall diet quality in a community-based sample (n = 731). Cross-sectional data were derived from clinical examinations, bite force recordings, masticatory performance measurements, and two 24-hour dietary recalls. Females, European-Americans, and older subjects had better HEI scores than males, Mexican-Americans, and younger subjects, respectively. Income, education, and the masticatory variables were not related to diet quality. Analyses according to dentition status (good dentition, compromised dentition, partial denture, and complete dentures) showed no inter-group differences for HEI except for the age groups. The results suggest that the chewing-related factors evaluated in this sample are not predictors of overall diet quality across the socio-demographic groups.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Are our babies becoming bigger?

I have tried to show, using a contemporary international data set, the overall consistency in shape of curves of national birthweight distributions which reflect the biological and social characteristics of the population from which they are derived, and the effects of changes in these characteristics. For several countries, including the United States and England and Wales, the trends in recent years have been such as to shift the main distribution upwards, so that the median weight has increased. Also shown has been the close and specific relationship within each population group between infant mortality and birthweight, with sharp falls of mortality with increasing birthweight. It has been shown elsewhere that similar patterns are seen with short- and long-term morbidity, thus underlining the importance to be attached to increasing birthweight particularly in underprivileged groups. In the short term this can be done by reducing the frequency of parental smoking, where this is a problem, and in the longer term by improving maternal health and nutrition. The shift towards higher birthweights if it persists, should make an important contribution towards the improvement of the public health of the next generation.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Relationships between health behavior, knowledge, and beliefs among Swedish blue-collar workers.

The main objective of this study was to assess the health behavior, risk awareness and beliefs concerning the importance of positive health practices among blue-collar workers, and to examine the relationships between behavior, knowledge and beliefs. Data were gathered from 1359 workers aged 18-65 years using a postal questionnaire to 2493 randomly selected members of two labor unions. A high prevalence of negative health practices was noted among the respondents. While no relationship was found between health behaviors and awareness of risks associated with such behaviors, there was a relationship between positive health practices and strong beliefs about the importance of those practices. Awareness of the influence of a positive behavior on disease risk was associated with a stronger belief concerning the importance of that behavior. Women were characterized by having more positive health behavior, a higher level of risk awareness and stronger beliefs concerning the importance of positive health practices. It was concluded that while relationships were found between behavior and beliefs, and between beliefs and risk awareness, further research to establish the direction of the relationships is warranted.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Mode of delivery and other maternal factors influence the acquisition of Streptococcus mutans in infants.

S. mutans plays a key role in dental caries. The extent to which perinatal events influence the acquisition of S. mutans is unclear. We hypothesized that several maternal factors, including the mode of delivery, influence the initial acquisition of S. mutans in infants. A prospective cohort study was conducted in 156 mother-infant pairs. The study found that maternal gestational age (p = 0.04), S. mutans level (p = 0.02), caries score (p = 0.02), sexually transmitted disease (STD) infection experience (p = 0.01), and family income (p = 0.03) had significant effects on the acquisition of S. mutans. Among infants who became infected, those delivered by Caesarean section acquired S. mutans 11.7 mos earlier than did vaginally delivered infants (p = 0.038). C-section infants harbored a single genotype of S. mutans that was identical to that of their mothers (100% fidelity). Analysis of the data demonstrated the possible perinatal influences on infants' acquisition of a member of the cariogenic microbiota, and its potential effect on caries outcome.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2003

Quality of life in lung cancer patients: does socioeconomic status matter?

BACKGROUND: As part of a prospective study on quality of life in newly diagnosed lung cancer patients an investigation was carried out to examine whether there were differences among patients' quality of life scores and their socioeconomic status. METHODS: Quality of life was measured at two points in time (baseline and three months after initial treatment) using three standard instruments; the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), the European Organization for Research and Cancer Treatment Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and its lung cancer supplement (QLQ-LC13). Socioeconomic status for each individual patient was derived using Carstairs and Morris Deprivation Category ranging from 1 (least deprived) to 7 (most deprived) on the basis of the postcode sector of their address. RESULTS: In all, 129 lung cancer patients entered into the study. Of these data for 82 patients were complete (at baseline and follow-up). 57% of patients were of lower socioeconomic status and they had more health problems, less functioning, and more symptoms as compared to affluent patients. Of these, physical mobility (P = 0.05), energy (P = 0.01), role functioning (P = 0.04), physical functioning (P = 0.03), and breathlessness (P = 0.02) were significant at baseline. However, at follow-up assessment there was no significant difference between patient groups nor did any consistent pattern emerge. CONCLUSION: At baseline assessment patients of lower socioeconomic status showed lower health related quality of life. Since there was no clear trend at follow-up assessment this suggests that patients from different socioeconomic status responded to treatment similarly. In general, the findings suggest that quality of life is not only the outcome of the disease and its treatment, but is also highly dependent on each patients' socioeconomic characteristics.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Socio-economic deprivation and the prevalence and prediction of depression in older community residents. The MRC-ALPHA Study.

BACKGROUND: The Townsend index is a measure of social deprivation. It can be applied to postal districts and has been employed in studies examining the ecological associations of mental illness. AIMS: We examine the utility of the Townsend index in identifying older populations with a high prevalence and risk of developing depression. METHOD: The study was carried out in the context of a cohort study of an age- and gender-stratified sample of 5222 community residents aged 65 years and over. Subjects were interviewed at intervals of two years. The relationships between Townsend score and psychiatric diagnoses (in particular, depression) were examined. RESULTS: High Townsend scores were associated with increased prevalence and incidence of depression and prevalence of organic psychiatric illness. CONCLUSIONS: The Townsend index can be used to prioritize psychiatric and primary care resources so as to cater for older populations likely to suffer from depression and organic psychiatric conditions.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Health-related quality of life in primary care patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical characteristics and health-related quality of life of family medicine patients with clinically diagnosed gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). METHODS: The study involved the baseline assessment of 268 patients enrolled in a randomized clinical trial comparing treatments for GERD. The study was conducted in a five-center, university-based family practice in southeastern West Virginia. Patients with a clinical diagnosis of GERD and who had not received treatment in the past 30 days were eligible; pregnant and lactating women and patients with severe renal or hepatic insufficiency were excluded. RESULTS: Two hundred sixty-eight patients were included in the analysis. Mean +/- SD age was 44.9 +/- 14.1 years; 61.2% were women and 91.4% were white. Mean +/- SD body mass index was 30.3 +/- 6 kg/m2, and >15.3% of patients had no insurance. One hundred seventy-four (64.9%) patients were enrolled from nonurban primary care clinics. One hundred sixty-four patients (61.2%) were prescribed at least one medication prior to study enrollment (mean +/- SD 2.88 +/- 1.71; range 1-9). When adjusted for age, gender, comorbidity status, and rural status, severity of GERD was associated with decreased health-related quality of life. GERD patients without comorbidity demonstrated decrements in health-related quality of life when compared with the US general population. When compared with another GERD population, the study patients reported fairly consistent GERD symptomatology and health-related quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: GERD symptom severity was associated with impaired health-related quality of life in a predominantly rural primary care population.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Performance on the Modified Card Sorting Test by normal, healthy individuals: relationship to general intellectual ability and demographic variables.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to obtain normative data for the Modified Card Sorting Test (MCST), and to examine the relationship between performance on this task, general intellectual ability and demographic variables. DESIGN: A sample of 146 healthy individuals was tested with a demographic distribution (age, sex, socioeconomic class) similar to that of the British population. METHODS: The MCST and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales--Revised were administered to 146 people aged between 16 and 75 years. RESULTS: Most people (56.6%) completed six categories, and many people made perseverative errors. Approximately 8% of the participants made over 50% perseverative errors. Performance on the MCST varied with age, years of education and general intellectual ability. Individuals with a Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) below 100 showed much more variability in performance than individuals with an FSIQ over 100. Detailed percentile norms for the performance on different indices of the test are presented. CONCLUSIONS: The performance of individuals on the MCST is more closely associated with general intellectual ability than with demographic variables.

Adolescent↗