PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Amish”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

A comparison of periodontal disease among rural Amish and non-Amish adults.

Periodontal disease can be more efficiently studied within a homogeneous population where genetic influences and lifestyles are similar enough to negative their effect on the disease process. This study focuses on an Amish population in southern Michigan who isolate themselves from outside influences and their non-Amish neighbors. A total of 425 Amish and 290 non-Amish were contacted resulting in 330 Amish and 215 non-Amish who were examined in their homes giving a participation rate of 76.2%. Ages ranged from 18 to 82 years. Prevalence of periodontal disease tended to be higher among males and increased with age. There were slightly more Amish females (52%) than non-Amish (49%). Means of periodontal conditions for Amish were 1.35 mm for attachment loss, 2.59 mm for pocket depth, 0.24 for calculus, 0.77 for plaque and 0.74 for gingivitis. For non-Amish, the means were 1.03 mm for attachment loss, 2.38 mm for pocket depth, 0.40 for calculus, 0.95 for plaque and 0.87 for gingivitis. It is of interest that the Amish do not practice routine oral hygiene. Only 36.8% of Amish reported brushing at least 1 x a day compared to 84.6% of non-Amish. Similarly, only 8.2% of Amish reported flossing at least 1 x a week compared to 40.8% of non-Amish.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Rural medicine and the closed society. Pregnancy outcomes among Amish and non-Amish women.

A rural family practitioner may be responsible for the general medical and obstetric needs of a closed population such as the Old Order Amish. Until recently, the Amish in southern New York State have preferred to receive obstetric care in the home from traditional Amish midwives. Acceptance of prenatal care and hospital deliveries by rural physicians appears to be increasingly frequent among Amish primiparas in southern New York State, while non-Amish in the area have been seeking these services for decades regardless of parity. This retrospective chart review examines first pregnancy outcomes of Amish (N = 39) and non-Amish (N = 145) women who delivered their babies at a rural hospital in southern New York State during a four-year period. Little difference was found between the two groups of women regarding the overall good health of their first babies. In the Amish population there was less variability in maternal age, season in which the birth occurred, labor duration, and birth weight of babies. The Amish had their first child an average of one year later than the non-Amish. While research on a larger sample will be necessary to fully explore Amish vs non-Amish variances, this study demonstrates the effect that traditions and customs of a closed society such as the Amish may have on obstetric practice.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

A comparison of the perceived health needs of Amish and non-Amish families in Cashton, Wisc.

Cashton area residents were queried on past health care experiences and asked their opinions of services that could be provided at the Scenic Bluffs Community Health Center (SBCHC) in Cashton. A questionnaire addressed to both Amish and non-Amish residents featured five main areas: (1) additional services and health care providers that might supplement existing services at SBCHC; (2) opinions on establishing a birthing center; (3) mothers' past history with the birth and care of children, including immunization use; (4) respondents' past use of health care; and (5) perceived barriers to receiving health care. Both Amish and non-Amish respondents agreed that walk-in care, dental care, and 24-hour telephone access to a provider were important services to be added, and that a dentist, chiropractor, and pharmacist would be valuable. While both Amish and non-Amish favored the idea of a birthing center, their reasons for supporting it differed. It was also found that routine preventive care was used much more by the non-Amish than the Amish population. Common barriers to health care for both groups included cost of care, appointment availability, and waiting time for appointments.

Christianity↗
PubMed2000

Diabetes in the Old Order Amish: characterization and heritability analysis of the Amish Family Diabetes Study.

OBJECTIVE: The Old Order Amish (OOA) are a genetically well-defined closed Caucasian founder population. The Amish Family Diabetes Study was initiated to identify susceptibility genes for type 2 diabetes. This article describes the genetic epidemiology of type 2 diabetes and related traits in this unique population. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The study cohort comprised Amish probands with diabetes who were diagnosed between 35 and 65 years of age and their extended adult family members. We recruited 953 adults who represented 45 multigenerational families. Phenotypic characterization included anthropometry, blood pressure, diabetes status, lipid profile, and leptin levels. RESULTS: The mean age of study participants was 46 years, and the mean BMI was 26.9 kg/m2. Subjects with type 2 diabetes were older, more obese, and had higher insulin levels. The prevalence of diabetes in the OOA was approximately half that of the Caucasian individuals who participated in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (95% CI 0.23-0.84). The prevalence of diabetes in the siblings of the diabetic probands was 26.5% compared with a prevalence of 7.0% in spouses (lambdaS = 3.28, 95% CI 1.58-6.80). The heritability of diabetes-related quantitative traits was substantial (13-70% for obesity-related traits, 10-42% for glucose levels, and 11-24% for insulin levels during the oral glucose tolerance test; P = 0.01 to <0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Type 2 diabetes in the Amish has similar phenotypic features to that of the overall Caucasian population, although the prevalence in the Amish community is lower than that of the Caucasian population. There is significant familial clustering of type 2 diabetes and related traits. This unique family collection will be an excellent resource for investigating the genetic underpinnings of type 2 diabetes.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Postmenopausal function in context: biocultural observations on Amish, neighboring non-Amish, and Ifugao household health.

Ecological approaches to female post-reproductive function must consider the social context and microenvironment of the household. A model integrating these environmental factors into the analysis of late-life well-being (operationally defined as household health) is presented and explored in three settings: an Old Order Amish community, the neighboring community of non-Amish, and an Ifugao community in the Philippine highlands. Intensive interview and observation of function were completed in a sample of at least 25 households in each community. The complex interaction of social and biological factors is explored in case studies and through multiple regression analysis with household health as the dependent variable. The results emphasize the importance of social support and assessing capabilities within the household. The results also suggest the need for natural field observation of work to better understand the influence of pacing and scheduling, necessity of work, and the role of environmental modification in postmenopausal function.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1983

Amish Study, I: Affective disorders among the Amish, 1976-1980.

The authors review the goals, methods, sample, and selected epidemiologic findings from a collaborative study of affective disorders among the Amish. This culturally and genetically homogeneous population (N = 12,500) constitutes an excellent research setting for psychiatric epidemiologic and genetic study. Alcoholism, drug abuse, and sociopathy did not complicate the study because they are culturally prohibited. During 1976-1980, 112 active cases of mental illness were identified; 71% received diagnoses of major affective disorder. Equal numbers of men and women received diagnoses of unipolar illness, and slightly more men than women were diagnosed as having bipolar illness.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Behavioral risk factors in an Amish community.

A representative sample of 400 Amish adults residing in Holmes County, Ohio, was interviewed about certain health risk characteristics and behaviors, using the Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (BRFS). For purposes of comparison, a representative sample of 773 non-Amish adults responded to the same survey by telephone interviews. In general, the Amish report lower rates of alcohol and tobacco consumption than their non-Amish counterparts. The Amish are less likely to salt their food and are more likely to take vitamin supplements, but do not differ from non-Amish in the consumption of "health foods." Amish men and women are less likely to be trying to lose weight than their non-Amish counterparts. Further, the Amish are less likely to engage in leisure-time physical activity or in exercise associated with attempts to lose weight or deal with hypertension. Amish women are less likely to use seat belts than non-Amish women, whereas men in both groups appear rather similar. Although some differences could be influenced by response biases, many are supported by less systematic observations of Old Order Amish societies. The patterns of health behavior reflect characteristics of Amish culture and may be responsible for certain favorable mortality rates among the Amish population.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Health risk factors among the Amish: results of a survey.

The Amish are a unique societal subgroup deliberately setting themselves apart from the modern world through religious beliefs and practices. Few reports and no systematic studies have been conducted on Amish health behaviors. A representative sample of 400 Amish adults residing in Holmes County, Ohio, were interviewed using the Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (BRFS). For comparison, a representative sample of 773 non-Amish adults responded to the same survey through telephone interviews. Prevalence of self-reported hypertension was lower among Amish than non-Amish, obesity was greater among Amish than non-Amish women but similar among men, and stress responses were more prevalent among Amish than non-Amish. While some differences between groups could be influenced by response biases, many are supported by less systematic observations of Old Order Amish societies. Patterns of health behavior reflect characteristics of Amish culture and may be responsible for certain favorable mortality rates among the Amish population. Need for cultural sensitivity is evident in health promotion program design and implementation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Reduced incidence of hip fracture in the Old Order Amish.

UNLABELLED: The incidence of hip fracture was estimated in a community of Old Order Amish and compared with available data from non-Amish whites. Hip fracture rates were 40% lower in the Amish, and the Amish also experienced higher BMD. INTRODUCTION: Understanding the patterns of fracture risk across populations could reveal insights about bone health and lead to the earlier detection and prevention of osteoporosis. Toward this aim, we compared hip fracture incidence and bone mineral density (BMD) between an Old Order Amish (OOA) community, characterized by a rural and relatively active lifestyle, and non-Amish U.S. whites. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All hospital admissions for hip fracture among OOA individuals in Lancaster County, PA, were identified between 1995 and 1998 from four area hospitals. Hip fracture incidence was calculated by cross-referencing an available Anabaptist genealogy database with communities located within these hospital service areas and compared with non-Amish whites obtained from National Hospital Discharge data. Additionally, BMD at the hip was compared between 287 Amish subjects and non-Amish whites from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III survey. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: OOA experienced 42% fewer hip fractures than would be expected had they experienced the same rate of hip fracture as observed in non-Amish whites (p < 0.01) and a higher mean BMD that was significant in women (p < 0.05) but not men. Further evaluation of lifestyle and/or genetic differences between Amish and non-Amish populations may shed insights into etiologic factors influencing hip fracture risk.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed1981

Patterns of mortality in the the Old Order Amish. I. Background and major causes of death.

The major causes of death were studied in the Old Order Amish people in three settlements in Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania to determine if lifestyle and genetic isolation altered their mortality risk compared to neighboring non-Amish. The Amish are a conservative religious group who live in farm settlements, use horses for work and travel, exercise vigorously, and avoid cigarettes and alcohol. They are reproductively isolated and highly inbred. Death certificates and Amish censuses were used to determine mortality risks, which were summarized using age-adjusted mortality ratio (MRs). Amish mortality patterns were not systematically higher or lower than those of the non-Amish, but differed by age, sex, and cause. Amish males had slightly higher all-cause MRs as children and significantly lower MRs over the age of 40, due primarily to lower rates of cancer (MR = 0.44, age 40-69), and cardiovascular diseases (MR = 0.65, age 40-69). Amish females MRs for all causes of death were lower from age 10-39, not different from 40-69, and higher over age 69. MRs were not significantly different for all cancer sites combined in Amish women and they had higher cardiovascular mortality ratio aged 70 and over (MR =1.34). Other major causes of death were also examined. Because the Amish and other farming groups have similar mortality patterns, it is suggested that lifestyle may be the primary determinant of the overall mortality patterns in the Amish.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Haemophilus influenzae Type b disease among Amish children in Pennsylvania: reasons for persistent disease.

OBJECTIVE: To identify reservoirs of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) pharyngeal carriage and assess barriers to vaccination among 2 Amish communities in Pennsylvania. METHODS: We investigated recent cases, performed community surveys for Hib vaccination coverage and pharyngeal carriage, and administered a questionnaire assessing vaccination knowledge and attitudes to 298 members of 2 Amish communities (A and B) in Pennsylvania and, as a comparison group, 136 non-Amish family members who participated in state immunization clinics. From December 1999 to February 2000, 8 cases of invasive Hib disease occurred among children who were 5 years of age or younger in Pennsylvania. Six of the case-patients were from Amish communities. None of the children had been vaccinated. RESULTS: Among children who were 5 years of age or younger, Hib vaccine coverage was low in the 2 Amish communities: A (9 [28%] of 32) and B (3 [7%] of 41) compared with the non-Amish group (19 [95%] of 20). Hib carriage prevalence was higher in both Amish communities than in the non-Amish group (A: 3%; B: 8%; non-Amish: 0%). More households in community B had 1 or more Hib carriers than in community A (8 [28%] of 29 vs 3 [9%] of 32). Among Amish parents who did not vaccinate their children, only 25% (13 of 51) identified either religious or philosophical objections as a factor; 51% (26 of 51) reported that vaccinating was not a priority compared with other activities of daily life. Seventy-three percent (36 of 49) would vaccinate their children if vaccination were offered locally. CONCLUSIONS: Undervaccinated communities in the United States still exist and allow circulation of Hib strains, resulting in disease among susceptible children. Identification of undervaccinated populations, such as the Amish, and targeted education and vaccination campaigns are essential to achieving elimination of Hib disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Fibromyalgia syndrome in an Amish community: a controlled study to determine disease and symptom prevalence.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the point prevalence of fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) in Amish adults and to compare the prevalence of chronic pain, chronic widespread pain, FM, chronic fatigue, and debilitating fatigue in the Amish versus non-Amish rural and urban controls. The a priori assumption was that, if litigation and/or compensation availability have major effects on FM prevalence, then FM prevalence in the Amish should approach zero. METHODS: We surveyed 242 Amish adults in a small rural community southeast of London, Ontario, Canada. Individuals were screened using a validated screening instrument. Those reporting chronic, widespread pain were examined for FM using published classification criteria. Amish results were compared to results collected in a random telephone survey of 492 non-Amish adults living in rural Southwestern Ontario and 3395 non-Amish adults previously surveyed in London. RESULTS: Pain lasting at least one week in the preceding 3 months was reported by 34.3% of the Amish; pain in the upper extremities by 25.4%, in the lower extremities by 22.5%, and in the trunk by 28.1%. Twenty-six (15 women, 11 men) reported chronic, widespread pain. Eleven FM cases were confirmed among women (age adjusted point prevalence, p = 10.4%) and 2 among men (p = 3.7%) for an overall age and sex adjusted prevalence of 7.3% (95% CI 5.3, 9.7); this was both statistically greater than zero (p < 0.0001) and greater than in either control population (both p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: FM is relatively common among the Amish.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Pregnancy and childbirth among the Amish.

This study examined Amish patterns of perinatal health care utilization from the perspective of Amish women and local health care providers in Geauga County, Ohio. Participant observation and interviews with health care providers and 15 Amish women yielded data on perinatal beliefs and utilization patterns for 76 pregnancies. While local health care providers regard the Amish as suboptimally utilizing prenatal care, this study found a consistent pattern of health seeking behavior. In the absence of symptoms perceived to be serious, Amish women initiated prenatal care earlier for first pregnancies and progressively later with increasing parity. Amish women's perinatal health care utilization must be seen within the context of barriers of transportation, cost, and child care needs. The Amish do not automatically reject medical technology, but select those aspects that are congruent with and that will support and maintain their way of life. Further, despite outward appearances of homogeneity, Amish women display individual variability in responding to pregnancy and childbirth.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Incidence and nature of farm-related injuries among Pennsylvania Amish children: implications for education.

INTRODUCTION: Farming is a dangerous occupation and results in injuries not only to farm workers, but also to families living on farms. Children raised on a farm are at particular risk because the farm is a place where they live, play, and work. Farming is the main Amish occupation, and because Amish farming techniques differ from those used on other us farms, it is important that health care providers recognize the causes of injuries that may occur on Amish farms. However, little is documented about farm-related injuries in Amish children, so we decided to document the incidence and nature of these injuries in Pennsylvania. METHODS: This study was done by reviewing the die botschaft, a weekly newspaper written by the Amish. All references to farm-related injuries among children in Pennsylvania were recorded. RESULTS: During a 5-month period, a total of 89 injuries, including 5 fatalities, were found: male children sustained 64 injuries, and female children sustained 25 injuries. Falls were the most commonly reported mechanism of injury, followed by incidents involving livestock. Both types of events most often resulted in an orthopedic injury. DISCUSSION: Injury to children in the Amish community is a significant problem that needs to be addressed and evaluated by the Amish themselves and in coordination with other health care providers, including emergency nurses. With the information obtained in this study, injury prevention strategies tailored to the Amish way of farming could be developed and implemented.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed2005

Idiopathic slipped capital femoral epiphysis in Amish children.

BACKGROUND: Of the many studies of slipped capital femoral epiphysis, none have specifically addressed Amish children. The Amish reflect a small gene pool relative to the general white North American population. Additional knowledge of the demographics of this disorder in Amish children may provide genetic insights. The purpose of this study was to review the demographics of slipped capital femoral epiphysis in the Amish population. METHODS: A retrospective review of the cases of twenty-five Amish children with slipped capital femoral epiphysis treated at two institutions was performed. The child's gender, age, weight, height, and body mass index at the time of the diagnosis; duration of symptoms; laterality of the slip; birth weight; family history; and slip severity were recorded. The slip was classified as stable or unstable. Patients who had been included in a previously published multicenter study served as a control group. RESULTS: There were seventeen boys and eight girls with a total of thirty-three slipped capital femoral epiphyses; eight of the slips were bilateral. At the time of the diagnosis, the mean age (and standard deviation) was 13.4 +/- 1.6 years, the mean weight and height were 55.6 +/-12.4 kg and 155.5 +/- 10.2 cm, and the mean body mass index was 23.4 +/- 5.4 kg/m(2). The mean duration of symptoms was 6.6 +/-9.0 months. There were thirty-one stable and two unstable slips with a mean slip angle of 38 degrees +/- 20 degrees . Nine (39%) of twenty-three children for whom the information had been recorded had a positive family history of slipped capital femoral epiphysis, a rate that is higher than the 9% and 14.5% rates reported in two other series (p = 0.002). The Amish children were not as heavy as their non-Amish counterparts (55.6 +/- 12.4 kg compared with 66.4 +/- 17.7 kg, p = 0.0036). CONCLUSIONS: Although the children in this study were moderately heavy, they could not be classified as obese on the basis of weight-for-age or body-mass-index percentiles. The high prevalence of family members with slipped capital femoral epiphysis may reflect either a genetic or environmental component, or an interaction between genetics and environment (for example, work load or common chores requiring particular physical positions) in the Amish population.

Body Height↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Unique aspects of nursing care for Amish children.

The purpose of this article is to increase nurses' understanding of the Amish culture so nurses can give culturally competent care to Amish children. The Amish live in large multigenerational families on farms where hard work is valued; worldly conveniences such as electricity, telephones, and automobiles are usually shunned. However, the Amish are willing to accept and participate in modern healthcare, if its value is clearly understood. Amish beliefs and traditions are described, and recommendations for the nursing care of Amish children which are consistent with the Amish faith are presented.

Child↗