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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1978

Demographic factors in the epidemiology of hemophilus influenzae meningitis in young children.

To determine the effect of various demographic factors on the incidence of Hemophilus influenzae, type b meningitis, Rhode Island residents with H. influenzae in 1970-1974 were identified by review of data from the State Department of Health, a private health care research organization, death certificates, and hospital bacteriology laboratories. Of the 108 cases of H. influenzae, 99 (92%) occurred in children under five years of age. The disease incidence among black children under five (103.6/100,000/annum) was significantly (P less than 0.0005) higher than that among white children (23.9/100,000/annum). By eliminating the 29 of 185 census tracts in which the total population was greater than 5% black, disease incidence was studied in a virtually monoracial population. In these white census tracts, in which the population was 99.2% white, the occurrence of H. influenzae was not related to family income, education, number of household members, population density, or rate of hospitalization. These findings confirm the increased incidence of H. influenzae in blacks and indicate that socioeconomic factors do not affect the incidence of the disease in white children.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1979

Effects of opiates and demographic factors on DNA repair synthesis in human leukocytes.

DNA repair synthesis in leukocytes stressed by far UV irradiation was studied in 90 normal individuals, 38 street-heroin addicts, and 18 methadone maintenance patients. Age, sex, coffee use, and alcohol use had no significant effect on the maximal repair synthesis response of the control subjects, but smoking tobacco significantly decreased the mean response and variance when compared with nonsmoking controls. Heroin addiction had an even more pronounced negative effect, and this may be related to the high rate of chromosome aberrations found in this population. Half of the addicts tested were incapable of repairing UV fluences one-quarter as large as those repaired by the control subjects (5 J/m2 and 20 J/m2, respectively) in the 2-hr assay period. Long-term methadone treatment ameliorated the effects of the street heroin, just as it resulted in a decrease of the chromosome aberration frequency.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

The effects of demographic factors, family background, and early job achievement on age at marriage.

National data for ever-married men age 20 to 65 in March 1973 are utilized to estimate least squares and log-linear structural equation models of age at marriage. We demonstrate that most characteristics of family background (including both the family structure and its socioeconomic standing) are irrelevant in their effect on age at marriage. Intercohort trends are not explicable with reference to the changing socioeconomic, ethnic, or nativity compositions of the cohorts. Regional differences in age at marriage have persisted over the years in only slightly diminished form and cannot be explained by reference to the nativity, ethnic, or socioeconomic compositions of the regions. Early job status relates only weakly to age at marriage. Only those activities that are time-consuming or otherwise disruptive of the smooth operation of normal life-cycle processes during the transition from adolescence to adulthood (such as college attendance and service in the military) seriously affect the age at which a man marries.

Achievement↗
PubMed2026

Enhancing Evidence Generation by Linking Randomized Clinical Trials to Real-World Data: The INVESTED-Medicare Linkage Study.

Real-world evidence (RWE) derived from real-world data (RWD) can complement randomized controlled trials (RCTs), yet the validity of RWD relative to RCT data remains insufficiently characterized. We obtained post hoc consent and linked individual participant data from the US-based INVESTED trial (2016-2019) with Medicare fee-for-service claims (2012-2020) to validate demographic factors, baseline characteristics (using 183-, 365-, and 730-day lookback periods) and outcomes, and to assess post-trial events. Among 5260 trial participants, 126 were enrolled and eligible for linkage. Among 115 participants with demographic information available from Medicare enrollment files, agreement between RCT- and RWD-based demographic factors was high: only one major age discrepancy, 100% agreement for sex, and an overall agreement of 0.89 for race. Participants with Medicare claims data (n = 65) were older and more likely to be White compared with the overall RCT population. For the 365-day lookback period, baseline comorbidities showed high sensitivity (median 0.80) and specificity (0.89), as did medication use (sensitivity 1.00, specificity 0.88). Lengthening the lookback period to 730 days increased sensitivity but decreased specificity, whereas shortening to 183 days decreased sensitivity but increased specificity. Clinical outcomes showed high specificity (0.88-0.94) but low sensitivity (0.18-0.50). Among those with Medicare coverage beyond the trial end date (n = 45), 22% experienced cardiopulmonary, 18% cardiovascular, and 7% heart failure (HF) hospitalizations, highlighting the value of RWD for extending RCT evidence. Proactive planning of future RCT-RWD linkage initiatives can improve the efficiency of linkage studies, leading to more actionable results.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1979

Relationship among environmental and demographic variables and teacher-rated hyperactivity.

This study assessed the role of environmental and demographic factors in the occurrence of teacher-rated hyperactivity. The subject group consisted of 79 hyperactive and 81 nonhyperactive children ranging from 5 to 12 years of age. Parents of the subjects were interviewed to obtain information regarding the environmental and demographic factors of sex, race, birth order, number of siblings, frequency of change of residence, income level, mother's age, father's age, educational level of mother, educational level of father, parents' marital status, and the method of child discipline used in the home. Comparison between the the hyperactive and nonhyperactive groups suggested nonsignificant differences with the exception of sex (p less than .001), in which the ratio of hyperactive males to hyperactive females was 5:1.

Child↗
PubMed1978

Understanding the growth of emergency department utilization.

Much research on utilization of hospital emergency departments has been published over the past 10 to 15 years. It has failed to yield a coherent view of why the volume of use has increased, however, because most of it has focused on users of one or more ERs, ignoring the nonusers, and has provided insufficient detail about the local context in which the ER operates. The result has been large quantities of data which, when compared, produce inconsistencies which cannot be resolved without additional data from different studies. Yet, a tentative explanation of ER growth can be presented if the question of why people use ERs, which is usually thought of as being similar to the question of why people use medical care services, is restated as, why do people who want to use medical care choose the ER as the site of care? That question can best be answered by paying greater attention to enabling and illness factors than to the predisposing demographic factors upon which much research has focused. A tentative explanation of the growth of ER utilization is offered. Then, the support from the literature for it is presented and the remaining questions are identified for future research.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMed1979

Trends in human reproductive wastage in relation to long-term practice of inbreeding.

The trends in reproductive performance and wastage are studied in relation to consanguinity of marriage and age of women on a population sample of 20,626 women, from the rural and urban areas of North Arcot District in South India. Data were collected by qualified women investigators using intensive interveiw techniques and specially developed questionnaires. Adequate quality control mechanisms were set up to ensure reliability of information gathered. For each marriage, a family pedigree was drawn extending upwards to two early generations on the side of each spouse in order to determine the existence and type of consanguinity married, 80% or more of such between an uncle and a niece or between first cousins. Altogher 70 161 total pregnancies were recorded for the 20,626 women. The differences between consanguineous and non-consanguineous marriages in terms of total foetal loss, perinatal, neonatal, postneonatl and infant mortality rates showed only marginal differences that attain statistical significance only because of the large sample size involved. No consistent relationships were observed between the degree of consanguinity and these reproductive losses. These actual differences were more marked in the older age-groups of women and declined to rather insignificant proportions as the age groups became younger. Taking into consideration the various socio-demographic factors, the narrowing differentials in the reproductive wastage between consanguineous and non-consanguineous marriages from the oldest to the youngest women confirm the tapering effects of continued inbreeding practices on the reproductive wastage. Further studies on these lines are still in progress.

Adult↗
PubMed2026

Rethinking immune studies: population-level immune variations and the path forward.

Shifts in immune cell proportions underlie disease progression and immunotherapy response, positioning them as promising diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. However, these shifts also occur naturally across the lifespan and vary with demographic factors such as age and sex, which may complicate their interpretation and clinical utility. While demographic associations have been explored previously, there have been mixed results likely due to small sample sizes and cross-cohort population-specific differences. To address these limitations, we conducted a meta-analysis across 3 large, diverse cohort studies to evaluate associations between 20 immune cell subtypes, 3 informative cell ratios, and a range of sociodemographic variables such as age, sex, self-identified race and ethnicity (SIRE), and socioeconomic status. We find consistent and significant associations across all sociodemographic dimensions. Cytomegalovirus (CMV)-a key driver of immune senescence-emerged as a major contributor to variation in immune composition and CMV antibody levels were higher among women, individuals of lower socioeconomic status, and marginalized racial and ethnic groups. In addition, male sex showed similar patterns of association with immune profiles as aging, whereas race did not. These findings underscore the need to account for diverse sociodemographic factors in immunology study design and participant recruitment to avoid population-specific biases and ensure broadly generalizable results.

Humans↗
PubMed1979

Demographic growth and health needs in Latin America.

The net effect of the rapid population growth in Latin American countries is an increase in the needs for health services. Nevertheless, the demographic factor is not the only nor the most important consideration in determining how to satisfy these demands in the region. The main contradiction lies between the magnitude of needs for services generated by the adverse living conditions prevalling among the majority of the population, together with a restricted supply of health services, the availability of which varies according to social class. The problem of the increasing demand for medical care, generated by the rapid population growth, should be recognized as originating in the socioeconomic structural conditions prevailing in Latin American countries today which determine, simultaneously, low health levels, deficiencies in the provision of health services, and rapid population growth.

Consumer Behavior↗
PubMed1978

Problems in family practice: the suicidal patient.

Suicidal patients are common in family practice. Risk factors can alert the family physician to persons at unusual risk. Demographic factors, especially those revealing changing social status, recent loss, intentionality, lethality, past history, and high-risk groups, can be rapidly assessed. Viewing suicide as a final common pathway of system dysfunction at any or all major levels-biologic, psychologic, sociocultural-leads to an appreciation of the ubiquitous nature of passive or active "self murder" impulses. Persons depressed for any significant length of time for whatever reasons are potentially suicidal. Thus, the "typical" depression is suicidal but so are persons whose depression is related to drug side effects, primary illness effects, to living in a dysfunctional family system, or to normal grief. Diagnosis requires inquiry about the depth of the patient's depression pain. Treatment takes into account the aforementioned risk factors, plus interventions appropriate to the malfunctioning system.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A comparison of general and age-specific factors associated with political behavior.

Sociological research has focused on relationships between status, participation, efficacy, and political behavior with less attention to the influence of discontinuty in life circumstances on political activity. In contrast, gerontologists have explored the implications of age-specific and life change factors for political orientations but conflicting hypotheses have been derived. On suggests that discontinuity will decrease political activity while the other contends that discontinuity will politicize individuals. This study compares the relative contribution of life change and age-specific factors, demographic characteristics, and efficacy to voting and political interest. Data were collected by personal interviews with a random sample of 169 men and women 65 or over. Voting and political interest had somewhat different antecedents, but participation in multi-age groups and efficacy increased both while age-graded participation decreased political activity. Discontinuity, in general. had less effect on political behavior than demographic characteristics and efficacy.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2024

The importance of family-based sampling for biobanks.

Biobanks aim to improve our understanding of health and disease by collecting and analysing diverse biological and phenotypic information in large samples. So far, biobanks have largely pursued a population-based sampling strategy, where the individual is the unit of sampling, and familial relatedness occurs sporadically and by chance. This strategy has been remarkably efficient and successful, leading to thousands of scientific discoveries across multiple research domains, and plans for the next wave of biobanks are underway. In this Perspective, we discuss the strengths and limitations of a complementary sampling strategy for future biobanks based on oversampling of close genetic relatives. Such family-based samples facilitate research that clarifies causal relationships between putative risk factors and outcomes, particularly in estimates of genetic effects, because they enable analyses that reduce or eliminate confounding due to familial and demographic factors. Family-based biobank samples would also shed new light on fundamental questions across multiple fields that are often difficult to explore in population-based samples. Despite the potential for higher costs and greater analytical complexity, the many advantages of family-based samples should often outweigh their potential challenges.

Humans↗
PubMed2026

Effectiveness of Caregiver-Mediated Spoken Language Interventions for Children Under Five at Risk of Developmental Language Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Caregiver-mediated interventions are commonly used by Speech and Language Therapists to support early language development. Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is associated with reduced quality of life throughout the lifespan. Understanding factors that predict intervention success is essential for developing appropriate, cost-effective therapy provision for the approximately 12% of preschool children who present with early markers for Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effectiveness of caregiver-mediated spoken language interventions for under-fives at risk of DLD, and factors influencing intervention effectiveness. METHODS: A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted. Five electronic databases were searched to identify experimental studies comparing caregiver-mediated spoken language interventions to control conditions in under-fives presenting with risk factors for DLD. Risk factors included prematurity, socioeconomic factors, caregiver language development concerns, and formal or informal language screening or assessment scores. Twenty-six experimental studies with 1407 child participants were included in qualitative synthesis. Meta-analysis was performed on nine Randomised Controlled Trials involving 947 children. RESULTS: Effectiveness was examined for outcomes including child language gains, child wellbeing, inclusion and attainment. Meta-analysis indicated a significant effect of caregiver-mediated spoken language interventions on language outcomes compared to treatment-as-usual, non-language intervention or waitlist control conditions. Non-language outcomes were evaluated via qualitative synthesis. Interventions significantly improved language development trajectories for under-fives presenting with risk factors or early markers for DLD. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: This review contributes to the growing evidence base demonstrating that caregiver-mediated interventions can positively impact language development and wellbeing outcomes for children under five at risk of DLD. These findings support the implementation of caregiver-mediated environmental language interventions in clinical practice to maximise accessibility and cost-effectiveness while delivering optimal outcomes for vulnerable populations. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject Previous research on caregiver-mediated spoken language interventions has highlighted gaps in the evidence regarding the impact of risk factors, demographic characteristics, dosage and intervention components on child language outcomes. Developmental Language Disorder has relatively high population prevalence, estimated at 7%. Prevalence is associated with risk factors including low household socioeconomic status (SES), prematurity and late language emergence. In contrast to its prevalence, there is low public and professional awareness of DLD and a low diagnostic rate. Therefore, a strengthened evidence base and additional insights into the factors affecting success of family-based interventions is important in order to increase the effectiveness of service provision and care planning for this underserved population. Timely and effective intervention with young children presenting with early markers for DLD has the potential to offer lifelong improvement to their wellbeing, inclusion and attainment outcomes. Recent systematic reviews of the effectiveness of caregiver-mediated language interventions had differences in population age range and diagnostic inclusion criteria. What this paper adds to existing knowledge Our review examines the effectiveness of caregiver-mediated early spoken language interventions on child language, attainment and wellbeing, and on caregiver self-efficacy and adherence to language support strategies. Our population was children under five presenting with risk factors for Developmental Language Disorder, in the absence of other neurodevelopmental or genetic conditions such as intellectual disability or autism. This review adds depth and detail to the evidence base supporting the effectiveness of caregiver-mediated spoken language interventions in improving outcomes for this population of young children, and factors that influence their success. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? The high prevalence of Developmental Language Disorder, estimated at around 7% of the population, and the strong association with risk factors including low SES, prematurity and late language emergence, coupled with the low awareness of DLD and low diagnostic rate, mean that a strengthened evidence base and additional insights into the factors affecting success of family-based interventions can increase the effectiveness of service provision and care planning for this population. Timely and effective intervention in this group of young children has the potential to improve wellbeing and attainment outcomes across the lifespan. This review contributes to our understanding of how to implement cost-effective, socially valid and maximally engaging partnership working with families of young children at risk for DLD.

Humans↗
PubMed1979

Determinants of three stages of delay in seeking care at a medical clinic.

Factors affecting delay were studied in patients seeking treatment for the first time for a particular symptom at clinics in a major, innercity hospital. On the basis of the patients' retrospective report, the total time from first noticing a symptom to the seeking of treatment was divided into three sequential stages: 1) appraisal delay--the time the patient takes to appraise a symptom as a sign of illness; 2) illness delay--the time taken from deciding one is ill until deciding to seek professional medical care; and 3) utilization delay--the time from the decision to seek care until the patient goes to the clinic and uses its services. The variables used to predict the length of delay for each of the three stages and for total delay included reports on concrete, sensory perceptions and abstract, conceptual beliefs about one's symptoms, behavioral factors such as strategies for self-appraisal and techniques for coping with illness, emotional reactions, negative imagery elicited by the illness threat, situational barriers, and socio-demographic factors. Patients experiencing a very painful symptom and patients who did not read about their symptom had a short appraisal delay. Patients with old symptoms and those who imagined possible, severe consequences of their illness had long illness delays. Utilization delay was shortest for persons who were not concerned about the cost of treatment, who had a painful symptom, and who were certain that their symptom could be cured. Patients who had short total delays were persons who did not have a competing personal problem and who had a painful symptom. All of these predictors were significantly correlated with the measure of delay at or beyond the p = .01 level. It was concluded that different factors mediate delay in each of the three stages and that studies which use only a single measure of total delay are likely to be of limited value in understanding delay.

Attitude to Health↗