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Results for “Sociodemographic Factors”

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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1993

The impact of comorbid and sociodemographic factors on access to renal transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of sociodemographic factors and comorbid conditions on access to renal transplantation for adult US dialysis patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). DESIGN: Cohort analytic study. Data on comorbid conditions at onset of ESRD were abstracted from patients' medical records and matched to sociodemographic and ESRD data from the United States Renal Data System database. SETTING: United States Medicare dialysis population. PATIENTS: Random, national sample of ESRD patients starting dialysis in 1986 and 1987 (n = 4118). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Time to first renal transplant (living or cadaver donor) since onset of ESRD regressed with two nested Cox proportional hazards models, first against sociodemographic factors alone, and then against sociodemographic factors and comorbid conditions. RESULTS: Cardiovascular diseases are most predictive of who received a transplant; patients with coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, or left ventricular hypertrophy showed lower transplantation rates relative to patients without the disease (relative rate [RR] = 0.65 to 0.80, P < .05 each). Obese patients and patients with peripheral vascular disease also showed lower transplantation rates (RR = 0.65 to 0.75, P < .05 each). Previously reported sociodemographic effects of lower transplantation rates for older patients, women, nonwhite patients, and lower income patients were confirmed (P < .01). Sociodemographic effects remained essentially unchanged when adjusted for comorbid conditions. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that sociodemographics have strong independent effects on access to transplantation that cannot be explained away as "surrogate" effects related to comorbid factors. Furthermore, the results suggest that lower mortality rates for transplant recipients relative to dialysis patients are due, in part, to a healthier case mix among patients receiving transplants.

Adult↗

PubMed1979

Effect of rehabilitation on employment and earnings of the disabled: sociodemographic factors.

This report analyzes the importance of sociodemographic factors in the effect of rehabilitation services on the employment and earnings of disabled persons after their cases were closed by State vocational rehabilitation agencies in fiscal year 1971. The analysis is based on information about personal characteristics and on 1972 employment and earnings data for all such cases in the linked records of the Social Security Administration and the Rehabilitation Services Administration. It identifies sociodemographic factors that facilitate or hamper the effects of rehabilitation as measured primarily by employment differences between clients who completed and failed to complete a program of rehabilitation services. Rehabilitation appears to provide aid, especially to groups frequently disadvantaged in the labor market because of sex, age, ethnicity, or education. Impact was greater for men--but not for women--who were married and had larger families. These results differe significantly from conclusions based on previous studies of the disabled. Earlier studies often concluded that vocational rehabilitation was less successful for women, older persons, ethnic minorities, and persons with low socioeconomic status. Because those studies lacked information on rehabilitation status or focused only on persons who had received rehabilitation services and because they did not compare those who had completed a rehabilitation program with those who had not, they were unable to examine the effects of vocational rehabilitation completely.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1985

Health status, sociodemographic factors, and the use of prescribed psychotropic drugs.

The relations among sociodemographic factors, health status, and use of prescribed sleeping pills and tranquilizers are examined. The data are from the Rand Health Insurance Experiment, which has a random sample of the nonaged, noninstitutionalized, civilian population in six U.S. sites. Information on sociodemographic factors, health status, and the use of prescribed psychotropic drugs during the previous 3 months was obtained from self-report questionnaires collected at enrollment. Mental and physical health status have large independent and significant effects on the probability of use of both prescribed tranquilizers (P less than 0.0001) and sleeping pills (P less than 0.0001), whether or not we remove the effects of sociodemographic factors. For the probability of tranquilizer use, there is no significant interaction between gender and mental health or between mental health and physical health. Age and gender have large and significant effects on the use of prescribed psychotropic drugs even after controlling for differences in health status and other demographic factors. The effects of site and socioeconomic status are modest compared with the effects of health, age, and gender.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Effects of sociodemographic factors on adherence to breastfeeding and other important infant dietary recommendations.

AIM: To examine in an affluent and healthy population the association between sociodemographic factors and the adherence to key infant dietary recommendations. METHODS: In a longitudinal prospective study, healthy newborns were selected randomly in maternity wards around Iceland and their diet recorded every month for one year (n = 124). In addition, a 48-hour-weighed-record, including information on added sugar, fruits, vegetables and the use of A and D vitamin drops was completed by 91 (73%) mothers at 9 and 12 months. Information about the mothers' education, smoking, age, parity, and family income was collected (n = 98; 79%). RESULTS: Regression analyses, including sociodemographic factors, showed exclusive breastfeeding to be positively associated with more education (P = 0.022) and non-smoking (P = 0.013) explaining 22% of the variance, and total breastfeeding (exclusive + partial) with non-smoking (P = 0.006). Multiple regression also showed children's intake of added sugar from 9-12 months to be positively associated with mother's smoking (P = 0.022) and negatively with age (P = 0.026), explaining 30% of variance. Sociodemographic factors were associated with children's fruit and vegetable consumption but not with the administration of AD-vitamin drops. However, when tested for significance between groups, younger mothers with fewer children seemed less likely to give AD-vitamin drops. CONCLUSIONS: In a group of mothers getting regular antenatal care and giving birth to healthy infants, sociodemographic factors can predict which mothers need special guidance concerning recommendations about diet in infancy. These were mothers with less education, who smoked, were younger and were having their first or second child.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

Alcohol availability, alcohol consumption and alcohol-related damage. II. The role of sociodemographic factors.

Based on the encouraging findings in part I of our study, and on the relevant research literature, several sociodemographic factors were added to the causal sequence proposed by the distribution of consumption model and corroborated by a statistical technique known as the analysis of linear structural relations (LISREL). The sociodemographic factors were added in two alternative fashions. Although neither approach proved to be significantly superior, the basic causal sequence identified in part I was maintained, and the sociodemographic factors were found to be intimately involved in the process that leads to alcohol-related morbidity and alcohol-related mortality in the general population. The findings are discussed with reference to their implications for prevention via public policy.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Fatigue in the Danish general population. Influence of sociodemographic factors and disease.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the levels of fatigue in the general population, and to examine how disease and sociodemographic factors influence fatigue. DESIGN: Cross sectional questionnaire study in the Danish general population. SUBJECTS: A random, age stratified sample of 1608 people aged 20-77 with an equal gender distribution (response rate 67%). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Five fatigue scales from the questionnaire Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory: General Fatigue, Physical Fatigue, Reduced Activity, Reduced Motivation and Mental Fatigue. RESULTS: Fatigue scores were skewed towards absence of fatigue. The General Fatigue and Physical Fatigue scales showed the highest fatigue levels while the Reduced Motivation scale showed lowest levels. Gender differences in fatigue scores were small, but the variability among women was higher-that is, more women had high scores. A multiple linear regression analysis showed that respondents of low social status and respondents with a depression had high fatigue scores on all scales, independent of other factors. Chronic somatic disease had an independent direct effect on Mental Fatigue, but for the rest of the scales, the effect of somatic disease depended on age, gender and/or whether the person was living alone. For example, General and Physical Fatigue decreased with age among healthy people, whereas scores on these scales increased with age among those with a somatic disease. CONCLUSIONS: Physical and mental diseases play essential parts for the level of fatigue and as modulators of the associations between sociodemographic factors and fatigue. These interactions should be taken into account in future research on fatigue and sociodemographic factors and when data from clinical studies are compared with normative data from the general population.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Weak associations between sociodemographic factors and breast cancer: possible effects of early detection.

Differences in incidence and survival of breast cancer have been observed to vary with regard to sociodemographic factors. This might be related to variation in frequency of doctor consultation and in time of diagnosis, since sociodemographic factors appear to influence the individual's attention to cancer symptoms and susceptibility to participate in screening programmes. This study aimed to examine the variation in breast cancer incidence and case fatality in sociodemographic groups in Norway, and to discuss whether any variation can result from temporal variation in detection time. The study included 589 521 women with information on residential history, childbearing pattern, educational level and occupational physical activity. Analyses were conducted using Poisson and Cox regression models. Although all the associations were weak, breast cancer incidence was associated with residence in urban areas, high age at first childbirth and high level of education. The urban women also tended to have better survival compared with the rural women. Childlessness was associated with high incidence and high case fatality. A high educational level was associated with the lowest case fatality. This study may emphasize the importance of discussing potential effects of early cancer detection. This is particularly important in epidemiological studies revealing weak associations between sociodemographic factors and breast cancer. Mortality rates may be less influenced by problems associated with early detection and, thus, analyses of breast cancer-specific mortality could give additional information.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Sociodemographic factors and age-related macular degeneration in Latinos: the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study.

PURPOSE: To assess the association of various sociodemographic factors and early and advanced (geographic atrophy, exudative) age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Latinos. DESIGN: Population-based, cross-sectional study METHODS: The study population included Latinos (primarily Mexican-American) aged 40 years and older living in La Puente, California. Sociodemographic factors, obtained from an interviewer-administered questionnaire, included age, sex, Native American ancestry, acculturation, country of birth, employment, income, marital status, health insurance, and education level. All participants underwent complete ophthalmic examination. AMD was diagnosed from stereoscopic macular photographs. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression was used to assess associations between sociodemographic factors and AMD. RESULTS: Gradable retinal photographs from 5875 participants were included. Mean participant age was 54.9 years, 42% were male, and 5% had Native American ancestry. Stepwise logistic regression analyses indicated that age, sex, and being born in the United States were associated with early AMD (odds ratio [OR] = 1.8, 1.8, and 0.80, respectively). Native American ancestry was the associated with any advanced AMD and geographic atrophy (OR = 3.8 and 16.4, respectively). Family history of AMD was also associated with geographic atrophy (OR = 28.1). Acculturation was not associated with AMD. CONCLUSION: Independent risk indicators for the various types of AMD include older age, male sex, being born outside of the United States, Native American ancestry, and a family history of AMD. These risk factors were independent of other possible behavioral factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Impact of sociodemographic factors, hormone receptor status, and tumor grade on ethnic differences in tumor stage and size for breast cancer in US women.

The importance of sociodemographic factors and tumor biomarkers in explaining ethnic differences in tumor stage and size at diagnosis was investigated in over 106,000 female breast cancer patients reported during 1992-1996 from 11 US population-based cancer registries. Japanese and non-Hispanic White women tended to be diagnosed at an earlier stage, with smaller diameter tumors and with a lower tumor grade than women from seven other ethnic groups. Statistical adjustment for individual- and group-level sociodemographic factors produced 50-80% reductions in the odds ratios for distant (vs. localized) stage and larger (vs. <1 cm) tumor size among Black women and Hispanic women. These factors also helped to account for tumor stage and size variation among most other ethnic groups. Consideration of hormone receptor status and tumor grade had little effect on the ethnic patterns. Although small, elevated odds ratios remained for some groups, our results suggest that sociodemographic factors accounted for many of the observed ethnic differences in breast cancer stage and tumor size at the time of diagnosis. Because most of the sociodemographic variables were aggregate measures, it is possible that residual confounding by socioeconomic position could explain the persistence of slightly elevated odds ratios in some ethnic groups.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

The relationship between sociodemographic factors and oral health-related quality of life in dentate and edentulous community-dwelling older adults.

OBJECTIVES: To quantify the associations between sociodemographic factors and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in dentate and edentulous community-dwelling older adults. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study using a 54-item OHRQoL questionnaire. SETTING: Five counties in central Alabama: Jefferson and Tuscaloosa (urban), and Hale, Bibb, and Pickens (rural). PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred eighty-eight participants (Dental Study subjects) aged 65 and older were recruited from participants in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Study of Aging, a longitudinal study of mobility in older African Americans and non-Hispanic whites. MEASUREMENTS: Dental Study subjects were queried on their OHRQoL and sociodemographic status and classified into two categories: dentate and edentulous. Bivariate analyses were used to quantify associations between sociodemographic variables and OHRQoL after excluding participants with severe depression. Variables included age, sex, race, marital status, veteran status, residence, income, education, and transportation difficulties. RESULTS: Dentate and edentulous subjects had similar OHRQoL across age, sex, marital status, veteran status, and residence. Analyses suggested a strong association between OHRQoL and race, education, income, and transportation difficulties in dentate subjects. Sociodemographic factors were less strongly associated with OHRQoL in edentulous participants. CONCLUSION: OHRQoL decrements were prevalent in dentate and edentulous subjects. Of dentate persons, African Americans and those with a 6th-grade education or less, with income less than 16,000 dollars/year, and with transportation difficulties were more likely to have decrements in OHRQoL. In edentulous persons, these associations were not statistically significant or were weaker. These findings suggest differential associations between sociodemographic factors and OHRQoL when stratified according to dentate status.

Black or African American↗

PubMed2005

Association between sociodemographic factors and exposures and utilization of poison centers in Texas, 1998-2002.

This study evaluated whether selected sociodemographic factors and exposures may be associated with utilization of poison centers in Texas during 1998-2002. Data were obtained from the six poison centers that service the entire state. Cases were all human exposures where the caller county was known. The utilization rate (calls per 1000 population) was calculated for the entire state and for each county. Counties were then grouped into those with utilization rates lower than the utilization rate for the entire state and those with utilization rates higher than the rate for the entire state. The two groups were then compared with respect to sociodemographic factors derived from the 2000 Census and exposure categories derived from the poison centers. The group of counties with lower utilization rates had a lower population density, higher African-American and Hispanic populations, lower median household incomes, and higher percentage of the population who spoke a language other than English at home and spoke English less than "very well." Gender, age, and education factors were not related to utilization rates, and the most frequently reported exposure categories were similar between counties with lower and higher utilization rates. This information can be used to focus education and prevention efforts at those populations with lower utilization of the Texas Poison Center Network.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Sociodemographic factors associated with calcium intake in premenopausal women: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe associations between sociodemographic factors and calcium intake in premenopausal women. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Population-based. SUBJECTS: A total of 467 randomly selected, predominantly Caucasian Tasmanian women aged 25-44 y, response rate 63%. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: calcium intake, sociodemographic factors, anthropometrics, osteoporosis knowledge and self-efficacy. RESULTS: Education level, calcium-specific osteoporosis knowledge and self-efficacy were all independently associated with calcium intake (P<0.05). The odds of achieving the recommended dietary intake for calcium increased with higher levels of calcium-specific self-efficacy and knowledge, and decreased in smokers or if the household's main financial provider was unemployed (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Women who have lower levels of education, who are in households where the main financial provider is unemployed, who are smokers, and those with low levels of calcium-specific self-efficacy and knowledge are at risk of not achieving adequate calcium intake. This information will assist targeting of public health strategies aimed at improving the calcium intake of premenopausal women.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Sociodemographic factors and quality of life as prognostic indicators in head and neck cancer.

Pre-treatment quality of life (QOL) has been found to be an independent prognostic factor for survival in cancer patients, in particular in patients with advanced cancer. Sociodemographic factors such as marital and socioeconomic status have also been recognised as prognostic factors. We studied the influence of QOL and mood (measured with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and the Head and Neck Cancer Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-H&N35), and with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D)) as measured before treatment, the use of cigarettes and alcohol and sociodemographic factors (age, gender, marital status, income and occupation) on recurrence and survival in 208 patients with head and neck cancer prior to treatment with surgery and/or radiotherapy, using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses. Cognitive functioning and, to a lesser degree, marital status were independent predictors of recurrence and survival, along with medical factors (stage and radicality). Patients with less than optimal cognitive functioning and unmarried patients had a relative risk (RR) of recurrence of 1.72 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.01-2.93) and 1.85 (95% CI 1.06-3.33), respectively, and a RR of dying of 1.90 (95% CI 1.10-3.26) and 1.82 (95% CI 1.03-3.23), respectively. Performance status, physical functioning, mood and global QOL and smoking and drinking did not predict for recurrence and survival. The influence of cognitive functioning might be related to the use of alcohol. Marital status may influence prognosis through mechanisms of health behaviour and/or social support mechanisms.

Alcohol Drinking↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Sociodemographic factors associated with nocturnal enuresis.

This study examined the school nursing/medical examination records of 6206 national school children for sociodemographic factors associated with reported nocturnal enuresis. A point prevalence of 10.7% (n = 666) for nocturnal enuresis was reported by parents during 1970-1993 in children aged 4-14 years. Although a downward linear trend (from 11.5% to 10.7%) was seen for the reported prevalence of nocturnal enuresis over the 23-year period, this trend was not statistically significant. Age, as expected, large family size and low ordinal position in the family were all statistically associated with reported nocturnal enuresis. Gender was statistically associated with reported nocturnal enuresis only in the 6-14 years age group. Paternal social class was not statistically associated with reported nocturnal enuresis, although 15% of children in families where the father was absent were reported enuretic compared with only 10% of children whose father was in social class 1. These findings contribute to an understanding of the relationship between sociodemographic factors and enuresis as reported at school medical examinations and have implications for the planning and development of health services at local levels.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Sociodemographic factors associated with long-term weight gain, current body fatness and central adiposity in Swedish women.

OBJECTIVES: To examine sociodemographic factors associated with long-term adult weight gain and current general and central adiposity in women. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis based on data from the Malmö Diet and Cancer prospective cohort Study (MDCS), Sweden. SUBJECTS: 5464 women aged 45-73 y, who participated in the MDCS between 1994 and 1996. MEASUREMENTS: Weight change was defined as the difference between measured weight and recalled weight at age 20. Body composition was estimated from bioelectrical impedance analysis. Waist circumference and waist-hip ratio (WHR) were indicators of central obesity. Sociodemographic factors studied included reproductive, lifestyle and socioeconomic characteristics obtained from a questionnaire. RESULTS: At current age 13% of all women were obese (BMI>/=30), and nearly one-third had a body fat content of >33%. Since age 20, the majority of women (77%) had gained more than 10% of their initial weight. On average, the mean weight change was 12.6+/-10.0 kg during adult life. Age-adjusted group mean comparisons identified a number of significant sociodemographic variables predicting past weight gain and current obesity. In multivariate analysis, significant independent correlates of weight gain were: age, initial small body size, high parity, early menarche, non-use of hormone therapy, low self-rated health, non-smoking, no consumption of alcohol, sedentary leisure activity, past change in diet, retirement, low education, low socioeconomic status, and low socioeconomic status of origin. Many of the same variables were independently associated with current waist circumference, WHR, and percentage body fat. CONCLUSIONS: Large weight gain during adult life and a high rate of overweight were observed in this group of Swedish women. Many sociodemographic characteristics were associated with long-term weight gain and recent obesity indices. Initial BMI, smoking, age, physical activity and early socioeconomic status accounted for most of the explained variance in weight change. The findings indicate the importance of identifying environmental determinants of both weight gain and attained fatness, as well as fat distribution.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed1997

Are sociodemographic factors predictive of preterm birth? A reappraisal of the 1958 British Perinatal Mortality Survey.

OBJECTIVE: Reassessment of the predictive value of sociodemographic factors on preterm birth. DESIGN: Population-based case-control study. SETTING: England, Wales and Scotland. SAMPLE: The study sample consisted of 5630 primiparous and 9538 multiparous women who were delivered during the first week of March 1958 in Britain. Multiple births were excluded. METHOD: Factors potentially predictive of preterm birth were assessed for primiparous and multiparous women separately, using the split-sample cross-validation technique. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Preterm birth, defined as birth occurring before 259 days of gestation. RESULTS: Preterm birth rates for primiparous and multiparous women were 54 and 53 per 1000 births, respectively. In primiparous women low maternal age (under 20 years) was the only sociodemographic variable that was predictive of preterm birth (P = 0.01). However, only 10.7% of preterm birth among primiparous women was associated with low maternal age. In multiparous women, using univariable analysis, employment status was statistically significantly associated with preterm birth. This association disappeared when employment status was adjusted for by other variables in the model. Social class was not predictive of preterm birth in either primiparous or multiparous women. CONCLUSION: From the results of this study it is concluded that sociodemographic factors do not have a substantial impact on the risk of preterm birth. It seems unlikely that preventative measures aimed at social-demographic adversity will reduce preterm birth rates.

Case-Control Studies↗

PubMed1999

The impact of low birth weight, perinatal conditions, and sociodemographic factors on educational outcome in kindergarten.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relative effects and the impact of perinatal and sociodemographic risk factors on long-term morbidity within a total birth population in Florida. METHODS: School records for 339 171 children entering kindergarten in Florida public schools in the 1992-1993, 1993-1994, or 1994-1995 academic years were matched with Florida birth records from 1985 to 1990. Effects on long-term morbidity were assessed through a multivariate analysis of an educational outcome variable, defined as placement into 9 mutually exclusive categories in kindergarten. Of those categories, 7 were special education (SE) classifications determined by statewide standardized eligibility criteria, 1 was academic problems, and the reference category was regular classroom. Generalized logistic regression was used to simultaneously estimate the odds of placement in SE and academic problems. The impact of all risk factors was assessed via estimated attributable excess/deficit numbers, based on the multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Educational outcome was significantly influenced by both perinatal and sociodemographic factors. Perinatal factors had greater adverse effects on the most severe SE types, with birth weight <1000 g having the greatest effect. Sociodemographic predictors had greater effects on the mild educational disabilities. Because of their greater prevalence, the impact attributable to each of the factors (poverty, male gender, low maternal education, or non-white race) was between 5 and 10 times greater than that of low birth weight and >10 times greater than that of very low birth weight, presence of a congenital anomaly, or prenatal care. CONCLUSIONS: Results are consistent with the hypothesis that adverse perinatal conditions result in severe educational disabilities, whereas less severe outcomes are influenced by sociodemographic factors. Overall, sociodemographic factors have a greater total impact on adverse educational outcomes than perinatal factors.

Birth Weight↗

PubMed2004

Oral health, sociodemographic factors, dietary and oral hygiene practices in Jordanian children.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between oral health, in terms of dental caries and gingivitis, and sociodemographic factors, dental plaque, oral hygiene behaviours, infant feeding and dietary practices in 4-5-year-old Jordanian children. METHODS: Two-stage random sampling procedure was used to select children enrolled in kindergartens in Amman, Jordan. Clinical examinations were carried out by one examiner. Mothers completed questionnaires relating to sociodemographic factors, oral hygiene behaviours, infant feeding and dietary practices of the children. RESULTS: About 67% of the children had caries, 31% had dmft greater than 4 and 66% had gingivitis. Of the children who had been wholly breast-fed, 86% had been fed on demand. Mothers of children attending kindergartens with the lowest tuition fees were more likely to have breast-fed their children on demand and for more than 18 months (prolonged breast feeding) compared to those attending kindergartens with higher fees. Savory snacks were consumed by 82%, confectionery by 76% and teas with sugar by 42% of the children. Multivariate analysis showed age, dental plaque, sleeping beside the mother, use of comforters and selected dietary habits to have an independent effect on caries prevalence. Dental plaque and prolonged breast feeding exerted an independent effect on caries severity and gingivitis. The strongest association with gingivitis was dental plaque. CONCLUSIONS: In Jordan as elsewhere health promotion strategies need to be targeted to mothers from less advantaged backgrounds. Messages about infant breast feeding should emphasise that the method is beneficial to the oral health of the children if appropriately used.

Bottle Feeding↗