Biomedical subjects

David J Gunnell

Publications and source records attributed to David J Gunnell.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Combining individual and ecological data to determine compositional and contextual socio-economic risk factors for suicide.

The social and economic characteristics of geographic areas are associated with their suicide rates. The extent to which these ecological associations are due to the characteristics of the people living in the areas (compositional effects) or the influence of the areas themselves on risk (contextual effects) is uncertain. Denmark's Medical Register on Vital Statistics and its Integrated Database for Longitudinal Labour Market Research were used to identify suicides and 20 matched controls per case in 25-60-year-old men and women between 1982 and 1997. Individual and area (municipality) measures of income, marital and employment status were obtained. There were 9011 suicides and 180,220 controls. Individual-level associations with these risk factors were little changed when controlling for contextual effects. In contrast, ecological associations of increased suicide risk with declining area levels of employment and income and increasing proportions of people living alone were much attenuated after controlling for compositional effects. We found no consistent evidence that associations with individual-level risk factors differed depending on the areas' characteristics (cross-level interactions). This analysis suggests the ecological associations to be attributed to characteristics of the residents rather than area influences on risk.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Serum insulin-like growth factor-I is positively associated with serum prostate-specific antigen in middle-aged men without evidence of prostate cancer.

We have examined the relationship between serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and prostate-specific antigen in 367 healthy men without evidence of prostate cancer and found a positive association (P = 0.05). In men without prostate cancer, serum prostate-specific antigen is closely related to prostate size, and our findings, therefore, suggest that IGF-I may induce prostatic epithelial proliferation. Higher circulating levels of IGF-I have been associated with increased risk of both prostate cancer and possibly benign prostatic hyperplasia. Greater rates of cell proliferation induced by IGF-I may be a key biological pathway underlying these disorders.

Age Distribution↗

PubMed2003

Advice to eat fish and mood: a randomised controlled trial in men with angina.

People with high intake of fish have lower reported rates of depression and a small trial in psychiatric patients suggested that fish oil supplements reduced episodes of depression and mania. As part of a factorial trial of interventions to reduce mortality in angina 452 men were randomised to advice to eat more fatty fish or no fish advice. Maxepa fish oil capsules were supplied to men who found the fish unpalatable. Fish intake and mood were assessed at baseline and six months. Most men (83%) had mood assessed using the Derogatis Stress Profile at baseline and follow-up. Self reported intake of fish was higher in the fish advice group at six months. There was, however, no difference in depression or anxiety in those allocated to receive fish advice. After controlling for baseline mood, the difference in depression score between those randomised to fish advice and those not was 1.29 (95% CI -0.29 to 2.88) and the difference in anxiety was 0.82 (95% CI -0.57 to 2.22) with positive differences indicating more depression or anxiety in those allocated to the fish arm. This trial provides no evidence that increased fatty fish intake in people without depressive symptoms has any substantial effect on mood.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Are we still dying for a tan?

We suggest that the risks and benefits to individual and population health of different patterns of sunlight exposure are poorly characterised. Furthermore, we believe that the risks of excess exposure to sunlight in North European countries have been overstated and that the potential benefits of exposure to sunlight (particularly in moderation) have been largely ignored. We contend that a re-appraisal of these risks and benefits is required to allow us to better formulate public health policy and to provide the public and individuals with appropriate advice.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2002

Author's reply.

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Cosmetic Techniques↗