Pitfall in the PCO2 gradient.
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Arteries↗
Biomedical subjects
P Homel
Publications and source records attributed to P Homel.
The public perception of the risks and benefits of alcohol consumption.
A survey of the community was undertaken in August 1989 to assess the public's perception of the risks and benefits of alcohol use, and their understanding of recommended levels of safe alcohol consumption. A household sample of 500 men and women (18 to 65 years) in metropolitan and rural New South Wales were asked their opinions about the risks and benefits of alcohol use, the health and social consequences of 'drinking too much', and the number of standard drinks that would produce a low, medium and high risk to the health of an adult man and woman. The major perceived benefits of alcohol use were relaxation and medication; the major health and social problems attributed to alcohol abuse were brain and liver damage, and domestic violence and family problems. The quantities of alcohol which respondents thought could be consumed with a 'low' risk to health were close to National Health and Medical Research Council recommended levels of safe consumption.
Adult↗
Public attitudes towards alcohol control policies.
In August 1989 we surveyed a household sample of 500 adults from 84 randomly selected census collector districts in metropolitan and rural New South Wales about their support for 'alcohol control policies' that aim to reduce the prevalence of alcohol-related problems by lowering population alcohol consumption. There was very little support for policies which increased the price or reduced the availability of alcohol. There was moderate support for controls on alcohol advertising, and substantial opposition to policies that would reduce the price of alcohol or increase its availability. Approval for alcohol control policies was more likely to be expressed by women and by persons whose self-reported alcohol consumption was low. If these findings from New South Wales are representative of Australian attitudes then proponents of alcohol control policies face a major task in persuading the public to support them.
Adult↗
The drug market position of cocaine among young adults in Sydney.
A study was undertaken to explore the 'market position' of cocaine among young adults in Sydney, Australia. The intention was to estimate how likely Australia is to experience an epidemic of cocaine use if the availability of the drug was to increase. A sample of 499 young adults in which illicit drug users were overrepresented were surveyed. The results suggested that there was not a large untapped market for cocaine. In terms of risk and attraction, cocaine was perceived to be more like the traditional 'hard drugs' of heroin, stimulants and hallucinogens than the traditional 'soft drugs' of alcohol and marijuana. Only 5% of the sample were prepared to try cocaine if offered it by a close friend.
Adolescent↗
Smoking prevalence, intentions and knowledge of health risk. Results from a New South Wales school survey.
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Adolescent↗
Accurate prediction of the amount of in situ tumor in palpable breast cancers by core needle biopsy: implications for neoadjuvant therapy.
BACKGROUND: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy facilitates breast conservation in stage II breast cancer patients, whose primary tumors are assumed to be invasive because they are palpable. However, chemotherapy may not be indicated in the minority of patients whose clinically T2 tumors are completely or predominantly in situ. Almost all previous studies of core needle biopsy in breast cancer have been concerned with nonpalpable, mammographically detected tumors, and none have evaluated its ability to quantitatively determine the amounts of in situ and invasive disease. METHODS: From September, 1992 to December, 1997, core needle biopsy was performed on all patients presenting to the Kings County Hospital Breast Clinic with palpable breast masses. Carcinoma was present in both core needle biopsy samples and surgical specimens subsequently obtained from 95 of 99 patients. Each specimen was evaluated for tumor type, histologic grade, and the amounts of in situ and invasive carcinoma it contained, and the results from surgical and core needle biopsy specimens from the same patients were then compared. RESULTS: The surgical specimens of 14 patients had completely or predominantly in situ disease. Completely or predominantly invasive disease was present in 67 specimens, and the remaining 14 had significant amounts of both. The high level of agreement between the amounts of in situ and invasive disease in core needle biopsy and surgical specimens is indicated by Pearson and intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.91 (P < .001 and < .00001, respectively). Tumor type was correctly predicted by core needle biopsy in each case. Variables among these patients, including primary tumor size, interval between biopsy and surgery, or administration of neoadjuvant systemic therapy, did not alter agreement between core needle biopsy and surgical specimens. CONCLUSIONS: Core needle biopsy can identify palpable breast tumors that are predominantly or completely in situ, and, thus, avoid unnecessary neoadjuvant chemotherapy. It also can demonstrate that a tumor is predominantly invasive, but cannot rule out small invasive foci. For that purpose, complete surgical excision of the tumor is required.
Biopsy, Needle↗
Should we screen for lead poisoning after 36 months of age? Experience in the inner city.
INTRODUCTION: Current lead screening guidelines recommend monitoring lead levels in children under 3 years of age. There are, however, a number of children between the ages of 3 and 6 years who have elevated blood lead levels. Whether these lead elevations are new or chronic has not been examined. OBJECTIVE: To determine the proportion of children with lead levels greater than or equal to 10 microg/dL after their third birthday when all prior testing had been normal. METHODS: Retrospective study based on 39000 venous lead tests obtained between 1993 and 1998. From this group, 2046 children were located who had blood lead levels of less than 10 microg/dL before 36 months and who had a follow-up lead level after 36 months. All lead assays were done by the City of New York laboratories, which had an intrasample variability of 13%. RESULTS: Sixty-six (3.2%) of the 2046 children showed an elevation in blood lead for the first time after their third birthday. The abnormal values ranged from 10 to 25 microg/dL. The majority (72%) of the screen-positive children, however, had lead levels of 10 to 12 microg/dL, and 63.3% of screen-positive children with repeat tests had lead levels that reverted to below 10 microg/dL. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate that some new cases of lead level elevations did occur after 3 years of age in this 'high-risk' community; however, the current study provides evidence that universal screening for lead poisoning beyond 3 years of age is not warranted in this community as it is not likely to pick up clinically important exposure.
Age Factors↗