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Biomedical subjects

R Beaglehole

Publications and source records attributed to R Beaglehole.

176 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

Cigarette smoking habits, attitudes and associated social factors in adolescents.

Cigarette smoking habits and attitudes and associated social factors of 997 third and fourth form pupils were studied, using an interviewer administered questionnaire, in two co-educational secondary schools as part of a smoking intervention programme. Overall, 32 percent of the pupils were regular smokers with 15% smoking more than two cigarettes per day. The majority of smokers began smoking before secondary school; boys started earlier than girls,nd heavy smokers earlier than light smokers. The commonest reason for giving up smoking was personal dislike. Heavy smokers were more likely to have respiratory symptoms than other pupils. The smoking habits of the pupils were related to those of their parents, siblings and friends. The majority of pupils thought cigarette smoking bad for their health irrespective of their own smoking habits.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Blood pressure in Tokelauan children in two contrasting environments.

To assess the influence of the environment on blood pressure levels in children, the patterns of blood pressure in Tokelauan children resident in the isolated atolls of Tokelau and in New Zealand are compared. Blood pressure was measured twice by one observer using a random zero sphygmomanometer on 571 (96% response) Tokelauan children resident on the atolls and on 856 (95% response) Tokelauan children resident in New Zealand. After adjusting for cuff size and controlling for age, weight and height, the systolic blood pressure of New Zealand resident children was found to be significantly higher in boys of all ages and in girls under the age of eight. The difference does not appear to be due to selective migration; the association of the heavier weight of the New Zealand resident children with part of this blood pressure difference may be important from a preventive viewpoint.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Prevalence of coronary heart disease in samples of New Zealand Maoris and Pakehas.

This paper reports the prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) and its relationship with several standard risk factors in samples of New Zealand Maoris and Pakehas. The age standardised prevalence rates of CHD are: 16.1 percent, and 7.3 percent in Maori females and males respectively, and 11.5 percent and 6.5 percent in Pakeha females and males respectively. In Maori females only serum uric acid is associated with an increasing prevalence of CHD. The high prevalence of CHD in females as compared with the higher national mortality rates for males suggests that the case fatality rates for CHD are higher in males. The lack of association between CHD and the risk factors in Maori females suggests the possibility of two syndromes of CHD in Maori females.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

A family study of blood pressure in Polynesians.

The family aggregation of blood pressure was studied in Tokelau Island children aged 5-14 years and their parents resident on their home islands in 1971. Five hundred and two (97 per cent) of the children had a recorded blood pressure and they formed 210 sibling groups. The sibship similarity of blood pressure z scores adjusted for year of age and sex was examined by analysis of variance between and within sibships in the 133 sibships with more than one member. For both systolic and diastolic pressure a statistically significant sibship similarity exists which is independent of family size, level of pressure, and the sibship similarity of Quetelet Index. The correlation coefficient of the z score of one index child chosen at random and the remaining siblings is 0-14 (n = 282, p = 0-017). Of the parental variables studied the mother's systolic pressure is the best, and only, predictor of the child's systolic z score. These results suggest that in the Tokelau islanders a family similarity of blood pressure is established relatively early in life.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Prevalence and incidence data in the assessment of the risk of coronary heart disease.

Estimates of risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) derived from two prevalence survey examinations and from a 7- to 9-year incidence study were compared using data from the Evans County Cardiovascular study. Four risk factors were studied: sex, blood pressure, age and serum cholesterol; relative risks and morbidity ratios were used as estimators of the risk of CHD. Considerable agreement was found between the estimates of risk derived from the incidence and prevalence data.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Changes in severity of myocardial infarction and three year survival rates after myocardial infarction in Auckland, 1966-7 and 1981-2.

Mortality from coronary heart disease has been declining steadily over the past 20 years in Auckland. The possibility that improved survival contributed to this decline was examined in patients who survived four weeks after myocardial infarction, changes in the severity of the disease being controlled for. Patients who had had myocardial infarction in 1966-7 (191 patients) or 1981-2 (203) were compared to determine whether three year survival rates had changed and the severity of the disease altered. With a coronary prognostic index taken as the measure of severity the 1981-2 group had significantly more severe myocardial infarctions than the 1966-7 group, but despite this the three year survival was significantly better (86% in the 1981-2 group v 75% in the 1966-7 group). These findings suggest that improved survival after myocardial infarction contributed to the decline in mortality.

Cardiomegaly↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Factors related to tracking of blood pressure in children. U.S. National Center for Health Statistics Health Examination Surveys Cycles II and III.

In this paper we examine the relationship of growth, obesity, and the degree of sexual and bone maturation to blood pressure in a U.S. national probability sample of 2165 children examined by the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics on two occasions, approximately 4 years apart. Subjects who maintained, increased, or decreased their peer rank order of blood pressure are described. Children who maintained their blood pressure in the upper quintile were taller, heavier, more obese, had greater bone age, greater numbers of permanent teeth, and were more sexually mature than their peers, while those maintaining their blood pressure in the lowest quintile of blood pressure were shorter, lighter, less obese, had lesser bone age, fewer permanent teeth, and were less sexually mature. Subjects whose blood pressures were initially in the lowest four quintiles and then rose to the top quintile were also taller, heavier, more obese, and had greater bone age, while those with blood pressures falling to the lowest quintile from the upper four quintiles were shorter, lighter, less obese, and had lesser bone age. Thus, the level at which blood pressure tracks during childhood is related to growth, obesity, and to the degree of maturation acquired. In addition, children whose blood pressures are rising or falling in relation to their peers have body growth and maturation characteristics similar to those who maintain their rank order high or low respectively.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Subarachnoid hemorrhage in New Zealand: an epidemiological study.

To examine long-term trends in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) mortality and morbidity, an analysis of routinely available information is presented for the 20 year period from 1959. To document the current incidence and case fatality of SAH, the results of a large scale community-based study in the Auckland region are presented. SAH mortality rates for both men and women, especially women, have declined since the mid-1970's. The decline appears to be real, and is most striking in the 45-64 year age groups. A corresponding decline in discharge rates from hospital has also occurred in these age groups. In contrast, cases fatality rates have remained stable at about 42% for the 20 year period under review. The community-based study identified 92 cases in a total population of 829,464 in a twelve month period. The age standardised incidence rates were 13.4 and 15.8 per 100,000 for men and women respectively. In the age group 25-35 years, the incidence rate was particularly high at 8.5/100,000. Case fatality at 28 days was 52%. A decline in incidence appears the most likely explanation for the overall decline in national mortality.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Community demonstration programs for cardiovascular disease prevention: the Asia-Pacific experience.

Cardiovascular diseases are an important and increasing cause of death in many countries in the Asia-Pacific Region. Formal demonstration programs for the prevention of cardiovascular disease are few in number and not likely to be widely used in the future. Prevention programs focused on key risk factors are widely used in the Region and have been successful. Smoking prevention remains a high priority for all countries in the Region.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗