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PubMed2005

High prevalence of IgE antibodies among blood donors in Sweden and Norway.

BACKGROUND: Reactions after a blood transfusion could be allergic because of passive transfer of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies from allergic donors. AIMS OF THE STUDY: To compare spectrum and prevalence of IgE antibodies in blood donors from Sweden and Norway. METHODS: Using the ImmunoCAP method, serum samples from 1002 blood donors from Sweden and 500 from Norway were analysed for IgE antibodies to common inhalant and food allergens and allergens common in a hospital environment, such as penicilloyl G and latex. RESULTS: As many as 23.6-27.3% of the donors had IgE antibodies to at least one of the 14 allergens tested. Of these 6.8-16.7% had extremely high concentrations, i.e. >35 kU(A)/l corresponding to 100 times the cut-off for a positive allergy test. Most donors were sensitized to pollens, dander and mite but several had very high levels of IgE antibodies to penicilloyl G, latex and peanut. The pattern of sensitizing allergens differed between Sweden and Norway. CONCLUSIONS: High serum levels of IgE antibodies to various allergens are common among blood donors and the degree of sensitization and spectrum of involved allergen varies between geographical regions. Present routines to identify IgE sensitized, potential risk, donors are not satisfactory; the sensitivity of selection procedures is about 25%.

Allergens↗
PubMed2006

Poverty and the extent of child obesity in Canada, Norway and the United States.

The goal of this paper is to compare the extent of child obesity in Canada, Norway and the United States. As child poverty is an important correlate of child obesity, we wish to examine the potential role of international differences in child poverty in explaining international differences in the extent of child obesity. We use three representative microdata surveys containing parental reports of child height and weight collected in the mid-1990s in Canada, Norway and the US. We calculate both the prevalence and proportional severity of child obesity for 6-11-year-old children in each country, and represent the 'extent' of obesity diagrammatically. Differences in patterns of child poverty are similarly depicted. Obesity extent is also compared for poor and non-poor children in Canada and the US. Finally, child obesity in the three countries is compared using only non-poor children where we find that the extent of child obesity is much lower in Norway than in Canada or the US. The pattern apparent for obesity is remarkably similar to that found for child poverty. In Canada and especially in the US, we find a much greater extent of obesity for poor than non-poor children. However, when we compare only non-poor children in the three countries, although the magnitude of difference is smaller, it remains clear that Norwegian children are much less likely to be obese. Policy and research directed towards reducing the extent of child obesity in both Canada and the US should pay particular attention to issues of child poverty.

Body Height↗
PubMed1977

The relationship between inbreeding, migration and population density in Norway.

An investigation of the present levels of inbreeding and the proportion of non-migrants (residents in municipality of birth) in rural districts of Norway reveals a relationship between these two characteristics. There is a steady upward trend from 0.39% first- and second-cousin marriages in municipalities with less than 50% non-migrants to 4.3% such consanguineous matings in municipalities where 85% or more of the inhabitants are non-migrants. There is also a significant negative correlation (rs=-0.86, N=18) between inbreeding and population density per square km by county in Norway. In rural districts of Norway maximum inbreeding is observed in sparsley populated areas with maximum proportion of non-migrants, and the ratio of second- to first-cousin marriages ranges between 3.4 and 4.1. A similar high ratio (3.7) is also encountered in densely populated trading and industrial municipalities and in the smaller towns, whereas the semi-urban municipalities and the larger towns have the lowest inbreeding recorded and also a low ratio (1.9). The lowest proportion of non-migrants (39.3%) is recorded in the semi-urban municipalities.

Consanguinity↗
PubMed1984

Epidemiology of myasthenia gravis in Norway.

The number of patients with myasthenia gravis diagnosed and registered in Norway from 1912-1981 has been collected, representing essentially all diagnosed cases during these 70 years. Until 1948, Oslo University Hospital, the National Hospital, had the only neurological department. in Norway. Since then, neurological departments have been established throughout our country. All these departments and all practising neurologists in Norway responded to the appeal for the necessary information on their diagnosed patients up to the end of 1981. The majority of the results are based on the period 1951-1981. The National Bureau of Statistics has registered the deaths of myasthenia gravis cases since 1951, and since 1956 where it has constituted an underlying or contributory cause. The incidence rate by diagnosis per million population 1951-1981 is 2.6 for males, 5.3 for females and 4 for both sexes. The prevalence per million population is 52 for males, 127 for females and 90 for both sexes. The mortality in males is 144% and in females 155% of the mortality in the population. The excess mortality is much greater in patients below 60 years of age, especially in females where a value of 483% if found.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

High prostate cancer mortality in Norway: influence of Cancer Registry information?

Norway has among the highest prostate cancer mortality rates in the world. The aim of the present project was to assess whether this can be explained by the unique routine procedure of information transfer from the Cancer Registry of Norway (CR) to the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry (COD Registry). Norwegian prostate cancer patients deceased during 1996 were identified (n=2012). The information basis of the official mortality statistics was reviewed by two physicians, who independently identified the underlying cause of death, primarily prostate cancer or not, supplemented by consensus of two other physicians. The coding was done in two steps; first without, then with CR information. Project physicians identified 1063 deaths from prostate cancer as compared to the official number of 1161, with discrepancy as to prostate cancer death in 126 deceased. Information from the CR increased the project's age-adjusted (world standard population) prostate cancer mortality rate by less than 1% (from 22.7 to 22.9 per 100,000). In conclusion, the high rates of prostate cancer mortality in Norway could not be explained by information transfer from the CR to the COD Registry.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

Dental health behavior in a migrant perspective: use of dental services of Pakistani immigrants in Norway.

The purpose of the present study was to assess the utilization pattern of dental services in a group of Pakistani immigrants in Norway. Use was related to sociodemographic characteristics, level of urbanization in Pakistan, knowledge and belief about dental diseases and evaluated and perceived dental health. A total of 160 immigrants were clinically examined and interviewed by a structured questionnaire. The effect change analysis was performed, and separate analyses were performed for men and women. Altogether 60% had visited the dentist during the last 3 yr. While 69% coming from the cities had been to the dentist in Norway, this was the case for only 38% of those from the villages of Pakistan. Pain was given as the main reason for dental visits, and the data indicated insufficient ability to perform self-assessment of own dental health. The independent variables could explain more of the variance in use of dental services among the Pakistani men (R2 = 40%) than among the women (R2 = 21%). While number of decayed teeth and level of urbanization were among the strongest predictors among the men, dental behavior in Pakistan and number of years in Norway were of importance among the women. The latter variable indicated that the women in terms of dental behavior had a higher degree of acculturation than the men, leading to a change in traditional health behavior.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

A comparative study of costs for dental services and dentists' income in the United States and Norway.

The United States and Norway have approximately the same per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and average personal income, but their per capita health spending patterns are quite different. In 1982, the US spent 6.5% of its total health expenditures on dental services while Norway spent 5.4%. A higher percentage of Norwegian adults see a dentist annually as compared to US adults. In 1984, the mean net income of dentists in private practice was $66,940 in the US and $27,125 in Norway; this is respectively 5 and 1 3/4 times the average per capita income in those countries. The American publicly-employed dentist earned approximately two-thirds of what the American private practitioner made, while still earning approximately 50% more than his Norwegian counterpart. Some basic information concerning the ratios of dentists, specialists, and dental hygienists to the population is given. The relative proportion of women dentists in the two countries is contrasted. Finally, data on graduates from the dental schools, enrollment cuts, and estimated dentist to population ratios by the year 2000 are described to compare future manpower that will be available to the two countries. Several dissimilarities in the political and social systems are described and discussed. It is emphasized that caution should be used when interpreting and comparing data about countries with different dental delivery, political, and social systems.

Dental Health Services↗
PubMed1993

Mercury in primary teeth in preindustrial Norway.

Seventy-nine primary (deciduous) teeth were excavated in 1978 underneath the floor of the stave church in Uvdal, Buskerud County, Norway. The mercury content of 57 teeth was measured by means of cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry. As a comparison, 124 primary teeth from modern Norway were analyzed. A significant statistical difference was found between the two sets of material. In the Uvdal material a correlation was found between the mercury and copper contents. For the modern material a correlation was found between mercury and lead, and between mercury and zinc. The authors maintain that the values found for the Uvdal material represent base-line values for mercury in primary teeth, and probably reflect uptake from natural environmental sources only. Furthermore, these values may be used for reference in studies of other preindustrial, as well as modern, primary teeth. Our findings also indicate a higher level of mercury in modern than in preindustrial primary teeth in Norway.

Copper↗
PubMed1975

Yersinia enterocolitica in small rodents from Norway, Sweden and Finland.

The purpose of the present investigation was to study the occurrence of Yersinia enterocolitica (Y.e.) among small rodents and shrews (Soricidae) from Norway, Sweden and Finland. During a period of one year beginning in the autumn of 1973, animals from seven localities were examined. Twenty-four strains of Y.e. were isolated from 551 small rodents. Isolations were made from six of the seven localities and from six of the nine small rodent species examined. Pooled faeces samples from 397 animals yielded 12 strains. Faeces from 154 small rodents were separately investigated: Twelve (8 per cent) of these animals harboured Y.e. No isolations were made from 52 shrews. Most of the strains showed antigenic relationship to O-serotypes previously reported from untreated drinking water in Norway. Two strains were antigenically related to O-serotype 3 but differed biochemically from the strains found in man and swine. The results indicate that Y.e. has a widespread distribution among small rodents in Norway, Sweden and Finland.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Cultivable mycobacteria in sphagnum vegetation of moors in South Sweden and coastal Norway.

Intact sphagnum vegetation from moors in south Sweden and coastal areas of west Norway contained cultivable mycobacteria in 32% and 30% of the specimens, respectively. This frequency of specimens is lower than the 50% previously found in the partly altered moors of northwestern Germany, but the Scandinavian moors contained a larger variety of species. On both intact and altered moors M. chelonei and M. sphagni sp. nov. were found, the latter a homologous group of 151 strains. In south Sweden the highest frequency was found in S. balticum, S. recurvum. S. tenellum and S. compactum & molle. (40-65%). In coastal Norway the highest frequency was found in S. rubellum (48%) which offers favourable conditions for the accumulation of solar energy due to the red brown colour in the upper parts. Combined with a high humidity in coastal Norway in summer, this may contribute to the growth of mesophilic mycobacteria. A significant affinity of M. chelonei to S. tenellum was stated.

Mycobacterium↗
PubMed1991

Legislation and reality in public dental services in Norway: dental health services for children and adolescents in 1975 and 1985.

The act relating to dental health service implied a reorganization of the public dental health services in Norway in 1984. The act intended to extend the target group of public dental health services and to achieve social and geographic equality in the distribution of dental health services among children and adolescents. The purpose of this study was to assess the degree to which these intentions had been fulfilled. The material comprised two nationwide, stratified, and randomly selected samples of 3,356 and 2,970 children and adolescents in the age group zero to 18 years. Data were collected in 1975 and 1985. Both the theoretical and the empirical models applied structural and individual resources to explain individual variation in use of dental health services. The results showed that the proportion of zero- to 18-year-olds who had seen a dentist within the past 12 months was higher in 1985 than in 1975 (81.7% and 75.8%, respectively). Bivariate and trivariate table analyses showed that statistically significant associations between structural resources and use of dental health services disappeared when controlling for a third variable. Use of dental health services among children and adolescents in Norway was not systemically influenced by the same factors, as was the use of dental health services in the adult population. Thus, the Public Dental Health Service in Norway seems to have had the capability of compensating for most of the discriminating effects that individual and structural factors may have on the use of dental health services both before and after the reorganization of the public dental health service.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Risk factors for sporadic Campylobacter infections: results of a case-control study in southeastern Norway.

In 1989 and 1990, a case-control study designed to identify risk factors for sporadic infections with thermotolerant Campylobacter bacteria was conducted in three counties in southeastern Norway. The investigation was confined to infections which were acquired in Norway. A total of 52 bacteriologically confirmed cases and 103 controls matched by age, sex, and geographic region were interviewed. The following risk factors were found to be independently associated with illness in conditional logistic regression analysis: consumption of sausages at a barbecue (odds ratio [OR] = 7.64; P = 0.005), daily contact with a dog (OR = 4.26; P = 0.024), and eating of poultry which was brought into the house raw (frozen or refrigerated) (OR = 3.20; P = 0.024). The risk associated with consumption of sausages at a barbecue could not be attributed to cross-contamination from poultry products. By univariate analysis, consumption of poultry which was brought raw and frozen was associated with illness (OR = 2.42; P = 0.042), even though freezing substantially reduces the number of viable campylobacters. When poultry consumption was examined by country of origin, eating of poultry produced in Denmark or Sweden was strongly associated with illness (OR = 13.66; P = 0.014), whereas consumption of poultry produced in Norway was not (OR = 1.33; P = 0.41).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Constant low rate of fungemia in norway, 1991 to 1996. The Norwegian Yeast Study Group.

Since 1991 information on yeast isolates from blood cultures has been recorded prospectively from all microbiological laboratories (5 university and 16 county or local hospital laboratories) in Norway (population, 4.3 million). From 1991 to 1996 a total of 571 episodes of fungemia in 552 patients occurred (1991, 109 episodes; 1992, 81 episodes; 1993, 93 episodes; 1994, 89 episodes; 1995, 98 episodes; and 1996, 101 episodes). The fungemia rates per 10,000 patient days were 0.29 in 1991 and 0.27 in 1996. The average rates for the years 1991 to 1996 were 0.37 for the university laboratories and 0.20 for the other laboratories. These rates are low compared to the rate (0. 76) in five Dutch university hospitals in 1995 and the rate (2.0) in Iowa in 1991. The four most frequently isolated species were Candida albicans (66%), Candida glabrata (12.5%), Candida parapsilosis (7.6%), and Candida tropicalis (6.4%). The incidences of both C. albicans (range, 63 to 73%) and C. glabrata (range, 8.4 to 15.7%) varied somewhat throughout this period, but no significant increase or decrease was noted. MICs of amphotericin B, flucytosine, and fluconazole were determined for 89% of the isolates. All were susceptible to amphotericin B, and only 29 (5.6%) strains had decreased susceptibility to flucytosine. All C. albicans isolates were susceptible to fluconazole. The percentage of yeast isolates with decreased susceptibility to fluconazole (MICs, >/=16 microgram/ml) did increase, from 9.6% in 1991 and 1992 to 12.2% in 1994, 16.1% in 1995, and 18.6% in 1996. This was largely due to increases in the percentages of resistant C. glabrata and Candida krusei strains in the last 2 years. Compared to the incidence in other countries, it is remarkable that Norway has such a low and constant incidence of fungemia. A possible reason for this difference might be a restricted antibiotic use policy in Norway.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Ischaemic heart disease mortality among men in Norway: reversal of urban-rural difference between 1966 and 1989.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine regional urban-rural differences in mortality from ischaemic heart disease, including sudden death of unknown cause (IHD/SUD) in Norway from 1966-89, for men and women aged 30-69 years. DESIGN: Analysis was based on vital statistics. Regional mortality rates were obtained by aggregating the 443 municipalities in Norway into urban, rural, and intermediate municipalities. SETTINGS AND SUBJECTS: Norway. RESULTS: In 1966-70 the age adjusted IHD/SUD mortality in the age group 30-69 years was higher in urban than in rural areas; for men by 31% (95% CI 27%, 36%) and for women by 28% (95% CI 19%, 36%). In 1986-89 the IHD/SUD mortality for men showed a reversed urban-rural gradient: it was 8% (95% CI 2%, 13%) higher in rural than in urban areas. The mortality rates for women were equal for both these aggregates. For men the results indicate that IHD/SUD mortality peaked first in urban municipalities and then, but at a lower level, in rural areas. For women there was a substantial decline in IHD/SUD mortality between 1966 and 1989, but an actual peak could not be demonstrated in any of the three aggregates during the period. The decline in IHD/SUD mortality among women was steepest in urban municipalities and least noticeable in rural municipalities, but the decline tapered off towards the end of the study period. CONCLUSION: The results confirm a phase-shifted peak in IHD/SUD mortality, which began in towns and ended in rural areas, and provides clues to the main underlying factors in the IHD epidemic at the population level.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Epidemiology of stroke in Innherred, Norway, 1994 to 1996. Incidence and 30-day case-fatality rate.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In Norway, as well as other industrialized countries, mortality from stroke has declined over the past decades. Data on stroke morbidity are lacking. This study was conducted to determine the incidence, case fatality, and risk factors of stroke in a defined Norwegian population. METHODS: During the period 1994 to 1996, a population-based stroke registry collected uniform information about all cases of first-ever and recurrent stroke occurring in people aged > or = 15 years in the region of Innherred in the central part of Norway (target population 70,000), where the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors was screened in 1984 to 1986 and 1995 to 1997. RESULTS: During the 2 years of registration (September 1, 1994, to August 31, 1996), 432 first-ever (72.8%) and 161 recurrent (27.2%) strokes were registered. The crude annual incidence rate was 3.12/1000 (2.85/1000 for males and 3.38/1000 for females). Adjusted to the European population, the annual incidence rate of first-ever stroke was 2.21/1000. The annual incidence rate of cerebral infarction was 2.32/1000, intracerebral hemorrhage 0.32/1000, subarachnoid hemorrhage 0.19/1000, and unspecified stroke 0.38/1000. The 30-day case-fatality rate was 10.9% for cerebral infarction, 37.8% for intracerebral hemorrhage, and 50.0% for unspecified stroke. Fourteen percent of the patients were found outside the hospital, and only 50% of the suspected stroke cases in the hospital (at admission or reviewed discharge diagnosis of ICD-9 codes 430 to 438) fitted the final inclusion criteria. CONCLUSIONS: This first population-based stroke register in Norway revealed incidence rates of stroke similar to other Scandinavian countries, and comparison between other European countries did not indicate regional variations within Western Europe.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

University Medical School in Tromsø, Norway.

When the University of Tromsø in northern Norway was founded in 1968, the region suffered from at serious lack of physicians and the health system was not efficient. It was believed that the establishment of a medical school would improve this situation. Half of the places would be reserved for students from northern Norway, and the curriculum would be designed particularly to adapt to the needs of society. The curriculum today aims at obtaining early involvement with patients by using the integrated model for teaching, which means no separation between preclinical and clinical periods and close patient contact throughout the whole curriculum. There is full integration between basic sciences and clinical medicine according to the organ-system model. Emphasis is put on teaching the students a scientific approach involving elective studies and a thesis based on independent study. The expectations of the planners of the medical school have, in the main, been fulfilled. Of the physicians now practising in northern Norway, the proportion who received their education in Tromsø exceeds that of those educated at the other Norwegian medical schools. In addition, there are no serious vacancies in the primary health care service in the region.

Curriculum↗
PubMed1996

Fertility patterns according to occupational grouping in Norway, 1989.

In the early 1990s, most pregnant women in Norway were in gainful employment. This led to increased interest in the possible consequences for reproductive health, and a growing concern for the need to accommodate the pregnancy. We have therefore investigated how accurately general fertility rates predict the number of pregnancies in the workforce. Fertility rates (FR) among employed women and standardized fertility ratios (SFR) in occupational groups were estimated on the basis of information from the Labour Market Statistics and the national survey "Pregnancy and Work", Norway, 1989. The fertility rate among employed women was 17% higher than the general fertility rate. Two occupational groups had significantly different SFRs: technical/professional workers (SFR 118) and transport/communication workers (SFR 82). In addition, differences were found for parity-specific SFRs in administrative/executive work (SFR nullipara 80, SFR para 125) and service work (SFR nullipara 114, SFR para 80). We suggest that work status and occupation should be included among the variables registered in the Medical Birth Registry of Norway, in order to facilitate routine presentations of fertility rates and pregnancy outcomes for women in paid work. The results further indicate that work-specific conditions influence first-birth fertility. This should be explored in demographic studies of the relation between women's fertility and participation in paid work.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Patient and health care system delays in the start of tuberculosis treatment in Norway.

BACKGROUND: Delay in start of tuberculosis (TB) treatment has an impact at both the individual level, by increasing the risk of morbidity and mortality, and at the community level, by increasing the risk of transmission. The aims of this study were to assess the delays in the start of treatment for TB patients in Oslo/Akershus region, Norway and to analyze risk factors for the delays. METHODS: This study was based on information from the National TB Registry, clinical case notes from hospitals and referral case notes from primary health care providers. Delays were divided into patient, health care system and total delays. The association with sex, birthplace, site of the disease and age group was analyzed by multiple linear regression. RESULTS: Among the 83 TB patients included in this study, 71 (86%) were born abroad. The median patient, health care system and total delays were 28, 33 and 63 days respectively, with a range of 1-434 days. In unadjusted analysis, patient delay and health care system delay did not vary significantly between men and women, according to birthplace or age group. Patients with extra-pulmonary TB had a significantly longer patient, health care system and total delay compared to patients with pulmonary TB. Median total delay was 81 and 56 days in the two groups of TB patients respectively. The health care system delay exceeded the patient delay for those born in Norway. The age group 60+ years had significantly shorter patient delay than the reference group aged 15-29 years when adjusted for multiple covariates. Also, in the multivariate analysis patients born in Norway had significantly longer health care system delay than patients born abroad. CONCLUSION: A high proportion of patients had total delays in start of TB treatment exceeding two months. This study emphasizes the need of awareness of TB in the general population and among health personnel. Extra-pulmonary TB should be considered as a differential diagnosis in unresolved cases, especially for immigrants from high TB prevalence countries.

Adolescent↗