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PubMed2000

Socio-demographic associations with digit and pacifier sucking at 15 months of age and possible associations with infant infection. The ALSPAC Study Team. Avon Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood.

AIMS: To assess the prevalence of pacifier and digit sucking at 15 months of age and to investigate whether this habit adversely affects the health of 18 month old infants. STUDY DESIGN: Data collected via self-completion questionnaires from mothers forming part of the prospective, population based Avon Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The mothers of 10006 infants gave information on their child's use of a pacifier and of digit sucking at 15 months of age and the presence of specific health symptoms at 18 months of age. Adjusted logistic regression was performed to identify any statistically significant associations between pacifier use, digit sucking or a combination of the two with possible infection. RESULTS: 36.3% of infants sucked a pacifier, 21. 3% their thumb or finger and 2.7% sucked both at 15 months. Statistically significant differences were observed among various socio-demographic variables. Mothers were more likely to give their child a pacifier if they were younger, had lower levels of education, experienced greater financial difficulties or lived in council housing (compared to owned/mortgaged). The opposite was apparent for digit suckers. After allowing for these possible confounding factors, pacifier users had a higher incidence of earache and colic compared to children with no sucking habit, however digit suckers had a lower incidence of these symptoms. Children who sucked both were significantly more likely to have reported wheezing, earache, and poor health in the past month. CONCLUSIONS: Significantly different sociodemographic characteristics were observed with pacifier suckers compared to those who sucked their thumb or finger. It is almost impossible to attribute the direction of causality between infection and a sucking habit. Further and more detailed studies are needed before any recommendations can be made based on the statistically significant associations found as they are unlikely to be of major clinical significance.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Factor analysis of the Neuropsychological Screening Battery for Hispanics (NeSBHIS).

The Neuropsychological Screening Battery for Hispanics (NeSBHIS; Pontón et al., 1996) was developed to provide clinicians and researchers with appropriate tests and norms to assess the Latino population. However, the construct validity of the NeSBHIS is unclear, and its clinical utility is untested. This study provides data on the construct validity of this battery via factor analytic methodology. Five factors were identified: (a) a language factor, which included the Controlled Oral Word Association Test, the Pontón-Satz Boston Naming Test, and the Escala de Inteligencia Wechsler para Adultos (EIWA; Wechsler, Green, & Martinez, 1968) Digit Span; (b) a verbal learning factor, which included all the World Health Organization--University of California, Los Angeles Auditory Verbal Learning Test scores (Trials V, VII, and VIII); (c) an attentional-mental control factor, which included the EIWA Digit Symbol, Color Trails 1 and 2, and the EIWA Block Design; (d) a visuospatial factor, made up of the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test Copy and Memory and the Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices total score; and (e) a psychomotor factor, the Pin Test. This was a stable factor structure, suggesting that the NeSBHIS has a robust construct validity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Using claims data to examine patients using practice-based Internet communication: is there a clinical digital divide?

BACKGROUND: Practice-based Internet communication allows patients to obtain health information, ask questions, and submit requests through a personalized Web site. While such online tools also bring great promise for educating patients with the goal of fostering behavior change, it is important to examine how individuals currently using such services differ from those who do not. OBJECTIVE: The study used administrative information to characterize a population of patients communicating with a medical practice through the Internet during the end of 1999 and through 2000. METHODS: Patient claims data generated during clinical encounters from January 1999 through May 2000 were examined to measure the relationship between patient demographics, frequency of visits, specific acute diagnoses, and specific chronic diagnoses and the use of online communication with the practice. RESULTS: Ten percent of patients, and 13.2% of patients 18 years or older, used the practice Web site. There were differences in use of the practice Web site by age and insurance status, but not by gender. Use of the practice Web site was similar or higher among patients having a diagnosis for a variety of acute and chronic conditions compared to those not having such a diagnosis. Patients with more clinic visits were more likely to use the Web-based service. CONCLUSIONS: Patients using practice-based Internet communication and having significant health risks can be identified through the use of administrative data, presenting an opportunity to test online educational efforts to improve health.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Tufts Health Sciences Database: lessons, issues, and opportunities.

The authors present their seven-year experience with developing the Tufts Health Sciences Database (Tufts HSDB), a database-driven information management system that combines the strengths of a digital library, content delivery tools, and curriculum management. They describe a future where online tools will provide a health sciences learning infrastructure that fosters the work of an increasingly interdisciplinary community of learners and allows content to be shared across institutions as well as with academic and commercial information repositories. The authors note the key partners in Tufts HSDB's success--the close collaboration of the health sciences library, educational affairs, and information technology staff. Tufts HSDB moved quickly from serving the medical curriculum to supporting Tufts' veterinary, dental, biomedical sciences, and nutrition schools, thus leveraging Tufts HSDB research and development with university-wide efforts including Internet2 middleware, wireless access, information security, and digital libraries. The authors identify major effects on teaching and learning, e.g., what is better taught with multimedia, how faculty preparation and student learning time can be more efficient and effective, how content integration for interdisciplinary teaching and learning is promoted, and how continuous improvement methods can be integrated. Also addressed are issues of faculty development, copyright and intellectual property, budgetary concerns, and coordinating IT across schools and hospitals. The authors describe Tufts' recent experience with sharing its infrastructure with other schools, and welcome inquiries from those wishing to explore national and international partnerships to create a truly open and integrated infrastructure for education across the health sciences.

Academic Medical Centers↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Prevalence of influenza vaccination in a high-risk population: impact of age and race.

Participants in a Nashville Davidson County survey were queried regarding influenza vaccination, with the goal of developing strategies to improve vaccination coverage in the county. The Metropolitan Public Health Department used a locally adapted version of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in a random-digit-dialing phone survey with a sample of 7901 residents of Davidson County, Tennessee, about health-related behaviors. Out of 7233 fully completed surveys, data for 7016 were analyzed. Thirty-six percent of the respondents were male; 17% were aged 18-24, 40% were aged 25-44, 26% were aged 45-64, and 16% were aged 65 or older. Seventy-six percent were white. Forty-five percent reported a chronic illness, increasing their risk for complications from influenza; 11% had asthma, 7% diabetes, 25% hypercholesterolemia, and 28% hypertension. Predictors for receipt of influenza vaccine were older age, presence of a primary care provider, health insurance, and employment. Those with chronic diseases were more likely to be vaccinated when compared to the general population. Among those 65 and older, blacks were less likely to be vaccinated (OR = 0.57, CI = 0.43, 0.76). The substantial disparity in receipt of influenza vaccine reflects the lack of recommendations and policies for vaccination coverage and suggests the need for greater community-based efforts to improve the preventive health behaviors of healthcare professionals and the public. In addition, new vaccine delivery strategies and systematic vaccination marketing efforts may be needed to increase influenza vaccination rates in communities of color and other underserved populations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

[Computer-assisted performance documentation. Effects in orthopedics and trauma surgery on budgets and reimbursement].

Since 1995 German health maintenance laws require hospitals to document and code all referrals, admissions and discharges using the 4-digit ICD. Operative procedures are documented and coded using the ICPM. Beginning in January 1996, reimbursement for health services requires a diagnosis-related billing and payment for special procedures. The decision for billing is based on documented diagnosis and therapy. This extended request for documentation makes an online access to diagnosis and therapy with a computer-assisted coding system advisable. In 1996 in our hospital each diagnosis and operation was manually documented and coded on a form. Since the beginning of 1997, documentation and coding has been exclusively computer-assisted. On the basis of documented diagnosis and therapy the computer provides the route of reimbursement. Retrospectively we evaluated the number of charged diagnosis-related billings and payments for special procedures from January to April of 1996 and 1997. It became evident that with computer-assisted documentation and coding the number of detected and charged diagnosis-related billings and payments for special procedures was significantly increased in comparison with the previous year.

Budgets↗
PubMed2005

Blocking of pornography-seeking behavior in digital image libraries: adventures in the skin trade.

The escalating competition between online pornography - seeking and disseminating behaviors and technologies that attempt to reduce them creates technical, semantic and legal barriers to the legitimate discussion of and education about sensitive health issues involving sexuality, anatomy and pathology, especially when image-based knowledge is used. The effects of this competition on the use and management of an online dermatology atlas are described with a discussion on the importance of anticipating, addressing and controlling this problem while developing and maintaining image-based digital libraries and other e-Health applications.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Differences in health estimates using telephone and door-to-door survey methods--a hypothetical exercise.

Telephone interviewing is increasingly being used to obtain data on health issues. Propertly applied telephone interviewing may have considerable cost benefits, but careful thought has to be put into the design of surveys, weighting and analysis of data to avoid major sources of bias. This study is a hypothetical exercise comparing health estimates from a systematic, self-weighting, multistage, clustered, area sample of households using a face-to-face interview method, with hypothetical samples of people obtained from Random Digit Dialling and Electronic White Pages. In a comparison of the population health estimates obtained for a number of health problems in a hypothetical analysis of these samples, the confidence intervals for the estimates overlapped. Since the estimates are not statistically significantly different, it appears that well-planned, appropriately weighted and analysed telephone surveys can be a less expensive way of obtaining health information, however, some caution is expressed in using this method.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Progress in cancer screening over a decade: results of cancer screening from the 1987, 1992, and 1998 National Health Interview Surveys.

BACKGROUND: Screening to detect cancer early, an increasingly important cancer control activity, cannot be effective unless it is widely used. METHODS: Use of Pap smears, mammography, fecal occult blood tests (FOBTs), sigmoidoscopy, and digital rectal examination (DRE) was evaluated in the 1987, 1992, and 1998 National Health Interview Surveys. Levels and trends in screening use were examined by sex, age, and racial/ethnic group. The effects of income, educational level, and health care coverage were examined within age groups. Logistic regression analyses of 1998 data were used to develop a parsimonious, policy-relevant model. RESULTS: Use of all screening modalities increased over the period examined; for mammography and DRE, the increase was more rapid in the first half of the decade; for the Pap test and sigmoidoscopy, the increase was more rapid in the second half of the decade. Levels of colorectal cancer screening (both sigmoidoscopy and FOBTs) in 1998 were less than the level that prevailed a decade earlier for mammography. Patterns of change for all screening modalities differed between age, sex, and racial/ethnic groups, but prevalence of use during the study, within recommended time intervals, was consistently lower among groups with lower income and less education. Logistic regression analyses indicated that insurance coverage and, to a greater extent, usual source of care had strong independent associations with screening usage when age, sex, racial/ethnic group, and educational level were taken into account. CONCLUSIONS: While cancer screening is generally increasing in the United States, usage is relatively low for colorectal cancer screening and among groups that lack health insurance or a usual source of care.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Infertility drugs and the risk of breast cancer: findings from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Women's Contraceptive and Reproductive Experiences Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between infertility drug use and invasive breast cancer in a population-based case-control study. DESIGN: Multicenter case-control study. SETTING: Women aged 35 to 64 years in metropolitan Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Seattle. PATIENT(S): The 4,575 case patients had histologically confirmed primary invasive breast cancer. The 4,682 control subjects were women without breast cancer identified in the same geographic locations using randomized-digit dialing. INTERVENTION(S): A standardized questionnaire focusing on reproductive health and family history as well as use of oral contraceptives and other hormones and infertility drugs was administered to all subjects. Data on the type of breast cancer were also obtained. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Odds ratios examining the association between use of various infertility drugs and invasive breast cancer. RESULT(S): Overall, a history of infertility drug use was not associated with the risk of developing breast cancer. Compared with women who never used any fertility medication, however, women using human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) for > or = 6 months or for at least six cycles had a relative risk of breast cancer ranging between 2.7 to 3.8. CONCLUSION(S): Long-term use of certain infertility drugs could adversely affect risk of breast cancer. Additional confirmatory studies are needed.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Arterial reconstruction in the ischemic hand and wrist: effects on microvascular physiology and health-related quality of life.

Patients were evaluated before and after arterial reconstruction surgery (1) to define the physiology of the digital microcirculation in chronic subcritical ischemia, (2) to demonstrate the short-term effects of successful arterial reconstruction on microvascular flow, and (3) to document the effects of surgery on symptoms, function, and health-related quality of life. Arterial insufficiency was the result of a proximal reconstructible occlusive lesion, 1 or more distal unreconstructible occlusions, and secondary reactive vasospasm. Microvascular physiology was evaluated by monitoring digital temperatures, microvascular perfusion (laser Doppler fluxmetry) and perfusion patterns (laser Doppler perfusion patterns (laser Doppler perfusion imaging). Following successful vascular reconstruction, digital temperatures and microvascular perfusion improved significantly, approaching control levels. Although cold sensitivity was unchanged, symptoms decreased and upper extremity function and health-related quality of life improved after successful proximal reconstruction in patients with 2-level arterial occlusion.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Deflating inflation.

The pundits warn that health care inflation is roaring back to life, with double-digit premium hikes. Yet that ignores the power of employers to just say no, according to an analysis by KPMG Peat Marwick.

Data Collection↗
PubMed2004

When facial attractiveness is only skin deep.

Whilst the relationship between aspects of facial shape and attractiveness has been extensively studied, few studies have investigated which characteristics of the surface of faces positively influence attractiveness judgments. As many researchers have proposed a link between attractiveness and traits that appear healthy, apparent health of facial skin might be a property of the surface of faces that positively influences attractiveness judgments. In experiment 1 we tested for a positive correlation between ratings of the apparent health of small skin patches (extracted from the left and right cheeks of digital face images) and ratings of the attractiveness of male faces. By using computer-graphics faces, in experiment 2 we aimed to establish if apparent health of skin influences male facial attractiveness independently of shape information. Results suggest that apparent health of facial skin is correlated both with ratings of male facial attractiveness (experiment 1) and with being a visual cue for judgments of the attractiveness of male faces (experiment 2). These findings underline the importance of controlling for the influence of visible skin condition in studies of facial attractiveness and are consistent with the proposal that attractive physical traits are those that positively influence others' perceptions of an individual's health.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Use of cancer-screening tests in the San Francisco Bay area: comparison of Latinos and Anglos.

BACKGROUND: Compared with Anglos (non-Latino whites), incidences of breast and colorectal cancers are lower for Latinos and incidences of cervical cancer are higher for Latinos. In regional and national studies, Latinos obtain fewer cancer screening tests for cervical, breast, and colorectal cancers when compared with Anglo populations. It remains unclear if these differences are due solely to socioeconomic status. PURPOSE: To evaluate self-reported use of these tests by ethnicity, we conducted telephone interviews about the use of the Pap smear, clinical breast examination, mammogram, rectal examination, fecal occult blood test, and sigmoidoscopy. METHODS: Cross-sectional, random-digit dialing telephone surveys of Latino and Anglo adults, 35-74 years of age, living in San Francisco and Alameda Counties, Calif. were used. A total of 798 Latinos (398 men and 408 women) and 436 Anglos (214 men and 222 women) completed the interview. RESULTS: Age-adjusted rates showed that 82.0% of Latinas reported a Pap smear within 3 years compared with 85.1% of Anglo women. A clinical breast examination within 2 years was reported by 82.1% of Latinas and by 88.9% of Anglo women. Screening mammograms within 2 years were reported by 57.8% of Latinas and by 72.3% of Anglo women (difference = -14.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -21.5, -7.5). Compared with Anglos, fewer Latinos reported digital-rectal examinations within 2 years (44.6% versus 61.8%; difference = -17.2%; 95% CI = -22.6, -11.8). There were no significant differences by ethnicity in obtaining a fecal occult blood test within 2 years (32.3% versus 34.0%) and sigmoidoscopy within 5 years (18.9% versus 21.5%). After adjusting for age, education, health insurance, employment, marital status, county of residence, and self-perceived health status, Latino ethnicity was a significant predictor only for digital-rectal examination within 2 years (odds ratio [OR] = 0.65; 95% CI = 0.49-0.86) and digital-rectal examination ever (OR = 0.54; 95% CI = 0.40-0.74). Latinos were significantly more likely to cite forgetfulness, lack of transportation, long wait for appointments, and need for child care as reasons for not having cancer screening tests. CONCLUSION: We conclude that after accounting for socioeconomic factors, Latino ethnicity is a relatively minor predictor of use of cancer screening tests. Increasing the availability of culturally appropriate educational materials and providing universal health care coverage are more important priorities to promote appropriate use of cancer screening tests by Latinos.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Computer-based malignancy grading of astrocytomas employing a support vector machine classifier, the WHO grading system and the regular hematoxylin-eosin diagnostic staining procedure.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate and develop an automated technique for astrocytoma malignancy grading compatible with the clinical routine. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred forty biopsies of astrocytomas were collected from 2 hospitals. The degree of tumor malignancy was defined as low or high according to the World Health Organization grading system. From each biopsy, images were digitized and segmented to isolate nuclei from background tissue. Morphologic and textural nuclear features were quantified to encode tumor malignancy. Each case was represented by a 40-dimensional feature vector. An exhaustive search procedure in feature space was utilized to determine the best feature combination that resulted in the smallest classification error. Low and high grade tumors were discriminated using support vector machines (SVMs). To evaluate the system performance, all available data were split randomly into training and test sets. RESULTS: The best vector combination consisted of 3 textural and 2 morphologic features. Low and high grade cases were discriminated with an accuracy of 90.7% and 88.9%, respectively, using an SVM classifier with polynomial kernel of degree 2. CONCLUSION: The proposed methodology was based on standards that are common in daily clinical practice and might be used in parallel with conventional grading as a second-opinion tool to reduce subjectivity in the classification of astrocytomas.

Artificial Intelligence↗