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Secular trends in abortion attitudes: 1975-1980-1985.

In this study, we compared the attitudes toward abortion of respondents from the National Opinion Research Center's (NORC) General Social Survey (GSS) for the years 1975, 1980, and 1985. The major theme of the GSS is that an adequate description of changes in abortion attitudes is predicted on resolving the question of whether the six abortion items used in the surveys measure one or two dimensions. We used the Mokken method of scale analysis, a stochastic extension of Guttman scaling, to resolve this question. We concluded that the six items are unidimensional and, therefore, create a single scale to measure the changes in abortion attitudes across the three periods. The data revealed virtually no change from 1975 to 1980, but a significant, though small, drop in approval from 1980 to 1985.

Abortion, Induced↗

Secular changes in standards of bodily attractiveness in American women: different masculine and feminine ideals.

Silverstein, Peterson, and Perdue (1986) studied changes in curvaceousness of the models in Vogue magazine over time and found that curvaceousness was inversely correlated with American women's participation in higher education and the professions. In the present study, it was predicted that the male standard for women's bodily attractiveness would differ from the female standard and would change differently over time, based on evolutionary theory. Published data on the bodily curvaceousness of models in Playboy and Vogue and on Miss America winners were used to test this hypothesis. Although they did not differ on average, the male and female standards changed differently over time. There was less variation in the male standard, represented by Playboy and by Miss America winners, than in the female standard, represented by Vogue. Results suggest that cultural standards of attractiveness are influenced by an evolved psychology of mate selection that has implications for understanding changes in the standard of attractiveness and its relation to eating disorders.

Adult↗

Secular trends in incidence and 30-day case fatality of acute pancreatitis in North Jutland County, Denmark: a register-based study from 1981-2000.

BACKGROUND: The incidence rate of acute pancreatitis has been reported as having increased during recent decades in Western countries. Reported mortality lies around 10% and has improved during the past 20 years. The incidence rate and 30-day case fatality rate of acute pancreatitis in North Jutland County, Denmark were examined for the period 1981 to 2000. METHODS: Data were collected from the Hospital Discharge Registry of North Jutland County for the period 1981-2000. Sex- and age-standardized incidence rates and 30-day case fatality rate of a first attack of acute pancreatitis were calculated. Data on endoscopic procedures were assessed for the period 1992 to 2000 and on certain drugs for 1991 to 1999. RESULTS: The incidence rate of acute pancreatitis in women increased from 17.1 per 100,000 person-years in 1981 (95% confidence interval (CI), 12.6-23.2) to 37.8 per 100,000 person-years in 2000 (95% CI, 31.0-46.1). The corresponding increase in men was from 18 per 100,000 person-years in 1981 (95% CI, 13.3-24.2) to 27.1 per 100,000 person-years in 2000 (95% CI, 21.5-34.3). The incidence rate of acute pancreatitis increased with age in both sexes. The overall 30-day case fatality rate was 7.5% (95% CI, 6.5-8.7) increasing with age, adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 6.4 (95% CI, 3.5-11.6) and decreased with time, adjusted OR = 0.7 (95% CI, 0.4-1.0). CONCLUSION: The incidence of acute pancreatitis has increased, and in women surpassed that in men in 1999 and 2000. Short-term prognosis has improved.

Acute Disease↗

Stomach leiomyosarcoma: secular trends in incidence and survival in Sweden, 1960-1989.

BACKGROUND: This population-based study was undertaken to investigate the epidemiology of stomach leiomyosarcoma (GIS tumors) and to study the prognosis in affected patients. METHODS: The Swedish Cancer Registry was used to identify all incident cases of stomach leiomyosarcoma from 1960 to 1989, and the Death Registry and the Registry of Population Changes were used for follow-up. RESULTS: The age-standardized incidence in men increased from 1.0 per 10(6 ) per year in 1960-69 to 1.8 per 10(6) per year in 1980-89. The corresponding rates in women were 0.6 per 10(6) and 1.2 per 10(6), respectively. The relative 5-year survival was 39.4% in men and 62.4% in women (P = 0.03). There was no statistically significant improvement in 5-year relative survival during the study period. CONCLUSION: The observed incidence of stomach leiomyosarcoma increased during the study period, most likely due to improved diagnostic accuracy. The survival of patients with this malignant tumor remained unchanged.

Adult↗

Secular trends in menarcheal age among Ghanaian women in Accra.

The Women's Health Study of Accra is a population-based cross-sectional survey that was conducted between March and September 2003 to assess the burden of disease in women in Accra. In addition to data relating to general health and living conditions, data on age at first menstruation was collected during the survey. A retrospective cohort analysis of the reported age at menarche was conducted using data from 2,644 women aged between 18 and 100 years. The median age of first menstruation of the entire cohort was 15.5 years and the median age of first menstruation among those aged <20 was 14.5 years. There was a statistically significant difference in median age at menstruation among the different age and socioeconomic groups. Multiple linear regression showed a significant decline of 0.2 years per decade in the mean age at menarche among Ghanaian women.

Adolescent↗

Secular trend in birthweight in an industrial hospital in India.

Measurement of birthweight is an indicator of community health. The mean birthweight (MBW) of babies born in 1963, 1983 and 1986 were measured in 2254, 3550 and 3368 babies, respectively. Mean (SD) birthweight was found to be 2652 (553) g in 1963, 2724 (502) g in 1983 and 2726 (478) g in 1986. There was a rise in MBW (72 g) between 1963 and 1983 and a reduction in the percentage incidence of low birthweight from 34.29% to 26.06%. A change in birthweight distribution (was also seen, except in extreme weight groups. The improvement in birthweight is statistically significant (p less than 0.001). A trend for increase has been noticed in birthweights, and the mean birthweight values are the same as the national average.

Age Factors↗

Secular trends in the growth of children aged 0-6 years in a rural Nigerian community.

Cross-sectional anthropometric measurements were taken between 1987 and 1990 in 673 children aged 0-6 years in Imesi Ile village, Nigeria. The height and weight curves obtained fall behind corresponding growth curves in the same community three decades previously. Mid-upper arm circumference values indicated moderate to severe malnutrition in 25.8% of children aged 1-5 years. The heights of 67.1% and weights of 59.7% of the children fell below the third percentile of a Nigerian equivalent of an international reference population standard. Possible reasons for deterioration of the nutritional status of children in the community include the prevailing adverse socio-economic conditions, changes in child rearing practices over the years, persistence of unsatisfactory living conditions and failure to sustain the implementation of innovative programmes previously introduced into the community. It is suggested that present programmes aimed at promoting the health of rural communities should be reviewed to improve sustainability and should be backed up by measures to improve socio-economic and living conditions.

Anthropometry↗

Age at menarche: secular trends and association with adult anthropometric measures.

BACKGROUND: Age at menarche has been used as a marker of environmental conditions during childhood. Previous work has shown trends of decreasing age at menarche throughout the 19th century, but reported trends in the 20th century have been less consistent. The nature of the relationship between age at menarche and adult life anthropometric measures may be important in understanding the importance of this measure on disease in later life. AIM: To establish whether mean age at menarche changed during the first half of the 20th century, and to determine the nature of associations between age at menarche and anthropometric measures in young adulthood. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 3433 female students, who were born between 1919 and 1952 and who attended health checks at the student health service of the University of Glasgow between 1948 and 1968. RESULTS: Mean age at menarche decreased from 13.2 years in the earliest born to 12.5 years in the latest born students. These results were not explained by changes in socio-demographic factors. Menarcheal age was positively associated with height and negatively associated with weight and BMI, results independent of socio-demographic and behavioural factors. CONCLUSIONS: The falling age at menarche described here may be related to nutritional influences in the first half of the 20th century. The influence of menarche on BMI in early adulthood may have important health consequences.

Adolescent↗

Age at menarche in Coimbra (Portugal) school girls: a note on the secular changes.

The age at menarche and several menstrual symptoms were reported by 516 Portuguese school girls who took part in a cross-sectional anthropometric study in Coimbra, Portugal. The mean ages of menarche calculated using the recall method and also using probit analysis were 12.53 +/-1.27 and 12.03 +/- 1.26 years, respectively. Parents'educational level, place of residence and size of the family did not have any significant effect on the mean age at menarche in this sample of adolescents. The order of birth was the only variable that indicated a significative effect: the first borns reported a lower mean age at menarche (12.34 years) than the later borns (12.6 years). In this sample, 47% of the girls had a cycle length of >or = 29 days, 23.4% had irregular cycles, 59% reported that the duration of bleeding was 3-5 days and the majority, 49%, did not report any pain during the bleeding days. However, 14.3% and 24.45% reported severe and medium pain. The age at menarche has declined from 15.0 (girls born in 1880-1890) to 12.03 (girls born in 1970-1980) years in the Portuguese population. This decrease in age, and also the lack of influence of the family characteristics, appear as a result of the great improvements in the social and economic living conditions that occurred in Portugal, especially after the 1970s. These improvements are mainly related to better nutrition and better health care along with many other environmental factors.

Adolescent↗

The secular trend in age at menarche in the Netherlands.

The mean age at menarche of girls in Utrecht city, the Netherlands, in 1971 and 1972 was estimated by probit analysis as 13-37 years with a standard deviation of 1-17 years. This result is compared with similar data obtained in the Netherlands in 1955 and 1965.

Age Factors↗