Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Prevalence, Incidence, And Persistence Of Major Depressive Symptoms In The Cardiovascular Health Study, Stephen M. Thielke Md, Ms, Paula Diehr Phd

Paula Diehr

PURPOSE: To explore the association of major depressive symptoms with advancing age, sex, and self-rated health among older adults. DESIGN AND METHODS: We analyzed 10 years of annual assessments in a longitudinal cohort of 5888 Medicare recipients in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Self-rated health was assessed with a single question, and subjects categorized as healthy or sick. Major depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Short Depression Scale, with subjects categorized as nondepressed (score < 10) or depressed (> or =10). Age-, sex-, and health-specific prevalence of depression and the probabilities of transition between depressed and nondepressed states were estimated. RESULTS: The …

On The Statistical Accuracy Of Biomarker Assays Of Hiv Incidence, Ron Brookmeyer

Ron Brookmeyer

Objective: To evaluate the statistical accuracy of estimates of current HIV incidence rates from cross-sectional surveys, and to identify characteristics of assays that improve accuracy.

Methods: Performed mathematical and statistical analysis of the cross-sectional estimator of HIV incidence to evaluate bias and variance. Developed probability models to evaluate impact of long tails of the window period distribution on accuracy.

Results: The standard cross-sectional estimate of HIV incidence rate is estimating a time-lagged incidence where the lag time, called the shadow, depends on the mean and the coefficient of variation of window periods. Equations show how the shadow increases with the …