Epidemiology Commons^™

Detecting, Preventing, And Treating Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among Adolescent Arrestees: An Unmet Public Health Need, Christopher Salvatore, Steven Belenko, Richard Dembo, Matthew Rollie, Kristina Childs

Christopher Salvatore

Studies of detained and incarcerated adolescent offenders in the United States indicate that these juveniles have an elevated risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). However, many more arrestees enter the “front end” of the juvenile justice system that is detained or incarcerated, and research into the STD risk profiles and service needs of this larger group is lacking. An expansion of STD testing (including of asymptomatic youths), prevention, and treatment is needed, as is improved knowledge about gender- and race-specific services. A pilot program in Florida has shown that juvenile justice and public health systems can collaborate to implement STD …

High Burden Of Unrecognized Atrial Fibrillation In Rural India: An Innovative Community-Based Cross-Sectional Screening Program, Apurv Soni, Allison Earon, Anna Handorf, Nisha Fahey, Kandarp Talati, John Bostrom, Ki Chon, Craig Napolitano, Michael S. Chin, John Stephen Sullivan, Shyamsundar Raithatha, Robert J. Goldberg, Somashekhar Nimbalkar, Jeroan J. Allison, Sunil Thanvi, David D. Mcmanus

Apurv Soni

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation, the world's most common arrhythmia, is a leading risk factor for stroke, a disease striking nearly 1.6 million Indians annually. Early detection and management of atrial fibrillation is a promising opportunity to prevent stroke but widespread screening programs in limited resource settings using conventional methods is difficult and costly.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to screen people for atrial fibrillation in rural western India using a US Food and Drug Administration-approved single-lead electrocardiography device, Alivecor.

METHODS: Residents from 6 villages in Anand District, Gujarat, India, comprised the base population. After obtaining informed consent, a team …

The Use Of Vital Statistics Data For Research Of Consequence: Birth Outcomes And Population Health In A Rural Region, Claudia Kozinetz, Shimin Zheng, Eunice Mogusu

Shimin Zheng

Objective: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has influenced increasing interests in population health and population health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to exemplify the importance of using existing vital statistics data for understanding and monitoring health outcomes and consequentially health disparities at the population level. Data from birth records for two geographic regions from 2009-2014 were compared; low birth weight (LBW) and preterm delivery (PD) were used as surrogates for population health outcomes. Methods: A population-based, multi-year, cross-sectional study design using a pooled dataset of birth records from Tennessee (TN) was the framework for the analyses. A sub-population …

Assessment Of Obesity As A Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor In A Geriatric Rural Texas Community - A Six Month Follow-Up, Alberto Coustasse Md, Mba

Alberto Coustasse, DrPH, MD, MBA, MPH

Coustasse, Alberto, Assessment of Obesity as a Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor in a Geriatric Rural Texas Community – A Six Month Follow-up. Master of Public Health Track, Public Health Administration, December 1999, 22 pp., 9 tables, 9 illustrations, bibliography, 7 titles. The health fair approach was used as a method to establish individual and population health status baselines and to provide a mechanism to follow-up with an elderly population in a rural Texas community. A controlled trial sample of forty-four seniors was initially screened in a primary care clinic in August 1998. Patients were reevaluated at six months and results …

The National Health Security Preparedness Index: Harnessing Evidence & Experience To Drive Improvement, Glen P. Mays

Glen Mays

This presentation profiles the National Health Security Preparedness Index as a mechanism for measuring preparedness and resiliency levels across the U.S. Forthcoming enhancements in measurement and analytic methodologies will allow the Index to play heightened roles in informing policies and practices that protect the U.S. population from a broad range of hazards.

Creating Healthy Community In The Postindustrial City, Brian A. Hoey

Brian A. Hoey, Ph.D.

Striving For Cultural Competence In An Hiv Program: The Transformative Impact Of A Microsystem In A Larger Health Network, Judith N Sabino, Timothy Friel, Lynn Deitrick, Debbie Salas-Lopez

Debbie Salas-Lopez MD, MPH

No abstract provided.

Depicting Estimates Using The Intercept In Meta-Regression Models: The Moving Constant Technique, Blair T. Johnson Dr., Tania B. Huedo-Medina Dr.

Blair T. Johnson

In any scientific discipline, the ability to portray research patterns graphically often aids greatly in interpreting a phenomenon. In part to depict phenomena, the statistics and capabilities of meta-analytic models have grown increasingly sophisticated. Accordingly, this article details how to move the constant in weighted meta-analysis regression models (viz. “meta-regression”) to illuminate the patterns in such models across a range of complexities. Although it is commonly ignored in practice, the constant (or intercept) in such models can be indispensible when it is not relegated to its usual static role. The moving constant technique makes possible estimates and confidence intervals at …

Weight-Based Discrimination And Medication Adherence Among Low-Income African Americans With Hypertension: How Much Of The Association Is Mediated By Self-Efficacy?, Michael Richardson, Molly Waring, Monica Wang, Lisa Nobel, Yendelela Cuffee, Sharina Person, Sandral Hullett, Catarina Kiefe, Jeroan Allison

Monica L. Wang

OBJECTIVES: Much of the excessive morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease among African Americans results from low adherence to anti-hypertensive medications. Therefore, we examined the association between weight-based discrimination and medication adherence. METHODS: We used cross-sectional data from low-income African Americans with hypertension. Ordinal logistic regression estimated the odds of medication non-adherence in relation to weight-based discrimination adjusted for age, sex, education, income, and weight. RESULTS: Of all participants (n = 780), the mean (SD) age was 53.7 (9.9) years and the mean (SD) weight was 210.1 (52.8) lbs. Reports of weight-based discrimination were frequent (28.2%). Weight-based discrimination (but not …

The Role Of Multiple Sclerosis As A Risk Factor For The Development Of Osteoporosis, Christopher Perrone, Christine M. Foley, Linda C. Churchill, Sybil L. Crawford, Judith K. Ockene, Carolina Ionete

Sybil L. Crawford

Background: Osteoporosis is the most common bone disease in the United States, and it is particularly common among women with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, despite this association, the temporal relationship between these two conditions has not been previously studied. Data from the Women’s Health Initiative provides a unique opportunity to examine the risk of developing osteoporosis over time in individuals diagnosed with MS. Objective: The purpose of this study is to refine the relationship between MS and osteoporosis, clarifying the impact of environmental and pharmacologic factors on each condition, as well as addressing treatment and preventative efforts for a patient …

Community-Level Characteristics Associated With Variations In Rates Of Homelessness Among Families And Single Adults, Jamison D. Fargo, Ellen A. Munley, Thomas H. Byrne, Ann Elizabeth Montgomery, Dennis P. Culhane

Dennis P. Culhane

A Population-Based Dietary Inflammatory Index Predicts Levels Of C-Reactive Protein In The Seasonal Variation Of Blood Cholesterol Study (Seasons), Nitin Shivappa, Susan E. Steck, Thomas G. Hurley, James R. Hussey, Yunsheng Ma, Ira S. Ockene, Fred Tabung, James R. Hebert

Yunsheng Ma

OBJECTIVE: To perform construct validation of the population-based Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) using dietary data from two different dietary assessments and serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) as the construct validator.

DESIGN: Using data derived from (i) three 24 h dietary recalls (24HR) at baseline and at the end of each subsequent quarter (i.e. up to fifteen over a year) and (ii) a 7 d dietary recall (7DDR) measured at baseline and then quarterly, regression analyses were conducted to test the effect of the DII score on serum hs-CRP as dichotomous (3 mg/l), while controlling for important potential confounders.

SETTING: Existing …

Correlates Of Hiv Acquisition In A Cohort Of Black Men Who Have Sex With Men In The United States: Hiv Prevention Trials Network (Hptn) 061, Sheldon D. Fields

Sheldon D. Fields

No abstract provided.

Health Profile Of Brazilian Mothers In Massachusetts In The Twenty First Century, Carlos Eduardo Siqueira, Teresa Roberts, Fernanda Lucchese

C. Eduardo Siqueira

This paper describes the health profile of Brazilian mothers in Massachusetts according to data collected through Massachusetts Standard Certificate of Live Births (1989 revision) filed with the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics during 1999 and 2009. To our knowledge this is the first time that such information is reviewed with a focus on Brazilian immigrants. The findings of this article suggests that Brazilian mothers who gave birth in Massachusetts between 1999 and 2009 fared better than all mothers in Massachusetts in most obstetric health indicators considered.

Screening Colonoscopy And Risk For Incident Late-Stage Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis In Average-Risk Adults: A Nested Case-Control Study, Chyke Doubeni, Sheila Weinmann, Kenneth Adams, Aruna Kamineni, Diana Buist, Arlene Ash, Carolyn Rutter, V. Paul Doria-Rose, Douglas Corley, Robert Greenlee, Jessica Chubak, Andrew Williams, Aimee Kroll-Desrosiers, Eric Johnson, Joseph Webster, Kathryn Richert-Boe, Theodore Levin, Robert Fletcher, Noel Weiss

Chyke A. Doubeni

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of screening colonoscopy in average-risk adults is uncertain, particularly for right colon cancer. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between screening colonoscopy and risk for incident late-stage colorectal cancer (CRC). DESIGN: Nested case-control study. SETTING: Four U.S. health plans. PATIENTS: 1039 average-risk adults enrolled for at least 5 years in one of the health plans. Case patients were aged 55 to 85 years on their diagnosis date (reference date) of stage IIB or higher (late-stage) CRC during 2006 to 2008. One or 2 control patients were selected for each case patient, matched on birth year, sex, health plan, …

Estimating The Effect Of A Community-Based Intervention With Two Communities, Mark Van Der Laan, Maya Petersen, Wenjing Zheng

Wenjing Zheng

Due to the need to evaluate the effectiveness of community-based programs in practice, there is substantial interest in methods to estimate the causal effects of community-level treatments or exposures on individual level outcomes. The challenge one is confronted with is that different communities have different environmental factors affecting the individual outcomes, and all individuals in a community share the same environment and intervention. In practice, data are often available from only a small number of communities, making it difficult if not impossible to adjust for these environmental confounders. In this paper we consider an extreme version of this dilemma, in …

Why Are There Delays In Seeking Treatment For Childhood Diarrhoea In India?, Nisha Malhotra

Nisha Malhotra

Abstract Aim To examine the barriers and facilitating factors for seeking treatment for childhood diarrhoea and to determine the main causes for delay in seeking treatment.

Methods Data from Indian Demographic and Health survey 2005–06 (NFHS-III) was used. Mothers were asked if their children (<5-years) had suffered from diarrhoea during the two weeks preceding the survey. Data were collected on the time of seeking treatment after start of the illness, and days waited to seek treatment after the diarrhoea started. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to find the determinants of seeking treatment at the health facility and the factors responsible for the “delay” in seeking advice/treatment.

Results Out of a sample of 41,287 children, 3890 (9.4%) reportedly had diarrhoea. Sixty percent of children with diarrhoea were taken to a health facility. Mother's education till higher secondary and above (OR 1.65; 95% CI, 1.08 – 2.54), richest (OR 1.76; 95% CI, 1.24 – 2.48) wealth index, mother's lack of knowledge of oral …

An Assessment Of The Effects Of Desertification In Yobe State, Nigeria, Jibril Musa Phd

Confluence Journal Environmental Studies (CJES), Kogi State University, Nigeria

Desertification is one of the most serious environmental and socio-economic problems of our time. Desertification describes circumstances of land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid regions resulting from the climatic variation and human activities. The fundamental goal of this thesis was to assess the effects of desertification in Yobe State, Nigeria. The present threat of desertification in the sahel has reached an alarming stage where crops cultivation and animal rearing/grazing are no more productive, soil has lost its nutrient/fertility, various infrastructure had given way because of windstorm from the neighbouring Niger Republic and sand dunes had taken over. The …

Using Remote Sensing Data To Improve Rice Production In Kutigi, Niger State, Nigeria, Jibril Musa Phd, M B. Yunusa

Confluence Journal Environmental Studies (CJES), Kogi State University, Nigeria

This research work looked in the used of Remote Sensing to improve Agricultural production in Kutigi, Niger State. The aim of the study is to use remote sensing to improve rice farming activities in Kutigi, Niger State. It is very important to identify such methods to improve Agricultural production because experts are always interested in new researches and findings to better the standard of living in any environment. In view of this, Remotely-sensed data could be used or employed to elevate most of these agricultural problems in Kutigi through the following objectives: Using Landsat imagery to assess the present landuse …

Variations In Climatic Parameters And Food Crop Yields: Implications On Food Security In Benue State, Nigeria., Emmanuel Adamgbe, Fanan Ujoh

Confluence Journal Environmental Studies (CJES), Kogi State University, Nigeria

Agricultural production in Nigeria like in other developing countries is highly vulnerable to variations in climatic parameters which may have inverse or direct effect on the performance of food crops. This paper examines the patterns and trends of the variations in the climatic parameters and the implications of such variations on efficient yield rates of some food crops in Benue State using data on climatic variables (rainfall, temperature, sunshine) and the yield of some crops per hectare for 25 years (1986-2010). Data on the climatic variables were collected from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, AirForce Base, Makurdi while the data on …

Factors Associated With Inadequate Colorectal Cancer Screening With Flexible Sigmoidoscopy, Adeyinka Laiyemo, Chyke Doubeni, Paul Pinsky, V. Paul Doria-Rose, Andrew Sanderson, Robert Bresalier, Joel Weissfeld, Robert Schoen, Pamela Marcus, Phillip Prorok, Christine Berg

Chyke A. Doubeni

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIM: Inadequate colorectal cancer screening wastes limited endoscopic resources. We examined patients factors associated with inadequate flexible sigmoidoscopy (FSG) screening at baseline screening and repeat screening 3-5 years later in 10 geographically-dispersed screening centers participating in the ongoing Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial.

METHODS: A total of 64,554 participants (aged 55-74) completed baseline questionnaires and underwent FSG at baseline. Of these, 39,385 participants returned for repeat screening. We used logistic regression models to assess factors that are associated with inadequate FSG (defined as a study in which the depth of insertion of FSG was …

Contribution Of Behavioral Risk Factors And Obesity To Socioeconomic Differences In Colorectal Cancer Incidence, Chyke Doubeni, Jacqueline Major, Adeyinka Laiyemo, Mario Schootman, Ann Zauber, Albert Hollenbeck, Rashmi Sinha, Jeroan Allison

Chyke A. Doubeni

BACKGROUND:Health behaviors are known risk factors for colorectal cancer and are more common in low socioeconomic status (SES) populations. We evaluated the extent to which behavioral risk factors and body mass index (BMI) explain SES disparities in colorectal cancer incidence, overall and by tumor location.

METHODS: We analyzed prospective National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study data on 506 488 participants who were recruited in 1995-1996 from six US states and two metropolitan areas and followed through 2006. Detailed baseline data on risk factors for colorectal cancer, including health behaviors, were obtained using questionnaires. SES was measured by self-reported …

Socioeconomic Status, Healthcare Density, And Risk Of Prostate Cancer Among African American And Caucasian Men In A Large Prospective Study, Jacqueline Major, M. Oliver, Chyke Doubeni, Albert Hollenbeck, Barry Graubard, Rashmi Sinha

Chyke A. Doubeni

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to separately examine the impact of neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation and availability of healthcare resources on prostate cancer risk among African American and Caucasian men. METHODS: In the large, prospective NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, we analyzed baseline (1995-1996) data from adult men, aged 50-71 years. Incident prostate cancer cases (n = 22,523; 1,089 among African Americans) were identified through December 2006. Lifestyle and health risk information was ascertained by questionnaires administered at baseline. Area-level socioeconomic indicators were ascertained by linkage to the US Census and the Area Resource File. Multilevel Cox models were …

Variation Of Adenoma Prevalence By Age, Sex, Race, And Colon Location In A Large Population: Implications For Screening And Quality Programs, Douglas Corley, Christopher Jensen, Amy Marks, Wei Zhao, Jolanda De Boer, Theodore Levin, Chyke Doubeni, Bruce Fireman, Charles Quesenberry

Chyke A. Doubeni

BACKGROUND and AIMS: Reliable community-based colorectal adenoma prevalence estimates are needed to inform colonoscopy quality standards and to estimate patient colorectal cancer risks; however, minimal data exist from populations with large numbers of diverse patients and examiners. METHODS: We evaluated the prevalence of adenomas detected by sex, age, race/ethnicity, and colon location among 20,792 Kaiser Permanente Northern California members >/=50 years of age who received a screening colonoscopy exam (102 gastroenterologists, years 2006-2008). RESULTS: Prevalence of detected adenomas increased more rapidly with age in the proximal colon (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.05-2.80; 70-74 vs 50-54 …

Why Match In Individually And Cluster Randomized Trials?, Laura B. Balzer, Maya L. Petersen, Mark J. Van Der Laan

Laura B. Balzer

The decision to match individuals or clusters in randomized trials is motivated by both practical and statistical concerns. Matching protects against chance imbalances in baseline covariate distributions and is thought to improve study credibility. Matching is also implemented to increase study power. This article compares the asymptotic efficiency of the pair-matched design, where units are matched on baseline covariates and the treatment randomized within pairs, to the independent design, where units are randomly paired and the treatment randomized within pairs. We focus on estimating the average treatment effect and use the efficient influence curve to understand the information provided by …

Dynamics Of Land Use/Land Cover Changes And Its Implication On Food Security In Anyigba, North Central, Nigeria, Tokula E. Arome, Sunday P. Ejaro (Phd)

Confluence Journal Environmental Studies (CJES), Kogi State University, Nigeria

This study assessed land use/land cover changes and its effect on Agricultural land in Anyigba. The objectives were to identify and delineate different land use / land cover categories, assess the rate of change that occurred and examine the impact of land use/land cover change on food security using satellite remote sensing data collected at three different years (1987 Land sat TM, 2001 Land Sat TM and 2011 Land Sat ETM). The study utilized GIS software such as Idrisi Andes academic and ArcGIS 9.3. The study area covers approximately 31.8km2, and four major land use/cover classes were utilized (built up, …

Brazilian Longitudinal Study Of Adult Health (Elsa-Brasil): Objectives And Design., Paulo A. Lotufo

Paulo A Lotufo

The Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) aims to contribute relevant information with respect to the development and progression of clinical and subclinical chronic diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. In this report, the authors delineate the study's objectives, principal methodological features, and timeline. At baseline, ELSA-Brasil enrolled 15,105 civil servants from 5 universities and 1 research institute. The baseline examination (2008-2010) included detailed interviews, clinical and anthropometric examinations, an oral glucose tolerance test, overnight urine collection, a 12-lead resting electrocardiogram, measurement of carotid intima-media thickness, echocardiography, measurement of pulse wave velocity, hepatic ultrasonography, retinal fundus photography, and an …

Socio-Economic Effects Of Demolishing Squatter Settlements And Illegal Structures In Abuja Metropolis, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria, Ishaku Iy Mallo Phd, Victor G. Obasanya

Confluence Journal Environmental Studies (CJES), Kogi State University, Nigeria

Abuja the Federal Capital Territory and study area is located between latitudes 8o25’ and 9o25’ North of the Equator and longitudes 6o45’ and 7o45’ East of the Greenwich Meridian. The study was carried out in Abuja Phase 1, and it is aimed at highlighting various socioeconomic effects of demolition of illegal structures and informal or squatter settlements on the people within the study area. Data was collected through reconnaissance survey, personal interviews with respondents, and a well laid out questionnaire. The results indicate that the demolition exercise embarked upon by the authorities in the Federal Capital Territory was a response …

Rainfall Variability And Crop Zones Classification For The Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria, Shaibu M. Hassan Phd

Confluence Journal Environmental Studies (CJES), Kogi State University, Nigeria

This study aims at analyzing agro-climatological parameters and establishing a link between some selected agro-climatological indices and sustainability of agricultural production in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Two sets of data, climatic and crop yield data were collected and subjected to various agro-climatological analyses. Agro-climatological analyses include the derivation of Onset, Cessation and Length of Rainy Season (LRS), Seasonality Index, Drought Index and Precipitation Periodicity Index. The statistical analyses include monthly and annual means, deviation from the mean, trend line. The result of moisture index in line with crops optimum moisture requirement was used to classify the Territory into agro-climatic …

Prevalence And Correlates Of Low Fundamental Movement Skill Competency Inchildren, Louise L. Hardy Dr

Louise L Hardy Dr

No abstract provided.