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Racial Groups (racial + groups)
Kinds of Racial Groups Selected AbstractsExposure to the carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) in smokers from 3 populations with different risks of lung cancerINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 10 2009Kiersten S. Derby Abstract Native Hawaiian smokers are at higher risk and Japanese-American smokers at lower risk of lung cancer (LC), compared with white smokers, even after accounting for smoking history. Because variation in carcinogen exposure/metabolism may occur separately of smoking amount, we compared urinary biomarkers of uptake and detoxification of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK),a potent lung carcinogen,among 578 smokers in these ethnic/racial groups in Hawaii. We measured the NNK metabolite 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) and its glucuronide (NNAL-Gluc) and examined total NNAL (NNAL + NNAL-Gluc) and the NNAL detoxification ratio (NNAL-Gluc:NNAL). Native Hawaiians and Japanese,Americans had lower age- and sex-adjusted mean total NNAL, compared with whites. When further adjusting for urinary nicotine equivalents (the sum of nicotine, cotinine, trans -3,-hydroxycotinine and their respective glucuronides), only the difference between Japanese,Americans and whites was eliminated. Therefore, consistent with their lower LC risk, a lower cigarette smoke exposure explains the lower NNK dose of Japanese,Americans, but it does not explain that of Native Hawaiians. The mean detoxification ratio was also lower in Native Hawaiians and Japanese,Americans, compared with whites, even after adjusting for nicotine equivalents (p < 0.0001). Lower NNAL glucuronidation in Native Hawaiians might contribute to their increased LC risk; however, this is inconsistent with the low glucuronidation ratio similarly observed in the low-risk Japanese-American group and because Native Hawaiians had lower total NNAL levels. Thus, exposure and detoxification of NNK are unlikely to explain, by themselves, the differences in LC risk among the 3 populations studied. © 2009 UICC [source] Conceptions of Dementia in a Multiethnic Sample of Family CaregiversJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 8 2005Ladson Hinton MD Understanding variability in conceptions of dementia in multiethnic populations is important to improve care and guide research. The objectives of this study were to describe caregiver conceptions of dementia using a previously developed typology and to examine the correlates of conceptions of dementia in a multiethnic sample. This is a cross-sectional study conducted in Boston and the San Francisco Bay area. Participants were a convenience sample of 92 family dementia caregivers from four ethnic/racial groups: African-American, Anglo European-American, Asian-American, and Latino. In-depth, qualitative interviews explored the caregivers' ideas about the nature and cause of dementia (i.e., explanatory models). Explanatory models of caregivers were categorized as biomedical, folk, or mixed (folk/biomedical). Quantitative analyses examined the association between ethnicity and other caregiver characteristics, and explanatory model type. Overall, 54% of caregivers, including 41% of Anglo European Americans, held explanatory models that combined folk and biomedical elements (i.e., mixed models). For example, many families attributed Alzheimer's disease and related dementias to psychosocial stress or normal aging. Ethnicity, lower education, and sex were associated with explanatory model type in bivariate analyses. In multiple logistic regression analysis, minority caregivers (P<.02) and those with less formal education (P<.02) were more likely to hold mixed or folk models of dementia. Although minority and nonminority caregivers often incorporated folk models into their understanding of dementia, this was more common in minority caregivers and those with less formal education. Further research on cross-ethnic differences in a larger, more-representative sample is needed. [source] WHO/ISBRA Study on State and Trait Markers of Alcohol Use and Dependence: Analysis of Demographic, Behavioral, Physiologic, and Drinking Variables That Contribute to Dependence and Seeking TreatmentALCOHOLISM, Issue 7 2002Jason Glanz Background Discussions between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Society on Biomedical Research on Alcoholism (ISBRA) identified the need for a multiple-center international study on state and trait markers of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence. The reasoning behind the generation of such a project included the need to understand the alcohol use characteristics of diverse populations and the performance of biological markers of alcohol use in a variety of settings throughout the world. A second major reason for initiating this study was to collect DNA for well-structured and stratified association studies between genetic markers and/or "candidate" genes and behavioral/physiological phenotypes of importance to predisposition to alcohol dependence. Methods An extensive interview instrument was developed with leadership from the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). The instrument was translated from English to Finnish, French, German, Japanese, and Portuguese (Brazilian). One thousand eight hundred sixty-three subjects were recruited at five clinical centers (Montreal, Canada; Helsinki, Finland; Sapporo, Japan; São Paulo, Brazil; and Sydney, Australia). The subjects responded to the structured interview and provided blood and urine samples for biochemical analysis. This article focuses on the demographic characteristics of the study subjects, their drinking habits, alcohol-dependence characteristics, comorbid psychiatric and other drug variables, and predictors for seeking treatment for alcohol dependence. Multiple logistic regression models were constructed and used to explore variables that contribute to various levels of alcohol consumption, to a diagnosis of alcohol dependence, and to seeking treatment for alcohol dependence. ANOVA with post hoc comparisons, ,2, and Pearson moment calculations were used as necessary to assess additional relationships between variables. Results A number of factors previously noted in disparate studies were confirmed in our analysis. Men consumed more alcohol than women, Asians consumed less alcohol than whites or Blacks, alcohol-dependent subjects consumed more alcohol than nondependent subjects, alcohol consumption increased with age, and an increased level of education (university or postgraduate education) reduced the percentage of such individuals in the category designated as heavy drinkers (>210 g alcohol/week) and in the group who were currently in treatment for dependence. However, our analysis allowed for much more detailed comparisons; for example, although men drank more than women on a g/day basis, the differences were less pronounced on g/kg/day basis, and alcohol-dependent women drank equal amounts of alcohol as alcohol-dependent men on a g/kg/day basis. Antisocial personality characteristics or reports of trouble sleeping when an individual stops drinking were associated with higher alcohol intake. The most important of the tested factors that contributed to a DSM-IV diagnosis of dependence, however, was the report of anxiety if an individual stopped drinking. In terms of the various criteria within the DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence, no one criterion seemed to be prominent for individuals who sought alcohol dependence treatment, but the higher the number of criteria met by the individual, the higher was the probability that he or she would be in treatment. Conclusions This initial report is the beginning of the "data mining" of this rich data set. The cross-national/cross-cultural aspects of this study allowed for multiple comparisons of variables across several ethnic/racial groups and allowed for assessment of biochemical markers for alcohol intake and predisposition to alcohol dependence in diverse settings. [source] HIV/AIDS among midlife African American women: An integrated review of literatureRESEARCH IN NURSING & HEALTH, Issue 4 2005Cheryl D. Stampley Abstract HIV occurs among African American women at rates exceeding those among White women, and the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is rising disproportionately among African American adults over 40. The literature between 1987 and 2003 was reviewed for data on prevention and risk taking behavior regarding HIV transmission among midlife African American women. A search of relevant databases revealed four reports specifically targeting African American women aged 40,65. Five reports including this population also included men and other ethnic/racial groups. Content analysis revealed that factors related to risk for HIV included socioeconomic factors, knowledge, perceived vulnerability, sexual assertiveness, and risk taking behavior. Findings suggest that further research on the relationships between sociocultural variables and individual factors may explain prevention and risk taking behaviors in midlife African American women. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 28:295,305, 2005 [source] SPR1 gene near HLA-C is unlikely to be a psoriasis susceptibility geneEXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2003Y. T. Chang Abstract:, Although genetics analyses have identified the HLA-Cw6 allele to be the major risk allele for psoriasis vulgaris (PV) in many racial groups, it has been proposed that other putative genes near the HLA-C locus are involved in PV susceptibility and that the association of Cw6 is a result of linkage disequilibrium. The SPR1 gene, a predicted gene located 128 kb telomeric to the HLA-C locus, is considered to be one potential candidate gene of PV. Until now, no association study of the SPR1 gene has been conducted on psoriasis patients. We investigated the SPR1 gene for disease association by direct sequencing of the SPR1 gene in 116 Chinese patients with PV and 116 normal subjects. Genotyping for HLA-Cw6 was also carried out using polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism. Significant increase of the HLA-Cw6 allele was found in psoriasis patients (32.8% vs. 13.8%, P = 0.001). We found that the SPR1 gene is a highly polymorphic gene containing 13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), two of which have not been previously reported, and four SNPs cause amino acid change. No significantly different allelic distribution of 13 SPR1 SNPs could be found between the patients with PV and controls after correction for multiple testing. If the frequencies of SPR1 SNPs were compared between the early onset psoriatics and control subjects, early onset patients were more likely to have G allele at position 988 (60% vs. 35.3%, P = 0.001). However, the significance disappeared upon stratification for the Cw6 status. Haplotype-based association analysis showed two susceptibility haplotypes (types 8 and 19) in early onset psoriasis patients. Nonetheless, the significance also disappeared after stratification of the Cw6 status. Our results suggest that HLA-Cw6 remains the major risk allele in Chinese psoriatics, and that the SPR1 gene might not play an important role in the causation of PV. [source] Factor XI deficiency and its managementHAEMOPHILIA, Issue 2000Bolton-Maggs Factor XI deficiency has a more variable bleeding tendency than haemophilia A or B. Individuals with severe deficiency have only a mild bleeding tendency, which is typically provoked by surgery, but the risk of bleeding is not restricted to individuals with severe deficiency. The bleeding tendency varies between individuals with similar factor XI levels, and sometimes the bleeding tendency of an individual may vary. The reasons for this are not fully understood, although in cases of severe deficiency there is some correlation between phenotype and genotype. Factor XI is activated by thrombin. The role of factor XI in physiological processes has become clearer since this fact was discovered, and the discovery has contributed to a revised model of blood coagulation. Factor XI deficiency occurs in all racial groups, but is particularly common in Ashkenazi Jews. The factor XI gene is 23 kilobases long. Two mutations are responsible for most factor XI deficiency in the Ashkenazi population, but a number of other mutations have now been reported in other racial groups. Individuals with factor XI deficiency may need specific therapy for surgery, accidents, and dental extractions. Several therapies are available which include fresh frozen plasma, factor XI concentrates, fibrin glue, antifibrinolytic drugs, and desmopressin. Each has advantages and risks to be considered. Factor XI concentrate may be indicated for procedures with a significant risk of bleeding especially in younger patients with severe deficiency, but its use in older patients has been associated with thrombotic phenomena. If fresh frozen plasma is to be used it is preferable to obtain one of the virally inactivated products. Fibrin glue is a useful treatment which deserves further study. [source] Comparative phenotypic and CARD15 mutational analysis among African American, Hispanic, and white children with Crohn's diseaseINFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES, Issue 7 2005Subra Kugathasan MD Abstract Background: Despite a large body of literature on the subject of Crohn's disease (CD), very little information is available on racial/ethnic differences related to disease presentation, clinical course, and genetics. The first identified CD susceptibility gene, CARD15, seems to be present in up to 40% of white children with CD. However, the frequency of this gene among patients with CD of other racial/ethnic groups in the United States is not known. Methods: We conducted a multicenter study on African American and Hispanic children with CD to describe the phenotypic and genotypic (CARD15) features in comparison with white children with CD. We also analyzed the frequency of CARD15 mutations in large control samples from white, African American, and Hispanic children. Results: The disease location and behavior were similar among all 3 groups, with inflammatory behavior and the ileocolonic location being the most frequent phenotype. However, significantly lower frequencies of CARD15 mutations were seen in African American (P < 0.0001) and Hispanic (P < 0.0001) children with CD compared with white children with CD. This lower CARD15 frequency among African American patients with CD was also mirrored in the general population. Conclusions: Phenotypic features of CD are similar among African American and Hispanic children compared with white children. CARD15 mutations are not increased among African American and Hispanic children with CD. CARD15 mutational frequencies among African American and Hispanic children within the general population are lower compared with white children within the general population. Future genetics studies will be required to determine the relationships between genotype and CD phenotype in various ethnic and racial groups. [source] Ethnic skin types: are there differences in skin structure and function?,INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE, Issue 2 2006A. V. Rawlings Synopsis People of skin of colour comprise the majority of the world's population and Asian subjects comprise more than half of the total population of the earth. Even so, the literature on the characteristics of the subjects with skin of colour is limited. Several groups over the past decades have attempted to decipher the underlying differences in skin structure and function in different ethnic skin types. However, most of these studies have been of small scale and in some studies interindividual differences in skin quality overwhelm any racial differences. There has been a recent call for more studies to address genetic together with phenotypic differences among different racial groups and in this respect several large-scale studies have been conducted recently. The most obvious ethnic skin difference relates to skin colour which is dominated by the presence of melanin. The photoprotection derived from this polymer influences the rate of the skin aging changes between the different racial groups. However, all racial groups are eventually subjected to the photoaging process. Generally Caucasians have an earlier onset and greater skin wrinkling and sagging signs than other skin types and in general increased pigmentary problems are seen in skin of colour although one large study reported that East Asians living in the U.S.A. had the least pigment spots. Induction of a hyperpigmentary response is thought to be through signaling by the protease-activated receptor-2 which together with its activating protease is increased in the epidermis of subjects with skin of colour. Changes in skin biophysical properties with age demonstrate that the more darkly pigmented subjects retaining younger skin properties compared with the more lightly pigmented groups. However, despite having a more compact stratum corneum (SC) there are conflicting reports on barrier function in these subjects. Nevertheless, upon a chemical or mechanical challenge the SC barrier function is reported to be stronger in subjects with darker skin despite having the reported lowest ceramide levels. One has to remember that barrier function relates to the total architecture of the SC and not just its lipid levels. Asian skin is reported to possess a similar basal transepidermal water loss (TEWL) to Caucasian skin and similar ceramide levels but upon mechanical challenge it has the weakest barrier function. Differences in intercellular cohesion are obviously apparent. In contrast reduced SC natural moisturizing factor levels have been reported compared with Caucasian and African American skin. These differences will contribute to differences in desquamation but few data are available. One recent study has shown reduced epidermal Cathepsin L2 levels in darker skin types which if also occurs in the SC could contribute to the known skin ashing problems these subjects experience. In very general terms as the desquamatory enzymes are extruded with the lamellar granules subjects with lowered SC lipid levels are expected to have lowered desquamatory enzyme levels. Increased pores size, sebum secretion and skin surface microflora occur in Negroid subjects. Equally increased mast cell granule size occurs in these subjects. The frequency of skin sensitivity is quite similar across different racial groups but the stimuli for its induction shows subtle differences. Nevertheless, several studies indicate that Asian skin maybe more sensitive to exogenous chemicals probably due to a thinner SC and higher eccrine gland density. In conclusion, we know more of the biophysical and somatosensory characteristics of ethnic skin types but clearly, there is still more to learn and especially about the inherent underlying biological differences in ethnic skin types. Résumé, Les gens qui ont une peau de couleur représentent la majorité de la population mondiale et les sujets asiatiques en représentent plus de la moitié. Pourtant la littérature consacrée aux caractéristiques de ces sujets est limitée. Plusieurs groupes de travail ont essayé au cours des dernières années de comprendre les différences sous-jacentes de la structure et de la fonction de la peau de différentes ethnies. Maisla plupart de ces études ont été réalisées à petite échelle et dans certains cas les différences observées entre les individus au niveau de la qualité de la peau ne font pas ressortir de différence entre races. Récemment, un besoin d'études reliant les diffèrences génétiques et phénotypiques entre différents groupes raciaux s'est fait sentir et de ce fait beaucoup d'études à grande èchelle ont été entreprises. La différence la plus évidente, entre les peaux ethniques, est leur couleur liée à la présence de la mélanine. La photoprotection induite par ce polymère influence le taux de vieillissement de la peau entre les différents groupes raciaux qui finalement sont tous sujets au processus de photovieillissement. Généralement, les caucasiens ont des signes plus précoces et plus importants de formation de rides et de relâchement de la peau; en général, les problèmes d'augmentation de la pigmentation sont observés sur les peaux de couleur, bien qu'une grande étude ait rapporté que des sujets originaires de l'Asie de l'Est vivant aux U.S.A. avaient le moins de taches pigmentaires. On pense que la réponse d'une induction hyperpigmentaire est due à un signal envoyé par le récepteur 2 activé par une protéase. Le récepteur 2 augmente en même temps que la protéase activatrice dans l'épiderme des sujets ayant une peau de couleur. Les changements dans les propriètés biophysiques de la peau en fonction de l'âge montrent que les sujets qui ont la pigmentation la plus sombre gardent une peau plus jeune par comparaison aux groupes qui possèdent une pigmentation moins forte. Toutefois, bien qu'ayant un stratum corneum plus compact, il existe des rapports divergents sur la fonction barrière de ces sujets. Dans le cas d'agression chimique ou mécanique, la fonction barrière du stratum corneum est considérée plus forte chez les sujets à peau plus foncée, malgré leurs taux plus faibles encéramide. On doit garder à l'esprit que la fonction barrière du stratum corneum dépend de toute son architecture et pas seulement de sa teneur en lipides. On considère que la peau asiatique à unePIE (TEWL) basale similaire à la peau caucasienne, ainsi que des taux en céramides comparables, mais on constate que dans le cas d'agression mécanique, elle possède un effet barrière le plus faible. Des différences dans la cohésion intercellulaire sont évidentes. A contrario, on a mis en évidence des taux d'hydratation (NMF) plus faibles dans son stratum corneum, comparativement à la peau caucasienne et afro-américaine. Ces différences expliquent les variations au niveau de la desquamation, mais on a très peu de données sur ce sujet. Une étude récente a mis en évidence des taux réduits de Cathepsin L2 dans l'épiderme des types de peau plus sombre, ce qui, si cela se produisait dans le stratum corneum, expliquerait les problèmes biens connus de cendrage de la peau que ces sujets connaissent. En terme très gènéral, étant donné que les enzymes liées à la desquamation sont libérées avec les granules lamellaires, on s'attend à ce que les sujets ayant des taux de lipides faibles dans le stratum corneum aient des taux d'enzymes liés à la desquamation faibles. On constate chez les sujets noirs une augmentation de la taille des pores, de la sécrétion du sébum et de la microflore cutanée. On observe également chez ces sujets une augmentation de la taille des granules mastocellulaires. Le phénomène de peau sensible se retrouve à une fréquence similaire dans les différents groupes raciaux, mais il existe des différences subtiles dans lesstimuli nécessaires pour l'induire. En tout cas, plusieurs études montrent que la peau asiatique est peut-être plus sensible aux produits chimiques exogènes, ce qui probablement est dûà un stratum corneum plus mince et à une densité de glandes eccrines plus élevées. En conclusion, c'est sur les caractéristiques biophysiques et somato-sensorielles des différents types de peaux ethniques que nous en savons plus, mais il est clair qu'il nous reste à comprendre encore beaucoup de choses principalement sur leurs différences biologiques. [source] A critical review of aspirin in the secondary prevention of noncardioembolic ischaemic strokeINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF STROKE, Issue 4 2010Domenico Inzitari Both secondary prevention (such as lifestyle modifications, pharmacotherapy or surgery) and an understanding of the influence of risk factors (including the different aetiologic mechanisms of cerebral ischaemia) play a pivotal role in reducing the burden of recurrent stroke. Regarding the types of preventative treatments available, variations exist across all clinical studies, including differences in target populations (including the type of cerebral ischaemia), risk factors, length of follow-up, drop-out rates and outcomes, which makes translating the results of clinical trials to individual patients difficult. However, with such limitations in mind, this critical albeit nonsystematic review, which compared aspirin with other antiplatelets and in combination with other drugs, showed that the benefit from aspirin treatment is consistently shown in ischaemic stroke, while harms are limited. Furthermore, no definite superiority is apparent across different antiplatelet therapies. Dual antiplatelet regimens may expose to a slight but measurable higher risk of haemorrhagic complications, perhaps in selective groups of patients (i.e. those with severe small-vessel disease or in selective racial groups). Based on our analysis, the indication of aspirin as the first-line choice, also recommended by several acknowledged international or national guidelines, may be confirmed. However, the complex nature of patients at risk of recurrent ischaemic stroke necessitates a comprehensive approach, which should be driven by the primary care physician, whose role is central to successful actions for secondary stroke prevention. [source] The Religious Racial Integration of African Americans into Diverse ChurchesJOURNAL FOR THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF RELIGION, Issue 2 2010Gerardo Marti Recent scholarship asserts that members of racial groups can transcend their ethnic differences, but other research asserts that ethnoracial identities must be reinforced in order to participate in multiracial churches. Analysis of field notes and interview data from a large, black-white Protestant congregation shows that while the core membership of African Americans come specifically for its ethnic and racial diversity, they also look for markers that affirm a distinctive African-American experience. Ethnic reinforcement attracts highly race-conscious participants who eventually move toward processes of ethnic transcendence and congregational integration. The value for researchers is that distinguishing ethnically transcendent and ethnically reinforcing processes encourages the discovery of subtle, racially specific, and continually reinforced affinities that would otherwise remain hidden in seemingly ethnically transcendent settings. [source] Domestic Violence Research: Methodological Issues Related to a Community-Based Intervention With a Vulnerable Population,JOURNAL OF APPLIED BIOBEHAVIORAL RESEARCH, Issue 1 2005Clarissa A. Shavers Presently, in our society, thousands of children, adolescents, and adults are physically, mentally, and emotionally traumatized from exposure to domestic violence (DV). Exposure to DV, defined here as male violence against their female partners, occurs among all ethnic, cultural, socioeconomic, geographical, and racial groups. DV can lead to depression, negative self-esteem, and general psychological distress in women. Children exposed to DV have an increased risk of behavioral, emotional, and social problems. DV shelters often provide group counseling and support services for battered women, children, and adolescents residing there, but the programs do not reach the majority of women living in the broader community. Furthermore, few studies have examined the effectiveness and efficacy of support group treatment intervention programs for battered women and children. This is due, in part, to the methodological difficulties inherent in this design. As a way to meet the needs of families that have experienced DV, academic researchers from a Midwestern university and a director of counseling services from a local domestic violence agency have partnered to offer a psycho-educational intervention designed to [source] Inflammatory bowel disease in the Asia,Pacific area: A comparison with developed countries and regional differencesJOURNAL OF DIGESTIVE DISEASES, Issue 3 2010Vineet AHUJA The Asia,Pacific region has been marked as an area with a low incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), although confusion always existed as to whether this low incidence was a result of low diagnostic awareness, a high incidence of infective diarrhoea and its diagnostic overlap or a true low incidence. As epidemiological studies from this region are being made available it is clear that the incidence and prevalence rates of IBD in Asia,Pacific region are low compared with Europe and North America. They are however, increasing rapidly. There are substantial variations in the incidence and prevalence rates of IBD in various ethnic groups in Asia. The highest incidence rates are recorded from India, Japan and the Middle East and there exists a genetic predisposition of South Asians (Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis) to ulcerative colitis (UC). It appears that certain racial groups are more prone than others to develop IBD. For instance, Indians in South-East Asia have higher rates than Chinese and Malays. While there is a host genetic predisposition, environmental factor(s) may be responsible for this difference. The clinical phenotypes and complication rates of Asian IBD resemble those of the Caucasian population in general, but some heterogeneity is observed in different regions of Asia. There is no evidence of a north-south or an east-west divide in the Asia,Pacific region. The available studies suggest an increasing incidence of UC in the Asia,Pacific region and hence it is an appropriate time to launch well-designed epidemiological studies so that etiopathogenetic factors can be identified. There is a male predominance in Crohn's disease in the Asian population. The NOD2/CARD15 gene is not associated with CD in the Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Indian population. [source] Partner Choice and the Differential Retreat From MarriageJOURNAL OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY, Issue 1 2006Robert Schoen The contemporary retreat from marriage in the United States has had a differential impact across socioeconomic and racial groups. Here, 1990 marriage rates and propensities for Virginia, North Carolina, and Wisconsin are analyzed regarding (a) the likelihood that persons in different groups ever marry and (b) patterns of partner choice with respect to race and educational level. Marriage remains strong in most race-education groups but is substantially lower among Blacks and among those with less than 12 years of education. Patterns of partner choice have shifted to show greater symmetry between the educational levels of brides and grooms. Changes have been modest with regard to the level and pattern of interracial (Black-White) marriage. Marriage is increasingly a union of equals, but a union chosen more by Whites than by Blacks and more by the well educated than by the poorly educated. [source] Families With Young Children: A Review of Research in the 1990sJOURNAL OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY, Issue 4 2000David H. Demo Research conducted in the past decade on families with young children concentrated on 5 broad topics: (a) the transition to parenthood; (b) the importance of maternal sensitivity for children's attachment security and subsequent adjustment and social competence; (c) the effectiveness of particular parenting styles and practices; (d) interparental, familial, and broader societal factors influencing parenting behaviors and child adjustment; and (e) the impact of family structure and household composition on children's well-being. Our review documents substantial diversity in family structures, parenting arrangements, and childrearing values and practices both within and across ethnic and racial groups. Collectively, the evidence suggests that in most families with young children, parents and children seem to be doing well. We conclude that substantial work is required to expand the study of families with young children beyond mother-child dyads in White, middle-class, two-parent, first-marriage families. [source] HLA phenotypes and outcomes of hepatitis B virus infection in Taiwan,JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY, Issue 1 2004Ya-Fang Wu Abstract The relationship of HLA phenotype and outcome of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection was studied in two ethnic groups of Taiwan: Han Chinese and Taiwanese Aborigines. In Han Chinese, the study groups consisted of 98 persons who tested both hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HBs negative (Uninfected Group), 324 persons who tested HBsAg negative and both anti-HBs and anti-HBc positive (Recovered Group), and 98 patients who tested HBsAg positive for at least 6 months (Chronically Infected Group). In Taiwanese Aborigines, the study groups consisted of 34 persons in Uninfected Group, 229 persons in the Recovered Group, and 138 patients in the Chronically Infected Group. All subjects were tested for HLA (A, B, DRB1) phenotypes by sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe hybridization (SSOPH). HLA-DR*0406 was significantly more frequent in the Recovered Group, compared with the Chronically Infected Group (P,<,0.001) in Han Chinese. There was a significant excess of HLA-B*4001 (P,=,0.045) in the Recovered Group, compared with the Chronically Infected Group in Taiwanese Aborigines. The observation that different HLA phenotypes associated with recovery from HBV infection in different racial groups implies that various HLA molecules could present different HBV epitopes to induce effective immune responses. J. Med. Virol. 72:17,25, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Sudden maternal deaths in Malaysia: A case reportJOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY RESEARCH (ELECTRONIC), Issue 4 2002Ravindran Jegasothy Abstract We report on a retrospective study of maternal deaths in Malaysia that occurred within 24 hours of delivery, abortion or operative termination of the pregnancy (defined as sudden deaths) in the years 1995,1996. There were 131 sudden maternal deaths (20.6% of all maternal deaths); postpartum hemorrhage, obstetric embolisms, trauma and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were the main causes. There was a disproportionately increased risk of sudden maternal deaths in the Chinese and the ,other bumiputra' racial groups. The proportion of mothers who had no obstetric risk factors in the pregnancy that led to death was 16.8%. Fourteen mothers died in transit. Twenty mothers died after a cesarean section. The findings of this review emphasize the fact that caregivers in obstetrics need to be forever vigilant. All maternity staff need to be well trained in emergency care and there needs to be quick referral to centers that can provide expertise in handling these emergencies. [source] Racial Reconciliation in South Africa:Interracial Contact and Changes over TimeJOURNAL OF SOCIAL ISSUES, Issue 2 2010James L. Gibson Relying upon,Gibson's (2004),theory equating lack of prejudice with interracial "reconciliation," we investigate racial attitudes based on a 2004 nationally representative survey of South Africans. We begin by documenting substantial group-based differences in intergroup prejudice, with Blacks being considerably less reconciled with Whites as compared to the three racial minorities' levels of reconciliation with Blacks. We also discover that the Black majority has become less reconciled with Whites over the period from Gibson's survey (in 2001) to the current survey (in 2004). Improvement in racial attitudes is observed among the other three groups. We next investigate intergroup contact as an explanation of differences in attitudes, finding some effects of mere contact and powerful effects of intimate contact. However, the consequences of contact differ across the various racial groups. [source] Subjective Well-Being and PeaceJOURNAL OF SOCIAL ISSUES, Issue 2 2007Ed Diener Hierarchical generalized linear modeling was employed to examine the relations between person-level subjective well-being (SWB) and peace-relevant attitudes, and how these relations vary across nations in the World Values Survey. Person-level SWB was associated with more confidence in the government and armed forces, greater emphasis on postmaterialist values, stronger support for democracy, less intolerance of immigrants and racial groups, and greater willingness to fight for one's country. These associations were moderated at the nation level by liberal development, violent inequality, gross domestic product, and nation-level SWB. The moderator effects indicate that happy people are not completely blind to the conditions of their society and that their endorsement of peace attitudes is sensitive to whether the conditions for peace do exist. [source] Prevalence, knowledge and care patterns for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in United States minority populationsALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 5 2010E. Yuen Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2010; 32: 645,654 Summary Background, While there is evidence of ethnic variation in the prevalence of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms, few population-based studies examine GERD symptom prevalence amongst the growing Hispanic minority in the US as well as Asians in the West. Aim, To examine the prevalence, awareness and care patterns for GERD across different ethnic groups. Methods, A population-based, cross-sectional survey was fielded in English, Chinese and Spanish that assessed self-reported GERD prevalence, awareness and care patterns in four ethnic groups (Caucasian, African American, Asian, Hispanic). Results, A total of 1172 subjects were included for analysis: 34.6% experienced GERD symptoms at least monthly, 26.2% at least weekly and 8.2% at least daily. Statistically significant differences in raw prevalence rates between racial groups were found: 50% of Hispanics experienced heartburn at least monthly, compared with 37% of Caucasians, 31% of African Americans and 20% of Asians (P > 0.0001). Significant differences in knowledge and care-seeking patterns by ethnicity were also observed. Conclusions, This study confirms the high prevalence of GERD symptoms in the US and introduces Hispanics as the ethnicity with the highest prevalence rate. Asians in the US have higher rates of symptoms than in the Far East. These data demonstrate a need for culturally appropriate education about GERD symptoms and treatment. [source] Comparison of patch test results among white Europeans and patients from the Indian subcontinent living within the same communityJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 10 2008DA Fairhurst Abstract Background, There are few studies comparing the incidence of allergic contact dermatitis among different racial groups living within the same community. Objectives, The objectives of this study were to compare white European patients with Fitzpatrick's skin phototypes (FSP) I to IV and patients from Indian, Pakistan and Bangladesh with FSP V living within the same community. Referral rates for patch testing, incidence of contact allergies and differences in contact allergens found were assessed. Method, All patients referred to the Contact Dermatitis Unit at Dewsbury and District Hospital between 2004 and 2006, inclusive, were included in the study. All patients were patch tested to the British Contact Dermatitis Society standard series, plus other series according to their clinical history, occupational history and clinical findings. Results, Four hundred and thirty-five consecutive patients from the patch testing clinic were included in the study. Fewer patients from the Indian subcontinent underwent patch testing (11.5%) than would have been expected for the size of the local population (18%). Fewer patients from the Indian subcontinent (44%) had one or more positive reactions compared with the white European patients (56%). No significant differences in the contact allergens responsible were detected between the two racial groups. Conclusion, There is a lower incidence of positive patch test results among patients with racial origins from the Indian subcontinent compared with white Europeans. This modest difference could be explained by a lower average age within the study population, and increased or differing exposure to contact allergens rather than demonstration of variability in the susceptibility to develop contact sensitivities following equal exposure. [source] Clinical features of ileal pouch-anal anastomosis in African American patients with underlying ulcerative colitisALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 4 2009L. MOORE Summary Background, The prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease in African Americans appears to be increasing. The data on differences in disease behavior and severity between the races have been conflicting. Aim, To evaluate the effect of race on outcome and natural history of patients with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. Methods, All African American patients with underlying ulcerative colitis and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis who were seen in our subspecialty Pouchitis Clinic from 2002 to 2008 were included. The control group consisted of Caucasian patients with ulcerative colitis and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis who were randomly selected from the same Pouch Registry at a ratio of 4:1. We compared pouch failure, Crohn's disease of the pouch, and chronic pouchitis rates, as well as other 23 demographic and clinical variables between African American and Caucasian patients. Results, A total of 12 African American patients and 48 Caucasian patients were evaluated in this case-control study. There were no significant differences in the frequency of pouch failure, Crohn's disease of the pouch, or chronic pouchitis between the African American and Caucasian groups. However, African American patients were found to have a significantly shorter duration of inflammatory bowel disease (11.5 years vs. 17.0 years, P = 0.024) as well as significantly shorter duration of pouch (1.5 years vs. 4 years, P = 0.02). African Americans were also less likely to have pancolitis at the time of colectomy (83% vs. 100%, P = 0.037). Conclusions, While there were no significant differences in pouch outcomes between the races, African American patients appeared to have more left-sided colitis at the time of colectomy, with a shorter duration of inflammatory bowel and ileal pouch. This finding suggests that the natural history of ulcerative colitis and disease course before and after restorative proctocolectomy may be different between these racial groups. [source] Time trends in peptic ulcer, erosive reflux oesophagitis, gastric and oesophageal cancers in a multiracial Asian populationALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 7 2009K.-L. GOH Summary Background, Dramatic changes in the prevalence and pattern of gastrointestinal disease has taken place in Asia in recent years. Aim, To compare the prevalence of duodenal (DU) and gastric ulcers (GU), erosive oesophagitis (EO), gastric cancer (GCA) and oesophageal cancer (OCA) and Helicobacter pylori infection over a 10-year interval of time in a multiracial South-East Asian population. Methods, Endoscopy records of first time gastroscopy in the University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were reviewed for 1989/1990 and 1999/2000. Results, In the period of 1989,1990, 3252 records and in 1999,2000, 4615 records were analysed. Both DU (21.1,9.5%) and GU (11.9,9.4%) had decreased significantly (P < 0.001). EO had increased significantly from 2.0% to 8.4% (P < 0.001). Both GCA and OCA had declined in the 10-year interval. Helicobacter pylori prevalence had decreased from 51.7% to 30.3% (P < 0.001). The decrease in DU and GU was seen in all racial groups. The increase in EO was most marked in Indians and the decrease in GCA in Chinese. The proportion of H. pylori- associated DU and GU had also decreased with time. Conclusions, Peptic ulcers and H. pylori infection had declined over a 10-year period of time and showed an opposing time trend with EO, which had increased dramatically. Both GCA and OCA had declined in prevalence. [source] Surfing the "model minority" wave of success: How the school context shapes distinct experiences among Vietnamese youthNEW DIRECTIONS FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, Issue 100 2003Gilberto Q. Conchas Vietnamese students must contend with the burden of the myth of being a model minority. As a result of adults' high expectations of them, Vietnamese youth receive structural and ideological advantages over other nonwhite racial groups. Further, the students themselves reinforce the model minority image as they attempt to attain educational mobility. The authors examine the role of two distinct school contexts within the same school that shape the academic outcomes of Vietnamese students contending with the pressures of being considered members of the model minority. [source] The Effects of Household Income Volatility on DivorceAMERICAN JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS AND SOCIOLOGY, Issue 3 2010John M. Nunley We extend the literature on the effects of earnings shocks on divorce by identifying separately the effects of transitory and permanent household income shocks and by allowing the shocks to have asymmetric effects across education and racial groups. The econometric evidence suggests negative (positive) transitory household income shocks increase (decrease) the probability of divorce, while there is only weak evidence that positive (negative) permanent household income shocks raise (lower) the probability of divorce. Some differences in the effects of household income shocks on divorce propensities arise for subsamples selected by education and race. [source] Using Genetic Admixture to Study the Biology of Obesity Traits and to Map Genes in Admixed PopulationsNUTRITION REVIEWS, Issue 2004José R. Fernández Ph.D. Differences among ethnic and racial groups in obesity-related traits have been clearly established in the scientific literature. To explore the genetic component underlying these differences, the genetic admixture approach has been used. In this approach, ancestry informative genetic markers are used to estimate a quantitative value representing the degree of ancestral background in individuals of admixed genetic background. Genetic admixture has been successfully used to explain racial and ethnic variation in obesity related traits; however, the understanding and measure of cultural and environmental components that also influence these phenotypes still requires further exploration [source] Racial Fractionalization and School PerformanceAMERICAN JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS AND SOCIOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Joshua C. Hall The literature on racial "peer effects" suggests that diversity improves at least some students' school performance. However, a literature in economic development posits that diversity may negatively affect school performance by undermining the efficient provision of education. This article empirically tests this claim, which we call the "public goods channel," by examining the relationship between racial diversity and student performance in Ohio's school districts. We find that moving from a completely homogenous school district to one in which two racial groups have equal population shares is associated with a 7,17.5 percentage point decline in the passage rate on the state math exam, holding per pupil spending across districts constant. These results suggest that racial diversity is negatively associated with school performance but that the public goods channel is not responsible for this relationship. [source] Persistent Advantage or Disadvantage?: Evidence in Support of the Intergenerational Drag HypothesisAMERICAN JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS AND SOCIOLOGY, Issue 2 2001William Darity By utilizing the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) and a measure of occupational prestige (OCCSCORE) as a labor market outcome, the authors examine variations in the degree of labor market discrimination faced by several ethnic and racial groups in the United States between 1880 and 1990. Results demonstrate that the sharpest decline in labor market discrimination against blacks occurred between 1960 and 1980. For black males the extent of labor market discrimination was greater in all census years in IPUMS after 1880 until 1970, evidence contradicting the conventional expectation that market-based discrimination will decline progressively over time by dint of competitive pressure. Finally, after replicating George Borjas' "ethnic capital" exercise, the authors pool the 1880, 1900, and 1910 data to determine the relative magnitude of a group's gains and losses in occupational prestige due to group advantage or disadvantage in human capital endowments and due to favorable or unfavorable treatment (nepotism or discrimination) of those endowments in the labor market. The authors then examine statistically whether the group human capital advantage or disadvantage and group exposure to nepotism or discrimination at the turn of the century affects labor market outcomes for their descendants today. Results indicate strong effects of the past on present labor market outcomes. Hence, the essence of the study is the statistical demonstration that there are significant and detectable effects on current generations of the labor market experiences of their racial/ethnic ancestors. [source] A religious framework as a lens for understanding the intersection of genetics, health, and disease,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS, Issue 1 2009Tina M. Harris Ph.D. Abstract The primary goal of this study was to determine the extent to which religious frameworks inform lay public understandings of genes and disease. Contrary to existing research, there were minimal differences between racial groups. We did, however, observe two patterns in that data that are worthy of discussion. First, because participants were from the south, the finding that participants from both racial groups ascribe to a religious belief system to make sense of their lived experiences is not surprising. Rather, it appears to be reflective of the religious culture that is an integral part of the south and our identity as a nation. A second noteworthy finding is that while a significant number of participants believe that a relationship exists between health status, genes, and religious behaviors, they also recognize that positive health behaviors must also be adopted as a means for staving off disease. In some cases, however, there was a belief that health issues could dissolve or disappear as a result of certain religious behaviors such as prayer. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] An Analysis of Occupational Outcomes for Indigenous and Asian Employees in AustraliaTHE ECONOMIC RECORD, Issue 240 2002Vani K. Borooah This paper examines occupational performance in Australia across three racial groups in Australia: Indigenous Australians; Asian people, defined as all those whose language spoken at home was either Chinese, Vietnamese or other forms of a South-east or East Asian language; and white people, defined as the residual category. The paper has as its starting point, observed differences in occupational attainment among the three groups in Australia and sets out to account for these observed differences on the basis of both race and non-racial attributes such as, age, education and area of residence. [source] Flaws in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Rationale for Supporting the Development and Approval of BiDil as a Treatment for Heart Failure Only in Black PatientsTHE JOURNAL OF LAW, MEDICINE & ETHICS, Issue 3 2008George T. H. Ellison The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) rationale for supporting the development and approval of BiDil (a combination of hydralazine hydrochloride and isosorbide dinitrate; H-I) for heart failure specifically in black patients was based on under-powered, post hoc subgroup analyses of two relatively old trials (V-HeFT I and II), which were further complicated by substantial covariate imbalances between racial groups. Indeed, the only statistically significant difference observed between black and white patients was found without any adjustment for potential confounders in samples that were unlikely to have been adequately randomized. Meanwhile, because the accepted baseline therapy for heart failure has substantially improved since these trials took place, their results cannot be combined with data from the more recent trial (A-HeFT) amongst black patients alone. There is therefore little scientific evidence to support the approval of BiDil only for use in black patients, and the FDA's rationale fails to consider the ethical consequences of recognizing racial categories as valid markers of innate biological difference, and permitting the development of group-specific therapies that are subject to commercial incentives rather than scientific evidence or therapeutic imperatives. This paper reviews the limitations in the scientific evidence used to support the approval of BiDil only for use in black patients; calls for further analysis of the V-HeFT I and II data which might clarify whether responses to H-I vary by race; and evaluates the consequences of commercial incentives to develop racialized medicines. We recommend that the FDA revise the procedures they use to examine applications for race-based therapies to ensure that these are based on robust scientific claims and do not undermine the aims of the 1992 Revitalization Act. 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