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Comparison Data (comparison + data)
Selected AbstractsAlcohol consumption patterns and risk factors among childhood cancer survivors compared to siblings and general population peersADDICTION, Issue 7 2008E. Anne Lown ABSTRACT Aims This study describes alcohol consumption among adult survivors of pediatric cancer compared to sibling controls and a national sample of healthy peers. Risk factors for heavy drinking among survivors are described. Design, setting and participants Cross-sectional data were utilized from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study including adult survivors of pediatric cancer (n = 10 398) and a sibling cohort (n = 3034). Comparison data were drawn from the National Alcohol Survey (n = 4774). Measurement Alcohol consumption, demographic, cancer diagnosis, treatment and psychosocial factors were measured. Findings Compared to peers, survivors were slightly less likely to be risky [adjusted odds ratio (ORadj) = 0.9; confidence interval (CI) 0.8,1.0] and heavy drinkers (ORadj = 0.8; CI 0.7,0.9) and more likely to be current drinkers. Compared to siblings, survivors were less likely to be current, risky and heavy drinkers. Risk factors for survivors' heavy drinking included being age 18,21 years (ORadj = 2.0; 95% CI 1.5,2.6), male (ORadj = 2.1; 95% CI 1.8,2.6), having high school education or less (ORadj = 3.4; 95% CI 2.7,4.4) and drinking initiation before age 14 (ORadj = 6.9; 95% CI 4.4,10.8). Among survivors, symptoms of depression, anxiety or somatization, fair or poor self-assessed health, activity limitations and anxiety about cancer were associated with heavy drinking. Cognitively compromising treatment, brain tumors and older age at diagnosis were protective. Conclusions Adult survivors of childhood cancer show only a modest reduction in alcohol consumption compared to peers despite their more vulnerable health status. Distress and poorer health are associated with survivor heavy drinking. Screening for alcohol consumption should be instituted in long-term follow-up care and interventions among survivors and siblings should be established to reduce risk for early drinking. [source] Trends in affordability of the Illawarra Healthy Food Basket 2000,2007NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 1 2009Peter WILLIAMS Abstract Aims:, The Illawarra Healthy Food Basket was developed as one measure to monitor the affordability of healthy eating in Australia. It consists of 57 items selected to meet the nutritional requirements of a reference family of five. The basket was first costed in the Illawarra region of Australia in 2000 and again in 2001 and 2003. The present study aimed to repeat the costing of the basket in 2005 and 2007 and to assess the trends in affordability since 2000. Methods:, Costing was carried out in the same five suburbs as previous surveys, using a large supermarket, greengrocer and butcher from each. Comparison data included: welfare entitlements obtained from Centrelink, average weekly earnings and the consumer price index for food. Main outcome measures:, The average weekly cost of the Illawarra Healthy Food Basket in 2005 and 2007, and trends in the costs compared with changes in average weekly earning and welfare benefits for the reference family. Results:, The total cost of the Illawarra Healthy Food Basket in 2007 was $242.49, an increase of 20.4% since 2000, with the greatest increases in the prices of vegetables (55.7%) and fruit (46.7%). Fruits, vegetables and meat were cheaper at independent grocers and butchers than in supermarkets. The percentage of average weekly earning or welfare payments required to purchase the Illawarra Healthy Food Basket remained stable at slightly below 30%. Conclusion:, These results indicate that the affordability of healthy eating has remained relatively constant from 2000 to 2007, but the significant increases in fruit and vegetable prices might be making healthy food choices more difficult. [source] A taxometric investigation of the latent structure of social anxiety disorder in outpatients with anxiety and mood disordersDEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 4 2006Dylan M. Kollman M.A. Abstract The latent structure of social phobia was examined in a sample of 2,035 outpatients with anxiety and mood disorders to determine whether the disorder operates in a categorical or dimensional fashion. We performed three mathematically distinct taxometric procedures,MAMBAC, MAXEIG, and L-Mode,using five indicators constructed from clinical interview ratings and questionnaire measures of social anxiety symptoms. Results from screening analyses and simulated comparison data consistently indicated that the data were suitable for taxometric analysis. The collective results across procedures, consistency tests, and analysis of simulated comparison data produced converging evidence in support of the conclusion that the latent structure of social phobia is dimensional. Depression and Anxiety 23:190,199, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] EXTENDED STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF RANKED DATA FROM BALANCED INCOMPLETE BLOCK AND PAIRED COMPARISON DESIGNSJOURNAL OF SENSORY STUDIES, Issue 4 2000D.J. BEST ABSTRACT The usual Durbin analysis for ranked data obtained from a balanced incomplete block design is extended to allow for (1) dispersion effects, (2) a predetermined ordering of products and (3) more general trends. An application to paired comparison data is given. Calculation of p-values via Monte Carlo simulation is suggested. [source] | ||||||||||