Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Prevalence Rates (prevalence + rate)
Kinds of Prevalence Rates Terms modified by Prevalence Rates Selected AbstractsPrevalence rate of Cryptosporidium infection in hemodialysis patients in IranHEMODIALYSIS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2006Shiva SEYRAFIAN Abstract Cryptosporidium is one of the most common causes of diarrhea in the world, which can be severe and prolonged in immunocompromised patients. We compared the prevalence rate of Cryptosporidium infection in hemodialysis patients and 2 control groups (i.e., their healthy family members and normal population). Stool specimens of 104 adult outpatient chronic hemodialysis patients, their 91 healthy family members, and 140 healthy individuals were examined for the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts by using a modified acid-fast staining method. Twelve (11.5%) dialysis patients were infected with Cryptosporidium. This was significantly higher than 4 (4.4%), and 5 (3.6%) cases in the 2 control groups, respectively (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the 2 control groups. The prevalence rate of Cryptosporidium infection did not correlate with patients' sex, age, duration of dialysis, history of kidney transplantation, or history of taking immunosuppressive drugs. However, it was significantly higher in diabetics vs. nondiabetics (19.4% vs. 8.3%, respectively, p<0.05). Our results indicate that the prevalence rate of Cryptosporidium infection is considerably higher in dialysis patients than in the general population. Moreover, dialyzed diabetic patients had the highest rate of infection. As hemodialysis patients are candidates for renal transplantation, general preventive measures against acquiring Cryptosporidium infection must be considered. [source] Prevalence of idiopathic macular hole in adult rural and urban south Indian populationCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL OPHTHALMOLOGY, Issue 3 2008Parveen Sen MS Abstract Background:, This study was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence of idiopathic macular hole in a defined community in Southern India. Methods:, In all, 7774 of the 9546 enumerated (81.43%) subjects availed themselves for an ophthalmic assessment which included a detailed ophthalmic examination and fundus photography. All data were entered and stored in a secure computerized database and statistical analysis was performed using spss for Windows. Results:, Thirteen subjects comprising six males and seven females were diagnosed with macular holes equating to a risk of 0.17%. Bilateral macular holes were found in two subjects. The mean age of subjects with a macular hole was 67 years. Increasing age and history of cataract surgery was strongly associated with an increased prevalence of macular holes (P < 0.0001). There was no difference in the prevalence of macular hole between the rural and urban communities. The mean logMAR visual acuity of subjects in the eye with a macular hole was 1.31 ± 0.45 whereas the acuity in the unaffected fellow eye was 0.70 ± 0.51. The mean spherical equivalent in the subjects with macular hole was ,0.56 ± 1.92 (,4.25 to +1.00). Conclusion:, Prevalence rate of idiopathic macular hole in South India appears to be comparable to that seen worldwide. [source] Employer burden of mild, moderate, and severe major depressive disorder: mental health services utilization and costs, and work performance,DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 1 2010Howard G. Birnbaum Ph.D. Abstract Background: Treatment utilization/costs and work performance for persons with major depressive disorder (MDD) by severity of illness is not well documented. Methods: Using National Comorbidity Survey-Replication (2001,2002) data, US workforce respondents (n=4,465) were classified by clinical severity (not clinically depressed, mild, moderate, severe) using a standard self-rating scale [Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report (QIDS-SR)]. Outcomes included 12-month prevalence of medical services/medications use/costs and workplace performance. Treatment costs (employer's perspective) were estimated by weighing utilization measures by unit costs obtained for similar services used by MDD patients in claims data. Descriptive analysis across three severity groups generated ,2 results. Results: Using a sample of 539 US workforce respondents with MDD, 13.8% were classified mild, 38.5% moderate, and 47.7% severe cases. Mental health services usage, including antidepressants, increased significantly with severity, with average treatment costs substantially higher for severe than for mild cases both regarding mental health services ($697 vs. $388, ,2=4.4, P=.019) and antidepressants ($256 vs. $88, ,2=9.0, P=.001). Prevalence rates of unemployment/disability increased significantly (,2=11.7, P=.003) with MDD severity (15.7, 23.3, and 31.3% for mild, moderate, and severe cases). Severely and moderately depressed workers missed more work than nondepressed workers; the monthly salary-equivalent lost performance of $199 (severely depressed) and $188 (moderately depressed) was significantly higher than for nondepressed workers (,2=10.3, P<.001). Projected to the US workforce, monthly depression-related worker productivity losses had human capital costs of nearly $2 billion. Conclusions: MDD severity is significantly associated with increased treatment usage/costs, treatment adequacy, unemployment, and disability and with reduced work performance. Depression and Anxiety, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The epidemiology of autistic spectrum disorders: is the prevalence rising?DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES RESEARCH REVIEW, Issue 3 2002Lorna Wing Abstract For decades after Kanner's original paper on the subject was published in 1943, autism was generally considered to be a rare condition with a prevalence of around 2,4 per 10,000 children. Then, studies carried out in the late 1990s and the present century reported annual rises in incidence of autism in pre-school children, based on age of diagnosis, and increases in the age-specific prevalence rates in children. Prevalence rates of up to 60 per 10,000 for autism and even more for the whole autistic spectrum were reported. Reasons for these increases are discussed. They include changes in diagnostic criteria, development of the concept of the wide autistic spectrum, different methods used in studies, growing awareness and knowledge among parents and professional workers and the development of specialist services, as well as the possibility of a true increase in numbers. Various environmental causes for a genuine rise in incidence have been suggested, including the triple vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR]. Not one of the possible environmental causes, including MMR, has been confirmed by independent scientific investigation, whereas there is strong evidence that complex genetic factors play a major role in etiology. The evidence suggests that the majority, if not all, of the reported rise in incidence and prevalence is due to changes in diagnostic criteria and increasing awareness and recognition of autistic spectrum disorders. Whether there is also a genuine rise in incidence remains an open question. MRDD Research Reviews 2002;8:151,161. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Developmental psychopathology in adolescence: findings from a Swiss study , the NAPE Lecture 2005ACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 1 2006H.-C. Steinhausen Objective:, Presentations of selective findings coming from the Zurich Adolescent Psychology and Psychopathology Study with two major aims: i) the study of the prevalence, course, and correlates of mental disorders in adolescence, and ii) the study of the determinants and processes of mental disorders in adolescence. Method:, A representative sample of n = 1964 children and adolescents was studied in the canton of Zurich in 1994. Additional waves of data collection took place in 1997 and 2000/2001. Mean ages at these three assessments were 13, 16, and 20 years. Each wave contained a two-stage procedure of assessment with screening by questionnaires and consecutive interviewing. The main constructs used were general and specific measures of psychopathology, life events, coping styles, self-related cognitions, and quality of the social network. Results:, Prevalence rates of any mental disorder in school-age at the time of assessment was 22.5% fitting into a transcultural range of 18,26% based on DSM-III-R criteria. Furthermore, the derivation and validation of a four-group adolescent drinker typology was demonstrated. Additionally, the prevalence and continuity of functional-somatic symptoms from adolescence to young adulthood was shown. Another piece of the research tested for the identification of risk, compensatory, vulnerability, and protective factors influencing behaviour problems and found remarkably different frequencies across the four types of moderating factors. Conclusion:, The presented findings provide further understanding of the developmental psychology and psychopathology of adolescence and the service, intervention, and prevention needs of this age-group. [source] Epilepsy in Colombia: Epidemiologic Profile and Classification of Epileptic Seizures and SyndromesEPILEPSIA, Issue 1 2006Alberto Velez Summary:,Purpose: A national study was performed in Colombia to determine the general and regional prevalence of epilepsy, clinical profiles, seizure types, and clinical syndromes. Methods: Based on the National Epidemiological Study of Neurological Diseases (EPINEURO), we evaluated and followed up for 1 year all the subjects with epilepsy from the National Sample. Clinical profiles were further assessed. Seizure types and epilepsy syndromes were established according to the international classifications. Results: General prevalence was found to be 11.3 per 1,000, with little variation among regions, except the eastern region, where prevalence was 23 per 1,000; prevalence for active epilepsy was 10.1 per 1,000. Women have a slightly greater (not statistically significant) risk. Most seizures are focal (partial), frequently with secondary generalization. The most frequent epilepsy syndrome encountered was partial symptomatic/cryptogenic (80%). Epilepsy onset in Colombia occurs most frequently in childhood. Conclusions: Prevalence rates of epilepsy in Colombia are similar to those reported in nations with comparable developmental status and have diminished over time. The study presents the distribution of seizures and syndromes. The most frequent types are focal syndromes. [source] Headache prevalence related to smoking and alcohol use.EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 11 2006The Head-HUNT Study The aim of this study was to examine a possible association between smoking, alcohol and headache in a large population-based cross-sectional study. A total of 51 383 subjects completed a headache questionnaire and constituted the ,Head-HUNT' Study. Questionnaire-based information on smoking was available in 95% and on alcohol in 89% of the individuals. Associations were assessed in multivariate analyses, estimating prevalence odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Prevalence rates for headache were higher amongst smokers compared with never smokers, most evident for those under 40 years smoking more than 10 cigarettes per day (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.3,1.6). Passive smoking was also associated with higher headache prevalence. For alcohol use, there was a tendency of decreasing prevalence of migraine with increasing amounts of alcohol consumption compared with alcohol abstinence. Only with regard to symptoms indicating alcohol overuse, a positive association with frequent headache was found. The association between headache and smoking found in the present study raises questions about a causal relationship, e.g. that smoking causes headache or that it allays stress induced by headache. The observed negative association between migraine and alcohol consumption is probably explained by the headache precipitating properties of alcohol. [source] Prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in a large sample of Dutch nursing home patients with dementiaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 7 2007Sytse U. Zuidema Abstract Objective To estimate the prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia patients in Dutch nursing homes. Methods Cross-sectional study in a large sample of 1322 demented patients living in 59 dementia special care units (SCUs) in The Netherlands. Symptoms were observed by licensed vocational nurses during regular care-giving in a 2-week observational period prior to assessment. Neuropsychiatric symptoms were assessed using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory- Nursing home version (NPI-NH; frequency X severity score , 4) and the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI; symptoms occurring at least once a week). Results More than 80% of these patients suffered from at least one clinically significant symptom, as defined with the NPI-NH frequency X severity score , 4. Measured with the NPH-NH agitation/aggression, apathy and irritability were the most frequently observed behaviors, with prevalences of 30,35%. Using the CMAI, 85% of the patients showed at least one symptom of agitation, of which general restlessness was observed most frequently (44%). Other frequently observed symptoms with prevalence rates of 30% were cursing or verbal aggression, constant request for attention, negativism, repetitious sentences, mannerisms, pacing, and complaining. Physically aggressive symptoms such as hitting, kicking, biting occurred less often (less than 13%). Conclusions Prevalence rates of neuropsychiatric symptoms in Dutch nursing home patients with dementia residing in SCUs are high, especially agitation and apathy. Insight into the prevalence rates of individual symptoms in patients with dementia has important practical consequences for the accurate planning of staff allotment and stresses the need for patient oriented care. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Lifetime urban/rural residence, social support and late-life depression in KoreaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 9 2004Jae-Min Kim Abstract Background Population ageing and rural,urban migration are accelerating in many non-Western nations. This study aimed to investigate: (i) the association between lifetime urban/rural residence and late-life depression in Korea and (ii) modification of associations between depression and social support by lifetime residence. Methods 1204 urban/rural residents aged 65+were interviewed and GMS-AGECAT diagnoses made. Previous areas of residence were recorded and social support deficits quantified. Results Depression was present in 9% and 21% of the rural and urban samples respectively. For the urban sample, depression was not associated with earlier urban/rural residence. Social support deficits were most strongly associated with depression in people with a lifetime rural residence, followed by urban residents with a rural birthplace. Conclusions Prevalence rates of depression were increased in the urban sample regardless of previous urban/rural residence. Reduced social support was particularly strongly associated with depression in people with a rural upbringing. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The effect of somatic symptom attribution on the prevalence rate of depression and anxiety among nursing home patientsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 3 2005Martin Smalbrugge Abstract The validity of diagnostic psychiatric instruments for depression and anxiety disorders may be compromised among patients with complex physical illness and disability. The objective of this study was to determine the effect on the prevalence rate of depression and anxiety in a nursing home population of attributing somatic symptoms of depression and anxiety to either somatic or psychiatric disorder. Symptoms of major depression (MD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and panic disorder (PD) were measured using the Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN). Somatic symptoms of MD, GAD and PD were attributed to somatic causes when the interviewer was not sure about a psychiatric cause. To analyse the effect of this attribution on the prevalence rate of MD, GAD and PD, a sensitivity analysis was undertaken in which symptoms that were attributed to somatic causes were recoded as symptoms attributed to psychiatric disorder. Prevalence rates of MD, GAD and PD were calculated before and after recoding. The prevalence of MD after recoding rose from 7.5% to 8.1%. The prevalence of GAD did not change. The prevalence of PD rose from 1.5% to 1.8%. Attribution of somatic symptoms to either somatic or psychiatric disorder when the interviewer was not sure about a psychiatric cause of the somatic symptoms had only a very modest effect on the prevalence rate of major depression, generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder in a nursing home population. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Re-estimating the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in a nationally representative sample of persons receiving care for HIV: results from the HIV cost and services utilization studyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 2 2002PhD Maria Orlando Abstract The objective of this study was to obtain accurate estimates of the prevalence of psychiatric disorder in the population represented by the HIV Costs and Services Utilization Study cohort. We constructed logistic regression models to predict DSM-IV diagnoses of depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic, and dysthymia among a subsample of the HCSUS cohort who in separate interviews completed the CIDI-SF and the full CIDI diagnostic interview. Diagnoses were predicted using responses to the CIDI-SF as well as other variables contained in the baseline and first follow-up interviews. Resulting regression equations were applied to the entire baseline and first follow-up samples to obtain new estimates of the prevalence of disorder. Compared to estimates based on the CIDI-SF alone, estimates obtained from this procedure provide a more accurate representation of the prevalence of the presence of any one of these four psychiatric disorders in this population, yielding more correct classifications and a lower false-positive rate. Prevalence rates reported in this study are as much as 16% lower than rates estimated using the CIDI-SF alone, but are still considerably higher than estimates for the general community population. Copyright © 2002 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source] Prevalence rates of spondylolysis in British skeletal populationsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OSTEOARCHAEOLOGY, Issue 3 2005L. Fibiger Abstract As an activity-related pathological lesion, spondylolysis and its prevalence rates are indicative of relative diachronic activity levels in different populations. In this paper we document the prevalence of spondylolytic defects in a series of time-successive populations with special reference to the recording methods employed, and compare the findings with modern clinical studies. We identify epidemiological trends in expression of the condition through 1500 years in a series of skeletonised human remains from England. This includes a 5th,6th-century settlement, a 15th-century mass grave, a 14th to 17th-century rural parish, a medieval Dominican friary, a medieval leper hospital and an 18th to 19th-century crypt collection. These skeletal populations sample human groups experiencing considerable social change from an agrarian, non-centralised early medieval period through the development of the medieval state to the earliest phases of industrialisation in England. A detailed study of all lumbar vertebrae in one of the assemblages highlights discrepancies between clinical prevalence rates for spondylolysis established through radiography, and those resulting from direct osteological analysis of the lumbar region of the vertebral column. Current prevalence rates cited in the osteological as well as the clinical literature are greatly dependent upon the recording methods employed, and the effects of several methods for osteological remains are considered in this treatment. For the populations reported on here, prevalence rates vary from considerably less than 1% to as much as 12%, depending on the method selected. A standardised recording method for spondylolytic lesions is suggested to facilitate accurate prevalence reporting and comparison of activity levels between different populations. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Update on the Epidemiology of Paget's Disease of BoneJOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue S2 2006Cyrus Cooper Abstract Paget's disease of bone (PDB) is characterized by rapid bone remodeling and the formation of bone that is structurally abnormal. Recent studies have confirmed that both genetic and environmental factors are important in its etiology. Epidemiological studies in Europe and North America have revealed that PDB shows an increasing frequency of occurrence with age and is more prevalent among men than women. There is marked geographic variation in the prevalence of PDB throughout western nations, with the highest rates reported during the 1970s in Britain. Recent studies of the secular trends in PDB suggest declining rates in both prevalence and severity at diagnosis. Thus, the overall age/sex standardized prevalence rate in Britain during the period 1993,1995 was found to be 2.5% among men and 1.6% among women ,55 years of age. Prevalence rates had fallen by ,50% in several of the centers studied, suggesting an environmental contribution to the etiology of this disorder. Similar findings have been reported from other European countries and New Zealand. Recent study of the incidence and clinical manifestations of PDB have emerged from large cohort studies in primary care record linkage resources, such as the General Practice Research Database. Over the period 1988,1999, the incidence rate of clinically diagnosed PDB was found to be 5 per 10,000 person-years among men and 3 per 10,000 person-years among women 75 years of age. The disorder was associated with an increased risk of back pain (RR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.9,2.3); osteoarthritis (RR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.5,1.9); and fracture (RR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.0,1.5). Using life table methodology, the estimated proportion of patients dying within 5 years of follow-up was 32.7% among the cohort with PDB compared with 28.0% among control patients (p < 0.05). [source] Prevalence of Psychopathology in Preschool-Age ChildrenJOURNAL OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRIC NURSING, Issue 4 2003FFNP, Mary Ann McDonnell MS PROBLEM Little is known about psychopathology in preschool-age children. METHODS A review of representative studies of psychiatric disorders in preschoolers. FINDINGS Sample sizes ranged from 104 to 3,860 subjects, ages 1 to 9 years. Prevalence rates of psychiatric disorders varied from 0.1% to 26.4%; high rates of co-morbidity were reported. CONCLUSIONS Studies addressing psychiatric disorders in preschoolers are extremely limited. Future research is needed to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes in preschool-age children. [source] Prevalence and incidence of urinary incontinence of Swiss nursing home residents at admission and after six, 12 and 24 monthsJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 18 2008Susi Saxer Aims and objectives., To study the prevalence and incidence of urinary incontinence in a Swiss nursing home population at admission and at six, 12, 18 and 24 months after admission. Background., No prevalence data for urinary incontinence in people older than 65 years living in nursing homes are available in Switzerland and other German-speaking parts of Europe. Prevalence of urinary incontinence elsewhere varies between 49% and 77%. Methods., This is a secondary analysis of the data of the minimum data set of the Resident Assessment Instrument 2.0 in which 2719 residents were assessed. Prevalence rates and incidence were calculated at admission and at six, 12, 18 and 24 months after admission. Special focus was placed on sex- and age-related differences. Results., Prevalence of urinary incontinence was 51·5% (men 51·4%, women 51·5%) and was found to rise with increasing age. At the time of admission, 37% (men 43%, women 34%) were urinary incontinent. The prevalence increased from admission to 24 months after admission. Conclusion., The high prevalence rates indicate the relevance of the problem for residents and caregivers alike. Early identification of individuals likely to become incontinent is crucial in the development of interventions and the prevention of urinary incontinence in this vulnerable population. Relevance to clinical practice., The study provides valuable data about the extent of the problem of urinary incontinence in nursing homes. [source] Bullying and victimisation in Scottish secondary schools: Same or separate entities?AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR, Issue 1 2002A. Karatzias Abstract Previous research has suggested that bullying is an increasingly severe problem in schools. Such research has approached the phenomenon from two different angles. Earlier research has treated bullying and victimisation as separate entities. However, current research suggests that bullies and victims engage in a special dynamic and interactive relationship, thereby providing the need for studying any similarities and differences between bullies and victims in relation to various factors. The present research has approached bullying and victimisation in both ways. First, we studied differences between bullies, victims, and those not involved in relation to various demographic, school, well-being, and personality factors to identify factors that separate these three groups. In addition, we studied differences between those involved in bullying/victimisation (one group) and those never involved in relation to the same aforementioned factors to highlight aspects of the development of their special relationship (i.e., common factors). Prevalence rates and types of bullying/victimisation experienced/expressed in Scottish schools were also investigated. It was found that bullying and victimisation, when treated as separate entities, differed in relation to peer self-esteem, with bullies reporting higher levels of peer self-esteem than victims. When bullies and victims were treated as one group (involved), they were found to differ from the noninvolved group in relation to various factors, including school, well-being, and personality factors. The involved group was found to be disadvantaged in relation to all measures used. However, overall results indicated that from all these factors the best predictors of overall involvement as bully, victim, or bully-victim were Quality of School Life and school stress. The present results support the notion that bullying and victimisation could be treated, by future research, as both separate and/or interactive entities. This is so because bullying and victimisation were found to differ in relation to one personality factor, that is, peer self-esteem. However, Quality of School Life and school stress, both school factors, were found to be associated with the phenomenon as a whole. Results are discussed in relation to future development of antibullying policy in Scottish schools.Aggr. Behav. 28:45,61, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Agricultural cycle and the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder: A longitudinal community study in postwar Mozambique,JOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, Issue 3 2009Victor Igreja The influence of physical activity on the prevalence and remission of war-related mental disturbances has never been systematically evaluated. This study examined the influence of participation in the agricultural cycle on the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence and correlated symptoms longitudinally in postcivil war Mozambique. Prevalence rates were examined in the end and the outset of the agricultural cycle in a community population (N = 240). The agricultural cycle, which is characterized by fluctuations in physical activities, social connectedness, and the sense of purpose in life influences the PTSD prevalence and correlated symptoms. By studying the influence of the agricultural cycle on PTSD prevalence, severe PTSD cases that fail to respond to the agricultural cycle can be identified, and subsequently evaluated regarding the need for specialized care. [source] Increase in chronic or recurrent rhinitis, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema among schoolchildren in Greece: Three surveys during 1991,2003PEDIATRIC ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 2 2009Michael B. Anthracopoulos The prevalence of allergic rhinitis, hay fever and eczema has risen worldwide during the last four decades but may have reached a plateau in some westernized societies. We examined time trends in the prevalence of childhood chronic or recurrent rhinitis, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema in urban Greece. Using identical methodology, three population-based cross-sectional parental questionnaire surveys on current (last two years) and lifetime allergic symptoms of the nose, eyes and skin were performed among 8,10-yr-old children in 1991, 1998 and 2003 in Patras, Greece. Exactly 2417, 3006 and 2725 questionnaires were completed in 1991, 1998 and 2003, respectively. Prevalence rates of current (lifetime) symptoms of chronic or recurrent rhinitis were 5.1% (6.0%) for 1991, 6.5% (8.0%) for 1998 and 8.0% (9.8%) for 2003. Respective values for rhinoconjunctivitis were 1.8% (2.1%), 2.7% (3.4%) and 3.6% (4.6%) and for eczema 2.5% (4.5%), 3.4% (6.3%) and 5.0% (9.5%) (p for trend <0.001). Among current asthmatics there was an increase in lifetime rhinitis (p = 0.038), current (p = 0.025) and lifetime rhinoconjunctivitis (p = 0.007) and current (p = 0.001) and lifetime eczema (p < 0.001); male predominance increased throughout the study. The proportion of atopic asthma (current asthma with chronic or recurrent rhinitis and/or rhinoconjunctivitis and/or eczema) increased during the same period (p < 0.001). In conclusion, there is a continuous increase in the prevalence of allergic manifestations among preadolescent children in Patras, Greece during the period 1991,2003. In our population, boys have contributed to this increase more than girls and the increase of atopy is, at least partially, responsible for the increase of asthma. [source] Trends in elective terminations of pregnancy between 1989 and 2000 in a French county (the Isère)PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS, Issue 11 2003P. Guillem Abstract Objectives This study was performed in order to provide a description of indications for induced elective terminations of pregnancy (ETOP), their characteristics (e.g. gestational age), and their evolution over time. Design of the Study This is an epidemiological study. The geographic area covered is the French county of ,Isère', which represents a mean of 14 000 births per year over the study period. Materials and Methods Data on ETOPs were collected actively from medical records by a register of childhood deficiencies and adverse perinatal events in this county. Between 1989 and 2000, 996 ETOPs were notified. Results Four main grounds for ETOPs were identified: (1) morphological anomalies with normal karyotype (39%), (2) chromosomal anomalies (35%), (3) other fetal grounds (16%), and (4) maternal indications (10%). Prevalence rates for the first two grounds increased significantly over the study period respectively from 2.0 to 2.9 and from 1.4 to 2.7 per 1000. Among the ETOPs carried out because of fetal indications, the percentage of late ETOPs (from 24 weeks of gestation) was 34.6%, and remained stable over the studied period. In some cases, a medical consensus was not reached with respect to indications for termination (sex chromosome anomalies, limb defects). We estimated the percentage of these cases as being 2.7% of the figure for fetal indications, without any variation in prevalence over the whole period (p = 0.59). The increasing number of ETOPs that occurred in the chromosomal aberrations group during the study period is thought to be due to an increase in diagnostic sensitivity. The increase that occurred in the morphological anomalies group is thought to be due both to an increase in sensitivity and to a widening of the field with respect to indications, some of which have an uncertain prognosis (e.g. agenesis of the corpus callosum). Conclusion This study provides useful data for monitoring medical practice consistency within the field of prenatal diagnosis, and for the drive to keep medical practice within ethically acceptable limits. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Structure and prevalence of PTSD symptomology in children who have experienced a severe tornadoPSYCHOLOGY IN THE SCHOOLS, Issue 3 2006Linda Garner Evans Children served by school psychologists are frequently impacted by natural disasters. In the United States, tornadoes are a particular threat but have been studied very little. The current investigation developed a scale for assessing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children in Kindergarten to Grade 6 impacted by a severe tornado. Six factors were found: Avoidance, Re-experiencing, Interpersonal Alienation, Interference with Daily Functioning, Physical Symptoms/Anxiety, and Foreshortened Future. Prevalence rates for PTSD symptomology ranged from 34 to 44% for factor scores and 41% for meeting all three Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, fourth edition-text revision (DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) criteria; 40% indicated no symptoms. Children's fear during the tornado and damage to their school were related to many factor scores. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 43: 283,295, 2006. [source] Behavioural functioning of retinoblastoma survivorsPSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 1 2009J. van Dijk Abstract Objective: To assess behavioural problems in retinoblastoma (RB) survivors. Methods: This population-based cross-sectional study included 148 RB survivors (8,35 years), registered in the Dutch national RB register. Survivors and parents were asked to fill in behavioural questionnaires. Prevalence rates were computed, based on both self-reports and proxy reports. One-sample T -tests were applied to analyse differences compared with healthy reference samples. Multiple regression analyses were performed to identify predictors for behavioural problems within the RB sample. Results: Between-group differences varied across informants and across age groups. Parents reported significantly elevated total problem behaviour in 30% of their offspring (aged 8,17 years); this against 9% in adolescents (12,17 years) and 12% in adults (18,35 years) based on self-report. Parental reports showed significantly elevated rates of (1) internalising problems in boys and (2) somatic complaints in both girls and boys. Self-reports indicate significantly lowered levels of (1) externalising problems in adolescent and adult women and (2) thought problems in female adolescents and in adult men. Especially survivors who suffered hereditary RB, who had undergone more intensive treatment, and who came from a single-parent family were identified to be at most behavioural risk. Conclusion: Perception of severity and the nature of behavioural problems seem to differ between beholder, and to vary between age groups, if not between life stages. Health professionals should be aware that especially those who are confronted with hereditary RB and who subsequently undergo intensive treatment, and who grow up in broken families, run the risk of developing behavioural difficulties. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Evaluating provider prescribing practices for the treatment of tuberculosis in Virginia, 1995 to 1998: An assessment of educational needTHE JOURNAL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION IN THE HEALTH PROFESSIONS, Issue 3 2000Nicole L. Richardson BA Abstract Background: Although the use of epidemiologic studies to demonstrate learning needs appears to be infrequent, this study addressed the discrepancies in the prescribing practices for the initial treatment of tuberculosis in Virginia between public and private clinicians, comparing them with the treatment regimens recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Thoracic Society (CDC-ATS). Methods: Data examined were the 1995 to 1998 reported cases of tuberculosis within the Commonwealth of Virginia. The study population consisted of 770 laboratory-confirmed tuberculosis cases, living in Virginia, whose isolates were tested for isoniazid susceptibility and were prescribed an initial drug regimen. Prevalence rates, prevalence odds ratios, and logistic regression were used to determine the estimated risk for receipt of the CDC-ATS treatment regimen. Results: Of the 770 cases, 28.7% did not receive the CDC-ATS recommended drug regimen. Prevalence rates and odds for not receiving the recommended regimen were highest among persons of United States origin, Caucasians, females, persons under age 15, and persons from the southwest region of Virginia. Logistic regression indicated a slight increase in the estimated risk of not receiving the CDC-ATS regimen from a private physician (OR: 1.40; CI: 0.97, 2.04) when compared to a public physician. Findings: Private tuberculosis care providers were less compliant with CDC-ATS guidelines than public tuberculosis care providers. Because providers did not follow the recommended treatment guidelines universally, it is advised that all tuberculosis care providers in Virginia would benefit from increased education regarding adequate treatment regimens for tuberculosis and the prevention of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. [source] Recurrent Primary Biliary Cirrhosis After Liver TransplantationAMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 4 2010M. G. Silveira Recurrent primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is an important clinical outcome after liver transplantation (LT) in selected patients. Prevalence rates for recurrent PBC (rPBC) reported by individual LT programs range between 9% and 35%. The diagnostic hallmark of rPBC is histologic identification of granulomatous changes. Clinical and biochemical features are frequently absent with rPBC and cannot be used alone for diagnostic purposes. Some of the risk factors of rPBC may include recipient factors such as age, gender, HLA status and immunosuppression, as well as donor factors such as age, gender and ischemic time, although controversy exists. Most patients have early stage disease at the time of diagnosis, and there may be a role for therapy with ursodeoxycholic acid. While short- and medium-term outcomes remain favorable, especially if compared to patients transplanted for other indications, continued follow-up may identify reduced long-term graft and patient survival. [source] An epidemiological survey of overactive bladder symptoms in JapanBJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 9 2005Yukio Homma OBJECTIVE To report an epidemiological survey of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) to determine the prevalence of overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms (defined as a symptom complex of daily urinary frequency of eight or more times and urgency once or more per week) in Japan. SUBJECTS AND METHODS A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to 10 096 Japanese men and women aged ,,40 years selected by a two-stage randomized process. Survey questions, developed by members of the Japan Neurogenic Bladder Society Committee, covered four areas: demographic characteristics, LUTS, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and hospital attendance. RESULTS The responses from 4570 respondents (mean age 61 years) were analysed. The estimated prevalence of OAB was 12.4% (men 14%, women 11%). Prevalence rates for OAB with and without urgency incontinence (one or more episode/week) were 6.4% and 6.0%, respectively. Prevalence rates increased with age; 5% of respondents aged 40,49 and 37% of those aged ,,80 years had OAB. HRQoL was compromised in 53% of respondents with OAB symptoms, specifically emotions (42%), sleep/vitality (37%), physical limitation (34%), role limitation (29%), and social limitation (22%). Among those whose HRQoL was affected, 23% (men 36%, women 8%) had visited a medical institution because of their urinary problems. CONCLUSION The results from this survey indicate that the prevalence of OAB was high and increased with age, but the rate of hospital attendance was low. Public awareness of OAB should be increased so that there can be optimum management of this condition. [source] Prevalence of epilepsy in Croatia: a population-based surveyACTA NEUROLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 6 2007I. Bielen Objectives,,, To investigate the prevalence of active epilepsy in Croatia. Material and methods,,, Patient data collected by means of questionnaires completed by primary healthcare physicians; epilepsy was previously confirmed in the patients by neurologists or neuropaediatricans. Results,,, One hundred and twenty-seven of 180 (71%) physicians provided the requested information. The total sample was 212 069 people and of these 1022 had active epilepsy. Prevalence rates (per 1000) for the following age-groups were: age 0,7: 3.5; age 8,18: 6.4; age 19,45: 5.0; age 46,65: 4.7; age >65: 4.4. The age-adjusted prevalence rates for the standard populations were 4.9/1000 (European population) and 5.0/1000 (WHO world population). Fifty-one physicians (29%) stated only the number of patients they considered as having active epilepsy but without the requested details. If their patients were also included, the estimated crude prevalence rate would be 5.5/1000. Conclusions,,, It is likely that the prevalence of active epilepsy in Croatia is between 4.8 and 5.5/1000; this is in keeping with findings from other European countries. [source] Sexual dysfunction and physicians' perception in medicated patients with major depression in TaiwanDEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 9 2008Kao Ching Chen M.D. Abstract Although prevalent during antidepressant treatment, sexual dysfunction (SD) is frequently ignored by both physicians and patients in Asia. In spite of impact of SD on medicated patients with major depression, sexual issues and illness remain a forbidden topic for most Asian people. The aims of this study were to: (1) estimate the prevalence of SD among stable outpatients taking different antidepressants in Taiwan; (2) investigate the factors related to SD; (3) compare physician-perceived with patient-reported prevalence rates of antidepressant-associated SD; and (4) study the differences of SD among antidepressant subgroups. In this cross-sectional observational study, 125 medicated patients with major depression were recruited. Patients were assessed using the Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (CSFQ), Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire (TDQ), Quality of Life Index (QOL), and neuroticism scores in the Maudsley Personality Inventory (MPI). Sixty-two physicians completed the Physician Antidepressant Experience Questionnaire. The estimated prevalence rate of SD was 53.6% (95% CI = 44.9,62.3%) in medicated patients with major depression. There were no significant differences in prevalence rate of SD among different antidepressants. The SD subgroup had poorer quality of life and lower moods than the non-dysfunction subgroup. An underestimation of the prevalence of SD by physicians was noted. Because antidepressant-associated SD is highly prevalent and seriously underestimated by physicians, greater physicians' recognition and better patients' education are imperative when prescribing antidepressants. Depression and Anxiety. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Motor function in 5-year-old children with cerebral palsy in the South Australian populationDEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 7 2009JAMES RICE The aim of this study was to describe the motor function of a population of children at age 5 years enrolled on the South Australian Cerebral Palsy Register. Among children born between 1993 and 1998, there were 333 with confirmed cerebral palsy (prevalence rate 2.2 per 1000 live births), in whom 247 assessments (56.7% males, 43.3% females) were completed. The distribution by Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level was: level I, 50.6%; level II, 18.2%; level III, 9.3%; level IV, 9.7%; level V, 12.1%. The most common topographical classification was spastic diplegia (38.5%), followed by spastic hemiplegia (34.8%) and spastic quadriplegia (14.6%). Abnormal movements occurred at rest or with intention in 19.4% of children. A high proportion of the population with relatively mild gross motor impairments have difficulty with everyday bimanual tasks, reinforcing the need to assess upper limb function independently of gross motor function. The use of ankle,foot orthoses was common, particularly across GMFCS levels II to IV. Further refinement is indicated for this population's motor dataset, to include more recently described classification measures as well as future novel measures to better describe the presence of both spasticity and dystonia. [source] Depression in Croatian Type 2 diabetic patients: prevalence and risk factors.DIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 7 2005A Croatian survey from the European Depression in Diabetes (EDID) Research Consortium Abstract Aims To determine the prevalence rate of and risk factors for depression in Croatian Type 2 diabetic patients. Methods Depressive mood was examined in 384 randomly selected outpatients with Type 2 diabetes. Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID) were used to identify depressive disturbances. The groups with CES-D , 16 and < 16 were compared with respect to demographic, psychological and clinical characteristics. Regression analysis was used to determine risk factors for depression. Results Of the examined patients, 22% had CES-D scores , 16, and in 33% of them clinical depression was confirmed by the psychiatric interview. Depressed patients compared with the non-depressed ones reported more diabetes-related problems and poorer well-being (t = 6.71, P < 0.001 and t = 11.98, P < 0.001, respectively). Multiple regression analysis indicated female gender, experienced support and the level of emotional well-being to predict depression (R = 0.74, F = 15.3, P < 0.001). Conclusions The obtained data indicate that the prevalence rate in Croatian Type 2 diabetic patients is comparable to findings from other cultural settings. Depressive symptoms can be predicted by psychological rather than disease-related variables. Psychological care for diabetic patients may be necessary to prevent depressive symptomatology. [source] Prevalence, incidence, and clinical characteristics of epilepsy,A community-based door-to-door study in northern TanzaniaEPILEPSIA, Issue 10 2009Andrea S. Winkler Summary Purpose:, The main aim of this door-to-door-study was to determine the prevalence, incidence, and clinical characteristics of epilepsy in northern Tanzania. Methods:, A total of 7,399 people were screened with a standardized questionnaire using "multistage random sampling." Results:, The prevalence rate of epilepsy was 11.2/1,000 [95% confidence interval (CI) 8.9,13.9/1,000] and the age-adjusted prevalence rate was 13.2/1,000. The prevalence of active epilepsy was 8.7/1,000 (95% CI 6.7,11/1,000). There was a preponderance of women. The average retrospective incidence including the last 5 years was 81.1/100,000 (95% CI 65,101/100,000). Fifty-four percent (45 of 83) of the people with epilepsy had generalized seizures without any identifiable cause; 71% (59 of 83) of the epilepsy patients had not visited health institutions prior to the study and 76% (63 of 83) had never received treatment. Discussion:, Our study shows that the prevalence and incidence of epilepsy in northern Tanzania are higher compared to developed countries and that the majority of people with epilepsy do not access treatment. [source] Prevalence of Childhood Epilepsy and Distribution of Epileptic Syndromes: A Population-based Survey in Okayama, JapanEPILEPSIA, Issue 3 2006Eiji Oka Summary:,Methods: Information on patients younger than 13 years with active epilepsy was collected from medical records. Patients diagnosed with epilepsy according to clinical and EEG findings were put on the list even if those patients had had a single seizure or seizures occurring during febrile episodes. Results: In total, 2,220 cases were identified from a background population of 250,997. The prevalence rate was 8.8 per 1,000. If we exclude patients who had experienced a single seizure or seizures occurring during febrile episodes to compare our results with previous reports, the prevalence rate was 5.3 per 1,000. Of the 2,220 cases, 2,030 (91.4%) were classified into three major categories by ILAE classification. They consisted of 1,556 (76.7%) with localization-related epilepsy, 453 (22.3%) with generalized epilepsy, and 21 (1.0%) with undetermined epilepsy. Of the 2,030 cases, 309 (15.2%) were classified into epileptic syndrome categories, and 84.8% of the total were nonspecific types of epilepsy. Conclusions: The prevalence rate of childhood epilepsy was distributed from 5.3 to 8.8 per 1,000. The appearance rate of various types of epileptic syndromes was low. Most cases could not be classified into the detailed categories of the International Classification (ILAE, 1989). [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||