Self-reported Prevalence (self-reported + prevalence)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Self-reported prevalence and awareness of metabolic syndrome: findings from SHIELD

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 8 2008
S. J. Lewis
Summary Purpose:, This study assessed awareness of metabolic syndrome and evaluated health knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of respondents at risk. Methods:, Study to Help Improve Early evaluation and management of risk factors Leading to Diabetes (SHIELD), a longitudinal US population-based survey initiated in 2004, included respondents, , 18 years of age, reporting a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome was compared in SHIELD and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999,2002 survey. The proportion of SHIELD respondents who had heard of and/or understood metabolic syndrome was estimated. Respondents at high risk for metabolic syndrome were stratified into attitude-behaviour categories of ,Already Doing It', ,I Know I Should' and ,Don't Bother Me' and differences in attitudes and behaviours were evaluated with chi-square tests. Results:, Prevalence of reported metabolic syndrome was 0.6% in SHIELD screening questionnaire respondents (n = 211,097) vs. 25.9% in NHANES (n = 10,780). Less than 15% of SHIELD baseline questionnaire respondents (n = 22,001) had heard of or understood metabolic syndrome. Attitudes toward health status were more favourable in the ,Doing' group (27% reported fair/poor health) compared with those in the ,Should' (38%) and ,Don't' (54%) groups (p < 0.0001). The ,Don't' group was most likely to prefer medications to lifestyle change (13% vs. 2,4%) compared with ,Should' and ,Doing' groups (p < 0.0001). More ,Doing' respondents (79%) than ,Should' (59%) and ,Don't' (48%) respondents reported exercising regularly (p < 0.0001). Conclusions:, The lack of knowledge about metabolic syndrome reported in SHIELD indicates limited penetration of this concept into public awareness. With behaviour categories, respondents who report healthy attitudes are more likely to embrace lifestyle changes, while respondents who do not care may be more difficult to treat. [source]


Allergic rhinitis: prevalence and possible risk factors in a Gulf Arab population

ALLERGY, Issue 2 2010
S. Alsowaidi
To cite this article: Alsowaidi S, Abdulle A, Shehab A, Zuberbier T, Bernsen R. Allergic rhinitis: prevalence and possible risk factors in a Gulf Arab population. Allergy 2010; 65: 208,212 DOI: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2009.02123.x. Abstract Background:, Epidemiological studies mainly from Europe, the USA and Asia indicate a high prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) in modern societies. However, little is known about AR among the heterogeneous population of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of AR and its independent risk factors in Al-Ain City, UAE. Methods:, We used a validated, self-administered questionnaire modified from the ISAAC study to collect data from a two stage randomly selected sample of 10 000 school children. Overall, 7550 subjects (aged 13 years and above, siblings, and their parents) responded. We assessed the prevalence of AR (both crude and standardized prevalence of previous 12 months) as well as the independent relationship of AR with age, gender, education, nationality and family history by means of logistic regression. Results:, The response rate was 76%. A total of 6543 subjects (median age 30 years) were included in the final analysis. Self-reported prevalence of AR (having symptoms in the past 12 months) was 36%, while adjusted values for sex/age yielded a prevalence of 32%. Regression analysis revealed that AR was independently associated with family history, Arab origin, younger age, female gender and higher education. Conclusions:, The relatively high prevalence of AR found in this study may be attributable to modernization and genetic factors. Further studies on the impact of rapid environmental and cultural changes on AR in the Arab countries are needed and currently planned in conjunction with GA2LEN (Global Allergy and Asthma European Network). [source]


High HIV testing and low HIV prevalence among injecting drug users attending the Sydney Medically Supervised Injecting Centre

AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 3 2009
Allison M. Salmon
Abstract Objective: Measure the self-reported prevalence of HIV, history of HIV testing and associated risk factors among injecting drug users (IDUs) attending the Sydney Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC). Methods: Cross-sectional survey of IDUs attending the Sydney MSIC (n=9,778). Results: The majority of IDUs had been tested for HIV (94%), most within the preceding 12 months. Self-reported prevalence of HIV was only 2% (n=162) and homosexuality (AOR 20.68), bisexuality (AOR 5.30), male gender (AOR 3.33), mainly injecting psychostimulants (AOR 2.02), use of local health service (AOR 1.56) and increasing age (AOR 1.62) were independently associated. Among the 195 homosexual male sample 23% were self-reported being HIV positive. HIV positive homosexual males were more likely to report mainly psychostimulant injecting than other drugs, a finding not replicated among the heterosexual males. Conclusions: The associations in this sample are consistent with other data indicating Australia has successfully averted an epidemic of HIV among heterosexual IDUs. The absence of any significant associations between HIV positive sero-status and the injecting-related behaviours that increase vulnerability to BBV transmission suggests that HIV infection in this group may be related to sexual behaviours. In particular, the strong associations between homosexual males and psychostimulant injectors with HIV positive sero-status suggests that patterns of infection within this group reflect the epidemiology of HIV in Australia more generally, where men who have sex with men remain most vulnerable to infection. [source]