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Younger Cohort (younger + cohort)
Selected AbstractsThe association of snus and smoking behaviour: a cohort analysis of Swedish males in the 1990sADDICTION, Issue 9 2009Magnus Stenbeck ABSTRACT Background The European Union has banned sales of moist snuff (snus) in all member states, with the exception of Sweden. The ban is motivated by the potential adverse health effects of snus, but snus may also help people to avoid smoking or stop tobacco use. Aims The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between snus and smoking behaviour. Measurements The Swedish Survey of Living Conditions (ULF) health interview panel running from 1988/9 to 1996/7 was used to examine the gross and net flows between smoking and snus among Swedish males. Females were excluded from the analysis due to low snus prevalence. Contingency table models were used to investigate several hypotheses about the relationships between snus and smoking behaviour. Findings We found clear associations between the two habits. For the younger cohort (age 16,44 years), snus use contributed to approximately six smoking quitters per smoking starter attributable to snus. For the older cohort (age 45,84) there were slightly more than two quitters per starter. In terms of odds ratios, in the younger group smoking cessation attributable to snus was twice as common as smoking initiation, but in the older group the odds of starting smoking attributable to snus was 2.5 times higher than for quitting. Conclusions Snus contributed to the reduction of smoking among Swedish males in the 1990s. Snus had different effects among non-smokers and smokers in different age groups. [source] Relation between C-reactive protein levels and body composition in a multiethnic sample of school children in HawaiiAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2010Daniel E. Brown Objectives: Adipose cells secrete proinflammatory cytokines that stimulate hepatic production of C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP levels are associated with adiposity levels in adults, adolescents, and older children but not in young children (age 2,3). This study examined the relation between CRP, adiposity, and cardiovascular and metabolic variables including blood pressure, glucose, and blood lipids in two young cohorts of children, averaging ,5.5 and 8.5 years, respectively. Methods: Children (N = 125) from eight elementary schools in the multiethnic community of Hilo Hawaii were recruited to fill out questionnaires, undergo anthropometrics and air displacement plethysmography, have resting blood pressure measured, and provide a finger stick blood sample for analysis of CRP, glucose, and blood lipids. Results: There were no significant differences between the cohorts in ethnic make up, household income, or parents' educational attainment. No significant relation was found between CRP and either adiposity or cardiovascular/metabolic variables in the younger cohort. However, significant correlations were found between CRP and adiposity measures and blood pressure in the older cohort. There was no marked difference in association of CRP with BMI versus waist circumference or waist-to-hip ratio. In neither cohort was CRP significantly related to glucose or blood lipids. Conclusions: Both amount of fat mass and time duration for possessing the adipose tissue may be important factors in determining the relation between CRP and both adiposity and blood pressure. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 22:675,679, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The prenatal origins of lung cancer.AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2010People differ in their susceptibility to developing cancer on exposure to carcinogens such as tobacco. What causes this is largely unknown. One possibility is that it is determined by nutritional influences during development that permanently change the structure and function of the baby's body. We studied an older and a younger cohort, totaling 20,431 men and women, born in Helsinki during 1924,1933 and 1934,1944. Their body size at birth had been recorded. Of them, 385 had developed lung cancer. Smoking history was known for 6,822 people. At birth, babies who later developed lung cancer had a high ponderal index (birthweight/length3). This association was confined to people whose mother's height was below the median. Among these people in the older cohort, the hazard ratio associated with a ponderal index >30 kg/m3 was 3.1 (95% CI 1.6,5.9), in comparison to those with a ponderal index of 26 kg/m3 or less (P for trend < 0.001). The equivalent figures for the younger cohort were 2.9 (1.2,7.0, P for trend = 0.001) and this association was independent of smoking. We suggest that a high ponderal index in babies born to short mothers is the result of low amino acid delivery to the fetus in relation to glucose delivery. We hypothesize that this impairs the development of the babies' antioxidant systems and makes them vulnerable to oxidative stress in later life. This is the first evidence that fetal programming may determine vulnerability to carcinogens in humans. humans. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Second Malignant Neoplasms in Patients Under 40 Years of Age With Laryngeal Cancer,THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 4 2001James T. Albright MD Abstract Objectives/Hypothesis To determine the incidence of second malignant neoplasms (SMN) in patients under 40 years of age with invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the larynx. Study Design Retrospective. Methods Using a National Cancer Institute tumor registry database encompassing 1973,1996, the incidence of SMN in patients under 40 years of age with laryngeal cancer was determined and compared with that of the registry's older, more traditional laryngeal cancer population. Median follow-up was 136 months. Results Among the 364 patients under the age of 40 years with laryngeal cancer, 30 (8.2%) had developed a secondary malignancy to date. In comparison, 4876 (21.4%) of 22,786 patients 40 years or older with laryngeal cancer were affected by an SMN. Kaplan-Meier analysis of the younger cohort projected 3.0%, 6.8%, and 10.7% relative risk of developing a SMN at any site over 5-, 10-, and 15-year periods, respectively, after index tumor diagnosis. Similar results for the older cohort were 14.2%, 28.1%, and 39.4% at 5, 10, and 15 years, respectively. Further Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated at least a fourfold increased risk for the development of secondary upper aerodigestive tract malignancies among older compared with younger patients. Conclusion Patients under 40 years of age with invasive SCC of the larynx are significantly less likely to develop a second malignancy than their older counterparts. [source] Validation of diagnostic criteria for variant Creutzfeldt,Jakob disease,ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 6 2010Craig A. Heath MD Objective Variant Creutzfeldt,Jakob disease (vCJD), a novel form of human prion disease, was recognized in 1996. The disease affected a younger cohort than sporadic CJD, and the early clinical course was dominated by psychiatric and sensory symptoms. In an attempt to aid diagnosis and establish standardization between surveillance networks, diagnostic criteria were established. These were devised from the features of a small number of cases and modified in 2000 as the clinical phenotype was established. Since then, only minor changes have been introduced; revalidation of the criteria in the current format is overdue. Methods Included in this study are autopsy/cerebral biopsy-proven cases of vCJD referred to the National CJD Surveillance Unit (NCJDSU) between 1995 and 2004 and suspect cases in which an alternative diagnosis was identified following autopsy/cerebral biopsy. Results Over the 10-year period, 106 definite cases of vCJD and 45 pathologically confirmed "noncases" were identified from the archives of the NCJDSU. The median age at onset of the cases was significantly younger than that of the noncases (27 years [range, 12,74 years] vs 43 years [range, 10,64 years]), and the median duration of illness was significantly shorter (14 months [range, 6,39 months] vs 22 months [range, 2,139 months]). The most commonly identified core clinical feature in cases was dementia; persistent painful sensory symptoms were the least frequent. Eighty-eight of 106 (83%) vCJD cases were retrospectively classified as probable in life, 6 cases were classified as possible. Most cases were classified as probable on the basis of core clinical features and brain magnetic resonance imaging. To date, the diagnostic criteria remain 100% specific, with no autopsy/cerebral biopsy-proven noncases classified as probable in life. Interpretation This study confirms that the diagnostic criteria for vCJD are sensitive and specific and provide a useful standard framework for case classification in a surveillance setting. ANN NEUROL 2010 [source] The tension-free vaginal tape in older womenBJOG : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY, Issue 8 2004Emmanuel Karantanis Objective To evaluate peri-operative morbidity, continence outcome and patient satisfaction in older women (,65 years) compared with younger women undergoing tension-free vaginal tape. Design Case controlled study. Setting Tertiary Urogynaecology Unit. Sample Women undergoing tension-free vaginal tape for urodynamic stress incontinence between July 1999 and July 2002 were included. Those with detrusor overactivity, voiding difficulty at urodynamics or requiring concomitant prolapse surgery were excluded. Methods Older women were case matched to a younger cohort for BMI, parity, mode of anaesthesia and whether it was a primary or secondary continence procedure. Main outcome measures Operative morbidity and continence outcome were assessed at six weeks. After a minimum six months follow up, patient satisfaction and continence outcome were assessed using the Genitourinary Treatment Satisfaction Score (GUTSS). Results The median hospital stay was one day and overall urinary tract infection rate was similar in both groups. Post-operative voiding difficulty rates were 3% in older versus 15% in younger women (P= 0.09). At six weeks, 65% of older versus 79% of younger women were dry (P= 0.2). At a median of 12 months, 15 (45%) of older versus 24 (73%) of younger women had no urinary symptoms (P= 0.05). Median GUTSS scores for satisfaction with continence outcome were lower for older 90% compared with 100% in younger women (P= 0.003). Conclusions Tension-free vaginal tape is an effective continence intervention in older women but has a lower continence satisfaction rate compared with younger women. [source] The ,apparent clearance' of free phenytoin in elderly vs. younger adultsBRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Daniel F. B. Wright WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT , The clearance of many drugs is reduced in the elderly, but the data regarding phenytoin are conflicting. Most studies have estimated phenytoin metabolic clearance using total drug concentrations (bound plus unbound), which may be confounded by protein binding effects. Free phenytoin concentrations are independent of protein binding and should more accurately reflect true metabolic clearance changes in elderly patients. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS , The two studies reported in this paper suggest a trend towards reduced free phenytoin ,apparent clearance' in the elderly, although statistically significant results were not found. Other published studies have largely found similar trends, suggesting an age effect. AIMS To test the hypothesis that the ,apparent clearance' of free phenytoin is reduced in elderly patients. METHODS Two separate studies were conducted comparing free phenytoin ,apparent clearance' in elderly vs. younger adults. The first study was a retrospective analysis of free phenytoin concentrations measured at Christchurch Hospital from 1997 to 2006. In the second study free phenytoin concentrations were measured prospectively in ambulatory subjects who were taking phenytoin regularly. RESULTS In the retrospective study (n= 29), free phenytoin ,apparent clearance' was 0.27 ± 0.04 l kg,1 day,1 (95% CI 0.19, 0.34) in the elderly cohort vs. 0.37 ± 0.06 l kg,1 day,1 (95% CI 0.22, 0.52) in younger adults, but the difference was not statistically significant. In the prospective study, free phenytoin ,apparent clearance' showed a non-significant trend to being reduced in the elderly patients (0.12 ± 0.02 l kg,1 day,1, 95% CI 0.07, 0.17) compared with the younger cohort (0.18 ± 0.07 l kg,1 day,1, 95% CI 0.09, 0.26) in those not taking interacting drugs (n= 21). CONCLUSIONS This research does not prove the hypothesis that the ,apparent clearance' of free phenytoin is reduced in the elderly. However, the trends found in these two studies are supported by trends in the same direction in other published studies, suggesting an age effect. [source] Multicentre study of the safety of laparoscopic subtotal gastrectomy for gastric cancer in the elderlyBRITISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY (NOW INCLUDES EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SURGERY), Issue 12 2009G. S. Cho Background: The aim of this study was to assess the safety and short-term value of laparoscopic gastrectomy in the elderly with gastric cancer compared with a younger cohort. Methods: Data on all patients with gastric cancer undergoing laparoscopic gastrectomy at ten institutions in Korea between May 1998 and December 2005 were collected. Patients under the age of 45 years and those undergoing total gastrectomy, proximal gastrectomy and pylorus-preserving gastrectomy were excluded. An analysis of clinicopathological data for patients aged 45,69 years (average-age group) and those aged 70 years or more (elderly group) was undertaken. Results: Co-morbidity was more common and postoperative hospital stay was longer in elderly patients. Pre-existing pulmonary and cardiovascular disease in the elderly contributed to respiratory dysfunction and intraperitoneal complications respectively. Tumour size and location, stage, methods of reconstruction and the number of combined operations were similar in the two groups. There were no significant differences in postoperative morbidity or mortality. Conclusion: Although elderly patients had greater co-morbidity, laparoscopic gastrectomy was a safe treatment for gastric cancer in this age group. Copyright © 2009 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell rescue for children with recurrent malignant brain tumorsCANCER, Issue 6 2008Chie-Schin Shih MD Abstract BACKGROUND. High-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) with autologous stem cell rescue (ASCR) has been reported to be effective in treating children with recurrent central nervous system (CNS) malignancies. METHODS. To evaluate the efficacy and toxicities of HDCT and ASCR, the medical records of 27 children with recurrent CNS malignancies who received such therapy at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital between 1989 and 2004 were reviewed. RESULTS. The median age at diagnosis was 4.5 years (range, 0.4,16.6 years) and that at ASCR was 6.7 years (range, 1.1,18.5 years). Diagnoses included medulloblastoma (13 patients), primitive neuroectodermal tumor (3 patients), pineoblastoma (2 patients), atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (2 patients), ependymoma (3 patients), anaplastic astrocytoma (2 patients), and glioblastoma multiforme (2 patients). The 5-year overall and progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 28.2% and 18.5%, respectively. The 5-year PFS rate for patients aged <3 years at diagnosis (57.1%) was significantly better than older patients (5.0%) (P = .019). Among the 6 long-term survivors (5 with M0 disease and 1 with M3 disease at diagnosis), 5 received both radiotherapy and HDCT as part of their salvage regimen; 4 were aged <3 years at diagnosis and had received chemotherapy only as part of frontline therapy. Two patients died of transplant-related toxicities; 44% experienced grade 3 or 4 transplant-related toxicities (toxicities were graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria). CONCLUSIONS. HDCT with ASCR is not an effective salvage strategy for older children with recurrent CNS malignancies. The significantly better outcome in the younger cohort was most likely related to the use of radiotherapy as part of the salvage strategy. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society. [source] Glucocorticoid receptor gene variant is associated with increased body fatness in youngstersCLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Paul G. Voorhoeve Summary Objective, Sensitivity to glucocorticoids is known to be highly variable between individuals and is partly determined by polymorphisms in the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene. We investigated the relationship between four GR gene polymorphisms and body composition during puberty and at young adult age. Design, An observational study with repeated measurements. Patients, Two comparable young Dutch cohorts with a generational difference of about 20 years were investigated. The first cohort consisted of 284 subjects born between 1961 and 1965. Measurements were performed from 13 to 36 years of age. The second cohort consisted of 235 subjects born between 1981 and 1989. Measurements were performed from 8 to 14 years of age. Measurements, Associations between height, weight, BMI, fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass and four well-known functional polymorphisms were investigated. Results, In boys in the younger cohort, the G-allele of the BclI polymorphism (haplotype 2) was associated with a higher body weight, weight-SDS, BMI, BMI-SDS and FM. These associations were not observed in the older cohort. Irrespective of genotype, the younger cohort showed a significantly higher total FM, body weight and BMI compared with the older cohort. Conclusions, Because the associations between the G-allele of the BclI polymorphism in the GR gene and body FM in boys were only found in a healthy young population, but not in a comparable, generally leaner cohort from an older generation, it is suggested that carriers of this polymorphism are likely to be more vulnerable to fat accumulation in today's obesity promoting environment, than noncarriers. [source] Most smokeless tobacco use is not a causal gateway to cigarettes: using order of product use to evaluate causation in a national US sampleADDICTION, Issue 8 2003Lynn T. Kozlowski ABSTRACT Aims, To evaluate non-causal and causal patterns of smokeless tobacco (SLT) and cigarette use; to assess the prevalence of ,non-gateway' and possible ,gateway' patterns of SLT use. Design and setting, Data from the Cancer Control Supplement to the 1987 National Health Interview Survey, a representative survey of non-institutionalized adults in the United States. From reported age at first use, participants were categorized by type and sequence of tobacco product use. SUDAAN 8.0.1 was used for statistical analyses. Participants, Males aged 18,34 (n = 3454), weighted to provide estimates of the US population. A subsample of males aged 23,34 (n = 2614) was analyzed to minimize the possibility of future product switching. Measurements, Smoking status, smokeless tobacco (snuff, chewing tobacco, both) use status, age at regular use of cigarettes, age at first use of smokeless tobacco. Findings, Of those 23,34-year-olds who had ever used SLT with or without cigarettes, 77.2% (95% CI: 71.3, 83.3) were classifiable as non-gateway users in that 35.0% (95% CI: 29.9, 40.1) had only used SLT and 42.2% (95% CI: 36.8, 47.7) had used cigarettes first. Cigarette use in younger cohorts was less common, despite increased SLT use. Those who used cigarettes before moist snuff were 2.1 times more likely to have quit smoking (95% CI 1.21,6.39) than cigarette-only users. Conclusions, The large majority of SLT users are non-gateway users. Causal gateway effects should be of minor concern for policy. SLT may be more likely to prevent smoking than cause it. [source] Seasonal and inter-stream variations in the population dynamics, growth and secondary production of an algivorous fish (Pseudogastromyzon myersi: Balitoridae) in monsoonal Hong KongFRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 9 2009GRACE Y. YANG Summary 1.,Balitorid loaches are widespread and highly diverse in Asian streams, yet their life history and ecology have received little attention. We investigated seasonal (wet versus dry season) and spatial variation in populations of algivorous Pseudogastromyzon myersi in Hong Kong, and estimated the magnitude of secondary production by this fish in pools in four streams (two shaded and two unshaded) over a 15-month period. 2.,Mean population densities of P. myersi ranged from 6.0 to 23.2 individuals m,2, constituting more than half (and typically >70%) of benthic fishes censused. Abundance was c. 25% greater in the wet season, when recruitment occurred. Significant density differences among streams were not related to shading conditions and were evident despite small-scale variations in P. myersi abundance among pools. Mean biomass varied among streams from 0.85 to 3.87 g ash-free dry weight (AFDW) m,2. Spatial and seasonal patterns in biomass and density were similar, apart from some minor disparities attributable to differences in mean body size among populations. 3.,All four P. myersi populations bred once a year in June and July, and life spans varied from 24 to 26 months. Populations consisted of three cohorts immediately after recruitment but, for most of the study period, only two cohorts were evident. Cohort-specific growth rates did not differ significantly among streams but, in all streams, younger cohorts had higher cohort-specific growth rates. 4.,Secondary production of P. myersi estimated by the size-frequency (SF) method was 2.7,11.5 g AFDW m,2 year,1 and almost twice that calculated by the increment-summation (IS) method (1.2,6.6 g AFDW m,2 year,1). Annual P/B ratios were 1.17,2.16 year,1 (IS) and 2.73,3.22 year,1 (SF). Highest production was recorded in an unshaded stream and the lowest in a shaded stream, but site rankings by production did not otherwise match shading conditions. Wet-season production was six times greater than dry-season production, and daily production fell to almost zero during January and February. Cool temperatures (<17 °C) may have limited fish activity and influenced detectability during some dry-season censuses. Estimates of abundance and annual production by P. myersi are therefore conservative. 5.,Comparisons with the literature indicate that the abundance and production of P. myersi in Hong Kong was high relative to other benthic fishes in tropical Asia, or their temperate counterparts in small streams. Manipulative experiments are needed to determine the influence of P. myersi, and algivorous balitorids in general, on periphyton dynamics and energy flow in Asian streams. [source] Healthcare Costs of Acute and Chronic Pain Associated with a Diagnosis of Herpes ZosterJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 8 2007Robert H. Dworkin PhD OBJECTIVES: To determine the healthcare costs of acute and chronic pain associated with herpes zoster. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort analysis. SETTING: Inpatient and outpatient care. PARTICIPANTS: Patients were selected from Medicare, commercial insurance, and Medicaid claims databases if they had a diagnosis of herpes zoster or postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) or were prescribed analgesics after a diagnosis of herpes zoster (possible PHN) and were matched to controls for demographic and clinical factors using propensity scores. MEASUREMENTS: One-year excess healthcare expenditures attributable to herpes zoster pain or PHN were calculated for inpatient, outpatient, and prescription drug services. RESULTS: For the Medicare cohort, the average excess cost per patient was $1,300 in the year after a diagnosis of herpes zoster with 30 days or fewer of analgesic use and ranged from $2,200 to $2,300 per patient with PHN or possible PHN. Patients with possible PHN were 53% more prevalent than patients with PHN in the Medicare cohort and accounted for half of all excess expenditures. Findings were similar in the younger cohorts with commercial insurance and Medicaid except that costs attributable to PHN and possible PHN were higher, and patients with possible PHN were three to five times as prevalent as patients with PHN. CONCLUSION: Healthcare costs associated with PHN were substantially greater than those associated with herpes zoster pain that resolved within 30 days. The data suggest that as many as 80% of patients with PHN may not be diagnosed with PHN and that these patients account for at least half of PHN expenditures. [source] Demographic Issues in Longevity Risk AnalysisJOURNAL OF RISK AND INSURANCE, Issue 4 2006Eric Stallard Fundamental to the modeling of longevity risk is the specification of the assumptions used in demographic forecasting models that are designed to project past experience into future years, with or without modifications based on expert opinion about influential factors not represented in the historical data. Stochastic forecasts are required to explicitly quantify the uncertainty of forecasted cohort survival functions, including uncertainty due to process variance, parameter errors, and model misspecification errors. Current applications typically ignore the latter two sources although the potential impact of model misspecification errors is substantial. Such errors arise from a lack of understanding of the nature and causes of historical changes in longevity and the implications of these factors for the future. This article reviews the literature on the nature and causes of historical changes in longevity and recent efforts at deterministic and stochastic forecasting based on these data. The review reveals that plausible alternative sets of forecasting assumptions have been derived from the same sets of historical data, implying that further methodological development will be needed to integrate the various assumptions into a single coherent forecasting model. Illustrative calculations based on existing forecasts indicate that the ranges of uncertainty for older cohorts' survival functions will be at a manageable level. Uncertainty ranges for younger cohorts will be larger and the need for greater precision will likely motivate further model development. [source] Review article: benefits and risks of chemotherapy in elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancerALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 2 2009E. MITRY Summary Background, Although metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) is largely a disease of older individuals, our understanding of disease processes and their optimal treatment has been gained through trials with populations largely confined to younger individuals. Aim, To identify through a review issues specific to geriatric patients with mCRC (physiological changes associated with aging, burden of coexisting illnesses, altered drug pharmacokinetics and functional impairment) and assess challenges to elderly patients posed by malignancy and exposure to cytotoxic medication. Methods, Our literature search for indexed articles published between 2000 and May 2008 employed terms including irinotecan, oxaliplatin, elderly, mCRC, targeted agents and biologicals. Results, Underrepresentation of older patients in clinical trials makes it difficult to extrapolate findings to older age groups. However, some trials have demonstrated that elderly patients can achieve survival benefits and toxicity comparable to younger patients, although dosage modifications may be required. Conclusions, Currently, benefits with pharmacological therapy are suggested but not proven in the elderly population. Although concurrent illnesses and disabilities can complicate treatment decision making, chronological age alone should not disqualify these patients with mCRC from receiving optimal treatment similar to that offered to their younger cohorts. [source] Are There Differences in the Health, Socio-economic Status Relationship over the Life Cycle?LABOUR, Issue 1 2008Evidence from Germany This paper, however, examines the effect of SES on health across different age groups. Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel and controlling for health,SES endogeneity, we find that the health,income relationship does vary across the life cycle and between genders and different labor force status, with the impact of income on health relatively more pronounced for younger cohorts. The unemployed also have lower levels of health at all levels of income. [source] The Ethnic Composition of Families in Russia in 1989: Insights into the Soviet "Nationalities Policy"POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW, Issue 4 2002Nikolai BotevArticle first published online: 27 JAN 200 A sample from the 1989 Soviet census is used to study the ethnic composition of families in the Russian Federation on the eve of the breakup of the Soviet Union. The aim is to gain insight into the consequences of the Soviet "nationalities policy" through examining the marriage patterns of different ethnic groups and the nature of the relations between these groups. The analysis is based on general log-linear models. The main findings are: there was a relatively well-pronounced tendency toward endogamy; Russians were the least endoga-mous, while Chechens were the most endoga-mous among the 11 ethnic groups included in the analysis; "zones of attraction" related to exogamy were well discernible, the two most pronounced being within the Eastern Slav and Turkic groups; testing for cohort effects revealed a decrease in endogamy when older and middle cohorts were compared, while the differences between middle and younger cohorts were in many cases not statistically significant. [source] Religion, social mobility and education in ScotlandTHE BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY, Issue 3 2006Lindsay Paterson Abstract The relationship among religion, education and social mobility in Scotland is analysed statistically using the Scottish Household Survey of 2001. The large sample size allows much greater statistical power for this purpose than any previous source, and thus allows a more reliable assessment of claims that the stratifying effect of religion in Scotland may have declined. The questions investigated are as follows. What are the religious differences in the distributions of class origins and class destinations, in the movement between these (absolute mobility), and in the association of these (relative mobility, or social fluidity)? Do changes in social fluidity across cohorts vary among people with different religious affiliation? Are there religious differences in the association of origins and education, in the association of education and destinations, or in the role of education in social fluidity, and do any of these vary over cohorts? The conclusions are that, in younger cohorts, there is no religious difference in social status, and that in older cohorts Catholics are generally of lower status than Protestants and the non-religious. Social fluidity does not, however, vary among religious groups, even for older cohorts, and does not change over time. The reason for convergence in social status of religious groups over time is probably the equalizing of educational attainment among the groups: there is no evidence for any of the cohorts that the labour-market rewards to education differ by religion. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||