Sozial- und Praventivmedizin最新文献

Objectives: To examine the effectiveness of a culturally sensitive sign to encourage stair use among African American commuters.

Methods: 16,035 commuters were observed in their using either stairs or an adjacent escalator in a subway station. After baseline observation, a culturally sensitive sign to promote stair use was displayed beside the escalator/stairs. Demographic information and use of escalators/stairs were recorded.

Results: Stair use increased from 15.8% to 21.5% with the sign. Caucasian commuters used the stairs 23.1% of the time at baseline, and increased to 28.3% with the sign. Among African Americans, stair use increased from 10.3% to 16.4% with the sign. African American women showed the greatest increases in stair use. Stair use remained elevated the week after the sign was removed in all commuters. Among African Americans, stair use returned to baseline within three weeks. Stair use increased significantly among both overweight and non-overweight Caucasians and African Americans.

Conclusion: Culturally sensitive interventions can promote physical activity among African Americans in an urban setting.

Objectives: To conduct a national survey on adolescent health and lifestyles in Georgia and to thus set up a database on adolescent.

Methods: A two-stage cluster sample of around 8000-10000 in-school 15-18 years adolescents are being reached through a random selection of classes in Georgia. The sample has been stratified by age, region, type of school and language. A self-administered questionnaire of 87 questions has been developed and translated into the four main languages used in Georgia.

Results: Up to June 2004, the researchers have reached 511 classes (9306 pupils). In total, 8039 questionnaires have been considered valid. The main concerns encountered for this survey are linked with acceptance of the survey, cross-cultural issues, political and strategic problems as well as inadequate physical environmental support.

Conclusion: Despite Georgia's unfavourable economical and political situation, it has been possible to run a national survey on the health of adolescents, according to the usual standards used in the field. This survey should allow for 1) the identification of priorities in the field of health care and health promotion 2) the monitoring of adolescent health in the future.

Objectives: To study the potential influence of the composition of the population in Stockholm County on the occurrence of paediatric fall injuries.

Methods: Odds ratios are compiled considering socio-demographic composition (socioeconomic circumstances, socioeconomic status, and social integration), fall injury mechanisms, age groups and injury severity levels.

Results: Compositional characteristics impact on fall injuries in various ways depending on type of exposure, age of victim, fall circumstance, and severity level. For younger children, effects are observed above all in the case of socioeconomic circumstances and for older children, in that of social integration. Also, both protective and aggravating effects are observed. Further, all falls aggregated and for both young and old children, social integration is associated with excess odds of admissions for long-bone fractures.

Conclusion: The effect of neighbourhood social composition on fall-related injury in childhood is not straightforward. Better understanding of the underlying mechanisms may aid the determination of targets, and also enhance strategies for prevention and for the allocation of health-care resources.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) abuse among adolescent and young adults in Poland.

Method: 3,687 men (48.2%) and women (51.8%), median age 23 (interquartile range 19-30 years) participated in a survey via a "pop-up window" which appeared on two popular Polish internet portals during one month. Questions concerning their body image, exercise behaviour, education level and use of anabolic-androgenic steroids were asked.

Results: The prevalence of anabolic-androgenic steroids use was 6.2% among males and 2.9% among females. Male AAS users, compared to non-users, were more often concerned about their physical appearance, were less educated and often engaged in some sport activity. Among female AAS users, no significant differences concerning self-body image satisfaction or participation in sports were found. However, compared to non-users, female AAS users were less educated.

Conclusion: The abuse of AAS is a reality in Poland and may become a serious health concern among adolescents and young adults.

Objectives: This study investigates a potential increase in mortality and in the demand for ambulance emergency services among the elderly in particular, in Ticino in the summer of 2003.

Methods: Mortality rates and emergency ambulance interventions rates were compared with records from the previous years. We considered the whole population, aged 65 and over, as well as 75 and over.

Results: The 2003 mortality in the population was not significantly different from the previous years. The number of deaths among the elderly showed a small but significant deviation from the expected values during the first heat wave in June 2003, with no significant impact on the seasonal results. The number of ambulance service interventions was larger than during the previous years.

Conclusion: These results are consistent with findings in other studies. The heat waves (especially in June), were correlated with a higher number of ambulance callouts. In addition to some geographic, climatic, and social factors that had a protective impact, the response of the emergency services is likely to have contributed to a certain reduction in mortality.

Objectives: To examine associations of television viewing with overall food consumption

Methods: A computerised 24-hour dietary recall and a questionnaire were completed by 1031 adolescents (+/- 12-14 years of age).

Results: Those who generally watched more television were more likely to consume frequently advertised items such as soft drinks and snacks. Not all frequently advertised food items (e.g. cereals) were associated with television viewing. An inverse association was found with fruit, water and milk. A negative association was found with brown bread; a positive association was found with white bread. The results indicate that high television viewing and a less nutrient dense food pattern are part of a lifestyle influenced by common underlying factors.

Conclusions: Nutrition interventions aimed at improving adolescents' food habits should target high television-viewers. Our findings underline the importance of tackling socio-demographic differences.

Objective: To examine trends in ambulatory care utilization when individuals face almost no financial barriers to health care.

Methods: Observational study of insurance data. Adults with minimal deductible were included. Ambulatory care visits and costs were measured from 1997 to 2002.

Results: Mean ambulatory care costs/insuree increased from 1292.- to 1790.- CHF, corresponding to higher increases in drug costs (+61.7 %) than services costs (+24.3 %). The proportion of visits to generalists decreased while those to hospital outpatient services increased.

Conclusions: In a demographically stable population of insurees, increases in ambulatory care costs were due neither to growth in physicians' visits nor to increasing physicians' fees per act, but to what was included in or prescribed during the visits.

Objective: To evaluate a single item instrument, the Global Activity Limitation Indicator (GALI), to measure long-standing health related activity limitations, against several health indicators: a composite morbidity indicator, instruments measuring mental health (SCL-90R, GHQ-12), physical co-morbidity and physical limitations (ADLs, SF-36).

Methods: Cross-sectional data (n = 9168) of the 2001-National Health Interview Survey in Belgium was used to compare the GALI with other health indicators across gender, age, educational attainment and language.

Results: Responses to the GALI were similar to responses to other indicators of physical limitations (Limitations in Activities of Daily Living (by severity or by number of limitations), the SF-36 physical domain), to an indicator of chronic physical comorbidity and to indicators of mental health. The probability of reporting absence of long-standing activity limitation with the GALI was high in subjects without physical limitations or physical or mental conditions. This probability decreased as the severity or number of limitations, the number of physical or mental conditions increased.

Conclusions: The GALI performs appropriately against other health indicators and appears to reflect long-standing activity limitation associated with both mental and physical conditions.