Alaska medicine最新文献

In Novosibirsk International "Quit & Win" campaigns have been conducted by the Institute of Internal Medicine since 1994. The aim is to support people who want to quit smoking, to draw society's attention to the problem, to decrease CVD risk. The registered participants of "Quit & Win" were interviewed in a year after each campaign. In the follow-up study we analysed marital status, education, motivation to participation. The tendencies are clearly seen: the prize was the motivation for 50% of registered participants in 1998 and only for 25% in 2004; illness was the reason to quit for 15% in 1998 and for 25% in 2004; "smoking is harmful" was said by 30% of participants in each campaign. Most of the participants wishing to quit are married (about 75%). Family and friends' support was received by 45% of participants in 1998 and about 85% in 2004. About 30% of participants have high education and about 8% have primary education, the rest have secondary or special professional education. To quit completely was intended by 35% of participants in 1998 and 92% in 2004. Mass anti-smoking campaigns are effective and inexpensive. Support of family members, mass media, friends and medical professionals is very important. Stress, smoking environment and nicotine dependence are the main causes of unsuccessful quitting.

There have been examined 90 practically healthy male-shift-workers 21-58 aged and 21-60 aged (average age 41.4 +/- 1.4 and 48.6 +/- 1.3) who worked for a long period of time in the North on shift at the enterprises of JS "Yamburggasdobycha" at the moment of examination. It was revealed a high content of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) in blood serum (2.20 +/- 0.12 mmol/l), accumulation of LPO products (3.45 +/- 0.18 nmol MDA/ml) against the background of decreased glutationreductase activity (0.38 +/- 0.04 mkmol/l hour). Level of total cholesterol was increased at standard content of HDL (6.1+0.2). It can be concluded that definition of GAG and MDA in blood is one of the significant criteria, reflecting adaptative tension and premature aging of shift-workers.

Structural change of northern populations (in constitutions, psychotypes and adaptive types) results from natural selection of people most effectively adapted to the North and readapted ones, i.e. having good adaptive capacity for these specific conditions. Organisms of many immigrants in northern regions in several cases (restricted time for adaptive processes and lack of functional, constitutional or mental reserves) are not able to adapt and function in the condition of increased functional power inputs. The resulting stress is reflected in reduction of functional reserves and undermined working capacity at individual and organismic level and in life expectancy at the populational level. Despite the human progress in the creation of technical protection means against the adverse environmental factors, adaptation remains one of the most important components determining the health condition of a person in the North. This problem is quite complex and many-sided and it is characterized by lots of contradictory scientific facts. In this article two aspects of the problem are discussed: 1) Structural change in northern populations (constitutions, psychotypes and adaptive types) resulting from the natural selection of people most effectively adapted to the North and also readapted ones, i.e. having good adaptive capacity in these specific conditions; 2) For unadapted people, activity leads to the reduction in functional reserves and working capacity at individual and organismic level and in life expectancy at the populational level.

Objectives: To investigate factors that influence breast cancer survival and to determine whether these factors influence breast cancer survival of First Nations women of Ontario differently as compared to the general population.

Study design: Literature review.

Methods: The review searched MEDLINE, PubMed, PsychInfo, and Za-geh-do-win Information Clearinghouse.

Results: Five broad factors were determined to influence breast cancer survival: access to health care; stage at diagnosis and stage of appropriate treatment; co-morbidity; genetic variation; and diet and lifestyle.

Conclusion: This analysis proposes that there may be factors that influence breast cancer survival differently for First Nations women of Ontario compared to other Ontario women. A further understanding of these factors can be used to advocate for changes to reduce the inequalities and improve the quality of life of First Nations women with cancer.

This article is a review of the viral hepatitis workshop, held during the 13th International Congress of the Circumpolar Health consists of a review of data on viral hepatitis in the Arctic territories of four countries: Canada, Greenland, Russia and United States (Alaska). The main purpose of the workshop was to exchange knowledge on viral hepatitis in the Arctic and identify further needs for collaborative hepatitis research, which is planned to be implemented through the established Viral Hepatitis Working Group in the Arctic. The review is based on the available published research results, surveillance data and professional opinions of the authors. The information is presented by Arctic country. Viral hepatitis constitutes an important problem among Aboriginal peoples of the Arctic; the incidence of most types of viral hepatitis is higher among indigenous populations than in the general public. However, due to differences in the available information from each of the four Arctic countries, it is difficult to compare differences in types of disease in them. The main areas for future research are: HBV genotypes distribution, relations between different types of HBV, HCV and disease outcomes, HBV mutation rate and specific substitutions in the HBV genome over time in the Arctic, and occurrence of active liver disease in HBsAg carriers living in the Arctic, as well as further research in viral hepatitis A, C, D and E.

Objectives: To manage suspected preterm labour in the Baffin Region of Nunavut safely and more conservatively utilizing the Fetal Fibronectin Assay.

Study design: Chart Review.

Methods: The trial of Fetal Fibronectin took place in the Baffin Region of Nunavut. An initial chart review of all admissions for "false labour" to Baffin Regional Hospital was performed. An analysis of the cases was done to determine when the women delivered and whether they had been Medevaced. The Fetal Fibronectin test was implemented at five sites in the Baffin Region and data on each use of the assay were collected by the laboratory at Baffin Regional Hospital. A review of the data for the first 13 months of the trial was then done.

Results: The test was used 38 times between July 2004 and September 2005. There were 31 negative results. Most of the cases with negative results were managed conservatively, with a total of 18 Medevacs avoided. There were no false negative tests. Cost savings for avoided Medevacs were in the order of $200,000.

Conclusions: The Fetal Fibronectin Assay has proven to be a valuable adjunct in the management of suspected preterm labour in Nunavut.

Objectives: Evaluate the course of the International Congress(es) on Circumpolar Health (ICCH) and the Circumpolar movement in the context of concomitant historical events. Make recommendations for future Circumpolar health research.

Study design: MEDLINE search and historical archive search of ICCH proceedings.

Methods: Search of all PubMed resources from 1966 concerning the Circumpolar health movement. Two University of Alaska Anchorage archive collections were searched: the C. E. Albrecht and Frank Pauls Archive Collections.

Results: Eleven sets of proceedings manuscripts and one set of proceedings abstracts were evaluated. There was a trend toward consistent use of existing journals with indexing in Index Medicus; shorter intervals between the Congress and proceedings manuscript publication; and increased online availability of either the table of contents or proceedings citations. Recent additions include online publication of full length manuscripts and two instances of full peer review evaluations of the proceedings manuscripts. These trends in proceedings publication are described within the course of significant events in the Circumpolar health movement.

Conclusions: There has been a trend toward more rapid dissemination of scientific content, more analytic documentation of epidemiologic study design, and a trend toward wider dissemination of scientific content through the Internet. Significant progress in each of those areas is still possible and desirable.

Objectives: We carry out social-hygienic and medical examinations of the indigenous population of the Russian northern territories.

Study design: Mobile medical teams examined the population of the most of settlements of the Nenets autonomous area.

Methods: The study of the peculiarities of the public health state of the indigenous people.

Results: The studies allowed us to work out normative indices of physical development, functional state of the systems of hemopoiesis, blood circulation, immunity, exchange of microelements and electrolytes, to reveal the region's peculiarities of functional indices of a number of life supporting systems and their influence on the character of pathology course, the regional structure of morbidity, to work out schemes of their correction rational under these conditions.

Conclusion: The results of the carried out long-term scientific and practical work on the study and preservation of health of the northern indigenous peoples small in number have led to conclusion about the need in organization of a new direction in medicine, i.e., ethnical medicine.

In the paper, dynamics of risk factors of cardiovascular diseases and their contribution to mortality rate in the male population of Yakutsk are analyzed according to the results of standardized epidemiological researches carried out in the period of 1986-2005. It was revealed that the unfavourable cardiovascular epidemiologic situation in Yakutia is caused by the prevalence of such risk factors as smoking, excess body weight and arterial hypertension.

Objective: To examine which months are unfavourable for conception in the region with the severe continental climate.

Design: Retrospective population based study.

Methods: Monthly data on incidence rate for gestose, maternal anaemia, pyelonephritis, threat to spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, perinatal death and infant death at age under one year were extracted from medical records of obstetric, delivery, and paediatric hospitals in Novosibirsk (1976-1980), Norilsk (Taimir peninsula), and Mirny (western Yakutia). Two latter towns were considered together as a northern setting. Edwards' method was applied to test seasonality.

Results: In Novosibirsk as well as in northern towns, the monthly distribution of time of conception for preterm births, maternal pyelonephritis, and infant deaths displays significant seasonal pattern with maximum in summer. Additionally in the North, stillbirths' conceptions also tended to be concentrated in June.

Conclusion: In Siberia, the polar day and summer months are an unfavourable time for conceiving in respect to obstetric complications and adverse pregnancy outcomes.