Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of an online depression prevention intervention on suicide risk factors for adolescents and young adults.

Background Adolescent death by suicide is an emergent health crisis in the United States of America. Although many suicide prevention programs have been created to address suicide in this population, rates continue to increase. Online interventions can disseminate treatments world-wide and reach large numbers of users. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of CATCH-IT, an Internet-based depression prevention intervention on risk factors for suicide (i.e., suicidal ideation, hopelessness, low self-esteem and social isolation). Methods A total of 83 participants aged 14-21 years [mean =17.5; standard deviation (SD) =2.04] consented to take part in the intervention study. Results Results indicated that suicidal ideation decreased from baseline to post-intervention. For those who completed the entire CATCH-IT program, the effect size was moderate (d =0.60, P<0.05). For those who partially completed the program the effect size was small (d =0.22, P<0.05). Interestingly, scales measuring hopelessness and social isolation were not associated with changes in suicidal ideation. Conclusions The findings provide initial evidence that online depression prevention programs could be related to decreased suicidal ideation, and that those who complete the entire program may benefit more than those who complete only a part of CATCH-IT.
Disparities in indigenous health: a cross-country comparison between New Zealand and the United States.

OBJECTIVES We compared the health statuses of the indigenous populations of New Zealand and the United States with those of the numerically dominant populations of these countries. METHODS Health indicators compared included health outcome measures, preventive care measures, modifiable risk factor prevalence, and treatment measures. RESULTS In the case of nearly every health status indicator assessed, disparities (both absolute and relative) were more pronounced for Maoris than for American Indians/Alaska Natives. Both indigenous populations suffered from disparities across a range of health indicators. However, no disparities were observed for American Indians/Alaska Natives in regard to immunization coverage. CONCLUSIONS Ethnic health disparities appear to be more pronounced in New Zealand than in the United States. These disparities are not necessarily intractable. Although differences in national health sector responses exist, New Zealand may be well placed in the future to evaluate the effectiveness of new strategies to reduce these disparities given the extent and quality of Maori-specific health information available.
Determinants of recent HIV infection among Seattle-area men who have sex with men.

OBJECTIVES We sought to identify HIV-infection risk factors related to partner selection and sexual behaviors with those partners among men who have sex with men (MSM) in King County, Washington. METHODS Participants were recruited from HIV testing sites in the Seattle area. Recent HIV infection status was determined by the Serologic Testing Algorithm for Recent HIV Seroconversion (STARHS) or a self-reported previous HIV-negative test. Data on behaviors with 3 male partners were collected via computer-based self-interviews. Generalized estimating equation models identified partnership factors associated with recent infection. RESULTS We analyzed data from 32 HIV-positive MSM (58 partners) and 110 HIV-negative MSM (213 partners). In multivariate analysis, recent HIV infection was associated with meeting partners at bathhouses or sex clubs, bars or dance clubs, or online; methamphetamine use during unprotected anal intercourse; and unprotected anal intercourse, except with HIV-negative primary partners. CONCLUSIONS There is a need to improve efforts to promote condom use with casual partners, regardless of their partner's HIV status. New strategies to control methamphetamine use in MSM and to reduce risk behaviors related to meeting partners at high-risk venues are needed.
Workplace discrimination and health among Filipinos in the United States.

OBJECTIVES We examined the association between work discrimination and morbidity among Filipinos in the United States, independent of more-global measures of discrimination. METHODS Data were collected from the Filipino American Community Epidemiological Survey. Our analysis focused on 1652 participants who were employed at the time of data collection, and we used negative binomial regression to determine the association between work discrimination and health conditions. RESULTS The report of workplace discrimination specific to being Filipino was associated with an increased number of health conditions. This association persisted even after we controlled for everyday discrimination, a general assessment of discrimination; job concerns, a general assessment of unpleasant work circumstances; having immigrated for employment reasons; job category; income; education; gender; and other sociodemographic factors. CONCLUSIONS Racial discrimination in the workplace was positively associated with poor health among Filipino Americans after we controlled for reports of everyday discrimination and general concerns about one's job. This finding shows the importance of considering the work setting as a source of discrimination and its effect on morbidity among racial minorities.
Longitudinal patterns of health insurance coverage among a national sample of children in the child welfare system.

OBJECTIVES We sought to describe health insurance coverage over time among a national sample of children who came into contact with child welfare or child protective services agencies. METHODS We used data from 4 waves of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being to examine insurance coverage among 2501 youths. Longitudinal insurance trajectories were identified using latent class analyses, a technique used to classify individuals into groupings of observed variables, and survey-weighted logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with class membership. RESULTS We identified 2 latent insurance classes--1 contained children who gained health insurance, and the other contained children who stably maintained coverage over time. History of sexual abuse, and race/ethnicity other than White, Black, and Hispanic, were associated with membership in the "gainer" class. Foster care placement and poorer health status were associated with membership in the "maintainer" class. Caregiver characteristics were not associated with class membership. CONCLUSIONS The majority of children in child welfare had stable health insurance coverage over time. Given this vulnerable population's dependence upon Medicaid, protection of existing entitlements to Medicaid is essential to preserve their stable insurance coverage.
Clinical manifestation and prevalence of peripheral neuropathy and nerve dysfunction in patients with chronic kidney disease

Background: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is recognized as a major health problem. Prevalence of CKD is rising continuously; mostly CKD is affecting the elderly aged population and/or patients with diabetes and hypertension. Present study was aimed to explore clinical manifestation and evaluate the prevalence of peripheral neuropathy and peripheral nerve dysfunction in CKD patients attending our hospital with reference to the severity and duration of the CKD. Methods: The present cross sectional study was conducted in 74 patients affected with chronic kidney disease, of different age groups at the medical wards of King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam. The presence of peripheral nerve dysfunction was assessed by nerve dysfunction clinically (motor or sensory symptoms and signs) and electrophysiological nerve conduction studies. Results: Out of 74 patients, 65% of study population was suffering from chronic kidney disease with peripheral nerve dysfunction. The peripheral nerves dysfunction was more prevalent in elder age (>65 years) subjects when compared to subjects with age <65 years. Moreover, the results shown that the rate of prevalence of peripheral nerves dysfunction was observed higher in subjects with longer duration of CKD. Male subjects were affected more when creatinine clearance is <15 ml/minute. Both sexes were affected equally when creatinine clearance is between 30-59 ml/minute. Conclusion: This study enlightens the prevalence and clinical presentation of peripheral nerve dysfunction in patients with CKD. The CKD was found to cause peripheral neuropathy including overt and subclinical neuropathy, of which distal symmetrical sensory motor neuropathy was common in CKD. The prevalence of peripheral neuropathy was directly proportional to duration and severity of CKD.
Demographic characteristics and survival with AIDS: health disparities in Chicago, 1993-2001.

OBJECTIVES We examined correlations between survival and race/ethnicity, age, and gender among persons who died from AIDS-related causes. METHODS We estimated survival among 11 022 persons at 12, 36, and 60 months after diagnosis with AIDS in 1993 through 2001 and reported through 2003 to the Chicago Department of Public Health. We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) by demographic and risk characteristics. RESULTS All demographic groups had higher 5-year survival rates after the introduction of highly active retroviral therapy (1996-2001) than before (1993-1995). The HR for non-Hispanic Blacks to Whites was 1.18 in 1993 to 1995 and 1.51 (P < .01) in 1996 to 2001. The HR for persons 50 years or older to those younger than 30 years was 1.63 in 1993-1995 and 2.28 (P < .01) in 1996-2001. The female-to-male HR was 0.90 in 1993-1995 and 1.20 (P < .02) in 1996-2001. CONCLUSIONS The risk of death was higher for non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics than for non-Hispanic Whites. Interventions are needed to increase early access to care for disadvantaged groups.
Individually randomized group treatment trials: a critical appraisal of frequently used design and analytic approaches.

OBJECTIVES We reviewed published individually randomized group treatment (IRGT) trials to assess researchers' awareness of within-group correlation and determine whether appropriate design and analytic methods were used to test for treatment effectiveness. METHODS We assessed sample size and analytic methods in IRGT trials published in 6 public health and behavioral health journals between 2002 and 2006. RESULTS Our review included 34 articles; in 32 (94.1%) of these articles, inappropriate analytic methods were used. In only 1 article did the researchers claim that expected intraclass correlations (ICCs) were taken into account in sample size estimation; in most articles, sample size was not mentioned or ICCs were ignored in the reported calculations. CONCLUSIONS Trials in which individuals are randomly assigned to study conditions and treatments administered in groups may induce within-group correlation, violating the assumption of independence underlying commonly used statistical methods. Methods that take expected ICCs into account should be used in reexamining past studies and planning future studies to ensure that interventions are not judged effective solely on the basis of statistical artifacts. We strongly encourage investigators to report ICCs from IRGT trials and describe study characteristics clearly to aid these efforts.
Allostatic load among non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, and people of Mexican origin: effects of ethnicity, nativity, and acculturation.

OBJECTIVES We investigated ethnic differences in allostatic load in a population-based sample of adults living in Texas City, TX, and assessed the effects of nativity and acculturation status on allostatic load among people of Mexican origin. METHODS We used logistic regression models to examine ethnic variations in allostatic load scores among non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, and people of Mexican origin. We also examined associations between measures of acculturation and allostatic load scores among people of Mexican origin only. RESULTS Foreign-born Mexicans were the least likely group to score in the higher allostatic load categories. Among individuals of Mexican origin, US-born Mexican Americans had higher allostatic load scores than foreign-born Mexicans, and acculturation measures did not account for the difference. CONCLUSIONS Our findings expand on recent research from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey with respect to ethnicity and allostatic load. Our results are consistent with the healthy immigrant hypothesis (i.e., newer immigrants are healthier) and the acculturation hypothesis, according to which the longer Mexican immigrants reside in the United States, the greater their likelihood of potentially losing culture-related health-protective effects.
Health care utilization, barriers to care, and hormone usage among male-to-female transgender persons in New York City.

OBJECTIVES We investigated health care utilization, barriers to care, and hormone use among male-to-female transgender persons residing in New York City to determine whether current care is in accord with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health and the goals of Healthy People 2010. METHODS We conducted interviews with 101 male-to-female transgender persons from 3 community health centers in 2007. RESULTS Most participants reported having health insurance (77%; n = 78) and seeing a general practitioner in the past year (81%; n = 82). Over 25% of participants perceived the cost of medical care, access to specialists, and a paucity of transgender-friendly and transgender-knowledgeable providers as barriers to care. Being under a physician's care was associated with high-risk behavior reduction, including smoking cessation (P = .004) and obtaining needles from a licensed physician (P = .002). Male-to-female transgender persons under a physician's care were more likely to obtain hormone therapies from a licensed physician (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS Utilization of health care providers by male-to-female transgender persons is associated with their reduction of some high-risk behaviors, but it does not result in adherence to standard of care recommendations for transgender individuals.
Parameters impacting the outcome of cellreplacement therapy for Parkinson’s disease:A preclinical study

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder, currently affecting 6.3 million people worldwide. Although it is associated, in the longterm, with severe complications (dyskinesias), L-DOPA remains the gold standardtreatment. An alternative approach to the treatment of PD is the replacement of the lost striatal dopaminergic innervation by transplantation of foetal ventral mesencephalon (VM) dopaminergic precursor cells. Opened trials have provided the proof of concept that intrastriatal VM transplant can survive, integrate and in some cases, restore motor functions. Nevertheless, later double blind studies reported inconsistent benefit of the therapy and the development of dyskinesias remaining after withdrawal of L-DOPA medication. The failure of the animal models in predicting these problems raises concern about their reliability. Therefore, the global aim of this PhD work was to identify some of the critical factors that can influence the functional outcome of cell therapy for PD, and on the basis of this, to develop an improved 6-OHDA unilaterally lesioned rat model for transplantation. The first step was to determine the most reliable method to assess dyskinesias in rats. The second part of this thesis was set out to determine the effect that chronic L-DOPA treatment, administered at different time could had on the survival and function of immunologically incompatible foetal VM transplant. The results demonstrated that L-DOPA administered chronically post-grafting increases the host immune response around the xenogeneic transplant. Therefore, the last set of experiments were designed to create a model of mixed donors graft to better reproduce the patient situation, where each transplant required up to 8 donors from unknown immunological background. All of these experiments come together to help to develop a rat model that more accurately represents all aspects of patients undergoing transplantation for PD.
Immigration and suicidal behavior among Mexicans and Mexican Americans.

OBJECTIVES We examined migration to the United States as a risk factor for suicidal behavior among people of Mexican origin. METHODS We pooled data from 2 nationally representative surveys in the United States (2001-2003; n = 1284) and Mexico (2001-2002; n = 5782). We used discrete time survival models to account for time-varying and time-invariant characteristics, including psychiatric disorders. RESULTS Risk for suicidal ideation was higher among Mexicans with a family member in the United States (odds ratio [OR] = 1.50; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06, 2.11), Mexican-born immigrants who arrived in the United States at 12 years or younger (OR = 1.84; 95% CI = 1.09, 3.09), and US-born Mexican Americans (OR = 1.56; 95% CI = 1.03, 2.38) than among Mexicans with neither a history of migration to the United States nor a family member currently living there. Risk for suicide attempts was also higher among Mexicans with a family member in the United States (OR = 1.68; 95% CI = 1.13, 2.52) and US-born Mexican Americans (OR = 1.97; 95% CI = 1.06, 3.65). Selection bias caused by differential migration or differential return migration of persons at higher risk of suicidal ideation or attempt did not account for these findings. CONCLUSIONS Public health efforts should focus on the impact of Mexico-US migration on family members of migrants and on US-born Mexican Americans.
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF TRAUMATIC INJURIES IN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS OF MAZANDARAN HOSPITALS, 2010

Background and purpose: The incidence of injuries and accidents, their types and leading causes and the victims' features are variable in different areas and times. Different aspects of injuries and accidents should be considered in researches thereby. This survey aimed at investigating the epidemiological features of accident and injuries victims attending Mazandaran hospitals, during 2010. Materials and methods: In a cross sectional research, all referred victims of accidents and injuries (n= 58750) to hospitals of Mazandaran province were studied. Required data was collected from existing injuries registration system of hospitals emergency departments. Data analysis was performed in SPSS using descriptive statistics, chi-square and independent t-test. Results: The incidence rate of all injuries was 2306.7 in 100,000 population. Among the victims 71.7% were male. The mean age of cases was 29.9±17.01 and injuries (34.6%) occurred more in the group aged 20-29 years old. Incidence of injuries were higher in June (10.6%) and July (10.2%). Most injuries (70.6%) occurred in urban areas. Road traffic accidents (39.8%) and trauma and falling accidents (31.8%) were the most common injuries. Conclusion: According to the findings, the main cause of injuries in Mazandaran was road traffic accidents that have posed high burden to the province. The aforementioned rate of injuries shows that many people experience some kind of injuries throughout their life. Therefore, practical implementation of the Safe Community Program is an urgent need that should be considered in all national and regional initiatives. The success of such programs largely depends on participation of all agencies, organizations and individuals.
Measuring socioeconomic differences in use of health care services by wealth versus by income.

OBJECTIVES We compared the extent of socioeconomic differences in use of health care services based on wealth (i.e., accumulated assets) as the socioeconomic ranking variable with the extent of differences based on income to explore the sensitivity of the estimates of equity to the choice of the socioeconomic indicator. METHODS We used data from the Health and Retirement Study in the United States and the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe to estimate levels of income- and wealth-related disparity in use of physician and dental services among adults 50 or older in 12 countries. RESULTS We found socioeconomic differences in use of physician services after standardizing for need in about half of the countries studied. No consistent pattern in levels of disparity measured by wealth versus those measured by income was found. However, the rich were significantly more likely to use dental services in all countries. Wealth-related differences in dental service use were consistently higher than were income-related differences. CONCLUSIONS We found some support for wealth as a more sensitive indicator of socioeconomic status among older adults than was income. Wealth may thus allow more accurate measurements of socioeconomic differences in use of health care services for this population.
Feasibility of Living Related Liver Transplantation for Children with Biliary Atresia in Egypt: Single Institution Study

Background/Aims : Biliary atresia (BA) has become the most common indication for liver transplantation among pediatric recipients. The aim is to characterize the outcome and feasibility of living related liver transplantation for children with biliary atresia in Egypt; a single institutional study. Patients and Methods : We retrospectively reviewed our records in the National Liver Institute (NLI) – Hospital, Menofiya University, starting from April 2003 to the end of August 2011. There were an 11 cases were transplanted for biliary atresia. All the patients received Lt. Lateral grafts. The mean graft volume was 248±88 gm and Graft Recipient Weight Ratio (GRWR) was 2.56±0.82. Results : At the end of this study 5 patients are alive. The mean Survival Duration was 31.04±28.1 months, early mortality was reported in 3 patients. Conclusion : Our results confirmed the effectiveness of LDLT for the treatment of children with biliary atresia with failed Kasai procedures. Living related liver grafts represented an excellent organ supply for these patients.
Tackling health inequities in Chile: maternal, newborn, infant, and child mortality between 1990 and 2004.

OBJECTIVES We analyzed trends in maternal, newborn, and child mortality in Chile between 1990 and 2004, after the introduction of national interventions and reforms, and examined associations between trends and interventions. METHODS Data were provided by the Chilean Ministry of Health on all pregnancies between 1990 and 2004 (approximately 4,000,000). We calculated yearly maternal mortality ratios, stillbirth rates, and mortality rates for neonates, infants (aged > 28 days and < 1 year), and children aged 1 to 4 years. We also calculated these statistics by 5-year intervals for Chile's poorest to richest district quintiles. RESULTS During the study period, the maternal mortality ratio decreased from 42.1 to 18.5 per 100,000 live births. The mortality rate for neonates decreased from 9.0 to 5.7 per 1000 births, for infants from 7.8 to 3.1 per 1000 births, and for young children from 3.1 to 1.7 per 1000 live births. The stillbirth rate declined from 6.0 to 5.0 per 1000 births. Disparities in these mortality statistics between the poorest and richest district quintiles also decreased, with the largest mortality reductions in the poorest quintile. CONCLUSIONS During a period of socioeconomic development and health sector reforms, Chile experienced significant mortality and inequity reductions.