bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social differences in health in an affluent Danish county
Authors: Osler Merete , Klebak Søren
Published: April 2008

The aim of the present study was to examine whether selected health indicators were related to the level of social conditions in the municipalities in an affluent Danish county with a tax system aiming at narrowing income differences and with the same free health facilities for all. The 18 municipalities were separated into three groups by a sum score calculated on the basis of 10 social status variables. For each of the three groups average mortality, hospital discharge rates, cancer incidence and health services use were calculated with data from National Registers. There was a distinct gradient in all-cause, infant and cause-specific mortality, cancer incidence and use of health services related to level of social conditions. Apart from the incidence of breast cancer and melanoma, and use of general practice, all the analysed health indicators were most frequent in the group of the least affluent municipalities. It is concluded that even in an affluent county, the variation in the socioeconomic characteristics of neighbouring municipalities could be related to differences in health.
Trends in smoking prevalence in Danish adults, 1964—1994
Authors: Osler Merete , Prescott Eva , Gottschau Adam , Bjerg Anders , Ole Hein Hans , Sjøl Anette , Schnohr Peter
Published: April 2008

Background: Studies of time trends in smoking prevalence provide a better understanding of the determinants of smoking. The present study analyses changes over time in the prevalence of smoking and heavy smoking in relation to sex, age, and education.

Methods: Data on smoking behaviour were collected by questionnaire in random samples of the general population in the area of Copenhagen. The database used included 71,842 measurements of smoking behaviour for 32,156 subjects aged 30 years or more, who had been examined at intervals between 1964 and 1994. In bi- and multivariate analyses the effects of sex, age, education, time period, and study group on the prevalence of smoking and of heavy smoking were assessed.

Results: Smoking was least prevalent in women, in the oldest age group (more than 70 years), and among those with 8 years or more of school education. During the study period (from 1964/74 to 1990/94), the prevalence of smoking decreased from 72% to 54% in men and from 52% to 46% in women. In both men and women this decrease was smallest in the least educated (less than 8 years of school education). Heavy smoking was also least prevalent in women, in the oldest age group, and among the well educated. During the study period, the unadjusted prevalence of heavy smoking decreased from 52% to 38% in men, while it increased from 17% to 21% in women. The multivariate analysis showed that the time trend for heavy smoking only depended on sex, while educational attainment and age had no impact on the trend.

Conclusion: During the last 30 years the prevalence of smoking has decreased in Denmark. The decrease has been smallest in women, and among the least educated, and the increasing trend in the prevalence of heavy smoking in women is a cause for concern.
Drug-related mortality in Denmark 1970-93
Authors: Juel Knud , Helweg-Larsen Karin
Published: April 2008

We analysed drug-related mortality in Denmark with respect to secular trends, gender, and regional variations, for the period 1970 - 93, for all deaths from poisoning and among drug addicts. The study was based on the Register of Causes of Death in Denmark and included 6,229 drug-related deaths, defined by specific combinations of manner of death, underlying cause of death, and contributory cause of death. The main outcome measure is age-specific mortality rate. A total of 63% of the drug-related deaths were registered as unnatural deaths. During the period studied, mortality increased for men in the 25 - 49 year age group and for women in all age groups over 25 years of age. For both men and women, the youngest birth cohorts from the mid-1950s and 1960s suffered much higher mortality than those born before 1950; however, the three youngest birth cohorts had almost the same mortality. During the entire period, mortality in the capital, Copenhagen, was much higher than in the provinces, but in the last years, a more favourable trend has been seen in Copenhagen.
A scoring system for subjective health complaints (SHC)
Authors: Eriksen Hege R. , Ihlebæk Camilla , Ursin Holger
Published: April 2008

The aim of this study is to present a complete scoring system for subjective health complaints (SHC) as they are experienced by the lay population. The scoring system records the complaints, and does not map attributions or medical diagnoses. In all, 1,219 subjects (323 men, 896 women) from various occupations were tested with a scoring system, the SHC inventory, previously referred to as the Ursin Health Inventory (UHI). The SHC consists of 29 questions concerning severity and duration of subjective somatic and psychological complaints. The SHC inventory yields scores on single items and a total number of health complaints categorized into five factors: musculoskeletal pain (α=0.74), pseudoneurology (α=0.73), gastrointestinal problems (α=0.62), allergy (α=0.58) and flu (α=0.67). The SHC inventory is a systematic, easy, and reliable way to score subjective health complaints. The prevalence of these complaints is high, and should be considered before conclusions are reached about new diseases and new attributions of environmental hazards.
Need for medical care and social services
Authors: Olov Bygren Lars
Published: April 2008

Predicting the need for care in the coming decades requires direct measurement of need in birth cohorts, allowing for differentiation with respect to age, generation effects, and the effect of period of time. The method of choice is a simulation of regular contacts with the services, implicit criteria of need for service, and a panel approach with measurement at three points in time.
Vocational rehabilitation of the socially disadvantaged long-term sick: inter-organizational co-operation between welfare state agencies
Authors: Lindqvist Rafael , Grape Owe
Published: April 2008

Vocational rehabilitation targeted to the socially disadvantaged long-term sick requires that the client keep in touch with a number of welfare state agencies, all of which have different regulations, conflicting goals and various types of benefits. This is an arduous and time-consuming task for clients with medical, social and labour market problems. Many of these clients run the risk of ending up in a no-man's land or being endlessly circulated between agencies because their problems do not correspond to the profile of the typical client. Both government and welfare workers see institutional co-operation between welfare state agencies as the remedy to such problems. This article, which is based on interviews with participants in fourteen cooperating projects, focuses on difficulties and opportunities experienced in such co-operation. It is concluded that such co-operation, when initiated in local settings and supported by local players, is a way of rejuvenating the existing Swedish model.
Physicians' legal defensiveness and knowledge of medical law: comparing Denmark and the USA
Authors: Van McCrary S. , Swanson Jeffrey W.
Published: April 2008

The impact of legal factors on medical treatment decisions for dying patients has been studied in the USA for years. However, it is unknown how legal factors may affect similar medical decisions in other countries. This exploratory study compared responses between two populations of physicians, from Denmark (n=62) and the USA (n=301), who regularly treat terminally ill patients in tertiary care medical centers. We investigated whether Danish and US physicians differed significantly in their attitudes about the influence of law on treatment decisions for terminally ill patients. The Danish physicians demonstrated significantly better knowledge of medical law relevant to end-of-life treatment than did US physicians. The Danish sample also reported significantly lower levels of legal defensiveness than the US sample. These findings are consistent with our previous research showing that, among US physicians, legal defensiveness and knowledge of medical law are inversely related.
Women's alcohol dependence and abuse: the relation to social network and leisure time
Authors: Thundal Kajsa-Lena , Granbom Stefan , Allebeck Peter
Published: April 2008

The aim of this study was to analyse the occurrence of alcohol dependence and abuse in relation to variables reflecting social network and leisure time, social class, education, occupation and family conditions. The study was based on the second wave of interviews performed within the longitudinal study of Women and Alcohol in Göteborg. In this present study we analysed 416 face-to-face interviews performed in 1995-96. Women with only one or no friends for support had higher rates of alcohol dependence and abuse than did women with more friends. Women with high rates of alcohol dependence or abuse did not take part in cultural events as much as women with low rates of alcohol dependence and abuse. Women with homemaking skills and gardening as leisure time interests had lower prevalences of alcohol dependence and abuse. In general, women with diagnoses of alcohol dependence and abuse in this population-based sample were not alone and without a social network. However, their pattern of activity differed slightly from those without such diagnoses. The association between women with alcohol dependence and abuse and leisure time activities is probably circular: a poor social network and low participation in social activities increase the risk of alcohol dependence and abuse, and alcohol dependence and abuse lead to low participation in social activities.
Health-related quality of life in patients with diastrophic dysplasia
Authors: Vaara Päivi , Sintonen Harri , Peltonen Jari , Hokkanen Hannele , Poussa Mikko , Ryöppy Soini
Published: April 2008

Diastrophic dysplasia (DD), a congenital skeletal dysplasia, is characterized by short, disproportionate stature, multiple severe spinal and joint deformities, and normal mental status. The health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients with DD was measured by a standardized fifteen-dimensional (15D) method, that includes a questionnaire and a valuation task. Eighteen patients (5 males and 13 females) with a mean age of 23 years (range 17 - 31 years), representing half of the Finnish patients with DD in this age group, completed the questionnaire and the valuation task. The data obtained were compared with those of 273 age- and sex-matched controls. A 15D profile was drawn, and the average importance weight of each dimension and the average within-dimension level values were calculated for both groups. The average 15D score, describing the overall HRQOL, was derived for both groups using the valuations of each group. The health profiles of the groups differed significantly in several dimensions. When the health levels within the dimensions were concerned, the controls rated all values deviating from ``normal'' lower than did the patients. The average 15D scores of the patients with DD were significantly lower than those of the controls. The 15D scores were higher in both groups when the valuations of the patients with DD were used. The study showed that, although the overall HRQOL of the patients with DD was inferior to that of the controls, the patients showed greater adaptability to deviations in health status than did the controls.
Is old age necessarily connected with high hospital admission rates?
Authors: Vallgarda Signild
Published: April 2008

The proportion of old people in a population is often taken as an indicator of the perceived need for and utilization of health services. What is the relation between age and hospital admission rates, and has it changed over time? These questions are investigated by a study of hospital statistics. In 1930 hospitalization rates were approximately the same for all age groups. In 1950 there was an increase with increasing age for men, but not for women, who had experienced a general increase in all age groups. In 1979 there was a pronounced increase in hospitalization rates in the high age groups for both sexes; this increase has been even more marked in the decades since. The number of admissions per 1,000 inhabitants over 64 years of age increased from 296 in 1979 to 418 in 1993. Changes in diagnoses and operation patterns for old patients during the last decade illustrate marginal changes in disease patterns and a slight increase in some types of surgery. An increase in readmission rates contributes substantially to the overall increase. The proportion of old people in a population tells us very little about perceived need for health services and cannot be used to predict hospital admission rates.
``Controversies in epidemiology'', teaching causality in context at the University at Albany, School of Public Health
Authors: Armstrong Donna
Published: April 2008

Social inequalities relate not only to disparities in health but also are the social context for theories of disease causality being legitimized or denied. In the discipline of epidemiology, conventional discussions on whether or not a given exposure ``causes'' a specific disease are framed almost exclusively as debates of validity and whether there is sufficient accumulation of evidence to satisfy ``Hill's Causal Criteria''. However, the way in which the conceptualization of disease processes is restricted to conform to the current causal paradigm, which is based on socially determined ideas of individualism, reductionism, monocausality and the legitimacy of social inequalities, can be identified as a fundamental assumption underlying conventional epidemiological debates of causality. Any argument that social inequalities are an important determinant of poor public health must also explicitly critique the current causal paradigm, which disallows epidemiologists from conceptualizing social relationships as causal of poor health in populations..
Risk of low birthweight in social districts of Copenhagen
Authors: Lund Rikke , Modvig Jens , Hilden Jørgen , Rosdahl Nils , Kure Lotte , Schmidt Kirsten
Published: April 2008

The purpose of this survey was to investigate the small-area variations in low birthweight within social services districts in Copenhagen and the relation of such variations to the socioeconomic characteristics of the district. The study was based on register data and included all live-born singleton births to women living in the city of Copenhagen from 1987-90. We found a statistically significant association between district and risk of newborns being small-for-gestational age (SGA). This association was independent of adjustment for maternal age and parity. Only part of the association was explained, though this was still significant, using an index summarizing the socioeconomic living conditions in the district. Splitting up the index into its four constituent components, however, showed that the association between SGA and district was primarily due to housing conditions in the districts. Mapping the districts demonstrated a clear tendency of clustering of the high-risk areas with poor socioeconomic conditions.
Health and re-employment in a five-year follow-up of long-term unemployed
Authors: Claussen Bjørgulf
Published: April 2008

Objectives: To study health and re-employment in a five-year follow-up of a community sample of long-term unemployed people. Methods: A random sample registered for more than 12 weeks at the labour offices in Grenland, Norway, were given medical check-ups in 1988 and 1990, and a postal questionnaire in 1993. Results: Only 37% were employed five years after the first spell of long-term unemployment. Recovery after re-employment was demonstrated, indicating that unemployment causes poor mental health. Health-related selection to continuous unemployment was only found for medical diagnoses. The unemployed who might be selected to continuous unemployment because of poor health at the two-year follow-up seemed to deteriorate most. Conclusion: The high morbidity of mental health problems among unemployed people is mostly explained by the causal hypothesis. This is a challenge to preventive medicine. Sick unemployed people should be given special attention.
Socio-economic characteristics and quality of life in diabetes mellitus-relation to metabolic control
Authors: Larsson Dick , Lager Ibe , Nilsson Peter M.
Published: April 2008

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease with wide implications for well-being and social life. The aim of this cross-sectional, observational study was to describe possible differences in clinical characteristics, socio-economic factors and quality of life between diabetes patients in poor and good/acceptable metabolic control, as defined by levels of glycated haemoglobin A1c. From a population-based register of diabetes patients at a clinical chemistry department, we selected 96 subjects in poor metabolic control (HbA1c > 10%), and 96 subjects in good/acceptable (HbA1c 6.5 - 7.5%) metabolic control, matched for sex, age and duration of diabetes. Each participant was sent a self-administered questionnaire regarding medical history, family situation and socio-economic background, as well as self-rated health based on a validated instrument (SF-36). The diabetes patients in poor metabolic control reported more retinopathy, vascular complications and nervous problems than did the patients in acceptable metabolic control. Furthermore, the group in poor metabolic control was also characterized by a lower educational level, a higher number of sick leave days or disability pension and a lower degree of physical activity. Both of the diabetic groups reported lower scorings for physical functioning, general health, vitality and mental health, than did a comparable non-diabetic group from another study. In summary, diabetic patients in poor metabolic control have a lower educational level and report more complications, nervous problems, sick leave days and disability pensions than patients in good/acceptable metabolic control. The lower degree of physical activity adds to the problems of the first group and should be the target for intervention to achieve better metabolic control.
Characteristics of injured skiers in Norway
Authors: Ueland Øydis
Published: April 2008

A case-control study investigating the characteristics of injured versus uninjured skiers was carried out. The study comprised patients (n=67) who had received medical treatment for ski injuries at a hospital in Norway in 1993, and controls (n=227) taken from the same population but who had not sustained any ski injuries. The results showed that the hospital cases skied more often, were more confident in their skiing ability, had a higher education but that the younger members of this group tended to be less safety conscious compared with the corresponding controls. A reduction in the risk of ski injury might be possible if younger persons could be encouraged to adopt the same level of safety behaviour as older persons.
Has increased focus on vocational rehabilitation led to an increase in young employees' return to work after work-related disorders?
Authors: Ahlgren Christina , Hammarström Anne
Published: April 2008

The aim of this study was to determine whether the large investments in vocational rehabilitation made in Sweden during the 1990s had improved the level of return to work for young employees and to study the factors predicting return to work. The study population comprised all employees under 30 years of age whose reports on work-related disorders were under consideration at regional social insurance offices in Västerbotten county in 1990 and 1994 (n=266). Between these years, increased efforts were made by the Swedish government to improve vocational rehabilitation. Data was collected from the register and by means of questionnaires. It was found that employees with musculoskeletal disorders were more likely to return to work during periods of intensive vocational rehabilitation. No increase in the level of return to work was apparent if all disorders were considered. Men showed a higher level of return to work than women, although women were better educated.
Genetic information and genetic discrimination how medical records vitiate legal protection
Authors: Rosén Elisabeth
Published: April 2008

This study compares currently enacted and pending legislation and policies concerning genetic information and genetic discrimination in Europe and the USA. The emergence of a multi-disciplinary scientific field comprising genetically-related areas and the discovery of new genetic factors have improved our ability to predict genetic risks associated with illness. Early detection and preventive healthcare thus hold promise for improving public health, but much remains unknown about the actual risks deriving from genetic testing. Positive (not-normal) test results may give little certainty of the actual severity of a disease. Genetic information could thus be used for social stigmatization and genetic discrimination. Western laws have been enacted in a context of unknown potential risks and benefits, and an increased number of regulatory initiatives is to be expected. Yet, there is currently no comprehensive US or European legal approach concerning genetic information and genetic discrimination and, despite legislation thus far enacted, the protection of individuals remains uncertain, and this could have a negative impact on attitudes to genetic testing, with important consequences for public health strategies to prevent disease.
Medical practice variations: changing the theoretical approach
Authors: Westert Gert P. , Groenewegen Peter P.
Published: April 2008

Variations in medical practice are well documented, but there has been less progress in explaining these variations. This paper discusses the existing theories and hypotheses and concludes that a change in theoretical approach is required, to one that more directly highlights the social context influencing the behaviour of doctors in their daily practice. An initial alternative model for explaining variation in practice style is presented. The paper illustrates how (combinations of) important structural factors, such as the availability of hospital resources, the way the doctor is reimbursed, the availability of patients, professional uncertainty, and the way the hospital is financed, lead to hypotheses about when different local standards of medical care emerge. It is concluded that theoretical progress in research on variations in medical practice is possible and that empirical research needs to be driven by hypotheses that emphasize the role of social contexts in the doctor's decision behaviour. Some suggestions for future lines of research are outlined.
Inequalities in health: evidence from Denmark of the interaction of circumstances and health-related behaviour
Authors: Christiansen Terkel , Kooiker Sjoerd
Published: April 2008

It is well known that the experience of poor health depends on adverse social and material circumstances and on unhealthy behaviour. In 1990 a British study asserted that privileged people gain more health benefit from a healthy lifestyle than do deprived people. In the present study this assertion was taken as a hypothesis, assuming statistical interaction between circumstances and health behaviour. The combined effect of these variables was studied in Denmark. Data was obtained from a 1987 national Health and Morbidity Survey; variables were selected to correspond closely with those in the earlier British study. The analysis included a multivariate analysis of variance. The results show that health-related behaviour has a positive effect on health both for those who are deprived and those who are not deprived, which is at variance with the findings of the British study. It confirms earlier analyses of Danish and Dutch data.
The influence of social deprivation as measured by the CNI on psychiatric admissions
Authors: Malmström Marianne , Sundquist Jan , Johansson Sven-Erik , Johansson Leena Maria
Published: April 2008

The purpose of this study was to examine the importance of social deprivation for psychiatric admissions and its correlation with two different deprivation scores. Care Need Index (CNI) and Townsend scores were calculated at the small area level in Malmö, a city in southern Sweden. Admission rates for all psychiatric inpatients from Malmö aged 20 - 79 years, admitted to the psychiatric and alcohol clinics from 1 January 1991 to 31 December 1994, were calculated. The relationship between the CNI and psychiatric admissions was analysed by applying a Poisson regression model. The results are shown as incidence density ratios (IDR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). From the most deprived areas, the first psychiatric admission rate was more than four times higher than in the most affluent areas. The rates of second and third admission were even higher. Admissions to the alcohol clinic were similar to psychiatric admissions, but the most deprived areas had first admission rates about ten times higher than in the most affluent areas. About 27% of first admissions, including patients from both psychiatric and alcohol clinics, had a diagnosis of psychosis, and 43% were substance abusers. There were differences between the patients' diagnoses in different areas. The correlation between the CNI and Townsend scores was very high. The most important finding of this study is the strong correlation between social deprivation, based on different deprivation indices, and first admissions to psychiatric and alcohol clinics.
Lessons from the Oslo Study Diet and Anti-Smoking Trial: a qualitative study of long-term behaviour change
Authors: Cable Thomas A. , Meland Eivind , Søberg Tone , Slagsvold Svein
Published: April 2008

The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with sustainable behaviour change among persons at increased risk for future cardiovascular disease. A qualitative approach based on focus group interviews was used. Twenty-five men aged 62-71 years who participated in the Oslo Study Diet and Anti-smoking Trial were interviewed in four focus groups. The study identified five categories of factors linked to the process of lifestyle changes: the doctor-patient relationship, significant others, motivators, barriers, and empowerment. A strong personal attachment to the principal investigator of the Oslo Study was revealed. The relationship was described as friendly and supportive. The family based approach and the impact of spouses, in particular, was emphasized by the participants. Somatic symptoms and fear often acted as motivators to behavioural change. Individual feedback was also identified as an important motivator. Psychological resistance to external pressure, concerns regarding behaviour change, and benefits from current (unhealthy) behaviour were identified as barriers. Participants reported a process of empowerment and personal control as an important element of sustainable change. The importance of the unique relationship with a certain provider has implications for future healthcare planning. This factor may also limit the external validity of studies of human behaviour.
The social determinants of health: a contribution to the analysis of gender differences in health and illness
Authors: Ballantyne Peri J.
Published: April 2008

While it is established that socioeconomic status and social integration influence the distribution of health and illness among men and women, little attention has been paid to the different ways in which women and men experience socioeconomic opportunities and social attachments to others. Drawing on evidence from the literature, the position developed in this article is that gender mediates the influence of both socioeconomic status and social integration on health, and for women, these are intricately linked. Women's relationship to the labour market establishes and perpetuates their socioeconomic inequality relative to men, and may produce contradictory influences on women's health. Furthermore, for women, the marital relationship is paradoxical: marriage may at once improve economic and social support opportunities, while diminishing control over paid and unpaid work - potentially increasing as well as compromising the health status of women. The article is intended to contribute to the growing body of literature on gender and the determinants of health.
Anxiety, physical abuse, and low birth weight
Authors: Grimstad Hilde , Schei Berit , Backe Bjørn , Jacobsen Geir
Published: April 2008

Background. Physical and sexual abuse has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcome in some studies. One cause may be physical trauma; others may be indirect, such as stress, anxiety, smoking or drug use in pregnancy. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationships among anxiety, history of abuse and low birth weight. Methods. We performed a case control study comprising 85 women who delivered low birth weight (<2500 g) babies (cases) and 92 women with higher birth weight babies (control group). All mothers were interviewed. We assessed the extent of abuse using the Conflict Tactics Scale, and that of anxiety using the Trait-Anxiety Inventory. Results. Women with low birth weight babies were not more likely to have higher scores on the anxiety scale or to have a history of abuse. On the other hand, mothers with a history of abuse had higher anxiety scores and more often smoked in pregnancy. Conclusion. Anxiety could be the intermediate factor between abuse and smoking in pregnancy.
Women's health: do common symptoms in women mirror general distress or specific disease entities?
Authors: Krantz Gunilla , Östergren Per-Olof
Published: April 2008

The purpose of this study was to determine aspects of validity of a short self-report inventory, based on physical and psychological symptoms that, according to other studies, are most prevalent in women. It was hypothesized that such symptoms form a single entity, which would be consistent with the view that they represent a proxy for general distress in women. Method: One hundred and one women were approached, all of whom filled in the ``common symptoms in the general population of women'' (CSGP) instrument and the multidimensional self-report inventory Symptom Check List 90 (SCL90) for external comparison. The results indicate that the CSGP scale has high internal consistency (alpha=0.80). The strongest correlations were found between the CSGP scale and the SCL90 subscales assessing ``somatization'', ``depression'' and ``anxiety''. In the factor analysis, the items on the CSGP scale were widely dispersed among the factors represented by the main SCL90 subscales, and therefore could not be considered to represent any particular subscale. Our conclusion is that the CSGP scale seems to assess a single entity. Other researchers suggest that such an entity represent a proxy for general distress in women. This will have implications for the interpretation of the common symptoms represented by the scale, which women report in clinical settings.
Why feminism in public health?
Authors: Hammarström Anne
Published: April 2008

The issues raised in this editorial and exemplified within a number of the studies reported in this issue indicate new directions for public health, directions which take feminist scholarship, both outside and within the medical framework, into account. The changing potential of feminist public health, as derived from the articles in this issue, can be summarised within the following issues: new research areas, positioning women as actors, development of theoretical frameworks, reflexive theory of science, interplay between sex and gender, gender-sensitive methods, diversities among women/men, pro-feminist research on men's health and using the results for change. Thus, feminist public health represents a shift towards the new public health, with holistic and multidisciplinary activities, based on theoretical pluralism, multiple perspectives and collective actions with the aim of improving the health of gender-subordinated groups.
Prevalence of sexualized violence among women
Authors: Risberg Gunilla , Lundgren Eva , Westman Göran
Published: April 2008

In order to estimate the prevalence of sexual and physical abuse, postal questionnaires were sent to a random sample of 251 adult women in a primary care district. Three yes/no-questions were asked on these topics, and a fourth inquired into effects on health. Space was left for open-ended answers in which yes-responders were invited to write about their experiences. A total of 175 women (70%) answered, and 25 (14%) of these reported abuse. Nine (5%) had experienced women battering. Thirteen (7.5%) reported sexual abuse as an adult, and 12 (7%) as a child. Many told their stories. Methodological shortcomings in this study might explain why the rates are somewhat lower than in other investigations. However, our figures verified that abuse of women is a common social phenomenon. They also confirmed abuse as a major health problem for women. One-third of respondents explicitly reported effects on health. Others, though negating such effects, described them in written narratives. In order to study this contradiction, in-depth interviews with abused women are recommended.
Managing menopause: a critical feminist engagement
Authors: Guillemin Marilys N.
Published: April 2008

Feminist critiques of menopause have been beneficial in opening up important public health debates around menopause. One of the most contentious public health issues concerns the use of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for the prevention of osteoporosis, heart disease and, more recently, Alzheimer's disease, in postmenopausal women. For preventive purposes, it is recommended that women should take HRT for 10-15 years and preferably remain on the therapy for the remainder of their lives. This is despite reported increased cancer risks associated with HRT, side effects and considerable cost of the therapy. Various studies have shown that up to 50% of women stop taking HRT after 9-12 months. These figures are used in the medical literature as an indication of women's non-compliance. Extending earlier feminist critiques around menopause and HRT, this paper discusses a critical feminist engagement around issues of women's perceived non-compliance with HRT.
What could a feminist perspective on power bring into public health?
Authors: Hammarström Anne , Ripper Margie
Published: April 2008

The issues raised in this editorial indicate that public health research must embrace the advances made in the understanding of gender and other power dynamics, which influence the social distribution of health and illness among the population. Furthermore, it is crucial to recognize that social research (including that in health) is part of the social fabric - not separable from - the processes of power. Thus, a power perspective in public health can bring a more comprehensive and subtle understanding of the multiple and contradictory elements of gender and other relations of power that impact on the health status of populations.
Scent Infused Textiles to Enhance Consumer Experiences
Authors: Yan Liu  , Tovia Fernando , Balasubramian Karthikeyan , Pierce John D. , Dugan Jeff
Published: April 2008

Properly designed textiles containing effective, long-lasting fragrances can significantly contribute to the textile industry. Recently, fragrances are available that can be readily incorporated into polymer fibers. Fragrance-infused products are primarily produced by a microencapsulation method. However, this method is problematic in terms of the inability to deliver a consistent product to consumers. The purpose of this research is to investigate an alternative method to create longer-lasting fragrance-infused fabrics and products. Therefore a scented yarn is produced using sheath-core fibers in which polypropylene (PP) is the core and polylactic acid is the sheath. Fragrance is infused into the PP at the filament stage. Both laboratory analysis and psychophysical assessment are carried out to evaluate the physical parameters and psychological factors of the knitted fabrics and products using scent-infused yarns. Laboratory analysis shows that the lavender scented fabrics can retain sufficient fragrance after ten repeated washing and drying cycles. Psychological results indicate that potential consumers consistently provide positive evaluation of the scent-infused fabrics and their potential consumer applications.
Hepatitis Vaccination and Infection Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men who Attend Gyms in New York City
Authors: Siconolfi Daniel E. , Halkitis Perry N. , Rogers Meighan E.
Published: April 2008

The authors examined hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination rates, hepatitis infection, and health care access in a gym-attending sample of 311 gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in New York City. Overall, 69% reported having been vaccinated for HAV and 70% reported having been vaccinated for HBV. Multivariate models were used to identify predictors of HAV and HBV vaccination, and younger men, HIV-positive men, and men who had access to a doctor or clinic were more likely to be vaccinated than older men, HIVnegative men, and men without access to a doctor or clinic. Men with health insurance coverage were more likely to have received HBV vaccination than men without coverage. Findings indicate that there is still a significant proportion of unvaccinated men in our sample.
Reflectance and emission spectroscopy study of four groups of phyllosilicates: smectites, kaolinite-serpentines, chlorites and micas
Authors: Bishop J. L. , Lane M. D. , Dyar M. D. , Brown A. J.
Published: April 2008

Coordinated visible/near-infrared reflectance/mid-infrared reflectance and emissivity spectra of four groups of phyllosilicates were undertaken to provide insights into the differences within and among groups of smectites, kaolinite-serpentines, chlorites and micas. Identification and characterization of phyllosilicates via remote sensing on Earth and Mars can be achieved using the OH combination bands in the 2.2–2.5 μm region and the tetrahedral SiO4 vibrations from ~8.8–12 μm (~1140–830 cm–1) and ~20–25 μm (500–400 cm–1). The sharp and well resolved OH combination bands in the 2.2–2.5 μm region provide unique fingerprints for specific minerals. Al-rich phyllosilicates exhibit OH combination bands near 2.2 μm, while these bands are observed near 2.29–2.31, 2.33–2.34 μm and near 2.35–2.37 μm for Fe3+-rich, Mg-rich and Fe2+-rich phyllosilicates, respectively. When a tetrahedral substitution of Al or Fe3+ for Si occurs, the position of the Si(Al,Fe)O4 stretching mode absorption shifts. Depending on the size of the cation, the Si(Al,Fe)O4 bending mode near 500 cm–1 is split into multiple bands that may be distinguished via hyperspectral remote sensing techniques. The tetrahedral SiO4 vibrations are also influenced by the octahedral cations, such that Al-rich, Fe-rich and Mg-rich phyllosilicates can be discriminated in reflectance and emissivity spectra based on diagnostic positions of the stretching and bending bands. Differences among formation conditions for these four groups of phyllosilicates are also discussed. Hyperspectral remote sensing can be used to identify specific phyllosilicates using electronic and vibrational features and thus provide constraints on the chemistry and formation conditions of soils.
JCoast – A biologist-centric software tool for data mining and comparison of prokaryotic (meta)genomes
Authors: Richter Michael , Lombardot Thierry , Kostadinov Ivaylo , Kottmann Renzo , Duhaime Melissa Beth , Peplies Jörg , Glöckner Frank Oliver
Published: April 2008

Background

Current sequencing technologies give access to sequence information for genomes and metagenomes at a tremendous speed. Subsequent data processing is mainly performed by automatic pipelines provided by the sequencing centers. Although, standardised workflows are desirable and useful in many respects, rational data mining, comparative genomics, and especially the interpretation of the sequence information in the biological context, demands for intuitive, flexible, and extendable solutions.

Results

The JCoast software tool was primarily designed to analyse and compare (meta)genome sequences of prokaryotes. Based on a pre-computed GenDB database project, JCoast offers a flexible graphical user interface (GUI), as well as an application programming interface (API) that facilitates back-end data access. JCoast offers individual, cross genome-, and metagenome analysis, and assists the biologist in exploration of large and complex datasets.

Conclusion

JCoast combines all functions required for the mining, annotation, and interpretation of (meta)genomic data. The lightweight software solution allows the user to easily take advantage of advanced back-end database structures by providing a programming and graphical user interface to answer biological questions. JCoast is available at the project homepage.
On detection and assessment of statistical significance of Genomic Islands
Authors: Chatterjee Raghunath , Chaudhuri Keya , Chaudhuri Probal
Published: April 2008

Background

Many of the available methods for detecting Genomic Islands (GIs) in prokaryotic genomes use markers such as transposons, proximal tRNAs, flanking repeats etc., or they use other supervised techniques requiring training datasets. Most of these methods are primarily based on the biases in GC content or codon and amino acid usage of the islands. However, these methods either do not use any formal statistical test of significance or use statistical tests for which the critical values and the P-values are not adequately justified. We propose a method, which is unsupervised in nature and uses Monte-Carlo statistical tests based on randomly selected segments of a chromosome. Such tests are supported by precise statistical distribution theory, and consequently, the resulting P-values are quite reliable for making the decision.

Results

Our algorithm (named Design-Island, an acronym for Detection of Statistically Significant Genomic Island) runs in two phases. Some 'putative GIs' are identified in the first phase, and those are refined into smaller segments containing horizontally acquired genes in the refinement phase. This method is applied to Salmonella typhi CT18 genome leading to the discovery of several new pathogenicity, antibiotic resistance and metabolic islands that were missed by earlier methods. Many of these islands contain mobile genetic elements like phage-mediated genes, transposons, integrase and IS elements confirming their horizontal acquirement.

Conclusion

The proposed method is based on statistical tests supported by precise distribution theory and reliable P-values along with a technique for visualizing statistically significant islands. The performance of our method is better than many other well known methods in terms of their sensitivity and accuracy, and in terms of specificity, it is comparable to other methods.
Cross-species EST alignments reveal novel and conserved alternative splicing events in legumes
Authors: Wang Bing-Bing , O'Toole Mike , Brendel Volker , Young Nevin D
Published: April 2008

Background

Although originally thought to be less frequent in plants than in animals, alternative splicing (AS) is now known to be widespread in plants. Here we report the characteristics of AS in legumes, one of the largest and most important plant families, based on EST alignments to the genome sequences of Medicago truncatula (Mt) and Lotus japonicus (Lj).

Results

Based on cognate EST alignments alone, the observed frequency of alternatively spliced genes is lower in Mt (~10%, 1,107 genes) and Lj (~3%, 92 genes) than in Arabidopsis and rice (both around 20%). However, AS frequencies are comparable in all four species if EST levels are normalized. Intron retention is the most common form of AS in all four plant species (~50%), with slightly lower frequency in legumes compared to Arabidopsis and rice. This differs notably from vertebrates, where exon skipping is most common. To uncover additional AS events, we aligned ESTs from other legume species against the Mt genome sequence. In this way, 248 additional Mt genes were predicted to be alternatively spliced. We also identified 22 AS events completely conserved in two or more plant species.

Conclusion

This study extends the range of plant taxa shown to have high levels of AS, confirms the importance of intron retention in plants, and demonstrates the utility of using ESTs from related species in order to identify novel and conserved AS events. The results also indicate that the frequency of AS in plants is comparable to that observed in mammals. Finally, our results highlight the importance of normalizing EST levels when estimating the frequency of alternative splicing.
Transcriptional profiling of Medicago truncatulameristematic root cells
Authors: Holmes Peta , Goffard Nicolas , Weiller Georg F , Rolfe Barry G , Imin Nijat
Published: April 2008

Background

The root apical meristem of crop and model legume Medicago truncatula is a significantly different stem cell system to that of the widely studied model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana. In this study we used the Affymetrix Medicago GeneChip® to compare the transcriptomes of meristem and non-meristematic root to identify root meristem specific candidate genes.

Results

Using mRNA from root meristem and non-meristem we were able to identify 324 and 363 transcripts differentially expressed from the two regions. With bioinformatics tools developed to functionally annotate the Medicago genome array we could identify significant changes in metabolism, signalling and the differentially expression of 55 transcription factors in meristematic and non-meristematic roots.

Conclusion

This is the first comprehensive analysis of M. truncatula root meristem cells using this genome array. This data will facilitate the mapping of regulatory and metabolic networks involved in the open root meristem of M. truncatula and provides candidates for functional analysis.