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We reviewed the authorship characteristics, editorial processing, and final fate of 126 papers dealing with data from countries other than the United States and Canada and submitted to the American Journal of Public Health in 1989. The acceptance rate of these international health papers was 22%, similar to that of all papers (25%). Authors from developed countries had higher acceptance rates than authors from developing countries, but the highest acceptance rate (36%) was for international health papers with joint authorship from both developed and developing countries. Of 83 rejected papers, 72% were published in other journals. Of these, 45% were published in journals covered by Index Medicus, a figure similar to that for all papers rejected by the Journal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. This study developed prevalence estimates of gambling-related disorders in the United States and Canada, identified differences in prevalence among population segments, and identified changes in prevalence over the past 20 years. Methods, A meta-analytic strategy was employed to synthesize estimates from 119 prevalence studies. This method produced more reliable prevalence rates than were available from any single study. Results. Prevalence estimates among samples of adolescents were significantly higher than estimates among samples of adults for both clinical (level 3) and subclinical (level 2) measures of disordered gambling within both lifetime and past-year time frames (e.g., 3.9% vs 1.6% for lifetime estimates of level 3 gambling). Among adults, prevalence estimates of disordered gambling have increased significantly during the past 20 years. Conclusions. Membership in youth, treatment, or prison population segments is significantly associated with experiencing gambling-related disorders. Understanding subclinical gamblers provides a meaningful opportunity to lower the public health burden associated with gambling disorders. Further research is necessary to determine whether the prevalence of disordered gambling will continue to increase among the general adult population and how prevalence among adolescents will change as this cohort ages. (Am d Public Health. 1999;89:1369-1376) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. The primary hypothesis of COMMIT (Community Intervention Trial for Smoking Cessation) was that a community-level, multichannel, 4-year intervention would increase quit rates among cigarette smokers, with heavy smokers (≥25 cigarettes per day) of priority. Methods. One community within each of 11 matched community pairs (10 in the United States, 1 in Canada) was randomly assigned to intervention, Endpoint cohorts totaling 10 019 heavy smokers and 10 328 light-to-moderate smokers were followed by telephone. Results. The mean heavy smoker quit rate (i.e., the fraction of cohort members who had achieved and maintained cessation at the end of the trial) was 0.180 for intervention communities versus 0.187 for comparison communities, a nonsignificant difference (one-sided P = .68 by permutation test; 90% test-based confidence interval (CI) for the difference = -0.031, 0.019). For light-to-moderate smokers, corresponding quit rates were 0.306 and 0.275; this difference was significant (P = .004; 90% CI = 0.014, 0.047). Smokers in intervention communities had greater perceived exposure to smoking control activities, which correlated with outcome only for light-to-moderate smokers. Conclusions. The impact of this community-based intervention on light-to-moderate smokers, although modest, has public health importance. This intervention did not increase quit rates of heavy smokers; reaching them may require new clinical programs and policy changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a comparison of linking national data systems that are being used by Canada and the U.S. to monitor health and to facilitate large-scale epidemiological studies of health hazards. Canada, as far as these systems are concerned, is making remarkable progress. The Canadian Mortality Data Base, tape file of all 4 million deaths in Canada for 1950-1977, and many other systems are powerful and economical tools for exploring genetic, environmental, and iatrogenic influences on health. The data resources of the U.S. Census Bureau , the Social Security Administration and many others has its own legal and administrative restrictions on access to its records.

The article provides information on the nominations for the 1993 American Public Health Association (APHA) awards. The awards for which nominations are being sought include the Sedgwick Memorial Medal, Jay S. Drotman Memorial Award, Martha May Eliot Award and the APHA Award for Excellence. All nominations for these awards should be submitted on the prescribed forms and must be accompanied with a complete curriculum vitae of the nominee. Nominees need not be members of the APHA, however, it is preferred that the nominees work in the U.S., Canada or Mexico.

Abstract: More than 5,000 miles of limited-access highways in the eastern United States and Canada were traveled to observe seat belt use. Overall belt use was 58 percent in the United States and 79 percent in Canada. The data indicate that belt use in the United States follows a different pattern on interstate highways than on other streets and roads, with relatively high belt use rates (over 50 percent) appearing to be somewhat independent of belt use law provisions. (Am J Public Health 1990; 80:740-742.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]