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Disparities in smoking prevalence persist among and within racial/ethnic groups in the U.S. This study aimed to identify racial/ethnic smoking behavior disparities in Chicago between 2015 and 2016. We used data from the Sinai Community Health Survey 2.0, a population-based survey conducted among adults living in ten diverse communities in Chicago. A total of 1543 adults completed the survey. We estimated the prevalence of smoking behavior among participants who had smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lives (N = 598). We stratified by race/ethnicity and sex, reporting statistically significant differences at p

Homicide is a leading cause of death across the U.S., and it disproportionally affects Blacks in urban areas. This study fills a gap in the literature by examining homicide mortality and Black-White homicide disparities in the 30 biggest U.S. cities and for the entire U.S. across 2 time periods (2008-2012 and 2013-2017).Using data from the National Vital Statistics System for 2008-2017, this study calculated age-adjusted homicide mortality rates (per 100,000) for the total, White, and Black populations in the 30 biggest cities, and the U.S. Black-to-White rate ratios were calculated to examine homicide mortality across the time periods. Data were analyzed in 2020.A total of 26 cities were included in the final analysis. Results show that U.S. homicides increased slightly but significantly across the time periods (p0.05). A total of 6 cities saw significant increases in homicides and 5 saw significant decreases. Homicide mortality rates were 1.8 times to20 times greater for Blacks than for Whites, and these disparities persisted across the time periods for most cities. Only 2 of 26 cities had mortality rates and racial inequities in rates that were lower than the national average.Homicide mortality increased slightly across the U.S. and most cities from 2008 to 2017. The majority of cities faced high homicide mortality rates and large inequities. Black-White disparities in homicide remain substantial at the national and city levels. These findings can inform city leaders in their efforts to address the homicide, violence, and racial inequities associated with them through the implementation of policies and programs.

This paper examines the epidemiology of nonfatal firearm violence (NFFV) on the Westside of Chicago over three finite time periods: 2005–2008, 2009–2012, and 2013–2016. The trend analysis will look at any significant changes over the time periods and describe the demographic characteristics of NFFV. A descriptive analysis of Mount Sinai Hospital (MSH) Emergency Department (ED) data was conducted. NFFV patients were identified by specific firearm ICD-9 primary eCode injury categories: accident, assault, legal intervention, undetermined intent, suicide or self-inflicted injury, and legal intervention. The Pearson Chi-square test was conducted to statistically compare the categorical frequencies of the Chicago metropolitan region of injury, cause of firearm related injury, and place of injury by time period. There were a total of 3962 nonfatal hospitalizations at MSH between the three time periods due to gun violence related injuries. Overall, nonfatal hospitalizations were most frequent for those between age groups 16–24 (52.5%). The number of nonfatal hospitalizations decreased with increasing age for the age groups 35–44 (9.7%), 45–54 (3.2%), and > 54 (1.2%). There were significantly more nonfatal hospitalizations in males (n = 3649) than females (n = 312) across the three time periods. However, there was a 74.7% increase in female nonfatal hospitalizations from 2009–2012 to 2013–2016. There were significant racial differences in nonfatal hospitalizations between the three time periods. NFFV continues to be problem on the Westside of Chicago, particularly for young, Black men. The incidence of gun violence however has not changed significantly between 2005 and 2016.

The recommended home health financial penalty program for preventable readmission does not factor race/ethnicity and neighborhood racial compositions into the determination of preventable readmission rates. Home health agencies may avoid beneficiaries from certain racial/ethnic groups and neighborhoods if these two factors have an effect on preventable readmissions. We examined the association between preventable readmissions with race/ethnicity and neighborhood racial composition. Several 2009 national data were used, such as the Master Beneficiary Summary File, Medicare Provider Analysis and Review File, and Outcome Assessment Information Set. Our sample consisted of diabetic Medicare home health beneficiaries (African-Americans and Whites only). We analyzed predictors of time-to-first 30-day preventable readmission, including short/long-term diabetic complications, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/asthma, bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, urinary tract infection, hypertension, heart failure, angina without procedure, uncontrolled diabetes, and lower-extremity amputation. There were 86,567, 17,262, and 11,392 observations in neighborhoods with low (6 % African-Americans), moderate (35 % African-Americans), and high (76 % African-Americans) density of African-Americans, respectively. Using Cox regression models, we found that in neighborhoods with moderate and high density of African-Americans, African-Americans had 21 % (hazard ratio (HR) 1.21; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.04–1.39) and 24 % (HR 1.24; 95 % CI 1.01–1.52) significantly higher hazards of 30-day preventable readmissions than Whites, respectively. Race and neighborhood racial compositions are beyond home health providers’ control. These two factors should be considered as covariates for the preventable readmissions in the recommended home health financial penalty program.

Previous studies have demonstrated an association between air pollution and asthma exacerbation. Less understood is the effect of elemental carbon (EC), and the interaction of EC with temperature, on increases in pediatric asthma emergency department visits and how these relationships change across the seasons in a metropolitan area with several industries and relatively low air pollution. Measurements of EC, ozone (O(3)), sulfur dioxide (SO(2)), and total oxides of nitrogen (NO(x)) were available from the St. Louis EPA Supersite for June 1, 2001 to May 31, 2003. We obtained ICD-9 information on 281,763 pediatric ED visits from 27 hospitals in the St. Louis, MO metropolitan area. The relationship between EC and pediatric asthma ED visits, controlling for season, weekend exposure, allergens, and other pollutants known to exacerbate asthma, was assessed using Poisson generalized estimating equations using a 1-day lag between exposure and ED visit. We evaluated the interaction of EC and temperature and EC and weekend vs. weekday exposure. An interaction effect existed between EC and temperature for 11-17-year-olds during the summer and winter seasons. During the summer, a 0.10 microg/m(3) increase in EC resulted in a 9.45% increase in asthma ED visits among 11-17-year-olds (95%CI = 1.02,1.17) at the median seasonal temperature (86.5 degrees F). This risk increased with increasing temperature. During the winter, a 0.10 microg/m(3) increase in EC resulted in 2.80% increase in asthma ED visits among 11-17-year-olds (95%CI = 1.01,1.05) at the median seasonal temperature (43.3 degrees F). This risk increased with decreasing temperature. Among 11-17-year-olds, daily number of asthma ED visits is associated with increased levels of EC at higher temperatures in the summer and lower temperatures in the winter.

Objectives: To evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of unconjugated Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) polysaccharide (PRP) vaccine and two PRP-protein-conjugated vaccines as a model for the comparison of protein-conjugated versus plain polysaccharide vaccines in the elderly. Design: Randomized, double-blind, prospective study. Setting: University-based center for vaccine research and development. Participants: A total of 125 adults, aged 64 to 92, who were judged to be in general good health and lacking any significant underlying medical conditions. Intervention: Subjects were randomized to receive one of three vaccines: Group 1 (n=39), PRP; Group 2 (n=44), PRP conjugated to an outer-membrane protein complex of Neisseria meningitidis (PRP-OMP); and Group 3 (n=42), PRP conjugated to diphtheria toxoid (PRP-D). Sera were obtained before immunization and 1 and 12 months later. Measurements: Subjects maintained a diary of injection site and systemic reactions for 3 days after immunization. A radioantigen-binding assay was used to measure total concentrations of serum anticapsular antibody, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure immunoglobulin (Ig) G1 and IgG2 anticapsular antibody responses. Antibody functional activity was assessed using a complement-mediated bactericidal assay. Results: Before vaccination, the geometric mean serum anticapsular antibody concentration was 0.8 μg/mL, but fewer than 10% of subjects had detectable bactericidal activity (titer>1:4). The magnitude, subclass distribution, and bactericidal activity of antibody responses to unconjugated PRP vaccine were similar to those observed in previous studies of younger adults immunized with PRP. The OMP conjugate, which is highly immunogenic after one dose in 2-month old infants, did not elicit anticapsular antibody responses in the elderly greater than those elicited by PRP vaccine (P=.43). In contrast, the D conjugate, which is poorly immunogenic in 2-month old infants, elicited higher anticapsular antibody responses than PRP vaccine in the elderly (P=.01) and higher levels than the OMP-conjugate 1 year after vaccination (P

This study evaluated the impact ofan extended shelter-based child development/family therapy intervention, called Building Blocks, on the development of children of substance- abusing homeless mothers. The homeless children had greater than expected percentages ofdevelopmental deficits in a number of the developmental domains. Those children who participated in the extended child development/family therapy services were one fourth as likely to have a developmental deficit at 12 months compared to children who did not receive these services. Interventions must be intensive and long-term to improve the developmental outcomes of children with multiple risks ofpoverty, homelessness, and family substance abuse.

This study aimed to examine insurance coverage, use of the healthcare system, satisfaction with care, transition from pediatric to adult healthcare services, and social and emotional support for individuals with genetic conditions. In June 2013, the National Genetics Education and Consumer Network surveyed US individuals with genetic conditions about their healthcare experiences. Chi square statistics were used to compare use of the healthcare system, satisfaction, social and emotional support of children (0–17 years) and adults (18 + years) with genetic conditions. There were 1895 valid responses (53.0 % individuals with genetic conditions, 47.0 % parents of these individuals). The findings suggest several potential areas to impact the quality of care received by this population. The majority of respondents reported that they had: (1) more than one health professional they considered to be their personal doctor or nurse (70.5 % children; 57.8 % adults); (2) providers that listened carefully to their needs always or most of the time (82.2 % children; 83.5 % adults); and (3) providers that usually or always involved them as partners in their care (78.4 % children; 66.6 % adults). However, several significant differences around care and support received between children versus adults and areas of need were reported. Most persons surveyed received care from a system of providers that was self- or parent- coordinated and lacked sufficient social and emotional support. Data from this study will inform practice and identifies further research needed to improve care provided to individuals with genetic conditions who require a combination of specialty and primary care.

The purpose of this paper is to describe a community-based participatory process of developing computer tailored messages (a form of technologically advanced health education materials) within a community-based lay health adviser program. This process included: 1) identifying the desired characteristics of the health education materials, 2) prioritizing the content and format of the health education materials, and 3) developing methods for distributing these materials. An overview of the lay health adviser program is presented, followed by a description of how each step was taken, a review of the health education method chosen (computer-tailored messages), and a discussion of the challenges and benefits of using community-based participatory processes to bring appropriate technology to communities.

Patients with inherited cystic kidney diseases have progressive cystic dilation of nephrons with concomitant loss of functional renal parenchyma and renal failure. Animal models of inherited cystic kidney disease are useful for study of the pathogenesis and molecular basis of cystic renal diseases. This article describes the clinical and pathologic features in two spontaneously occurring murine models of inherited polycystic kidney disease due to independent allelic mutations on mouse chromosome 8. The mutations, designated kat and kat2J, affect a chromosomal segment homologous to a region of human chromosome 4q35; the altered gene has not yet been identified. An allelism test showed that the mutations are at the same locus. The phenotype, inherited as an autosomal recessive, is more severe in kat2J/kat2J mice. Their kidneys are morphologically normal at birth, but by 3 mo of age, cysts affect all levels of the nephron. Adult males have testicular hypoplasia and they are sterile. A few of the oldest kat2J/kat2J mice have focal portal bile duct proliferation and dilation. kat2J/kat2J mice develop anemia and uremia and die before 1 yr of age. In kat/kat mice, the renal cystic disease progresses more slowly but is morphologically similar to that of kat2J/kat2J mice. The progressive cystic transformation of the kidneys in these allelic murine models resembles that seen in humans with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclass antibody responses to pneumococcal vaccines were determined for human subjects in four age groups. The ratios of IgG1/IgG2 antibody concentrations declined with advancing age for all five of the serotypes tested. Protein-conjugate vaccines elicited enhanced IgG antibody responses over plain polysaccharide vaccines in infants but not in adult groups.

Data on chronic disease risk behaviors and related variables, including barriers to and attitudes toward physical activity, are lacking for women of some racial/ethnic groups. A test-retest study was conducted from July 1996 through June 1997 among US women (n = 199) aged 40 years or more who were white, black, American Indian/Alaska Native, or Hispanic. The sample was selected and interviews were conducted using a modified version of the methods of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. For behavioral risk factors such as physical inactivity, smoking, and low fruit and vegetable consumption, group prevalences were generally similar between interviews 1 and 2. However, kappa values for selected physical activity variables ranged from 0.26 to 0.51 and tended to be lower for black women. Discordance was low for variables on cigarette smoking and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (kappa = 0.64-0.92). Discordance was high (kappa = 0.33) for low consumption of fruits and vegetables. Additional variables for barriers to and access to exercise ranged widely across racial/ethnic groups and in terms of measures of agreement. These methods illustrate an efficient way to sample and assess the reliability of data collected from women of racial/ethnic minority groups.

Survival analysis is a set of statistical techniques that is useful for modeling the types of changes commonly encountered in clinical assessment and treatment evaluation. This article provides a practical, comprehensive, mathematically sound yet nontechnical introduction to survival methods. After discussing study design and data, a complete example data set from a fictitious study of alcohol relapse patterns is introduced to illustrate commonly used survival analysis procedures, including the life-table method, the Kaplan-Meier procedure, the Cox proportional hazards model, and fully parametric survival models. These methods are used to describe the general survival and hazard functions, compare survival probabilities for groups of patients, develop multivariate hazard models, model the shape of the hazard function over time, and use diagnostic tools to check statistical assumptions. Complete SAS and SPSS programs are included in Appendix B.

OBJECTIVE. Our goal was to estimate the quarterly prevalence of and evaluate trends for chronic medication use in children.PATIENTS AND METHODS. A cross-sectional study of ambulatory prescription claims data from 2002 to 2005 was conducted for a nationally representative sample of >3.5 million commercially insured children who were 5 to 19 years old. Prevalence of chronic medication use was measured quarterly for antihypertensives, antihyperlipidemics, type 2 antidiabetics, antidepressants, attention-deficit disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medications, and asthma-controller therapy.RESULTS. First-quarter 2002 baseline prevalence of chronic medication use per 1000 child beneficiaries ranged from a high of 29.5 for antiasthmatics to a low of 0.27 for antihyperlipidemics. Except for asthma medication use, prevalence rates were higher for older teens aged 15 to 19 years. During the study period, the prevalence rate for type 2 antidiabetic agents doubled, driven by 166% and 135% increases in prevalence among females aged 10 to 14 and 15 to 19 years, respectively. Therapy classes with double-digit growth in prevalence of use were asthma medications (46.5%), attention-deficit disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medications (40.4%), and antihyperlipidemics (15%). Prevalence of use growth was more moderate for antihypertensives and antidepressants (1.8%). Rates of growth were dramatically higher among girls than boys for type 2 antidiabetics (147% vs 39%), attention-deficit disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medications (63% vs 33%), and antidepressants (7% vs −4%).CONCLUSIONS. Prevalence of chronic medication use in children increased across all therapy classes evaluated. Additional study is needed into the factors influencing these trends, including growth in chronic disease risk factors, greater awareness and screening, and greater affinity toward early use of drug therapy in children.

The use of a cyanide ion-specific electrode in combination with the Conway microdiffusion method was modified for the measurement of cyanide concentration in human red blood cells and plasma. With our modified method, the optimal pH of cyanide isolation from red blood cells and plasma was investigated. Cyanide recovery from red blood cells increased with decreasing pH. The maximal recovery of 96.9 +/- 2.6% was obtained at a pH of less than 1. Cyanide recovery from plasma, however, peaked at a pH between 7 and 8, and further changes in pH reduced the recovery rate. The maximal recovery rate from plasma was 74.1 +/- 1.5%. In previous studies, cyanide isolations from both plasma and red blood cells were carried out at a pH of less than 1. This study shows that cyanide isolation from plasma should be performed at a pH between 7 and 8.

This household-based study of 100 parents documents the type and frequency of home toddler unintentional injury and describes parental supervision at the time of injury. Also included is a home assessment for injury-related hazards, parental report of the use of home safety measures, and an 8-week phone survey. The mean number of child injuries was 2.8 (SD = 2.69). Five percent of the injuries required medical attention. Overall, one fifth of the injuries occurred when children were unsupervised. Findings suggest that minor injury may have a developmental component that is different from that of serious injury.

Objectives: An essential function of public health is to conduct research and in Missouri, a research agenda was initiated to promote the health and well being of women and children. In 2005, a survey was emailed to 180 maternal and child health (MCH) researchers throughout the state, with 130 responding for a 72.2% response rate. These individuals were asked to select research priorities out of a list of 130 research agenda items, identify personal areas of expertise, and to recommend new research topics. Results: Results focused on identifying research priorities and research experts. The first, of the five leading research priorities, was researching disparities in terms of age, race, ethnicity, and gender, regarding sexually transmitted diseases, chronic disease, birth outcomes, prenatal care, access to care, childhood exposure to lead, immunizations and vaccinations, mental health, substance abuse, and oral health. The four remaining, of the top five specific research priorities, in order of priority, included (2) reducing barriers to health care access, (3) constructing research ecologically, (4) increasing access to oral health care for children, and (5) reducing the prevalence of children who are at-risk for being overweight. Of the 130 respondents, 83.1% reported at least one area of expertise, with a mean of 7.4 areas of expertise per respondent (range 0–41). Forty percent of the respondents reported health care access as an area of expertise, followed by school health, community development, family support, and pre/post natal care (38.5%, 36.2%, 30.0%, 28.5%, and 26.9%) respectively. Interestingly, only 17.7% of the respondents reported disparities as their area of expertise. Conclusions: The goal of moving innovations towards changes in practice can only happen when resources are available to assess innovations and communities are ready to implement those innovations. The prioritization of this MCH research agenda, prioritized by a community of MCH researchers with expertise in conducting MCH related research, is the first step towards changes in practice, ultimately leading to improvements in the health of women and children in Missouri.

We compared biochemical progression rates measured by increasing prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels using a standard definition of biochemical recurrence among patients with screen detected prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy (RP) or radiotherapy (RT).A total of 1,939 patients diagnosed with clinically localized prostate cancer in a community based screening study from 1989 to 1998, followed through 2001, were treated with RP or RT and agreed to enroll in a followup study. This prospective cohort study (median followup 62 months, range 0.2 to 141) used adjusted Cox proportional hazards models to examine time to progression. Selection bias was addressed with propensity scores. Biochemical evidence of cancer progression was defined as PSA greater than 0.2 ng/ml in patients who underwent RP and 3 consecutive PSA increases as recommended by the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology criteria for radiotherapy.Of the patients 17% had evidence of cancer progression. The percentage with progression-free survival at 5 and 9 years for RP was 84% and 76%, respectively, and for RT 80% and 70%, respectively. Cox proportional hazards models produced a hazard ratio of 1.63 (95% CI, 1.12, 2.38) for RT compared with RP, adjusting for clinical stage, Gleason grade, preoperative PSA, biopsy age, treatment year and propensity for treatment type.With intermediate term followup, patients treated with RT were more likely to have cancer progression than with RP adjusting for demographics, clinical factors, selection bias and treatment year.

To evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of unconjugated Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) polysaccharide (PRP) vaccine and two PRP-protein-conjugated vaccines as a model for the comparison of protein-conjugated versus plain polysaccharide vaccines in the elderly.Randomized, double-blind, prospective study.University-based center for vaccine research and development.A total of 125 adults, aged 64 to 92, who were judged to be in general good health and lacking any significant underlying medical conditions.Subjects were randomized to receive one of three vaccines: Group 1 (n=39), PRP; Group 2 (n=44), PRP conjugated to an outer-membrane protein complex of Neisseria meningitidis (PRP-OMP); and Group 3 (n=42), PRP conjugated to diphtheria toxoid (PRP-D). Sera were obtained before immunization and 1 and 12 months later.Subjects maintained a diary of injection site and systemic reactions for 3 days after immunization. A radioantigen-binding assay was used to measure total concentrations of serum anticapsular antibody, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure immunoglobulin (Ig) G1 and IgG2 anticapsular antibody responses. Antibody functional activity was assessed using a complement-mediated bactericidal assay.Before vaccination, the geometric mean serum anticapsular antibody concentration was 0.8 microg/mL, but fewer than 10% of subjects had detectable bactericidal activity (titer1:4). The magnitude, subclass distribution, and bactericidal activity of antibody responses to unconjugated PRP vaccine were similar to those observed in previous studies of younger adults immunized with PRP. The OMP conjugate, which is highly immunogenic after one dose in 2-month old infants, did not elicit anticapsular antibody responses in the elderly greater than those elicited by PRP vaccine (P=.43). In contrast, the D conjugate, which is poorly immunogenic in 2-month old infants, elicited higher anticapsular antibody responses than PRP vaccine in the elderly (P=.01) and higher levels than the OMP-conjugate 1 year after vaccination (P.006).Elderly adults develop protective anticapsular antibody responses to unconjugated and conjugated PRP vaccine. The higher anticapsular antibody responses to the D conjugate but not to the OMP conjugate in the elderly, which is the reverse of that observed in immunized infants, implies fundamental differences in the immunological mechanisms by which the two age groups respond to PRP and by which the OMP and D conjugates elicit anticapsular antibody responses.

To estimate the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder and its treatment in economically disadvantaged pregnant women.The sample included 744 pregnant Medicaid-eligible women from Women, Infants and Children Supplemental Nutrition Program sites in 5 counties in rural Missouri and the city of St. Louis. Race (black and white) was proportional to clients seen at each site. Women were assessed by using standardized measures of posttraumatic stress disorder, 18 other psychiatric disorders, environmental stressors, and pregnancy characteristics. Logistic regression identified risk factors associated with posttraumatic stress disorder.Posttraumatic stress disorder prevalence was 7.7% (n = 57/744). Comorbid disorders were common. Women with posttraumatic stress disorder were 5 times more likely to have a major depressive episode (odds ratio 5.17; 95% confidence interval 2.61, 10.26) and more than 3 times as likely to have generalized anxiety disorder (odds ratio 3.25; 95% confidence interval 1.22, 8.62). Besides these comorbid disorders, risk factors for posttraumatic stress disorder included a history of maternal separation for 6 months and multiple traumatic events. Although most women with posttraumatic stress disorder reported moderate impairment in their daily lives, only 7 of the 57 women with this disorder reported speaking with any health professional about it in the last 12 months.The prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder in pregnancy and low treatment rates suggest that screening for this disorder should be considered in clinical practice.II-2

A cross-sectional epidemiology study evaluated the role of sexual activity and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the transmission of hepatitis G virus (HGV/GBV-C) and other hepatitis virus infections in 944 subjects. There was a statistically significant higher prevalence of HGV/GBV-C, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus exposure in the STD clinic group (i.e., subjects who were currently seeking treatment for an STD) compared with the group who never had received treatment for an STD. In a comparison of the subjects with an STD versus those without an STD, the prevalence of HGV/GBV-C was 11.3% versus 4.9%, on the basis of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results alone, and 36.6% versus 8.8%, when results of PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were combined. Sexual activity and, possibly, the presence of an STD increases the risk of HGB/GBV-C transmission.

This study examined the rates and factors associated with physical activity in women of various ages. Adult women (n = 653) from four community-based family medicine clinics completed a self-administered behavioral and health questionnaire while waiting to see their physician. Findings suggested variation in physical activity over the life span, with older women performing less physical activity than younger women. Family characteristics (e.g., having children) were strongly associated with performing less structured, less intense physical activities of daily living among women 49 years and younger. Younger women reported having high self-efficacy for physical activity, but also reported the greatest numbers of barriers. Women in the oldest age category reported health as the most common motivator for physical activity, but were also least likely to perform physical activity. Interventions designed to meet the unique needs of women at different stages in their lives will potentially reduce the rate of inactivity among women. Creative, flexible strategies that incorporate physical activity into the daily routine should be used in the program development.

Context: Researchers and practitioners are increasingly realizing that improvements in public health require changes in individual, social, and economic factors. Concurrent with this renewed awareness there has been a growing interest in working with communities to create healthful changes through academic/practice/community research partnerships. However, this type of research presents different challenges and requires different skills than traditional research projects. The development of a set of principles of practice for these types of research projects can assist researchers in developing, implementing, and evaluating their partnerships and their project activities. Objective: This paper describes the different ways in which academics and community groups may work together, including academic/practice/community partnerships. Several principles of practice for engaging in these research partnerships are presented followed by a description of how these principles have been put into operation in a family violence prevention program. Conclusions: The principles presented are: (1) identify the best processes/model to be used based on the nature of the issue and the intended outcome; (2) acknowledge the difference between community input and active community involvement; (3) develop relationships based on mutual trust and respect; (4) acknowledge and honor different partner’s “agendas”; (5) consider multi-disciplinary approaches; (6) use evaluation strategies that are consistent with the overall approach taken in the academic/practice/community partnership; and (7) be aware of partnership maturation and associated transition periods. The limitations of these principles and their application in various settings are discussed. Medical Subject Headings: research(collaborative), community participation, program evaluation. (Am J Prev Med 1999;16(3S):86 ‐93) © 1999 American Journal of Preventive Medicine

This in vitro study was performed to determine whether changes in hemoglobin (Hb) concentration and temperature influenced the amount of cyanide (CN−) released from sodium nitroprusside (SNP). Canine whole blood with a Hb concentration of 8.5 to 18.9 g·dl (5.3 to 18.9 mM) was equilibrated with SNP at either 37°C or 25°C, and CN− levels in plasma and red blood cells (RBC) were measured using the microdiffusion method. Changes in Hb concentration and temperature did not have any statistically significant effect on the CN− released from SNP in plasma. On the other hand, CN− levels in RBC decreased with increasing Hb concentrations. CN− levels in RBC were significantly lower at 25°C than at 37°C. Though the Hb concentration and temperature changed the amount of CN− released from SNP in RBC, the change observed was not clinically significant.

Confusion regarding proper use of the terms rate and risk persists in the literature. This has implications for the proper modeling of prognosis and transition between health states in decision analysis and related techniques. The issue is complicated by the plethora of terms related to rate and risk. Although the suggestion to use the terms force and probability as substitutes for rate and risk has some appeal, the change in terminology by itself is unlikely to solve all the confusion or misuse of terms. This paper clarifies the proper definitions and estimations of rates and risks and suggests critical factors for the decision analyst to re member when using, modeling, or interpreting transition rates and risks. Key words: decision models; rate; risk; force; probability; transitions. (Med Decis Making 1994;14:52-58)

Study Objective : To analyze intraoperative autologous salvage of shed mediastinal blood and subsequent transfusion in cardiac surgery. Design : Retrospective statistical analysis. Setting : University hospital. Patients : Three thousand twenty two patients undergoing cardiac surgery from 1984 to 1988. Interventions : A review of anesthesia and transfusion records of all patients who underwent intraoperative salvage of shed blood and autologous transfusion using the Sorenson Receptal Auto Transfusion System (ATS) with saline wash prior to reinfusion in cardiac surgery. Measurements and Main Results : The salvaged blood volume ranged from 36 to 2,795 ml, with a mean of 321 ± 222 ml (SD). Eighteen percent of patients did not receive any homologous blood products during their hospitalization. Patients who received only salvaged autologous transfusion were younger, had higher preoperative hemoglobin and hematocrit values, had a larger body surface area, and had shorter surgeries compared with patients who received only homologous blood or both autologous and homologous blood. More blood products were given to patients who received salvaged autologous blood compared with those who did not. Patients who underwent normovolemic hemodilution prior to extracorporeal circulation with subsequent reinfusion received significantly fewer blood products. Ten preoperative and, four intraoperative variables significantly influenced the salvaged volume. Previous cardiac surgery was the most significant preoperative variable, and repair of ventricular septal defect produced by myocardial ischemia was the most significant intraoperative variable. Conclusion : Considering the average salvaged volume and its current autologous transfusion-related expense, autologous blood salvage is potentially an economic benefit. Perioperative blood conservation requires a considerable commitment from surgeons, anesthesiologists, perfusionists, and intensive care physicians to be effective.

The most serious risk of the use of the flow-directed pulmonary artery (PA) catheter is PA rupture due to high balloon inflation pressure of the catheter. Previously reported measurements of PA catheter intra-balloon pressure and volume during balloon inflation were performed mostly in a static fashion, that is, measurements were performed after a certain volume of air had been injected into the balloon. In this study, simultaneous measurements of pressure and volume, in addition to a static study, were performed in vitro using four PA catheters (Abbott Opticath, Arrow Hands-Off, Baxter Edwards and Spectramed). The peak intra-balloon pressure was recorded immediately before loss of resistance was felt in the inflating syringe. Contrary to previously reported studies, the peak intra-balloon pressure was not the pressure exerted on the pulmonary artery wall unless the lip of the catheter was already in the peripheral pulmonary artery. The loss of resistance volume which was constant for each catheter could be used reliably as an indicator of instantaneous balloon inflation. The slower the rate of injection, the lower were the peak pressure and the injection volume at the peak pressure. The Abbott, Edwards and Spectramed catheters had similar characteristics of inflation volume and intra-balloon pressure. The Arrow catheter had higher balloon opening and plateau pressures, and a smaller balloon volume compared with the other three catheters.

A two-group randomized experimental design was employed to assess the effects of monitoring and feedback on the compliance of 93 psychiatric outpatients treated with lithium. Compliance in both groups was measured using self-report, lithium level, appointment-keeping, and medication refill frequency. The experimental group was also monitored using a unique electronic device that records the time and day pills are removed. At the midpoint of the study, the experimental group received feedback about serum lithium levels and patterns of removing medications from the monitoring device while the control group received feedback about serum lithium levels only. The study demonstrated no sustained effect of the monitoring and feedback interventions on compliance.

The prevalence and characteristics of silent myocardial ischemia as detected by 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiography ST-segment depression were prospectively assessed in 94 patients examined early (1 to 3 months) and 184 patients examined late (12 months) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), and followed for a mean of 48 +/- 11 (range 4 to 62) months. The relation of ambulatory electrocardiographic silent ischemia to evidence of completeness of revascularization as defined by cardiac angiography performed 1 and 12 months after CABG, and to prognosis by follow-up of adverse clinical events was analyzed. Silent ischemia was detected early in 20% (19 of 94) and late in 27% (50 of 184) of patients, and showed a mean frequency of episodes ranging from 6 to 10 episodes/24 hours with a mean duration ranging from 15 to 23 minutes. The circadian distribution of episodes disclosed a significant peak of ischemic activity during the period of 6 A.M. to noon and a secondary peak between 6 P.M. and midnight (p less than 0.01 and p less than 0.001, respectively). Silent ischemia was not found by univariate analysis to be associated with graft or anastomotic site occlusions, low graft flow rates, grafted arteries with significant distal residual stenoses or ungrafted stenotic native coronary arteries. Kaplan-Meier analysis of time to cardiac event showed that silent ischemia was not predictive of an adverse clinical event in the early years after CABG. Cox regression analysis of 30 covariates only disclosed age (relative risk 1.06 [95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 2.94]) as having an effect on time to adverse clinical event.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

To compare eyebrow and forehead elevation and tension among the following 3 surgical techniques: subperiosteal dissection to the supraorbital rim, subperiosteal dissection with release (elevation, incision, and spread) of periosteum at the supraorbital rim, and subgaleal dissection to the supraorbital rim, and to determine the optimal method of elevation in an aesthetically accepted range for the endoscopic forehead lift.A randomized, self-controlled study using an open approach to the forehead in cadaver heads. Each half of head was compared with the other in the following 2 study groups: subperiosteal dissection without release vs subperiosteal dissection with release of periosteum (group 1) and subperiosteal dissection with release of periosteum vs subgaleal dissection.Anatomy laboratory at a university medical center.Eight cadaver heads fixed with ethylene glycol in each group.Predissection distances in millimeters from fixed anatomic landmarks were measured. The forehead flaps were elevated using a coronal incision and divided with a midline incision for side-to-side comparison. Cadaver heads and side of surgical intervention were selected randomly. The flap tensions associated with incremental flap advancement of 0.5 and 1.0 cm were measured. Traction of 2.2 kg was then applied to each flap, and distances between the fixed landmarks were measured.Mean predissection and postdissection distance of brow and forehead elevation for each dissection type and mean distance and median tension of brow and forehead elevation within each group.The mean postdissection brow measurements at rest were significantly greater than the mean predissection measurements at most landmarks in all dissections for both groups (P.05). The mean postdissection brow and forehead measurements with 2.2 kg of traction were significantly greater than the mean predissection measurements at all landmarks in all dissections for both groups (P.05). The mean increase in distance from predissection to postdissection (at rest and with 2.2 kg of traction) did not significantly differ between the different dissection types (P.05). For group 1, the median flap tension for subperiosteal dissection without release was greater than that for subperiosteal dissection with release (P.05). For group 2, subperiosteal dissection with release had greater median flap tension than subgaleal dissection (P.05).All 3 methods of dissection significantly elevated the brow at rest for most landmarks. All 3 methods of dissection significantly elevated the brow and forehead when traction was applied to the flap. Brow and forehead elevation at rest and with 2.2 kg of traction did not significantly differ between the dissections. Subgaleal dissection was associated with less flap tension compared with the subperiosteal dissection with or without release. The data support the use of all 3 methods of forehead dissection for brow elevation and subgaleal forehead dissection as the optimal approach for the forehead lift, whether performed endoscopically or open.

The glomerular basement membrane and lamina densa are complex structures that change in composition and thickness with age. We studied their ultrastructural morphology in 37 infants and children, from 1 day to 11 years of age, who died without clinical or morphological evidence of renal disease. The glomerular basement membrane and its lamina densa rapidly increase in width during the first 2 years of life, followed by continued, albeit slower, growth during later childhood.

In vitro release of cyanide from sodium nitroprusside in 5% dextrose in water solution following exposure or non-exposure to fluorescent light (500 ft candles or 791 microwatt per square cm [muWcm-2]), was measured by a cyanide-specific ion electrode at 4, 8, 24, 48, and 72 h. The cyanide concentrations were significantly increased at 24 h in the light-exposed solution. In this group, 100% of the cyanide was released from sodium nitroprusside at 72 h exposure to light. However, cyanide concentrations showed no significant changes for 72 h in the light-protected solutions, which were either exposed to 500 foot candles fluorescent light or stored in a dark room. Less than 2.5% of the cyanide was released from sodium nitroprusside at 72 h in both of the light-protected groups. No significant differences in cyanide concentrations were observed at 8 h among the exposed or non-exposed solutions. After 24 h of exposure, the cyanide concentrations in the exposed group were significantly higher than those of the two light-protected solutions. However, there were no significant differences between the cyanide concentration in the light-protected solutions. These results substantiate the safety of sodium nitroprusside solution for 24 h if the sodium nitroprusside containing solutions are properly protected from light. An additional study performed showed that a significant amount of cyanide released from sodium nitroprusside was adsorbed to the surface of polyvinylchloride.

This study compares the use of health services by veterans with that by nonveterans; compares the use of health services by veterans from different service cohorts with each other; and examines the correlates of veterans' use of the VA health care delivery system. After adjusting for differences in the predisposing, enabling, and need characteristics, there were virtually no meaningful differences in the use of health services between veterans and nonveterans. This suggests that health care planning within the VA can proceed similarly to health care planning for the civilian population, albeit taking into consideration the significant difference in the sex distribution between the two populations. Virtually no meaningful or consistent veteran cohort effects on the use of health services were found. This suggests that health care planning within the VA may proceed without regard to changes in the nature of the veteran cohort structure. Finally, although there was a strong and obvious effect of service-connected disabilities (high-priority eligibility due to health status) on the use of the VA health care delivery system for veterans, there was no effect of being 65 years of age and older (high-priority eligibility due to age) on the use of the VA. Aside from service-connected disabilities, limited access to other health care delivery systems was the major factor behind the demand for VA care.

Certain biomedical applications of the Weibull distribution (e.g. time-to-relapse data of alcoholics) involve graphical estimation of the Weibull scale and shape parameters in small samples with possible outliers and potential censoring. This paper describes and compares the performance of six plotting conventions using least absolute deviation (L1) and least squares (L2) regression methods under conditions of small sample size, censoring, and outliers. A series of simulation experiments indicate that in small samples (N = 10), L2 regression methods are superior in all ten situations of censoring and contamination. When sample the size is small, the Bain and Antle plotting method is consistently the best choice in the absence of censoring, whereas the Kaplan-Meier plotting rule is consistently good when data are censored. For moderate size samples (N = 20), there is no clear relationship between L1 superiority with level and type of contamination. Further, the choice of plotting convention varies when dat...

To examine the natural history of long-term antiarrhythmic therapy in patients with benign and potentially lethal ventricular premature complexes (VPCs), 28 patients with initial efficacy with moricizine (>75% suppression of baseline mean VPCs/hr and >90% suppression of repetitive VPCs) were prospectively followed for 1 to 56 (mean ± standard deviation 25 ± 17) months. Patients were examined during baseline placebo, antiarrhythmic drug therapy and intermittent pulsedplacebo reexamination periods. The mean VPCs of all patients at baseline entry were 233 ± 47 VPCs/ hr, and after moricizine therapy 14 ± 4 VPCs/hr. Follow-up demonstrated that antiarrhythmic efficacy decreased to 75% at 12 months and to 62% at 24 months. Loss of antiarrhythmic drug efficacy most commonly occurred as a “transient” event (10 patients [36%]), and efficacy was spontaneously reestablished without a change in antiarrhythmic therapy. In contrast, increased dose titration of moricizine was necessary to reestablish antiarrhythmic suppression efficacy in 4 patients (14%), and 4 patients (14%) lost antiarrhythmic drug responsiveness during follow-up. Spontaneous decrease in baseline VPCs resulted in discontinuation of antiarrhythmic therapy in 3 patients, and increase in baseline VPCs was associated with a loss of antiarrhythmic response in 2 patients. Late proarrhythmic effects (2 patients, 7%), delayed side effects necessitating drug withdrawal (6 patients, 21%) and medical events (4 patients, 14%) occurred during 56 months of follow-up. Individual serum moricizine levels remained in the therapeutic range throughout the study and did not correlate with changes in antiarrhythmic efficacy. Both the development of time-dependent changes in spontaneous variability of VPCs and the occurrence of late clinical and arrhythmic events confound the evaluation of long-term antiarrhythmic drug therapy.

Following primary maximal cytoreduction, 71 previously untreated patients with advanced epithelial ovarian carcinoma received at least six courses of combination chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide. The cumulative dose (CD) through three (CD3) and six (CD6) courses was calculated for each drug and for all drugs combined. The dose intensity (DI) through three (DI3) and six (DI6) courses was calculated for each drug by dividing CD3 and CD6 by the interval (in weeks) between surgery and the third and sixth course. The interval from surgery to the third or sixth course had no effect on survival. Similarly, there was no significant difference in survival between patients with high and low CD3 or CD6 for any drug or for all drugs combined. Patients with high DI6 for cisplatin, doxorubicin, and all drugs combined survived significantly longer than those with low DI6. The survival difference for patients with high and low DI6 for cyclophosphamide approached, but did not attain, statistical significance at the 0.05 level. The intensity with which combination chemotherapy is administered may have an impact upon survival in patients with ovarian carcinoma.

This paper studies methods for simple estimation of the exponential mean parameter in small samples in the presence of outliers. Existing estimation methods are discussed. Adaptation of these methods to allow for Type I censoring is investigated. New robust procedures are proposed. A series of simulation experiments Indicate trimming provides significant protection against outliers while the premium is usually small when trimming uncontarninated samples. A linearly weighted mean is recommended for uncontarninated samples, both censored and complete. In larger samples, (n - 20), the proposed Huber-type estimator performs quite well in all situations of censoring and contarnination

To determine if the signal-averaged electrocardiographic detection of late potentials is an independent marker of sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) in patients with documented chronic coronary artery disease (CAD), 57 patients underwent signal-averaged electrocardiography. Mean ejection fraction was 47 +/- 13% in the 14 patients with sustained VT and 56 +/- 19% in the 43 patients without VT (difference not significant). The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of late potentials for detecting patients with VT were 64% (9 of 14), 79% (34 of 43), and 75% (43 of 57), respectively. Univariate analysis and stepwise logistic regression of angiographic and electrocardiographic variables identified late potentials as an independent marker of the patient with sustained VT. The odds ratio for late potentials to detect patients with prior sustained VT was 2.6. Six-month follow-up revealed a cardiac mortality rate of 11% and an arrhythmia event rate of 22% in patients with late potentials vs a cardiac mortality rate of 3% and an arrhythmia event rate of 13% in patients without late potentials. Thus, signal-averaged electrocardiographic detection of late potentials is useful in identifying patients with prior sustained VT independent of left ventricular function.

This paper investigated the relationships of widowhood, sex, and labor force participation with the use of ambulatory physician services by elderly adults. Data on 18,441 individuals aged 55 and over were taken from the 1978 Health Interview Survey. Hierarchical regression results indicated that although these three factors are related to physician utilization at the zero- and first-partial levels, only sex remained significant when their two- and three-way interactions and other variables from the behavioral model (including living arrangements) were introduced. This suggests that the effects of widowhood and labor force participation are spurious. Widows are simply more likely to live alone and are less likely to work than widowers; those who live alone and do not work are more likely to use health services (and more of them) than those who live with others and are gainfully employed.Studies typically report that widowed persons go to the doctor and to the hospital more often than married persons. Using data from the 1978 Health Interview Survey, the researchers studied 18,441 individuals aged 55 and older to clarify the effect of widowhood on physician use. They examined the unadjusted effects of widowhood, sex, and labor force participation on physician contact and the volume of physician visits. Next they adjusted the effect of each of the 3 factors for the other 2 and for the 2- and 3-way interactions among them. Finally, they introduced additional controls typically included in modelling the use of health services among elderly adults. 56% of the sample were women, 23% were widowed, and 34% were gainfully employed. 78% had seen a doctor at least once in the past 12 months. The controls used were taken from Anderson's behavioral model. Ordinary least squares regression analysis was used to obtain the unstandardized (and standardized) coefficients. Results show that although widowhood, sex, and labor force participation are related to physical utilization at the 0 and 1st- partial levels, only sex remained significant when their 2- and 3-way interactions and other variables from the behavioral model (including living arrangements) were introduced. Women are about 4% more likely to have seen a physician during the past year than men. Those who live alone are 5% more likely to have seen a doctor in the past year. Thus, the real effect is living alone, not being a widow. The researchers mention 2 cautions about the data: 1) generalization to other outcomes is tenuous; and, 2) the data do not indicate how long the widowed have been widowed.

t From the Department of Sociology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois. ? From the Department of Community Health, St. Louis University Medical Center, St. Louis, Missouri. Supported by grants to Dr. Wolinsky from the Veterans Administration Health Services Research and Development Service (HSR&D 84-016), and the National Institute on Aging (K04-AG00328 and R01AG06618). Address correspondence to: Dr. Wolinsky, Department of Sociology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-4351. model them were the same for veterans as for nonveterans. This led us to conclude that

The concentration of cyanide, a toxic metabolite of sodium nitroprusside, in solutions other than 5% dextrose in water, has not been reported. In this study, cyanide ion levels were measured by a cyanide ion-specific electrode in 250 ml of six different intravenous solutions (5% dextrose in water, 10% dextrose in water, distilled water, 0.9% sodium chloride, and lactated Ringer's solution with and without 5% dextrose) exposed to 300 foot candles of fluorescent light for 72 hours after sodium nitroprusside was dissolved in each solution. The rates of the increase in cyanide ion concentration in all six solutions were fairly constant between 4 and 24 hours. At 24 hours, there were no statistically significant differences in cyanide ion concentration among the six solutions. After 24 hours, the rate of the increase in cyanide ion concentration in the electrolyte solutions decreased more than that in the nonelectrolyte solutions. At 72 hours, the electrolyte-containing solutions had statistically significant lower mean cyanide ion concentrations than 5% dextrose, often the recommended diluent for sodium nitroprusside. There was no difference in mean cyanide ion concentration between lactated Ringer's solution with and without 5% dextrose. Solutions containing electrolytes are preferable to 5% dextrose for the dilution of sodium nitroprusside.

• Nutritional benefits and feeding-related complications were prospectively compared in 53 preterm very-low-birth-weight infants receiving isoenergetic feeding by either the continuous nasogastric (n=30) or intermittent nasogastric (n=23) route. Stepwise regression techniques were used to develop models relating feeding-associated factors. Feeding method significantly affected weight gain in infants 1000 to 1249 g birth weight with continuous nasogastric feeding associated with an additional weight gain of 3.6 to 6.1 g/kg/d. No effects of feeding method on changes in occipitofrontal circumference, triceps skin-fold thickness, bilirubin values, or total protein values were demonstrable. There were few major differences between feeding groups on measures of feeding complications. Continuous nasogastric feeding was fairly well tolerated and resulted in improved weight gain when compared with Intermittent nasogastric feeding in preterm infants 1000 to 1249 g birth weight. ( AJDC 1987;141:439-444)