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Objectives This pragmatic randomized trial evaluated the effectiveness of a tailored educational intervention on oral health behaviors and new untreated carious lesions in low-income African-American children in Detroit, Michigan.

Jedele JM, Ismail AI. Evaluation of a multifaceted social marketing campaign to increase awareness of and screening for oral cancer in African Americans. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2010; 38: 371–382. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Abstract – Objectives: A 2-year social marketing media campaign and community education activities were organized to promote screening for oral cancer in a high-risk population in Detroit/Wayne County, Michigan. Long-term goals of the campaign were to reduce the oral cancer death rate, increase the proportion of oral cancers detected at an early stage, and increase the proportion of adults who report having been screened. The intermediate goals of the campaign were to increase awareness of oral cancer and of oral cancer screening. This article presents outcomes related to the intermediate goals of the campaign. Methods: The intermediate goals of the campaign were assessed by the number of calls to a toll-free hotline, which media venues led to calls, number of screenings conducted by the free screening clinic, number of precancers and cancers detected, and the number of sessions conducted, organizations involved, and persons participating in the community education program. The costs per screened case and cancers detected were also evaluated. The media campaign promoted screening using billboards, radio and newspaper ads, and a toll-free hotline. Culturally relevant messages were developed collaboratively with focus groups representing the target audience. Billboards were placed in highly visible locations around Detroit, Michigan. Sixty-second messages on the impact of oral cancer and that screening is ‘painless and free’ were aired on radio stations popular with the target audience. Ads displaying the hotline were placed in two local newspapers. Callers to the hotline were scheduled for a free screening with a clinic operated by the project. Referral to an oral surgeon was scheduled if a suspicious lesion was found. Free education sessions were also conducted with community-based organizations. Costs associated with the campaign and hotline were totaled, and the cost per screening and cancer detected were calculated. Results: During the campaign, 1327 radio spots aired; 42 billboards were displayed; two newspaper ads were printed; and 242 education sessions were conducted. The hotline received 1783 calls. The majority of callers reported that their call was prompted by a radio ad (57%). The clinic screened 1020 adults and referred 78 for further examination. Three cancers, two precancers, and 12 benign tumors were detected. The total cost associated with the campaign and toll-free hotline was $795,898. Conclusions: A multifaceted social marketing campaign including radio ads, billboards, and education sessions can effectively target a high-risk population and that given an outlet could result in a significant number of people getting screened at a relatively low cost.

Mental retardation unassociated with the Fragile X syndrome accounts for up to 60% of patients with X-linked mental retardation. In this investigation, we report on a family with mild non-specific X-linked mental retardation (MRX) without other apparent phenotypic abnormalities. Linkage analysis on 27 relatives using 18 polymorphic markers spanning the X-chromosome demonstrated close linkage to DXYS1 with a peak LOD score of 2.14 at a theta of 0. Numerous families with various types of MRX have now been studied by other investigators using molecular genetic techniques. In addition to the family described in this report, a number of these have demonstrated linkage to the DXYS1 locus. These data suggest that a gene for mental retardation may exist in the region of DXYS1. Alternatively, this area of the X-chromosome may harbor multiple different but closely linked genes which cause the various types of MRX.

Most structural congenital heart defects (CHD) are thought to be multifactorially determined, but the precise causal factors usually are unknown. One may postulate that vascular events, such as hemorrhage in the developing embryo, could influence morphogenesis of the heart. One method of studying this hypothesis is to determine the frequency of CHD in persons with heritable bleeding diatheses and their families. We reviewed retrospectively medical and family histories of 120 hemophilia A and 14 hemophilia B patients seen in our Genetics Department. The family histories included 1, 126 maternal relatives of hemophiliac patients. We also reviewed the family histories of 138 patients with X-linked disorders who did not have bleeding diatheses or syndromes associated with CHD; these histories included 960 maternal relatives. There was one confirmed case of a CHD in 134 hemophilia patients, giving a frequency of 0.75% compared to 0.8% in the general population at birth. There was no apparent difference in the frequency of CHD in hemophilia A and B patients compared to the general population or in the relatives of hemophilia patients as compared to control individuals.