The very rapid worldwide increase in mobile phone use in the last decade has generated considerable interest in the possible health effects of exposure to radio frequency (RF) fields. A multinational case-control study, INTERPHONE, was set-up to investigate whether mobile phone use increases the risk of cancer and, more specifiBaruch Modan is deceased. 123Eur J Epidemiol (2007) 22: 647-664 DOI 10.1007/s10654-007-9152-z cally, whether the RF fields emitted by mobile phones are carcinogenic. The study focused on tumours arising in the tissues most exposed to RF fields from mobile phones: glioma, meningioma, acoustic neurinoma and parotid gland tumours. In addition to a detailed history of mobile phone use, information was collected on a number of known and potential risk factors for these tumours. The study was conducted in 13 countries. Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and the UK using a common core protocol. This paper describes the study design and methods and the main characteristics of the study population. INTERPHONE is the largest case-control study to date investigating risks related to mobile phone use and to other potential risk factors for the tumours of interest and includes 2,765 glioma, 2,425 meningioma, 1,121 acoustic neurinoma, 109 malignant parotid gland tumour cases and 7,658 controls. Particular attention was paid to estimating the amount and direction of potential recall and participation biases and their impact on the study results.

The prevalence, severity and disability related to facial acne (comprising acne on the head and neck) was assessed in a randomized sample of 2491 students (aged 4-18 years) from schools throughout the State of Victoria in Australia. Students were diagnosed clinically by a dermatologist or dermatology registrar. The overall prevalence (including 4-7 year olds) was 36.1% (95% confidence intervals, CI 24.7-47.5), ranging from 27.7% (95% CI 20.6-34.8) in 10-12 year olds to 93.3% (95% CI 89.6-96.9) in 16-18 year olds. It was less prevalent among boys aged 10-12 years than girls of the same age; however, between the ages of 16 and 18 years, boys were more likely than girls to have acne. Moderate to severe acne was present in 17% of students (24% boys, 11% girls). Comedones, papules and pustules were the most common manifestations of acne, with one in four students aged 16-18 years having acne scars. Twelve per cent of students reported a high Acne Disability Index score. This tended to correlate with clinical severity, although there was some individual variation in perception of disability. Seventy per cent of those found to have acne on examination had indicated in the questionnaire that they had acne. Of those, 65% had sought treatment, a substantial proportion of which (varying with who gave the advice) was classified as being likely to have no beneficial effect. This is the first population-based prevalence study on clinically confirmed acne published from Australia. The results show that acne is a common problem. They suggest the need for education programmes in schools to ensure that adolescents understand their disease, and know what treatments are available and from whom they should seek advice.

The extent to which long-term needs were met was influenced by a variety of factors, particularly age, disability levels, and residential location. Changes need to be made to the way and extent to which survivors are supported following stroke.

Acne is a common skin condition. No universally accepted standardized classification system for acne vulgaris exists, although there is a strong need for it. Thus, the clinical definition of acne has been unclear in many studies. The reported prevalence of acne varies from 35 to over 90% of adolescents at some stage. In some studies the prevalence of comedones approaches 100% in both sexes during adolescence. The prevalence of acne varies between sexes and age groups, appearing earlier in females than in males, possibly reflecting the earlier onset of puberty. There is a greater severity of acne in males than in females in the late teens, which is compatible with androgens being a potent stimulus to sebum secretion. The prevalence of acne at a given age has been shown to be highly dependent on the degree of sexual maturity. Acne commonly shows a premenstrual increase in women. Some studies have detected seasonal variability in acne vulgaris, with the colder months associated with exacerbation and the warmer months showing improvement. Other studies have not confirmed these findings. Several studies that have investigated the psychosocial impact of acne have had conflicting results. The prevalence of severe acne has decreased over the past 20 years due to improved treatment. The general prevalence figure for acne may be confounded by treatment and this factor needs to be accounted for when collecting data.

Background and Purpose-The benefits of chronic disease self-management programs for stroke survivors are uncertain because individuals with severe impairments have been excluded from previous research. We undertook a phase II randomized controlled trial to determine whether a self-management program designed for survivors (SSMP; 8 weeks) was safe and feasible compared to standard care (control) or a generic self-management program (generic; 6 weeks). Methods-Stroke survivors were recruited from 7 South Australian hospitals via a letter or indirectly (eg, newspapers).Eligible participants were randomized at a 1:1:1 ratio of 50 per group. Primary outcomes were recruitment, participation, and participant safety. Secondary outcomes were positive and active engagement in life using the Health Education Impact Questionnaire and characteristics of quality of life and mood at 6 months from program completion. Results-Of 315 people screened, 149 were eligible and 143 were randomized (48 SSMP, 47 generic, 48 control); mean age was 69 years (SD, 11) and 59% were female. Demographic features were similar between groups and 41% had severe cognitive impairment; 57% accessed the interventions, with 52% SSMP and 38% generic completing Ͼ50% of sessions (Pϭ0.18). Thirty-two participants reported adverse events (7 control, 12 generic, 13 SSMP; Pϭ0.3; 34% severe); however, none was attributable to the interventions. Potential benefits for improved mood were found. Conclusions-SSMP was safe and feasible. Benefits of the stroke-specific program over the generic program included greater participation and completion rates. An efficacy trial is warranted given the forecast growth in the stroke population and improved survival trends. (Stroke. 2011;42:1673-1679.)Key Words: clinical trial Ⅲ chronic disease Ⅲ self-care Ⅲ self-management Ⅲ stroke M ore than 60,000 strokes occur in Australia each year and stroke is a leading cause of disease burden. 1,2 At 10 years after a first-ever stroke, the cumulative risk of a recurrent event is Ϸ43%, and the risk of being disabled or deceased is Ϸ86%. 3,4 Reduced quality of life, depression and cognitive impairment are common. 5 Stroke survivors and their families often find it difficult to manage this long-term condition given the abrupt transition from being "healthy" to having disability. The situation is exacerbated by the lack of community-based programs that may help survivors reduce the risk of recurrent events and improve quality of life.Self-management programs have emerged as a mechanism for enhancing the care offered by health services. 6 -9 Components of successful self-management programs include a focus on patients' needs, goal setting, practice of skills obtained, attention to emotional and role management, and empowering patients to work effectively with health care professionals. 10,11 Previous studies have excluded survivors with severe physical disability and cognitive impairments, and this has limited the generalizability to the broader stroke population. Recent evidence supports t...

Although viral warts are common, their exact frequency in the community is often underestimated and not well recorded. A random sample of 2491 students from schools throughout the State of Victoria, Australia were examined by dermatologists and dermatology registrars to record the prevalence of common, plantar and plane warts. The overall prevalence of warts adjusted for the age and sex of Victorian school children was 22% (95% confidence interval (CI) 20.1-20.7) varying from 12% (95% CI 9.4-15.7) in 4-6 year olds to 24% (95% CI 18.3-30.4) in 16-18 year olds. Common warts were the most frequent (16%) compared with plantar warts (6%) and plane warts (2%). There was no difference in the overall frequency of warts between males and females and there was no difference in frequency between those who had eczema and those who did not. Almost 40% of those found to have warts on examination had indicated on the survey questionnaire that they did not have any of these lesions. Of those who knew that they had warts, only 38% had used any treatment for them. These data, the first community-based prevalence data on warts ever published from Australia, confirm that warts are indeed common. They suggest the need for education programmes in schools on the nature of these lesions and the treatment available.

Background Electronic communication is used in various populations to achieve health goals, but evidence in stroke is lacking. We pilot tested the feasibility and potential effectiveness of a novel personalised electronic self-management intervention to support person-centred goal attainment and secondary prevention after stroke. Methods A phase I, prospective, randomised controlled pilot trial (1:1 allocation) with assessor blinding, intention-to-treat analysis, and a process evaluation. Community-based survivors of stroke were recruited from participants in the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (AuSCR) who had indicated their willingness to be contacted for research studies. Inclusion criteria include 1–2 years following hospital admission for stroke and living within 50 km of Monash University (Melbourne). Person-centred goals were set with facilitation by a clinician using a standardised template. The intervention group received electronic support messages aligned to their goals over 4 weeks. The control group received only 2–3 electronic administrative messages. Primary outcomes were study retention, goal attainment (assessed using Goal Attainment Scaling method) and satisfaction. Secondary outcomes were self-management (Health Education Impact Questionnaire: 8 domains), quality of life, mood and acceptability. Results Of 340 invitations sent from AuSCR, 73 responded, 68 were eligible and 57 (84%) completed the baseline assessment. At the goal-setting stage, 54/68 (79%) were randomised (median 16 months after stroke): 25 to intervention (median age 69 years; 40% female) and 29 to control (median age 68 years; 38% female). Forty-five (83%) participants completed the outcome follow-up assessment. At follow-up, goal attainment (mean GAS-T score ≥ 50) in the intervention group was achieved for goals related to function, participation and environment (control: environment only). Most intervention participants provided positive feedback and reported that the iVERVE messages were easy to understand (92%) and assisted them in achieving their goals (77%). We found preliminary evidence of non-significant improvements between the groups for most self-management domains (e.g. social integration and support: β coefficient 0.34; 95% CI − 0.14 to 0.83) and several quality-of-life domains in favour of the intervention group. Conclusion These findings support the need for further randomised effectiveness trials of the iVERVE program to be tested in people with new stroke. Trial registration ANZCTR, ACTRN12618001519246. Registered on 11 September 2018—retrospectively registered.

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