A total of 1351 high school students (52.3% males, 47.7% females) with mean age 17.5 years (SD = 2.2) from randomized school classes in Hordaland County, Norway, participated in an Internet survey conducted in 2004 about the lifetime use of anabolic steroids and personal acquaintance with at least one user of anabolic steroids. In addition to questions about anabolic steroids the participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. They also answered questions about demography, smoking, and narcotic use. The lifetime prevalence for use of anabolic steroids was 3.6% for males and 0.6% for females. In all, 27.9% of the respondents reported having at least one acquaintance that used or had used anabolic steroids. Use of anabolic steroids and having acquaintances using such drugs were strongly related to use of other drugs such as alcohol, nicotine, and narcotics. Implications for prevention are discussed and the study's limitations are noted.
Awareness of risk factors for death could help identify patients in need of more intensive medical support.
BackgroundThe last ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak has been the most important since 1976. EVD cases decreased drastically in Sierra Leone at the beginning of 2015. We aim to determine the clinical findings and evolution of patients admitted to an Ebola treatment center (ETC) during the epidemic’s late phase.MethodsWe analyze retrospectively data of patients admitted to the Moyamba ETC (December 2014-March 2015). Patients were classified in EVD or non-EVD patients according to the results of Ebola virus real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (ZAIRE-RT-PCR).ResultsSeventy-five patients were included, 41.3 % were positive for ZAIRE-RT-PCR. More women (68 % vs 28 %, p = 0.001) were EVD-positive. More EVD patients had previous contact with an Ebola patient (74.2 % vs 36.3 %, p < 0.001). At admission, EVD patients were more likely to have fatigue (96.7 %, p < 0.001), diarrhea (67.7 %, p = 0.002), and muscle pain (61.3 %, p = 0.009); but only objective fevers in 35.5 % of EVD patients. The most reliable criteria for diagnosis were: contact with an Ebola patient plus three WHO symptoms (LR + =3.7, 95 % CI = 1.9–7.3), and positive contact (LR + =2.3, 95 % CI = 1.15–4.20). Only 45.2 % of EVD patients developed fevers during stay, but 75 % developed gastrointestinal symptoms. Non-EVD patients had gastrointestinal problems (33 %), respiratory conditions (26.6 %), and others such as malaria, HIV or tuberculosis with a mortality rate of 11.4 %. vs 58 % in EVD group (p < 0.001).ConclusionsMore non-EVD patients were admitted in the outbreak’s late phases. The low percentage of initial fever highlights the need to emphasize the epidemiological information. EVD patients presented new symptoms getting worse and requiring closer follow-up. Diagnoses of non-EVD patients were diverse with a remarkable mortality, presenting a challenge for the health system.
In autumn 1995 The Norwegian Cancer Society in cooperation with The Research Center for Health Promotion, University of Bergen started a study of school-based interventions aiming at preventing smoking among pupils in Norwegian secondary schools. The study comprised a nationwide sample of 4441 students at 99 schools (195 classes). This panel of students is followed through annual data collections till they graduate in spring 1997. Written consensus from students and parents was obtained from 95%. Schools were systematically allocated to one of four groups: Group A, control; Group B, intervention, containing classroom program, involvement of parents and teacher courses; Group C, like B, but without teacher courses; Group D, like B, but without parental involvement. Baseline data were collected by questionnaires administered in class in November 1994 and the first follow-up survey was carried out in May 1995. At follow-up the proportion of smokers had increased by 8.3 percentage points in Group A (control) and by 1.9 percentage points in Group B (most extensive intervention). As expected, the recruitment of smokers was higher in Groups C and D than in the ideal intervention, but lower than in the control group. Effects of the most extensive program among subgroups of students were examined by comparing Groups A and B. Students are categorized as high risk or low risk based on scores on scales measuring sensation seeking, physical maturity, antisocial behavior and parental smoking. The effect of the program on recruitment of smokers seems to have been at least as strong or even stronger among 'high-risk' students than among other students.
This article examines the impact of the school-based smoking-prevention program "BE smokeFREE" on adolescent smoking. A national representative sample of 99 schools (195 classes, 4,441 students) was used when the intervention started in November 1994. Schools were allocated to one of four groups: a comparison group (A) and three intervention groups (B, C, and D). Group B received the most comprehensive intervention. A baseline (autumn 1994) and three follow-up data collections (1995, 1996, and 1997) were conducted. There were no significant differences in smoking habits among the four groups at baseline. The smoking habits in the group that was involved in the most comprehensive intervention (group B) changed more favourably than those of students in the comparison schools over the three follow-up data collections. At the third follow-up, the proportion of students smoking weekly or more in the comparison group was 29.2%, compared with 19.6% in the model intervention group. The two less comprehensive interventions (no teacher in-service courses in group C, and no involvement of parents in group D) appeared to be less effective than the model intervention. Multilevel multiple logistic regression analyses, comparing changes in smoking habits between students in group B with those among students in the comparison schools, confirm the conclusion that the comprehensive intervention was the most effective. This school-based intervention, based on a social influence approach, proved to be effective at reducing smoking rates among participants.
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