The impact of maternal smoking during pregnancy on depressive and anxiety behaviors in children: the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSDP) is associated with multiple adverse childhood outcomes including externalizing behaviors. However, the association between MSDP and internalizing (anxiety and depressive) behaviors in offspring has received less investigation. We aimed to assess the association between MSDP and childhood internalizing (anxiety and depressive) behaviors in a very large, well-characterized cohort study. METHODS: We assessed the association between MSDP and internalizing behaviors in offspring utilizing information drawn from 90,040 mother-child pairs enrolled in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study. Mothers reported smoking information, including status and frequency of smoking, twice during pregnancy. Mothers also reported their child\u27s internalizing behaviors at 18 months, 36 months, and 5 years. Associations between MSDP and childhood internalizing behaviors, including dose-response and timing of smoking in pregnancy, were assessed at each time point. RESULTS: MSDP was associated with increased internalizing behaviors when offspring were aged 18 months (B = 0.11, P <0.001) and 36 months (B = 0.06, P <0.01), adjusting for numerous potential confounders. Higher rates of smoking (e.g., >20 cigarettes per day) were associated with higher levels of internalizing behaviors. Maternal smoking during early pregnancy appeared to be the critical period for exposure. CONCLUSIONS: We found evidence supporting a potential role for MSDP in increasing internalizing (anxiety and depressive) behaviors in offspring. We also found evidence supportive of a possible causal relationship, including dose-dependency and support for a predominant role of early pregnancy exposure. Further investigation utilizing genetically informed designs are warranted to assess this association

Nye soppmidler i timoteifrøeng

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Mortality following first-time hospitalization with acute myocardial infarction in Norway, 2001-2014: Time trends, underlying causes and place of death

Background Trends on cause-specific mortality following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are poorly described and no studies have analyzed where do AMI patients die. We analyzed trends in 28-day and one-year mortality following an incident AMI with focus on changes over time in the underlying cause and place of death. Methods We identified in the ‘Cardiovascular Disease in Norway’ Project all patients 25+ years, hospitalized with an incident AMI in Norway, 2001–2014. Information on date, underlying cause and place of death was obtained from the Cause of Death Registry. Results Of 144,473 patients included in the study, 11.4% died within first 28 days. The adjusted 28-day mortality declined by 5.2% per year (ptrend < 0.001). Of 118,881 patients surviving first 28 days, 10.1% died within one year. The adjusted one-year CVD mortality declined by 6.2% per year (ptrend < 0.001) while non-CVD mortality increased by 1.4% per year (ptrend < 0.001), mainly influenced by increased risk of dying from neoplasms. We observed a shift over time in the underlying cause of death toward more non-CVD deaths, and in the place of death toward more deaths occurring in nursing homes. Conclusions We observed a decline in 28-day mortality following an incident AMI hospitalization. One-year CVD mortality declined while one-year risk of dying from non-CVD conditions increased. The resulting shift toward more non-CVD deaths and deaths occurring outside a hospital need to be considered when formulating priorities in treating and preventing adverse events among AMI survivors.acceptedVersio

Heart failure in Norway, 2000-2014: analyzing incident, total and readmission rates using data from the Cardiovascular Disease in Norway (CVDNOR) Project

Postponed access until 23rd October 2020.Aims To examine trends in heart failure (HF) hospitalization rates and risk of readmissions following an incident HF hospitalization. Methods and results During 2000–2014, we identified in the Cardiovascular Disease in Norway Project 142 109 hospitalizations with HF as primary diagnosis. Trends of incident and total (incident and recurrent) HF hospitalization rates were analysed using negative binomial regression models. Changes over time in 30-day and 3-year risk of HF recurrences or cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related readmissions were analysed using Fine and Grey competing risk regression, with death as competing events. Age-standardized rates declined on average 1.9% per year in men and 1.8% per year in women for incident HF hospitalizations (both Ptrend < 0.001) but did not change significantly in either men or women for total HF hospitalizations. In men surviving the incident HF hospitalization, 30-day and 3-year risk of a HF recurrent event increased 1.7% and 1.2% per year, respectively. Similarly, 30-day and 3-year risk of a CVD-related hospitalization increased 1.5% and 1.0% per year, respectively (all Ptrend < 0.001). No statistically significant changes in the risk of HF recurrences or CVD-related readmissions were observed among women. In-hospital mortality for a first and recurrent HF episode declined over time in both men and women. Conclusions Incident HF hospitalization rates declined in Norway during 2000–2014. An increase in the risk of recurrences in the context of reduced in-hospital mortality following an incident and recurrent HF hospitalization led to flat trends of total HF hospitalization rates.acceptedVersio

Kontroll av kvitkløver og andre ugras ved frøavl av prestekrage

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Høstetid og høstemetoder ved frøavl av prestekrage og hybriden engknoppurt x svartknoppurt

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Erfaringer med norsk frøblanding til pollinatorsoner på Sør-Østlandet

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The prevalence of self-reported vision difficulty in economically disadvantaged regions of South Africa

Background: Vision impairment, resulting in vision difficulties, is a leading cause of disability, and hence one of the key barriers for people to access education and employment, which may force them into poverty. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of self-reported vision difficulties as an indicator of vision impairment in economically disadvantaged regions in South Africa, and to examine the relationship between self-reported vision difficulties and socio-economic markers of poverty, namely, income, education and health service needs. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in economically disadvantaged districts to collect data from households on poverty and health, including vision difficulty. As visual acuity measurements were not conducted, the researchers used the term vision difficulty as an indicator of vision impairment. Data were collected from 27 districts (74 901 respondents). Logistic regression analysis and chi-square tests were used to determine bivariate relationships between variables and self-reported vision difficulty. Kernel density estimators were used for age, categorised by self-reported and not reported vision difficulty. Results: Prevalence of self-reported vision difficulty was 11.2% (95% CI, 8.7% – 13.7%). More women (12.7%) compared to men (9.5%) self-reported vision difficulty (p < 0.01). Self-reported vision difficulty was higher (14.2%) for respondents that do not spend any money. A statistically significant relationship was found between the highest level of education and self-reporting of vision difficulty; as completed highest level of education increased, self-reporting of vision difficulty became lower (p < 0.01). A significantly higher prevalence of self-reported vision difficulty was found in respondents who are employed (p < 0.01), 17% (95% CI: 12.8% – 21.1%). Conclusion: The evidence from this study suggests associations between socio-economic factors and vision difficulties that have a two-fold relationship (some factors such as education, and access to eye health services are associated with vision difficulty whilst vision difficulty may trap people in their current poverty or deepen their poverty status). The results are thus indicative of the need for further research in South Africa

Poverty and Eye Health

Abstract Poverty and eye health, including vision disability from vision impairment and blindness, are believed to be interrelated. The relationship between poverty and eye health can be interpreted as being two-fold, in the sense that poverty may be a cause of poor eye health and poor eye health may lead to or deepen poverty. Evidence shows that the burden of vision impairment is high in poor people and vision impairment and poverty are linked to each other. However the empirical evidence to answer the questions-Does poverty perpetuate poor eye health? How and why? Does poor eye health deepen poverty?-is sparse globally; especially from low and middle income countries (LMICs). This article therefore aims to examine published information and other secondary data sources that provide insight on the relationship between poverty and eye health, including eye disability caused from vision impairment and blindness. The article provides a conceptual understanding of poverty related attributes that contribute to eye disability from vision impairment and blindness, using evidence sourced from poverty and eye health research studies. The article interrogates general theories and beliefs that have been conceptualised in relation to the impact that the vicious cycle of poverty has on eye health and the contribution of poor eye health on an individual&apos;s poverty status. The major outcomes of this article include: 1) identifying gaps in linking poverty and eye health, 2) establishing key issues that will assist in the development of a theoretical framework, and 3) preparing more appropriately for further investigation on the association between poverty and eye health