Study of Adolescent Use and Health Knowledge of Smokeless Tobacco

A study of adolescent use and health knowledge of smokeless tobacco in Tomball Independent School District was completed. This study required the cooperation of many individuals, students, teachers, principals and administrative personnelHealth, Physical Education, and Recreatio

Screening practices for cervical and breast cáncer in Costa Rica

Cervical cancer and breast cancer are leading causes of cancer-related morbidity and mortality in Costa Rica. This article reports results of an evaluation of cervical and breast cancer screening practices among Costa Rican women 25 to 58 years old that was based on a nationwide 1984-1985 survey. The evaluation showed that while Pap smears were widely used to screen for cervical cancer, many women did not have their first cervical smear or gynecologic examination until age 30, and that cervical cancer screening was less common among certain high-risk groups, including women with multiple sexual partners and those with high parity. Less than half the women surveyed reported having had a breast examination by a health care provider. Utilization of both cervical cancer and breast cancer screening examinations could be increased by targeting inadequately screened high-risk women through the existing health care systemInstituto de investigaciones en Salud Universidad de Costa RicaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias de la Salud::Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud (INISA

The effect of using different reference dates for control exposure measurement on relative risk estimates in a case-control study

Artículo científico -- Universidad de Costa Rica, Instituto de Investigaciones en Saud. 1993. Debido a las políticas de la revista en la que el artículo fue publicado, no es posible distribuir la edición del editor/PDF.In case-control studies in which case and control enrollment periods are not identical, exposure status for time-dependent variables is often measured relative to a reference date. Using data from a case-control study of the relation between cervical cancer and oral contraceptive (OC) use in which control enrollment began 6 months after the end of case enrollment, we evaluated the effect on odds ratios from using five different reference dates to determine the controls' exposure status. The choice of reference date had little effect on the odds ratios in this study. Reference dates for time-dependent exposure variables should be considered carefully in studies when case and control enrollment periods are not identical.Universidad de Costa Rica, Instituto de Investigaciones en SaludUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias de la Salud::Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud (INISA

Nursing Support for Family Members of Critically Ill Adults

Researchers have identified the needs of family members of critically ill adults, explored their experiences, and investigated interventions. To address a gap in the theoretical knowledge about how nurses help these individuals, the authors developed a grounded theory of nursing support from the perspective of family members. Results indicated that the family members were initiated into a cycle of Work to meet perceived responsibilities to Get Through the experience. Supportive nurses engaged in the process of Lightening Our Load to mitigate the negative effects of the critical care experience on family members by Engaging With Us, Sustaining Us, and Disengaging From Us. No previous research has yet identified the Work of these family members, the steps they take to gain nurses' respect, and the significance to them of nurses' Welcoming Us and Saying Goodbye. This theory extends the understanding of nursing support beyond current knowledge of family needs, caring, comfort, supportive care, ans social support

Estudios de detección selectiva del cáncer de cérvix y del cáncer de mama en Costa Rica

artículo -- Universidad de Costa Rica. Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud. 1990El cáncer de cuello uterino (cáncer de cervix) y el cáncer de mama son las principales causas de morbilidad y mortalidad femenina por cáncer en Costa Rica. Se evaluaron los intentos de detección de estos dos tipos de cáncer en las mujeres costarricenses de 25 a 58 años a partir de los datos de una encuesta nacional realizada en 1984 y 1985. El frotis de cuello uterino (trot-is cervical) es un método muy utilizado para detectar el cáncer de cervix, y 83,5% de las mujeres señalaron que se habían hecho por lo menos un frotis. Sin embargo, más de un tercio no se habían hecho el primer frotis o la primera explicación ginecóloga hasta los 30 años, mucho después de la edad media de la primeras relaciones sexuales. Las pruebas de detección fueron menos comunes en grupos de mujeres de alto riesgo de cáncer de cervix, incluidas las que tenían múltiples compañeros sexuales y las que habían tenido varios años. Un analisis de casos y testigos revelo que el riesgo de cáncer invasor en las mujeres que se habían hecho un frotis cervical era alrededor de la mitad del riesgo correspondiente en las mujeres que no se habían hecho ningún frotis. Menos de la mitad de las mujeres señalan que se habían hecho explorar las mamas por un profesional a que habían practicado la autoexploracion mamaria. Las mujeres mayores de 50 años, que por su edad se encuentran en el grupo más expuesto al cáncer de mama, eran las que con menor frecuencia se habían sometido a ambos tipos de exploración. Se podría aumentar la frecuencia de sus pruebas de detección de los cánceres de cervix y de mama prestando especial atención, por medio del sistema de servicios de salud existente, a las mujeres de los grupos de alto riesgo que no se hayan sometido a suficientes exploraciones.Universidad de Costa Rica. Instituto de Investigaciones en SaludUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias de la Salud::Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud (INISA

A prospective study to identify the fall-prone patient

A prospective study in 16 patient care units in two institutions was conducted to assess patients' risk of falling. Three types of patient care units were utilized (acute medical and surgical, long term geriatric and rehabilitation areas), with 2689 patients over a 4-month period rated daily for fall risk using the Morse Fall Scale. Differences in mean fall score were evident between the acute care areas and the long term and the rehabilitation areas. Examination of the scores in the acute care institution by length of stay, showed different patterns of fall risk; the mean score of the long term patients showed less variation and higher scores. Patients' falls were analyzed by fall score and type of fall. All types of falls (anticipated physiological, unanticipated physiological and accidental), and the severity of injuries increased, with increasing scores indicating clinical validity of the scale.patient falls accidents risk assessment

A Population-based Serosurveillance of Syphilis in Costa Rica

Artículo científico -- Universidad de Costa Rica, Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud. 1991As part of a case-control study to investigate the high incidence of cervical cancer in Costa Rican women, the seroprevalence of the treponematoses, in particular, syphilis was determined. In each age group, women with a history of two or more sex partners were two to four times more likely to be seroreactive in tests for s[spacing grave]philis than women with zero or one sex partner. The highest percentage of reactive results in the microhemagglutination assay for antibodies to Treponema pallidum (MHA-TP) was seen in samples from women aged 50-59 who had had two or more lifetime partners (23.8%). Three observations from our study support reactivity due to syphilis rather than yaws or pinta: (1) a similar percent of reactive rapid plasma reagin (RPR) card test results among MHA-TP reactors in the two age groups of women who were surveyed (42 vs. 49%) was observed; (2) women who were seroreactive in the MHA-TP had multiple risk factors for STD [low socioeconomic status (9.4%), urban residence (22.8%), first intercourse under 16 years of age (14.1%), and multiple sex partners (26.3%)], and (3) only sexually experienced women had reactive results in the MHA-TP test.Universidad de Costa Rica, Instituto de Investigaciones en SaludUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias de la Salud::Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud (INISA