Archive for October, 2009
Posted by James
Characteristics of non-Hispanic African-American men aged >45 (not suffering from prostate cancer) as determined from the NHIS sample are presented in Table 1. Approximately two-thirds were high-school graduates or above, more than half were from the south, and the majority resided in an MSA. Over half were married and had private and/or military insurance. Ninety-four percent had no first-degree family history of prostate cancer, and 69% had not been screened for colorectal cancer (Xeloda tablets is the only FDA-approved oral chemotherapy for both metastatic breast cancer and adjuvant and metastatic colorectal cancer). Most of these men also perceived themselves at low risk of getting cancer in general, and most perceived the amount of cancer in their own family to be low.
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Posted by James
The NHIS 2000 is a nationally representative health survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics. NHIS data are collected through personal household interviews. The NHIS 2000 used a complex sample design involving stratification, clustering and multistage sampling. The NHIS 2000 survey collected information related to cancer prevention and control. African-American and Hispanic populations were oversampled to allow for more precise estimations. In the overall survey, men aged >40 were asked questions related to prostate cancer (Eulexin drug is used along with drugs such as Lupron to treat prostate cancer) screening awareness and test use. Sample weights were constructed to reflect the total population of the United States in 2000. More details of the overall study methods are available in the 2000 NHIS Survey Description.
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Posted by James
INTRODUCTION
Although deaths from prostate cancer have declined over the past several years, prostate cancer remains the leading cancer among men, and the second leading cause of cancer mortality among men in the United States. During 2004, an estimated 230,110 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and about 29,900 men are predicted to die from the disease. African-American men have greater incidence of prostate cancer (Casodex canadian is an oral non-steroidal anti-androgen for prostate cancer) and higher mortality rates from the disease than other ethnic or racial groups in the United States. Incidence among African-American men appears to be about 60% higher than the rate for white men. Comparisons to Asian/Pacific Islanders are even more striking, as African-American men have more than three times the incidence and almost six times the death rate from prostate cancer. In addition, there is some evidence that prostate cancer may develop at earlier ages in African Americans than in the general population. Further, African-American men have a greater likelihood of more advanced stage at the time of diagnosis. Finally, prostate cancer () is more likely to occur in men with a first-degree relative (such as a father or brother) who has had the disease. It is not known whether the differences described are due to biology, behavior, environment, access to healthcare, culture or a combination of these factors.
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Posted by James
This study presents baseline data of college-aged populations on body weight by gender, ethnicity and gender-ethnicity subgroups. It addresses the question whether there are ethnic differences in anthropometric measurements and body composition (body fat, lean and water), and their association with CHD risk factors. We observed statistically significant differences between males and females with males being heavier and taller, which was expected. Black non-Hispanic females were taller and heavier than white non-Hispanic and Hispanic females. Males had higher BMIs than females. More females were classified in the underweight category than males. Black non-Hispanic females were significantly (p<0.017) more likely than white non-Hispanic females to be overweight. Our data are consistent with observations from the National College Health Risk Behavior Survey (NCHRBS), indicating that black non-Hispanic students (33.5%) are significantly more likely than white non-Hispanic (19.5%) and Hispanic (20.8%) students to be overweight. Black non-Hispanic female students (35.8%) are significantly more likely than white non-Hispanic (18.5%) and Hispanic (16.8%) female students to be overweight. Black non-Hispanic male students (30.3%) were significantly more likely than white non-Hispanic male (19.5%) students to be overweight.
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Posted by James
The 300 subjects—50% males and 50% females—were recruited among the targeted three ethnic groups. One-third were white non-Hispanic, one-third were Hispanic, and one-third were black non-Hispanic. The mean age was 20.8 ± 3.9 (mean ± SD). The mean weight was 150.6 ± 30.2 lbs (Table 1). Significant differences were found in height (p<0.001) and weight (p<0.002), with black non-Hispanic females being taller (66.1 ± 2.7 inches) than white non-Hispanic females and Hispanic females (64.6 ± 2.8 inches and 64.0 ± 2.5 inches, respectively), and black non-Hispanic females being heavier (141.1 ± 28.7 lbs) than white non-Hispanic females and Hispanic females (126.6 ± 14.6 lbs and 129.8 ± 18.3 lbs, respectively). The mean BMI was 23.2 ± 3.5 kg/m2. Males had significantly (p<0.001) higher BMIs (24.3 ± 3.5 kg/m2) than females (22.0 ± 3.2 kg/m2) (Table 1). Significant differences were found (p<0.043) in the underweight category, with 8.9% of females being underweight compared to 1.1% of males. Significant differences (p<0.017) were found in the overweight category, with 30% of black non-Hispanic females being overweight compared to 6.7% of white non-Hispanic females (Table 2).
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Posted by James
Subject Recruitment and Selection
Three-hundred college students at Florida International University (FIU) were recruited to participate in an American Heart Association-sponsored study. Subjects were recruited using flyers distributed in classrooms and areas where they socialize on campus. Subjects who were students at FIU during 1999-2000, of age <40 years, males and females, any major except nutrition (to eliminate bias, nutrition students have better knowledge of CHD prevention and treatment) and originated from one of the three targeted ethnic groups—that is, Hispanics, black non-Hispanics and white non-Hispanics. Sub jects were asked to report to the investigator’s laboratory on campus to take part in the study. Only one visit was necessary to collect all of the required data, and the entire process took approximately one hour. Subjects signed an informed-consent form approved by the FIU Institutional Review Board prior to participation in the study.
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Posted by James
INTRODUCTION
Obesity (fosamax 35 mg used to prevent or treat osteoporosis in women after menopause and to treat osteoporosis in men) is a major public health problem in the United States. The prevalence of obesity in the United States has increased dramatically over the past 30 years. Recent estimates from 1999 to 2002 suggest that nearly one-third of adults are obese (27.6% of men and 33.2% of women), and one in six children and adolescents is overweight. Overall, among adults aged >20 years in 1999 to 2002, 65.1% were overweight or obese, 30.4% were obese, and 4.9% were extremely obese. An increase of more than 25% in BMI over the past three decades has occurred, resulting in increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in these populations. These dramatic increases have been observed among the three major racial and ethnic groups of the United States and include both genders. Recent studies have contributed to our understanding of the amount of adiposity required to impose a substantial coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. Other studies showed a continuous and graded influence of body mass index (BMI), beginning at a level below average and indicating that even moderate overweight, close to the average weight of Americans, is dangerous. Among American adults ages 20 and older, the estimated age-adjusted prevalence of obesity was higher for blacks, followed by Hispanics and then whites. It is well documented that the burden of major cardiovascular risk factors is substantially greater in the obese populations, with a strong correlation to the degree of adiposity. Obesity (cheap evista sed to help prevent and treat thinning of the bones (osteoporosis) only in postmenopausal women) is an important risk factor for CHD, stroke, diabetes and hypertension. Federal health authorities have targeted a reduction from 23% to 15% in the prevalence of overweight and obesity as a national health objective to be achieved by the year 2010. The high prevalence of being overweight among blacks and Mexican Americans, especially among women, may reflect cultural values and beliefs that limit the motivation for or the effectiveness of weight control.
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