Association between posttraumatic stress disorder and preflood behavioral characteristics among children aged 7-15 years in Hunan, China

To explore the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] and preflood behavioral characteristics among children aged 7-15 years in Hunan, China. In 2000, a retrospective study was carried out among children who had been exposed to the 1998 floods in Hunan. A multistage sampling method was used to select subjects from the flood-affected areas. A structured questionnaire administered to the children selected was used to diagnose PTSD based on the DSM-IV criteria. A parent questionnaire was used to measure preflood behavioral characteristics related to health, behavioral, and habit problems. The association between PTSD and preflood behavioral characteristics was assessed using chi[2]-tests and multivariate logistic regression. A total of 7,038 children from 13,450 households, aged 7-15 years, were investigated. The overall prevalence of PTSD was 2.05%. Generally, the PTSD-positive rate increased with increasing scores for behavioral characteristics. Preflood behavioral characteristics are an important factor influencing the prevalence of PTSD among children exposed to floods. It is therefore necessary to give special attention to children with behavioral problems in order to reduce the psychological impact of floods

Simple screening table for primary osteoporosis in senior people / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To develop a simple screening table for primary osteoporosis (POP) in senior men and women.@*METHODS@#Questionnaires were designed to obtain the risk factors associated with osteoporosis and bone mineral density (BMD), which were measured in 146 community residents over 60. The multiple stepwise regression was used to find out the risk factors and establish the screening index. Then the cut-off point of sensitivity and specificity were obtained. Simple screening table for POP in senior people was established according to the screening index and the cut-off point. Validity and reliability of the simple screening table for POP in senior people were testified by 61 outpatients whose BMD was measured with dual energy X-ray (DEXA).@*RESULTS@#Percentage of the height loss,body weight, age, and gender were selected with multiple stepwise regression.Percentage of height loss and body weight were selected to develop the simple screening table for POP in senior people. The cut-off point was 270, sensitivity was 88.9 %, specificity was 75.7 %, the agreement rate was 75.4%,and the Kappa value was 0.489.@*CONCLUSION@#The simple screening table for POP in senior people based on the percentage of height loss and body weight is simple, economic, suitable for both men and women, and is useful in basic public health.

Epidemiological study on leptospirosa infection of host animals and healthy population in flood areas / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the infection of leptospirosa of host animals and the immune level of healthy population in flood areas.@*METHODS@#Korth culture was used to culture leptospira for rodent kidney and oxen urine sample. The serogroups of leptospira and leptospira antibody were tested by microscopic agglutination test (MAT).@*RESULTS@#In flood regions, draw-near-flood region, and new migration region, rodent density was 6.95%, 6.28%, and 8.67%, respectively. The positive rates of rodent with leptospira was 4.63%, 1.35%, and 3.13%, respectively. Leptospira positive rates of oxen urine were 5.88%, 5.98%, and 1.75%, respectively. The main serogroup of leptospira was Icterhamorrhagic and Canicola serogroup. The positive rates of leptospirosa antibody in healthy population was 45.91%, 62.30%, and 58.67%in these 3 regions respectively, which was significantly higher than the average level in China. The dominant serogroups of leptospira in health population were icterhamorrhagic, autumnalis, canicola, pomona and bataviae. The positive rate of antibody had no difference among different age groups.@*CONCLUSION@#The main host animals are rodents and oxen infected with leptospira and the positive rate of leptospira antibody is high in healthy population in the study area. The dominant serogroups in host animals are similar to that in healthy population, which is mostly icterhaemorrhagic.

A Comparative Study on the Intervention Patterns for Primary Osteoporosis in Community / 中国慢性病预防与控制

Objective To explore the intervention patterns which people are apt to accept and medical staff operate them simply and conveniently for primary osteoporosis in community. Methods With cluster random sampling method, 850 residents who met the selective standards were selected from four communities. Every community was divided into five districts; each district took one of intervention patterns, including health lectures, home visiting, telephone interviewing, follow-up letter, fixed-point counseling, etc. At the end of two years' intervention, all of subjects accepted the final investigation, data were collected and analyzed. Results The acceptance rates of intervention patterns were 94.0% for telephone interviewing, 89.2% for home visiting, 70.6% for health lectures, 27.2% for letter follow-up and 19.5% for fixed-point counseling. The recognition rates of manipulating these measures in medical staff were 78.9% for telephone interviewing, 70.7% for health lectures, 66.7% for home visiting, 22.2% for letter follow-up and 15.0% for fixed-point counseling. The ratio of cost to effectiveness of telephone interviewing was 1.79 which was the minimum, but the ratio of cost to effectiveness of fixed-point counseling was the maximum which was 13.79. Conclusion Health lectures, home visiting and telephone interviewing are applicable intervention measures to prevent POP in community.