ABSTRACT
OBJETIVOS: evaluar la influencia de la modalidad de respuesta (paciente vs. asistido por urólogo) en el cuestionario IPSS (International Prostate Symptom Score) y su relación con la edad y nivel de educación. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Análisis prospectivo de 74 pacientes que acudieron a la consulta de urología por síntomas de Hiperplasia Prostática Benigna (HPB) con o sin tratamiento para su patología y que no hayan completado anteriormente el cuestionario internacional de síntomas prostáticos (IPSS). Los cuestionarios fueron completados en la misma consulta urológica, primero por el paciente y luego con ayuda del urólogo. Se categorizó por edad y nivel de educación. Se evaluó la diferencia entre los puntajes de IPSS obtenidos con la forma autocompletada y con asistencia del urólogo y si esta diferencia estaba relacionada con la edad y con el nivel de educación. Los datos fueron analizados utilizando test no paramétrico para datos apareados de Wilcoxon. RESULTADOS: no se encontró diferencia estadísticamente significativa entre el cuestionario completado por el paciente y el asistido por el urólogo. La media del score total fue de 13,66, y 13,67, respectivamente (p: 0.86). Al analizar los subgrupos, con respecto a la edad y al nivel de educación, tampoco se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas. CONCLUSIÓN: en nuestra población de estudio, el cuestionario IPSS no fue influenciado por la modalidad de administración, tampoco por la edad ni por el nivel de educación.
OBJECTIVES: to evaluate the influence of the response modality (patient vs. urologist-assisted) in the IPSS questionnaire (international prostate symptom score) and its relationship with age and education level. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective analysis of 74 patients who came to the urology clinic for symptoms of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) with or without treatment for their pathology and who have not previously completed the international prostate symptoms questionnaire (IPSS). The questionnaires were completed in the same urological consultation, first by the patient and then with the help of the urologist. It was categorized by age and education level. The difference between the IPSS scores obtained with the self-completed form and with the assistance of the urologist and whether this difference was related to age and level of education was evaluated. The data were analyzed using non-parametric test for paired Wilcoxon data. RESULTS: no statistically significant difference was found between the questionnaire completed by the patient and the one assisted by the urologist. The average of the total score was 13.66, and 13.67, respectively (p: 0.86). When analyzing the subgroups, regarding age and level of education, no statistically significant differences were found. CONCLUSION: In our study population, the IPSS questionnaire was not influenced by the modality of administration, neither by age nor by level of education.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Prostatic Hyperplasia , Surveys and Questionnaires , Age Factors , Educational Status , Quality of Life , Prospective StudiesABSTRACT
Introduction: The decreasing prevalence of parasitosis from north to south in Argentina has led the scientific community to focus the epidemiological studies on the most vulnerable areas and, consequently, neglect the populations of Patagonia (South Argentina). The objectives of the present study were (i) to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in children and youth of Puerto Madryn (Chubut province, Patagonia), and (ii) to evaluate the parasitic infections found concerning socio-environmental factors and hygiene practices of the population. Materials and methods: Serial stool samples were processed using modified Ritchie and FLOTAC dual pellet techniques, and samples of anal swabs were examined by sedimentation. Socio-environmental variables and hygiene practices of the participants were surveyed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Results: Of all examined participants, 39.1% (68/174) were parasitized. A total of 6 parasite species were found and the most prevalent were Blastocystis sp (19.0%), Enterobius vermicularis (17.8%), and Giardia lamblia (6.3%). The risk of parasitosis and infection for Blastocystis sp was greater in participants who lived in houses without piped water (OR = 2.9 and OR = 3.2, respectively). The risk of infection for G. lamblia was positively associated with the lack of public waste collection service (OR = 5.6). Infection for E. vermicularis was higher in participants whose parents had a basic level of education (OR = 5.0). Conclusion: The parasitic infections observed reflect the environmental conditions of Patagonia and the need to focus studies on populations from peripheral areas to urban centers that are exposed to greater socio-economic vulnerability.
Introducción: La prevalencia de parasitosis decreciente de norte a sur en la Argentina, ha llevado a la comunidad científica a enfocar sus estudios epidemiológicos hacia las zonas más vulnerables y desatender a las poblaciones de la Patagonia (sur de Argentina). Los objetivos del presente estudio fueron: determinar la prevalencia de parásitos intestinales en niños y jóvenes de Puerto Madryn (Chubut, Patagonia), y evaluar las infecciones parasitarias en relación con los factores socioambientales y las prácticas de higiene de la población. Materiales y métodos: Se procesaron muestras seriadas de materia fecal mediante las técnicas Ritchie modificada y FLOTAC dual pellet, y muestras de escobillado anal por sedimentación. Se relevaron las variables socioambientales y las prácticas de higiene de los participantes mediante cuestionarios semiestructurados. Resultados: El 39.1% (68/174) de la población analizada estuvo parasitado. Se halló un total de 6 especies parásitas, las más prevalentes de las cuales fueron Blastocystis sp (19.0%), Enterobius vermicularis (17.8%) y Giardia lamblia (6.3%). El riesgo de parasitosis y de infección por Blastocystis sp fue mayor en los participantes que no poseían agua de red (odds ratio [OR] = 2.9 y OR = 3.2, respectivamente). La infección por G. lamblia se asoció de manera positiva con la falta de recolección pública de residuos (OR = 5.6). La infección por E. vermicularis fue superior en los participantes con padres que tenían un nivel de estudios primario (OR = 5.0). Conclusión: Las infecciones parasitarias observadas reflejan las condiciones ambientales de la Patagonia y la necesidad de orientar los estudios a poblaciones periféricas de los centros urbanos, las cuales están expuestas a mayor vulnerabilidad socioeconómica
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Infant , Child, Preschool , Child , Adolescent , Parasites , Argentina , Sanitation , Hygiene , Giardia lamblia , Blastocystis , Education , Enterobius , Intestines/parasitologyABSTRACT
Estimating the risk of competing mortality is of importance in men with early prostate cancer to choose the most appropriate way of management and to avoid over-or under-treatment. In this study, we investigated the impact of the level of education in this context. The study sample consisted of 2630 patients with complete data on level of education (college, university degree, master craftsmen, comparable profession, or others), histopathological tumor stage (organ confined or extracapsular), lymph node status (negative or positive), and prostatectomy specimen Gleason score (<7, 7, or 8-10) who underwent radical prostatectomy between 1992 and 2007. Overall, prostate cancer-specific, competing, and second cancer-related mortalities were study endpoints. Cox proportional hazard models for competing risks were used to study combined effects of the variables on these endpoints. A higher level of education was independently associated with decreased overall mortality after radical prostatectomy (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.75, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.62-0.91, P = 0.0037). The mortality difference was attributable to decreased second cancer mortality (HR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.40-0.85, P = 0.0052) and noncancer mortality (HR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.55-0.98, P = 0.0345) but not to differences in prostate cancer-specific mortality (HR: 1.16, 95% CI: 0.79-1.69, P = 0.4536 in the full model). In conclusion, the level of education might serve as an independent prognostic parameter supplementary to age, comorbidity, and smoking status to estimate the risk of competing mortality and to choose optimal treatment for men with early prostate cancer who are candidates for radical prostatectomy.
ABSTRACT
Sickle cell anaemia is an inherited disorder of haemoglobin characterized by sickled red blood cells and increased destruction of these cells. Antioxidants protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. The aim of this study was to determine antioxidant vitamin A in steady state sickle cell anaemia patients and that of controls in Maiduguri, Borno state North-Eastern Nigeria. The study was carried out at UMTH Maiduguri. Sixty sickle cell anaemia patients were compared with sixty controls, aged ranged 1 year 3 months to 33 years of age, using HPLC for vitamin A status. The mean vitamin A in sickle cell patients according to age ranged between 0.047±0.002 to 0.053±0.002 mg/ml, while that of controls is 0.053± 0.001 to 0.091±0.001 mg/ml. The maximum mean serum vitamin A (0.053±0.001 mg/ml), in SCA was found in the business and children groups while the minimum vitamin A (0.039±0.001 mg/ml) was recorded in the un-employed SCA patients. The study showed the antioxidant vitamin A was found to be lower in the SCA subjects than in normal control in all age groups. Level of education also plays a role in the level of antioxidant vitamins in the blood.
ABSTRACT
Esta investigación tuvo como objetivos estimar los niveles de alexitimia y violencia de pareja (recibida y ejercida) en mujeres, asimismo estudiar la relación entre alexitimia y violencia. La escala de alexitimia de Toronto (TAS-20) y el Cuestionario de Violencia en la Pareja fueron aplicados a una muestra no probabilística de 118 mujeres mexicanas con pareja heterosexual. Se encontró alexitimia (TAS-20 ≥ 61) en el 42% de las mujeres, violencia recibida en el 25% y de violencia ejercida en el 5%. La violencia recibida fue mayor que la ejercida. La alexitimia se asoció con la violencia, más con la violencia recibida que con la ejercida. Se observó un patrón de violencia reactiva en el que la alexitimia actúa como un factor de riesgo. Esto probablemente se deba a los problemas de ajuste y control que la alexitimia conlleva. Se aconseja evaluar la alexitimia en los estudios e intervenciones en violencia de pareja.
The aims of this paper were: 1) to estimate the levels of couple violence (received and exercised) and alexithymia among women, and 2) to study the relationship among alexithymia and violence. The Questionnaire of Couple Violence and the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) were applied to a non-probability sample of 118 Mexican women with a heterosexual partner. Mean of age was 35 years old (SD = 10) ranking from 18 to 57. Regarding marital status, 53 of 118 women (45%) reported being married, 28 (24%) separated, 21 (18%) in free union with a partner, 11 (9%) single, 4 (3%) divorced and 1 (1%) widow. Indices of received violence and exerted violence that vary from 0 to 100 were calculated multiplying reported frequency by reported damage. Comparisons of means for Student's t-test, linear correlations, linear regression and path analysis were use for data analysis. Alexithymia (TAS-20 total scores ≥ 61) was found in 42% of women, received violence in 25% (scores of received violence index ≥ 30), and exercised violence in 5% (scores of received violence index ≥ 30). The mean of index of received violence was higher than the one of index of exerted violence (t[117] = 4.15, p < .01). Alexithymia was associated to violence. Its correlation was higher with received violence than with exerted violence. A reactive violence pattern was observed in which alexithymia acts as a risk factor. In this path model, alexithymia (TAS-20 total score) determined both the received damage as the index of exerted violence. The received damage determined the index of exerted violence. The variable of level of education was added as a determinant of the index of exerted violence, owing to model ran out degrees of freedom with only one variable exogenous (alexithymia).The model explained 21% of the variance of exerted violence and 19% of the variance of received damage with a close fit to the data (χ2 [1, N = 118] = 0.14, p = .71, GFI = 1, AGFI = .99, NFI = 1, CFI = 1, and RMSEA = 0). This relationship among alexithymia and violence could probably be due to the adjustment and control problems that alexithymia involves. It is suggested to assess alexithymia in new studies and interventions in couple violence.