An investigation of child health in relation to housing renovations for a disadvantaged immigrant population in Malmö, Sweden.

AIMS: The aim of the study was to describe child health in relation to housing renovations in more than 800 rental units, consisting of repairs of dilapidated kitchens and bathrooms, in the disadvantaged neighbourhood of Herrgården in Rosengård, Malmö, Sweden. METHODS: Data on housing conditions and self-reported health were collected during home visits to families living in Herrgården (building renovations area) and a comparison area (neighbouring Törnrosen, with generally better housing conditions). At baseline, 130 families with 359 children participated, while 51 families with 127 children participated at follow-up. All data were collected between 2010 and 2012. Additionally, regional register data on health-care usage/in- and outpatient contacts within the public health-care system between 2008 and 2013 were also collected for all 8715 children registered as living in the two areas. RESULTS: Self-reported health seemed to somewhat improve in both areas, with 74% versus 86% and 78% versus 88% reporting good or very good health in Herrgården and in the comparison area at baseline and follow-up, respectively. In Herrgården, crowdedness increased, while it decreased in the comparison area. The number of health-care contacts remained stable over time in Herrgården, while it decreased in the comparison area. CONCLUSIONS: Partial housing renovations did not seem to result in clear health improvements as measured with the indicators used in the present study. This could possibly be due to persisting health effects due to increased crowdedness or persisting poor housing conditions, as only kitchens and bathrooms were renovated.

Poor housing conditions in association with child health in a disadvantaged immigrant population: a cross-sectional study in Rosengård, Malmö, Sweden.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the home environment in terms of housing conditions and their association with child health in a disadvantaged immigrant population. DESIGN: A cross-sectional observational study. SETTING: Enrolment took place during 2010-2011 in Rosengård, Malmö, Sweden. PARTICIPANTS: Children aged 0-13 years in 2 study neighbourhoods were recruited from local health records and from schools. 359 children participated, with a participation rate of 40%. Data on health, lifestyle and apartment characteristics from questionnaire-led interviews with the mothers of the children were obtained together with data from home inspections carried out by trained health communicators. OUTCOME MEASURES: Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate ORs for various health outcomes, adjusted for demographic information and lifestyle factors. RESULTS: The housing conditions were very poor, especially in one of the study neighbourhoods where 67% of the apartments had been sanitised of cockroaches, 27% were infested with cockroaches and 40% had a visible mould. The association between housing conditions and health was mostly inconclusive, but there were statistically significant associations between current asthma and dampness (OR=4.1, 95% CI 1.7 to 9.9), between asthma medication and dampness (OR=2.8, 95% CI 1.2 to 6.4), and between mould and headache (OR=4.2, 95% CI 1.2 to 14.8). The presence of cockroaches was associated with emergency care visits, with colds, with headache and with difficulty falling asleep, and worse general health was associated with mould and presence of cockroaches. CONCLUSIONS: The associations between dampness and asthma, and the association between mould and headache, are in line with current knowledge. The presence of cockroaches seemed to be associated with various outcomes, including those related to mental well-being, which is less described in the literature. The results of the present study are hypothesis generating and provide strong incentives for future studies in this study population.

Multiple long-standing massive oral mandibular granuloma gravidarum (pregnancy tumour).

Oral granuloma gravidarum (OGG) is a distinct clinical entity used to describe pyogenic granuloma developing mainly on the gingiva of pregnant women, possibly propagated by gingival high levels of active progesterone and poor oral hygiene. We report herein a 41-year-old woman presented 7 months after childbirth with two painless masses of OGG in mandibular gingiva that developed at the end of first trimester and increased gradually in size even after delivery. Surgical excisional biopsy was performed under general anaesthesia with extraction of periodontally involved mandibular anterior teeth. Proper oral hygiene in pregnant women is mandatory to prevent such oral condition.

Fibroosseous [corrected] pseudotumor of the digit: a clinicopathologic study of 43 new cases.

Myositis ossificans (MO) is a reactive zonal fibroosseous lesion in skeletal muscle of the proximal extremities and trunk of young patients. It generally matures over several weeks to form a peripheral rim of bone. Fibroosseous pseudotumor of the digits (FOPD) is a similar reactive lesion of the digits, which is reportedly less well organized. Cases up to year 1980 were previously reported from our institution. We examined new cases of FOPD since 1980 and addressed the relationship of this lesion to both myositis ossificans and other distal extremity fibroosseous lesions. Fifty-two cases coded as FOPD or MO limited to the hands and feet, from 1980 to the present, were retrieved from our files. Nine cases were excluded due to incomplete material or rediagnosis as other lesion. Materials reviewed included radiologic images and pathologic material. Forty-three cases of FOPD were included. All cases were in the fingers, except for 1 toe case, with the proximal phalanx of the index finger the most commonly affected site. Duration of lesions was radiologically estimated to range from 2 to 6 weeks. Age of patients ranged from 10 to 64 years (mean and median of 40 years). Sixty percent of cases occurred in women. Morphologically, half of these lesions had a zonal organization, with mature woven bone peripherally and immature woven bone centrally; all bone demonstrated osteoblastic rimming. Clinically, 6 patients had known antecedent trauma, yet edema and pain of the digit were noted in all. Novel findings were that patients often had occupations requiring repetitive manual labor. Cases of FOPD were diagnosed and treated by simple excision. Three patients had residual disease, subsequently resected, without any recurrences. Fibroosseous pseudotumor of the digits is a distinctive, benign, reactive myofibroblastic and osseous zonal lesion that occurs in the finger of mainly adult patients, many with occupations that require repetitive manual use. Imaging can date these lesions, determine their exact location, and help with diagnosis. These lesions are the superficial and distal counterparts of MO. It is important to understand the morphology of FOPD to distinguish this type of lesion from other benign and malignant fibroosseous lesions.