Relationship between breast milk feeding and atopic dermatitis in children.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether or not the breast milk feeding has a role in the prevalence of atopic dermatitis among children. METHODS: The target population of the study was all children participating in health check-up program for 3-year-old children in 60 municipalities locating 10 selected prefectures during designated 2 months between October and December 1997. Using a questionnaire, information on nutrition in infants (breast milk only, bottled milk only, or mixed), parity, mothers' age at birth, and a history of atopic dermatitis was obtained. Besides, data on potential confounding factors were obtained. RESULTS: Questionnaires from 3856 children (81.6% of those who were to participate in the programs, and 96.4% of children who participated them) were analyzed. After the adjustment for all potential confounding factors using unconditional logistic models, the risk of atopic dermatitis was slightly higher among children with breast milk (odds ratio [OR] = 1.16 with 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.96-1.40). Mothers' age at birth (OR for those who were more than 30 years or older in comparison with those who were younger than 30 years = 1.15; 95% CI, 0.96-1.37) and those with second or later parity orders (OR = 1.14, 95% CI; 0.95-1.35) showed odds ratios that were higher than unity without statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Breast milk elevates the risk of atopic dermatitis slightly without statistical significance; the risk may be, however, higher in children in second or later parity orders.

A case-control study of ulcerative colitis in Japan.

To determine whether risk factors of ulcerative colitis among Japanese are the same as those observed in other countries, we conducted a case-control study in Japan in 1988-90. Patients selected for the study were receiving financial aid for treatment of the disease; an equal number of population-based controls matched by age and sex were selected. Smoking decreased the risk of the disease (odds ratio = 0.30; 95% confidence interval, 0.16-0.56), and stopping smoking increased the risk (odds ratio compared with those who had never smoked = 1.44; 95% confidence interval, 0.73-2.85). In those who drank alcoholic beverages > or = 5 days a week, disease development was less likely than in others (odds ratio = 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.30-0.81). In addition, difficulties in human relations at work, a family history of asthma, a medical history of surgical procedures, and personality traits such as nervousness, anxiety, and obsessive behavior were also considered risk factors. Although some findings are similar to those in former studies, a few findings are different: surgical procedures, occupational status, and a family history of the disease. To clarify whether the differences are consistent will require other case-control studies.

[A proposal for evaluation charts on the health services for the aged by municipalities].

A method to evaluate health services for the aged enforced by municipalities (cities, towns and villages) based on the health service law for the aged is proposed. The evaluation method is to draw three visual charts which compare the quantities, qualities and effects of health services for the aged. Software for personal computers for producing the evaluation charts by using periodically collected health services data on a municipality basis is developed. Examples of the charts of two municipalities (a city and a town) are shown and the validity of the charts are discussed.