AIMS: This study carried out from June 2008 to March 2009 to find the relation between environmental tobacco smoke, stress and miscarriage and preterm births.
METHODS: A total of 33 subjects consisted of multiparous pregnant women that were in their early third trimester were chosen for this investigation. Subjects were divided into test group women with adverse pregnancy outcome, control group women with successful pregnancy. Four ml of unstimulated whole saliva were collected. The concentrations of cotinine and cortisol were evaluated using commercially available ELISA kit.
RESULTS: Pregnancies in which the average standardized cortisol during history of previous miscarriage(s) which occurred within 6th-27th week or/and history of preterm labor which occurred within 28th-36th weeks of gestation, demonstrated higher cortisol level (1.0201 ± 0.1855 ng/ml) compared to control group 0.9757 ± 0.2860 ng/ml (P = 0.323); statistical analysis showed no significant differences. Women of control group were more likely to be environmental tobacco smoke exposed (1.2714 ± 1.7639 ng/ml) than women with miscarriage and preterm births (0.9889 ± 0.5498 ng/ml).
CONCLUSION: The results from this primarily study demonstrated no association between cotinine, cortisol, miscarriage and preterm births.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the risk and protective factors contributing to suicidality among undergraduate college students in seven provinces in China.
METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 13,387 college students from seven universities in Ningxia, Shandong, Shanghai, Jilin, Qinghai, Shaanxi, and Xinjiang. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires.
RESULTS: Higher scores in the psychological strain, depression, anxiety, stress, and psychache (psychological risk factors for suicidality) and lower scores in self-esteem and purpose in life (psychological protective factors against suicidality) were associated with increased suicidality among undergraduate students in China. Demographic factors which were associated with higher risks of suicidality were female gender, younger age, bad academic results, were an only child, non-participation in school associations, and had an urban household registration. Perceived good health was protective against suicidality.
CONCLUSIONS: Knowing the common risk and protective factors for suicidality among Chinese undergraduate students is useful in developing interventions targeted at this population and to guide public health policies on suicide in China.