MyMedR

Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 28 in total

Abstract:

Sort:

A hepatitis B serological survey in Sibu, Sarawak January - July 1990

Hu CH, Ting R, Wong L

Family Physician, 1991;3:70-73.

Matched MeSH terms: Wales
Clinical quiz [FPv11n3]

Doshi HH

Family Physician, 2001;11:40-40.

Matched MeSH terms: Wales
Agricultural drought risk assessment of Northern New South Wales, Australia using geospatial techniques

Hoque MA, Pradhan B, Ahmed N, Sohel MSI

Sci Total Environ, 2020 Nov 17.
PMID: 33248778 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143600

Droughts are recurring events in Australia and cause a severe effect on agricultural and water resources. However, the studies about agricultural drought risk mapping are very limited in Australia. Therefore, a comprehensive agricultural drought risk assessment approach that incorporates all the risk components with their influencing criteria is essential to generate detailed drought risk information for operational drought management. A comprehensive agricultural drought risk assessment approach was prepared in this work incorporating all components of risk (hazard, vulnerability, exposure, and mitigation capacity) with their relevant criteria using geospatial techniques. The prepared approach is then applied to identify the spatial pattern of agricultural drought risk for Northern New South Wales region of Australia. A total of 16 relevant criteria under each risk component were considered, and fuzzy logic aided geospatial techniques were used to prepare vulnerability, exposure, hazard, and mitigation capacity indices. These indices were then incorporated to quantify agricultural drought risk comprehensively in the study area. The outputs depicted that about 19.2% and 41.7% areas are under very-high and moderate to high risk to agricultural droughts, respectively. The efficiency of the results is successfully evaluated using a drought inventory map. The generated spatial drought risk information produced by this study can assist relevant authorities in formulating proactive agricultural drought mitigation strategies.

Matched MeSH terms: New South Wales
An improved SPEI drought forecasting approach using the long short-term memory neural network

Dikshit A, Pradhan B, Huete A

J Environ Manage, 2021 Apr 01;283:111979.
PMID: 33482453 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.111979

Droughts are slow-moving natural hazards that gradually spread over large areas and capable of extending to continental scales, leading to severe socio-economic damage. A key challenge is developing accurate drought forecast model and understanding a models' capability to examine different drought characteristics. Traditionally, forecasting techniques have used various time-series approaches and machine learning models. However, the use of deep learning methods have not been tested extensively despite its potential to improve our understanding of drought characteristics. The present study uses a deep learning approach, specifically the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) to predict a commonly used drought measure, the Standard Precipitation Evaporation Index (SPEI) at two different time scales (SPEI 1, SPEI 3). The model was compared with other common machine learning method, Random Forests, Artificial Neural Networks and applied over the New South Wales (NSW) region of Australia, using hydro-meteorological variables as predictors. The drought index and predictor data were collected from the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) dataset spanning from 1901 to 2018. We analysed the LSTM forecasted results in terms of several drought characteristics (drought intensity, drought category, or spatial variation) to better understand how drought forecasting was improved. Evaluation of the drought intensity forecasting capabilities of the model were based on three different statistical metrics, Coefficient of Determination (R2), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), and Mean Absolute Error (MAE). The model achieved R2 value of more than 0.99 for both SPEI 1 and SPEI 3 cases. The variation in drought category forecasted results were studied using a multi-class Receiver Operating Characteristic based Area under Curves (ROC-AUC) approach. The analysis revealed an AUC value of 0.83 and 0.82 for SPEI 1 and SPEI 3 respectively. The spatial variation between observed and forecasted values were analysed for the summer months of 2016-2018. The findings from the study show an improvement relative to machine learning models for a lead time of 1 month in terms of different drought characteristics. The results from this work can be used for drought mitigation purposes and different models need to be tested to further enhance our capabilities.

Matched MeSH terms: New South Wales
Cancer incidence in Asian migrants to New South Wales, Australia

Grulich AE, McCredie M, Coates M

Br. J. Cancer, 1995 Feb;71(2):400-8.
PMID: 7841061

Cancer incidence during 1972-90 in Asian migrants to New South Wales, Australia, is described. Overall cancer incidence was lower than in the Australia born in most migrant groups, and this reached significance in migrants born in China/Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam and India/Sri Lanka, and in male migrants born in Indonesia. For the majority of cancers, rates were more similar to those in the Australia born than to those in the countries of birth. For cancers of the breast, colorectum and prostate, rates were relatively low in the countries of birth, but migrants generally exhibited rates nearer those of the Australia born. For cancers of the liver and cervix and, in India/Sri Lanka-born migrants, of the oral cavity, incidence was relatively high in the countries of birth but tended to be lower, nearer Australia-born rates, in the migrants. For these cancers, environmental factors related to the migrant's adopted country, and migrant selection, appeared to have a major effect on the risk of cancer. For certain other cancers, incidence was more similar to that in the countries of birth. Nasopharyngeal cancer, and lung cancer in females, had high rates in both the countries of birth and in migrants to Australia. Nasopharyngeal cancer rates were highest in China/Taiwan and Hong Kong-born migrants, and were also significantly high in migrants from Malaysia/Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines. Rates of lung cancer were significantly high in women born in China/Taiwan, and the excess was greater for adenocarcinoma than for squamous cell carcinoma. Melanoma had low rates in both the migrants and in the countries of birth. For these cancers, it was probable that genetic factors, or environmental factors acting prior to migration, were important in causation.

Matched MeSH terms: New South Wales/epidemiology
Monitoring human papillomavirus prevalence among young Australian women undergoing routine chlamydia screening

Shilling H, Murray G, Brotherton JML, Hawkes D, Saville M, Sivertsen T, et al.

Vaccine, 2020 01 29;38(5):1186-1193.
PMID: 31767467 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.11.019

INTRODUCTION: Australia has recently implemented major changes in cervical cancer prevention policies including introduction of primary human papillomavirus (HPV) screening starting at age 25, and replacement of the quadrivalent HPV vaccine with the nonavalent vaccine in the national school-based program. We assessed the feasibility and utility of conducting HPV testing in residual clinical specimens submitted for routine Chlamydia trachomatis screening, as a means of tracking HPV vaccine program impact among young sexually active women.
METHODS: De-identified residual specimens from women aged 16-24 years submitted for chlamydia testing were collected from three pathology laboratories in Victoria and New South Wales. Limited demographic information, and chlamydia test results were also collected. Patient identifiers were sent directly from the laboratories to the National HPV Vaccination Program Register, to obtain HPV vaccination histories. Samples underwent HPV genotyping using Seegene Anyplex II HPV 28 assay.
RESULTS: Between April and July 2018, 362 residual samples were collected, the majority (60.2%) of which were cervical swabs. Demographic data and vaccination histories were received for 357 (98.6%) women (mean age 21.8, SD 2.0). Overall, 65.6% of women were fully vaccinated, 9.8% partially, and 24.7% unvaccinated. The majority (86.0%) resided in a major city, 35.9% were classified in the upper quintile of socioeconomic advantage and chlamydia positivity was 7.8%.The prevalence of quadrivalent vaccine-targeted types (HPV6/11/16/18) was 2.8% (1.5-5.1%) overall with no differences by vaccination status (p = 0.729). The prevalence of additional nonavalent vaccine-targeted types (HPV31/33/45/52/58) was 19.3% (15.6-23.8%). One or more oncogenic HPV types were detected in 46.8% (95% CI 41.6-52.0%) of women.
CONCLUSIONS: HPV testing of residual chlamydia specimens provides a simple, feasible method for monitoring circulating genotypes. Applied on a larger scale this method can be utilised to obtain a timely assessment of nonavalent vaccine impact among young women not yet eligible for cervical screening.

Matched MeSH terms: New South Wales/epidemiology
Fulltext Lack of efficacy of triclabendazole against Fasciola hepatica is present on sheep farms in three regions of England, and Wales

Kamaludeen J, Graham-Brown J, Stephens N, Miller J, Howell A, Beesley NJ, et al.

Vet Rec, 2019 04 20;184(16):502.
PMID: 30824600 DOI: 10.1136/vr.105209

The liver fluke Fasciola hepatica is a parasitic trematode that has a major impact on livestock production and human health. Control of F hepatica is difficult and relies on anthelmintics, particularly triclabendazole, due to its efficacy against both adult and juvenile stages of the parasite. Emergence of triclabendazole-resistant F hepatica populations has been reported in a number of countries, including the UK, but the overall prevalence and distribution of triclabendazole resistance is unknown. In this study, the authors established the presence of reduced efficacy of triclabendazole in sheep flocks in England and Wales, using a validated composite faecal egg count reduction test. Seventy-four sheep farms were sampled from Wales, southwest, northwest and northeast England between Autumn 2013 and Spring 2015. F hepatica eggs were detected in samples from 42/74 farms. Evidence of a lack of efficacy of triclabendazole was detected on 21/26 farms on which the faecal egg count reduction test was completed, with faecal egg count reductions ranging from 89 per cent to 0per cent. Regression analysis suggested that both prevalence of F hepatica and lack of efficacy of triclabendazole were spatially correlated, with higher faecal egg counts and lower percentage reductions on farms located in the northwest of England, and Wales. Overall, the results show that reduced efficacy of triclabendazole is present across England and Wales, with a complete lack of therapeutic efficacy observed on 9/26 farms.

Matched MeSH terms: Wales/epidemiology
Fulltext Large-scale structure of brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) populations in England: effects on rodenticide resistance

Haniza MZ, Adams S, Jones EP, MacNicoll A, Mallon EB, Smith RH, et al.

PeerJ, 2015;3:e1458.
PMID: 26664802 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1458

The brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) is a relatively recent (<300 years) addition to the British fauna, but by association with negative impacts on public health, animal health and agriculture, it is regarded as one of the most important vertebrate pest species. Anticoagulant rodenticides were introduced for brown rat control in the 1950s and are widely used for rat control in the UK, but long-standing resistance has been linked to control failures in some regions. One thus far ignored aspect of resistance biology is the population structure of the brown rat. This paper investigates the role population structure has on the development of anticoagulant resistance. Using mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA, we examined 186 individuals (from 15 counties in England and one location in Wales near the Wales-England border) to investigate the population structure of rural brown rat populations. We also examined individual rats for variations of the VKORC1 gene previously associated with resistance to anticoagulant rodenticides. We show that the populations were structured to some degree, but that this was only apparent in the microsatellite data and not the mtDNA data. We discuss various reasons why this is the case. We show that the population as a whole appears not to be at equilibrium. The relative lack of diversity in the mtDNA sequences examined can be explained by founder effects and a subsequent spatial expansion of a species introduced to the UK relatively recently. We found there was a geographical distribution of resistance mutations, and relatively low rate of gene flow between populations, which has implications for the development and management of anticoagulant resistance.

Matched MeSH terms: Wales
Mitochondrial genomics identifies major haplogroups in Aboriginal Australians

van Holst Pellekaan SM, Ingman M, Roberts-Thomson J, Harding RM

Am. J. Phys. Anthropol., 2006 Oct;131(2):282-94.
PMID: 16596590

We classified diversity in eight new complete mitochondrial genome sequences and 41 partial sequences from living Aboriginal Australians into five haplogroups. Haplogroup AuB belongs to global lineage M, and AuA, AuC, AuD, and AuE to N. Within N, we recognize subdivisions, assigning AuA to haplogroup S, AuD to haplogroup O, AuC to P4, and AuE to P8. On available evidence, (S)AuA and (M)AuB are widespread in Australia. (P4)AuC is found in the Riverine region of western New South Wales, and was identified by others in northern Australia. (O)AuD and (P8)AuE were clearly identified only from central Australia. Our eight Australian full mt genome sequences, combined with 20 others (Ingman and Gyllensten 2003 Genome Res. 13:1600-1606) and compared with full mt genome sequences from regions to the north that include Papua New Guinea, Malaya, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, show that ancestral connections between regions are deep and limited to clustering at the level of the N and M macrohaplogroups. The Australian-specific distribution of the five haplogroups identified indicates genetic isolation over a long period. Ancestral connections within Australia are deeper than those reflected by known linguistic or culturally based affinities. Applying a coalescence analysis to a gene tree for the coding regions of the eight genomic sequences, we made estimates of time depth that support a continuity of presence for the descendants of a founding population already established by 40,000 years ago.

Matched MeSH terms: New South Wales
Long lead time drought forecasting using lagged climate variables and a stacked long short-term memory model

Dikshit A, Pradhan B, Alamri AM

Sci Total Environ, 2021 Feb 10;755(Pt 2):142638.
PMID: 33049536 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142638

Drought forecasting with a long lead time is essential for early warning systems and risk management strategies. The use of machine learning algorithms has been proven to be beneficial in forecasting droughts. However, forecasting at long lead times remains a challenge due to the effects of climate change and the complexities involved in drought assessment. The rise of deep learning techniques can solve this issue, and the present work aims to use a stacked long short-term memory (LSTM) architecture to forecast a commonly used drought measure, namely, the Standard Precipitation Evaporation Index. The model was then applied to the New South Wales region of Australia, with hydrometeorological and climatic variables as predictors. The multivariate interpolated grid of the Climatic Research Unit was used to compute the index at monthly scales, with meteorological variables as predictors. The architecture was trained using data from the period of 1901-2000 and tested on data from the period of 2001-2018. The results were then forecasted at lead times ranging from 1 month to 12 months. The forecasted results were analysed in terms of drought characteristics, such as drought intensity, drought onset, spatial extent and number of drought months, to elucidate how these characteristics improve the understanding of drought forecasting. The drought intensity forecasting capability of the model used two statistical metrics, namely, the coefficient of determination (R2) and root-mean-square error. The variation in the number of drought months was examined using the threat score technique. The results of this study showed that the stacked LSTM model can forecast effectively at short-term and long-term lead times. Such findings will be essential for government agencies and can be further tested to understand the forecasting capability of the presented architecture at shorter temporal scales, which can range from days to weeks.

Matched MeSH terms: New South Wales
Whither regulation, risk and water safety plans? Case studies from Malaysia and from England and Wales

Hasan H, Parker A, Pollard SJT

Sci Total Environ, 2021 Feb 10;755(Pt 1):142868.
PMID: 33348485 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142868

We explore the interplay between preventative risk management and regulatory style for the implementation of water safety plans in Malaysia and in England and Wales, two jurisdictions with distinct philosophies of approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 water safety professionals in Malaysia, 23 in England and Wales, supported by 6 Focus Group Discussions (n = 53 participants). A grounded theory approach produced insights on the transition from drinking water quality surveillance to preventative risk management. Themes familiar to this type of regulatory transition emerged, including concerns about compliance policy; overseeing the risk management controls of regulatees with varied competencies and funds available to drive change; and the portfolio of interventions suited to a more facilitative regulatory style. Because the potential harm from waterborne illness is high where pathogen exposures occur, the transition to risk-informed regulation demands mature organisational cultures among water utilities and regulators, and a laser-like focus on ensuring risk management controls are delivered within water supply systems.

Matched MeSH terms: Wales
Fulltext Biogeographical variation in specific IgE recognition of temperate and subtropical grass pollen allergens in allergic rhinitis patients

Kailaivasan TH, Timbrell VL, Solley G, Smith WB, McLean-Tooke A, van Nunen S, et al.

Clinical & translational immunology, 2020;9(2):e01103.
PMID: 32025301 DOI: 10.1002/cti2.1103

Objective: Globally, grass pollens (GP) are major aeroallergen triggers of allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma. However, patterns of allergic sensitisation to pollen of temperate (Pooideae: Lolium perenne) and subtropical (Chloridoideae: Cynodon dactylon and Panicoideae: Paspalum notatum) subfamilies in diverse climates remain unclear. This study aims to evaluate the level of allergic sensitisation and IgE specificity for major GP allergens representing the three subfamilies in biogeographically distinct regions.
Methods: Participants (GP-allergic with AR, 330; non-atopic, 29; other allergies, 54) were recruited in subtropical: Queensland, and temperate: New South Wales, Western and South Australia, regions. Clinical history, skin prick test (SPT), total and specific IgE to GP and purified allergens (ImmunoCAP) were evaluated. Cross-inhibition of sIgE with Pas n 1, Cyn d 1 and Lol p 1 by GP extracts was investigated.
Results: Queensland participants showed higher sensitisation to P. notatum and C. dactylon than L. perenne GP. sIgE was higher to Pas n 1 and Cyn d 1, and sIgE to Pas n 1 and Cyn d 1 was inhibited more by Panicoideae and Chloridoideae, respectively, than Pooideae GP. Conversely, participants from temperate regions showed highest sensitisation levels to L. perenne GP and Lol p 1, and sIgE to Lol p 1 was inhibited more by Pooideae than other GP.
Conclusion: Levels and patterns of sensitisation to subtropical and temperate GP in AR patients depended on biogeography. Knowledge of the specificity of sensitisation to local allergens is important for optimal diagnosis and choice of allergen-specific immunotherapy to maximise benefit.

Matched MeSH terms: New South Wales
Emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccon Schrank) improves water use efficiency and yield of hexaploid bread wheat

Ma'arup R, Trethowan RM, Ahmed NU, Bramley H, Sharp PJ

Plant Sci, 2020 Jun;295:110212.
PMID: 32534607 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2019.110212

Emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccon Schrank) is a potential source of new genetic diversity for the improvement of hexaploid bread wheat. Emmer wheat was crossed and backcrossed to bread wheat and 480 doubled haploids (DHs) were produced from BC1F1 plants with hexaploid appearance derived from 19 crossses. These DHs were screened under well-watered conditions (E1) in 2013 to identify high-yielding materials with similar phenology. One-hundred and eighty seven DH lines selected on this basis, 4 commercial bread wheat cultivars and 9 bread wheat parents were then evaluated in extensive field experiments under two contrasting moisture regimes in north-western NSW in 2014 and 2015. A significant range in the water-use-efficiency of grain production (WUEGrain) was observed among the emmer derivatives. Of these, 8 hexaploid lines developed from 8 different emmer wheat parents had significantly improved intrinsic water-use-efficiency (WUEintr) and instantaneous water-use-efficiency (WUEi) compared to their bread wheat recurrent parents. Accurate and large scale field-based phenotyping was effective in identifying emmer wheat derived lines with superior performance to their hexaploid bread wheat recurrent parents under moisture stress.

Matched MeSH terms: New South Wales
Ethnicity, health and medical care: towards a critical realist analysis of general practice in the Korean community in Sydney

Han GS, Davies C

Ethn Health, 2006 Nov;11(4):409-30.
PMID: 17060035 DOI: 10.1080/13557850600824054

This paper investigates the use and provision of biomedicine among Korean-Australian men on the basis of interview data from all of the eight Korean-speaking doctors practising in the Korean community in Sydney in 1995. From the viewpoint of these general practitioners, an analysis is made of the processes Korean men go through in adjusting to a new country, being involved in constant hard manual work and long working hours, and explores how they make use of all available resources to stay healthy. The Korean men have fully utilized the 'freely' available medical services under government-subsidized Medicare, bearing in mind that health is a capacity to work under the current environment, although illegal migrants restrained themselves from using it until they obtained legal status. Korean-speaking medical practitioners have been able to provide their fellow Koreans with 'culturally appropriate' health care, with the key factor being the absence of a language barrier. The level of patient satisfaction is high, possibly due to the excellent understanding the doctors have of the social aspects of illnesses, although the doctors do not go beyond curative medicine in their practice. However, the increasing number of Korean-speaking doctors in the small Korean community means that there is competition for patients. Consequently, the medical care is highly entrepreneurial. Referral by Korean doctors to practitioners of Korean herbal medicine is also a notable feature of the health care sector of the Korean community, especially as this offers Korean patients 'satisfactory' health relief for problems that are not easily relieved by doctors in the biomedical system.

Matched MeSH terms: New South Wales/ethnology
Mortality from cardiovascular diseases in Chinese, Malays and Indians in Singapore, in comparison with England and Wales, USA and Japan

Hughes K

Ann Acad Med Singap, 1989 Nov;18(6):642-5.
PMID: 2624412

Age-standardised death rates, for ages 35-64 years in both sexes, from ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and hypertensive disease for Chinese, Malays, and Indians in Singapore (1980-84) have been compared with those in England and Wales, USA and Japan (1982). For ischaemic heart disease Indians have the highest mortality, then Malays, with Chinese less than the Western countries but more than Japan. For cerebrovascular disease the Malays have highest mortality, then Indians, then Chinese, followed by Japan, England and Wales, and USA in that order. For hypertensive disease it is again Malays, then Indians, then Chinese, but followed by the different order of USA, England and Wales, and Japan. The differences are discussed in the light of declining trends in mortality from these disease in Singapore over the preceding 25 years. The special problems of ischaemic heart disease in Indians and hypertension and it's sequelae in Malays are highlighted.

Matched MeSH terms: Wales/epidemiology
A satisfaction survey of opioid-dependent patients with methadone maintenance treatment

Aziz Z, Chong NJ

J Subst Abuse Treat, 2015 Jun;53:47-51.
PMID: 25616750 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2014.12.008

The aim of this study was to examine opioid-dependent patients' satisfaction with the methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) program in Malaysia and identify predictors of satisfaction. We used an interviewer-administered questionnaire developed and validated by Rankin Court, New South Wales, Australia. Of 502 patients approached in 11 MMT centers in Malaysia, 425 agreed to participate giving a response rate of 85%. In terms of overall satisfaction, a high percentage of respondents (85%) were satisfied with the MMT services. A logistic regression analysis showed that only "centres" and marital status were associated with overall satisfaction and that being single (OR 3.31; 95% CI 1.52 to 7.20) or married (OR 4.06; 95% CI 1.76 to 9.38) was associated with higher odds of overall satisfaction compared to being divorced or separated. An analysis of the responses pertaining to the most desired changes required at the center found dosing hours, waiting area and staff shortages to be common. The findings acquired from this survey will be useful to attain a clearer perspective on what aspects of the MMT service need to be reviewed for the improvement of service delivery.

Matched MeSH terms: New South Wales/epidemiology
Differential Diagnosis of Flavivirus Infections in Horses Using Viral Envelope Protein Domain III Antigens in Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay

Piyasena TBH, Setoh YX, Hobson-Peters J, Prow NA, Bielefeldt-Ohmann H, Khromykh AA, et al.

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis, 2017 12;17(12):825-835.
PMID: 29083957 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2017.2172

In Australia, infection of horses with the West Nile virus (WNV) or Murray Valley encephalitis virus (MVEV) occasionally results in severe neurological disease that cannot be clinically differentiated. Confirmatory serological tests to detect antibody specific for MVEV or WNV in horses are often hampered by cross-reactive antibodies induced to conserved epitopes on the envelope (E) protein. This study utilized bacterially expressed recombinant antigens derived from domain III of the E protein (rE-DIII) of MVEV and WNV, respectively, to determine whether these subunit antigens provided specific diagnostic markers of infection with these two viruses. When a panel of 130 serum samples, from horses with known flavivirus infection status, was tested in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using rE-DIII antigens, a differential diagnosis of MVEV or WNV was achieved for most samples. Time-point samples from horses exposed to flavivirus infection during the 2011 outbreak of equine encephalitis in south-eastern Australia also indicated that the rE-DIII antigens were capable of detecting and differentiating MVEV and WNV infection in convalescent sera with similar sensitivity and specificity to virus neutralization tests and blocking ELISAs. Overall, these results indicate that the rE-DIII is a suitable antigen for use in rapid immunoassays for confirming MVEV and WNV infections in horses in the Australian context and warrant further assessment on sensitive, high-throughput serological platforms such as multiplex immune assays.

Matched MeSH terms: New South Wales/epidemiology
Development of a measure profiling problems and needs of psychiatric patients in the community

Cheah YC, Parker G, Hadzi-Pavlovic D, Gladstone G, Eyers K

Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol, 1998 Jul;33(7):337-44.
PMID: 9689896

We argue the advantages of a measure profiling common problems faced by psychiatric patients in the community and indicating a likely need for service recognition, review and possible assistance. We describe the development of such a measure, the 35-item Profile of Community Psychiatry Clients (PCPC), and the identification of four relevant domains. Component scales assess coping limitations, behavioural problems, levels of social support and organic problems. High test-retest reliability was established, and a number of tests of the measure's validity were undertaken. Discriminant validity was established by demonstrating that those case managed by a community mental health service returned significantly higher scale scores than a comparison group who, while having a similar diagnostic profile, were not case managed. Additionally, scale scores were associated with a number of categorical and dimensional validators reflecting aspects of service need, and distinctly with service costs. We demonstrate that PCPC scores correspond with scores generated by the Life Skills Profile (LSP), a measure of disability, and examine the extent to which PCPC scales correspond to those contained in the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS). We argue for the scale's capacity to provide both a profile of central problems faced by patients and their likely need for community-based service assistance.

Matched MeSH terms: New South Wales
Sexual health and use of condoms among local and international sex workers in Sydney

O'Connor CC, Berry G, Rohrsheim R, Donovan B

Genitourin Med, 1996 Feb;72(1):47-51.
PMID: 8655167

OBJECTIVES:
To compare indicators of sexual health and predictors of condom use for commercial sex among local and international female sex workers first attending an STD clinic.

SETTING:
A public STD clinic in Sydney, Australia.

SUBJECTS:
All sex workers first attending between June 1991 and May 1993.

METHODS:
Cross-sectional analysis of demographic, behavioural and morbidity data from proforma medical records.

RESULTS:
91 local sex workers and 123 international sex workers (predominantly from Thailand, Malaysia and China) first presented during the study period. There were significantly higher prevalences of chlamydia (0 v. 15%, p = 0.0002), gonorrhoea (0 v. 14%, p = 0.0006), syphilis (0 v. 10%, p = 0.006) and clinical genital herpes (0 v. 5%, p = 0.04) among international sex workers. The only case of HIV infection was in an international sex worker. Inconsistent condom use for commercial sex was significantly more common among international sex workers (RR = 4.5; 95% CI 3.1-6.5). On multivariate analysis, inconsistent condom use in international sex workers was associated with a recent history of prostitution outside Australia (p = 0.04), while inconsistent condom usage among local sex workers was associated with increasing age (p = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS:
These data illustrate the efficacy of condoms and the success of targeted education programmes in local sex workers in Sydney. By contrast, international sex workers continued to be at high risk of STDs. The international sex industry in Sydney requires enhanced culture-specific interventions. Immigration laws as they affect sex workers should also be reviewed.

PIP:
This study analyzes data on all female sex workers who attended the Sydney Sexual Health Center for a first visit for a sexually transmitted disease (STD) screening during June 1, 1991, and May 31, 1993. International sex workers were identified as women who do not speak English at home and were born outside Australia. Diseases were confirmed clinically, by specimen or culture or by antibody or serological tests. Results apply to 91 local and 123 international prostitutes. 47% of international prostitutes and 34% of local prostitutes were aged 21-25 years. Most international sex workers spoke Thai or a Chinese dialect. 10% of local prostitutes were born in Asia. 90% of international prostitutes were born in Thailand, Malaysia, or China. Local prostitutes were better educated. 7% of the local prostitutes and none of the international sex workers had a history of injectable drug use. Local prostitutes tended to use condoms for birth control, and international prostitutes tended to use oral contraceptives. One international prostitute tested HIV positive. 1 in 7 international prostitutes had gonorrhea and the same proportion had chlamydia. Viral STDs (chronic hepatitis B, HIV infection, and genital warts) were more prevalent, but uncommon among international prostitutes. More international prostitutes had multiple STDs. 79 international sex workers and only 9 local sex workers had an STD. 47% of international sex workers and only 10% of local sex workers had worked overseas as a prostitute in the preceding 12 months. Over half of local sex workers and only 8% of international sex workers consistently used condoms. Failure to use condoms was associated with being an international sex worker. Inconsistent use of condoms among local prostitutes was related to increased age.

Matched MeSH terms: New South Wales
Fulltext Traditional and Novel Adiposity Indicators and Pancreatic Cancer Risk: Findings from the UK Women's Cohort Study

Shyam S, Greenwood D, Mai CW, Tan SS, Mohd Yusof BN, Moy FM, et al.

Cancers (Basel), 2021 Mar 02;13(5).
PMID: 33801191 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13051036

(1) Background: We studied the association of both conventional (BMI, waist and hip circumference and waist-hip ratio) and novel (UK clothing sizes) obesity indices with pancreatic cancer risk in the UK women's cohort study (UKWCS). (2) Methods: The UKWCS recruited 35,792 women from England, Wales and Scotland from 1995 to 1998. Cancer diagnosis and death information were obtained from the National Health Service (NHS) Central Register. Cox's proportional hazards regression was used to evaluate the association between baseline obesity indicators and pancreatic cancer risk. (3) Results: This analysis included 35,364 participants with a median follow-up of 19.3 years. During the 654,566 person-years follow up, there were 136 incident pancreatic cancer cases. After adjustments for age, smoking, education and physical activity, each centimetre increase in hip circumference (HR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01-1.05, p = 0.009) and each size increase in skirt size (HR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.02-1.23, p = 0.041) at baseline increased pancreatic cancer risk. Baseline BMI became a significant predictor of pancreatic cancer risk (HR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.00-1.08, p = 0.050) when latent pancreatic cancer cases were removed. Only baseline hip circumference was associated with pancreatic cancer risk (HR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.00-1.05, p = 0.017) when participants with diabetes at baseline were excluded to control for reverse causality. (4) Conclusion: Hip circumference and skirt size were significant predictors of pancreatic cancer risk in the primary analysis. Thus, hip circumference is useful to assess body shape relationships. Additionally, standard skirt sizes offer an economical and objective alternative to conventional obesity indices for evaluating pancreatic cancer risk in women.

Matched MeSH terms: Wales

Filters

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links