| 1. |
- Almqvist, C, et al.
(författare)
-
Direct and indirect exposure to pets : - risk of sensitization and asthma at 4 years in a birth cohort
- 2003
-
Ingår i: Clinical and Experimental Allergy. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 0954-7894 .- 1365-2222. ; 33, s. 1190-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: There are conflicting data on the association between early exposure to pets and allergic diseases. Bias related to retrospective information on pet ownership has been addressed as a reason for distorted study results.OBJECTIVE: To elucidate how early exposure to cat and dog relates to IgE-sensitization and asthma in children at 2 and 4 years of age, in a prospective birth-cohort study.METHODS: Four thousand and eighty-nine families with children born 1994-1996 in predefined areas of Stockholm answered questionnaires on environmental factors and symptoms of allergic disease at birth, one, two and four years of age. Dust samples collected from the mothers' beds at birth were analysed for Fel d 1 and Can f 1 in a subgroup of the cohort. Blood samples taken at four years from 2614 children were analysed for allergen-specific IgE to common airborne allergens. Risk associations were calculated with a multiple logistic regression model, with adjustment for potential confounders.RESULTS: A correlation was seen between allergen levels and reported exposure to cat and dog. Exposure to cat seemed to increase the risk of cat sensitization, OR (odds ratio) 1.44 (95% confidence interval 1.03-2.01), whereas dog exposure did not have any effect on dog sensitization, OR 1.16 (0.79-1.72). Dog ownership was related to a reduced risk of sensitization to other airborne allergens, OR 0.36 (0.15-0.83), and a similar tendency was seen for cat ownership OR 0.63 (0.37-1.07). Early dog ownership seemed to be associated with a lower risk of asthma, OR 0.50 (0.24-1.03), with no corresponding effect after cat ownership, OR 0.88 (0.56-1.38).CONCLUSION: Early exposure to cat seems to increase the risk of sensitization to cat but not of asthma at 4 years of age. Dog ownership, on the other hand, appears to be associated with lowered risk of sensitization to airborne allergens and asthma. Both aetiological relationships and selection effects have to be considered in the interpretation of these findings.
|
|
| 2. |
- Almqvist, Catarina, et al.
(författare)
-
Heredity, pet ownership, and confounding control in a population-based birth cohort
- 2003
-
Ingår i: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. - : Elsevier. - 0091-6749 .- 1097-6825. ; 111, s. 800-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The association between pet ownership in childhood and subsequent allergic disease is controversial. Bias related to selection of pet exposure has been suggested as a reason for contradictory study results.OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this investigation was to elucidate how pet exposure depends on family history of allergic disease, smoking, and socioeconomic factors in a prospective birth cohort.METHODS: Parents of 4089 two-month-old children answered a questionnaire that included detailed questions about family history of asthma (maternal, paternal, and sibling), rhinoconjunctivitis, atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome, pollen and pet allergy, smoking habits, parental occupation, and family pet ownership (cat and dog). Dust samples collected from the mothers' beds were analyzed for Fel d 1 and Can f 1 in a subgroup of the cohort.RESULTS: Cats were less frequently kept in families with parental asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, or pet or pollen allergy (3.5% to 5.8%) than in families without parental allergic disease (10.8% to 11.8%). Dogs were less common in families with (3.3%) than in families without (5.9%) parental atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome. Families with smoking mothers and those with low socioeconomic index kept cats and dogs more frequently. Cat allergen levels were lower in homes with than in homes without maternal pet allergy, and this tended to hold true even for homes without a cat. Cat ownership decreased from birth to 2 years of age, especially in families with parental history of allergic diseases.CONCLUSION: There seems to be a selection of pet exposure based on parental history of allergy, maternal smoking, and socioeconomic factors. This has to be taken into consideration in evaluations of risk associations between pet exposure and allergic disease in childhood.
|
|
| 3. |
|
|
| 4. |
|
|
| 5. |
- Carlsson, Marianne, et al.
(författare)
-
Evaluation of quality of life/life satisfaction in women with breast cancer in complementary and conventional care
- 2004
-
Ingår i: Acta Oncologica. - OSLO : TAYLOR & FRANCIS AS. - 0284-186X .- 1651-226X. ; 43:1, s. 27-34
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim was to study the perceived quality of life/life satisfaction in a sample of women with breast cancer who were treated in a hospital with alternative/complementary care and the same variables in individually matched patients who received only conventional medical treatment. A non-randomized controlled trial design with repeated measurements was used. Sixty women with breast cancer treated with anthroposophic medicine (ABCW) and 60 with conventional medicine (CBCW) were included and 36 matched pairs took part on all occasions. The quality of life was measured by the EORTC QLQ-C30 and the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (LSQ). The comparisons were calculated as effect sizes (ES). The women in the ABCW group reported small or moderate effects, expressed as ES, on their quality of life/life satisfaction compared to their matched "twins'' in the CBCW group at the 1-year follow-up in 15 out of 21 scales/factors. It was concluded that the women who had chosen anthroposophic care increased their perceived quality of life/life satisfaction according to the methodology of the study.
|
|
| 6. |
- Edman, L, et al.
(författare)
-
Health-related quality of life, symptom distress and sense of coherence in adult survivors of allogeneic stem-cell transplantation
- 2001
-
Ingår i: European Journal of Cancer Care. - Oxford : Hindawi Limited. - 0961-5423 .- 1365-2354. ; 10:2, s. 124-130
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This is the first Swedish study to evaluate the health-related quality of life and sense of coherence in adult survivors of allogeneic, haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Twenty-five recipients completed three questionnaires 2-4 years after the transplantation. The questionnaires used were the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP), the Symptom Frequency Intensity and Distress (SFID-BMT) scale and the Sense of Coherence (SOC) scale measuring subjective functional status, symptom distress and coping ability. Impairments in functional status were found, as compared with a population norm. The most common impairments were found in the areas of social interaction and sleep and rest. Eye problems, dry mouth, cough, sexual problems, tiredness, anxiety and changes of taste were symptoms reported by more than half of the patients. Despite impaired functioning and a high incidence of symptoms, the general health was described as quite good or excellent by 80% (n = 20) of the patients. The majority (20/22) had also been able to return to work or to attend school. No difference in the sense of coherence was seen, as compared with the population norm. Functional impairments were significantly correlated to a lower degree of sense of coherence.
|
|
| 7. |
- Fossum, Bjöörn, et al.
(författare)
-
Evaluation of a counseling method for the prevention of child exposure to tobacco smoke : an example of client-centered communication
- 2004
-
Ingår i: Preventive Medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 0091-7435 .- 1096-0260. ; 38:3, s. 295-301
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is an important risk factor. The aim of this study is to evaluate effects of the counseling method "Smoke-free children" that focuses on protection of infants. METHODS: The counseling method, "Smoke-free children", has been developed and implemented at Swedish child health centers. The counseling method's point of departure is based upon a client-centered approach. Saliva cotinine samples from the mothers were collected when the child was 1-4 weeks and 3 months of age. Interviews regarding mothers' smoking habits and self-reported maternal smoking were also carried out. RESULTS: Forty-one mothers participated in the study, 26 in the intervention group and 15 in the control group. Cotinine was collected from 22 subjects in the intervention and 8 in the control group. Before the intervention, the mean cotinine level was 185 ng/mL in the intervention group and 245 ng/mL in the control group. After the intervention, cotinine levels were reduced in the intervention group (165 ng/mL) and increased in the control group (346 ng/mL). Yet, after the intervention, the mothers themselves reported more smoking in the intervention group than in the control group. Only weak correlations were found between self-reported smoking and cotinine. CONCLUSIONS: The statistical analysis supports the view that a client-centered intervention, aimed at increasing self-efficacy, exerts a positive effect on maternal smoking in the prevention of infant exposure to ETS, when applied in a routine clinical setting.
|
|
| 8. |
- Fossum, Bjöörn, et al.
(författare)
-
How physicians experience patient consultations at an orthopaedic out-patient clinic : a qualitative study
- 2002
-
Ingår i: Patient Education and Counseling. - : Elsevier BV. - 0738-3991 .- 1873-5134. ; 47:2, s. 127-35
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study is to describe physicians' experiences in their encounters with patients by allowing the physicians to observe and comment on their own video-recorded medical consultations. Eighteen orthopaedic surgeons took part in the study; they were informed that we were interested in studying what actually takes place during a consultation, the quality of communication between doctor and patient, and how the physicians themselves experience the consultation. Each time the physician wished to make a comment, the video film was stopped and the comments were taped on audiocassette. The results showed that when the physicians watched the video-recorded consultations they commented spontaneously on issues regarding, among others: (1) how they try to adapt their communication to the patient's situation; (2) the need to explain things to the patient; (3) perceptions of working under unfavourable conditions; (4) difficulties in helping certain patients.
|
|
| 9. |
- Fratiglioni, L, et al.
(författare)
-
An active and socially integrated lifestyle in late life might protect against dementia
- 2004
-
Ingår i: Lancet Neurology. - 1474-4422 .- 1474-4465. ; 3:6, s. 343-353
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The recent availability of longitudinal data on the possible association of different lifestyles with dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD) allow some preliminary conclusions on this topic. This review systematically analyses the published longitudinal studies exploring the effect of social network, physical leisure, and non-physical activity on cognition and dementia and then summarises the current evidence taking into account the limitations of the studies and the biological plausibility. For all three lifestyle components (social, mental, and physical), a beneficial effect on cognition and a protective effect against dementia are suggested. The three components seem to have common pathways, rather than specific mechanisms, which might converge within three major aetiological hypotheses for dementia and AD: the cognitive reserve hypothesis, the vascular hypothesis, and the stress hypothesis. Taking into account the accumulated evidence and the biological plausibility of these hypotheses, we conclude that an active and socially integrated lifestyle in late life protects against dementia and AD. Further research is necessary to better define the mechanisms of these associations and better delineate preventive and therapeutic strategies.
|
|
| 10. |
- Georgsson Öhman, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
-
Does fetal screening affect women's worries about the health of their baby? : a randomized controlled trial of ultrasound screening for Down's syndrome versus routine ultrasound screening
- 2004
-
Ingår i: Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica. - : Wiley. - 0001-6349 .- 1600-0412. ; 83:7, s. 634-40
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Screening for fetal abnormality may increase women's anxiety as attention is directed at the possibility of something being wrong with the baby. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ultrasound screening for Down's syndrome on women's anxiety in mid-pregnancy and 2 months after delivery. METHOD: Two thousand and twenty-six women were randomly allocated to an ultrasound examination at 12-14 gestational weeks (gws) including risk assessment for Down's syndrome or to a routine scan at 15-20 gws. Questionnaires including the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Cambridge Worry Scale (CWS), and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) were filled in at baseline in early pregnancy, at 24 gws and 2 months after delivery. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were found between the trial groups regarding women's worries about the health of the baby, general anxiety and depressive symptoms during pregnancy or 2 months after delivery. Women's worries about something being wrong with the baby in the early ultrasound group and routine group, respectively, decreased from baseline (39.1% versus 36.0%) to mid-pregnancy (29.2% versus 27.8%), and finally to 2 months after delivery (5.2% versus 6.6%). CONCLUSION: Fetal screening for Down's syndrome by an early ultrasound scan did not cause more anxiety or concerns about the health of the baby in mid-pregnancy or 2 months after birth than in women who had a routine scan.
|
|
