Epidemiology of chronic pain in Ukraine: Findings from the World Mental Health Survey.

Chronic pain can pose a serious challenge in everyday life for many individuals globally, especially in developing countries, but studies explicitly exploring risk factors of chronic pain beyond demographic characteristics using survey data have been scarce. To address this problem, this study analyzed World Health Organization data on chronic pain in Ukraine to explore demographic, psychological, and treatment perception-related risk factors to chronic pain. We replicated previous reports of older age, female sex, married status, inadequate financial resources, and comorbidity of other physical conditions as significant demographic risk factors for chronic pain diagnosis but not necessarily for severe pain.

Perpetrators of intimate partner violence use significantly more methamphetamine, cocaine, and alcohol than victims: a report by victims.

Objectives: Our objectives were (1) to determine demographic characteristics of intimate partner violence (IPV) victims and perpetrators, as reported by victims in a Victim Assistance Unit where police are called to the scene for IPV, and (2) to compare the relative risk of methamphetamine, cocaine, and alcohol use in perpetrators vs victims of IPV, as reported by victims.

Methods: Data from a Victim Assistance Unit intake statistics for the months of January to November 2006 were accessed. For this system in a city of approximately 500,000 population, with a large Hispanic population, police call for an onsite advocate intervention (trained social worker) at their own discretion for the victim and for children involved.

Hormone replacement therapy and false positive recall in the Million Women Study: patterns of use, hormonal constituents and consistency of effect.

Introduction: Current and recent users of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have an increased risk of being recalled to assessment at mammography without breast cancer being diagnosed ('false positive recall'), but there is limited information on the effects of different patterns of HRT use on this. The aim of this study is to investigate in detail the relationship between patterns of use of HRT and false positive recall.

Methods: A total of 87,967 postmenopausal women aged 50 to 64 years attending routine breast cancer screening at 10 UK National Health Service Breast Screening Units from 1996 to 1998 joined the Million Women Study by completing a questionnaire before screening and were followed for their screening outcome.

Influence of personal characteristics of individual women on sensitivity and specificity of mammography in the Million Women Study: cohort study.

Objectives: To examine how lifestyle, hormonal, and other factors influence the sensitivity and specificity of mammography.

Methods: Women recruited into the Million Women Study completed a questionnaire about various personal factors before routine mammographic screening. A sample of 122,355 women aged 50-64 years were followed for outcome of screening and incident breast cancer in the next 12 months.