Neonatal mortality rates, characteristics, and risk factors for neonatal deaths in Ghana: analyses of data from two health and demographic surveillance systems.

Background: Reducing neonatal mortality rates (NMR) in developing countries is a key global health goal, but weak registration systems in the region stifle public health efforts.

Objective: To calculate NMRs, investigate modifiable risk factors, and explore neonatal deaths by place of birth and death, and cause of death in two administrative areas in Ghana.

Methods: Data on livebirths were extracted from the health and demographic surveillance systems in Navrongo (2004-2012) and Kintampo (2005-2010).

Migration, ethnicity, racism and the COVID-19 pandemic: A conference marking the launch of a new Global Society.

The inaugural conference of the Global Society on Migration, Ethnicity, Race and Health COVID-19 examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrants and ethnic minorities and the role of racism. Migrants everywhere have faced tightening immigration restrictions, more obstacles to healthcare, increased racism and worsening poverty. Higher COVID-19 mortality rates have been otbserved in ethnic/racial minorities in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Complex differences in infection rates between ethnic groups in Scotland: a retrospective, national census-linked cohort study of 1.65 million cases.

Background: Ethnicity can influence susceptibility to infection, as COVID-19 has shown. Few countries have systematically investigated ethnic variations in infection.

Methods: We linked the Scotland 2001 Census, including ethnic group, to national databases of hospitalizations/deaths and serological diagnoses of bloodborne viruses for 2001-2013.

Test, test, test for COVID-19 antibodies: the importance of sensitivity, specificity and predictive powers.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibody tests of varying specificity and sensitivity are now available. For informing individuals whether they have had coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), they need to be very accurate. For measuring population prevalence of past infection, the numbers of false positives and negatives need to be roughly equal.

Ethnic variations in falls and road traffic injuries resulting in hospitalisation or death in Scotland: the Scottish Health and Ethnicity Linkage Study.

Objectives: To investigate ethnic differences in falls and road traffic injuries (RTIs) in Scotland.

Study Design: A retrospective cohort of 4.62 million people, linking the Scottish Census 2001, with self-reported ethnicity, to hospitalisation and death records for 2001-2013.

The challenge of using routinely collected data to compare hospital admission rates by ethnic group: a demonstration project in Scotland.

Background: Recording patients' ethnic group supports efforts to achieve equity in health care provision. Before the Equality Act (2010), recording ethnic group at hospital admission was poor in Scotland but has improved subsequently. We describe the first analysis of the utility of such data nationally for monitoring ethnic variation.

Differences in all-cause hospitalisation by ethnic group: a data linkage cohort study of 4.62 million people in Scotland, 2001-2013.

Objectives: Immigration into Europe has raised contrasting concerns about increased pressure on health services and equitable provision of health care to immigrants or ethnic minorities. Our objective was to find out if there were important differences in hospital use between the main ethnic groups in Scotland.

Study Design: A census-based data linkage cohort study.

Assessment of health care, hospital admissions, and mortality by ethnicity: population-based cohort study of health-system performance in Scotland.

Background: Ethnic minorities often experience barriers to health care. We studied six established quality indicators of health-system performance across ethnic groups in Scotland.

Methods: In this population-based cohort study, we linked ethnicity from Scotland's Census 2001 (April 29, 2001) to hospital admissions and mortality records, with follow-up until April 30, 2013.

Mortality, ethnicity, and country of birth on a national scale, 2001-2013: A retrospective cohort (Scottish Health and Ethnicity Linkage Study).

Background: Migrant and ethnic minority groups are often assumed to have poor health relative to the majority population. Few countries have the capacity to study a key indicator, mortality, by ethnicity and country of birth. We hypothesized at least 10% differences in mortality by ethnic group in Scotland that would not be wholly attenuated by adjustment for socio-economic factors or country of birth.

Is the linkage of census and health data justified? Views from a public panel of the Scottish Health and Ethnicity Linkage study.

Background: Using routine health data for research aimed at improving health requires the public's awareness and trust. The Scottish Health and Ethnicity Linkage study explores variations in health between ethnic groups. We aimed to establish a public panel to obtain their views on its methods, findings and dissemination, including use of routine health data without individual opt-in consent.

Life expectancy of different ethnic groups using death records linked to population census data for 4.62 million people in Scotland.

Background: Few countries record the data needed to estimate life expectancy by ethnic group. Such information is helpful in assessing the extent of health inequality.

Method: Life tables were created using 3 years of deaths (May 2001-April 2004) linked to Scottish 2001 Census data for 4.

After 50 years and 200 papers, what can the Midspan cohort studies tell us about our mortality?

Objective: To distil the main findings from published papers on mortality in three cohorts involving over 27,000 adults, recruited in Scotland between 1965 and 1976 and followed up ever since.

Method: We read and summarized 48 peer-reviewed papers about all-cause and cause-specific mortality in these cohorts, published between 1978 and 2013.

Results: Mortality rates were substantially higher among cigarette smokers in all social classes and both genders.

Comparing the impact of personal and parental risk factors, and parental lifespan on all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease: findings from the Midspan Family cohort study.

Background: We aimed to identify which personal and parental factors best explained all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Methods: In 1996, data were collected on 2338 adult offspring of the participants in the 1972-1976 Renfrew and Paisley prospective cohort study. Recorded risk factors were assigned to 5 groups: mid-life biological and behavioural (BB), mid-life socioeconomic, parental BB, early-life socioeconomic and parental lifespan.

Does smoking reduction in midlife reduce mortality risk? Results of 2 long-term prospective cohort studies of men and women in Scotland.

A long-term cohort study of working men in Israel found that smokers who reduced their cigarette consumption had lower subsequent mortality rates than those who did not. We conducted comparable analyses in 2 populations of smokers in Scotland. The Collaborative Study included 1,524 men and women aged 40-65 years in a working population who were screened twice, in 1970-1973 and 1977.

Smoke-free legislation: global reach, impact and remaining challenges.

Article 8 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (2005) requires all signatory countries to adopt measures to protect people from tobacco smoke in indoor workplaces, indoor public places, public transport and other public places as appropriate. The aims of this symposium were to review progress across the world, to assess the evidence for the impact of legislation on health, and to identify the continuing challenges in making universal protection a reality. There was agreement that even in countries where strict legislation is enforced, many children continue to be dangerously exposed to parental second-hand smoke in the womb, the home and private cars.

World Congress of Epidemiology 2011: themes and highlights.

Modern-day epidemiologists are confronted with huge changes, such as the rise in the global population due to reduced mortality, migration within and across countries, massive shifts in economic standing and lifestyles, and environmental degradation. With over 1000 posters, more than 100 oral presentations, 16 workshops, four lunchtime symposia, many exhibitions and immeasurable discussions, the task of capturing all highlights of the International Epidemiology Association (IEA) World Congress of Epidemiology 2011 is impossible, but this article has provided a sample. Many presenters showed that the challenges facing global health are complex, changing and in demand of measurement, and they demonstrated the central role of epidemiology.