Youth homicide racial disparities: gender, years, and cause.

Objective: To study racial disparities and the weapons used to commit youth homicide in New Jersey.

Methods: The homicide data were obtained from New Jersey death certificate files, 1989-1997.

Results: There was a statistically significant racial disparity in homicide incidence rates in this study.

International comparison of medical students' perceptions of HIV infection and AIDS.

This analysis compared medical students' perceptions of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in two cities in two countries with different cultural and educational backgrounds. A total of 292 first- and second-year medical students (45% sample) were surveyed from New Jersey Medical School and from Benin Medical School, Nigeria. Compared with the Benin students, the Newark medical students were significantly more knowledgeable and had more positive attitudes and behaviors regarding HIV infection and AIDS.

Stressful life events and risk of symptomatic kidney stones.

Background: It has been reported that a substantial proportion of cases of hypercalciuria and nephrolithiasis are idiopathic. Several studies suggested that stressful life events increase lithogenic urinary constituents (calcium, oxalate and uric acid).

Objective: To test the hypothesis that there is an association between stressful life events and symptomatic kidney stone.

Patterns of smoking among inner-city teenagers: smoking has a pediatric age of onset.

Objectives: (1) To test the hypothesis that the prevalence of smoking among African-American teenagers is lower than among whites and Hispanic inner-city senior high school students; (2) to assess the patterns of smoking among inner-city teenagers; and (3) to ascertain the relationship between smoking status and their knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.

Methods: All students attending inner-city senior high schools in two cities in New Jersey were included in the survey (n = 8,900). Response Rate was 85%; 89% of respondents were minority teenagers.

Papanicolaou test status among inner-city adolescent girls.

Background: The English medical literature for the past decade lacks any reports on Papanicolaou (Pap) test status among inner-city adolescent girls. Our objectives were (1) to assess the pattern of Pap test status among inner-city adolescent girls and (2) to ascertain the association of the Pap test status with their knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors.

Methods: All 3,980 inner-city senior high school adolescent female students in two cities in New Jersey were included in the survey.

Health risk factors and health promoting behavior of medical, dental and nursing students.

The assumption of this study is: the preventive care beliefs and practices of health science students stand-out among the general public. To test this assumption, a survey of beliefs, behaviors and disease prevention practices of medical, dental, undergraduate and graduate nursing students in three health science schools was carried out in New Jersey. All students in these three schools were included in the study.

Health effects of a Superfund hazardous chemical waste disposal site.

A cross-sectional study of 358 households consisting of 1,454 persons was carried out to test the hypothesis that people who have resided in the vicinity of a Superfund hazardous chemical waste disposal site (SHCWDS) would have more health problems than those who lived at a greater distance from the SHCWDS. The SHCWDS is located in a rural community in southern New Jersey. Geohydrological surveys of the SHCWDS premise have found groundwater and soil contaminated with chemical substances.

Health effects of hazardous chemical waste disposal sites in New Jersey and in the United States: a review.

The hazardous chemical waste disposal issue is a widespread problem. Large quantities of chemical wastes have been produced by the chemical industries in the past forty years. Estimates now number disposal sites in the United States at least 30,000.

Health effects of a thorium waste disposal site.

A case-control study of 112 households residing in the vicinity of a thorium waste disposal site found a higher prevalence of birth defects (RR 2.1) and liver diseases (RR 2.3) among exposed than the unexposed group.

Changing patterns of ischaemic heart disease mortality in New Jersey 1968-1982, and the relationship with urbanization.

Geographical variations in the declining rates of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) mortality may provide clues about various environmental risk factors responsible as a mass influence on the population IHD rate. The rate of IHD decline in 18 of 21 NJ counties was 2 to 45% less than the USA national rate of decline. The overall decline of IHD mortality in New Jersey (NJ) counties lagged significantly (p less than 0.

Clusters of cancer mortality in New Jersey municipalities; with special reference to chemical toxic waste disposal sites and per capita income.

The state of New Jersey (NJ), USA, has been thought to have an unusually high cancer mortality rate; this assumption has been based on 1950-1969 mortality data for NJ counties. This study presents an analysis of mortality from major cancers for NJ municipalities during 1968-1977, and correlates cancer mortality rates with several potentially relevant variables. Age-adjusted mortality rates for 13 major cancer sites for 194 municipalities of 10 000 or more people in 21 NJ counties were compared with cancer mortality in the US.

Female reproductive organs and breast cancer mortality in New Jersey counties and the relationship with certain environmental variables.

Age-adjusted female reproductive organs and breast cancer mortality rates (all sites combined) were higher in 19 of 21 New Jersey counties than the U.S. national rates.

Bladder cancer mortality in New Jersey counties, and relationship with selected environmental variables.

Age-adjusted mortality rates for bladder cancer were calculated for the 21 New Jersey (NJ) counties (USA) during the period 1968-1977, and compared with the period 1950-1969, with the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) survey and with cancer mortality in the US 1973-1977. The county rates were also correlated with: the rates of low birth weight, birth defects, infant mortality; chemical waste disposal sites; annual per capital income; per cent of the population working in the chemical industries; density of population and urbanization indices of 21 NJ counties. Age-adjusted bladder cancer mortality rates in 95% of NJ counties were higher than national and SEER area rates.

Gastrointestinal cancer mortality in New Jersey counties, and the relationship with environmental variables.

The State of New Jersey (NJ) USA has been thought to have an unusually high cancer mortality rate; this assumption has been based on 1950-1969 mortality data for its 21 counties. This paper presents an analysis of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer mortality rates in New Jersey counties during 1968-1977, a comparison with the 1950-1969 rates, and associations between current GI cancer mortality rates and selected environmental variables. Age-adjusted mortality rates for GI cancers were calculated for the 21 NJ counties during the period 1968-1977, and were compared with the period 1950-1969, with the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) survey and with cancer mortality in the US, 1973-1977.

Discovery rate of dysplasia and carcinoma of the uterine cervix in an urban medical center serving patients at high risk.

File analysis based on 98,970 Pap tests on 58,053 patients from the Martland Medical Center of CMDNJ and its clinics was performed. Discovery rates, period prevalence and incidence rates were calculated for categories of mild to moderate dysplasia through invasive carcinoma. An incidence rate of 27/100,000 for invasive carcinoma was obtained, which is lower than the national average.

Life time occupation, smoking, caffeine, saccharine, hair dyes and bladder carcinogenesis.

A case-control study of bladder cancer in two northern counties of New Jersey was conducted to investigate a tumour that has been considered to be strongly associated with industrial and environmental exposures. The study population included 75 bladder cancer cases and 142 controls. Cases and controls were matched for race, sex, age, place of birth and place of residence.

Carcinoma of the cervix in Newark, New Jersey, 1970-76. A very low in situ: invasive ratio.

Both blacks and whites in Newark had significantly lowered incidences of in situ cervical cancer as compared to the Third National Cancer Survey (TNCS) population. In contrast, Newark blacks' invasive cancer rates were higher than those found in any individual geographic area surveyed in TNCS except for Minneapolis as compared to Newark whites, who had lower rates than all individual TNCS areas except Colorado and San Francisco. Newark blacks had a relative risk of 4.

Control of hepatitis B infection. The role of surveillance and an isolation hemodialysis center.

A 3 1/4-year study assessed intervention approaches for hemodialysis-associated hepatitis. A 12-month retrospective study was followed by one year of prospective surveillance (during which attention to hygienic techniques was encouraged) and then by a 15-month period during which antigen-positive cases were transferred from study centers to an isolation hemodialysis center (IHL). The incidence of hepatitis B infection (HBI) fell 35.

Diagnosis on death certificates of sudden death due to ischemic heart disease.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the quality of diagnoses of sudden death (SD) caused by ischemic heart disease (IHD) on death certificates. A random sample of 10% (100 cases) was drawn from all such deaths which occurred in 1970 among Oklahoma City residents. The medical records of each case were reviewed and the quality of the diagnosis was rated, by the use of predetermined standard criteria, as confirmed and valid or unconfirmed and invalid.

Elevated plasma zinc concentrations in renal dialysis patients.

It has been suggested that hemodialysis patients might benefit from zinc supplements. However, little attention is given to the trace element content of renal dialysis fluids or to contamination of such fluids with trace metals. Pre- and postdialysis plasma copper and zinc concentrations of patients at two hospital dialysis units were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.