Measuring gravity with milligram levitated masses.

Gravity differs from all other known fundamental forces because it is best described as a curvature of space-time. For that reason, it remains resistant to unifications with quantum theory. Gravitational interaction is fundamentally weak and becomes prominent only at macroscopic scales.

Sociodemographic differences in 10-year time trends of emotional and behavioural problems among adolescents attending secondary schools in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Societal change in western societies may impact emotional and behavioural problems of adolescents. Firm epidemiological evidence of changes in emotional and behavioural problems during the last decade is lacking. Insight into secular changes in emotional and behavioural problems among adolescents from various sociodemographic groups is crucial for adequate and targeted policy making.

Mortality trends among migrant groups living in Amsterdam.

Background: The main aim of this paper is to see to what extent mortality patterns between migrants living in the Netherlands converge. This might be an indicator of health and health care acculturation.

Methods: This is an observational study on the basis of standard mortality registration data collected between 1996 and 2007.

Use of the life table to compare mortality in ethnic groups in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Background: The life table is a valid and frequently used instrument to compare the mortality of migrant groups. Most analyses are limited to an overview and give only life expectancy; however, further analysis of the life table can give more insight into differences in patterns of mortality between groups.

Methods: A thorough life table analysis was applied to the mortality data of seven ethnic groups by age and gender.

Does a reduction in alcohol use by Dutch high school students relate to higher use of tobacco and cannabis?

Background: Substance use of adolescents was investigated in a region around Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in the period 2005-2009. The study was intended to find out to what extent behaviour related to different substances are interrelated and how trends develop in different subgroups.

Methods: Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted among Dutch students in the second and fourth year of secondary school, aged 13-16 [n = 1,854 in 2005; n = 2,088 in 2009] by making use of an online questionnaire including questions about alcohol consumption, tobacco use (smoking behaviour) and cannabis use.

The relation between self-reported worry and annoyance from air and road traffic.

Negative perceptions such as fear or worry are known to be an important determinant of annoyance. Annoyance caused by noise and odour has been analysed in relation to worry about safety or health due to environmental hazards, using responses to a health survey. In the survey area high environmental impacts come from air and road traffic.

The relation between scores on noise annoyance and noise disturbed sleep in a public health survey.

The relation between responses to survey questions on noise annoyance and self-reported sleep disturbance has been analysed to gain insight in its dependency on noise source or noise type and on individual characteristics. The results show a high correlation between responses (scores 0-10) with Pearson's correlation coefficient close to 0.8 for respondents who report hearing the source.

The effects of a nationwide program to reduce seclusion in the Netherlands.

Background: From 2006 to 2009, the Dutch government provided €5 m annually for a nationwide program to reduce seclusion in psychiatric hospitals by 10% a year. We aimed to establish whether the numbers of both seclusion and involuntary medication changed significantly after the start of this national program.

Methods: Using Poisson regression to estimate difference in logit slopes, we analyzed data for 1998-2009 from the Dutch Health Care Inspectorate, retrospectively examining the national numbers of seclusion and involuntary medication before and after the start of the program.

Ethnic variation in validity of the estimated obesity prevalence using self-reported weight and height measurements.

Background: We examined ethnic differences between levels of body mass index (BMI) based on self-reported and measured body height and weight and the validity of self-reports used to estimate the prevalence of obesity (BMI≥30 kg/m2) in Turkish, Moroccan, and Dutch people in the Netherlands. Furthermore, we investigated whether BMI levels and the prevalence of obesity in Turkish and Moroccan people with incomplete self-reports (missing height or weight) differ from those with complete self-reports.

Methods: Data on self-reported and measured height and weight were collected in a population-based survey among 441 Dutch, 414 Turks and 344 Moroccans aged 18 to 69 years in Amsterdam, the Netherlands in 2004.

Ethnic differences in total and HDL cholesterol among Turkish, Moroccan and Dutch ethnic groups living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Background: High total cholesterol and low HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol are important determinants of cardiovascular disease. Little is known about dyslipidemia among Turkish and Moroccan migrants, two of the largest ethnic minority groups in several European countries. This study examines ethnic differences in total and HDL cholesterol levels between Dutch, Turkish and Moroccan ethnic groups.

Mortality and causes of death among asylum seekers in the Netherlands, 2002-2005.

Background: The world's growing population of asylum seekers faces different health risks from the populations of their host countries because of risk factors before and after migration. There is a current lack of insight into their health status.

Methods: A unique notification system was designed to monitor mortality in Dutch asylum seeker centres (2002-2005).

Induced abortions and teenage births among asylum seekers in The Netherlands: analysis of national surveillance data.

Background: Asylum seekers are assumed to be a vulnerable group with respect to sexual and reproductive health. The objective of this study was to quantify induced abortion and teenage birth indicators for this group.

Methods: The population comprised all female asylum seekers aged 15-49 in The Netherlands between September 2004 and August 2005.

Ethnic differences in HSV1 and HSV2 seroprevalence in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) and 2 (HSV2) infection can lead to significant morbidity, and HSV2 is considered a risk factor for HIV transmission. The majority of HSV-infected people are asymptomatic and unaware of their infection. We aimed to determine the HSV1 and HSV2 prevalence among various ethnic groups in a large urban area in the Netherlands.

Changing patterns in emergency involuntary admissions in the Netherlands in the period 2000-2004.

Background: In England, rates of involuntary admissions increased in subgroups of patients. It is unknown whether this is true in other European countries.

Aims: To establish whether the increase in emergency commitments was uniform across subgroups of patients and dangerousness criteria used to justify commitment in The Netherlands.

Environmental attributes related to walking and bicycling at the individual and contextual level.

Objective: The aim of the present paper was to give insight into the practical consequences of using either single-level or multilevel regression analyses on data from research on environmental determinants of physical activity.

Methods: For this purpose, results from single-level and multilevel regression analyses on comparable attributes of the environment were compared using a combination of individual and aggregated data, merged at the neighbourhood level.

Results: Using only individual level data, applying multilevel instead of single-level analyses did not substantially influence the results.

Prevalence and management of hypertension among Turkish, Moroccan and native Dutch ethnic groups in Amsterdam, the Netherlands: The Amsterdam Health Monitor Survey.

Objective: To assess ethnic differences in the prevalence and management of hypertension among Turkish, Moroccan and native Dutch ethnic groups in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Design: A cross-sectional survey.

Participants: A random sample of 1304 adults aged 18 years and over.

[Accelerated increase in the number of involuntary admissions following the implementation of the Dutch Act on Compulsory Admission to Psychiatric Hospitals (BOPZ)].

Objective: To determine whether the observed accelerated increase in the number of involuntary admissions in The Netherlands coincides with the implementation of the Dutch Act on Compulsory Admission to Psychiatric Hospitals (BOPZ) in 1994.

Design: Retrospective.

Method: The extent to which the number of involuntary admissions changed after implementation of the BOPZ was examined by means of Poisson regression on the basis of national data from the Patient Registration of Intramural Mental Healthcare for the period 1979-1995 and data from the Healthcare Inspectorate for the period 1992-2004.

Declining AIDS mortality in Amsterdam: contributions of declining HIV incidence and effective therapy.

Introduction: We aimed to evaluate the impact of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on AIDS mortality, taking into account earlier HIV incidence patterns.

Methods: Using AIDS Surveillance data (1982-2000), we calculated the observed course of the AIDS epidemic among homosexual men in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. We used the HIV incidence patterns (1980-2000) among homosexual men participating in the hepatitis B vaccine trial and the Amsterdam Cohort Study and those attending the Amsterdam sexual transmitted infections clinic, together with the time from seroconversion to AIDS and death in the pre-HAART era, to estimate the natural course of the AIDS epidemic if HAART had not been introduced.

[Prevalence of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease among immigrants from Turkey and Morocco and the indigenous Dutch population].

Objective: To gain insight into the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease among Turkish and Moroccan immigrants in the Netherlands.

Design: Secondary analysis of data from a cross-sectional study in 1999/'00.

Method: The prevalence of self-reported diabetes and cardiovascular disease was studied in a sample of 743 Turkish, 641 Moroccan and 537 ethnic Dutch persons aged 35 to 74 years from the population of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, using an oral questionnaire.

Evaluation of a Mental Health Service for Young Children: Development, Outcome and Satisfaction.

Background: Over a 10-year period (1984-1996) a child guidance clinic developed a service in the community for parents with young children with mental health problems. This included support for primary care staff and training courses. The clinical input to the young children developed from a clinic within the child guidance clinic (1984-87), to a specialist clinic for under fives (1990-91) to a service run by a nurse in the community (1994-95), with nurses referring to colleagues only the more complicated cases.

Life expectancy and mortality differences between migrant groups living in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

There is an apparent contradiction between the high level of morbidity and the low level of mortality observed in certain groups of migrants living in Europe. This observation should have some consequences for health policy development and the targeting of resources in a city like Amsterdam. In this paper a number of hypotheses to explain the low mortality in migrant groups are discussed.

The effect of a health promotion campaign on mortality in children.

Previous research has shown that in the Netherlands there is a certain degree of preventable mortality associated with long-distance travel, particularly among children of ethnic minority descent. In 1985 a health promotion campaign was launched in Amsterdam with the aim of reducing travel-related deaths by increasing knowledge in ethnic minority communities about the risks involved in travel. In the present study, two data sets are used to examine the possible effects of this health promotion campaign on travel-related mortality in children.

[Increased proportion of elementary school children with asthmatic symptoms in the Netherlands, 1984/85-1994/95; a literature review].

Objective: To investigate whether the prevalence of asthmatic symptoms among children in the Netherlands has changed.

Design: Literature study.

Method: Investigations into the prevalence of children with asthmatic symptoms were collected from Medline, Embase and various libraries if they had been performed between 1984/'85 and 1994/'95 and had used the so-called WHO or Region list.

Exercise and physical activity: an analysis of answers to an open-ended survey question.

In this paper 708 comments made in response to an open-ended question at the end of a lifestyle survey are analysed in order to explore issues in exercise behaviour. Quantitative and qualitative techniques are used. Five areas are identified as important in shaping people's exercise behaviour: 1) Health-related factors; 2) Factors related to available facilities; 3) Issues of behavioural change; 4) Issues of health information and promotion; and 5) Miscellaneous issues.