Uptake of health services for common mental disorders by first-generation Turkish and Moroccan migrants in the Netherlands.

Background: Migration and ethnic minority status have been associated with higher occurrence of common mental disorders (CMD), while mental health care utilisation by non-Western migrants has been reported to be low compared to the general population in Western host countries. Still, the evidence-base for this is poor. This study evaluates uptake of mental health services for CMD and psychological distress among first-generation non-Western migrants in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Depressive and anxiety disorders in different ethnic groups: a population based study among native Dutch, and Turkish, Moroccan and Surinamese migrants in Amsterdam.

Introduction: To explore ethnic differences in psychopathology, this study examined the prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders among different ethnic groups in Amsterdam and determined whether ethnic differences can be explained by socio-demographic differences.

Methods: A population-based sample of 321 Dutch, 231 Turkish, 191 Moroccan, 87 Surinamese/Antilleans was interviewed by well-trained bilingual interviewers, using the CIDI 2.1.

Bridging the gap between doctors and policymakers: the use of scientific knowledge in local school health care policy in The Netherlands.

Background: The decentralization of school health care policy in The Netherlands was followed by an increase in diversity, which was most often not evidence-based. This study aims to clarify the use of scientific knowledge in school health care policy-making processes: multi-actor processes in networks, trying to solve certain problems.

Methods: Case-study design in four Municipal Health Service regions, using documents and half-structured interviews as data sources.

Birth weight and carotid intima-media thickness: new perspectives from the atherosclerosis risk in young adults (ARYA) study.

Purpose: Although intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adult life, it is unclear whether the relationship is present at younger ages. Furthermore, current debate suggests that postnatal factors might be at least as important as prenatal conditions. The authors investigated whether low birth weight leads to an increased risk of subclinical atherosclerosis in a population-based sample of 750 Dutch men and women, aged 27 to 30 years.

Does a routinely measured blood pressure in young adolescence accurately predict hypertension and total cardiovascular risk in young adulthood?

Background: It is insufficiently known if routine blood pressure (BP) measurement by school doctors has added predictive value for later hypertension and cardiovascular risk.

Objective: To assess whether screening of BP in adolescence has additional predictive value to already routinely collected indicators of later hypertension and cardiovascular risk.

Methods: In the Dutch city of Utrecht, routine BPs and anthropometry were collected from school health records of 750 adolescents.

Adolescent blood pressure and blood pressure tracking into young adulthood are related to subclinical atherosclerosis: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Young Adults (ARYA) study.

Background: Increased blood pressure (BP) in young adulthood is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Longitudinal studies of patients at young ages are, however, limited. Our aim was to study the relationships of adolescent BP and tracking of BP into young adulthood with subclinical atherosclerosis, as assessed by carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), at the age of 28 years.

Gestational age and birth weight in relation to aortic stiffness in healthy young adults: two separate mechanisms?

Background: Impaired vascular development due to intrauterine growth retardation and postnatal-induced vascular damage by an unfavorable cardiovascular risk profile may both cause stiffer arteries in later decades.

Methods: Of 524 young adults, participating in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Young Adults (ARYA) study, data on birth characteristics were obtained from the original medical records of the Municipal Health Service and the extent of aortic stiffness was assessed using carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV).

Results: The PWV showed an inverse trend with gestational age (linear regression coefficient (beta) = -0.