Hypertension and risk of death from external causes in the Physicians’ Health Study enrollment cohort

Objectives  

To address the recent hypothesis that hypertension increases the risk of death from external causes.     

Long-term quality of life following primary treatment in men with clinical stage T3 prostate cancer

Objectives  

We evaluated the changes of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) during the 5 years after radical prostatectomy (RP) or external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for clinical stage T3 prostate cancer (cT3PC).     

A systematic review of post-deployment injury-related mortality among military personnel deployed to conflict zones

Background  

This paper reports on a systematic review of the literature on the post-conflict injury-related mortality of service members who deployed to conflict zones.     

A decision analytical cost analysis of offering ECV in a UK district general hospital

Objective  

To determine the care pathways and implications of offering mothers the choice of external cephalic version (ECV) at term for singleton babies who present with an uncomplicated breech pregnancy versus assisted breech delivery or elective caesarean.     

Errors and misquotations in the study of shisha, blood pressure and heart rate in Jordan

Aim  

This comment is based on a critical review of a study on blood pressure and heart rate in shisha (narghile, hookah) smokers in Jordan.     

Indium lung—case reports and epidemiology

Purpose  

The present review is aimed to introduce an new occupational lung disease, Indium Lung.     

Cocaine and thrombosis: a narrative systematic review of clinical and in-vivo studies

Purpose  

To systematically review the literature pertaining to the link between cocaine and either arterial or venous thrombosis.     

A scoping review of intersectoral action for health equity involving governments

Objectives  

We carried out a scoping review to identify and describe scholarly and grey literature referring to global cases of intersectoral action for health equity featuring a central role for governments.     

Human resources and the quality of emergency obstetric care in developing countries: a systematic review of the literature

Background  

This paper reports on a systematic literature review exploring the importance of human resources in the quality of emergency obstetric care and thus in the reduction of maternal deaths.     

Primary medical care in Irish prisons

Background  

An industrial dispute between prison doctors and the Irish Prison Service (IPS) took place in 2004. Part of the resolution of that dispute was that an independent review of prison medical and support services be carried out by a University Department of Primary Care. The review took place in 2008 and we report here on the principal findings of that review.     

Responsiveness of the short musculoskeletal function assessment (SMFA) in patients with femoral neck fractures

Purpose  

The aim of this study was to evaluate the internal and external responsiveness of the Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA), i.e. the instrument’s ability to capture clinically important changes, in patients with hip fractures within the context of a randomized controlled trial.     

High ambient temperature and mortality: a review of epidemiologic studies from 2001 to 2008

Background  

This review examines recent evidence on mortality from elevated ambient temperature for studies published from January 2001 to December 2008.     

Social cost of heavy drinking and alcohol dependence in high-income countries

Objective  

A comprehensive review of cost drivers associated with alcohol abuse, heavy drinking, and alcohol dependence for high-income countries was conducted.     

What have we learned? A review of the literature on children’s health and the environment in the Aral Sea area

Objectives  

To review the published literature examining the impacts of the Aral Sea disaster on children’s health.     

Statins in hypercholesterolaemia: A dose-specific meta-analysis of lipid changes in randomised,double blind trials

Background  

Statins alter lipid concentrations. This systematic review determined the efficacy of particular statins, in terms of their ability to alter cholesterol.     

Epidemic of hypertension in Ghana: a systematic review

Background  

Hypertension is a major risk factor for many cardiovascular diseases in developing countries. A comprehensive review of the prevalence of hypertension provides crucial information for the evaluation and implementation of appropriate programmes.     

Effect of dust exposure and nitrogen oxides on lung function parameters of German coalminers: a longitudinal study applying GEE regression 1974–1998

Purpose  

Workplace limits for dust and nitrogen oxides are under review in Germany and the EU. We conducted a study on German coal miners to determine the effects of exposure on lung function.     

Training practitioners in preparing systematic reviews: a cross-sectional survey of participants in the Australasian Cochrane Centre training program

Background  

Although systematic reviews of health care interventions are an invaluable tool for health care providers and researchers, many potential authors never publish reviews. This study attempts to determine why some people with interest in performing systematic reviews do not subsequently publish a review; and what steps could possibly increase review completion.     

Survey instruments used in clinical and epidemiological research on waterpipe tobacco smoking: a systematic review

Background  

The primary objective was to systematically review the medical literature for instruments validated for use in epidemiological and clinical research on waterpipe smoking.     

A realist evaluation of the management of a well- performing regional hospital in Ghana

Background  

Realist evaluation offers an interesting approach to evaluation of interventions in complex settings, but has been little applied in health care. We report on a realist case study of a well performing hospital in Ghana and show how such a realist evaluation design can help to overcome the limited external validity of a traditional case study.