门诊患者大肠癌筛查意愿相关因素及肠镜检查障碍的调查

目的分析门诊人群大肠癌筛查意愿的影响因素及肠镜检查障碍情况。方法对市区一家综合性医院的连续性门诊患者通过自制肠镜问卷进行现场调查,分析入选的受调查者的一般情况与筛查意愿的关系,了解影响门诊患者肠镜检查的主要障碍。结果 78.4%(439/560)门诊患者表示愿意参加大肠癌筛查。女性(P=0.005)、低家庭月收入(P=0.013)、缺乏大肠癌认知(P=0.000)者筛查意愿低;门诊患者肠镜检查的主要障碍为缺少医师建议、害怕疼痛、害怕检查的并发症等。结论性别、家庭月收入、大肠癌认知等因素影响着大肠癌筛查顺应性,无痛肠镜可能更有利于大肠癌筛查的推广。     

Smoking and mental health: results from a community survey

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship of smoking with depression and anxiety symptoms and with risk factors for depression. DESIGN AND SETTING: A community survey conducted in Canberra in 1997. PARTICIPANTS: 2725 persons aged 18-79 sampled from the electoral roll. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Smoking was investigated in relation to psychiatric symptoms (anxiety, depression, alcohol misuse), sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex, education, occupational status), social stressors (divorce, unemployment, financial difficulties, negative life events, childhood adversity), personality (extraversion, neuroticism, psychoticism), and social support (family and friends). RESULTS: Smokers had more depression and anxiety symptoms, more stressors and lower socioeconomic status compared with non-smokers. The association between smoking and psychiatric symptoms persisted even when stressors, socioeconomic characteristics and other factors were statistically controlled. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking is associated with poorer mental health. In helping patients to give up smoking, doctors need to be aware that some may have underlying mental health problems that require attention.     

Screening for melanoma: a community survey of prevalence and predictors

Australian cancer councils recommend the practice of regular self screening of the skin or screening by another person for signs of melanoma and other skin cancers. They also recommend that medical practitioners screen adult patients annually. This study examined the prevalence and predictors of self screening (or screening by another person) and screening by a general practitioner in 1344 individuals from randomly selected households. The results indicated that 48% of the sample either regularly checked their own skin or had it checked by another person (such as a spouse), and 17% had been screened by a general practitioner in the preceding 12 months. Overall, this indicates that 50% of the sample had their skin adequately screened as recommended. Individuals were less likely to have been screened if they were male; of lower occupational status; unemployed or too ill to work; and had only a primary school education. Those who had only basic medical insurance were also less likely to have been screened. A higher prevalence of screening was reported in individuals at greater risk of developing melanoma, in those who perceived themselves as more susceptible to developing melanoma, and in those who believed that there were greater benefits associated with the early detection of melanoma. The implications of these results for the development of effective public health education programmes, and for increasing the role of general practitioners in the education and screening of the public, are discussed.     

Health and social status of elderly Asians: a community survey

A sample based on general practices was the starting point for a community survey of Asians aged 65 years and over to describe: family structure and social contact; aspects of lifestyle; language and communication; capacity for self care; and knowledge about and use of services. A total of 726 (95% of those approached) old people were interviewed in their own languages. Almost all had been born in India, mainly in Gujarat or the Punjab, but most had come to Britain via east Africa. Over half of the over 75s were not fully independent in basic activities of daily living, and a fifth were occasionally or often incontinent of urine, though these levels of incapacity were little different from those found in the indigenous elderly. Few elderly Asians were aware of social services, such as meals on wheels, home helps, social workers, and particularly chiropody. Language also excluded them: 37% of men and only 2% of women could speak English. Moreover, two thirds of elderly Asian women were illiterate in all languages. Health education initiatives directed at these people must understand these cultural and language barriers and perhaps use alternative methods, such as Asian radio programmes and home videos, in providing information on health and welfare services.     

雄激素源性秃发家系调查

目的:研究雄激素源性秃发(androgenetic alopecia,AGA)家系各成员特征,根据其临床表现及家系特点分析,发现雄激素源性脱发的遗传特点。方法:调查该家系共100名成员,AGA患者32例,其中男性30例,女性2例,调查对象的年龄2~78岁。男性与女性分别于28岁左右和58岁左右开始出现大量脱发。结论:发现雄激素源性秃发常会伴随痤疮和其他皮肤附属器疾病在患者的不同年龄阶段发病,且该病在男性中发病率较高,而在女性中发病率较低。雄激素源性秃发遗传方式较接近于从性显性的常染色体遗传,且患者病情严重程度受生活方式的影响。     

Colorectal cancer screening: clinical applications

Screening for colorectal cancer reduces mortality in individuals aged 50 years or older. A number of screening tests, including fecal occult blood tests, sigmoidoscopy, double-contrast barium enema, and colonoscopy, are recommended by professional organizations for colorectal cancer screening, yet the rates of colorectal cancer screening remain low. Questions regarding the quality of evidence for each screening test, whether screening for individuals at higher risk should be modified, the availability of the tests, and cost-effectiveness are addressed. Many potential barriers to colorectal cancer screening exist for the patient and the physician. Strategies to increase compliance for colorectal cancer screening are proposed.      

Colorectal cancer screening: scientific review

Context  Screening for colorectal cancer clearly reduces colorectal cancer mortality, yet many eligible adults remain unscreened. Several screening tests are available, and various professional organizations have differing recommendations on which screening test to use. Clinicians are challenged to ensure that eligible patients undergo colorectal cancer screening and to guide patients in choosing what tests to receive. Objective  To critically assess the evidence for use of the available colorectal cancer screening tests, including fecal occult blood tests, sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, double-contrast barium enema, and newer tests, such as virtual colonoscopy and stool-based molecular screening. Data Sources  All relevant English-language articles were identified using PubMed (January 1966-August 2002), published meta-analyses, reference lists of key articles, and expert consultation. Data Extraction  Studies that evaluated colorectal cancer screening in healthy individuals and assessed clinical outcomes were included. Evidence from randomized controlled trials was considered to be of highest quality, followed by observational evidence. Diagnostic accuracy studies were evaluated when randomized controlled trials and observational studies were not available or did not provide adequate evidence. Studies were excluded if they did not evaluate colorectal screening tests and if they did not evaluate average-risk individuals. Data Synthesis  Randomized controlled trials have shown that fecal occult blood testing can reduce colorectal cancer incidence and mortality. Case-control studies have shown that sigmoidoscopy is associated with a reduction in mortality, and observational studies suggest colonoscopy is effective as well. Combining fecal occult blood testing and sigmoidoscopy may decrease mortality and can increase diagnostic yield. Conclusion  The recommendation that all men and women aged 50 years or older undergo screening for colorectal cancer is supported by a large body of direct and indirect evidence. At present, the available evidence does not currently support choosing one test over another.      

Virtual colonoscopy compared with conventional colonoscopy: a developing technology

AIM: To determine the accuracy of computed tomography colography (virtual colonoscopy) in detecting colorectal polyps and colorectal cancer. DESIGN: Blinded comparison of virtual colonoscopy (initially supine-only scans and later supine plus prone scans) with the criterion standard of conventional colonoscopy. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: 100 patients aged 55 years or over referred to a public teaching hospital for colonoscopy, July 1997 to January 2000, because of colonic symptoms or a family history of bowel cancer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Presence and size of polyps and other lesions; certainty of polyp identification on virtual colonoscopy (on 100-point visual analogue scale); sensitivity and predictive values of virtual colonoscopy. RESULTS: Conventional colonoscopy identifed 121 polyps in 47 patients; 28 of these polyps, in 19 patients, were identified by virtual colonoscopy. Sensitivity of virtual colonoscopy for detecting polyps (using supine plus prone scans) was 73% for polyps with diameter > or = 10 mm (95% CI, 39%-94%) and 19% for smaller polyps (95% CI, 10%-31%) (P < 0.001); corresponding figures for supine-only scans were 57% (95% CI, 18%-90%) and 11% (95% CI, 4%-24%), respectively. Ten polyps identified at virtual colonoscopy were considered false-positive findings (8%). The value of finding a polyp on virtual colonoscopy (with thresholds of 5 mm for diameter and 30 points for certainty score) was assessed as a predictor of finding a polyp (diameter > 5 mm) on conventional colonoscopy. Positive and negative predictive values were 88% and 89%, respectively, for supine plus prone scans. CONCLUSION: Although virtual colonoscopy shows potential as a diagnostic tool for colorectal neoplasia, it is currently not sufficiently sensitive for widespread use.