OBJECTIVE To compare the risk-adjusted outcomes of hospitals in inpatient Medicare laparoscopic cholecystectomy. BACKGROUND Reduced length-of-stay for inpatient surgical care requires the inclusion of objective postdischarge outcomes to provide a comprehensive assessment of hospital and surgeon performance for quality improvement. METHODS The 2010 to 2012 Medicare Limited Data Set was used ...

The onset of essential hypertension early in life is indicated by the high tracking of blood pressure during adolescence; intervention in adults with mild hypertension has been found successful. How, then, can high blood pressure levels in children be modified to prevent early hypertensive cardiovascular disease in adulthood? In an entire biracial town (population 9000) we surveyed 1604 (89%) o...

In metropolitan areas, road traffic is a major contributor to ambient air pollution and the dominant source of community noise. The authors investigated the independent and joint influences of community noise and traffic-related air pollution on risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality in a population-based cohort study with a 5-year exposure period (January 1994-December 1998) and a 4-ye...

OBJECTIVE To assess the ability of different self-reported health (SRH) measures to prospectively identify individuals with high future health care needs among adults eligible for Medicaid. DATA SOURCES The 1997-2008 rounds of the National Health Interview Survey linked to the 1998-2009 rounds of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (n = 6,725). STUDY DESIGN Multivariate logistic regression...

Background. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase. A previous rat study revealed an ADMA lowering effect following treatment with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs). We sought to examine if an association between plasma ADMA and risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was modified by serum n-3 PUFA status. Methods. The cohort inclu...

Most teachers have tenure protections that constrain dismissal. Some argue improves recruitment and retention by mitigating the risk of monopsony employment substituting job security for lower salaries. Others reduces performance incentives making it difficult to dismiss ineffective teachers. We examine supply-side responses after elimination before administrators could use Voluntary teacher at...

Group pre-operative education has usually been limited to conditioning expectations and providing education. Prehabilitation highlighted modifiable lifestyle factors that are amenable change may improve clinical outcomes. We instituted a ‘Fit-4-Surgery School’ for patients scheduled major surgery, educate promote healthy behaviour. evaluated patients’ views having attended the school, after sur...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Body mass index (BMI), determined as kilograms in body weight divided by the square of the height in meters (m(2)), is inversely associated with mortality in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). It is commonly inferred that differences in the weight component of the BMI equation are responsible for this negative correlation. However, there are almost no ...

OBJECTIVE To examine the role of tobacco use in creating financial hardship for New Zealand (NZ) low income households with children. DATA The 1996 NZ census (smoking prevalence by household types), Statistics NZ (household spending surveys 1988-98), and NZ Customs (tobacco released from bond 1988-98). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Proportion of children in households with smokers and < or = 15,000...

In a cross-sectional study, we examined the relation between intake of 3 common foodstuffs that contain flavonoids (chocolate, wine, and tea) and cognitive performance. 2031 participants (70-74 y, 55% women) recruited from the population-based Hordaland Health Study in Norway underwent cognitive testing. A cognitive test battery included the Kendrick Object Learning Test, Trail Making Test, par...