OBJECTIVE To identify factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life in Brazil. METHODS Systematic review of epidemiological studies conducted in Brazil with exclusive breastfeeding as outcome. Medline and LILACS databases were used. After the selection of articles, a hierarchical theoretical model was proposed according to the proximity of the variable to the...

OBJECTIVE The article gives an introductory overview of the use of the Delphi expert consensus method in mental health research. It explains the rationale for using the method, examines the range of uses to which it has been put in mental health research, and describes the stages of carrying out a Delphi study using examples from the literature. METHOD To ascertain the range of uses, a system...

As concerns mount surrounding exposure to environmental hazards and other public health threats, skills in surveillance and outbreak investigation are becoming critical competencies for public health and community-based nurses. This article describes a continuing education course designed in collaboration with a variety of stakeholders to address the need for epidemiological skills for rural nu...

No generally accepted clinical classification of acute infective respiratory illness in children exists. In this survey the clinicians accepted in advance an agreed classification using traditional categories based on the part of the respiratory tract most severely affected. The standardized recording of individual symptoms provided a measure of their frequency in each category and made possibl...

A rich and growing body of literature has emerged on ethics in epidemiologic research and public health practice. Recent articles have included conceptual frameworks of public health ethics and overviews of historical developments in the field. Several important topics in public health ethics have also been highlighted. Attention to ethical issues can facilitate the effective planning, implemen...

Genetic epidemiology is increasingly focused on the study of common diseases with both genetic and environmental determinants. The concept of geneenvironment interaction is becoming a central theme in epidemiologic studies that assess causes of human disease in populations (1). Advances in genetic technology and the work of the Human Genome Project will make it easier for the study of gene-envi...

OBJECTIVE To investigate to what extent prostate cancer patients confide their emotional concerns, and whether having no one to confide in affects well-being. MATERIAL AND METHODS A population-based study using epidemiological methods. A questionnaire was mailed to all 431 living prostate cancer patients aged 50-80 at the time of selection, diagnosed 1.5-2 years previously in Stockholm County...

In Part I of this publication the index systems used to evaluate gingival health and disease as well as the epidemiological methods to assess the periodontal conditions have been presented. This paper will present the most commonly used methods to evaluate the oral hygiene status of patients and populations. Furthermore, miscellaneous parameters used in epidemiological studies on periodontal di...

BACKGROUND Many epidemiological studies have assessed the relationships between anthropometric variables and breast cancer risk. However, methodological approaches for analysing these factors differ appreciably. Also, age when maximum height is achieved has been identified as a potential risk factor for breast cancer in premenopausal women, but this issue has not been studied in postmenopausal ...

An extensive search of the English-language literature identified 62 epidemiologic studies that examined the relation between moderate alcohol consumption and risk of stroke. Moderate drinking (<60 g ethanol/day) and ischemic stroke have a complex association that might be explained by interaction with race; a J-shaped association has been found in predominantly white populations, while little ...