The authors used 1982-1983 Illinois vital records and 1980 US Census income data to determine the contribution of maternal race to the risk of preterm (< 260 days), non-low birth weight (> 2,500 g) infants. This older cohort was chosen to avoid the confounding effect of cocaine associated with its increased local availability after 1985. In Chicago, the unadjusted preterm, non-low birth weight ...

OBJECTIVES To study the morbidity and mortality patterns of transfusion-dependent thalassaemia major patients in Hong Kong, and compare the outcomes of these patients according to different periods of birth. DESIGN Retrospective study. SETTING Paediatric departments of three regional hospitals, Hong Kong. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Medical records of thalassaemia major patients were reviewed. D...

PURPOSE To determine the incidence and cumulative risk of childhood cataract in Denmark during 1980 to 2000. METHODS A cohort of 2,616,439 Danish children born between 1962 and 2000 was followed from 1980 or from the day of birth, whichever occurred later, until their 18th birthday, death, emigration, or diagnosis of cataract, whichever occurred first. Cases were ascertained from the Danish N...

Background and Objectives: several investigations have been done to evaluate the effect of Ramadan fasting on fetal and maternal health, which have all led to controversial results. The role of Ramadan fasting time in birth weight is still unclear. This study evaluated the effect of fasting at different periods of pregnancy on birth weight. Methods: 250 pregnant women fasting at least one day d...

We study the effect of women’s education on fertility and children’s health during a period gender equalization greater access to economic opportunities. In 1980, Spain raised minimum working age from 14 16, while compulsory remained at 14. This reform changed within-cohort incentives remain in educational system. Using difference-in-differences approach, we find that delayed but did not impact...

BACKGROUND Birth prevalence and survival in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) in the Netherlands were last investigated > 30 years ago. However, since then the birth prevalence may have decreased because of genetic counseling and an increased number of newborns of non-European descent. Although survival of CF patients has increased worldwide, a significantly lower median age at death was recen...

CONTEXT Considerable concern has been generated in the lay and medical communities by a theory that increased measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) immunization among young children may be the cause of an apparent marked increase in autism occurrence. OBJECTIVE To determine if a correlation exists in secular trends of MMR immunization coverage among young children and autism occurrence. DESIGN, SETTI...

Objective: To examine patterns of ever smoking among Finnish adults by gender and birth cohort from 1978 to 2001, with special emphasis on the possible effects of the 1976 Tobacco Control Act (TCA). Methods: The data were derived from independent, annual cross sectional postal surveys among 15–64 year olds (n = 91 342), average response rate 75%. For the analyses 13 five year birth cohorts from...

BACKGROUND After a steep decline in older generations, coronary heart disease mortality is stagnating in female cohorts born after the Second World War. We analysed past trends and predicted future health care needs for coronary heart disease in the Dutch population. METHODS A loglinear age-cohort model relates numbers of deaths and hospital admissions for coronary heart disease to sex, age, ...

OBJECTIVE To examine patterns of ever smoking among Finnish adults by gender and birth cohort from 1978 to 2001, with special emphasis on the possible effects of the 1976 Tobacco Control Act (TCA). METHODS The data were derived from independent, annual cross sectional postal surveys among 15-64 year olds (n = 91,342), average response rate 75%. For the analyses 13 five year birth cohorts from...