• Title/Summary/Keyword: Social epidemiology

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An empirical evaluation of electronic annotation tools for Twitter data

  • Weissenbacher, Davy;O'Connor, Karen;Hiraki, Aiko T.;Kim, Jin-Dong;Gonzalez-Hernandez, Graciela
    • Genomics & Informatics
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    • v.18 no.2
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    • pp.24.1-24.7
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    • 2020
  • Despite a growing number of natural language processing shared-tasks dedicated to the use of Twitter data, there is currently no ad-hoc annotation tool for the purpose. During the 6th edition of Biomedical Linked Annotation Hackathon (BLAH), after a short review of 19 generic annotation tools, we adapted GATE and TextAE for annotating Twitter timelines. Although none of the tools reviewed allow the annotation of all information inherent of Twitter timelines, a few may be suitable provided the willingness by annotators to compromise on some functionality.

Boosting Cancer Survival in Nigeria: Self-management Strategies

  • Oluka, Obiageli Crystal;Shi, Yan-Yan;Nie, Shao-Fa;Sun, Yi
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.15 no.1
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    • pp.335-341
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    • 2014
  • Cancer is a menace fast gaining momentum in Nigeria and other developing countries. It is an expensive disease requiring a major financial and human resources for prevention, diagnosis and treatment. With no national policy on cancer control in the conntry, incidence (111.7/100,000 population) and mortality (86.6/100,000) rates in Nigeria are spiraling beyond control. This literature search study was primarily aimed at providing recommendations on cost-effective strategies for development interventions to promote self-management for cancer survivors in Nigeria with a goal to improve quality of life and overall survival.

Global Prostate Cancer Incidence and Mortality Rates According to the Human Development Index

  • Khazaei, Salman;Rezaeian, Shahab;Ayubi, Erfan;Gholamaliee, Behzad;Pishkuhi, Mahin Ahmadi;Khazaei, Somayeh;Mansori, Kamyar;Nematollahi, Shahrzad;Sani, Mohadeseh;Hanis, Shiva Mansouri
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.17 no.8
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    • pp.3793-3796
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    • 2016
  • Background: Prostate cancer (PC) is one of the leading causes of death, especially in developed countries. The human development index (HDI) and its dimensions seem correlated with incidence and mortality rates of PC. This study aimed to assess the association of the specific components of HDI (life expectancy at birth, education, gross national income per 1000 capita, health, and living standards) with burden indicators of PC worldwide. Materials and Methods: Information of the incidence and mortality rates of PC was obtained from the GLOBOCAN cancer project in year 2012 and data about the HDI 2013 were obtained from the World Bank database. The correlation between incidence, mortality rates, and the HDI parameters were assessed using STATA software. Results: A significant inequality of PC incidence rates was observed according to concentration indexes=0.25 with 95% CI (0.22, 0.34) and a negative mortality concentration index of -0.04 with 95% CI (-0.09, 0.01) was observed. Conclusions: A positive significant correlation was detected between the incidence rates of PC and the HDI and its dimensions including life expectancy at birth, education, income, urbanization level and obesity. However, there was a negative significant correlation between the standardized mortality rates and the life expectancy, income and HDI.

Compliance with Smoke-Free Policies in Korean Bars and Restaurants in California: a Descriptive Analysis

  • Irvin, Veronica L.;Hofstetter, C. Richard;Nichols, Jeanne F.;Chambers, Christina D.;Usita, Paula M.;Norman, Gregory J.;Kang, Sunny;Hovell, Melbourne F.
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.16 no.3
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    • pp.1083-1089
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    • 2015
  • Background: Compliance with California's smoke-free restaurant and bar policies may be more a function of social contingencies and less a function of legal contingencies. The aims of this study were: 1) to report indications of compliance with smoke-free legislation in Korean bars and restaurants in California; 2) to examine the demographic, smoking status, and acculturation factors of who smoked indoors; and 3) to report social cues in opposition to smoking among a sample of Koreans in California. Materials and Methods: Data were collected by telephone surveys administered by bilingual interviewers between 2007-2009, and included California adults of Korean descent who visited a Korean bar or restaurant in a typical month (N=2,173, 55% female). Results: 1% of restaurant-going participants smoked inside while 7% observed someone else smoke inside a Korean restaurant. Some 23% of bar-going participants smoked inside and 65% observed someone else smoke inside a Korean bar. Presence of ashtrays was related to indoor smoking in bars and restaurants. Among participants who observed smoking, a higher percentage observed someone ask a smoker to stop (17.6%) or gesture to a smoker (27.0%) inside Korean restaurants (N=169) than inside Korean bars (n=141, 17.0% observed verbal cue and 22.7% observed gesture). Participants who smoked inside were significantly younger and more acculturated than participants who did not. Less acculturated participants were significantly more to likely to be told to stop smoking. Conclusions: Ten years after implementation of ordinances, smoking appears to be common in Korean bars in California.

Aberrant Methylation of Genes in Sputum Samples as Diagnostic Biomarkers for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: a Meta-analysis

  • Wang, Xu;Ling, Li;Su, Hong;Cheng, Jian;Jin, Liu
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.15 no.11
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    • pp.4467-4474
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    • 2014
  • Background: We aimed to comprehensively review the evidence for using sputum DNA to detect non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Materials and Methods: We searched PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Chinese Biological Medicine (CBM), Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, Vip Databases and Google Scholar from 2003 to 2013. The meta-analysis was carried out using a random-effect model with sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odd ratios (DOR), summary receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC curves), area under the curve (AUC), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) as effect measurements. Results: There were twenty-two studies meeting the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. Combined sensitivity and specificity were 0.62 (95%CI: 0.59-0.65) and 0.73 (95%CI: 0.70-0.75), respectively. The DOR was 10.3 (95%CI: 5.88-18.1) and the AUC was 0.78. Conclusions: The overall accuracy of the test was currently not strong enough for the detection of NSCLC for clinical application. Dscovery and evaluation of additional biomarkers with improved sensitivity and specificity from studies rated high quality deserve further attention.

Spatial Epidemiology and Environmental Health: On the Use of Spatially Referenced Health and Environment Data (공간역학과 환경보건: 공간위치정보 활용에 대한 고찰)

  • Han, Dai-Kwon;Hwang, Seung-Sik
    • Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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    • v.37 no.1
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    • pp.1-11
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    • 2011
  • Recent advances in Geographic Information Systems and spatial statistical and analytical methods, along with the availability of spatially referenced health and environmental data, have created unique opportunities to investigate spatial associations between environment exposures and health outcomes at multiple spatial scales and resolutions. However, the increased use of spatial data also faces challenges, one of which is to ensure certainty and accuracy of locational data that meets the needs of a study. This article critically reviews the use of spatially referenced data in epidemiologic studies, focusing on the issue of locational uncertainty generated from the process of geocoding health and environmental data. Primarily, major issues involving the use of spatially referenced data are addressed, including completeness and positional accuracy, potential source of bias and exposure misclassification, and implications for epidemiologic studies. The need for critical assessment and caution in designing and conducting spatial epidemiology studies is briefly discussed.

Case-control Study of Risk Factors for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in Mumbai, India

  • Balasubramaniam, Ganesh;Saoba, Sushama;Sarade, Monika;Pinjare, Suvarna
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.14 no.2
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    • pp.775-780
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    • 2013
  • Background: In the year 2010, it is estimated that nearly 0.36 million new cases and 0.19 million deaths with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma occurred. In India, among males, NHL incidence rates vary across the country which has encouraged us to conduct a case-control study to study risk factors. Materials and Methods: The present unmatched hospital-based case-control study conducted at Tata Memorial Hospital included subjects registered between the years 1997-99. There were 390 'lymphoma cases' and 1,383 'normal controls. Results: Data on age, tobacco habits, occupational history, dietary factors, tea, coffee were collected by the social investigators. Univariate and multivariate methods were applied for obtaining the odds ratios for risk factors. Conclusions: In the study, cigarette smoking (OR=2.0) and bidi smoking (OR=2.8), were associated with excess risk of lymphoma. Among the dietary items, only consumption of mutton showed 7.3-fold significant excess risk for lymphoma. Consumption of milk showed a 6-fold excess risk (OR=1.5); while coffee showed a 50% reduction in risk for lymphoma. Among occupational exposure, exposure to use of pesticides showed 3-fold excess risk for lymphoma.

Quality of Life for Patients with Esophageal/Gastric Cardia Precursor Lesions or Cancer: A One-year Prospective Study

  • Wen, Ying;Pan, Xiong-Fei;Huang, Wen-Zhi;Zhao, Zhi-Mei;Wei, Wen-Qiang;Chen, Feng;Lan, Hui;Huang, He;Yang, Chun-Xia;Qiao, You-Lin
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.16 no.1
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    • pp.45-51
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    • 2015
  • Background: The current study examined health-related quality of life (QoL) for patients with esophageal/gastric cardia precursor lesions or cancer before and after treatment to facilitate improved prevention and treatment. Materials and Methods: Patients with different stages of esophageal/gastric cardia lesions completed two QoL questionnaires, EORTC QLQ-C30 and supplemental QLQ-OES 18, before primary treatment, and at 1, 6 and 12 months after treatment. Results: Fifty-nine patients with precursor lesions, 57 with early stage cancer, and 43 with advanced cancer responded to our survey. Patients with precursor lesions or early stage cancer reported better QoL overall than those with advanced cancer before treatment (p<0.01). Global QoL scores before treatment and at 1 month after treatment were $71{\pm}9$ versus $69{\pm}9$ (p>0.01), $71{\pm}8$ versus $61{\pm}11$ (p<0.01), $67{\pm}11$ versus $62{\pm}9$ (p<0.01) for three stages of lesions. At 6 months after treatment, some QoL measures recovered gradually in precursor lesion and early cancer patients, while some continuously deteriorated in advanced cancer patients. At 12 months, all QoL scores were comparable to baseline for patients with precursor lesions (p>0.01), while global QoL, social, pain, and insomnia scores for early stage and advanced cancer were inferior to corresponding baseline levels (difference between means>5, p<0.01). At this time point, compared with patients with early stage cancer, those with advanced cancer showed worse QoL with all function and most symptom measures (p<0.01). Conclusions: Patients with precursor lesions or early stage esophageal/gastric cardia cancer show better QoL than those with advanced cancer. This indicates that screening, early diagnosis and treatment may improve the QoL for esophageal/gastric cardia cancer patients. Target intervention and counseling should be given by health care providers during treatment and follow-up to facilitate QoL improvement.