Awareness of symptoms and risk factors of ovarian cancer in a population of women and healthcare providers.

BACKGROUND: Awareness of ovarian cancer among women and healthcare providers is understudied. An early awareness of ovarian cancer may lead to early detection and treatment of ovarian cancer. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the level of that awareness among a sample of women and providers. METHODS: Written surveys were developed by the authors based on available literature and were administered to women (n = 857) and healthcare providers (n = 188) attending or volunteering at a community health fair. Chi-square tests for independence and z tests were used for analysis. FINDINGS: Healthcare providers were significantly more likely to identify the symptoms and risk factors for ovarian cancer. Forty percent of women reported being at least slightly familiar with the symptoms of ovarian cancer. Women who were familiar with symptoms were significantly more likely to identify symptoms and risk factors correctly and to report symptoms immediately to a provider. Identification of symptoms among healthcare providers ranged from 59%-93%. Identification of ovarian cancer symptoms and risk factors is poor among women, and knowledge deficits are present in providers. Increasing familiarity and awareness could lead to improvements in early diagnosis.

Impact of cardiac catheterization-percutaneous coronary intervention timing on inhospital mortality.

BACKGROUND: It is more convenient and less costly to perform percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) in the catheterization laboratory after catheterization, but there is some doubt as to whether it is harmful to patients. Other studies on this topic have been hampered by small sample sizes and an inability to separate patients who underwent PCI after catheterization in the same admission from patients who underwent PCI in a subsequent admission. METHODS: Data from New York's PCI registry were used to develop a statistical model that predicted inhospital mortality based on preprocedural patient characteristics and the timing of the PCI (at same time as catheterization [combined procedure] or in the same admission as catheterization, but not at the same time [staged procedure]). The difference in mortality for the timing options was compared after adjusting for patient risk factors. RESULTS: Patients undergoing combined catheterization and PCI were more likely to have undergone a previous PCI and less likely to have had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, renal failure, a history of congestive heart failure, carotid disease, or diabetes than patients who underwent a staged procedure. After adjustment for patient risk, there were no significant differences in mortality for the 2 timing options (OR 1.14, P =.38 for combined vs staged procedures). However, patients who underwent combined procedures who had congestive heart failure in the same admission or who had Canadian Cardiovascular Society class IV had odds ratios significantly higher than congestive heart failure patients who underwent staged procedures (OR = 1.59, P =.04 and OR = 1.64, P =.04, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Combined procedures appear to have mortality as low as staged procedures on average, but are less effective for some groups of high-risk patients.