Bladder cancer risk associated with family history of cancer.

Twin studies suggest a familial aggregation of bladder cancer, but elements of this increased familial risk of bladder cancer are not well understood. To characterize familial risk of bladder cancer, we examined the relationship between family history of bladder and other types of cancer among first-degree relatives and risk of bladder cancer in 1193 bladder cancer cases and 1418 controls in a large population-based case-control study. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between family history of bladder cancer (defined as at least one first-degree family member with bladder cancer or a cancer of any other site). We also evaluated cancer aggregation of specific sites in family members. Participants with a first-degree relative with bladder cancer had nearly double the risk of bladder cancer (OR = 1.8, 95% CI 1.2-2.9) as those without a family history of bladder cancer. Risk was increased for having a sibling with bladder cancer (OR = 2.6, 95% CI 1.3-5.3) compared to no siblings with cancer. Bladder cancer risk was elevated when participants reported a first-degree relative with a history of female genital cancer (OR = 1.5, 95% CI 1.1-2.1), melanoma (OR = 1.9, 95% CI 1.02-3.6), and tobacco-associated cancer (OR = 1.3, 95% CI 1.06-1.6). These findings add to evidence of a familial predisposition to bladder cancer. Clarification of the aggregation of bladder cancer in families and with other cancer sites will be of interest as many loci and common polymorphisms related to bladder cancer have yet to be identified in large genomic studies.

Diesel exhaust and bladder cancer risk by pathologic stage and grade subtypes.

BACKGROUND: The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies diesel engine exhaust as carcinogenic to humans based on sufficient evidence for lung cancer. IARC noted, however, an increased risk of bladder cancer (based on limited evidence). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between quantitative, lifetime occupational diesel exhaust exposure and risk of urothelial cell carcinoma of the bladder (UBC) overall and according to pathological subtypes. METHODS: Data from personal interviews with 1944 UBC cases, as well as formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor tissue blocks, and 2135 controls were pooled from two case-control studies conducted in the U.S. and Spain. Lifetime occupational histories combined with exposure-oriented questions were used to estimate cumulative exposure to respirable elemental carbon (REC), a primary surrogate for diesel exhaust. Unconditional logistic regression and two-stage polytomous logistic regression were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for smoking and other risk factors. RESULTS: Exposure to cumulative REC was associated with an increased risk of UBC; workers with cumulative REC >396 µg/m3-years had an OR of 1.61 (95% CI, 1.08-2.40). At this level of cumulative exposure, similar results were observed in the U.S. and Spain, OR = 1.75 (95% CI, 0.97-3.15) and OR = 1.54 (95% CI, 0.89-2.68), respectively. In lagged analysis, we also observed a consistent increased risk among workers with cumulative REC >396 µg/m3-years (range of ORs = 1.52-1.93) for all lag intervals evaluated (5-40 years). When we accounted for tumor subtypes defined by stage and grade, a significant association between diesel exhaust exposure and UBC was apparent (global test for association p = 0.0019). CONCLUSIONS: Combining data from two large epidemiologic studies, our results provide further evidence that diesel exhaust exposure increases the risk of UBC.

Stress Mediates the Relationship Between Past Drug Addiction and Current Risky Sexual Behaviour Among Low-income Women.

This study examined the role of stress as a mediator of the relationship between prior drug addiction and current high-risk sexual behaviour. Eight hundred twenty women aged 18 to 30 years, who received care at community-based family planning clinics, were interviewed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview and the Sexual Risk Behavior Assessment Schedule. They also completed the brief version of the Self-Control Scale as a measure of problem-solving strategies and measures of recent stressful events, daily hassles and ongoing chronic stress. Regardless of addiction history, stress exposure during the previous 12 months was associated with risky sexual behaviour during the previous 12 months. Structural equation modelling revealed that 12-month stress levels mediated the relationship between past drug addiction and 12-month high-risk sexual behaviours, as well as the negative relationship between problem-solving strategies and high-risk sexual behaviours. Problem-solving strategies did not moderate the relationship between drug addiction and high-risk sexual behaviours. These findings suggest that stress management training may help reduce risky behaviour among young, low-income women.

Is the inverse association between selenium and bladder cancer due to confounding by smoking?

Selenium has been linked to a reduced risk of bladder cancer in some studies. Smoking, a well-established risk factor for bladder cancer, has been associated with lower selenium levels in the body. We investigated the selenium-bladder cancer association in subjects from Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont in the New England Bladder Cancer Case-Control Study. At interview (2001-2005), participants provided information on a variety of factors, including a comprehensive smoking history, and submitted toenail samples, from which we measured selenium levels. We estimated odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals among 1,058 cases and 1,271 controls using logistic regression. After controlling for smoking, we saw no evidence of an association between selenium levels and bladder cancer (for fourth quartile vs. first quartile, odds ratio (OR) = 0.98, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.77, 1.25). When results were restricted to regular smokers, there appeared to be an inverse association (OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.58, 0.99); however, when pack-years of smoking were considered, this association was attenuated (OR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.68, 1.20), indicating potential confounding by smoking. Despite some reports of an inverse association between selenium and bladder cancer overall, our results, combined with an in-depth evaluation of other studies, suggested that confounding from smoking intensity or duration could explain this association. Our study highlights the need to carefully evaluate the confounding association of smoking in the selenium-bladder cancer association.

The 19q12 bladder cancer GWAS signal: association with cyclin E function and aggressive disease.

A genome-wide association study (GWAS) of bladder cancer identified a genetic marker rs8102137 within the 19q12 region as a novel susceptibility variant. This marker is located upstream of the CCNE1 gene, which encodes cyclin E, a cell-cycle protein. We performed genetic fine-mapping analysis of the CCNE1 region using data from two bladder cancer GWAS (5,942 cases and 10,857 controls). We found that the original GWAS marker rs8102137 represents a group of 47 linked SNPs (with r(2) ≥ 0.7) associated with increased bladder cancer risk. From this group, we selected a functional promoter variant rs7257330, which showed strong allele-specific binding of nuclear proteins in several cell lines. In both GWASs, rs7257330 was associated only with aggressive bladder cancer, with a combined per-allele OR = 1.18 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.09-1.27, P = 4.67 × 10(-5)] versus OR = 1.01 (95% CI, 0.93-1.10, P = 0.79) for nonaggressive disease, with P = 0.0015 for case-only analysis. Cyclin E protein expression analyzed in 265 bladder tumors was increased in aggressive tumors (P = 0.013) and, independently, with each rs7257330-A risk allele (P(trend) = 0.024). Overexpression of recombinant cyclin E in cell lines caused significant acceleration of cell cycle. In conclusion, we defined the 19q12 signal as the first GWAS signal specific for aggressive bladder cancer. Molecular mechanisms of this genetic association may be related to cyclin E overexpression and alteration of cell cycle in carriers of CCNE1 risk variants. In combination with established bladder cancer risk factors and other somatic and germline genetic markers, the CCNE1 variants could be useful for inclusion into bladder cancer risk prediction models.

Immediate adverse reactions to platelet transfusions: whole blood derived versus apheresis platelets.

The transfusion of whole blood derived platelets (WBDPs) or apheresis platelets (APs) is standard support for cancer patients. However, disputes remain about which type of platelets are ideal in terms of efficacy, cost, and the risk of adverse reactions. This cross sectional study included 141 cancer patients who underwent chemotherapy or hematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation and received platelet transfusions at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center between 2002 and 2003 were retrospectively evaluated. A total of 141 patients who did not differ significantly in terms of age or sex had a reaction to transfusions (WBDPs, n=123; APs, n=18), for a frequency of 0.66% in patients who received WBDPs and 0.45% in patients who received APs, but this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.13). More WBDP-related reactions occurred in patients transfused with older platelets (>2 days old) than in patients transfused with fresh platelets, but the difference compared with AP-associated reactions was not statistically significant. However, the rate of reactions to WBDP may increase if WBDPs are stored for a prolonged time (>2 days). Until evidence becomes available that clearly refutes this; the more fresh platelets as possible may be used.

Racial differences in sexual dysfunction among postdeployed Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

This study examined the racial/ethnic differences in prevalence and risk factors of sexual dysfunction among postdeployed Iraqi/Afghanistan veterans. A total of 3,962 recently deployed veterans were recruited from Houston Veterans Affairs medical center. The authors examined sociodemographic, medical, mental-health, and lifestyle-related variables. Sexual dysfunction was diagnosed by ICD9-CM code and/or medicines prescribed for sexual dysfunction. Analyses included chi-square, analysis of variance, and multivariate logistic regression. Sexual dysfunction was observed 4.7% in Whites, 7.9% in African Americans, and 6.3% in Hispanics. Age, marital status, smoking, and hypertension were risk factors for Whites, whereas age, marital status, posttraumatic stress disorder and hypertension were significant for African Americans. For Hispanics, only age and posttraumatic stress disorder were significant. This study identified that risk factors of sexual dysfunction varied by race/ethnicity. All postdeployed veterans should be screened; and psychosocial support and educational materials should address race/ethnicity-specific risk factors.

Sexual dysfunction among male veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan: prevalence and correlates.

INTRODUCTION: Sexual dysfunction (SD) is not well described in the Iraq/Afghanistan veteran population despite high prevalence of multiple risk factors for this issue. AIM: To estimate the prevalence and examine the association of various sociodemographic, mental health, comorbid conditions and life style factors with sexual dysfunction in Iraq/Afghanistan veterans. METHODS: This exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the VA administrative database. A total of 4,755 Iraq/Afghanistan veterans were identified who sought treatment from the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center inpatient and outpatient clinic between September 2007 and August 2009. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sexual dysfunction was determined by ICD9-CM codes related to sexual health issues and/or by specific medications, primarily phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5i), prescribed for erectile dysfunction. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of sexual dysfunction was 5.5% (N = 265). By age category, it was 3.6% (N = 145) for Iraq/Afghanistan veterans aged 18-40 years and 15.7% (N = 120) for Iraq/Afghanistan veterans aged > 40 years, respectively. A multivariate logistic-regression model revealed that annual income, marital status, post-traumatic stress disorder, and hypertension were significant risk factors of SD (all P < 0.05) among younger Iraq/Afghanistan veterans, whereas among the older Iraq/Afghanistan veterans, being African American and having PTSD and hypertension were significant risk factors of SD (all P < 0.05). There was marked discrepancy between documented erectile dysfunction and prescription of a PDE5i. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that a significant proportion of Iraq/Afghanistan veterans have SD and that the risk factors differ between younger and older veterans. Our findings also suggest that SD is likely under-coded. To better identify the scope of the problem, systematic screening for sexual dysfunction may be appropriate perhaps as part of an initial post-deployment health evaluation.

Racial/ethnic differences in upper-tract urothelial cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Information on clinical characteristics, pattern of initial treatment and survival in patient with upper-tract urothelial carcinomas (UTUC) is scarce. Our study examined the racial/ethnic differences in patients diagnosed with incident UTUC. DESIGN: Observational study. The data analyses included: proportion and ANOVA for categorical and continuous variables, respectively; Kaplan-Meier method for calculating overall survival; and Cox-proportional hazards models for obtaining adjusted hazard-ratios. SETTING: Regions of the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER). PATIENTS OR PARTICIPANTS: 16,702 incident UTUC patients identified from the SEER dataset 1988-2007 (14,192 White, 967 Hispanic, 718 African American and 825 Asian). INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Race/ethnicity-specific distributions of demographics, tumor characteristics, patterns of initial treatment, and survival. RESULTS: African American and Hispanic patients were diagnosed at a younger age than Whites and Asians (P = .001). Hispanics were more likely to be diagnosed with larger tumor size than Whites and Asians (P < .0001). Asians were more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage and higher tumor grade. Cox-regression revealed that Whites and Asians were significantly less likely to die after UTUC diagnosis than African Americans (HR = .78, 95% Cl = .67-.91 and HR = .75, 95% CI = .61-.91, respectively; all P = < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that Asians had worse tumor characteristics at the initial presentation than the other groups in this study, but that their risk of dying was lower. Further research is needed to include a larger number of Asian patients to examine subgroup differences and to confirm the paradoxical finding of higher survival with poor clinical characteristics.

Racial/ethnic differences in treatment discussed, preferred, and received for prostate cancer in a tri-ethnic population.

This study was conducted to explore whether racial/ethnic differences exist in treatment discussed, preferred, and ultimately received for localized prostate cancer (PCa) as epidemiological data are scant on this issue. The authors recruited 640 localized PCa patients from the Texas Medical Center, Houston, Texas, between 1996 and 2004. The authors used a structured questionnaire to collect data through personal interviews. Three main treatment modalities for localized PCa, consisting of surgery, radiation therapy, and watchful waiting, were considered for this study. It was found that health professionals were less likely to discuss surgery (odds ratio [OR] = 0.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.18-0.68) and watchful waiting (OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.34-0.83) with Hispanics than Whites. However, African Americans were less likely to receive watchful waiting (OR = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.05-0.93). They were more likely to prefer (OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 0.78-1.94) and receive (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 0.87-1.86) radiation therapy, although they did not achieve statistical significance (p < .05). Higher age was associated with lower likelihood of discussing, preferring, and receiving surgical treatment. Higher Gleason sum was associated with lower likelihood of discussing treatment. A comparison of concordances between treatment preferred by patients and what was actually received, in general, showed a higher agreement for surgery and radiation therapy. More exploration needs to be done in other settings to confirm these findings.

Attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms and risky sexual behavior in young adult women.

BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to assess the association between adult attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and high-risk sexual behavior. METHODS: This cross-sectional study interviewed 462 low-income women aged 18-30 years. We used the 18-item Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1) Symptom Checklist to assess ADHD symptoms. Risky sexual behaviors included sex before 15 years of age, risky sex partners in lifetime, number of sex partners in the last 12 months, condom use in the last 12 months, alcohol use before sex in the last 12 months, traded sex in lifetime, and diagnosed with sexually transmitted infection (STI) in lifetime. RESULTS: Mean ADHD symptom score was 19.8 (SD±12.9), and summary index of all risky sexual behavior was 1.77 (SD±1.37). Using unadjusted odds ratios (OR), women who endorsed more ADHD symptoms reported engaging in more risky sexual behaviors of all types. However, when multivariable logistic regression was applied adjusting for various sociodemographic covariates, the adjusted ORs remained significant for having risky sex partners and having ≥3 sex partners in the prior 12 months. We observed some differences in risky sexual behavior between two domains of ADHD. CONCLUSIONS: The ADHD symptom score appears to be associated with some risky sexual behaviors and deserves further attention. A brief ADHD screening can identify this high-risk group for timely evaluation and safe sex counseling.

Racial/ethnic differences in predictors of PSA screening in a tri-ethnic population.

BACKGROUND: This study was carried out to identify racial/ethnic differences in predictors of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening in a group of prostate cancer patients. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 935 prostate cancer patients were recruited from the Texas Medical Center, Houston, between 1996 and 2004. It included 372 Caucasians, 346 African Americans and 217 Hispanics. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic and life-style related variables, and self-reported PSA screening history through personal interview. RESULTS: African American (54.4%) and Hispanic patients (42.3%) were significantly less likely (p = 0.004 and p < 0.001, respectively) to report having had PSA screening than Caucasian patients (63.2%). Only annual check-up was found to be a significant predictor of PSA screening in Hispanics. Among Caucasians, education and annual check-up were significant predictors of PSA screening; whereas in African Americans, education, annual check-up, marital status and BMI were significant predictors of PSA screening. CONCLUSIONS: The rates of PSAscreening and its predictors varied by race/ethnicity in this tri-ethnic population. Health-education programs and culturally appropriate educational outreach efforts, especially targeted for high-risk groups, are needed to reduce these disparities.

Racial differences in the association between body fat distribution and lipid profiles among reproductive-age women.

AIM: The aim of this study was to examine the racial and ethnic differences in the relationship between body fat distribution variables and serum lipid profiles. METHODS: Secondary data analyses were conducted on 708 healthy women (204 blacks, 247 whites and 257 Hispanics), aged 16-33 years, seen in an outpatients clinic for contraception. Pearson correlation and multivariable linear regression techniques were used to identify racial/ethnic differences in the relationship between lipid profiles and body fat after adjusting for lean mass as well as demographic and lifestyle variables. RESULTS: All body fat distribution variables were significantly associated with total cholesterol (TC) (r=0.14 to 0.26), triglycerides (TG) (r=0.13 to 0.46), HDL cholesterol (r=-0.13 to -0.34), cholesterol-to-HDL ratio (r=0.20 to 0.50) and atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) (r=0.16 to 0.49). Significant racial/ethnic differences were observed in many associations. After adjusting for lean mass, and other demographic and lifestyle factors, the study showed that black women demonstrated significantly weaker associations than their white and Hispanic counterparts using multivariable linear regression procedures. CONCLUSION: The relationship between lipid profiles and body fat distribution variables varies by race/ethnicity in reproductive-age women. A better understanding of these racial/ethnic differences has important implications for clinical and public-health efforts in targeting the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Prevalence, pattern and determinants of mental disorders in rural Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVES: Very few studies have examined mental health morbidity in Bangladesh. This community-based study of rural Bangladesh in 2000-2001 estimated the burden of mental morbidity among rural people of working age. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Community surveys were conducted with one respondent from each household of three selected villages in the service provision area of a non-profit public health organization. General Health Questionnaire 60 (GHQ-60) was used as a screening tool in Stage I, and clinical examination by a Western-trained psychiatrist was undertaken for concurrent validation in Stage II. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of psychiatric disorders in this rural area was 16.5%. Depressive disorders and anxiety disorders constituted about one-half and one-third of the total cases, respectively. A significantly higher prevalence of mental disorders was found in the economically poor respondents, those over 45 years of age, and women from large families. CONCLUSION: There is a high prevalence of psychiatric disorders in rural Bangladesh. These findings should aid the planning of locally relevant and appropriate mental healthcare programmes. There is an urgent need for a national mental healthcare policy that strengthens primary mental healthcare services.

Perceptions of risk and behaviour change for prevention of HIV among married women in Mumbai, India.

Heterosexual transmission accounts for the majority of cases in India, an epicentre of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, with increasing rates of infection in married women contracting HIV from an infected spouse. Cultural roles and position of married women in Indian society render targeted risk-reduction programmes difficult. To investigate HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, perceptions, and behaviour change among married women in India, an interview-based survey was conducted with 350 married women in Mumbai, of whom 67% (236) were aware of HIV/AIDS. Although 59.3% (140) of those aware mentioned indiscriminate sexual activity as increasing risk of HIV, only two (41%) in five women perceived HIV as a threat to the community; one (12%) in eight perceived personal risk of getting infected as high; and only 7.2% (17) reported behaviour change to avoid infection. When probed for reasons for not changing behaviour, most women cited their personal behaviour of monogamy, not being in an at-risk group, such as commercial sex workers, and trust in their husbands. Education programmes among married women that enable better understanding of risks are urgently required. Since marriage and motherhood are important in the Indian cultural context, male spouses should be included in risk-reduction programmes.

Condom use with steady and casual partners in inner city African-American communities.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined rates of and factors associated with consistent condom use with steady partner and with casual partners in inner city African-American communities with high sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevalence. METHODS: Structured interviews were conducted using street intercept methods and venue based sampling with 997 African-American residents of inner city neighbourhoods in Houston and Dallas, Texas; of which data were analysed for the 736 that reported having sex in past 2 months. Condom use was measured as a proportion of use in last five sex acts with steady and casual partners. RESULTS: Reported rates of consistent condom use were high-31.4% with steady partner and 29.5% with casual partner. Multivariate logistic models differed by type of partner. Married people and those with history of STI were less likely to use condoms with the main partner, while older people were less likely and males, and those visiting a doctor more likely to use condoms with casual partners. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of condom use with both partner types was relatively high reflecting a general trend towards increased condom use in the United States. The finding of lower reported rates with casual partners has been discussed. Factors associated with condom use differ according to type of partner. Precise measurement of actual condom use continues to be an elusive task but is required for the design of appropriate messages and evaluation of STI programmes.

Assessing BRCA carrier probabilities in extended families.

PURPOSE: Carrier prediction models estimate the probability that a person has a BRCA mutation. We evaluated the accuracy of the BOADICEA model and compared its performance with that of other models (BRCAPRO, Myriad I and II, Couch, and Manchester Scoring System). We also studied the effect of extended family information on risk estimation using BOADICEA. METHODS: We compared the area under receiver operating characteristic curves generated from 472 families with one member tested for BRCA mutations. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values at an estimated probability of 10% and explored the biases of carrier prediction. RESULTS: BOADICEA performed better than the other models in Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) families, BRCAPRO performed slightly better in non-AJ families, and Myriad II performed comparably well in both groups. Including extended family information in BOADICEA yielded slightly better performance than did limiting the information to second-degree relatives. Using a 10% cutoff point, BOADICEA and Myriad II were most sensitive in predicting BRCA1/2 mutations in AJ families, and Myriad II was most sensitive in non-AJ families. The Manchester Scoring System was the most sensitive and least specific in a subgroup of non-AJ families. BOADICEA and BRCAPRO tended to underestimate the observed risk at low estimated probabilities and overestimate it at higher probabilities. CONCLUSION: The BOADICEA, BRCAPRO, and Myriad II models performed similarly. Including second-degree relatives slightly improved carrier prediction by BOADICEA. The Myriad II model was the easiest to implement.

Factors associated with low birthweight in rural Bangladesh.

This study examines factors associated with low birthweight (LBW) in rural Bangladesh. Enrolled in early first trimester, 350 women were followed for duration of pregnancy and data gathered on maternal factors such as social, demographic, anthropometric, biochemical measures and newborn's birth weight within 48 hours of birth. Almost a quarter of babies (24%) were born with LBW and mean birth weight was 2961 g. Bivariate analysis found associations between LBW and mother's age, parity, weight and hemoglobin level at booking, weight gain and health problems during pregnancy, tobacco consumption, and gestational age. But no such association was seen for birth spacing, mother's height, economic status, educational level, body mass index, mid upper arm circumference and number of ANC visits. Multivariable analysis revealed gestational age, hemoglobin levels at first visit and weight gain during pregnancy as significant predictors of LBW in this rural setting. Although antenatal care provision is absolutely necessary, intervention approaches that go beyond clinical or primary care settings are also warranted for better nutrition of women. Concerted efforts in health and non-health sectors are necessary for improvement in health and social status of women in order to reduce low birthweight in Bangladesh.

Use of unqualified practitioners by disabled people in rural Bangladesh.

This community-based study examines health care seeking strategies with respect to types of practitioners consulted by disabled persons in rural Bangladesh. A primary health care specialist collected the data through household surveys. The study found that 81% of the disabled people had sought some forms of care from various health practitioners. Unqualified practitioners were found to be strongly involved (96%) in providing health care in this area. Persons with learning difficulties, speech difficulties, fits and strange behavior were more likely to seek treatment from unqualified practitioners. Mean delay and cost of treatment were significantly higher among the qualified practitioners than the unqualified practitioners. Visits to universally free public or government health care facilities were characterized as frustrating, inconvenient, time-consuming and less rewarding for disabilities by 34% of the disabled people. Further examination of the plurality of providers and practitioners in rural Bangladesh is warranted to see how best they can be used or re-trained to respond to the health care needs of disabled persons.

Beliefs, sexual behaviours and preventive practices with respect to HIV/AIDS among commercial sex workers in Daulatdia, Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVES: Despite the rising prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) since 1994 in Bangladesh, the World Bank found the epidemic to be preventable provided vigorous and prompt action is taken. High-risk heterosexual contact, especially among commercial sex workers (CSWs), is a major mode of transmission. Formulation of relevant and effective prevention programmes for HIV/AIDS requires better understanding of the knowledge, attitudes, behaviours and practices in the high-risk groups. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey comprising face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire with items on knowledge, beliefs, condom use and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). SETTINGS: In total, 300 CSWs were interviewed between July and October 2000 in Daulatdia brothel. Daulatdia is one of the largest river ports in Bangladesh. RESULTS: Although most CSWs had heard of AIDS, correct knowledge of transmission and symptoms was lacking. HIV/AIDS was viewed as a remote threat, over-ridden by immediate economic and survival concerns. Although the majority of CSWs knew that condoms afforded protection against STDs/AIDS, only one-third of sex acts on the last day of work were protected through condom use. CSWs who were married, had been a CSW for less than 5 years, were with a new client, or had two or more clients in last working day reported significantly higher condom use. Client dissatisfaction was the major reason for not using condoms. Many did not obtain treatment for STDs in a timely fashion, if at all. CONCLUSIONS: Bangladesh needs a comprehensive HIV programme that combines clinical and screening measures with behaviour change and communication interventions, along with change in social norms and attention to the rights of CSWs in order to avert a widespread epidemic.